West Side vs South Bay? (Los Angeles, Santa Monica: home, school district, living)

[Angelino19]

In terms of cultural activities and night life the Santa Monica area beats the SB easily, and the urban vibe is great. The Expo train line connecting SM to Downtown LA is also a plus. Aside form Santa Monica High School, there are several private schools including St Monica Catholic High School.

I like the SB and lived in Redondo Beach, near the pier, for 3 few years. In my view the SB vibe is very suburban, with the exception of the small urban enclaves of Hermosa Beach and Manahttan Beach.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by Angelino19

The Expo train line connecting SM to Downtown LA is also a plus.

Not everyone thinks so. I guess if you're among the few who want to ride the train directly between SM and DTLA, okay.

But the Expo Line is also bringing the ghetto into SM. More shoplifting, bicycle thefts, burglaries, and even some shootings.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/l...nap-story.html

1 Stabbed in Neck on Expo Line in Downtown Santa Monica | KTLA

*Has the Expo Turned into the Crime Train?

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Cinema Cat

Not everyone thinks so. I guess if you're among the few who want to ride the train directly between SM and DTLA, okay.

But the Expo Line is also bringing the ghetto into SM. More shoplifting, bicycle thefts, burglaries, and even some shootings.

Man shot and wounded by sheriff's deputy at Santa Monica Expo Line station - LA Times

1 Stabbed in Neck on Expo Line in Downtown Santa Monica | KTLA

*Has the Expo Turned into the Crime Train?

That's not because of the train. That's because of Santa Monica's tolerance of the homeless and all the programs it has for them, and its refusal to crack down on the homeless.

The Expo and Gold are the safest of the Metro trains. It's nothing like the Blue Line. I highly doubt you ride it as much as I do so you wouldn't know.

[Surf_Norway]

Originally Posted by Angelino19

In terms of cultural activities and night life the Santa Monica area beats the SB easily, and the urban vibe is great. The Expo train line connecting SM to Downtown LA is also a plus. Aside form Santa Monica High School, there are several private schools including St Monica Catholic High School.

I like the SB and lived in Redondo Beach, near the pier, for 3 few years. In my view the SB vibe is very suburban, with the exception of the small urban enclaves of Hermosa Beach and Manahttan Beach.

Thanks for the info. I want to avoid suburbia, preferring an urban lifestyle. At least for now. If I weren't in LA I'd be in NYC, Manhattan somewhere, probably Upper West Side. I just want to balance that so that my son isn't "thrown to the wolves" by gangs, drugs, etc. Those things exist everywhere (even in Norway!), and I don't want to live in a gated community or pretend they don't exist, but I don't want to put him in the middle of a bad environment either. I agree that he needs to be counseled about the dangers that exist, but has to learn to deal with life on his own in the end.

Which is why I'm trying to compare the South Bay with SM. The train is a bonus in my mind, it would be great to be able to take it do downtown at least, every time I've tried driving from SM to f.x. The Grove, it takes at minimum an hour in the afternoon. I don't expect the South Bay to be as active or cultural as SM, but hope it at least offers enough to make life interesting, places to go out, meet other people, discover art, food, music, culture.

SM seems an obvious choice, but also seems to be a place "everyone" gravitates to when they first move here, before finding another place to settle later. Venice also seems interesting, but lacks easy access to the Metro. The Metro looks like it goes to Redondo, but not close to the beach, further inland by the freeway.

I checked Google Maps for drive times to Porter Ranch from Santa Monica and Redondo Beach, on average it says about 10 minutes extra from the South Bay compared to SM, across all days/times I checked. Not bad at all. So Redondo isn't all that urban according to your experience.

The other poster said Redondo and Hermosa are younger and more dynamic compared to Manhattan Beach, it sounds like Hermosa is full of kids on college break and Manhattan wealthy snobs, and Redondo more of a suburban vibe. RPV is nice, but I'm not very Republican by nature, and it feels somewhat cut off from the rest of the surrounding city due to the geography.

It sounds like I'll need to AirBnB a week or two each place to really get a good feel for it, and worry about school later. Hopefully wherever I do end up, I'll be able to get my son enrolled later.

What does "LBC" mean?

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Surf_Norway

Thanks for the info. I want to avoid suburbia, preferring an urban lifestyle. At least for now. If I weren't in LA I'd be in NYC, Manhattan somewhere, probably Upper West Side. I just want to balance that so that my son isn't "thrown to the wolves" by gangs, drugs, etc. Those things exist everywhere (even in Norway!), and I don't want to live in a gated community or pretend they don't exist, but I don't want to put him in the middle of a bad environment either. I agree that he needs to be counseled about the dangers that exist, but has to learn to deal with life on his own in the end.

Which is why I'm trying to compare the South Bay with SM. The train is a bonus in my mind, it would be great to be able to take it do downtown at least, every time I've tried driving from SM to f.x. The Grove, it takes at minimum an hour in the afternoon. I don't expect the South Bay to be as active or cultural as SM, but hope it at least offers enough to make life interesting, places to go out, meet other people, discover art, food, music, culture.

SM seems an obvious choice, but also seems to be a place "everyone" gravitates to when they first move here, before finding another place to settle later. Venice also seems interesting, but lacks easy access to the Metro. The Metro looks like it goes to Redondo, but not close to the beach, further inland by the freewa

I checked Google Maps for drive times to Porter Ranch from Santa Monica and Redondo Beach, on average it says about 10 minutes extra from the South Bay compared to SM, across all days/times I checked. Not bad at all. So Redondo isn't all that urban according to your experience.

The other poster said Redondo and Hermosa are younger and more dynamic compared to Manhattan Beach, it sounds like Hermosa is full of kids on college break and Manhattan wealthy snobs, and Redondo more of a suburban vibe. RPV is nice, but I'm not very Republican by nature, and it feels somewhat cut off from the rest of the surrounding city due to the geography.

It sounds like I'll need to AirBnB a week or two each place to really get a good feel for it, and worry about school later. Hopefully wherever I do end up, I'll be able to get my son enrolled later.

What does "LBC" mean?

As said before gangs are not really an issue in Santa Monica, although the homeless are.

There is one South Bay beach community that has the Metro: El Segundo has the Green Line. That might be more to your liking. It is a very safe community with excellent schools that is not as touristy as Santa Monica and more subdued and tasteful than Manhattan Beach which it borders. It was the last of the beach communities of Santa Monica Bay to make the transition from middle class to upper middle/upper class and it still has a lot more of its middle class roots. Main St. in El Segundo is like what Montana Ave. in Santa Monica was like in the 1980s before it became Rodeo Drive West. The Green Line also goes to North Redondo, also next to El Segundo, as you mentioned, but farther from the coast. North Redondo is nice but it is closer to some areas that are not so nice like Hawthorne (which is still ghetto and high crime) and Lawndale (a buffer zone between "good" and "bad" South Bay, relatively safe but with horrendous schools)

Here's another suggestion for you: what about Wiseburn/Del Aire, in between El Segundo and Hawthorne? Not right by the beach, and a lot more diverse than the beach communities, but safe and with good schools. Don't let the proximity to Hawthorne scare you off.

LBC is Long Beach.

[Dunbar42]

Originally Posted by Surf_Norway

I checked Google Maps for drive times to Porter Ranch from Santa Monica and Redondo Beach, on average it says about 10 minutes extra from the South Bay compared to SM, across all days/times I checked. Not bad at all. So Redondo isn't all that urban according to your experience.

It takes me 30-40 minutes to drive from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach. I have my doubts that Redondo Beach is only 10 min further to the valley in typical LA traffic.

[Surf_Norway]

Originally Posted by Dunbar42

It takes me 30-40 minutes to drive from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach. I have my doubts that Redondo Beach is only 10 min further to the valley in typical LA traffic.

That's my point. Google's traffic analysis shows that South Bay to SM is almost as long time-wise as SM to the Valley, and the difference in time to the valley from SM vs South Bay is on the order of 10-15 min.

I just drove from Redondo Beach to Porter Ranch an hour ago in 55 minutes, and there was an accident on the 405 just past the 10 interchange.

Having driven through El Monte "downtown", MB, HB, and RB, their downtown areas all appear to be bilateral strip malls for a few blocks. Is that all there is? Maybe SM isn't such a bad alternative after all...

Also, if my son moves here this summer, will a public school in the district we live be obligated to enroll him? Or do I need to apply now (f.x. Mira Costa in MB opens registration in February for a limited number of places, even though it's a public school).

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by Surf_Norway

The train is a bonus in my mind, it would be great to be able to take it do downtown at least, every time I've tried driving from SM to f.x. The Grove, it takes at minimum an hour in the afternoon.

I don't know if the train from SM to DTLA is all that fast. The train runs along city streets, and stops for red lights.

I suppose the train is less hassle, if you don't like to drive. OTOH, the train is open to the public, which means some riders will be unruly, homeless, crazy, or even gangsta.

Two beach communities you overlooked are Playa del Rey (north of El Segundo), and Marina del Rey (between Playa del Rey and Venice).

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Cinema Cat

I don't know if the train from SM to DTLA is all that fast. The train runs along city streets, and stops for red lights.

I suppose the train is less hassle, if you don't like to drive. OTOH, the train is open to the public, which means some riders will be unruly, homeless, crazy, or even gangsta.

Two beach communities you overlooked are Playa del Rey (north of El Segundo), and Marina del Rey (between Playa del Rey and Venice).

Last time I checked freeways were open to the public too. And considering the costs of driving, the hassles of driving, and the dangers of driving, the train is cheaper and safer. At least you don't have to worry about methed out soccer moms slamming their SUVs into your car, homeless attacking your car in traffic (which has now come to the westside), the condition of the roads destroying your suspension, or paying high costs for parking multiple times a day.

The train is faster than driving most of the time, other than late nights and Sundays.

Playa Del Rey and Marina Del Rey are both LAUSD and have crappy schools.

[Cloudwalker]

There are strange, fingerlike borders around the Marina Del Rey area. Some of the streets along Washington Blvd are actually in Culver City, which would mean eligibility for Culver City High School. Also, I hear excellent things from a range of sources about the Global Languages and STEM magnets within Venice High School (but steer clear of the regular school).

Re 20-30 minutes from Santa Monica to the Valley? I've done that from SM to Sherman Oaks (obviously not at peak times) - but yes, it's definitely longer that that to get to Porter Ranch.

Public schools will not let you enrol until you have established actual residence (have to produce lease and utility bill at enrollment). If you are resident in the school's zone, they must accept you unless they are already at full enrollment.