If you like sitting in your car and on crowded beaches and hate fresh air, scenery, and it taking less than an hour to get out of the city then it's perfect. Don't know how anyone can describe never housing developments and strip malls as a nice area to live. Look at El Segundo on a map, LAX to the north, huge chemical industry wasteland to the south, ghetto to the east, and more industrials parks blocking the ocean to the west. You're not even in the city just the sprawl. All the other areas mentioned are just the same.
Moving To and Living In Los Angeles
- Thread starter Chiggs
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As mentioned:
1. You need a car to survive. However if you have the funds, Uber is amazing. I used it for the first time recently and its a really great app.
2. Others may disagree but Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley 210 freeway area is the best place for commuting through the city and the overall quality of life vs. cost of living. I grew up in the area so I'm a bit biased but it's a beautiful area, with a lot of great places to eat and have fun.
From the 210 you have easy access to the 110 which takes you to Downtown or you can take the 134 to West LA.
1. You need a car to survive. However if you have the funds, Uber is amazing. I used it for the first time recently and its a really great app.
2. Others may disagree but Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley 210 freeway area is the best place for commuting through the city and the overall quality of life vs. cost of living. I grew up in the area so I'm a bit biased but it's a beautiful area, with a lot of great places to eat and have fun.
From the 210 you have easy access to the 110 which takes you to Downtown or you can take the 134 to West LA.
Never thought I'd say it, having been born and raised there, but I disagree with this. The Bay Area is not the place it once was, and is surprisingly unpleasant in many ways it wasn't even ten years ago.
I don't disagree in theory, but if he's working in El Segundo this would be literally insane.
The Horror the horror
Banned
Been to LA quite a few times. Never seen so many slack-jawed, lazy, entitled people concentrated all in one American city (although Miami comes pretty close). If your job is all hustle & bustle, you're in for hell, OP. Never been to a town where so many people with nothing really to do have be somewhere all at once. If your job is laid back, with tele-commuting as an option, you'll be okay. The town is like quicksand: if you're chill, it won't drag you under; but God help you if you're always going to be on the move.
Except that short strip of the 110 that goes through downtown between the 10 and the 101 is always the fucking worst thing ever.
Dark Ninja
Member
Have a steady flow of income. Also have money saved up just in case
hitsugi
Member
Is 6:30 a.m. considered rush hour? Because traffic is disgusting on weekdays at that hour. Obama or not. It only gets worse from there.
It's also pretty bad starting at around 2 p.m. So when is rush hour, exactly? 80% of the average day? Depending on what freeways you're dealing with, traffic can be bad from around 6:30 a.m. through 9 p.m. out here.
StopMakingSense
Member
It honestly depends on the corridor you are talking about, and the direction.
And no freeway is bad till 9pm.
I could never live in Los Angeles. It’s a gigantic spreading mess like the Zerg in Starcraft. I live in babby Los Angeles AKA Orange County. It’s nicer, about 15% less crowded… and if I ever feel the need, I can drive up to LA. But if I had a choice of SoCal areas, I’d totally pick San Diego.
Also, hope you like TAXES!
P.S. Great avatar… because if you actually are the Guardian, you’ll fit right in at LA.
Also, hope you like TAXES!
P.S. Great avatar… because if you actually are the Guardian, you’ll fit right in at LA.
El Segundo is a great neighborhood to live in if you can afford it. I'd avoid going too far inland from there because it can get a little sketchy (but prices will definitely be more accomodating). Generally, traffic flows from the Valley south into Santa Monica and Downtown LA and North from Long Beach into Santa Monica and Downtown LA -- if you can plan your living opposite of traffic, you'd be golden even during rush hour. Let us know if you need any recommendations or info on specific neighborhoods.
Fatal Futanari
Member
Nice OP! I work in El Segundo too. The Konami building is there too (and Kojima is there from time to time). There is lots of stuff to explore in that area too.
Like others have said, you have to go find LA. If you just do the bare minimum (work, home, sleep), then you will hate LA. Go explore and discover all the awesome things this city has to offer! There is always something going on.
Get a car, but know that finding parking can be a pain at times.
No he isn't. Not at all lol. There is only a handful of things to do in Denver (or even Boulder).
You'll miss it.
StopMakingSense
Member
Los Angeles is horrible. Visited it for a few days some weeks ago and... Ugh. Dirty, ugly, etc. Sorry, SoCal sucked guys.
Bay Area for me!
As I mentioned, LA is a hilariously bad place to visit, but a fantastic place to live.
The weather is shit here. No real seasons, and in the valley it was over 100F for like four fucking straight months. I end up running AC occasionally in December. The air quality is also shit because of all the cars. The view from my office is a bunch of hills covered in fart smog.
U n i o n 0015
Member
Oh, the valley...yeah, it can get hot there. I lived in West Hollywood, it was great.
Smog is bad-ish, but compared to when I was a kid it has improved massively.
Not at all. I despise this place. All my free time is spent getting away from the city and into the mountains. Living in the Rockies will be a dream. The only thing I'll miss are Ducks games at the Honda Center (which is OC, not LA).
San Diego is a completely different beast, you might as well be talking about how Fresno is.
We're talking LA
ProtoCents
Banned
Just don't leave your wallet there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WILyWmT2A-Q
Edit
In terms of how great a place can be and contrasting it with the worst place?
joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
Everybody forgets about Westchester and Playa Del Rey. Both neighborhoods are relatively good deals on the westside and really close to El Segundo and the 405. They are also safe neighborhoods as well.
Don't move to Torrance unless you like depressing strip malls filled with stores that time forgot. Sam Goody, The Warehouse, and KMart all still have stores in Torrance.
Don't move to Torrance unless you like depressing strip malls filled with stores that time forgot. Sam Goody, The Warehouse, and KMart all still have stores in Torrance.
richardhawk
Member
I've lived in every part of LA from Downey to Northridge and I can tell you now that investing in a motorcycle will change your life completely. Traffic is the number one problem with this city. Learning to ride removes that problem. Splitting lanes will save you an incredible amount of time. Even if you only use your bike to commute to and from work you'll be amazed. I ride 7 days a week but Monday - Friday I ride from Burbank to Downtown. The ride is about 28-30 minutes on average and if I were to drive my car it would be a little bit over an hour with the morning traffic.
LEARN TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE. YOU'LL NEVER PAY TO PARK ANYWHERE, YOU'LL AVOID TRAFFIC AND YOU'LL NEVER GET A PARKING TICKET.
Also our weather is good enough that you can basically ride about 350 days a year.
LEARN TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE. YOU'LL NEVER PAY TO PARK ANYWHERE, YOU'LL AVOID TRAFFIC AND YOU'LL NEVER GET A PARKING TICKET.
Also our weather is good enough that you can basically ride about 350 days a year.
Fatal Futanari
Member
Seems like you just don't like cities in general. Stay away from Downtown Denver then. It took a dive in quality once something got legalized lol.
hitsugi
Member
Yeah, this portion is completely screwed, at just about any given time of day.. no questions asked. Great that the FasTrak lanes (which are a joke anyway) end right before it, too.
Chiggs
Gold Member
This is absolutely true. Even in the Highlands, giant clouds of pot smoke making an evening jog a slalom event.
After the Broncos won the AFC back in January, Federal Blvd looked like it was on fire.
That picture looks like ill get fucking shot driving down that road.
Oh man. I see them listed, but I just hope you don't underestimate this. Traffic is fuckawful. My advice would be to start planning out where you'll live now and then figure out the best way to get there. Plan it out NOW.
It's not even that bad.
I have to drive down to the fruit market area every month and it all looks like that. My friends from out of California came in and get all nervous over driving down/walking into alleys. It's whatever.
Sectorseven
Member
Internet says gas is about $3.40 in Los Angeles right now, that sound accurate?
Yep. I can find it for $3.15 in some locations!
BlackBanditSho
Member
I live near that area. You'll get the best of living in Los Angeles without any of the crap. Nice community. Clean. Relatively low crime. decent traffic. Minutes away from airport and beach/beach communities. Lots of neighborhood shopping options. tons of indoor and outdoor activities.
Try to stay in the south bay area for a place to live. Don't believe the hype. Santa Monica and the westside is the pits. Torrance (where I live) is cheaper, cleaner, and underrated.
I tell people about my own apartment building all the time. $`1500.00 gets you a pretty nice place to live.
Best of luck, Gaffer.
FinalStageBoss
Banned
Just live as close to work as possible and you'll love it out here.
El Segundo...aerospace company?
I moved to the area in January for an aerospace company in Huntington beach.
Live. Close. To. Work.
Can't stress that enough. Find some good places that are relatively affordable that are either near the beach or nightlife.
California is the best state in the US. Their is a reason why it's expensive to live here and so many people live here. Enjoy!
I moved to the area in January for an aerospace company in Huntington beach.
Live. Close. To. Work.
Can't stress that enough. Find some good places that are relatively affordable that are either near the beach or nightlife.
California is the best state in the US. Their is a reason why it's expensive to live here and so many people live here. Enjoy!
Gully State
Member
I agree with this wholeheartedly. General attitudes of people in the Bay have changed a lot in the last decade.
2.5 hours drive from LA. Commute to work would be ridiculous.
donkey show
Member
Pls, I live in the UK now and $3.30 a gallon is fucking pennies.
No doubt, I used to commute from Azusa to Santa Monica for 3 months and it was fucking hell. Indeed live close to work, don't bother attempting to commute on the 405 during the week.
I miss LA, so much to do and tons of great eats everywhere! Not far from the beach and although not the greatest... skiing and snowboarding ain't that far either. Plus trucking your ass to Vegas for the weekend is no big deal.
Septimus Prime
Member
I live in Arcadia and work in Torrance, and yeah, it's nice, but the commute is a slog. I wouldn't recommend it.
Also, OP, if you aren't doing it already, get ready to refer to our freeways as "the" and then some number. We don't do that "I-whatever" nonsense here.
That's insane.
Driving from Glendora to Burbank was a pain in the ass. I can't imagine doing that daily.
titiklabingapat
Member
The secret to LA is to live near where you will be working. If you work in Burbank but insist on living in the beaches, then you are doing something horrible.
LA transit is pretty serviceable. It's not NYC in that the subways go anywhere (we are building them though!) but the buses run pretty frequently and the major lines run 24/7. That's more that can be said with other transit agencies.
Try to move where you will hang out with the most or close to work. It's been mentioned before, but LA is huuuuuugee. There are so many neighborhoods and each one is so unique from the other. Try to find a short term lease first and then find your scene and start off from there. We got the snooty, LA you see on TV on the Westside and Beverly Hills. Vibrant nightlife in Hollywood/Downtown/West Hollywood. You got the suburban Valleys, you got Silverlake, Los Feliz and Echo Park if you are a little alternative. You got the cosmopolitan downtown, you got the laid back beaches, you got the ethnic enclaves, Malibu if you are rich enough and the hills and canyons if you like the outdoors (not to mention the mountains out east).
LA transit is pretty serviceable. It's not NYC in that the subways go anywhere (we are building them though!) but the buses run pretty frequently and the major lines run 24/7. That's more that can be said with other transit agencies.
Try to move where you will hang out with the most or close to work. It's been mentioned before, but LA is huuuuuugee. There are so many neighborhoods and each one is so unique from the other. Try to find a short term lease first and then find your scene and start off from there. We got the snooty, LA you see on TV on the Westside and Beverly Hills. Vibrant nightlife in Hollywood/Downtown/West Hollywood. You got the suburban Valleys, you got Silverlake, Los Feliz and Echo Park if you are a little alternative. You got the cosmopolitan downtown, you got the laid back beaches, you got the ethnic enclaves, Malibu if you are rich enough and the hills and canyons if you like the outdoors (not to mention the mountains out east).
titiklabingapat
Member
Actually, since you are gonna be working in El Segundo, you can live in downtown, Hollywood, Koreatown or Culver City (all great and are 'hip' places to live!) and just take the Blue/Expo line to the Green Line to your work. Takes about 40 minutes to an hour, depending on where you are coming from. You bypass all the traffic too and can do real work or play your backlog of games while in the trains.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can live even closer like Compton, Lynwood, etc but, ahem, those areas are a little poorer. Cheaper rent though.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can live even closer like Compton, Lynwood, etc but, ahem, those areas are a little poorer. Cheaper rent though.
Just_myles
Member
^ smooth move.
I commute from culver city to Woodland hills daily. In the day going to the valley, it's around 45 minutes. For me it's not that bad. Going the other direction after 5 is about an hour. I don't mind it so much. I grew up in Socal so I'm used to the long commutes to where something like an hour trip is not bad at all.
Now when I worked for Newegg way back and had to commute to the Riverside, that was horrible(3.5 hours). I did that for about 5 months before I went back to Santa Monica.
I commute from culver city to Woodland hills daily. In the day going to the valley, it's around 45 minutes. For me it's not that bad. Going the other direction after 5 is about an hour. I don't mind it so much. I grew up in Socal so I'm used to the long commutes to where something like an hour trip is not bad at all.
Now when I worked for Newegg way back and had to commute to the Riverside, that was horrible(3.5 hours). I did that for about 5 months before I went back to Santa Monica.
Entropy912
Neo Member
The best part of LA is the diversity. It's so big that each part has a really different vibe to it and there's always something worth doing. It's also so big that getting from one area to another can be a major hassle, so definitely do some research for where you want to settle down. I'm not very familiar with El Segundo other than it's really close to LAX but I agree with a previous poster that the furthest North you wanna go is Culver City / Palms. I used to live there, it's actually a great place location wise (close to 405 and 10) and there's a good mix of UCLA students and professionals that live around there. Personally I would check out Venice and Marina Del Rey which can be a little pricey but you'd have the major advantage of being able to take PCH to El Segundo rather than the 405.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
you must have a car.
the weather is awesome.
you can live in the South Bay which is awesome.
if you like doing stuff outdoors (esp the beach based on where your work will be), you'll be very happy.
the weather is awesome.
you can live in the South Bay which is awesome.
if you like doing stuff outdoors (esp the beach based on where your work will be), you'll be very happy.
fredrancour
Member
Are you telling him to find a job in SD instead, or suggesting he live there while working in El Segundo? If it's the latter, he would have time for nothing in your day except driving, work, sleep, and in n out pitstops for dinner on the way home. That is not commuting distance.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
yes. regular gas I saw in Burbank today for 335... which is insanely cheap
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