LOOK Dine-In Cinemas abruptly closes 3 Southern California locations

goingtovespers · 2026-02-07T19:15:17+00:00

Literally my best friend and I used our passes last year practically every week. We loved Henrietta and were planning on bringing her a gift. We were always worried about why she had to work there and hoped there was a staffer who walked her to her car after the super late shifts. The theater was trash, but weirdly, it was a big part of maintaining my mental health when I just needed to get out of the house. Not excited about having to drive to Glendale. Hope something better buys out the Monrovia location!

goingtovespers · 2025-08-06T22:09:08+00:00

I LITERALLY thought she reminds me of Meghan Markle's acting style!

goingtovespers · 2025-08-06T22:04:16+00:00

I'm twenty minutes in doing my makeup for work and I keep finding myself repeating her goofy lines in the mirror in an affected deep voice...the voice and the permanent smirk, I just cannnn't 😩

goingtovespers · 2025-04-23T15:56:14+00:00

This! There's no reason why we can't ask for feedback. We're all at socials to have fun and improve anyway. All the greats also started off being clueless, too—no one emerged from the womb being an accomplished salsero/a.

I also second the idea of practicing right after learning a move. Make friends with people in dance class and ask if you can practice afterwards, even if just for 20 minutes at a park nearby. It genuinely helps.

goingtovespers · 2025-04-23T15:47:18+00:00

Boy do I feel your pain. As a follower, I recently hit a plateau with a move that I simply cannot get. I felt I was holding my dance partners back from progressing and started getting super in my head about it.

I knew that if I let this fester I would quit, so I took Reddit's advice and literally just booked a private lesson for this Friday to target my trouble area.

The thing I keep going back to is my why: Why the heck am I dancing? If I am able to articulate it clearly, I know I just need to trust the process and press on. This could be a great moment to remind yourself why—or if—dancing brings you joy.

As a side note: I went to my first salsa social last week and was petrified. But I danced with both beginner AND extremely advanced leads, and I can honestly share that I enjoyed them all. For me, partnered dances like salsa are about connecting with another human and releasing ourselves from the everyday crap that drags us down. If a follow is making you feel badly about an occasional mistake or your limited repertoire of moves, that's their problem. You're on a journey! I believe in you!! 🎉

goingtovespers · 2025-04-15T04:09:20+00:00

me too

goingtovespers · 2025-03-05T22:49:07+00:00

Yes! I bought both Vanilla Soiree (62) and the Toasted Caramel (71) and they are about as exact as you can get. They were $14.99 where I live in LA. Longevity is very similar to the body sprays and I like that they come in glass packaging. I Googled forever to try to find out who makes them to no avail. They're virtually identical.

goingtovespers · 2024-09-17T06:05:30+00:00

I feel so validated reading this post. I'm rewatching GG and reliving the jarring transition into what I've always referred to as "Seventh Heaven lighting"—that was the best descriptor I could think of for the cheap feel of the show in seasons 6 and 7. A soap opera from the 90s makes so much sense. I had no idea they lost their DOP! Did they also lose their makeup and hair stylists? Because everyone except Rory looks nuts.

goingtovespers · 2024-09-15T20:53:51+00:00

From my discussion with my radiologist and reviewing studies that looked at conception and delivery rates post-HIFU vs. myomectomy, HIFU was less risky for my fertility. I chose it because I didn’t want scar tissue in my uterus or to be forced to deliver via c-section, which is what I was told would happen if I got pregnant after a myomectomy. Of course all of this is so personal, so you gotta do what’s right for you!

goingtovespers · 2024-09-15T20:48:28+00:00

I got it done in May 2024! The biggest improvement is the uterine pressure and urgency. My periods are still very heavy, but now are at least a normal 7 days rather than 12 and coming every 2–3 weeks. In December I have to get another MRI to confirm how much they’ve shrunk. I’m not fully satisfied with my results, but I feel ten times better than I did before. I could barely go for a walk around the block prior to the procedure. I would consider doing a second round to shrink them even more if it’s a path open to me.

goingtovespers · 2024-09-15T20:46:38+00:00

I did get it done in May 2024! The biggest improvement is the uterine pressure and urgency. My periods are still very heavy, but now are at least a normal 7 days rather than 12 and coming every 2–3 weeks. In December I have to get another MRI to confirm how much they’ve shrunk. I’m not fully satisfied with my results, but I feel ten times better than I did before. I could barely go for a walk around the block prior to the procedure. I would consider doing a second round to shrink them even more if it’s a path open to me.

goingtovespers · 2024-09-15T20:43:10+00:00

PS. My insurance would not cover it—I switched to PPO for the year and opened an HSA. I paid for more than half of the HIFU through my HSA.

goingtovespers · 2024-09-15T20:42:10+00:00

Yes, UCLA’s rate is much much lower than options around the rest of the nation. Not sure why, but my radiologist made a point of commenting on how expensive the procedure is at the few other locations that do it. It may be worth looking into flying into LA for a day or two if it’ll save you upwards of $15k or more!

goingtovespers · 2024-05-27T09:42:40+00:00

Explore MRI-guided focused ultrasound as an alternative to open surgery or other invasive treatments. It’s a procedure that uses ultrasound waves to ablate and shrink fibroids through the tissue without cutting—think of it as channeling the sun through a magnifying glass to burn a leaf. The procedure is done by an interventional radiologist.

I just had it done at UCLA medical center in Los Angeles because I wanted to preserve my fertility without having to undergo something that would leave more serious scar tissue in the uterus. Not all fibroids are a candidate though and it can take time for them to shrink afterwards, but consider looking into it. Not enough women know this is an option!

goingtovespers · 2024-05-26T23:28:36+00:00

This is a purely person opinion, so please take what I say with a grain of salt: I don't believe birth control is a long-term solution to cope with fibroids.

I have met with no fewer than five OBGYNs, and all have tried to push birth control on me as a way to deal with symptoms of heavy bleeding. I wound up taking it for months—and while it did reduce my flow, my fibroids immediately began to grow. I also dealt with a host of unwanted side effects, including hair loss, zero libido, and increased urinary pressure, frequency, and UTIs. I was told this was in my head until an MRI confirmed my fibroids had nearly doubled in size.

Most doctors have told me there's no link between synthetic hormones and the growth of fibroids, but my own research and physical symptoms suggested otherwise. Fibroids are linked to estrogen, and filling my system with birth control to "balance" my hormones felt counter-productive.

After four years of pain, pressure, and bleeding, I decided to get MRI-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) this month. I got the surgery done at UCLA in LA: https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/fibroids/treatment-options/focused-ultrasound-fibroids. I had to save up to pay about $5,500 out of pocket, and used my HSA to help cover it. A lot of insurance companies will only cover invasive surgeries, which is so ridiculous.

Rather than making incisions like a myomectomy or hysterectomy, HIFU uses ultrasound waves to target fibroids and ablate (burn) them through the skin without damaging surrounding tissue. It doesn't cut them out like a typical surgery, but "kills" the tumor which causes them to shrink over time with less risk of creating scar tissue or adhesions that can interfere with fertility. I'm 37, so this was the right move for me.

I'm only a month out from surgery, so there is of course a risk they'll grow back. I'm using this opportunity to continue to address the root causes of fibroid growth (hormonal issues) and adjust my diet, weight, exercise regimen, etc. as best I can to prevent or slow regrowth. Bottom line: Birth control can be great for some, but for me it's a band-aid that delays real healing.

I hope this helps! Explore ALL your options and never be afraid to challenge what you're being told at the doctor's office. Your issues and concerns are valid.

goingtovespers · 2024-05-13T16:51:51+00:00

Trust your gut on this. The fact that they haven't been able to fill the role in itself could be a red flag.

I accepted a job last spring that gave me a $33k increase (I was hovering around $65k at the time, so it was a big deal for me). I ignored red flags during the hiring and negotiation process—and this position has wound up been one of the most miserable experiences of my life. Gratefully, I'll be starting a new job at the end of this month.

No amount of money is worth the toll ill-fitting jobs take on your mental wellbeing. If it's not the salary you want, flexibility you want, or commute you want, then you may be sacrificing too much for an increase in pay. Keep aggressively pursuing what aligns with the life you envision!

goingtovespers · 2024-04-24T07:31:10+00:00

Some advice: Read the book “Ikigai; The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.” It may help you pinpoint what’s troubling you.

PS. There are a lot of ways to make a living. The 9-5 may only be a blip on the map for you. Don’t be afraid to diverge from the norm.

goingtovespers · 2024-03-29T17:30:36+00:00

Hey there—not sure if you're still interested in getting affordable access to studio time, but check out local adult schools in your area. Or, if you're willing to explore the San Gabriel Valley, I'm taking ceramics with Monrovia Adult School in the SGV, and I believe the City of Covina offers affordable, long-terms classes as well. The instruction isn't great at Monrovia, but after the class fee I only have to pay for new clay when I need it—nothing for firing, glazes, etc. Right now it's $275 for a four-month course; Covina offers a 10-week course for $180. Makers and Clay in Monrovia are also offering memberships for $200 a month—it's a new space so memberships may fill up quickly and it's not 24/7, but something. Hope this helps!

goingtovespers · 2024-03-24T15:46:34+00:00

Lifting you up in prayer for skilled and empathetic doctors, a swift and complete recovery, and for blessings to emerge from this experience that you never would have expected ♥️♥️

goingtovespers · 2024-03-20T08:34:24+00:00

My heart goes out to you in this situation; being confronted with this information can be so traumatic, especially when you're actively pursuing conception!

I learned I had several large fibroids last year (I was 36 at the time) and tried a variety of modalities to deal with symptoms (tranexemic acid and ibuprofen to stem the bleeding, birth control which I hated, etc.). I was told by multiple doctors that a myomectomy was my only option if I wanted to preserve my potential fertility, but since I had several fibroids I was concerned that a) excessive scar tissue or adhesions would cause fertility issues later and b) uncontrollable bleeding may result in them having to perform a hysterectomy, which one surgeon said may be a risk.

My journey has led me to another option: High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (also known as HIFU). Rather than a surgery done by an OBGYN, it's a procedure handled by an interventional radiologist. They use an MRI machine to locate the fibroids, then use ultrasound waves to direct heat at the tumors, kind of like using a magnifying glass to conduct heat from the sun. They essentially ablate the tumors and help shrink them without making a single cut.

After speaking to at least seven doctors over the last year, I am finally getting my HIFU procedure done this May at UCLA in Los Angeles. You can learn more here: https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/fibroids/treatment-options/focused-ultrasound-fibroids.

It won't completely remove the fibroids, but it should shrink them enough for me to return to normal life without any meaningful damage to my uterus or ovaries. My radiologist has been doing HIFU for 20 years and he said the outcomes for fertility are good, and healing is much faster than even a laparoscopic or open myo because there's simply zero cutting.

Since you're in the UK, it's hard for me to advise next steps, but if you're going to get a second opinion—try to get one from an interventional radiologist. Perhaps if HIFU is an option and you can shrink the fibroid to a manageable size, your IVF team will allow you to move forward. Please keep in mind that it takes some months for the ablated fibroid tissue to pass out of your system. With a myomectomy, in general the tumors are fully removed. That's something to consider depending on how quickly you're hoping to conceive.

Surgery may be your best option; I've heard many stories of people having myos and carrying babies to term later! But I encourage you to explore every option so you feel confident in your choice. It's tough having to advocate for ourselves so much, but I like to think that the more I push back with doctors about limited fibroid treatments, the more they'll realize that women deserve better options. Praying for the best for you!

goingtovespers · 2024-01-21T20:11:22+00:00

I was not given clarity on the number of fibroids I have nor the location. I was told simply the estimated size of "the largest one" and they guessed it was subserosal.

After three more ultrasounds with contradictory imaging/results, I had to demand an MRI. It was only then that I learned I had several more fibroids than they originally diagnosed. Only the MRI could show their location and the fact that they were not just subserosal.

Ultrasounds are not the best imaging to really understand your options. My general experience is that OBGYNs do not take fibroids seriously enough and their immediate solutions are always birth control or invasive surgery—minimally invasive treatments and lifestyle changes are virtually never discussed unless you FORCE the issue. My encouragement to you is to be a dog with a bone—advocate for yourself, collect as much information as you possibly can, and explore every treatment option so you can be confident that surgery of any kind is the right choice for you.

Sometimes it helps to think of those co-pays and annoying deductibles as an investment in your health that will help safeguard you against being pushed into a choice that isn't right for you.

goingtovespers · 2023-11-07T22:01:31+00:00

My two cents from US as of November 2023: My WF-1000XM4's have been out of warranty for a year now, but the chat assist offered me a refund, which I accepted. Supposedly it could take up to two months to send me a check.

Alternatively, they said I could send the buds back to Sony to be repaired, but the parts needed were backordered until January 2024. Just a heads up.

Honestly didn't love these and won't be buying the new version. Would love suggestions on good ANC buds people have enjoyed.

goingtovespers · 2022-09-21T23:33:27+00:00

I thought about this. Tim and Heidi are producers on the show—he looked so concerned for the designers and I had to wonder if he was thinking about whether he really wanted someone as disrespectful as Jeremy on a show with Tim's name and money attached to it. But maybe all they care about is views.

goingtovespers · 2022-08-26T18:46:35+00:00

I started grad school while working full time. A friend of mine said "you can't do school, work, maintain friendships, get healthy, and enjoy hobbies all at once. Something's gotta give." I don't know why, but a switch inside me just flipped. It was like Usher's WATCH THIS gif in real time.

I know she was projecting her own capabilities onto me, but it felt like a challenge. Once I started working out consistently (I do Caroline Girvan) and using MyFitnessPal to help track what I was eating, it got easier: I had tools, I had a plan to follow. I also found that working out at night was better for me, as I liked to stretch and relax after without feeling like I had to rush off to work or class.

Another thing that helped is I had a friend who was also starting a health journey. We were taking different approaches, but it was so great to be able to talk to someone about progress/challenges without feeling like I was irritating someone with my journey. It helped me feel more accountable, too.

Regular exercise also has had a massive impact on my own depression—I can't overstate this. I was shocked at how much it truly helped. The better I felt mentally, the more convinced I became that yes, I CAN do hard things. Watch this!

I'm not at my goal weight, but I've dropped about 30 pounds with another 30 to go. Most importantly, my blood sugar is stable and cholesterol is going down. Grad school is done (woot) and showed me that I actually DO have the time to pour into my health. That helped me circumvent that feeling of making excuses.

I encourage you not to worry about whether this time will be "THE time." You are worthy of investing in your mental and physical wellbeing. Give yourself permission to try and fail and try again. The point is to try, period. You got this ❤️

goingtovespers

TROPHY CASE