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Los Angeles |OT| GAF's Guide to the Greatest City in the Universe

How's public transportation in LA? In Chicago, you don't need a car at all. Is the same true in LA?

In some places, but not most. It's getting better VERY slowly but it's not at all comparable to the public transportation experience you'd get in NY or Chi-town.

Though you have to remember that Los Angeles is over twice as big as Chicago (503 sq miles vs. 234 sq. miles), and that's not even counting the "Greater Los Angeles area" which is what people are usually talking about when they talk about LA.
 
Okay, cool. Good to know. Looks like I'll have to bring my car.

Can you guys tell me about the following neighborhoods? Anything you have. I'm considering moving into one of these:
Koreatown
W. Hollywood
N. Hollywood
Los Feliz
Silver Lake

I can't live anywhere where it's too big of a bitch to go to Hollywood every day for work.
 
Okay, cool. Good to know. Looks like I'll have to bring my car.

Can you guys tell me about the following neighborhoods? Anything you have. I'm considering moving into one of these:
Koreatown
W. Hollywood
N. Hollywood
Los Feliz
Silver Lake

I can't live anywhere where it's too big of a bitch to go to Hollywood every day for work.


Koreatown - the cheapest of the ones you listed, and the least safe. Pockets of cool stuff followed by pockets of poverty and crime. There's good places but it's dicey. I lived here for a while but it's a stepping stone kind of location.

W. Hollywood - lived there for a while myself, very safe and lots of stuff to do, but driving anywhere outside of Hollywood is a bitch and a half because you're not near any freeways. Look up where the Grove is, for example -- it's at least 15 minutes to any freeway (get used to talking about distances in terms of "time to travel" as opposed to actual distance since it's the more useful info here)

N. Hollywood - can't comment on it myself, I only go there to go to the Ikea or something. It's an okay area but more suburban perhaps than the other areas. Freeways get real shitty around there and then you're stuck.

Los Feliz/Silverlake - hipster central, which is both good and bad. Driving to Hollywood generally means surface streets the whole way, which is consistent but not exceptionally quick (~15-20 min or so). Nice area though and getting nicer.
 

beat

Member
How's public transportation in LA? In Chicago, you don't need a car at all. Is the same true in LA?

If you can live near work, the bus lines are frequent enough and run late enough. It is annoying that there are a ton of different public transit services though. (but on the other other hand, you can buy a monthly "EZ Pass" that works on all or almost all of them.) Any time you've got to use two bus lines, you have to worry that you won't make your connection. A three bus trip is asking for extra delays IMO.

Light rail and subway are pretty solid but the city's just too big for the rail system to cover so far. Maybe ever.

You can get by without a car - I've been carfree for a year here - but it's nothing like New York or (probably) Chicago.
 

beat

Member
Isn't the rail going to be expanded by 2030?
Great, just put me in cryogenic hibernation until then!

=P

That said, Thug Waffle, you might also want to look into car sharing (like Zip Car); that might make transit-primary doable for you. Wouldn't work for me; there are no Zipcar locations in my neighborhood.
 
Okay, cool. Good to know. Looks like I'll have to bring my car.

Can you guys tell me about the following neighborhoods? Anything you have. I'm considering moving into one of these:
Koreatown
W. Hollywood
N. Hollywood
Los Feliz
Silver Lake

I can't live anywhere where it's too big of a bitch to go to Hollywood every day for work.

I love living in Los Feliz. I live right in the heart of it between vermont and hillhurst.

Depends where in hollywood you are going. You'd only be 10min walking from a metro (subway) stop which can take you into hollywood and north hollywood or downtown. Just depends if those stops are close enough for you if so you can totally avoid driving. I use it all the time and the neighborhood is great, I dont have to drive for food, bars, doctor, ext. Have everything in walking distance, I very rarely have to drive to go out.
 
I love living in Los Feliz. I live right in the heart of it between vermont and hillhurst.

Depends where in hollywood you are going. You'd only be 10min walking from a metro (subway) stop which can take you into hollywood and north hollywood or downtown. Just depends if those stops are close enough for you if so you can totally avoid driving. I use it all the time and the neighborhood is great, I dont have to drive for food, bars, doctor, ext. Have everything in walking distance, I very rarely have to drive to go out.

I'd be working/studying at Raleigh Studios for a few months, then after that, I really don't know where I'll end up. I was looking on Craigslist and it seems pretty difficult to find reasonable apartments. I'm assuming the standard of living is pretty high so I should get used to $750-$900/mo apartments being a "bargain?" I'm leaning towards Los Feliz and W. Hollywood/central Hollywood. Of course, I'm only in the research stages now. I should expect prices to change a little bit - for better or for worse.

I don't know, I don't think that's terrible for a studio or 1BR. I'm not going to have a roommate right away so that's probably what I'll have to settle for.
 
Isn't the rail going to be expanded by 2030?

4_30_10_map2.jpg


Well, by 2015, the Expo Line will be open to Santa Monica. The streetcar downtown will be open by 2018, along with the Crenshaw Line and the Regional Connector, which will let you get from Santa Monica to Pasadena in one ride (connects the Blue/Expo with the Gold). After that, it's just working on the Purple Line, which will open in fazes starting in 2022. Around this time, the 405 Line should also start construction. Somewhere in the middle of all of this, the Green Line will be extended to the airport. There are early plans for a line down Vermont, a line down La Cienega or La Brea, and an extension to the Red Line that connects to the Bob Hope airport.

Also, for the guy looking for a neighborhood, look downtown! It's awesome, and if I didn't live in Brentwood/Santa Monica downtown would be my first choice!
 

beat

Member
http://la.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/4_30_10_map2.jpg[IMG]

Well, by 2015, the Expo Line will be open to Santa Monica.[/QUOTE]
Translation: 2017 is way more likely. Phase 1 opened in 2012. It was scheduled for 2010. See [url]http://backup.buildexpo.org/phase1_faq.php[/url] or [url]http://laist.com/2009/12/21/final_plan_for_expo_line_from_culve.php[/url]
 
Translation: 2017 is way more likely. Phase 1 opened in 2012. It was scheduled for 2010. See http://backup.buildexpo.org/phase1_faq.php or http://laist.com/2009/12/21/final_plan_for_expo_line_from_culve.php

Except for that Expo Line Phase 2 is already much, much farther along then Phase 1 was this far into construction. Phase 1 delays were mostly due to a terrible contractor, and Phase 2 is using a different contractor. Frankly, since construction is progressing so fast, I wouldn't be surprised to see it open sooner.
 

moris

Member
I'm thinking of visiting this summer or the end of the year and I can't decide which would be a better time.

I'm only going to be in LA for maybe 2-3 days because I want to visit other cities.
Should I rent a car to travel around LA? I heard the traffic jam is awful at times. Am I better off with public transit?

Any suggestion of restaurants not to miss? No high end places, I'm short on money and want to make out the most for cheap.

I'll be getting off from Burbank airport though.

Thanks.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
I'll try that next weekend then, funny because I live in downtown :p

I'm surprised you haven't tried Downtown first, the bar scene is really moving fast there.

If you want hipster check out Spring Street. There's a rum bar called Caña on Flower. Far Bar in Little Tokyo isn't bad as well.

I'm thinking of visiting this summer or the end of the year and I can't decide which would be a better time.

I'm only going to be in LA for maybe 2-3 days because I want to visit other cities.
Should I rent a car to travel around LA? I heard the traffic jam is awful at times. Am I better off with public transit?

Any suggestion of restaurants not to miss? No high end places, I'm short on money and want to make out the most for cheap.

I'll be getting off from Burbank airport though.

Thanks.

It's either stuck in traffic or waiting for an hour plus for a bus. The metro doesn't go everywhere and if you limit yourself to it then you will miss out on many cool things. I'd say rent a car and just ask for traffic advice, if you drive between 10AM to 4PM or after 8PM you should be fine.

As for cheap eats, I'd recommend Tsujita LA (which tends to go $15+ but for the best tsukemen/ramen in town you can't compare), Jitlada for Thai Food, San Gabriel Valley for Chinese, Father's Office for a burger. If you are looking for something in particular it'd be easier to suggest since LA has a really diverse food scene.
 

C.Dark.DN

Banned
How are the community colleges in LA for film associates and or certificates for out of state students?

I was thinking something like....
A Cinema Production Associates or maybe Cinemetography certificate at LA City College or something? The tuition is like 5.5k. Not bad.
I'm also assuming I'd have access to equipment I'd otherwise have to rent or buy.

Www.laccd.edu/our_colleges/
Www.Lacitycollege.edu

I want to get some student loans to pay for rooming with a few aspiring actors.

It's that or work at whatever job and self tech myself things. I'll be self teaching for the next 8 months.
 
I'm surprised you haven't tried Downtown first, the bar scene is really moving fast there.

If you want hipster check out Spring Street. There's a rum bar called Caña on Flower. Far Bar in Little Tokyo isn't bad as well.



It's either stuck in traffic or waiting for an hour plus for a bus. The metro doesn't go everywhere and if you limit yourself to it then you will miss out on many cool things. I'd say rent a car and just ask for traffic advice, if you drive between 10AM to 4PM or after 8PM you should be fine.

As for cheap eats, I'd recommend Tsujita LA (which tends to go $15+ but for the best tsukemen/ramen in town you can't compare), Jitlada for Thai Food, San Gabriel Valley for Chinese, Father's Office for a burger. If you are looking for something in particular it'd be easier to suggest since LA has a really diverse food scene.

I just had their tsukemen yesterday. So good.
 
How are the community colleges in LA for film associates and or certificates for out of state students?

I was thinking something like....
A Cinema Production Associates or maybe Cinemetography certificate at LA City College or something? The tuition is like 5.5k. Not bad.
I'm also assuming I'd have access to equipment I'd otherwise have to rent or buy.

Www.laccd.edu/our_colleges/
Www.Lacitycollege.edu

I want to get some student loans to pay for rooming with a few aspiring actors.

It's that or work at whatever job and self tech myself things. I'll be self teaching for the next 8 months.

I originally went to City College but didn't finish their film program. It seemed pretty good, and yes they do provide video equipment to use. You will learn some stuff, but honestly, your

best bet is to get a job in the industry and forego school. Look on Craigslist for shit paying PA gigs. Find what department you like and glom onto that field. Also, a great starting point is

getting a job as page on the Paramount lot. You'll do a lot of tours and stuff, but the guys there have ins to a lot of entry level PA jobs and if show enough initiative, they may

recommend you for a tv show or some sort of production. Just be aware that a legit film or TV job is basically like the lottery. You need an unbelievable amount of skill and an even more

unbelievable amount of good luck.
 

Nekobo

Member
You can stay on the 10, exit Crenshaw, go up to Olympic and go west from there. Olympic is easily the fastest street going east to west across the city.

I tried this, but it's almost the same as taking the freeway. It really slows down in Beverly Hills and Century City. ::sigh:: I guess there's no avoiding traffic anywhere while trying to get to work by 9am.

Time to get some audio books lol...

BTW, what are some good dessert places in LA?
 

beat

Member
BTW, what are some good dessert places in LA?
I really like the 'shaved snow' of Blockheads Shavery. It's not syrup over shaved ice, but more like a frozen pudding shaved into very thin ribbons. Hey, it's something you can't get at home.
 
What makes a place like Diesel stand out vs. a regular chain bookstore like Barnes and Noble?

The people who work there are all incredibly knowledgable, and the books are very very well curated. And it's a local business!


BTW, what are some good dessert places in LA?

I like Sweet Rose Creamery, which just happens to be next to Diesel. The best ice cream in town, with constantly changing flavors that range from the traditional (chocolate) to the esoteric (Earl Grey Tea).
 
Looking for anyone in here that may be a CSUN student and is also into games or MLP or cartoons. Really anybody that's into traditionally child oriented pop culture but has embraced it as a legitimate hobby. I'm working on a feature piece about it for our newspaper and need some interview sources. Even if you don't go to CSUN but are local then that's good too. Thanks everybody and please PM me.
 
Looking for anyone in here that may be a CSUN student and is also into games or MLP or cartoons. Really anybody that's into traditionally child oriented pop culture but has embraced it as a legitimate hobby. I'm working on a feature piece about it for our newspaper and need some interview sources. Even if you don't go to CSUN but are local then that's good too. Thanks everybody and please PM me.

I might know some people on campus that can help.
 

Vox-Pop

Contains Sucralose
Looking for anyone in here that may be a CSUN student and is also into games or MLP or cartoons. Really anybody that's into traditionally child oriented pop culture but has embraced it as a legitimate hobby. I'm working on a feature piece about it for our newspaper and need some interview sources. Even if you don't go to CSUN but are local then that's good too. Thanks everybody and please PM me.

For the Sundial?
 
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