Recession?? Hits the News/Plus Budget Skiing

Last Sunday in the L.A. Times Business Section ?? - the whole theme was "Bringing the High Cost of Living Down to Earth" - ha!  Have people just caught up on THAT?

According to the lead article in January we spent 3.9% more on basics - "The roof over your head, the food in your fridge, the visits to your doctor...than we did 12 months earlier in Southern California....And a government forecast says food in general will set you back 3.5% more this year."  Then they proceeded to tell tales which they thought were from "the front lines of frugality." 

Excuse me, I have to laugh - The 42 year old real esate saleswoman who suddenly realized that spending $10,000 a year on her wardrobe was a bit much!! And the guy who walks instead of taking out the Porsche!!

Have any of us ever done that???

But still we are in the cat bird's seat (It's Thurber, I like the sound of it) here - becaz we KNOW how to DO this.  All my designer clothes are from thrift shops, as I have said here many times.  My lastest handbag is, I know from my internet research, an early Marc Jacobs knockoff - but I got it for $3 - so who CARES?  And the sturdy plastic which almost passes for leather is much more practical for me - who has a tendency to do unexpected things like go up a ski lift in the SNOW, with her purse.  (That's for later.)

Because I live in L.A., I keep an eye on such things just for social survival - so if anyone asks about the bag, I can say, with glee, "Oh, it's a knock-off."  And it is a nice sort of turquoise color - good for Spring. And if it gets dirty, I can easily sponge it off.  I do have a GOOD red leather handbag (also a bargain) but it's really too fragile for everyday wear. 

But since handbags have become a fashion statement, I do switch around colored handbags with my outfits.  Makes me feel more secure, I do admit.  That and my real silver/turquoise jewelry (even though one bracelet is a 50's knock off I inherited from my mother.  Boy, do I get lots of compliments on that. And recently on my discount watch with a new leather band...)

Really, these people have NO idea.  I have been living in a neighborhood that for years was in Siberia - but on the edge of a very nice one and near Griffith Park, in a very nice friendly building.  My college Russian helped me communicate in the early days, as my Russian was better than my Armenian neighbor's English.  Who thought language study would be so practical?  And now I have studied some Spanish, so I can converse with my El Salvadorean neighbor lady. 

The rent is CONTROLLED and very reasonable, especially since I have lived here so long.  (There was another section abot how unaffordable the rents here in L.A. are.) We do a lot of our own maintenance - and bother the landlord as little as possible! Until recently, I kept up the little garden plot in front of the house - but now they have had a gardener in (& most of my garden ornaments disappeared!)

It has been declassee (unfashionable) for so long, that it's become a point of pride.  But gentrification is creeping along the street.  I just hope they don't tear this lovely building DOWN. After all, Bela Lugosi did DIE here in one of the front apts.  I would buy the apt. if I could - & maybe someday....who knows.  For years I have thought I would have to move out & somehow I am still here -

As for the snow.  I do profit from reading the paper in other ways.  My husband has a yen to go skiing (not the most frugal occupation, but he grew up doing it.)  And I read in Sunday Times about a local no frills ski hill in the Angeles Crest above Pasadena which had just opened.  It's Mount Waterman.  We checked it out last weekend and found that altho it was 80 degrees on the flats, there was snow at the summit and it was COLD.  We took the ski lift up just to check it out (it's worth it just for the ride & it's discounted.) And there is a warming hut above with a fire and beer and a great view over the valley.  

We can just DRIVE up there - no overnight - and the lift tix are cheap - And afterwards there's a charming place to eat down the road - Newcomb's Ranch - before you drive down the hill.  Really, it felt like a VACATION and all within our budget!  Now THAT's dealing with the recession in my mind, no?

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Ah! the Mountains! c.doverpublishing

Budget skiing in the Angeles Crest at Mt. Waterman