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I've gone to both Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo and there are some similarities and differences between the two.

Similarities with Planet Fitness Locations

All across America, every Planet Fitness uses the same logo, splashes of purple inside of their fitness centers and a very distinct brand. However, because every real estate space can be different, the lay-out and subtle details may be different.

I have the black card membership from Planet Fitness so that means that I can go to any Planet Fitness across the nation. I've even worked out on the East Coast while traveling and visited the Planet Fitness there with my scan code from my Planet Fitness app with no issues and no questions asked.

I did the same thing here in San Luis Obispo County and have visited both the Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo (city), which opened after the Arroyo Grande location.

Differences Between Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande and Planet Fitness in San Luis Obispo

Overall, I prefer the Planet Fitness at Arroyo Grande. However, here's a list of differences between the two:

• At the Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande, I feel like the majority of the people who usually go there came to exercise with more focus. That means they are not on their phones as much while they are on the treadmill or chit chatting as much while lifting weights. On the other hand, I feel like 80% of the people on the treadmill at the Planet Fitness in San Luis Obispo, when I visited, had their heads down, glued to their phone in their hands while moving on the treadmill. I usually see less of that at the Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande. I felt like my motivation was affected as I was not feeling as pumped up when I visited the San Luis Obispo location.
• There is a full body mirror in the locker room at the Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande in the Women's restroom. In the locker room of the Planet Fitness in San Luis Obispo, the mirror is wider but you can only see half of your body. I guess I'm self-conscious and like to make sure nothing strange is hanging out of my lower body. If you want to see your full body, you'll have to go in one of the dressing rooms that are across from the showers at the Planet Fitness in San Luis Obispo.
• The Planet Fitness San Luis Obispo's shopping center has a bit more options for dining like a Japanese restaurant and an Indian restaurant, in addition to a couple of fast food chain restaurants. So, if you're planning on picking up lunch or dinner after a work out, the Planet Fitness in San Luis Obispo has more options.
• The Planet Fitness San Luis Obispo definitely has newer treadmill machines, which I can put my phone in the center tray at an angle, and it'll stay that way. I like to listen and view music videos on my headphones while I jog and this was really nice. I can also put my phone on the center tray of the treadmills at the Planet Fitness Arroyo Grande but it doesn't stand up at an angle as well and would just lay flat most of the time. I could still watch the videos this way but it's just not at the best angle.

Similarities Between Planet Fitness Arroyo Grande and Planet Fitness San Luis Obispo

• The Planet Fitness in Arroyo Grande is located close to a Starbucks. I'm a coffee drinker so this makes it very convenient for me. The Planet Fitness in San Luis Obispo has a VONS located next door that has a Starbucks inside! They're similar in that they are both located very close to a Starbucks coffee shop.
• There's a Carl's Jr within the same shopping center for both Planet Fitness locations in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo, which I found very interesting!
• Both Planet Fitness locations is located next to a grocery store, which makes it very helpful with running grocery errands right after a work out.

I enjoy going to the gym at both Planet Fitness locations in Arroyo Grande (AG) and San Luis Obispo, but I have a preference towards the one in AG because of the good work out vibe.

As I notice more things between the two locations, I'll continue to add to this blog post.

To see a list of reviews for fitness centers that I've worked out in Five Cities (South County of San Luis Obispo County), go to this blog post.

Your ideal work out session is very personal. Some people like to be outdoors to exercise, while others like to be alone. For working out at home, you can get a nice yoga mat, some dumb bells and just select a free exercise video from Prime Video from your TV. Working out options is aplenty, but you just have to make sure you get that motivation and the right exercise equipment that works for you.

Earlier this week in Pismo Beach, we stumbled on thousands of Velella, also known as By-the-Wind Sailor. They are so magnificent and beautiful. They're tiny and look like they have a sail on them. 


For the first time in many years that I've lived here, this is the first time I've seen them at our beach! I was so excited. They have little legs on them and eat plankton. In person, they look very purply blue but it was a cloudy day so they have this darker color when I took pictures of them. See my video short below to see better angles of a velella that I captured.


A few days later, we had a beach day and drove on the beach on the south side of Pismo State Beach from Grover Beach to Oceano. (Pismo State Beach encompasses Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano.) These by-the-wind-sailors were washed up along the beach in multitudes! You could find thousands of them within a few yards. See the video short I captured while I was there.


See more pictures that I've taken at Pismo Beach.

Reading Suggestions:

• I've seen whales from the Pismo Beach Pier before. See videos of the whales I saw while walking the pier. Walking on the Pismo Beach Pier is always free.

Being at the beach can so fun and creates wonderful memories but it comes with a risk. Even if the sun seems mild, it's good to have sunscreen, a pair of sunglasses and a sun hat to protect your skin. Being outdoors is always one great idea to improve your mood and get a bit of exercise if you feel bummed out for any reason.

My kids get a week off from school for Spring Break. It's a total of 9 days of no school if we count the weekend before it starts as well. This year, I've logged what we did each day during this break! We stayed local for the first part of the break and then went to Los Angeles for the last 2 days. Jump to our Universal Studios Hollywood Trip on Day 7. I'm putting Day 1 as the Monday that break officially started, calendar-wise. Here's the day-by-day breakdown of what we did for Spring Break this year:

Day 1 - Played at Sinsheimer Park in San Luis Obispo

We ran shopping errands at The Home Depot and Whole Foods Market in the morning. Then, we went to Sinsheimer Park in San Luis Obispo in the afternoon and brought our cardboards with us to slide down the green hill. My sons love doing this. If your kids are not used to sliding down a hill, I would pay close attention to them as they can get hurt if they roll down awkwardly. Sinsheimer Park is a large park with a lot of benches, large slides for bigger kids and a smaller area for the toddlers. Address: 900 Southwood Dr, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. To see all of my pictures and quick thoughts on all of the playgrounds that I've visited in San Luis Obispo County, go to the Family-Friendly Events page. 

Day 2 - Pool Day at SLO Swim Center

We lounged around the house during the day while watching re-runs of Bluey on TV. Later on, we went to the SLO Swim Center for Open Swim Hours, that is also referred as Family Recreational Swim Hours. Also located right by Sinsheimer Park, we returned to the very area the next day for a swim for 1 hour and 20 minutes. They were open during our Spring Break in the evening from 5:30PM - 6:50PM for the public to enjoy during the weekdays. The cost was $4.25 for adults and $3.75 for children. Even though it is only for 1 hour and 20 minutes, the kids were happy and my little one slept very well that night. For the Family Recreational Swim Hours session during Spring Break, you get to use the heated therapy pool that's outdoors with a shaded canopy. The shallowest end of the therapy pool is 1 feet; and the deepest is 4 feet. I love that they make it clear that it's intended for families for these particular hours. Note: Spring Schedule Recreation Swim Hours are different than the Summer Recreation Swim Hours as the SLO Swim Center changes their hours from season to season. You'll have to check their website periodically to see the new updates. We've also enjoyed Family Recreation Swim Hours during the summer break and there were two different sessions on most days for the summer! We attended their first session for the Summer Recreation Hours between 1:45PM - 4PM (first session of the day when there were two) and the lifeguards had to take a 10 minute break in between so it was mandatory that everyone got out of the water, but you can bring snacks for kids to enjoy during that 10 minute break if you want to. The 10 minute break may seem kind of weird but they do it to make sure the life guards get a break and for safety reasons. This break only happens you're going to the session with the longer duration. Address: 900 Southwood Dr, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 

During the summer, Arroyo Grande High School has open swim hours for the family, which is a another great option for the kids to learn how to swim every day during summer break. You can pay a daily free or a whole summer pass. My kids have taken swim lessons from the Summer Swim Program at this high school. Read about how long the line was to register my kids for swim lessons for AG High's Summer Swim Program.

Day 3 - Chill and Packing Day

On Wednesday, we decided to do some more shopping in the morning to get some new clothes first and then, a bag of Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream chips as my sons have really been into them lately. We decided to have a more mellow day and didn't go anywhere else after that. My kids were really bored later in the evening as they were used to doing something active yesterday and the day before. Later in the evening, the kids started packing their own clothes to get ready for our LA trip this weekend. It's nice that they are old enough to be responsible for that. I just give them a verbal list of items to pack and then, they put the clothing items in their light-weight small suitcase that they share. It was like a scavenger hunt for them.

Day 4 - Played at 16th Street Park in Grover Beach

 
We attempted to have a beach day but the wind was so chilly! We were in our beach gear, parked, walked down to the sand in Pismo Beach, stood for a few minutes and decided that the cold wind was too miserable and walked right back up the steps and sat back in our car. Since the beach was a no-go, we decided to play at the playground at 16th Street Park in Grover Beach instead for an hour and a half for some outdoor play.  

I was a bit disappointed while we were at this park. There were half a dozen big kids (maybe Middle School or High School aged) who were blocking the entrance of the slides at the playground. My sons were intimidated by the "teenagers" (which is what my 9 year old son referred them as) so they alerted me and I had to ask the big kids if the little ones can use the slides. And then, after me asking is when my kids could enjoy going down the slides. It's a bit annoying but inevitably happens around school breaks. I want to point out that this is the third time at this specific park (16th Street Park) that my kids have had issues with older Middle School aged or older kids. One time, two of them even told one of my sons to try drugs to "feel special" and my son went straight to me to report it. It has been ridiculous. After we got home, we decided to make oobleck using arrowroot powder as a "science" experiment. See a list of all of the playgrounds that we've visited in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County and the pictures that I personally took at these playgrounds.

Day 5 - Pokemon Party at Arroyo Grande Library

We had been looking forward to this Friday for a couple of days because there's a Pokemon Party at the Arroyo Grande Library! My kids have just started getting into collecting Pokemon cards earlier this year so this was their very first Pokemon related trading party. Arroyo Grande Library has been the only library in all of San Luis Obispo County that has hosted a Pokemon Party that I've seen this year so far! They always plan great events throughout the year. See all story times at San Luis Obispo County Library or see upcoming family-friendly events in San Luis Obispo County on my Events list. My kids completed a Pokemon ball craft, played bingo, went on a Pokemon Scavenger Hunt and traded cards with each other.

They had a wonderful time and didn't want to leave, even when the event was officially over. They connected with other boys on the same hobby and it was so amazing for me to see how kind everyone was to each other.

Day 6 - Baseball Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles

We decided to travel a bit south to Los Angeles and watched the Dodgers play against the Cubs on Jackie Robinson Day! It was about a 3.5 hour drive from SLO County, which is not too bad. I love that every one on both teams wore the number 42 that day in honor of Jackie Robinson. We sat on Reserve Level behind home plate. I thought it was a good view. See my picture above to see my view from my seat. We kept the kids happy with popcorn and chips. We left before the 7th inning to avoid getting stuck in bad traffic as we parked our car instead of using the Stadium Express Bus. It was a fun time and the kids were ready to get back to the hotel room to relax for the rest of the night. The walk from the car in the parking lot to the stadium and up to the Reserve Level and then back was quite a walk!

We stayed overnight in Los Angeles for this trip. My family liked the hotel that we were staying at. It's a Hyatt Place and I used my free award night at the Hyatt Place in Glendale in Los Angeles for the one night stay. I've been a member of the World of Hyatt Loyalty Program for over a dozen years now and I feel that it's worth it. It's one of the ways that I've been able to save for a free night here and there. When we travel, we try to stay at a Hyatt if we can help it so that we can earn points towards a free night stay a couple of times a year. Hyatts are usually comparable to other hotel chains in the area when it comes to price and amenities.

This particular Hyatt Place location used the Metropolis web app for valet parking, which is convenient because they use a digital ticket and did away with paper tickets. If I needed my car, all I had to do was go on the Metropolis link from my phone to request it. No need to call ahead of time. It was very efficient. I would stay here again as it was so close to the big mall down the street called The Americana at Brand. Regrettably, we didn't get a chance to check it out but it has dozens of restaurants and stores, and I hope to check it out in the future when I come back to this area again.

Day 7 - Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles

Since we had planned to go to the Dodger game in Los Angeles, we decided to make the best of it and went to Universal Studios Hollywood the next day and for the last day of Spring Break to check out the new Mario Kart ride in their amazing Super Nintendo World. It had been a long time since my husband and I had been to Universal Studios Hollywood and this was my sons' first time. It was an amazing day there! We spent the extra money and got Super Nintendo World Early Access Ticket for an extra $30 each person (might have increased if you're reading this months or years later) so that we can ensure that we get to ride the new ride and enjoy the area before it got too crowded. We also took advantage of the early access to book a reservation for lunch there by scanning the QR code in front of Toadstool Cafe. Toadstool Cafe is a Mario Bros. themed restaurant with Chef Toad as the chef. See my pictures below of the cool things we ordered.

We're so glad that we made a reservation through the QR link right when we got there because by 10AM, all reservations for Toadstool Cafe were booked for the day! Rides that we went on included the new Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge ride, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Jurassic World - The Ride, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, The Simpsons Ride, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Transformers: The Ride-3D (not in this order). 

The whole family really enjoyed what Universal Studios Hollywood has done with Super Nintendo World! I can't wait to come back again.

Even though we live 3.5 hours drive away and 3 rides broke down while we were in line or on the ride, I still enjoyed the trip. Like many machines, rides can have issues. The Mario Kart had technical difficulties right when it opened so we had to wait about 20 minutes after already getting in line around 7:15AM (we bought the early access pass). Thankfully, it was fixed before the kids got too antsy and we were able to ride it before the rest of the whole park opened for the general admission goers. The second ride that had issues broke down after 5 or 10 seconds after we were already sitting on The Simpsons Ride. It's a simulator ride so it moved but didn't travel. They had to ask us to get off the ride and then restart the intro video before climbing back on again. The third ride that had an issue while we were there was the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We were almost at the tail end of the ride when it stopped and my son and I couldn't see each other's faces (only our legs) so I was worried for him, but after about 15 long seconds, it continued again. You'll have to be mentally ready for these technical difficulties on rides if you're planning on going to Universal Studios Hollywood. Read about a previous trip in Los Angeles when I stayed in Little Tokyo. 

At the end of it all, I was really happy with all of the plans and the activities that we did for my kids' Spring Break. Overall, the kids' week long Spring Break was a perfect mix of down time and new fun adventures!

Blue Seafood & Grill opened in Arroyo Grande in 2023 and my husband and I have had a few lunch dates here. We've been coming here every few months since they opened! They replaced the previous restaurant named Me & Z, which I regretfully did not get to try before they closed down. The most exciting thing that I've tried at Blue Seafood & Grill is their Cajun Seafood Boil!

They also have other traditional American seafood like the lobster roll and shrimp sandwiches on their menu. I have not had a bad entree here yet! 

We usually park in the back of the building where they have their own parking lot. Beware, it's a one way in, one way out situation so if you have a really big vehicle, just be mindful of that. However, it's nice to not have to park on the street and have more parking options.

We can enter their restaurant by using their back door from their parking lot and walked in from the patio. One time, I saw a patron and her dog enjoying a meal in the patio so that is worth considering if you have a pet.

The menu was already on the table, laminated, and has a front and back side lined with items. They also have a kid's menu so that is nice for young families.

When we dined at Blue Seafood & Grill for the first time for lunch, they also had a small sheet with a lunch menu. I opted to order the crab sandwich with fries for $15 from the lunch menu and my husband decided to order the lobster roll that came with dirty fries for $30 from the regular menu. (Note: With inflation and rise in costs, the restaurant may increase their menu prices and the prices on this blog entry only reflects the prices that were listed on the menu that day when we visited.) I loved my crab sandwich and my husband thought his lobster roll was overpriced for the size. See my pictures below. They do change their menu so be wary of that.

My crab sandwich was like a smashed crab cake between two sandwich slices. My husband's lobster roll had some lobster meat topped on top of one thick bread slice. I think mine was definitely a better deal for the portion but like the grocery store and at other restaurants, the lobster is usually always much more expensive than crab.

Another exciting entree that I've ordered from Blue Seafood & Grill was the the halibut. It was a hair overcooked but it was still delicious. We also liked the sautéed jumbo shrimp as an appetizer. This appetizer dish is what people around town typically talk about. It only comes with 3 shrimps over sourdough bread, but it's still a standout!

Link to Video of My Seafood Boil at Blue Seafood & Grill Restaurant in Arroyo Grande

We've never had dessert here before but conveniently next door is a coffee shop called Tribe Coffeehouse and it's a great place for some delicious craft coffee. See pictures of Tribe and other coffee shops that I've visited in Five Cities of San Luis Obispo County.

See my top favorite restaurants throughout San Luis Obispo (SLO) County

Other Reviews of Seafood Restaurants within the Five Cities area that I've visited:

1. Pono Pacific Kitchen in Grover Beach
2. Ventana Grill in Shell Beach (part of City of Pismo Beach) 
3. SeaVenture Restaurant inside of the SeaVenture Hotel in Pismo Beach
4. Oyster Loft in Pismo Beach near the Pismo Beach Pier

Many schools call their Parent Teacher Organization, PTA (Parent Teacher Association), others are just PTO.

What's the difference?

A PTA, Parent Teacher Association, has to pay fees to the the national PTA organization in U.S.A. but a PTO, Parent Teacher Organization, doesn't have to pay fees to the PTA and can have different rules and regulation/by laws.

Regardless if they are PTA or PTO, how they are run can be pretty impressive, dependent on the leadership of the board.

After volunteering for the last couple of years, here is a table of my thoughts.

Pros and Cons For Joining a Parent Teacher Organization or Parent Teacher Group.

Pros

You can connect with other parents (adults) in the school for a good purpose and great mission. The goal of the parent teacher association or organization is to help the kids and teachers. That could include fundraising for field trips, planning fun events for the community and volunteering to help serve the kids with any activity. You can be creative by volunteering to create signs, flyers or graphics for events. Make sure you properly tell everyone during the meetings that you're going to do it, so that no two people are doing the same work. That way, the team can be efficient and have their focus on finishing everything. You can add your volunteering projects to your resume! This is especially helpful if you need to beef up your resume for a new job. I feel that volunteering for your kid's school can set a really good example for your kids early on in their childhood because when they see mommy (or parent) volunteering, they may be more inclined to do community service projects in the future. They've seen me run around helping out at events and attending meetings for the benefit of planning projects for all kids and not just for them. It actually makes them feel more connected to the community. Since the principal usually attends these PTO/PTA meetings, you often get first-hand information about the school before a newsletter or community outreach is sent out. This could be very helpful in getting resources for your family and getting important dates saved on the calendar sooner.

Cons

Like many groups or clubs, there may be conflict with ideas and processes. I feel that we can always learn from each other but if you don't handle disagreements well, I advise that you come with an open mind and read some self-help books to help resolve conflicts. Volunteering requires time out of your day and/or evening to work on projects or be there for events. If you don't have a lot of free time, just make sure you can commit to the hours or projects that you volunteered for.  If you're volunteering during school hours on the school property, your school may need you be get fingerprinted and pass the background check to avoid pedophiles, or people with a history of crime, from being around children. This is a standard procedure for every volunteer or employee in a school district and it's a good one! So, make sure you have all of that already taken care of before volunteering on property during school hours. Meeting new people in any group may be a bit intimidating and it's okay to feel nervous at your first meeting. Try to learn to be assertive so that the group knows you'd like to volunteer. Sometimes they don't want to push work on whom they are not sure would be up for the task. Raise your hand during the meeting if there is a project you'd like to volunteer for!

Aside from volunteering to help my Parent Teacher Organization at my kids' school, I've also volunteered to chaperone for 9 different field trips so far. Read about my list of Pros and Cons for Volunteering at a School Field Trip! Below are pictures of two field trips that I volunteered to chaperone for. It is nice to be able to enjoy some fun activities with the kids while supervising them.

Depending on which school your kids go to, volunteering for a field trip and volunteering for PTO or PTA could be managed by two different administrators. I've met many chaperones on a field trip who have never attended a PTO/PTA meeting and I've also met PTO/PTA members who have never volunteered for a field trip before.

Ideas to Bring to Your First PTO/PTA Meeting:
• Depending on how organized the PTO/PTA is, they may not have enough pens to go around so, if you like to take copious notes during the meeting for yourself, I advise that you come ready with your own pen! Maybe you can even bring a couple extra pens to share. Sharing your pens could be a great way to start a new connection if you've never been to a meeting before.
• If it is a potluck type meeting, I suggest bringing a nut-free vegan dish or nut-free vegan snacks. There are so many nut-free vegan dishes that I enjoy and I'm not even vegan. This is a great way to connect with a broader range of parents who may often feel left out at food sharing events. Nut-free is especially important for parents and kids who are severely allergic to peanuts or any other nuts.
• At the PTO meetings that I've attended, they don't offer coffee to the parents so by the time the meeting starts, it's evening and I would often need a pick me up. If that is the same for you and if it's okay to bring a drink with you (some meeting places or rooms don't allow food or drinks taken inside, so check), I suggest bringing your own cup of coffee or handy coffee in a can so that you'd have the energy to listen and collaborate.
• Usually, at the very first PTO/PTA meeting, the president asks that participants to introduce themselves one-by-one. However, if the group is so big, they may skip this to save time. So, bring your confidence to your first meeting as they may ask you to introduce yourself. I'm a big introvert and am terrible at speaking in a big crowd so, I am usually so nervous when it's my turn, even when it's my third year participating!

Reading Suggestions:

• I've volunteered to chaperone at 9 different field trips for my kids' classes. Read about my field trip chaperoning experiences and tips.

Most Requested Supplies for Donation:

Aside from volunteering for field trips and helping my Parent Teacher Organization with fundraising, I also donate supplies to my kids' classrooms upon their teachers' requests. Here are the most requested items that my kids' classrooms have requested at the elementary school and preschools that my kids have attended. Not surprisingly, the items they really need are the more expensive items.

• Post It Notes - These are quite expensive so I usually shop around before buying a bulk of them. Sometimes some of the stores have them on sale. My kids' teachers have the students use Post It notes to make notes while they are reading in class to practice analyzing their books. I've also bought these in bulk from Amazon before but sometimes from shipping, they get all bent up in shape! So, I prefer to buy them at local stores if they are on sale, so I'd know they are going to stay nice and straight for the kids. Costco and Wal Mart usually have them. There are generic brands for Post It Notes that are cheaper but teachers have always specifically mentioned "Post-it" Notes so I'd buy the very brand.
• Glue Sticks - For some reason, I find that the drug stores like CVS and Rite Aid sometimes have a buy 1 get free promotion for packs of glue sticks more often than my local Wal Mart. The kids always have art projects in class and sometimes, these dry out when the kids forget to put caps on them. There have been instances where the teachers would request for these halfway through the year again. I've also seen glue sticks sold on Amazon for less than $10 for a pack of 30, especially during back-to-school season.
• Erasable Markers (Dry Erase Markers) - Many of the lower grades have a small white board for each student where they can write their answers or practice math problems and share them in class. Although not all of the teachers provide these small white boards to the kids but when they do, the teachers always have dry erase or erasable markers as a request under their supplies list.
• Boxes of Kleenex or Facial Tissues - During the fall and winter, many kids get, what it seems, non-stop colds and that's when many kids would sneeze a lot and get runny noses. My younger son had it so bad one season that I volunteered to donate 3 tissue boxes each month for his classroom without any teacher's request. The teacher was so grateful and it helped me feel less guilty that my kid used so many tissues during class time. For me, it costed me less than $10 a month but it made such a big difference for the classroom as the teachers have enough to worry about! You'd be surprised how much teachers have to personally shell out for tissue boxes and other supplies for their classrooms. I would either go to Food 4 Less or Target and get a pre-packed 3 tissue box pack or when the local Dollar Tree store have the Puffs brand, I'd buy those there!

Most Requested Class Items From Teachers for Bigger Kids:

• Wet Wipes for Cleaning White Board and Surfaces
• Glue Sticks for Art
• Dry Erase Markers
• Post-It Notes

Apple is having a Back-to-School Apple Sale Online for all of their Apple products right now.