Did you see Simpson and Griffin together in UCSD ? Yes, you will see...

If you are a student of any of Business Management Class in UCSD Extension, you will have a chance to see Homer Simpson (Simpsons) and Peter Griffin (Family Guy) together. There is no fee to see them, just you should be lucky to catch them together. But I catch them together last quarter, and want to add on my blog. If it is not that seems good on picture please search on internet, you will see the incredible similarity.



The people on that picture are Henry J Devries who is our `Public Relations Tools and Tactics` and Chris Stiehl who is our `Practical Market Research` class teacher. For me they are the same with the characters. And when I catch them in a same time, i think it is the best thing that we 

Weekly Plan for New-Comers

So now it is time write something about the night-life. Although all of us came here to develop ourselves on English or certification classes, we also deserve to go out and have some parties. As I mentioned before, San Diego is a city that you have everything like ocean, sun, friendships, business and also night life.

There is lots of possibilities to go out in San Diego. Pacific Beach bars, Downtown, La Jolla or Ocean Beach. But the best thing I really like about San Diego, is every place has a day to go out and being crowded. Although after a month you start to bore from these places, knowing the idea San Diego night life is alive for everyday is a perfect feeling for you. So I will give you a weekly-plan that you can try and have fun, but after a two months you should start to try different places on PB or Downtown.

Monday (Living Room (La Jolla) or Pasha (Downtown)

                            (Pasha Lounge)
Monday is the only day that we could not find a perfect fun. So me and my friends decide to go Hookah places on Monday. We started as a group 4, on last weeks of my second quarter I remember that we were like 40 UCSD people inside the that place. Normally the best time to go a Hookah (Nargilue) place is weekends but those places are become so crowded on that days so we prefer to go on mondays. The first place is Living Room is a place on Prospect Street on La Jolla, the tobaccos are amazing on there but the place is not seems good. I can suggest you to lemon-mint, code 69 or fuzzy famel flavours for tobbacco. You can also try to eat desserts from the ground floor.

The second place for nargilue is Pasha Bar in downtwon. We discovered this place new. Their place is better than the Living Room, even the hookah and service is better they are not that good in flavors. But you can also drink alcohol so we start to prefer this place more.

Tuesday (Typhoon - Pacific Beach)

In San Diego for the second day of week is not only Tuesday, it is Taco Tuesday. The popularity of those days comes from a Mexican dish Taco. On every tuesday in several places of Pacific Beach you can eat Taco`s so cheaply. And with the effect of every people goes there on tuesdays, Pacific Beach becomes the best places to go out for party. There is several places you can go, but for beginning you should start with Typhoon Bar where you can eat Taco`s first then join the best party for Tuesdays. After a time this place comes you so crowded and bored so that you can try other places but for beginning it is the best for Tuesday on San Diego. (Don`t forget go early because the line becomes to long if you go after 9 - 9.30 Pm.

Wednesday (Incahoots- Sidebar) 

For Wednesday I can suggest you two different places with different concepts. The first one is Incahoots is an American place which gennerally use the county music and some night club songs. You can try the American Dances with several people and experience a different night. The prices for drinks are really cheap (when compared downtown). The other option is Sidebar on downtown. It is a small but high quality bar for Wednesday`s. Although other clubs are also opened for Wednesday, I can suggest these two. (Additionaly you can also try Voyeur for that day)

Thursday ( Ivy- Downtown, Barwest-Pacific Beach)

 For me there is only one option for Thursdays, Ivy Roof Bar. This is my favorite bar inside San Diego. It is the top floor of Andaz Hotel and the view and the place is amazing. Even the drinks and entrance are a little expensive you can cut the entrance with putting your name on guest list. The only disadvantage of this place is for winters, the roof bar is not working and the inside places is not that good for go out. But if we talk about summers, I can easily say that it is the best place in San Diego. The other option is Barwest in Pacific Beach which is also always full on Thursdays. It is easy to find Party Bus to there. The alcohol and entrance are cheaper than downtown.

Friday (Stingaree or Fluxx, All P.B. Bars (Shore Club, Fire House, Ale House or BeachWood)

For weekend there are lots of options for go out. You can go every places on Downtown or Pacific Beach. For Stingaree (which I don`t like that much but the roof and design is should seen at least once) is the best day is Friday or you can go all bars on Pacific Beach which are close eachother so you in-n-out those bars and pick up the best selection. And also the best night club in San Diego Fluxx is also so good for Friday. Fluxx is the most expensive but also most crazy place in the city. Even the celebrities could come here for hanky pankies :D ( I heard about Ashton Kutcher). If I go out Fridays, I prefer to go Fluxx or a bar in PB. So I can suggest you those places.

Saturday (Fluxx or IVY Downtown)

As I mentioned on Friday night. Fluxx is the best club in downtown (up to general ideas) and they dominate the Saturdays. The place have its own shows inside ( I really like the dancing robot and the saxophone player Sid Vicious) which are really good. Fluxx is also brings so much celebrities to the city with big events ( Nelly, LMFAO, Martin Solveig). So you can have your amazing times in this place. But for me the Ivy is always best and if you are in summer and the roof bar is open, you can also go IVY for Saturdays. And PB bars are also good option for cheaper and more casual fun.

Sunday (Come On!! Day for Sleep)
If you are still want to go out! I am sorry Sunday is not a day for go out. Gennerally bars are open but not that crowded and they did not attract me so much. I prefer a going a movie or resting in my place ( Trying to get rid of Saturday`s hangover). So I dont have a good suggestion for Sunday`s to you. So listen me, and rest in your house for Sundays.

Starting a Life in San Diego

So you took your flight, came to San Diego Airport.  Even you go out from the airport, with the amazing weather you will feel the your new perfect story is beginning. But even I told that San Diego is the best city and you will have great time in this city, like all beginnings you will have some problems about the first days. This post will be about the help you on your first days. 

HOUSING

As I guessed generally you talk with an agency before you came here and they give you some options to stay in San Diego. When I was deciding there were three options; Housing close to University, Dormitories and Family Stay.

All these three options have some advantages and disadvantages.


Housing
With house rental you have chance to stay in Pacific Beach or La Jolla. Pacific Beach is an amazing place to wake up near ocean, close to bars (I will explain more detailly after) but it is a little far away from university and it is a little hard to find friends there.

For La Jolla. I came with an agency named Anatolia and they have houses around La Jolla like Costa Verde, Mirada and some more. Which are big building complex with lots of opportunity (Gym, pool, BBQ and some more facilities inside). It is so close to University, complex are high quality and it is so easy to make friends and become a big family in those houses. I can insistently suggest you Costa Verde Building from the options. After I moved this building, we become a big friend-family which we can organize something as a big groups and make Sun Diego more fun. The disadvantages of that buildings are the prices and the distance to Downtown. But as lots of people do, you can start a housing with one of that agency and after 2-3 months, you can find a good friend to rent a house by yourself on the same area or maybe in Pacific Beach which could be cheaper for you.

Dormitories and Family Stay
I never thought about other options, family stay or dormitories. These are better options for underage or people who wants to be safer. Also these options are cheaper than the housing options. But a life you have more rules when you compared to housing is the most important disadvantage for the options. But in addition, as an advantage you can experience a real American life and develop your English more with family stay. So as I told it could be a better option for younger people.

TRANSPORTATION

 
Busses

Next is the one of the biggest problem for every new city, Transportation. I know that everybody has at least 1 or more trouble about their transportation. Starting with a good news, UCSD has Free shuttles from lots of place around San Diego and also inside of the campus. The only thing you should show is your UCSD ID.

You can check the routes of those shuttles with links bellow,

http://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/transportation/commuting/public.html
 http://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/transportation/shuttles/index.html


Buy or Rent a Car
In addition to Bus Shuttles, as we all know that car prices are cheaper in United States. So if you will stay in here for long time you can easily buy a car and sell it before you are leaving. To find a car you can use the web site` craiglist` which you can easily find cars with different prices. But as information please be sure about the car engine and other facilites because there are also some people sell their broken cars without showing the problems.

A second option you can rent a car for a long time. It could be a good option for short time, instead of buying a car. You can rent one of american drem Ford Mustang or more economical or more luxury car. I  used to rent my car from a car rental named Sunset Car as like lots of friends of mine which gives us a better price than others. The only disadvantage of this place is that they are so close to Mexico Border which is the one of the reason they give good price.

GROCERY MARKETS

As third, I think you will also need the information about grocery markets to buy your first needs. I will give information about the grocery markets around La Jolla but you can find those markets are all around the city. Don`t forget nearly all of those grocery markets have their own cards which gives you great discounts.



Trader Joe`s: One of the cheapest market in the sector. You can buy your vegetables, fruits and also frozen foods there.

Vons: It is also so cheap when compared the others. I really liked their soups and I can suggest you this market. This is the market I get used to buy for my big shoppings.

Ralphs : One of the best on sector. First of all it is 24 hours. Have good big packages (6 drinks :) with good prices) and also with redbox inside easy to rent a movie.

Whole Foods: It is more expensive but also gives better service and high quality. Especially you can try their prepared foods. You can pick up a plate and make your own meal. You can use your UCSD card and take %10 percentage discount.

Bristol Farms : It is also an expensive but high quality place. It is so close to Whole Foods. You can try their prepared foods and vegetables.

7 Eleven: One of the best but small markets in sector. They are also for 24 hours. They have a perfect tacos and easy-cooked and prepared meal options. If you will buy not to much thing, you can use a 7-Eleven.

NIGHT-LIFE

For final part,  I can give information about the night life in San Diego. But because of it is a bigger topic I want to write it, in one of my new post more detaily.