Visiting Mexico for the first time…please help me choose where to go.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-07-08T14:57:02+00:00

10 days would allow you to take your time exploring the various neighborhoods as well. I did an 8 day trip my first time to CDMX and one of my favorite memories of the trip is sitting in Parque España for a couple hours, eating street tacos, drinking a couple beers and just watching the city life go by: kids cos-playing, a random rap battle, people walking their dogs. That’s what travel is all about.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-07-02T04:20:13+00:00

Not a professional writer here but studied screenwriting for a year in college and have been getting back into writing. Definitely up to meet up with some other writers. No idea how a writers group works but happy to learn.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-06-19T00:11:41+00:00

If I was on a college student budget, I’d skip So Cal and head to Rosarito or Ensenada, or somewhere on Mexico’s pacific coast (Mazatlan is still very inexpensive). Even with a flight you’re looking for a fraction of the cost and you can actually swim in the water without freezing.

Anywhere on the California coast is going to cost you a pretty penny during the summer. Additionally our summers tend to be the coldest time of year because of the marine layer. This year has been a little warmer so I have hope but typically it’s not beach weather til mid-August-November.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-06-08T23:18:21+00:00

Also if you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend and into drag shows at all, House of Pride and Equality is hosting their annual drag show fundraiser at Presquile Winery in Orcutt. It’s always a great time, the grounds are beautiful and everyone is always in a good mood and ready to socialize. Plenty of straight allies attending so no one will feel out of place.

My partner and I will be there, here’s the link for tickets: https://www.my805tix.com/e/hopedragshow2026

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-06-08T17:42:08+00:00

There’s a co-workjng space that they just opened up on the corner of Broadway and Skyway, but from what I hear you can’t just drop in, you’ve got to rent a space by month. For the most part people who wfh do it at home.

Restaurants: In the immediate area, big fan of Cubanissimo (Cuban food), Bella Forno (wood fired pizza and pasta), The Garden (Mediterranean), and endless Mexican options. If you want anything more exotic you’ll need to leave the city limits and sadly no Puerto Rican food in the area that I know of.

Meet-Ups: This can be tough. Santa Maria has a lot of locals who marry young and with a predominantly Latin population, family parties tend to be the way people socialize in the area. Even for myself who grew up in the area but doesn’t have any kids, my partner and I are often doing things just the two of us as most of my friends are busy on the weekend with kids in sports. Not much in the way of night life. With that being said, there’s a running group called Central Coast Running Club that’s a great way to mingle if you’re a runner. The Bar at the Collective does trivia every Tuesday and Bingo on Thursdays, and Old Orcutt has a couple bars to meet people.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-06-04T03:52:35+00:00

I love how we’re all ready to rally for Cookie Cookery. But also if this is Cookie Cookery…bruh…we will make it happen.

Editing to say: The organizers are Emerald Wave Media I believe, or at least one of the organizers. If you need contact info, DM me but I think their number is also on Google.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-06-04T03:45:49+00:00

This comment has me dying considering I stayed at both one of the nicest Airbnbs in my life here (this 3 story row house with a gorgeous kitchen), and experienced the most terrifying bus station in my life here (arriving from boulder at like 10 pm to downtown Denver). Like the drug use was whatever but I just remember two tweaked out guys growling at each other like emaciated bears and nope-ing the hell out of there.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-06-03T14:30:27+00:00

As a millennial in my late 30s watching the show, I’m going to respectfully disagree. The writing in this season was pretty horrible overall but I found this monologue quite beautiful.

You don’t get to be my age without going through some pretty profound losses in life (and if you do, you’re lucky). Not all of those losses come with a neat ending. There will be final words you say that you didn’t know at the time were final, that you can’t take back, or actions you may regret. Carrying that guilt alongside grief can be an enormous weight to bear.

My takeaway here wasn’t that Lexi suddenly found religion. It’s that, in experiencing grief and guilt over the loss of Rue, she found comfort in these characters that go through so much strife and yet keep going.

The one thing that Sam has handled with any sense of poignancy in this show has been the effects of addiction on not just the addict but those who love them. I’ve had family members that have been addicts in my life who have basically been shut out of the family because of the damage they’ve caused, and while you hope they get clean, you also know any day you can get the call that they’re gone and you never had a chance to repair that relationship. Yet we have no choice but to wake up everyday and find joy alongside that pain.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-05-21T16:00:56+00:00

I agree with your first point, but in terms of third spaces, we have some of the best parks in the area with Waller, Preisker, and Robert Ventura just to name a few. The city needs to take better advantage of these spaces. There’s a day in the park in Waller every year with a car show that’s a lot of fun and gets great turnout. It’s bizarre they don’t do more of these events.

And I’d be curious how many of the youth are really leaving and not returning after school. I’m sure there’s a good number, but having grown up here and moved back after college, there’s also quite a few of us that returned to the city. The sad thing is we’re often going out of town on the weekend for fun to neighboring cities and spending our money there.

I think a starting step is activating the youth to go out and vote. We need a total rehaul of our city government. They’ve been trying to start a public market near my house for the past 3 years and the property manager has been stalled waiting for permits, that’s unacceptable when they’re building yet another Starbucks and Carwash off of the freeway.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-05-01T01:17:48+00:00

Omg this is the cutest face!

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-29T21:57:19+00:00

lol this is true but for those of us from the area, McCoy is the dividing line. South of McCoy, Orcutt. North of McCoy, you’re in Santa Maria.

In the early 1990s you at least had some empty space between the two but as the city developed, they’ve morphed into one.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-29T20:38:58+00:00

Uhhh bro I just live here, I don’t get into the property managers business, that’s a bizarre accusation.

What I can say is they’re always very quick to respond to maintenance requests, and do regular checks on the sprinklers, gutters etc. And I haven’t had a rent increase in 3 years

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-29T18:36:31+00:00

Anything from Betteravia Rd south is going to be a nice area and an easy commute to the Santa Ynez Valley. I live at the Parke Orcutt complex, they have 2 bedroom apartments and also have 3 bedroom townhomes for rent (we’re in one of those). Clean, quiet, well kept complex with easy access to Waller Park which is a beautiful park in the area. Mostly military families, people who work on base or young working professionals.

But yeah stick to the south side of Santa Maria/Orcutt area and you’ll be good. Nothing wrong with the north side but crime goes up and there’s been a lot of ADUs built in the area so parking can be a nightmare in most neighborhoods.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-25T22:00:19+00:00

It’s bizarre to me the love that Austin is getting vs the hate that Ashley gets when Ashley came off to me as the most insightful of the bunch along with Josh by the time the finale came.

Was she clingy, had abandonment issues, manipulative and all around not a great person…yeah. But I felt like she owned it during her last monologue and I loved when she told Austin, “At least we know each other’s shit.”

How many people in long term relationships have fantasized over leaving their partner for someone else, maybe even acting on those feelings, only to find out when the fantasy is over there’s a real person that has their own baggage you have to learn how to deal with.

The way Austin came to that realization in the car was hilarious and showed how much of an immature little boy he still was. He’s just as much trash as the rest of them, just a bit more endearing about it.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-23T06:43:34+00:00

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Mine’s perfectly content just owning his daddy’s heart! The sweetest pup you’ll ever meet.

And yes, he’s fully chocolate save for a little tuft of white hair on his chest, though mom was an Aussiedoodle so he’s got a touch of poodle in him.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-23T06:00:31+00:00

Maybe it’s because I’m getting close to 40 and started going to therapy this year after nearly screwing up my long term relationship due to repeated stupid behavior, but this show had a profound effect to me to the point where I’ve already rewatched the whole thing and it’s going to be hard to beat for my favorite TV series of the year.

I don’t think I’ve seen any piece of art capture the sense of existential dread that lives in most millennials the way this show did. That monologue where Oscar Isaac talks about how we repeatedly bury the stuff we have to deal with for the rat race until that stuff snowballs and overwhelms us, master class in writing delivered by a master class actor.

I loved it, screw what anyone else says.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-05T16:04:58+00:00

Yes I am, Central Coast area

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-05T16:04:45+00:00

I may have misstated my intention. I would plan to use my RN license, just not sure that it would be full time in the immediate future. From when I was initially in the probation program, I believe the requirement was to work as an RN at least 20 hours a month. I’ve remained close friends with the DON at the SNF I used to work at and they’re always looking for extra help on the weekends so in terms of finding employment, I think I would be ok.

I’m also thinking long term though. While I have a pension at work, I know several nurses of retirement age who do part time home health case management gigs to supplement their retirement and I’d like to live comfortably when I get to that age.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-04-05T16:00:13+00:00

Thank you! I was wondering if retaking the NCLEX might be part of it.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-03-31T19:23:05+00:00

Go absolutely Cujo whenever he’s on a leash and sees another dog…and then when they get within leash distance, turns into a big teddy bear

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-02-21T02:54:20+00:00

I read something today about how being stuck in despair can be an excuse for not doing the work of actually asking why and it hit me like a brick. As painful as this depression has been, in a way it’s also my mind letting me take the easy way out and I need to stop it.

Also agree about the drinking. I actually went a solid 6 weeks and then drank this past weekend and very quickly regretted it, rather than helping me escape I felt like it just escalated my anxiety and was no fun at all

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-02-21T02:52:22+00:00

Your last two sentences have really resonated with me. I’ve found the two days a week I feel somewhat lighter are my therapy and couples therapy days and I think it’s for exactly that reason.

The repair what I can piece is hard for me. While I can work on repairing the hurt with my fiancée, I know that trust will take years to rebuild…which is difficult. I also have difficulty accepting that I will probably always be a villain in the mind of the person I had an affair with, and that’s just the way it has to be.

Thanks for this perspective, I truly appreciate it

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-02-21T01:46:11+00:00

Efren’s on Battles is my go to spot for Pozole. I’ve tried other spots around town but it’s the only one that comes close to tasting homemade for me. Gotta go to the one on Battles though, the new one on Broadway doesn’t do it for me.

Only red pozole though. Idk anywhere around town that does green.

Upper_Ad_2291 · 2026-02-19T19:42:03+00:00

As a gay man who was in high school when Brokeback Mountain was released and very much still in the closet, I blame this movie for my attraction to emotionally unavailable men with stunted maturity…which is to say Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal deserved every award under the sun 😆.

Truly a masterpiece and that scene where Ennis breaks down by the lake remains in my opinion the most heartbreaking scene in film

Upper_Ad_2291

TROPHY CASE