Those of you going to the robinsons safety course..

[Chopperjess]

Hey all,

 

I've receive a few PMs and the such, and I had posted this a month or so ago in a different post, so I thought i'd post it here. I was born and raised in Torrance, California. I live about 10 minutes from the torrance airport, and that's where I did most of my hours flying around. I know the airport, as well as the surrounding areas quite well. For those of you who are going to be going, at any point, to the robinsons safety course, let me know. I can give good restaurants, places to go, things to do etc around the area and I have no problem giving directions and help to those of you who are not familiar with the area!

 

Take care!

 

Jessica

[gft]

Hey Jess

Do you happen to know the name of the FBO located on the north end of TOA?

The one in the corner at the end of Airport Drive with the neat pilot shop, etc.

 

gft

[Chopperjess]

South Bay Aviation? The fixed wing school?

[gft]

Is that the small building right in the NW corner that has reddish brown roof?

 

gft

[Witch]

I'm wondering if I can get a few groceries in that area Southeast of the airport. It looks like it may be a store. (Thanx Google Earth). Also, where might COOP ATM's be located within a half mile walk?

 

Latere

[ironranger]

Jess, Probably should have asked you for advice on places to eat. We were driving around and stopped to ask for a recommendation on a place to eat and were told if we continue going the direction we're heading they will probably eat you. Not used to dealing with "bad areas" in northern minnesota.

 

ironranger

[FlyNHighNFast]

Jess: Thanks for the offer. I'll be out there from the 16th through the 21st of August for the R22 course. I'm thinking of using up some car rental points for a drop top Vette from Hertz. Is Torrance a safe place to park a nice car?

[Goldy]

Not used to dealing with "bad areas" in northern minnesota.

 

ironranger

 

Hey Iron- The bad areas are only North, South and East of Torrance. West of Torrance is the Pacific Ocean.

[Chopperjess]

Hahahahaha goldy!

 

Torrance is a nice place, honestly. It's quite safe for the most part to park.. I can give you a map I made using google earth, showing places to go

 

 

But a vette... Might end up with no wheels or doors when you come back from dinner (Somewhat kidding hahaha) ..

 

 

If you guys have questions about places to eat, or hang out, or any of that stuff, please send me a PM and I will be happy to give you better directions! Torrance is a nice area for the most part.. Just some parts I'd suggest not wandering alone into ..

 

For my checkride, I did it out of Compton Airport .. I remember my DPE saying to me on my checkride "I told my wife today I hope the helicopter doesn't break down in compton.. ha ha ha " .. heh..

[Autorotator]

I'm wondering if I can get a few groceries in that area Southeast of the airport. It looks like it may be a store. (Thanx Google Earth). Also, where might COOP ATM's be located within a half mile walk?

 

Latere

I remeber there being a convenience store just North of the Ramada on the West side of PCH. They had basic groceries. Most important they had cold beer.

If you go South on PCH, on the East side a few blocks down, I think I remember a grocery store.

[klas]

...For my checkride, I did it out of Compton Airport .. I remember my DPE saying to me on my checkride "I told my wife today I hope the helicopter doesn't break down in compton.. ha ha ha " .. heh..

 

I did a helo traffic thing when I was out there, & when taking off near Compton, we had to pull up pretty hard to avoid being near, as the main pilot said, "Here, they shoot at helicopters"...

[Chopperjess]

I did a helo traffic thing when I was out there, & when taking off near Compton, we had to pull up pretty hard to avoid being near, as the main pilot said, "Here, they shoot at helicopters"...

 

 

Heh.. Not sure about shooting at helicopters...but who knows anymore around here, it's terrible! But, it's a little funny when I went up flying with my instructor early on in my training.. I remember flying the pattern at compton with him.. And I remember seeing a giant building that we used as a reference.. It being the compton court house.. I chuckled.. And still use it as a reference!

 

I did hear of a story of an out of state pilot renting out of torrance, and flying over to compton, shutting down, and then walked across the street outside the airport.. And was hit by a car and killed.

 

I personally don't like compton airport, because a lot of the airtraffic outta there (Lot of fixed wingers.. helicopters as well) Don't use the frequency, don't announce, don't fly at the right altitude... On my first solo cross country on my way back home, following the freeway.. I by compton, almost to be hit at a fixed winger flying at 600ish MSL.. not such a fun day!

[TheLorax]

Eat at FATBURGER. One of my buddies recommended In-N-Out Burger... let's just say if you're going to try this, make sure you've been drinking. I could've poured the grease into a glass and had a Grease-a-Colada.

 

Fatburger is on the way to the beach.. I think you go down PCH and maybe take a right on Crenshaw (in relation to the Ramada)... Don't quote me on this. Make sure you try the Peanut Butter Shake with the Original Fatburger and Onion rings!

 

There's a bar called Killian's where we spent quite a large amount of coin. If you take a right on PCH from the ramada, you walk about 3/4 of a mile and it's in the very back of a shopping center somewhere on the left near a 24 hour fitness. The food is pretty decent and maybe a little overpriced. The Guinness was ehhhh.

 

On the last night a buddy of mine went searching for a good place to eat and stumbled across a little italian place off PCH. From the Ramada, take a left and walk past the Porsche dealership about 3-4 blocks (?) and there's the Italian restaurant on a cross street to your left. It looks like a fast food place when you first see it but trust me, it was excellent food and great portions at a reasonable price. It sits at the base of a mountain. Good drinks there too, and a nice patio with heaters and torches at night.

 

If you make it to the beach there's a few places to eat and a few bars that are on a big pier on the north side, you can't miss it. Make sure you bring coinage for the parking meters.

 

And that's that. Have fun.

[TheLorax]

Eat at FATBURGER. One of my buddies recommended In-N-Out Burger... let's just say if you're going to try this, make sure you've been drinking. I could've poured the grease into a glass and had a Grease-a-Colada.

 

Fatburger is on the way to the beach.. I think you go down PCH and maybe take a right on Crenshaw (in relation to the Ramada)... Don't quote me on this. Make sure you try the Peanut Butter Shake with the Original Fatburger and Onion rings!

 

There's a bar called Killian's where we spent quite a large amount of coin. If you take a right on PCH from the ramada, you walk about 3/4 of a mile and it's in the very back of a shopping center somewhere on the left near a 24 hour fitness. The food is pretty decent and maybe a little overpriced. The Guinness was ehhhh.

 

On the last night a buddy of mine went searching for a good place to eat and stumbled across a little italian place off PCH. From the Ramada, take a left and walk past the Porsche dealership about 3-4 blocks (?) and there's the Italian restaurant on a cross street to your left. It looks like a fast food place when you first see it but trust me, it was excellent food and great portions at a reasonable price. It sits at the base of a mountain. Good drinks there too, and a nice patio with heaters and torches at night.

 

If you make it to the beach there's a few places to eat and a few bars that are on a big pier on the north side, you can't miss it. Make sure you bring coinage for the parking meters.

 

And that's that. Have fun.

[Chopperjess]

haha Lorax.. Inn N Out is great.. once in a few years.. Waaaaay too greasy for my taste, except once in a blue moon (Last time I went there was literally, maybe 5 years ago) .. Killian is a GREAT bar, and a ton of fun on saint patty's day. Right across from killian is also Sammy's Woodfired pizza.. Pretty good food IMO .. As well as on crenshaw is California pizza kitchen.. Macaroni grill is good italian (Also in the AMC20 town center) .. If you like Japanese BBQ, there's a japanese BBQ in the same area as sammy's and killian's .. It's good food, and they have lunch specials that make it pretty cheap.. Can't remember the name, but it's next to the japanese grocery store.

 

As well.. In the same area is Islands.. It's a burger joint.. Greasy food.. I like their little bar personally... But it can get crowded there..If you take a left on crenshaw (Take a left out of the robby factory and a left on crenshaw) You'll come to where inn and out burger is.. in the torrance crossroads... There's a Vons grocery store there, as well as a wellsfargo ATM/Bank..And an Ihop .. There's also one of my personal favorite places to eat called Claim Jumper... They give you a lot of food, but the prices are decent for the amount they give you. If you continue on crenshaw past Claim Jumpers, you'll hit Sepulveda eventually.. Take a right on sepulveda there's a ton of great food places .. Mexican restaurants and the such.. including denny's (Can't go wrong with denny's, right?) If you continue going up sepulveda you'll hit a ton of fast food places (Del taco, Arby's, burger king, mcdonalds, carls jr, KFC, Taco bell/pizza hut, popeyes... all sorts.. even a drive through starbucks if you REALLY need a coffee heh..) In the same area as the arby's and del taco, in there is a nice sushi place (If you like sushi), little family owned restaurant, but great food. There's also a video store, but I think they just went out of business.. If you have kids with you for whatever reason, there's a miniture gold place as well as a gold range where you can hit golf balls. There's laser tag, go carts, and an arcade with some of the greasiest food -ever-... It's right next to my work, actually .. It's called Muligans ( I work next door at Signtronix.. Hate this place, but it pays the bills for now!)

 

I have a map, like I said, I made from google earth for those of you who are interesting and wanting better directions.

 

Fly safe!

 

Jessica

[goromadgo]

Eat at FATBURGER.

 

Blasphemy! In-N-Out over Fatburger any day. And don't forget to get that burger "Animalized"...fries too if you really are wanting to get your fatty on!

[Chopperjess]

If you told them animalized, they'd laugh at you! (just kidding btw! hehehehe)

 

You can get them Animal style, which is basically on the burger thousand island dressing, some chopped onions i think grilled or something.. and the fries are the same + cheese..

 

Inn n out had a "secret" menu that locals knew..Which wasn't really secret, just different ways people liked to eat their burgers.. and now they actually have it posted .. So much for the "secret" menu ..

 

Here's the link

 

http://www.in-n-out.com/secretmenu.asp

Edited April 10, 2008 by Chopperjess

[TheLorax]

NASTY! W&B! Keep the menu a secret please!

[Chopperjess]

BTW Lorax, I completely forgot about that italian restaurant. It was relatively new a couple years ago.. I went there on my birthday last year... It's a great place! I might stop by there sometime next week. Thanks for the reminder!

[goromadgo]

I am a local! I guess up in Ventura County we just call it animalized. And that is an awesome burger...don't knock it until you try it! I'm staying away from their "Protein burger" though...no bun, wrapped in lettuce...that's just unamerican!

[Chopperjess]

Pffft, ventura county...

 

...I'll trade you places to live!

 

 

Personally, I think i'd just bust up laughing everytime I tell them "Yeah, and can you animalize it!?" .. hehe

[goromadgo]

Pffft, ventura county...

 

...I'll trade you places to live!

 

 

Personally, I think i'd just bust up laughing everytime I tell them "Yeah, and can you animalize it!?" .. hehe

 

Ah maybe I should rephrase that...

 

GREW UP in Camarillo and Point Mugu, Mother still lives in Camarillo, I am stationed in Louisiana and currently stuck in Baghdad I may move back to Camarillo if I decide to go with Group 3 Aviation in Van Nuys for my training. I do miss the surf and weather! Other then that possibly Boise for Silverhawk Aviation. Was looking at Colorado mostly until I found out that there aren't any Part 141 VA Approved helo schools in CO

 

And yes I realize the animalize thing sounds lame, but I grew up hearing it so I guess I just got used to it

[Cubby]

There are also some really great places near the Fat Burger. If you keep going west on PCH it will turn north in that shopping center to the left will be "Good Stuff" (Awesome Healthy Food) and "Riviera Mexican Grill" (American Mexican Food, but pretty good). Further north down PCH will be a Super Market on the right and past that is about a dozen restaurants of all sorts. My personal favorite is "El Terasco" its a true mexican restaurant.

 

Oh yeah and before you hit the Fat Burger (Palos Verdes Drive) there is a pretty good pancake place and a Whole Foods Market (Expensive Store But Has Healthy Foods)

 

Honestly the area has so much stuff around it its hard not to find a good place.

 

For the people who like the party scene Hermosa Beach Pier is the place to go. There are a lot of bars and food and night life. Hennessey's is my personal favorite and if you go on Tuesday's its 2 burgers for the price of one If you take PCH West (right turn from the factory) it will turn north and you'll take that for awhile. Your next turn will be a left on Pier Ave. (Just past the large wind mill and Aviation Blvd). Take pier ave. all the way down till it ends (thats the pier) make a right turn at the light and you will see the parking structure on your left.

 

Have fun in LA its a crazy fun place!

[rotor91]

Cubby...your a local yocal too! RIGHT ON!

 

Many places to eat in Torrance, and in S.Redondo(5 min drive from Ramada).

 

Check out:

 

Redondo Beach Brewing Co.

1814 S Catalina Ave

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 316-8477

Great beers, and great food! $9 for a cheeseburger or the Philly Steak is really good too.

 

W's China Bistro

1410 S Pacific Coast Hwy

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 792-1600

reasonably priced, around $10-15 an entree!

 

Palos Verdes Blvd./PCH Bristol Farms & Fatburger, and also Buca Di Peppo....for $10 you can feed two people..no problem...get it to go, and order off the kids menu!

 

Buca di Peppo(Italian)

1670 S Pacific Coast Hwy

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 540-3246

 

Whole Foods is on PCH in N.Redondo, about 3 miles N. of Palos Verdes Blvd./PCH @ Beryl.

 

Naja's at King Harbor....good dive bar, and 200+ beers on tap!

 

I think between Jessica, Cubby, and myself, we could give you a place to eat or something to do while your here for the safety course!

 

R91

Rob

 

PM me anytime, and I'll help ya if YA NEED IT!

[Chopperjess]

ROB!!

 

I haven't been to Buca in a long time, thanks for reminding me hah. I loved that place, time to revisit!

 

Ever been to La Capilla? I personally love it for mexican food.. It's in old torrance, right next to the wellsfargo bank there.