Editor’s Note

The following article reflects my personal experience and recollection of events involving 24 Hour Fitness Woodland Hills and related interactions that took place following the theft of my son’s belongings in November 2025. This account is based on my observations, conversations, and experiences during that time.

What Happened at 24 Hour Fitness Woodland Hills

24 Hour Fitness Woodland Hills has a policy requiring members to place a lock on their locker.

In November 2025, my son brought two new laptops and an iPad to the gym. He placed them in a locker and locked it.

After locking the locker, he worked out for a couple of hours. When he returned, the locker was open and his entire backpack was gone, including his clothes, shoes, and toiletries.

I was in the gym as well. He called me immediately, and we met in the check-in area. He told a staff member what had happened. The staff member immediately texted one of the managers, Jazzy. She responded without a sense of urgency. She told him she would be in within a half hour, but that was not the case.

As we waited, my son was trying to track the devices. He asked if they could check the cameras or call security. The staff member then contacted the general manager, James. The general manager said he was on vacation and would deal with it when he returned the following week.

As this was being poorly handled, my son broke down in tears of frustration. All I could do was hold him and pray for him, while a concerned staff member watched with compassionate eyes.

During this time, my son was able to see that one of the devices had been turned on. He could see it was traveling east on the Metro line. We immediately went to our car and followed the location. It led us to the North Hollywood 24 Hour Fitness.

When we arrived, we informed the front desk of what was happening. We wanted to speak with a manager or receive some assistance because we believed the person was inside the gym. The front desk employee rudely informed us there was no manager on site.

My son and I went into the locker rooms and looked to see if anyone had his backpack or devices. We left feeling defeated. We circled the area and waited.

While waiting, we called the Woodland Hills location to see if Jazzy was there. We were told she was, but that she was busy. I explained to the staff member who answered that it was imperative we speak with her.

When Jazzy got on the phone, she spoke in a condescending tone. I began expressing my concern that she had not contacted me, especially considering she was fully aware of what had happened. I was appalled when she told me that she had a life outside of 24 Hour Fitness.

I agree with that. However, saying that to a member whose son had just had thousands of dollars worth of belongings stolen demonstrated a lack of professionalism. It is not as though I asked her coworker to contact her during her personal time. The staff member had told me exactly what he was texting her and had been very detailed. Jazzy was unaware of that.

She then told me she did not know it was my son and me, and that she was unaware of the value of the contents. She said she would reach out to James again.

I explained that the devices had been purchased for my son’s education. He is majoring in audio engineering. The devices contained plugins that had been purchased over time, along with music his deceased father had written and produced. My son could have been in jeopardy of losing his scholarship.

I asked that they check the cameras. She said James was the only person who could do so. She also told me to contact the police department, which I had already planned to do based on our ability to track the thief.

My son and I drove to the North Hollywood police station and filed a report. We explained that the value of the stolen items was between $25,000 and $30,000 when accounting for the devices, plugins, and other purchases associated with them.

We were told someone would be in touch.

We never heard from anyone.

After leaving the police department, we returned to the gym and met with Jazzy. We explained everything all over again.

Jazzy then sympathized with us because she and her children had experienced losing her husband. She said James would review the camera footage, and they offered our family of three two months of free membership.

After a week or two passed, I followed up with Jazzy to see whether James had reviewed the footage. She said he had. According to her, he only saw my son entering the locker room with his backpack.

When asked whether anyone else had been in the locker room at the time, my son recalled a young man lingering there. He strongly suspected that individual may have been responsible.

Jazzy said they did not see anyone leaving with a backpack. We explained that whoever took the items could have placed them into another bag.

We continued going to the gym. James returned from vacation, yet he never contacted us.

Five months later, my account began experiencing billing issues. The funds were always available in my account, and I informed the staff of that fact. Nevertheless, I was charged late fees.

James instructed the staff to tell me he would resolve the issue. It remained unresolved for two months.

One day, as I was leaving the gym, James approached me and asked how my workout had been. At the time, I had not been feeling well.

When he asked, I was offended.

I told him I was offended because we had never heard from him regarding my son’s stolen belongings. We had also never heard from him regarding a gym member who had been harassing me and continues to do so. In addition, he had not removed the late fees that had accumulated despite the issue being outside of my control and the responsibility of 24 Hour Fitness.

He claimed that he had called my son. I told him that was impossible. My son and I had discussed at length how poorly the situation had been handled. He also said that he saw my son all the time.

I explained that seeing him did not mean anything.

He had not addressed our concerns and did not appear interested in resolving them. My son’s scholarship had been at stake. We had to purchase replacement devices and repurchase the plugins and other tools he needed.

Regarding the member who had been harassing me, James said he had been told about it. I informed him that he had not done anything about it, nor had he contacted me.

A couple of weeks later, as I was leaving the gym, James approached me again and asked, “We’re good, right?”

I told him that I meant what I had said, but that my delivery was out of character. I had been dealing with significant pain related to a health issue.

Since then, we have remained cordial.

However, my experience left me feeling that the management at 24 Hour Fitness did not handle this situation properly. Throughout this process, I did not feel that our concerns were treated with the urgency or care they deserved. As long as everything is working in their favor, everything appears fine.

In the end, you truly get what you pay for.

The sound of waves can be heard throughout the day from our two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite at Hofsas House Carmel-by-the-Sea. Beautiful sunsets can be seen from most rooms. Rolling fog sometimes appears and can be cut with a knife.

For over a decade of visiting Hofsas House, Carrie, the co-owner, has made each visit warm and memorable. She is one of the reasons my family returns. Not to mention, the love, care, and pride she has for Hofsas and its guests. Each guest is greeted with a smile, whether checking in or checking out, from Carrie and the staff. The smiles go well beyond a greeting. Hofsas House staff have a wealth of information when it comes to things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea and surrounding areas. This warmth spills over to the guests. Conversations are had. Friendships are created.

Every morning, fresh, delicious French pastries can be eaten in the lobby by the warm fireplace or taken to your room. There is also the option of orange juice, coffee, tea, fruit, or yogurt. It gives a home-like feel, one that makes you slow down without trying.

Over the years, visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea has been filled with dining, wine, long walks, tasting rooms, hidden passageways, and scenic drives. This weekend was different. It was mindfulness and stillness. It was about taking in what Hofsas itself has to offer.

Just outside the pool and conference room, a sauna waits, the perfect added touch after a long day or a day of rest.  Towels and lotion are provided. This is no surprise because each room has more than enough towels and essentials.  Allowing you to completely rest without thinking.

A heated pool sits nearby, steam floating from its surface. The temperature is just right for a swim.

As night fell, after a day of light activity, we thought of sitting by the fire, the room filling with that familiar warmth that only Hofsas seems to hold.  This was just what we needed.  The warmth filled the entire suit. Crackling sounds of fire and ocean waves, led to a memorable, good night’s sleep.

Ironically, this trip was a reset after almost a year in Southeast Asia. A visit to Hofsas House was exactly that, a reset. Somehow Carmel-by-the-Sea and Hofsas were all we needed. Thank goodness we came with the intention to rest, since we have experienced much of Carmel by the Sea and Carmel Valley over the years. To our surprise, we learned that Hofsas, as we know it, will soon undergo a remodel. Although I know the remodel will be beautiful, we will miss the unique European charm.

I fell in love with Hofsas because it reminded me of the first few years of my childhood living in Europe. The Bavarian-style architecture, the soft pink exterior with its hand-painted mural by Maxine Albro, and the Dutch doors that open to let in the ocean air, all of it feels like stepping back into a gentler time. Hofsas House was founded in the late 1940s by Donna Hofsas, and her granddaughter Carrie now carries that same warmth and vision. It is one of the last family-owned hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a place that has quietly held generations of travelers, artists, and dreamers.

This stay felt like a final chapter of an era, before the new one begins. A pause between the fog and the light.

Details to Know Before You Stay

At Hofsas House, you will find something rare: boutique scale and genuine warmth. Many rooms include Dutch doors that open to the Pacific breeze and private balconies or patios where you can linger in the evening light.

Location matters here. Hofsas House is tucked three blocks north of Ocean Avenue, the main street in Carmel by the Sea. You are within walking distance of shops, restaurants, galleries, and the beach, yet just far enough for calm and quiet.

Practical details:

• Free on-site parking, a true luxury in Carmel.

• Complimentary WiFi throughout the property.

• Many rooms feature mini kitchens or wet bars, ideal for simple meals or wine tastings in your room.

• Pet-friendly options are available upon request.

After years of returning, I have found that the best rooms are on the upper floors facing the ocean, perfect for sunset wine or morning coffee. Open the Dutch door, and let the ocean breeze fill the room.

If you are considering Carmel by the Sea for a weekend of rest, a pause, or simply to reconnect with yourself, Hofsas House is that kind of place. It is not just where you stay; it is how you arrive. And for us, Hofsas was exactly that.

The Search for Black Hair Care in Thailand

When it comes to Black hair care in Thailand, it is almost non-existent. You cannot find it in person, and even online the few products labeled as Black hair care are often not what the Black community would truly consider Black hair care. While researching, I came across Lazada and Expat Beauty Hub (a Black-owned shop). Lazada listed products that looked suspicious, and Expat Beauty Hub seemed promising, so I placed an order there out of sheer hope.

Their site promised delivery within two to three business days. After a week with no package and no reply to my emails, I reached out again. Still nothing. Eventually, I noticed the owner was very active in a Black expat Facebook group. I left a polite comment explaining my order issues. Within minutes, she replied publicly, redirecting me to WhatsApp or Messenger and insisting she had already been in contact with me. She had not.

What followed was weeks of back and forth. Messages went unanswered, and when I did receive replies, they rarely addressed the actual problems. I was told a “shipping manager” would contact me, but instead I was given tracking instructions that did not work because the last four digits of my phone number were entered incorrectly. Instead of my number, Expat Beauty Hub had entered theirs, which meant I could not track the order or receive driver calls.

After hours of trying to reach the delivery company myself, I finally got through on live chat. The representative confirmed the phone number was wrong, updated the system, and promised the package would arrive the next day. When it did finally go out for delivery, the driver even sent me a photo, except it was not my package. That was another hurdle to resolve.

Days later, the package arrived, three weeks after my order. I was relieved, but when I opened it, my relief turned into disappointment. The products were packed in a used, fake Chanel plastic bag. The items themselves were not what was pictured on the website. They felt low-quality, like knockoffs. To make things worse, one of the items was missing.

When I reported it, the owner promised to send the missing product immediately with tracking details the next morning. Two days passed with no update. After following up, I was told she was in Hua Hin and would send the information once back. Eventually, I received a tracking number, but when the item arrived, it was the wrong color. This time, my messages went unanswered.

Throughout the entire process, I tried to make it clear that the core issues were not just about the products, but about communication. Emails went unanswered, shipping delays were unexplained, and critical details like my phone number were entered incorrectly. Despite everything, I never received an apology.

It took nearly a month to receive my full order, and even then, it was not complete or correct.

Looking back, I realize the very products I had ordered from Expat Beauty Hub were available on Amazon. I had avoided Amazon to save on export fees, but the experience taught me a hard truth: sometimes, you really do get what you pay for.

Tips for Black Hair Care in Thailand

If you’re moving to or living in Thailand, here are a few lessons from my experience:

• Bring as much as you can with you. Pack extra shampoos, conditioners, and styling products in your luggage. They will last longer than you think.

• Have family or friends mail items. While international shipping costs can add up, it is often more reliable than depending on local online shops.

• Check Amazon first. Even with export fees, you may still get authentic products, better service, and guaranteed delivery compared to smaller sites.

• Be cautious with local marketplaces. Platforms like Lazada sometimes list suspicious or knockoff products. Always check seller reviews before buying.

• Have family or friends bring items when they visit.   It is easier to purchase the items at home, put them in a suitcase and pay the baggage fee with the airline.

When living abroad, even simple conveniences can become complicated. In the U.S., most people turn to Amazon for everything from pantry staples to power cords. It’s fast and mostly reliable. In Thailand, the experience is different. Amazon isn’t the go-to, and even if you use it, the international fees are so steep they often make you reconsider whether an item is really worth buying that way.

Lazada and Shopee: Thailand’s Amazon Alternatives

In place of Amazon, Lazada and Shopee dominate the Thai online shopping world. Both platforms carry everything from fresh groceries and cookware to phone tripods and furniture. The flash sales and free shipping promos can make things feel like a game.

I primarily use the websites for my orders rather than the apps, and the experiences I describe reflect that. Both sites are easy enough to navigate, though like the apps, they can be cluttered with promos, spinning wheels, and banners that make them feel less streamlined than Amazon.

Lazada tends to be more popular for electronics and household items, while Shopee often leans a little more local, great for hard-to-find snacks, herbs, or personal care products. But functionally, they’re very similar.

One unique feature? Cash on Delivery. It’s still widely offered, a system phased out long ago in the U.S., and can be helpful if you’re not keen on entering your card details or want extra security before paying.

Lazada vs. Shopee: Subtle but Real Differences

If you’re just getting started, here are a few differences that stood out after using both platforms consistently:

Delivery Speed:
Shopee often feels faster and more consistent, especially for items stocked within Thailand. Lazada can be hit or miss, especially when ordering from international sellers.

User Interface:
Shopee’s design feels more minimalist and straightforward. Lazada’s layout is busier, with overlapping promos and banners. It’s manageable, but slightly more chaotic.

Tracking:
Shopee usually updates in real time and feels more accurate. Lazada’s tracking can be vague or delayed, and often doesn’t reflect actual delivery attempts.

Customer Service:
Shopee allows easier direct communication with sellers through chat. Lazada’s support feels more automated and often routes you through preset responses before getting to an actual person, if at all.

Pricing and Promos:
Lazada tends to offer bigger flash sales and brand deals, especially for electronics. Shopee leans into vouchers and coins that stack up with daily use.

Sellers on Lazada can also be unpredictable with pricing. I purchased an item at one price, and minutes later realized I needed more of the same item. When I went back to order, the price had already increased. After the item was delivered, the price was brought back down to the earlier amount. It’s a frustrating quirk that makes you second-guess the timing of your purchases.

I still use Lazada more often, mostly because they offer frequent coupons, and when you stack them, the prices are often better than Shopee. It may not always be the fastest, but the savings usually make it worth the wait.

Return Policies

Another difference worth noting is how returns are handled. On Lazada, each seller has their own return policy. I’ve used it a couple of times and was refunded after the delivery person came back to pick up the products I wanted to return. Shipping or delivery charges, however, are not refunded.

With Amazon, the process is much smoother. Everything is usually refunded. You either print out a return label and ship the item through an Amazon partner, or in some cases, a representative will refund you immediately without requiring you to send the product back at all. That flexibility is something I miss.

The Delivery Experience: Organized Chaos

Tracking packages in Thailand is often an exercise in faith.

Your order might say it is arriving on Friday, only for it to show up Wednesday. Other times, it’s marked “out for delivery” for three days straight. Lazada in particular has its quirks:

• Drivers call before delivery, but sometimes they just hang up when you answer

• They’ll mark the order as “attempted delivery,” even if no one ever came

• You might see tracking updates like “High Parcel Volume” or “Final Attempt,” even though no real attempt was made

I’ve waited at home for three straight days for a package, taking calls, answering immediately, and still being met with disconnects. On the third day, it finally showed up, bundled with another order. No call that time, just a knock on the gate. It left me wondering, if I hadn’t been home, would I have ever received it?

A Note on Cash Orders

If you opt for Cash on Delivery, always have exact change. Drivers rarely carry any. While they’ll do their best to work with you, having the right amount makes the process smoother and kinder.

Once, after I didn’t have the right change, a regular driver suggested a solution. He’d take half the amount in cash and return later when I had the rest. He left the package with me. It happened twice. On one of those occasions, I told him I wouldn’t be home for several days but would leave the remaining money in the mailbox. A week later, I checked, and it was gone. At some point, he had come back and quietly retrieved it. Trust still exists here, even in the small exchanges.

Final Thoughts

Despite the unpredictability, most delivery drivers I’ve interacted with have been kind, patient, and hardworking. The system itself just isn’t as streamlined as what many Americans are used to.

So if you’re planning to shop online in Thailand, the best advice is this, be home, be ready, and be patient.

Tips for Renting or Buying a Home in Thailand: What I Learned Firsthand

Looking for a place to live in Thailand can take several routes. Whether you plan to rent or buy, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Before relocating to Thailand, I did a lot of research. Our original plan was to settle in Bangkok. I was looking at everything from houses to condos to penthouses. My son and I were going to live together, and my daughter was going to get her own condo nearby. But after spending just a week in Bangkok, we changed course and moved to Chiang Mai.

A month before our move, I joined several Facebook groups focused on expat housing in Bangkok. These groups were filled with property listings posted by both realtors and owners. Some posts were from expats needing someone to take over their lease. This was one of the most active ways to find available homes in Thailand.

Facebook Marketplace also had a large number of property listings, some pulled directly from those same groups. It gave us access to a wider variety of homes, many of which were not listed on the big-name websites. Most realtors and owners would respond through Messenger and often asked to continue the conversation on WhatsApp.

I sometimes looked on TikTok. Realtors post property walkthroughs or quick videos there, too. However, after arriving in Thailand, we quickly learned that what many influencers were posting didn’t meet our standards. My daughter was quick to notice this and began zooming in on videos and photos.

I also used sites like FazWaz, Thailand Property, Realtor.com, Hipflat, and Perfect Homes. After arriving in Chiang Mai, we stayed in a hotel for one month. Over the course of that month, we used Facebook and websites. My daughter and I inquired about many places. None of them were a fit. At this point, we had decided we would all live together, so we were looking at houses. We did not want anything furnished, and we wanted something new and clean. Everyone defines clean differently.

When speaking with realtors, the initial interaction was great. They would send over what they said they had to view. If we did not like the ones they sent over, or if they sent a link and told us to search on our own, we would not hear from them again. My daughter began to search the websites. As she found homes, she contacted the realtors, the same realtors we had been speaking with. They had not been showing us all of the homes. My daughter was able to find us a home that was being built. Living in a Thai traditional home was not on my radar. When we drove up to see the house, I was pleasantly surprised.

In the end, the realtors took credit for finding the home, although they did not do anything at all. It seemed like they were good to have when it came to signing documents.