Monthly Archives: August 2015

Are you aware of NextDoor.com for specific communities or those nearby?

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screen-shot-2013-02-11-at-10-06-39-pmNextdoor allows neighborhoods to easily create private websites allowing communication among neighbors and make them stronger and safer.  Nextdoor is strictly about connecting with the people who live around you. When you sign up, you must input your real name and address. And you must verify that you live in the neighborhood either via credit card confirmation or by having the company send you a postcard that you can then verify you received.

I belong to active Missionviejo.nextdoor.com, and use it often as a key resource and where I share neighborhood info of interest like a new supermarket opening, days La Paws dog park will be closed for re-sodding, and I’ve posted items for sale. Others have posted about missing pets so all could be on the look-out. One pet was found by a fellow NextDoor member due to the alert on the website.

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Members can:

  • Share local recommendations (plumbers, auto mechanics, babysitters, etc.)
  • Sell or give away household items.
  • Publicize local events.
  • Exchange information about crime and safety issues, and features a Urgent Alert, which makes it possible to blast out urgent information (emergency, crime, etc.) by text message as well as email.
  • Find neighbors in the directory.
  • View a neighborhood map.
  • Ask for advice.

You have the ability to create public or private groups (sub-groups) within the neighborhood, or to communicate with people who live near you but outside the neighborhood through the Nearby Neighborhoods feature.  On Missionviejo.nextdoor.com, sub-groups have been created for Palmia, Crucero Park, Lake Mission Viejo, Arroyo Vista/Arroyo Oaks, Pinecrest/Mission Viejo.  To access any of them, from Missionviejo.nextdoor.com, you simply click on the community of interest and request to Join.

Residents can choose to view and respond to updates via email or directly on the website.

Here’s a 2013 ABCNews story on NextDoor, http://abcn.ws/1IZUt43.

The national NextDoor website:  https://nextdoor.com/about_us/

Nextdoor offers two mobile apps, Nextdoor for iPhone and Nextdoor for Android.

Original Hems Studio in Lake Forest – Buyer beware

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I was so excited to be able to give you a great lead on a good, super super cheap place for clothing alterations – Original Hems Studio at 23034 Lake Forest Drive.  My girlfriend, who is very picky, highly recommended them, said they only charge $2 to hem a pair of pants.

For my first (and only) visit, all I can say is thank God I didn’t give them expensive and/or new clothing to repair. I brought in 5 pairs of jeans, all of which had frayed at the bottom because I didn’t hem them when I should have, when they were new. I instructed them to create a new hemline slightly above the highest area of fraying whether that highest point was on the left leg or right. But that’s not what happened. On all pants, one leg was longer than the other and on some hems, the front of the leg wasn’t the same length as the other side. Not on all, but a few, the hem line wasn’t sewn straight but followed a curvy line. The owner and the young women tried to convince me it was because the way the jeans were sewn originally. They did offer to repair all the work and said would be ready next day. I was thinking about it, but then she asked if I wanted the new hem to be the same length as the shorter or longer hem. I just picked up all the pants and left. Ok, so my newfound $2/hem dream place is no longer a reality. From now on, I’ll go to the place at Laguna Hills Mall next to Macy’s on the side of the mall facing the medical center. They only charge $6/hem.

See Yelp for reviews from other customers:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/original-hems-studio-laguna-hills

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Mission Viejo supermarket news

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You may know already that the smaller Ralph’s market at Trabuco and Alicia is gone.  In its place will be Smart & Final Express opening September 12th.  It’s my understanding that the ‘express’ stores are the size of a regular grocery store vs their ‘Extra’ stores which are larger than their warehouse stores.

So what do you think of the Haggen’s Market that has replaced a few Vons and Albertson’s markets in So Cal?  My local store tells me that by December, 45% of what they carry will be organic!  They have a commitment to local, and over the next 30-60 days, they’ll be continuing to convert new stores and “Haggen-izing” their already converted stores. They’ll be introducing three-day weekend sales, signature items throughout the store, dedicated end caps for gluten-free, local and new items. Those are just some of the ways they’re working to drive excitement and traffic into their stores.