We searched Craigs List to find an apartment in LA. We contacted a nice lady who was renting her daughter's apartment for a short term stay. Her daughter is a medical student at UCLA and in Europe for the summer. After establishing that we would have Internet service, but no TV (okay, since we won't have many English TV channels in China, if any), we took the apartment. The cost was $345 total for a two-bedroom, two-bath place. The place was nice and a typical apartment set up for two college students. It was located in West LA, next to Santa Monica. We have been wanting to check out Santa Monica for future stays, so it worked out well.
We ate at some favorite restaurants-Pink's Hot Dogs, Tommy's Hamburgers. We also ate at the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood, in business since 1949, called Miceli's. Great pasta and pizza. We also visited several Farmers Markets and cooked some good fresh veggies and made salads and tomato sandwiches at the apartment. We found the most delicious tomatoes at the farmers markets. Also, found a great donut shop in Santa Monica and indulged in donuts a couple of days for breakfast. Nothing like eating healthy and not so healthy!
We went to see the musical "South Pacific" at the Mark Taper Forum. Doug went to the LA Opera-Die Walkure, one of the "Ring" German operas. We went to a free concert performed by the Santa Monica Symphony and it was very good. We also visited the Getty Museum in LA and The Huntington Library and Museum and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. Also, went to the LA County Museum. Doug missed three things he wanted to do-ride the new subway, go to an Avant Garde movie at an artsy theater and go to a movie at a big, old movie palace, such The Egyptian or the Chinese Grauman theater.
DOUG on the opera- I did not want to spend $100 on the ticket. I stood outside with my $30 waiting to scalp a ticket. A woman was waiting. She said they did not sell them in LA but someone would give us tickets. She was right. Top balcony obstructed view. No problem. I moved to a good empty seat. At the second act, I moved to an empty seat in the Orchestra. The opera lasted 4.5 hours. The first intermission was 45 minutes so the "big dogs" could dine. I had a $5 subway.
We also drove down the coast through Malibu and back through the hills on Mulholland Highway. We enjoyed the pretty scenery. We stayed busy every minute we were in LA! And, we walked around the Santa Monica pier with all the tourists.
We will fly to Shanghai on 6/1 on China Eastern Airlines, leaving at 12:30 p.m. It is a 14 hour flight and a 12 hour time difference with the east coast. Our next post will be from Shanghai.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Leaving Las Vegas
We decided to rent out our Las Vegas condo home before we left for Shanghai. We rented a storage room and parking spot in our building for $100 per month. About 5-1-10, we asked our real estate agent to get our condo rented starting 6-1-10 for $1,600 a month. By 5-15-10, it was unrented and unshown. We directed the agent to use the MLS and give a $300 bonus for securing a tenant. Within a week (5-22), we had a tenant. Only problem, they wanted possession on 5-27 instead of 6-1. We said yes and got busy. We had furnished the place for less than $3,000 so we gave away the worst stuff, which may have cost $500. We tightly packed the 8x8 storage space at least 7-8 foot high. We ended on the morning of the move out. At the same time, we had to clean the Condo; repair all holes and spot paint. In our leaving note to our new tenants, we tried to give them some tips. In closing, we offered them $300 if they were able to handle any problems with the building super or our real estate agent rather than contact us. Being out of town, it would be difficult for us to call the super or agent. We worked past the noon deadline, including scrubbing the floors and managed to finish before the tenants showed up. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind and body to it! We stayed at the Orleans Casino the night of 5/27 and had a relaxing time at the pool and jacuzzi before heading to bed for a long-needed rest. Our bodies ached all over from the move.
We drove to Los Angeles on 5/28 to stay for a few days before we fly to Shanghai on 6/1. Our adventures in LA are covered in the next post.
We drove to Los Angeles on 5/28 to stay for a few days before we fly to Shanghai on 6/1. Our adventures in LA are covered in the next post.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Finding an Apartment in Shanghai
First, I wanted to wait to start looking after the EXPO opened on May 1. I thought the supply would exceed the demand. I started with Craig's List and placed an ad in "wanting to swap" and "housing wanted." I looked through the "vacation rentals" and "sublet" and even "long term rentals." I sent at least 50 emails.
The 1st contact was a Chicago lady with a two bedroom in an old pre-war Chinese building. With every email, the terms would change and I could not find out what services were available. She wanted $1,200 deposit plus rent. Who knew if there actually was an apartment!
The 2nd contact was an LA woman with a one bedroom in a modern XPAT complex. Every email the terms would change. I had to work to get cable and internet included. Then I had to get a single bed moved into the living room. Of course, she wanted rent and deposit. The final straw was when we had to go to the building on arrival at 9:00p.m. and meet a Chinese woman who did not speak English to get the key.
The 3rd guy was in China with a cheap price of $800 plus $500 security deposit. He wanted me to wire him $500 by Western Union even before he started on the rental agreement. I think that was the closest to a SCAM that I encountered.
The 4th contact was a fellow from San Francisco with a two bedroom, no pictures, but full info. He had seen my ad on "housing wanted." Very quickly things worked out, even though the price ended up to be $1,200 plus $100 cleaning fee plus $75 to install the internet service. But, HEY, it is all in US dollars and I know where he lives if things go wrong. We have to settle for Chinese TV stations. Nancy can call her mother everyday using SKYPE. The gentlemen is sending us a set of keys and even his mother's Chinese cell-phone to use. His mother has just returned from using the apartment. Looks like things are working out. See picture of our apartment rental above.
The 1st contact was a Chicago lady with a two bedroom in an old pre-war Chinese building. With every email, the terms would change and I could not find out what services were available. She wanted $1,200 deposit plus rent. Who knew if there actually was an apartment!
The 2nd contact was an LA woman with a one bedroom in a modern XPAT complex. Every email the terms would change. I had to work to get cable and internet included. Then I had to get a single bed moved into the living room. Of course, she wanted rent and deposit. The final straw was when we had to go to the building on arrival at 9:00p.m. and meet a Chinese woman who did not speak English to get the key.
The 3rd guy was in China with a cheap price of $800 plus $500 security deposit. He wanted me to wire him $500 by Western Union even before he started on the rental agreement. I think that was the closest to a SCAM that I encountered.
The 4th contact was a fellow from San Francisco with a two bedroom, no pictures, but full info. He had seen my ad on "housing wanted." Very quickly things worked out, even though the price ended up to be $1,200 plus $100 cleaning fee plus $75 to install the internet service. But, HEY, it is all in US dollars and I know where he lives if things go wrong. We have to settle for Chinese TV stations. Nancy can call her mother everyday using SKYPE. The gentlemen is sending us a set of keys and even his mother's Chinese cell-phone to use. His mother has just returned from using the apartment. Looks like things are working out. See picture of our apartment rental above.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
pre-trip
The stock market started to recover in 2009 so we thought we could travel a little more. I just happen to get on the Internet and found non-stop tickets from LAX to Shanghai for $850 each. We go 6-1-10 and return 6-30-10. We got our VISAs and they cost about $175 each. We have not made any plans, but we plan to go to Xian and Beijing as well. Nancy wants to see Mongolia and we might make it to the province of Inner Mongolia. If we can arrange it, we are going to change our return flight to Paris rather than LAX. We are toying with the idea of taking the Trans Siberian train to Moscow, Russia.
Of course the Shanghai EXPO is on our list. We expect to find Apartments on Craig's List. No budget, but we are planning:
$70 per day for food = $2,100 (we spend $35 per day in LV and NC)
$900 for trains or planes around China
$300 for transport in and around the towns
$1,000 for tours, admissions and ???
$500 pocket money (trinkets, etc.)
$4,600 TOTAL (plus the $2,000 that we have already spent)
We hope to eat some different things, but we expect to find WALMART close by.
I purchased a NETBOOK and we expect to find wireless Internet service where we sleep. Also, we are signing up for SKYPE international. It is about $10 per month.
On baggage, we are thinking one backpack, one rolling bag light but with most of the clothes and one day pack.
Of course the Shanghai EXPO is on our list. We expect to find Apartments on Craig's List. No budget, but we are planning:
$70 per day for food = $2,100 (we spend $35 per day in LV and NC)
$900 for trains or planes around China
$300 for transport in and around the towns
$1,000 for tours, admissions and ???
$500 pocket money (trinkets, etc.)
$4,600 TOTAL (plus the $2,000 that we have already spent)
We hope to eat some different things, but we expect to find WALMART close by.
I purchased a NETBOOK and we expect to find wireless Internet service where we sleep. Also, we are signing up for SKYPE international. It is about $10 per month.
On baggage, we are thinking one backpack, one rolling bag light but with most of the clothes and one day pack.
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