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Westside Wisdom

Westside Wisdom: Amazon Fresh and Google Shopping Express

I have become one of THEM. One of those bloggers who sold out and writes about products and life hacks. If you think I’ve become trivial, this video from last year is proof that Carly Bird has been this way all along.

That said, there are many services, products, and hacks that can make a big difference in your life. This is one of them. Please welcome: Amazon Fresh and Google Shopping Express.

Amazon Fresh

Amazon Fresh is a grocery delivery service revolutionizing the way white collar first adopters fill their kale holes.

The service delivers food right to your door and also gives you access to Amazon Prime (Prime gives you two-day shipping on non-grocery items including everything from skating helmets to ridiculous plastic medallions for your birthday party absolutely free.)

Amazon Fresh costs $200 per year. If you are a numbers person who already uses Prime, this comes out to roughly $5.00 a week to have your groceries delivered to you.

If you are still thinking, “wow, that’s expensive,” here are ways to justify it.

Snappy Deliveries

This price includes getting deliveries of $35.00 or more with a short amount of notice. I can order groceries at 9pm on a Monday and receive them by 7am the next Tuesday morning. Ask me how much I value this feature on sick days. You can’t attach a price to waking up to fresh orange juice, bacon, and medicine when you have a cold.

Fresh Produce

Their fresh produce is amazing. Amazon sells organic fruits and vegetables as well as grass fed beef and free-range chicken. Eating healthy would normally mean you would have to visit the store twice a week or deal with the smell of rotten mangos in your fridge.

Grocery Trips Become Obsolete

A grocery trip in Los Angeles takes a minimum of two hours if you include traffic and parking in lots that were built for go-carts. Time is more precious than money. Two hours a week adds up, especially if you multiply it by your hourly rate at work.

Two is Better Than One

You can split your Fresh account with someone. Proof: I am leaching of my boyfriends account right now. Amazon will lets you have two addresses and two credit card numbers saved onto the account.

Free Coolers and Ice Packs

The fresh bags they deliver food in are reusable. You leave the old bags on your doorstep with each new order and the Amazon Santa Claus to takes them back. In the meantime, these bags have built in coolers and are perfect for lugging food to the beach or moving things. Don’t believe me? Ask all the homeless people who are having a hay day with them right now in Santa Monica.

Google Shopping Express

I was hesitant to use Google Express at first. Why? Because I am fiercely loyal and prefer to be ignorant. That said, when I realized I didn’t have to create an account (you can just use your current gmail or G+ account) and that they would give me $10.00 up front (this may be a limited time offer) just to try the service, I couldn’t say no. Google Express is a similar service with a different strategy. They pick up items from a variety of stores and deliver them to your doorstep. Here are the benefits of using this service.

6 Months Free

Right now they are working out the kinks of their new service so using it costs you $0. Take advantage of it while it lasts.

Store Line Up

Here is a list of the stores they can deliver items from:

Smart & Final
Costco – Must be a member
Target
Walgreens
Guitar Center
Whole Foods
Fry’s Electronics
Toys R Us
Staples

Yes. You heard me. You get all of the benefits of Costco without having to get sucked into a maze of bright lights and zombies with big carts. You miss out on the free samples, but keeping your sanity is worth it.

Delivery Time

Google Express has an impressive same day delivery set up competitive with Amazon Fresh. Let’s say I want a guitar, a stapler, and a tickle me Elmo by 6pm. I could order by noon that same day and have it all delivered to my doorstep when I get home.

Google Shopping Express does not deliver perishable items (fruits, vegetables, etc.) It also delivers items separately from each store. So for example, if you order items from a few different stores, expect to have a lot of Google visitors dropping off your orders. This can get old, and also makes you feel guilty that a human being just had to drive 5 miles to bring you a set of razors.

So there you have it: a meaningful small talk conversation about something that has become a problematic solution in my life. That’s as deep as it gets friends. Learn more about Amazon Fresh here using this affiliate link (full transparency brought to you by Russell Stevens.)

June 20, 2014 by Carly Chevalier

Ideas, Los Angeles, Westside Wisdom

Westside Wisdom: Hair Hacks From a Fortune Teller

I decided to start a new series on my blog called West Side Wisdom. Why? Because some of us thought we had street smarts only to move to LA and realize we were useless.

Lucky for me, I live in a city that is a smorgosborg of human beings who have mastered life hacks worth noting. As a result, one of my goals this year is to stop looking at my phone when I go places, and start picking the brains of West LA’s finest.

Round 1: Hair Hacks From a Fortune Teller

I was at a beauty supply store pretending that my hair wasn’t over bleached and suffering from grocery store soap, when I met a fortune teller. I call her a fortune teller because she had a flawless accent and eyes that defaulted to looking directly into my soul. I normally don’t ask questions, but I had hit a breaking point. I held up a bottle and asked her from across the store, “Will this fix my hair?”

She hung up her landline phone while slowly unravelling the chord wrapped around her fingernails, and leaned forward. “Can I touch your hair?”

“Yes.”

She touched my hair, twitched, and let the silence build up before opening her arms to the entire store and saying, “these products will not save you.”

A unique sales approach.

“In Santa Monica the water is terrible,” she continued. “If you don’t drink it. Why would you wash your hair in it?”

And just like that my juvenile mind was mildly blown.

I have been searching for years for the perfect shampoo and the answer was right in front of me. It had nothing to do with the shampoo. It had everything to do with the one other substance that goes through my hair daily, water.

The WHOLE time?

She then explained how this cousin and that cousin and this neighbor and her mother all use shower filters from Home Depot. They are $30.00 or less my friends and anyone can install it.

She drew me in for the next half hour with hair advice that cost less than a bottle of fancy leave in conditioner from Beverly Hills and has single-handedly saved my hair from feeling like straw. So from the fortune teller herself, here is a glimpse into a better future.

1) Get a shower filter. It’s like dancing in a fountain of youth. (And is also better for your skin.)
2) Never brush your hair wet. You are basically ripping it out. Use a wide-tooth comb like this one. Don’t use a brush until it is at least half-dry. I even prefer to comb my hair out in the shower to lose less hair.
3) Trim your hair often (at least every 3 months). Your hair is like a plant. If the tips of a plant are dead, it can’t grow so you have to trim them. Same concept here. Long healthy locks start from the ends of your hair.
4) Wash your hair less. Make a shower cap and dry shampoo your best friend. Try only shampooing it 3-4 times a week.
5) Give It The Magic Treatment. Once a week, put conditioner on the bottom half of your locks while it is dry. Let it sit for five minutes before getting in the shower. While in the shower, shampoo the roots of your hair only, and leave the bottom half of your locks alone. Let the water naturally rinse it out. (I like using Moroccan Oil Hydrating Shampoo, and Moisture Repair Conditioner).

Bonus tip: Use no crease hair ties. These ties are softer on your hair and don’t cause as much breakage.

And there you have it. Two cents that make sense.

One thing I love about where I live is that no one keeps personal boundaries. People aren’t afraid to ask about your life and instantly invite themselves to become a part of it. So warm up a little (it’s 80 degrees here) and start chatting more with strangers. If you listen, more often then not, they have something valuable to say.

And even if it isn’t valuable, you can pretend it is an abstract metaphor for something valuable.

We could go either way on this.

Images: Shower Filter – Amazon, Comb – Sephora, Plant – Sunset Magazine, Dry Shampoo – Klorane, Shower Cap – Pinterest Puppy, Shampoo/Conditioner – Moroccan Oil

January 23, 2014 by Carly Chevalier

❤, Life, Westside Wisdom

How to Fit in With a Colony of Vegetable Lovers

Rage Against The Green

I am walking down a street in Santa Monica when and a guy with long flowing hair and an accent runs up to me and asks, “Please, let me take you to dinner?” It was as if I had been transported into a Hilary Duff movie and I had no idea what to say. “I am sorry,” I reply “I am new here and don’t really trust anyone. I will give you my email?” He throws his head backwards as if I just have just slapped him in the face. (Dramatic? Yes, but in LA everyone is working on their acting career so it’s not out of the ordinary.) I can see the wheels in his brain turning. We both know he has 3 seconds to say something before I walk out of his life forever. As I turn to leave, he heroically shouts his last argument, “but you can trust me… I AM A VEGAN.” and that’s when I knew…(sigh)…we would never be together.

Attack of the Vegetables

What people forgot to tell me when I moved by the beach is that eating healthy is a real thing here. People actually believe in microwave-less cooking. They LOVE vegetables, farmer’s markets, and the word “fresh”. Every meal is calculated to perfection and people legitimately cook dinners that I have only seen on TV and assumed weren’t a realistic option for anyone less than Betty Crocker status. I have read plenty of blog posts about this lifestyle, but to see it so actively lived and promoted is a whole new story. I have to say I am impressed. In Provo we grab a Jamba Juice, jog around the block, and call it good. Here, eating well is a religion and running around the block would be considered a 5K.

The Alien in The Office

Flashback to my first week of work. I am innocently typing away when an unnamed coworker asks, “what is that?” He points to a red plastic cup on my desk with a Kit-Kat wrapper peaking out of the rim. “It’s candy?” I stammer. He picks up the cup, tips it over, and just like a snow globe an avalanche of empty fun-size wrappers come fluttering out. Time graciously froze so I could see my coworker’s wide-eyed reaction followed by “Gasp” #1. This was the first of many party fouls. I continued to shock this new health-centered community with my diet.

“Gasp” #2 Came when I revealed that I brought a ravioli TV dinner for lunch.
“Gasp” #3 when I suggested McDonalds for dinner
“Gasp” #4 When I inhaled a bag of M&M’s mid-conversation during a meeting.
“Gasp” #5 When I threw up in my mouth after my first taste of this…

Say hello to my arch nemesis, a shake made entirely out of plants called THE SLURRY.

Your turn to “gasp.”

Drink or Die

Sink or swim. I had been thrown into a colony of cabbage patch kids and if I wanted to fit in I was going to have to start drinking this thing.

Special Note to Green Monster Drinkers: This is not a green monster. A green monster has tons of fruit with a pinch of spinach to make it look green and seem unusually healthy but to taste like..Jamba Juice. The slurry is the opposite and could actually be considered fruit abuse. Even if it had a glimmer of hope called a pineapple, it would immediately sabotage it’s flavor with something that tasted like an onion.

This drink does NOT taste good and is a test to prove that you have what it takes to outlive everyone by 30 years. Here is the breakdown.

The Slurry Breakdown

A slurry can contain any combination of the following:

Beets
Celery
Asparagus
Spinach
Lemon
Ginger
Bok choy
Carrots
Green Leaf Lettuce
Pineapple (the poor thing)
Zucchini
Lime

It is then put into one of THESE and regurgitated for your drinking pleasure.

Side Effects From Drinking This Concoction of Earth.

After a burst of morning energy you will realize that the cheap Asian salad aftertaste in your mouth is not going anywhere. However, this drink is said to have vitamins A through Z and is actually really good for you. It can also keep you from getting sick and will help you gain or lose weight depending on what you want.

Beet Me Senseless

After 4 mornings of painstakingly trying to take more than two sips of the slurry, I had lost all hope. Was I ever going to be able to fit in? In this land of Trader Joe’s and granola is there a place for someone who lives for double-stuff Oreos? Head on my desk, my coworkers appeared with a peace offering. “We know how much you love chocolate so we made a slurry just for you.” Tears welled up in my eyes as they explained that they had blended all my favorite candy bars into a cup of hot chocolate.

The Choco Slurry Breakdown

The chocolate slurry contains all of the following, but is not limited to these candy bars. In fact this drink is limitless, there are endless amazing combinations:

A Bag of M&Ms
Two Mr. Goodbars
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
Hershey’s Dark Chocolate
Kit Kats
Chocolate Chip Granola Bar
Hot Chocolate- Extra Chocolate

Side Effects From Drinking ALL Your Favorite Candy Bars at Once

After a three-hour burst of energy from the high levels of caffeine you will crash. Completely pass out to the point of drooling only to be woken up by a tornado in your stomach. Worth it? Totally.

Note: make sure you have a solid tooth brush before drinking. 30 minutes of brushing will barely make a dent on the layers of sugar that will cement onto your teeth.

Why Can’t We Be Friends?

What I have learned from hanging with these Wild Oats is that people who love sugar and people who love salad can peacefully co-exist. There is room for both. Your tasting palette doesn’t define who you are, but your willingness to branch out and try something new does. Enjoy the recipes above: one will speed up your death the other will just taste like it.

I am interested to know what people drink or have been forced to drink to keep their bodies from deteriorating, if you have comments or recipes leave them below! Especially if it is a game-changer for your health and somehow doesn’t taste like it.

May 9, 2012 by Carly Chevalier

Life, Los Angeles, Westside Wisdom

10 Things I’ve Learned From Moving to LA

Welcome Home Carly Walker

I grew up in Utah and I went to school at BYU-Idaho. Our idea of a main street closes at 10 and the most dangerous place I have ever set foot in is the Rain Tree Hot Tub. So you can imagine my culture shock when 4 liquor stores and a family reunion of homeless locals were waiting outside my apartment to welcome me to the one and only…Los Angeles, California.

Oh I’ve Been Afraid of Changing

You may be wondering how I got here or why, and to be honest its all a blur. I woke up one day with my bags packed driving off with a pair of knock-off Ray Bans to cover my goodbye tears. It’s like Stevie Nicks said, “I’ve been afraid of changing because I built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, children get older, I’m getting older too.” I have always wanted to move by the beach, but didn’t want to leave the people I loved and had built my life around. Luckily time makes you bolder. Change is a scary thing, but if you stare at a cliff long enough you are bound to jump at some point. This was my ultimate leap of faith. Enough sap…lets get to the good stuff. LA has so many surprises for a young and naive Utah local. Here are my top 10.

1. Winter in California is a Joke

Every morning is the same thing. I peel away my curtains, the Beach Boys start singing, and a pack of California sun beams shower my skin. As my old roommates would say, “It’s a tender mercy” and I swear it’s not real life.

2. Inglewood Is Up To No Good

One of my first nights here, I ran out of gas in the wrong part of town. I soon learned what Dr. Dre meant when he said Inglewood was up to no good. Without thinking I got out of a car in a dim-lit empty gas station. Out of the shadows emerged four gangsters and I was surrounded. Terrified, tears-welled up in my eyes as they made their demands…a bag of potato chips. Someone should tell Ruffles they have a huge fan base in the hood.

3. The Street Doesn’t Sweep Itself

Speaking of hoods, this gem was on my hood the next morning for blocking a street-sweeper.

I learned the hard way that it’s cleaning services are highly valued by the state of California. I wish LA gave you the opportunity to hand sweep the section of curb your car blocked, because for 68 bones I would have made that thing look like gold.

4. If it Once Moved, You Can Eat It

My menu of beef and potatoes is quickly expanding. There are food trucks and restaurants everywhere serving anything from octopus to chicken on waffles. Kissing the chef would be an understatement of my affections.

5. Ikea Furniture is Cheap for a Reason

Imagine playing a game of charades but instead of guessing a word you had to guess how to build a 12-piece set of furniture. Thanks to Ikea’s pictures-only instruction manuals, this nightmare is a reality. The worst part is: You can’t get those five precious hours of your life back. It’s not in their return policy.

6. Blondes Run This Town

Being a small fish and moving into a big city has been overwhelming. One night, I put my head in my hands and sighed,”I’m just this little blonde girl.” A sassy neighbor replied, “Honey, blondes run this town.” Dolly Parton could not have been more inspiring and I have held my head high ever since.

7. The “F” Word is an Adjective

The “F” word is highly valued in Utah. People have been saving up this swear word their entire lives in case they ever need a way to describe a catastrophic event. If they get the urge to use it for anything less than a disaster, they use a swear-replacement such as “F,” “freaking,” “flip,” etc. So the first time I heard someone casually say $%^#, I thought something terrible had happened. I have since learned that this word is used for many different creative purposes and does not require me to rush to the aid of every single person that uses it. I have also learned to cover up my wide-eyed reactions by pretending something is in my eye.

8. Men Here Are Beautiful

I have never seen more good-looking men in my entire life. I knew the first time a guy turned to me at Marshalls and said in a low voice, “Hey, that lamp is fresh,” I was in trouble.

9. Honking Isn’t a Good Thing and There is No Such Thing as a Shortcut

In Provo, the only time you hear cars honking is when a sedan crammed full of freshmen boys see a girl for the first time. California is the opposite. Getting a honk is not a compliment and can mean anything from “You should have ran that light” to “I had a gut feeling you were about to cross the road.” It is similar to a game of Operation where even breathing in the wrong direction results in a chorus of beeps.

Unsolved mysteries should really try to tackle why no matter where you are or how far you are going, it will always take you 30 minutes to get anywhere in LA.

10. LA is Home to the Free Spirited

One thing I love and can’t get over is that everyone that I’ve met here marches to the beat of their own drummer. They aren’t scared to be themselves and it’s a strict “no fear” policy. If you want to stand on a ladder in a public place with a loin cloth on….you do it. In all honesty, It’s an amazing environment to be in. Without fear holding anyone back, people are doing incredible things with their time and the energy is contagious.

“You Are Like an Alien That We Get to Show the World”

I have been so surprised from my move to a city, but I have to say I am in love. As terrifying as the move has been, it’s amazing waking up and knowing that each day is going to be a new adventure. So bring it on LA, bring it on.

March 20, 2012 by Carly Chevalier