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All Things German In California

Living in California

California Beaches – No alcohol and, please, don’t go topless!

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Andere Länder – andere Sitten 

It’s summer and since we are staying here in California this year instead of visiting Germany, we decided to make it a California vacation. Let’s enjoy what California is known for! Beautiful weather and endless beaches right in front of our doorsteps.

Apparently the Germans’ favorite way to enjoy the sun in the summer is nude or at least topless. While this argument can be wildly disputed, free-body-culture loving Germans beware!

One of the first things I was told as a teenager when visiting our friends in Los Angeles and Orange County was, “Never sunbathe topless on the beach! It’s illegal here in California.”

Surprised, I just took notice of this warning, but I didn’t dwell much on it. I didn’t really care. Besides, I liked all the bright and colorful California bathing suits, so this wasn’t much of an issue for me.

But what if you really enjoyed summer most without clothes! Where to go in California? What to do if you just want to strip off all your clothes and jump into the water the way nature has made you…?

Well, there are actually a few beaches in California that do allow you to enjoy the FKK -Freikörperkultur (Free Body Culture); however none of them are in L.A. County or Orange County!

Click for a list here.

You lose with booze

Now, the other day when we went to the beach, I was surprised to have a police patrol roaming the beach and stop … Gasp!…, almost in front of us. A few people over to our right the police came to a stop, and all eyes were on that family the police started talking to. Confused many beachgoers tried to figure out what was going on as one man of the group had to show his I.D. After the police took hold of a few containers it dawned on us… alcohol. Oh, yes, I remember this now, too! No alcohol at the beach!  Unless you want to be the next attraction…

But you can find some exceptions also here, of course. Check out this link to find some places, where you can sip your prosecco in style and watch the sunset while relaxing in the sand.

Cheers!

Images:  ©CaliforniaGermans

 

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Natural Disasters Ask for Clever Preparedness

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Do you have an emergency back up plan?

As I listened to the news this morning and heard about Pasadena declaring a state of emergency with thousands of people out of power and having to deal with the aftermath of what gusting winds of over 80miles/hour have destroyed, I remembered a New York Times article from last month.

In her article Power Envy, Penelope Green, tells her story about having to cope with a huge power outage caused by snow storms in Connecticut. Luckily, friends of hers who own generators that kicked in right when the power went out, made these freezing winter days with no electricity more endurable. Her family managed to live through this cold week by “generator hopping” and having “…a different sleepover every night.” (see article)

Having read that article a month ago it stayed on my mind since I wanted to mention it on this blog. After all, having a generator in the house might not be such a bad idea in earthquake prone California either. Today’s news about Pasadena was a reminder, even though the culprit of disaster were historically strong Santa Ana winds and no earthquake.

For everyone out there, it sure is a good idea in general to be prepared for whatever natural disaster might happen. The climate is obviously changing all over the planet and we most likely will face many changes over the years to come that we cannot anticipate in all their capacity at this present day.

For my family Pasadena happenings today were a warning to put more thought into disaster preparedness and I definitely will look into purchasing a generator.

A good resource for making a disaster preparedness plan or for reading more about it,  are the following websites:

  • American Red Cross
  • http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
  • http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/seven_steps.html#secure

NEWS about Pasadena & Los Angeleas area:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/01/us-winds-california-idUSTRE7B02GA20111201

http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/12/01/30143/la-wind-storm-resources/

http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/12/01/30140/la-wind-updates-damage-wrought-santa-anas/

http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/12/01/30137/santa-ana-winds-blow-through-southland-toppling-tr/

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_19448134

How to Save Money This Winter and Help The Environment

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winter day

– Article by CaliforniaGermans contributor Claudia Gardner

Winter is coming and with it colder weather and shorter daylight. In the winter season everyone enjoys the inviting coziness of a warm home and the sizzling heat of a fireplace. During this holiday season be mindful in how to use all your resources. We can all do our part for the preservation of the environment and with that we have the added benefit of also saving money for ourselves. A few simple energy saving tips can make a big difference to you and the environment:

  1. Let the sunshine in. Open drapes and let the sun heat your home for free.
  2. Traditional fireplaces are an energy loser – it’s best not to use them because they pull heated air out of the house and up the chimney.  When not in use make sure the damper is closed.
  3. Shut off lights in unoccupied rooms.
  4. Take shorter showers.  Showers account for 2/3 of water heating cost!
  5. When using your dishwasher or washing machine make sure the loads are full.   Try to use the cold water setting on your washing machine.  This reduces your washer’s energy use by 75%.
  6. Put your computer and monitor into sleep mode during the day.  But do not leave them in sleep mode overnight, as they will still use small amounts of energy. Turn off your devices completely!
  7. Many electronics, such as TV’s, VCR’s, chargers and computers use energy even when they are switched off.  If possible unplug them.   The best way to minimize losses of energy is to purchase ENERGY STAR products.
  8. Replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent light bulbs.   They use 75% less energy.
  9. Replace your old weather stripping on doors and windows.
  10. Install low flow showerheads.
  11. Increase ceiling insulation to save up to 15% on energy costs.
  12. Program your thermostat and set it at a comfortable temperature before temperatures drop. It is more cost-efficient to maintain a certain temperature than to change it dramatically.
  13. Replace dirty air filters. This can help you save up to 20% of your monthly heating bill.

Check with Southern California Edison and with the Gas Company if your income has been reduced during these hard economic times.  They have programs that can help you if you fall into a certain income category.  Edison even has a program to give you a free refrigerator if yours is old and inefficient.

The Gas Company will install new weather stripping and give you low flow showerheads if you qualify.  In some cases you will also get ceiling insulation for free.  For a limited period of time you will get a $300 rebate on a new, energy-efficient pool pump.

Sources: The Week, Southern California Edison, The Gas Company

This article is part of CaliforniaGermans’  monthly column on Real Estate & Living in California. We would love to hear from you and get your feedback.  Please let us know what kind of concerns with the housing market you might have or what Real Estate question is on your mind.  What would you like to have discussed in more detail in this section?  Send us a comment or an email to CaliforniaGermans@gmail.com
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CLAUDIA GARDNER has a professional background in Real Estate and a bachelors degree in Business Administration. Raised by German parents in Brazil, she is fluent in German, Portuguese, English and Spanish. Claudia has lived in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa for the last 34 year and loves selling real estate and helping people with all their real estate needs. More  up to date information on California housing can be found on her e-newsletter:http://claudiagardner.housingtrendsenewsletter.com or on her website www.OChomerun.com


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