Tis the Season – To Avoid Fire Hazards the Holiday Season!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas, even in sunny southern California, as people are bringing home Christmas trees and putting up their lights. Excitement seems to linger in the air as the feeling of festivity spreads to all. While this feeling of joviality increases upon the approach of the holidays, be sure to be on your guard against the hazards that come with the holiday season. Christmas lights, candles, and Christmas trees (whether evergreen or plastic) can be potentially dangerous this time of year. In order to help you avoid tragedy this joyous season, here are some holiday tips:

Candles

I love lighting candles! Especially during holiday celebrations, gathered with friends and family. Sadly, lighting candles within your home can tend to present hazards any time of year, but research shows Christmas Day to have the highest number of household fires caused by candles. To avoid a similar disaster this year, be sure to apply these guidelines:

• Upon lighting a candle, make sure it is within sight and that an adult is in the room.
• Keep all flames at least three feet away from your tree and other decorations.
• Be sure all are extinguished before going to sleep.
• Don’t allow children to have lit candles in their bedrooms.
• For using candles in center-pieces or around foliage, try to utilize battery-powered candles as often as possible.

Lights

You know its christmas when its time to pull the lights out and start the long process of untangling them. As much fun as this tradition is, it can quickly lead to grief if not handled properly. Here are some tips regarding lighting we found to be useful:

• Only use lights that have been tested for safety for both indoor and outdoor decorating purposes. New lights are best as they have thicker wiring and mandatory safety fuses to avoid overheating.
• Smaller bulbs are preferable as they produce less heat.
• When purchasing new lights, look for a red or green UL mark – green means the lights should only be used indoors while the red means it can withstand conditions outside or be used indoors as well.
• Check each set of lights (either recently purchased or long time possessions) for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Any damaged lights should be thrown out.
• Be sure to plug outdoor lights into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) to steer clear of shock.
• Be careful when mounting lights to avoid inflicting damage on your lights. Also use insulated staples or hooks when mounting outside of your home, never nails or tacks.
• Never overload your outlets. Use surge protectors and no more than three standard sheets of lights per single extension cord and outlet.
• Don’t leave lights on while your household is sleeping. Lights shorting out and starting a fire is highly possible.

Trees

When I was younger I loved having a fresh tree in our house. I loved the way the fresh scent filled every room. Later on in life, I was introduced to the convenience of artificial trees, and I find myself torn between the fresh scent or downright ease in selecting my preference. Whatever your preference, exercise caution when decorating your tree of choice. Here are some quick tips:

• With live trees, be sure to check for freshness. This is generally indicated by the greenness of the tree, difficulty in pulling the needles off of the branches, and branches that don’t break when bent in between your fingers. The bottom of fresh trees is sticky with resin, and needles should not be lost easily when the tree is tapped on the ground.
• If you cut off an inch or two of the bottom of the trunk, it will allow your tree to take up water and stay fresh for longer. Keep the stand filled with water since the heat in the room will dry out the tree quickly.
• When purchasing artificial trees, look for “Fire Resistant” labels. Granted, this won’t keep the tree from ever catching on fire, but it is far more resistant to burning.
• Only use noncombustible or flame-resistant materials when trimming your tree, absolutely no lit candles in the branches. Refrain from using electric lights on a metallic artificial tree.
• Set up your tree in an ideal location (clear of doors and high traffic areas, as well as fireplaces, candles, radiators and overhead lights) to avoid further disaster.

That about wraps up our holiday safety tips. If you do happen to stumble across disaster this holiday season, be sure to contact your insurance company immediately and make temporary repairs to whatever mishap in order to avoid further damage. But of course, we at Alandale hope you have a very festive, very restful, and very safe holiday season!!!!

Do you have any holiday safety tips you have found to be helpful? Feel free to post them here! We would love to hear from you.

Thanks to Kemper Insurance  for inspiring this blog.

Help us donate to Toys for Tots!

Happy Holidays from Alandale!

Help us give Christmas cheer to kids to don’t normally give it!

Befriend us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER and we will donate $1 to Toys for Tots!

 

 

Befriend us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER and we will donate $1 to Toys for Tots!

Not enough? Want to do more? The Toys for Tots website has more information on how you be involved in their efforts to bring joy!

Mercury’s Mechanical Breakdown Program – Benefits for all!

Have you ever had a brand new car breakdown just after the warranty expired? Or have you ever had a tire blow out, confident that your warranty will cover it only to find out you’re on your own?

It has been our experience that this happens far too often. Luckily, Mercury offers a specialized Mechanical Breakdown Protection program, that usually far exceeds the benefits of the warranty offered by the dealer. Depending on the plan chosen, you have the option of covering your car from bumper to bumper, including practically all electrical and mechanical needs. An added benefit for the insured is the extensive list of benefits available at no extra cost. This list includes:

• 24-hour roadside assistance (towing, lost key/lock-out services, etc.)
• rental vehicle assistance (if a breakdown occurs during the period of your contract, you will be covered for alternative transportation)
• tire protection (damage occurring during normal life by glass, nails, etc. will qualify for replacement)
• trip interruption coverage (if a breakdown occurs more than 100 miles from your home, you will be reimbursed for lodging and meals for up to 3 days)
• nationwide protection.

 What sets this plan apart from those offered by most dealers, is that there is no limit to the number of claims you can make, and coverage is transferrable (meaning the coverage can go with the car if you choose to sell it at any time). Additionally, features such as the tire protection and the trip interruption coverage are exceptional with this program, and not typically offered through most warranties. Repairs can also be done at any licensed U.S. repair facility. You are not limited by a specific repair shop as most warranties from the dealer will require. Not to mention, this program is often hundreds of dollars cheaper than the typical plan. To us, this program makes more sense than most others and we are fully confident that steering our customers in this direction is the best choice. So call us for a quote today! Out of the four plans offered, I’m absolutely certain we will be able to find the plan that not only saves you more money, but guarantees service for you and your loved ones no matter what situation you may find yourself in. Which is completely worth the 10 minute phone call it would require

Panning For Internet Gold: Websites You Won’t Want to Miss!

The Internet is chock-full of information. Many websites are quite useful, while others should never have been created in the first place! As you separate the wheat from the chaff, it’s a good idea to bookmark the sites that you’ll use on a regular basis. Here are a few that you may want to add to your collection.

Words - Ever wondered about the spelling of a word or been in search of a better way to express yourself? When Microsoft Office tools are not enough, visit www.dictionary.com. This site contains a dictionary and a thesaurus, and its entries are more comprehensive than those produced by Microsoft Office. The site even contains a style guide, should you need clarification regarding grammar or punctuation.

Climate - Depending on where you live, the weather can have an enormous impact on your day-to-day activities. Whether you’re attending an outdoor function, planning a large event, or just conducting a casual business meeting at a local golf course, it’s important to keep an eye on the forecast. Visit www.weather.com to find out temperature, wind, precipitation, and even allergy forecasts for the week, the day, or hour-by-hour. If you’re planning a trip and aren’t sure what to pack, the website contains data for every US zip code as well as a growing list of foreign destinations.

Traffic - There’s nothing worse than having an important meeting to attend and being late because of a traffic snarl. Before you head out the door, check road conditions online. The Federal Highway Administration website contains links to local traffic sites across the country: www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo. If you need to fill up the gas tank, you may want to visit www.gasbuddy.com to compare the latest prices among your local stations.

Local Businesses - As a successful professional, you recognize the importance of reaching out to other business partners within the community. Local chambers of commerce provide an excellent way to network with people who you may not have met previously. To locate chambers within your area, visit: www.uschamber.com/chambers/directory. In most cases, the chambers have websites included in their listings. Visit them to learn about upcoming events, and verify that you may attend even if you’re not a member. If you are pleased with the results, you may want to expand your involvement into neighboring communities as well.

Post provided by our amazing Alandale Partner: Derek Beisner! Derek is part of our New Alandale Real Estate Network. He sends really interesting emails that include lots of various advice, tips, and fun facts!

For more info contact:

Derek Beisner
Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist
New American Funding
Phone: 949-637-9939
Fax: 949-380-1819
derek@derekbeisner.com

Make a Difference! Donate to The Youth Center in Los Alamitos!

The Youth Center in Los Alamitos is now accepting Halloween donations throughout the month of December. Do you find yourself stuck with a enough old costumes to clothe a small army? The Youth Center would be happy to take them off of your hands. Or perhaps you have a mountain of fake spider webs, orange streamers, and other decorative creepy concoctions? Again, the Youth Center will gladly take on such a burden.

While you’re in the mood of giving, take a look at the Youth Center’s Christmas Wish List. The Center could use various toys and games, such as board games, jump ropes, movies, as well as useful items such as a ball pump and needles, or pens and paper. All donations are tax-deductible and receipt will be given upon donation.

 The Youth Center has been serving families in the Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, and Seal Beach communities since 1952. The organization’s goal has been to help youth ages 2 – 18 to “develop their full potential through collaborative social, educational and recreational programs.” Various classes are offered to participants, such as gymnastics, cheerleading and music lessons, just to name a few. Additionally, after school programs, safe rides program, and alcohol awareness programs are offered to educate and assist the youth in the community. As the center is funded entirely by contributions of generous donors and the small fee charged for class participation, any contribution would be greatly appreciated. Please do your part to help the organization that has helped to keep our children out of trouble for over 50 years!

Grease Sing-A-Long this weekend in Long Beach!

Being relatively new to area, I’ve been anxious to explore and experience the local hotspots, and I’ve begun to do some research. Yolie, a fellow employee here at Alandale [and an excellent Customer Service Rep], said she went and watched a silent movie in LA for Halloween. This piqued my interest, and I wondered what sort of similar venues we had in the immediate area of Long Beach/Los Alamitos. Turns out there are several local theaters that screen old movies, but the best I came across by far is the Art Theatre of Long Beach.

Located on 4^th Street, the Art Theatre was originally opened in 1924 complete with an orchestra pit and pipe organ! Since then the theater’s history has evolved through multiple names and changes to both the interior and exterior. It now offers complete wine and coffee bars to audience members, and holds the vote for number one Independent Theatre in Los Angeles. It would appear the theater shows newly released and independent films alike.

Another exciting feature is the specialty screenings they have periodically, such as the Grease Sing-A-Long set to air this weekend!  This weekend the Art Theatre of Long Beach and Long Beach Cinematheque are teaming up to present this enjoyable affair! Come dressed up as a T-Bird or Pink Lady on Saturday or Sunday at 11am, and sing to your heart’s content with fellow fans! Prizes will be given to the best costumes.

Needless to say, this theater sounds absolutely fantastic and I will definitely be visiting soon. Have you ever been? Do you know some obscure history about the theater I may have missed? Let us know! We would love to hear from you.

ANTHEM BLUE CROSS: OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD

            

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD-This month only!!!

Hi Folks!

I just want to remind you of the “Open Enrollment Period” for those with overage dependents:

 Open Enrollment Period for Certain Eligible Members
If you have an individual plan you will have a one-time open enrollment period from November 1, 2010 through November 30, 2010 for the following eligible family members:

Adult Dependents: Adult dependents from age 19 up to age 26 who are not currently enrolled on a member’s policy or who were previously cancelled from a member’s policy due to age, student or marital status are eligible for enrollment.  The member’s policy to which the adult dependent will be added must have an effective date prior to September 23, 2010.

• If an adult dependent is added to a family policy that is grandfathered, the adult dependent will also have grandfathered status under the policy.

You can download the “Application or Addition of Dependent Form” by following these steps: 

• Log on to www.anthem.com/ca, select Customer Care in the top, right corner.
• Select the “Download Forms” link
• Click on the appropriate Application or Addition of Dependent form.
• Answer all questions on the form, include all required signatures and mail to the address listed on the form or fax to 1-800-327-9255.
• Please be sure that you understand that the form must be postmarked no later than November 30, 2010.

Should you have any questions, please shoot us a comment!

Fun Local Halloween Ideas!

It’s the season for candy and costumes yet again! With Halloween just around the corner, be sure to think about all the possible local festivities for you and your loved ones to enjoy. As you plan your costumes and begin to purchase candy, consider these upcoming events in the Long Beach general area.

For those with a spookier taste for Halloween, be sure to check out the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor event where attendees have the option of 5 different mazes for exploration and terrifying thrill. Three of these mazes are located on the ship, the fourth in the Little Village, and the fifth is located in the Dome. Monsters and gruesome sights lurk within the walls of the various mazes, so beware of which maze you choose! Also available to participants is live music and dancing located elsewhere in the historical ship, as well as the regular restaurants and additional vendors selling souvenirs. Tickets for general admission are $35, and Fast Fright passes are available for $55 which will hurry purchasers to the front of the line for the maze (definitely a good choice for those who prefer the ultimate scare and thrills of the horrifying maze). Visit their website or call 562-435-3511 for details.

Also in the general field of the thrilling and chilling Halloween event, is the third annual Long Beach Zombie Walk taking over 4^th Street on Saturday from 5pm to midnight. Festivities will include make-up stations to give participants a deathly make-over, zombie oriented food and drink, as well as live (or should we say, living dead) performances. The festivities will span from Cherry to Junipero Avenue until 8pm when the walk starts. All participants will gather at Portfolio Coffee Shop before embarking upon this ghastly trek. The walk will end at Art Theatre, with a special screening of the zombie spoof “Shaun of the Dead” at 9:30. Call 562-366-8869 for additional information.

If terrifying zombies or scream-inducing haunts are not preferable for your Halloween celebrations, the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra will be hosting Wicked Divas: Costume Party Pops!, an exceptional pops concert held in the Long Beach Arena. This performance will feature the vocal talents of Julia Murney and Erin Mackey, both former Broadway stars of the hit musical Wicked. Not only will the music of Wicked be featured in the show, but also that of The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, and Gypsy, among others. Attendees of this Hallows Eve celebration are encouraged to wear their favorite costume, and bring a picnic to enjoy prior to the performance. Doors at the Arena will open at 6:30pm for all picnic lovers, however the show will start at 8pm. Tickets range from $20 to $135, depending on the seating desired. Please visit the website for more information or call 562-436-3203, dial extension 1. 

If neither hundreds of death defying zombies nor bone chilling haunts, or even Broadway show-tunes in the spirit of Halloween are desirable to you, Buster’s Beach House on Marina Drive is having dancing and a costume contest on Saturday night. Flyer (a live band that has played at Buster’s for years) will begin to play at 8pm, and the festivities will continue long into the night. Prizes for the costume contest will be as follows: 1^st place will receive a Cruise and Dinner Special (equivalent to a $150 value); 2nd place, a gift card to Fry’s for $100; and 3^rd, a dinner for two at Buster’s (a $75 value). Other “spook-tacular” prizes, however, will be handed out as well. Call 562-598-9431 for details.

Although the sound of it may be quite bone-chilling and loathsome, the 15th Annual Historical Cemetery Tour presented by the Historical Society of Long Beach promises to be quite intriguing and informative. While many such tours attempt to terrify participants and take place during spooky hours of the night, the tour hosted by the Historical Society takes place from 9am until 2pm and seeks to tell the stories of the inhabitants of Long Beach from days gone by. Actors dressed in period clothing will tell the tales of particular former residents that shaped the city we know and love today. Tours take place in both Long Beach Municipal Cemetery and Sunnyside Cemetery. Tickets will be sold from 8:30-12 noon; tours depart at 9am, 10am, 11am, and 12pm. A free hotdog lunch will be given from 11:30 – 1:30. Pricing for the tours vary: General admission is $18, members of the society pay $12, students ages 5-18 pay $5, and children under 12 are free. If historical reminiscences sounds like an enjoyable or intriguing haunt, this spooky tour is sure to satisfy your Halloween craving.

Many families prefer to refrain from Tick-or-Treating with young children. If you find yourself among this category, there are multiple children’s fall festivals in the area that sure to be successful Halloween fun for you and your family. In Los Alamitos, a fall festival will be held in Laurel Park on Saturday night from 5-7pm. Admission is free, and numerous activities such as raffles, games, music and the like is expected to entertain all. Age group recommended for this festival is 3-12. Please call 562-430-1073 if interested and in need of more information. If you live in the Glendora area, a festival will be held at the Finkbiner Park Softball Fields on Sunday from 5-8pm, for children 12 and under. Attendees can expect good food, fun booths, and exciting prizes, as well as costume and pumpkin carving contests (pre-carved of course) and moon bounces. Call 626-914-2357 for more information. In the Huntington Beach area, the Halloween Fest on Mainstreet guarantees to be enjoyable for all participants, with an inflatable rock wall, petting zoo, pony rides, and a haunted house among other thrills featured. The festival will take place downtown, at the intersection of Mainstreet and Pacific Coast Highway. The festival will last from 4-8pm on Sunday night. All ages welcome, call 714-969-0795 for details.

This has proven to be a long list of Halloween options this year for you and yours, and its not even half of what is going on in the area. So be sure to pick one, go and eat lots of candy on our behalf, and be sure to tell us how you celebrated Halloween this year! Have a wonderful and safe holiday from Alandale!!!!

Los Alamitos Youth Center Hosting Haunted House

If you’re going to be in Los Alamitos this weekend, stop by The Youth Center‘s Haunted House.

Come join in all the fun:

• Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest
• Costume Contest
• Games
• Prizes
• Candy
• And Much More…

The Haunted House can be found at 10909 Oak Street, Los Alamitos, CA 90720 (Between Katella & Florista) October 22-24 from 6pm to 10pm.  Entry is only $5.00.  Click the flyer to the right for a buy one, get one FREE coupon!

Family Fun ~ Wings, Wheels, Rotors Expo 2010!

This rain has kept us inside and I’m tired of being cooped up! Sunday offers a great opportunity to get out of the house and hang out with the whole family!

The ninth annual Wings, Wheels, Rotors Expo 2010 is this coming Sunday, October 24th at the Joint Forces Training Base, right here in Los Alamitos! Come on out and see all the really remarkable sights they have to see! How lucky are we to have one of the premiere events in Southern California in our own backyard?

It’s going to be a spectacular event with great food, live entertainment, over 150 vendors and a huge array of cool transports on display! Check this out: over 400 cars in the largest event of the day: the car show including antique cars, new models, custom automobiles, roadsters, motorcycles and even hot rods (I’m excited). There will be civilian and military vehicles including 15+ warbirds, famed planes and various types of helicopters! But it’s not all going to be stationary; there are going to be demonstrations and flyovers going on throughout the day! Pretty much everything exciting with wheels will be there to behold! There will even be a Kids Korner for the little ones!

The best part of it all, I know it’s hard to imagine it can get better but it can-it’s all FREE! No joke, free admission and parking! FREE parking, that never happens in SoCal but it is true for this event! All you need is your picture ID to get on the base, for security reasons obviously. Donations are welcomed, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the JFTB Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) funds for armed forces personnel on the base. No Smoking, dogs, bikes or alcohol permitted. This thrilling event is generously sponsored by the Los Alamitos Area Chamber of Commerce and the California National Guards, Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB).

Fun for the Whole Family!
Los Alamitos Army Airfield
11200 Lexington Dr.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
October 24^th, 2010
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Hope to see you all on the tarmac!