May 22 2013

The “Official” Kick-Off of Summer: Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day is held every 4th Monday of May to honor the men and women who died while in military service protecting the rights and freedoms of the United States from its inception 237 years ago to present day. In observance, many people visit cemeteries and memorials, attend parades and place flags on veterans’ graves. There will be patriotic Memorial Day programs at different Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in the Los Angeles Area on Monday, May 27th. Canoga Park will hold its annual Memorial Day Parade starting at 11am with military bands, marching bands, floats, equestrian units and more. There is a festival that follows the parade. There are also many local communities that will be hosting parades and events.  Many organizations, museums and attractions will have special military discounts on Memorial Day as well. Check with the organization or attraction for more information.

Memorial Day is also the official start of summer and there are many events and festivals in the Los Angeles area to kick off the summer. You can attend some of these events or just enjoy the holiday with a picnic with friends and family. There are many multicultural music and food events that represent the many cultures in Los Angeles over Memorial Day weekend. Drake Stadium at UCLA hosts the 27th Annual Jazz Reggae Fest on May 26th and 27th, where national and local jazz and reggae artists perform on multiple stages. The Cajun Creole Music Festival  will feature Zydeco music and more in Simi Valley. Men in kilts will be taking over the OC Fair & Event Center on May 25th and 26th for the ScotsFest. This event celebrates Scottish music, dance, food, games and more! (And there will be men in kilts!)

There are other events and festivals in the Los Angeles area celebrating the start of summer. Fiesta Hermosa is Southern California’s largest craft and arts fair with over 400 vendors. There is also food, entertainment, a kid’s carnival, petting zoo and a beer and wine garden. The city of Topanga hosts the 40th Annual Topanga Days, where 30 bands with musical styles from Folk to Country to Rock N Roll will be sharing 2 stages from May 25th through 27th. There is also a Memorial Day parade that kicks off at 9am on Monday, May 27th.

Magellan Storage  salutes all who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We hope that everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend!

May 16 2013

Wine Tasting 101

Wine tasting is a learned skill

Wine has been cultivated and savored for thousands of years. Wine tasters and experts have been around just as long! However, you don’t have to be a wine “snob” to be able to taste and enjoy wines. Wine tasting is a practice that improves over time and with practice, but you can learn the basics of wine tasting to impress your friends very easily. Really all that you need to be able to do is use your basic sense of look, smell and taste. There are steps to properly tasting wines that we will further investigate in today’s blog post.

The first thing that you have to consider is the conditions of the room where you are tasting the wine. To get a proper taste and “feel” for the wine, you need to concentrate. Being in a noisy, crowded room that has recently cooked food smells will hinder your wine tasting experience. (For example, you will only smell the food in the room and not the wine’s aroma). Also, it is better to cleanse your palate before tasking wine as you could still have the residual taste of what you have eaten before you do your wine tasting.

Once the proper wine tasting conditions are set, then you can pour yourself a glass of the first wine that you plan on tasting. Only pour the glass 1/3rd full. The first step in wine tasting is looking at the wine. Evaluate the wine by looking straight into the wine glass. This will give you the depth of the color of the wine. Next, view the wine from the side of the glass. A clear, brilliant and even sparkly color is an indicator of a good wine. Tilt the wine in the glass to find out the wine’s age and weight. Lastly, swirl the glass. Look for “legs” as you swirl the wine. Wines with good “legs” have more alcohol and glycerine content and are bigger, riper and denser than other wines. Older red wines will have a darker color (more brownish or brick colored) than a newer red wine. The colors of white wines will vary depending on how the wine is stored, some are honey colored where others are very clear.

The next step in wine tasting is smelling the wine. Take a few short sniffs of the wine and let the aromas swirl to your brain. What do you smell? Good wines will smell of fruit, flowers, herbs, spices, chocolate, vanilla or caramel. The smell will be dependent on the type of wine that you are tasting and the brewing and storage process. There are also bad smells that you need to watch out for that indicate that the wine is flawed or spoiled such as a vinegar smell, musty attic smell or tastes like wet paper.

Finally, it is time to taste the wine. Do not take large swallows of the wine. Take a smaller sip of the wine and allow the wine to linger in your mouth to let your taste buds recognize the taste. Your taste buds will start to recognize if the wine is balanced with al of its basic flavor components. There should always be a balance in the taste of a wine. The best wines are complete. This means that the wines are balanced, complex, harmonious and evolved.

Remember to share your tasting experience with others or put your thoughts of the wine tasting into a wine journal for future reference. Wine is something to enjoy and savor the taste. As more people are becoming wine collectors, there is a need to have a place to properly store the wine collections for future use. Magellan Cellars at the Costa Mesa Magellan Storage location has specialty made wine storage lockers to protect wine collections from light and temperature extremes. The storage units are set at a specific humidity and temperature level to protect the wine while in storage. There is even a tasting room so you can practice your wine tasting skills! Stop by Magellan Cellars in Costa Mesa to find out more.

 

May 9 2013

Moving Day for your Pets

Tips for Moving your Pets

The busy moving season will be starting in just a few weeks. May through September are the busiest months to move (and to rent a self storage unit!) Moving Day is stressful for the entire family, but it can be extremely stressful for the family pet. If you are moving across town or across the city, you need to plan ahead for moving with your pets. Check with your new state or city for any specific regulations that require you to get a pet license or provide health records. If you have exotic pets, some states have laws on how to properly house these animals. If you are packing for your move and realize that you do not have room in your car to take your pet with you, then you can hire an animal transport service to take your pet to your new home. These services will treat your pet just as their own with regular rest stop and food breaks. It relieves some of the stress of moving a pet for you. Before you move there are a few things that you will need to do in order to have the pet ready for transport such as making sure that they have all of their shots and their medical records are up-to-date, have their claws trimmed and make sure that they are crate trained. Make sure to pack a bag for your pet including the following: food, toys, bedding and special blanket, leash, ID tags, health records and any special care instructions. The animal transport groups are a great option for stressed out movers!

If you are moving your pet via your car, there are different precautions to take to make the trip comfortable for you and your pet. Make sure that your pet is carrier and crate trained. It is essential that the crate is big enough for the pet to get up, move around and lie down. The carrier should have cross ventilation and a leak proof bottom. If needed, add extra absorbent layers to the bottom of the crate. When you are traveling, do not feed or water your pet for a few hours before you leave. Once you are on the road, only feed them once a day, but make frequent stops for walking and water. If possible, bring extra water from home, as different water could upset the pet’s stomach. While traveling in the car, do not let the pet hang out the window. Bugs and dirt can get in the pet’s eyes causing infections. Keep the windows locked to prevent pets from lowering the windows and jumping out. If you are transporting the animal on an airplane, check with the airlines about allowing pets in the cabin or if they need to be put in the cargo section of the plane.

Once you have arrived at your new home, give your pet time to get used to their new surroundings. At first, limit the number of rooms that you allow them in and then gradually increase their freedom. Give your pets their food in their favorite dish and have their favorite toys, blanket and bedding nearby to make them feel at home. The familiar smells with help them adjust easier and quicker to their new location.

If you properly prepare before you move, then your moving day will be less stressful. Magellan Storage can help elevate some of the stress by being a one stop shop for moving and packing supplies. Stop in and see the large variety of boxes and supplies. Good Luck with your move!

May 8 2013

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo

This past Sunday was Cinco de Mayo, (or May 5th). What makes this day special? It is an annual celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. Celebrating this day has grown in popularity over the years in the United States and regions of Mexico. The day celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over a larger French force at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. There were about 4,000 Mexican soldiers against over 8,000 French troops. The celebration of this victory in the United States started in the West, Southwest and Northwest where there are larger Mexican American communities. The day is celebrated with parades, mariachi bands and street festivals.

The Los Angeles area is home to a very large Mexican American community. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated throughout the city from the week before at Festival Broadway to individual restaurants and neighborhoods. One of the biggest events is “Festival Broadway”,  which was held on Sunday, April 28th in downtown Los Angeles. There were over 300,000 people attending this all afternoon festival of food, music and other entertainment. It is the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world.  Olvera Street, the oldest street in Los Angeles, played host to a weekend of festivities on May 4th and 5th at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. The event has popular and traditional Mexican music, cultural exhibits, food, dancing and children’s activities. The Museum of Latin American Art, in Long Beach, had a 2 day festival  which includes a paid craft beer tasting event on Saturday, May 4th and free family festival on Sunday, May 5th, where there was crafts, vendors, face painting, art workshops, live performances and more.

Santa Ana, which has the largest Mexican-American community in Orange County, had a 2 day festival with carnival rides, games, music, dance and food on historic 4th Street in downtown Santa Ana. For a more “modern” way to celebrate the day, there was the 2nd Annual Los Lobos Cinco de Mayo festival at the Greek Theater.  The popular band hosted an all-day event filled with mariachi bands, local musicians and entertainment.  Tortilla Republic   in West Hollywood hosted its first Grande Cinco de Mayo block party on Sunday, May 5th from 2pm to 7pm with DJs, mariachi bands, piñatas and beer and cocktails.

There are so many different events throughout the city celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Magellan Storage is very happy to be part of the diverse Los Angeles community!

Apr 24 2013

Little Tokyo District, Los Angeles

Photo Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Little Tokyo District Watchtower

Los Angeles has many, many different tourist areas in and around the city. Los Angeles has also been a melting pot of cultures since the mid 1800’s. Japanese immigrants settled in the Los Angeles area starting in the 1880’s and created their own community filled with shops, restaurants, theaters, Buddhist temples and churches. This area is known as the Little Tokyo District and even with changes in city landscapes and living, the district still survives and thrives today. The community is a major historic, culture and civic center for Japanese Americans living in Southern California. The Little Tokyo District is a 7 block square area from Alameda Street through to Los Angeles Street, Temple Street and 3rd Street.

There are a variety of points of interest from theaters, temples, restaurants, shops and sculptures in the Little Tokyo District . You can easily do a walking tour to “take in” all of the sights and sounds of the district. The Japanese American National Museum  is the first museum in the United States that shares the experience of Japanese Americans as an integral part of US history. The museum opened in 1992 in a renovated Buddhist temple that was originally built in 1925. The additional contemporary glass pavilion at the museum opened in 1999. Walk a bit down the street and you will see the Geffen Contemporary Museum, a branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. This museum has over 40,000 square feet for exhibitions, which was designed by Frank Gehry.

The East West Players, the first and foremost Asian American theater troupe,  performs at the David Henry Hrang Theatre at the Union Center for the Arts.  This historical church was built in 1923 to originally house 3 different Japanese congregations. After many years of use and then being vacant, the building was purchased to the art center. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC)  is the largest ethnic arts cultural center in the United States. There are continuous educational events, performances and community events that are held at JACCC.

Throughout the Little Tokyo District there are sculptures celebrating Japanese culture and heritage. The statues themes vary from celebrating World War II Japanese American veterans to honoring the first Japanese American astronaut. There are also 26 different restaurants where you can get everything from sushi to tempura or noodles. There are also different shopping centers or malls with the Little Tokyo District including the Weller Court Shopping Street, Japanese Plaza Mall and Little Tokyo Square Shopping Center which has everything from Asian food to jewelry. You can also visit many Buddhist Temples as well as churches within the district.

Magellan Storage  recently acquired and renovated a storage facility at 801 E Commercial Street, Los Angeles, which is located near the Little Tokyo District, come by and check us out! We are excited to be near this culturally rich and historical important area of Los Angeles. Stay tuned to our blog, Facebook  and Twitter Pages  for information about the facility’s grand unveiling activities and celebration!

Apr 17 2013

Self Storage for College Students

College Students and Self Storage

It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is nearly here. It just seems like yesterday when college students were heading back to their universities.  With the end of the school year, students will need to pack up all of their belongings that they had in their dorm rooms or college apartments and transport it back home, just to pack it up again to transport it back to school in the fall.  This would include all of the books and other items that have accumulated over the school year.  There has to be an easier way to do this task?!  Renting a self storage unit is a great alternative to taking all of the school items back and forth from home to school every year.

When looking for a self storage facility, make sure that it is close to your university, so you will have easier access to the items when it is time to move back into the dorms or an apartment. All self storage facilities offer month-to-month rentals for storage units, which is a perfect solution for college students who only need to store items on a short-term basis. Since college students are also very budget conscious, renting short-term helps keep within their budget.  The size and type of storage unit that you will need is dependent on what you will need to store. If you are storing clothes, kitchen items or lower-end furniture, then it would be okay to store your items in a non-climate controlled storage unit. However, if you are storing electronics, better furniture, family antiques or certain documents, then it would be better to spend a bit more money to rent a climate controlled storage unit to protect your items from damage that could be caused by higher temperatures and humidity. The security at your self storage facility  will give you peace-of-mind that your personal belongings are safe during the summer months.

If you are going to be graduating from college, it is a good idea to place your college dorm or apartment items in a self storage unit until you are settled into a new job, city or state. If you are living in a studio or a tiny micro-apartment in the city, then you might not have room right away for all of your items from college.  Placing the items in self storage will keep them safe until you find room for the items in your new home.  The time after graduation is a time of flux and uncertainty, it is good to know that you have a place to keep your items until you are settled after college.

Magellan Storage  has 6 locations in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Stop by any of our locations  and see how we can help college students with their storage needs. Magellan Storage sends best wishes and good luck to the Class of 2013!

Apr 10 2013

Are your Belongings Protected at your Self Storage Facility?

24/7 Digital Cameras

Magellan utitlizes 24/7 digital cameras for the state-of-the-art surveillance system.

When searching for a self storage facility, it is important to look at 3 features: location, security and cost. After deciding on a location, your security as well as the security for your stored belongings is most important. When you are visiting possible storage facilities, make sure that the business is clean, well-lit and gated. It might not seem important, but a clean and well-maintained storage facility shows that the operator and staff care about the safety and well-being of their customers. As you are walking around the facility or are being shown an actual storage unit, look for video cameras in the hallways, driveways and indoor hallways. Most facilities have digital security systems to give added protection to your belongings while they are in storage.

Magellan Storage  facilities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties are extremely clean, well-lit and dust and pest free. Each facility has a 24 hour/7 days a week digitally recording video system. The state-of-the-art system is secured by PTI. The system includes electronic gate access, individual tenant access codes, motion sensor lighting and individually alarmed storage units. Access and office hours vary per location,  but you will be able to access your storage unit 7 days a week/365 days a year.

There are also ways that a storage unit renter can make their stored items more secure during storage. It is recommended that you limit the amount of people you allow access to the storage unit. Only allow a few people to have the access code or key to the storage unit, the fewer people who you’re your information the better.  Place higher value items towards the back of the storage unit away from the door.

Businesses who store in self storage also want to make sure that their inventory or files are protected in self storage.  A few of the Magellan Storage facilities, (Costa Mesa, Torrance and Commerce), also have specialized storage units with exclusive entry doors for pharmaceutical sales representatives. Since sales representatives work odd hours, this specialized entry way and access to the storage units give another feeling of protection to our renters.  Having the best security measures will allow you to feel comfortable with storing your personal belongings and treasures at Magellan Storage.

Apr 3 2013

Spring Time Cleaning Projects

Spring Cleaning

Time for Spring Cleaning

Spring has finally arrived and it is time to open up the windows and let the fresh air flow through your home after the stuffy and rainy winter months. It is also time to finalize plans for spring cleaning and remodeling projects. Both of these can be daunting tasks, but with a little planning and organization, your projects can be completed quickly and easily.

The hardest thing to do is actually getting the motivation to start a big cleaning project. Set goals for what you want to accomplish and then split up the projects into smaller daily or weekly goals. Unless you are really motivated and have the time to do all of the cleaning over one weekend, the project will usually take a few weeks. Celebrate when you complete a task on your to-do list and then move on to the next project. Spring cleaning tasks usually include cleaning windows, walls, air conditioning vents, floors and more! These are deep cleaning projects on top of the daily or weekly maintaining projects that we all do. Painting or remodeling projects can also be a secondary part to spring cleaning.

As you are doing your spring cleaning tasks, it is also a good time to do some reorganizing and de-cluttering. Winter and holiday items will need to be put away  and replaced with spring and summer items. If you didn’t do fall cleaning before the holidays, then now is the best time to attack the clutter. The best way to start a reorganization project is by removing all of the items in the room (or closet and storage area). Sort the removed items into piles or boxes for the following: keep in the room, put in storage, donate, sell or throw away. Stop by your Magellan Storage  in the Los Angeles and Orange Counties area for boxes and packing supplies. If you sort the items into boxes now, it will be easier to transport once you are finished. After you have cleaned, painted and reorganized the room, you can put back in the times that you wanted to keep for the room. Be creative with storage options for the new space. There are so many great websites, such as Pinterest  that share decorating, storage and organizational tips. If just takes a bit of creativity and time to find something for your newly cleaned room.

Once you have done your spring cleaning, it is important to follow through on throwing away or donating the items that you don’t need. It is not a good idea just to move these boxes to another room, because they will add to the clutter in another place. If you are thinking of selling items at a garage sale, then keep all of the boxes together in a storage unit until you are having the sale. Doing this will eliminate the clutter in garages and basements. A storage unit is also a great place to store seasonal items, so they will not clutter up your home.  If you currently have a storage unit where you are storing your summer items, then it is time to switch out the winter gear for the summer clothing and gear. Make sure to clean and check the oil levels and belts in summer machinery before you use them. If you had properly stored the summer items in the fall, then they will be ready for immediate use. Prep your winter items for storage by cleaning coats, sweaters, heavy blankets, skis and other winter items.

Once you have done your spring cleaning, you don’t want to start cluttering up the space again! Keep the area organized and clutter-free! Having good storage options will help keep the rooms clean and fresh looking. Good Luck with your spring cleaning projects! Magellan Storage can help will all of your storage needs. Stop in to any of our 6 locations  for any questions.

Mar 13 2013

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Los Angeles

Happy St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate Irish culture and heritage. The Los Angeles area is hosting many different events ranging from family friendly to beer and music festivals in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. California hasn’t been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day as long as people on the east coast, but there is still a lot of Irish history to be found in the state. The Irish started coming to California during the Irish Famine in the early 1800’s. California, during the Gold Rush years in the 1840’s and 1850’s, was an extremely popular destination for young single Irishmen. These men came to California to find their fortunes. They also brought along their traditions and celebrations. St. Patrick’s Day was a religious holiday for centuries, set on the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland on March 17, 461. In the past 50 years, the religious holiday has turned into a secular celebration of Irish culture with parades and festivities throughout the world. The United States has the largest number of celebrations and parades for St. Patrick’s Day.  Everyone is a little bit Irish this time of year!

There are many activities and parades to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day throughout the Los Angeles area. Last weekend was the Los Angeles County Irish Fair and Music Festival in Pomona. This festival included carnival rides, traditional Irish music and dance, Celtic Rock bands, food and Highland style games. Most communities are having family friendly events on Saturday, March 16th or Sunday, March 17th. Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 19th Annual Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 16th. The parade, which has over 100 local businesses, civic organizations, marching bands and participants, starts at 11am. One Colorado in Pasadena is celebrating on March 16th with Irish music and dance and events for the entire family. The OC Marketplace  will have Irish dancers and music during the day on March 17th.

For the older generations, there are many options to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. LA Live is hosting a big party from 11am to 6pm on March 17th at the Nokia Plaza.  The event honors the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society and has Irish pipe and drum bands, Irish dancers, The Budweiser Clydesdale and much more. The Arena in Hollywood has another big celebration on March 17th.  This party goes on from 1 to 6pm with music and drink and performances from the Claddagh Dance troupe and Pasadena Pipe and Drums Band. Irish Pubs (and even bars and restaurants that are only Irish for a day) will be having special celebrations for the weekend.

However you celebrate the day, Magellan Storage  wishes everyone a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day! Slainte!

Mar 8 2013

Take Me Out to The Ballgame!

Baseball equipment

Play Ball!! These are two words that every baseball fan is excited to hear! It has been a long winter, but baseball season is just around the corner. Spring training for major league baseball started a few weeks ago in Arizona and Florida. The teams are now in the midst of playing spring training games. Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Anaheim Angels have their spring training activities in the Cactus League,  which has training facilities around Phoenix, Arizona.

The Anaheim Angels  had a rough 2012 season in a tough American League Western Division. The team finished in third place in the division with an 89 win/73 loss record. With off-season acquisitions of Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols, the Angels are hoping to have a much better 2013 season. The Angels play at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, the fourth oldest active Major League Ballpark Stadium, which originally opened for the 1966 season. The Angels will host the Dodgers for a pre-season exhibition series at Angel Stadium March 28th and 30th. (The game on the 29th will be played at Dodger Stadium). The Angels open their season against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas on Friday, April 5th at 11:05am. The first home game at Angel Stadium is Tuesday, April 9th at 7:05pm versus the Oakland Athletics.

The Los Angeles Dodgers had a strong 2012 season at 86 wins and 76 losses, but finished second in the National League Western Division behind the 2012 World Series winners, San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers are hoping to build on the momentum of the 2012 season by signing quite a few free agent players during the off season including Josh Beckett. After the exhibition series against the Anaheim Angels, the Dodgers open up the 2013 baseball season at home on April 1st against the San Francisco Giants. The first pitch will be at 1:10pm. The fans and players will be seeing a newly renovated Dodger Stadium when they return to play at the end of March. The $100 Million renovation project includes the following upgrades: new home team clubhouse, the biggest HD video screens in sports in both right and left field, WiFi and cell antenna upgrades, wider concourses, new food stands, additional wheelchair locations and additional “greener” bathrooms. Dodger Stadium originally opened in 1962.

In a town with both an American League and National League team, the team loyalty is usually split on league preferences. Magellan Storage  has locations in both the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, so we support both teams! Good Luck to the Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers on a great 2013 baseball season!