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Metric


Gucci

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Tell me about LA
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My bf has come up with this idea that he wants to move to Los Angeles to work on his music career. I am trying to be supportive, however, I think this is an incredibly stupid idea. But that's a whole other topic...


Anyway, what do I need to know about living in LA? I have been there 3 times to visit and its never struck me as a place I'd want to live. Nice place to visit but...you know the drill. What are some alright neighborhoods to look to live? What should we expect to pay for rent, etc? Is a car essential? What else do I need to know?



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twinkle


Coach

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i had to move here for work and always thought i'd hate it... i absolutely love it!


the weather is amazing, people are nice/friendly/happy, there are great restaurants, and the beaches/hiking etc are great if you like the outdoors.


i think a car is essential although i know lilykind may argue w/me on that point. there are some neighborhoods where you can get away w/out one (santa monica & westwood) but in general you're going to want one.


feel free to PM me if you want more specifics. there are alot of great neighborhoods here and rent will be dependent on what you're looking for.



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Lilykind


Hermes

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twinkle, I wouldn't argue for a second...not having a car in LA is murderous! I mean, it's possible to live without one, but definitely not recommended! I think Los Angeles won't have a viable public transit system for another 25 years (I'm a dedicated reader of LAist and I'm definitely keeping tabs on this). They're working on it (as they desperately need to), but it's still a long way from being worthwhile.


I think my opinion is heavily tainted by the fact that I'm originally from NYC. I guess I like Los Angeles...the weather's nice, the beach is cool if you're into that (I'm not really), the vibe is easygoing but I think it can get really pretentious. I live on the westside, and I feel fat almost constantly.


Neighborhoods that might be cool since your BF's a musician...



  • Silver Lake/Echo Park (a lot of indie musicians live here. When I was in the biz, a lot of songwriters and musicians lived here...the neighborhood definitely is a hotbed for creativity. It's not my style, but it's a cool neighborhood)
  • West Hollywood (I knew a producer who had a loft on Melrose and could blast his music at 4 am without people caring)

Rents are pretty bad...expect to pay upwards of 1k anywhere you go.


I have to say, my BF and I are in Atlanta right now and we're really enjoying the slightly better traffic, the nicer drivers, and the lack of smog...we're probably not going to stay in LA after we become fully vested with our union (about 5 years).


Again, feel free to pm me if you have specific questions.


*Edited for clarity*



-- Edited by Lilykind at 19:00, 2006-10-23

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Kari


Dooney & Bourke

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What kind of music is he in to?  Just curious, because there are other places that might be good as well.  I know Austin has a great music scene.

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AllieGurl


Marc Jacobs

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I love LA. I actually lived there for a few years before moving to the San Diego area.

Rent is pricey - Expect to pay at least 1k a month. For a nice place 1,500+ a month.

The beach is beautiful and there is a ton of outdoor activities to do. (Hike, Kayek, Bike rides, Tennis , Golf etc)

People - well that depends on your area of LA. Most people fit the LA mold and can be itimidating to an outsider, but once you get to know them you can easily make friends.

Nightlife is fun, usually the bar/beach scene is relaxed ( jeans, heels etc)

There are tons of smaller neighborhoods/areas to live in. I LOVE santa monica, but there are tons of cool places downtown.

You will need a car as said above, public transist sucks.

HTH!

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xoxo gossip girl!
kittenheels


Coach

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I love LA.  I've lived here for 5 years now (I moved out for law school).  I love the sunshine, the incredible diversity of people and cultures, and the relaxed lifestyle.


I live in Brentwood (which is between UCLA and the beach).  It's a great neighborhood with tons of stuff to walk to - including cupcakes, a branch of Ron Herman, restaurants, and more coffee shops than you could ever use.  I work downtown, so it's about a 30 minute drive in the morning (I leave at 7:30).  I have friends who live in Pasadena, the Valley, Hermosa Beach and BH...but there are cool neighborhoods pretty much everywhere.


You really do need a car to get around out here.  I do know some people who live and work downtown, but that's definitely not the norm.  I'm not really in touch with the entertainment scene - what I do is get gossip from my brother in law who works at a production company.    So, people like Lilykind who work in the industry are probably a much better source for industry perspective on LA.


The shopping is incredible...and the best part is you can wear pretty much all of your clothing YEAR ROUND...unless you really like parkas and ski clothing!



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