Los Angeles has a lot to offer - 8/19/2010

. . . There's no doubt about that, but in my opinion, the quality of life is a bit difficult because the cost of living and the practicality of getting around are simply unmanageable. Considering that to travel anywhere requires a minimum 30+ minute commute is just unreasonable in my opinion. Add to that the $3.00+ for a gallon of gas that you will no doubt burn through while sitting on the freeway . . . On the other hand, there is great art . . . Theater, live music, live comedy, opera, ballet, etc. Not to mention simply the movie industry at large. It is a love/hate kind of place.

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Restaurants - 8/14/2010

Los Angeles 90041 is a pocket neighborhood located along Colorado Blvd between Glendale on the West and Pasadena on the East. It takes approximately five minutes to drive to either city. It is patrolled by LAPD. Colorado Blvd has seen the evolution of a small "restaurant row" along Colorado Blvd. It has become a somewhat trendy eating destination for residents from surrounding areas.

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Lived there for 18 years - 8/1/2010

and I left in 1984. I'm not a huge fan of LA. I still go back quite a bit since my family still lives there. IMHO---- Pluses: The Weather!!! #1 plus. #2 is the food/restaurants. #3 are the beaches and #4 is the nightlife. Minuses: The Traffic - it's appalling. When I lived there it wasn't as bad but now if you take a freeway anywhere past 1 or 2pm be prepared to sit in traffic for at least an hour. Everytime I go back I'm shocked as it seems to keep getting worse. #2 minus = the smog. It's so bad that some days it actually hurts to breathe. #3 - it's completely spread out and sprawling. There are places considered LA that take 2 hours to get to. If I were ever to live in LA again (which I wouldn't do) I would live in Malibu (if I could afford it - but then you're stuck on PCH if you want to get in or out), Pacific Palisades (very nice), Santa Monica, Venus, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach. Many of the people are gorgeous, many are nice. West Hollywood is fun. Most people work "in the industry". I grew up with famous this and thats (actors, musicians, etc.) but they are just like everyone else - most were nice, some were not.

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Live here 2 years and leave - 7/22/2010

LA is a great place to live for 1-2 years. It's cheaper than NY and there are hotter people to f***. The people are nice and funny but they all just want to look good and be famous. If you know everyone is a narcissist, you won't be surprised when you get there. You'll probably become one too. People don't get into arguments in LA. They just smile and stab you in the back or they move a few blocks away hoping you won't find them. What's positive? The treadmill of sex, money, power, fame, can be fun. Everyone is creative and aspiring to do something. There are NO cigarette smokers. That rocked. I found LA to be fairly clean. The smog isn't all that bad. The food is okay but too healthy. I miss the carbs lol. And the grease. LA is a good thing to do when you are 22-35. You'll learn everything there is to know about life -- deception, manipulation and greed. When you are late into your 30's, drive away with all the crap you collected and never look back. You won't find love, family or happiness in Los Angeleles. You will however have the ride of your life.

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High Cost of Living - 7/3/2010

I have lived here for 40 years now and I am ready to get out. The high cost of living is the biggest problem. I currently live in a 1 bed / 1 Bath condo which in the current real estate market would sell for about 230K. That's a lot of money for 800 sq. feet. I would love to move into a house and their are many great homes but if you want one you better be ready to spend at least 500K to start for something decent and in a good neighborhood. Los Angeles has everything in the world for you to do but you better make at least 75K for a single person or 150K for a couple, otherwise you'll be working just to pay the rent/mortgage. Not to mention high price of gas for the car you must have to get around. This city is not designed for pedestrians, it's just to big and mass transit is poor when compared to something like New York.

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Ocean, Mountains and Lots of Entertainment - 6/29/2010

I've lived in Los Angeles for 20 years. I haven't driven to work in almost 2 years now - instead I use rapid transit. According to AirNow.gov, the air quality in L.A. has improved over the last few years and I hope I helped contribute to that by not driving my car as much. What I love the best about L.A. is the fact that I am close to the ocean, the mountains, and great entertainment venues like the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall and L.A. Live. Anyone can take rapid transit to visit those venues as well. We also have the L.A. Zoo, Griffith Park, L.A. County Museum, Kodak Theatre, Universal Studios, and of course Disneyland is a short drive away. Many of these places have free admission days or discounted prices for residents.

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Bad when the Lakers win - 6/29/2010

I have been in the downtown LA area for 2 years, in a loft. The area has some homeless where I live (Southpark area), though they are pretty none aggressive. The area has bike security and lots of police use the local Shell station as a kind of hub for the area (a good thing). So, overall, safety is not something I think about there. The worst thing is the Lakers fans. the last 2 years have produced riots after the Lakes won the NBA championships. Our building has been tagged, windows broken, and, as a member of the neighborhood, I worry about me car getting damaged. This has made the area a place I would not recommend to anyone. The prices for lofts, either to buy or rent, are pretty high, and between you and I the area upkeep is so so, it being pretty dirty. G

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Getting around in Los Angeles - 6/28/2010

Unfortunately, Los Angeles is based on the automobile. Living on the west side (Santa Monica, West Los Angeles) gives you 30 minute access to more than you can imagine. But try to do it by bus or light rail and you run into many logistical problems. With a car Santa Barbara (north) or San Diego (south) are 2 hours away. Two hours may sound like a long time, but there is so much variety to what is available in Los Angeles, the rewards easily pay for the effort.

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hell on Earth! - 5/8/2010

I moved to L.A 7 years ago from Michigan for a job, and it is almost a hell on Earth. I liked it at first, but it began to wear me down after maybe 6 months. My job pays well, but the ridiculously high cost of living makes it difficult to save a dime. And not being able to save or spend anything makes it difficult to get out and enjoy some of California. The city is grossly overpopulated, a huge gang problem, terrible schools (and getting worse), the worst air pollution in the country, an inflated cost of living, a huge illegal immigration problem and the worst traffic in the country. You have to leave 2 hours early just to be at work on time and its the same thing going home; heavy traffic almost 24 hours a day. The people are rude, materialistic, shallow, reserved and you can go MONTHS without your neighbor even saying hello--if at all. And then there's the massive budget troubles; the state of CA is closing schools, making cuts in education, raising taxes, etc. The weather in southern California is nice, but the huge negatives dont balance things out. I just hate it and look forward to when I can move to Wisconsin ASAP; far fewer headaches there.

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Living in Los Angeles - 4/3/2010

Hello All, I've lived in Los Angels for 20yrs. now, I moved from Chicago. When I moved to Los Angeles, in the 90's it was great, you could quite a job and find another. When looking for a job it didn't specify that you needed to speak another language. Which could be a plus or minus. Anyway, the weather is great here, you have the Sun, Sand,Surf and the Snow, what better place. However, the cost of living is very expensive, homes are out of reach for most, the homes began anywhere from 300k on up depending where you would like to live also you will need a car to get around here. The people in Los Angeles seem to be ok, the best part is Los Angeles is very diverse, which is wonderful, you never get tired of seeing the same type of people, but watch out within the next 5yrs. you will see the same type of people everywhere. But all in all, I enjoy the weather and the restaurants and the ocean and the beach the most. Come and take a trip to Los Angeles, and don't visit the nice tourist places, mix it up and see it all, the real Los Angeles.

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Great city to live in if... - 3/16/2010

you have endless amounts of patience and money. Otherwise find some place else.

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Sherman Oaks , San Fernando Valley, CA - 2/17/2010

Summer temp's in the San Fernando valley, north of Los Angeles basin can be between a 20/30 degree difference. For example: if Hollywood is reading 80 degrees - the valley temp's can be reading at 100/105 degrees, depending. Quite a big difference even tho just a short distance over the Hollywood hills. The heat in the summer seems to come in waves; no constant readings of the above temp's, meaning breaks in between for relief. Humidity is average on the dry side.

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Cost of Living - 2/15/2010

Cost of living is very high here.

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Southern California - 2/6/2010

Hello Everybody! First off, I want to say I love Southern California. I live in KANSAS and it's always cold and the people are not so friendly. I truly believe California is the place for me, because the beaches and the people are so nice. I am curently in the Finance industry and seeking Full Time Employment in the Southern California area. Bottom line, I got to get out of KANSAS... while Dorthey from the wiz wanted to go home, I on the other hand want to get the heck out of here......... so if any one has any career leads or advice or assistance to offer please drop me a line at tinaanders@hotmail.com I am looking to relocate within 6 months or less...... Anyone out there tired of being stuck in a state that only brought dark clouds or un happy moments in your life.......... Regards Moving on With Life, Tina A

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Education in Emergency Mode - 1/25/2010

California Cares, and so does Los Angeles, but the system is just spread too thin. Classes in public schools are too large and resources scarce... One of the largest problems is our (admirable) need to be compassionate...we are providing education to the children of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants--as we should be. There's just not enough funding to go around and everyone--teachers, kids, parents--suffers. If you don't have money enough for private schools, or are lucky enough to live in one of the select excellent public schools, you're out of luck.

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West hollywood housing - 1/24/2010

I like the quality of the design of the multi family projects in the west hollywood area.

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Eastise of LA - 1/6/2010

If you are moving to LA check out the Eagle Rcok / Highland Park area. It's near Silverlake but hipper and more affordable.

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Weather in L.A. - 12/27/2009

Los Angeles is without a doubt one of the best places for outdoor activities in the US. Between the mountains, oceans, desert, and forest all within easy driving distance there is no end to the options available for an outdoor person.

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90042 is called Highland Park, it is predominantly - 11/19/2009

I had no idea what I got myself into when I moved to my moms in Highland Park back in 2002. Initially there was a neighborhood man that began to stalk and terrorize me. After a few years he even victimized my mother, and our neighbors as well fell victim to this freak. He vandalized houses, automobiles and any personal property he could get his hands on. Right before we left we learned that he hung out at a location on an adjacent hill where he could see our house perfectly. SO CREEPY Eventually, my mother and I had to flee. The LAPD Northeast Division takes the 911 calls. Sadly to say all of my life I thought the police were supposed to protect me, this was not the case in Highland Park. If you need their help, all I can say is good luck! Living in HP was like a total nightmare for me. Don't live there unless you have no other choice. I feel sympathy for whoever is the victim of that man today.

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Something for everyone - 10/24/2009

Los Angeles is a diverse multi-cultural city. There is something for everyone.

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