Ice Station Valencia

I've played at Ice Station several times for pickup, but haven't yet tried their adult hockey leagues. The facility is only several years old and is an excellent place to play. I've bought a few things in the pro shop, but only minor things like laces that I needed right away. The ice quality is as good or better than any other rink I've been to in the Los Angeles area. I'd highly recommend it if you live in the area or don't mind the drive up to Santa Clarita.

Pickwick Ice Center

I've played here off and on for several years now. It's a good place to play ice hockey, especially if you're unable or unwilling to drive to El Segundo or Santa Clarita to play. Those rinks are much nicer overall but Pickwick has cheaper rates and is much closer for many of us in the Valley area. It's not in the best of neighborhoods though, so make sure to lock your car if you're there at night.

Glendale Batting Cage

I was able to stop by the batting cages during a weekday so I had no trouble at all with long wait times. The prices are fair but there aren't very many cages to choose from if you're looking to hit some softballs. I tried out the mid to high level baseball cages and they seemed pretty accurate.

Andersen's Pet Shop

I found Andersens while shopping for other things but I'm glad I came across it. I bought a few accessories for my sister's exotic fish tank that I hadn't found anywhere else. Great selection of products and the employee I went to for help went out of her way to help me find the right fish food as well. Highly recommended!

Pacific Video Movie Rental

Pacific Video is the best local place I've found if you're looking for ethnic or worldly videos. They have a great selection of movies AND music, including Russian, Armenian, Persian, Turkish, and the usual English-language fare. The prices are very reasonable so I'd recommend Pacific for any rare or hard-to-find movie needs that arise. I've bought several movies in Persian here and would definitely come back.

Pacific Auto Leasing

We got our financing for one of our cars from Pacific and have been very happy with their service. Their rate was very competitive and they treated us with respect and professionalism during our visit. We'll definitely return to Pacific if we're looking for another car in the near future as customer service is very important when dealing with car purchases.

Little Bee Flowers

My wife bought several flower arrangements from Little Bee after seeing the store while driving around Glendale. Their staff is very friendly and helped her out in making the selections. She chose three arrangements to be used at a friend's dinner party and everyone commented on how beautiful they were. I'd definitely recommend Little Bee if you're looking for some quality arrangements.

Bingo

Bingo has just about anything you'd need, including most things you'd find in a bigger chain-type store. Do yourself a favor and shop at a place like Bingo before heading off to Target or Walmart and you'll save some money. The quality of items isn't the best but you definitely get great value for your money. Each time I've been to Bingo I'm surprised by yet another item that I didn't realize they carried. Great place to shop if you're a bargain hunter or just looking to save some money.

PROS: Prices can't be beat, huge selection
CONS:

Nick Nick Boutique

My wife loves going to Nick Nick if she's looking for a really nice dress for a dinner / dance party or that sort of event. They have a great selection and she always manages to find a stunning dress at a good price. The prices do tend to be high but the dresses are also of great quality.

PROS: Great selection of quality dresses
CONS: Dresses can be expensive

Progress Insurance Svc

Progress Insurance is an insurance broker that will charge a broker fee in order to find you the best insurance deal. This is a great place to go if you're looking for this sort of service and don't mind the fee. The staff is very friendly and knows what they're doing in the insurance field. My mother-in-law found a great deal here, though I believe she would be better off just checking around herself instead of relying on a broker. I would recommend Progress if you'd rather have someone else do your insurance research for you.

PROS: Great at what they do, very good insurance deals
CONS: Broker fee