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Yeah, I don't think you can compare location of Echo Park and Santa Ana.
Echo Park is at an AWESOME location near Hollywood, Silverlake, Los Feliz, Chinatown, Downtown.
Santa Ana, you're close to Disneyland?
close to sports, close to museums/SA zoo, close to shopping, close to safer hangouts in SA, fullerton, and huntington beach, less drugs, less gangs, less crime, close to pertinent venues in the music scene(tied to fullerton and hb mainly, since the galaxy shut down), etc. downtown sa is just starting to gentrify and the usual stable of new hipster hangouts and condos/loft are opening up in the area. you have the same things to do, better access to public transport(since some public transport in echo park was described here), and its far safer and less of a sh*thole. whats not to like?
the only reason you talk down about it is because you dont pay attention to it outside of your bubble. its the same way a lot of people feel about long beach, eventhough long beach has been through the same things. but maybe i should just drop it anyways since i actually enjoy the people that live in these places because they're not full of themselves becuse of their lifestyle or doing it because its "the thing to do" and instead just doing it because its natural to them and not bigoted against people that do differently. the mindsets of the LA city gentrifying culture(hipsters and related, such as the gay crowd) and those of the communities further down the coast like long beach are entirely different. just boggles my mind
When I was a kid growing up behind the Orange Curtain, Santa Ana was where the Sears, the Red Wing Shoe Store, the dentist, etc was and that's why my family spent alot of time there. SA was the closest thing to a metropolitan area that OC had. If I was ever forced to move back to OC, I would probably check out the 'historic' area with the Victorians, not far from the old courthouse.
close to sports, close to museums/SA zoo, close to shopping, close to safer hangouts in SA, fullerton, and huntington beach, less drugs, less gangs, less crime, close to pertinent venues in the music scene(tied to fullerton and hb mainly, since the galaxy shut down), etc. downtown sa is just starting to gentrify and the usual stable of new hipster hangouts and condos/loft are opening up in the area. you have the same things to do, better access to public transport(since some public transport in echo park was described here), and its far safer and less of a sh*thole. whats not to like?
the only reason you talk down about it is because you dont pay attention to it outside of your bubble. its the same way a lot of people feel about long beach, eventhough long beach has been through the same things. but maybe i should just drop it anyways since i actually enjoy the people that live in these places because they're not full of themselves becuse of their lifestyle or doing it because its "the thing to do" and instead just doing it because its natural to them and not bigoted against people that do differently. the mindsets of the LA city gentrifying culture(hipsters and related, such as the gay crowd) and those of the communities further down the coast like long beach are entirely different. just boggles my mind
I'm not sure how this thread became a Los Angeles vs Santa Ana discussion Don't get me wrong because I have family in Orange county & always enjoy my visits. But Santa Ana is just like dozens of other mid-size cities [ie Burbank\ Ontario\ Pomona, etc]. Nothing all that exciting w/ good & bad neighborhoods like everywhere.
But to compare Santa Ana to Echo Pk-Los Angeles is kind of silly. And for you to even mention "gay" people as "entirely different" just shows your degree of social isolation, bud. I know there are hispanic gangs in Santa Ana just like Echo Pk but have you ever heard of an anglo being shot or robbed by gang members? "Vatos" kill other "vatos" over stupid things like where you live & drug money. They are criminals who proudly kill their own "La Raza" for some perverted self-esteem! I regularly drive down Sunset blvd thru EP & Silverlake & see the graffiti but also the great Mexican restaurants & clubs here & there. I've never felt threatened by either gang members or gays. I think you are too afraid & inexperienced [I don't mean that as a put down because I was born in Fresno & learned a lot about life by moving to Los Angeles].
The Red Line stations are down on Vermont & Santa Monica [quite close to Echo Pk] plus MTA runs all night on Sunset. There are places to eat 24-hours [ie. Tommy's] & very good restaurants close by in Hollywood. Plus great nightclubs on Hollywood & Sunset blvds w/ live theater & famous musicians performing. The super "chi chi" people [ie Paris Hilton] are in West Hollywood if that's your thing but I can tell you from experience that the "pool parties" at the Roosevelt would never happen in Santa Ana
You've got to be kidding about how Fullerton & Santa Ana are such hip towns. I like Huntington Beach but Santa Ana is much duller than HB or Newport\ Laguna. Also, I think the LA zoo [quite close to Echo Pk btw] is a bit more impressive than the SA zoo [though I have never been there]. The Griffith Pk observatory is fantastic & free though the park was badly damaged in a fire a year ago.
How can you seriously compare Echo Pk & Santa Ana?
first, you bring out of context, like you usually do, happ. what i said was that the la gentrification culture(mostly hipsters including the artsy, the musicians, and the gays among other groups) is entirely different from the oc and lb gentrification culture, which is much less smug and in your face compared to the self-described superiority over others that comes out of the la communities.
second, gang and drug problems expand past gang lines into common lives all the time. its the reason the gangs are dangerous to begin with. having grown up in gang heavy areas[norwalk, bellflower, hawaiian gardens], im fairly well experienced in this and what my family did to cope and protect and insulate ourselves as outsiders culturally. i know first hand what can happen when you dont respect gang boundries or when you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
as far as the comparison, people stated that echo park was too crime ridden for their liking, so i presented a safer option thats on the up and up and relatively ignored by people on this forum. insiders in the community know though, and some enterprising entrepreneurs are making some good cash out of it as well
first, you bring out of context, like you usually do, happ. what i said was that the la gentrification culture(mostly hipsters including the artsy, the musicians, and the gays among other groups) is entirely different from the oc and lb gentrification culture, which is much less smug and in your face compared to the self-described superiority over others that comes out of the la communities.
second, gang and drug problems expand past gang lines into common lives all the time. its the reason the gangs are dangerous to begin with. having grown up in gang heavy areas[norwalk, bellflower, hawaiian gardens], im fairly well experienced in this and what my family did to cope and protect and insulate ourselves as outsiders culturally. i know first hand what can happen when you dont respect gang boundries or when you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
as far as the comparison, people stated that echo park was too crime ridden for their liking, so i presented a safer option thats on the up and up and relatively ignored by people on this forum. insiders in the community know though, and some enterprising entrepreneurs are making some good cash out of it as well
I don't think anyone in this thread has complained about too many brown people (and I'm blessed with some melanin myself)
On CityData it's normally safe to make such assumptions.
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and instead has complained about the crime and filth in that area.
As far as everyone defending Echo Park's immediate surrounding area keep in mind that it's the IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING AREA.
Westlake is a pretty nasty area....but Silver Lake is in the immediate surrounding area of Echo Park just as much as Westlake is.
As for all the Santa Ana talk: that has no place on this forum IMO, but if we're going to talk about comparable neighborhoods Echo Park's safer than SF's Mission.
the mindsets of the LA city gentrifying culture(hipsters and related, such as the gay crowd) and those of the communities further down the coast like long beach are entirely different. just boggles my mind
Even some of us in "the gay crowd" aren't that crazy about the old neighborhoods, but if you want to be surrounded by your own kind, sometimes you have to give up a few things.
I'm from South Central LA, have lived in SF (Potrero Hill) and most recently, I have lived in Echo Park/Elysian Hills for the past 4 years. I recently sold my car and have spent the better part of a year bus commuting and/or walking to and from Downtown LA to work. I also co-own a business in EP on Sunset Blvd. I love the EP and look forward to purchasing property and having children here within the next two years.
EP definetely deserves the recognition of being a top 10 neighborhood in 2008 and LA should be proud that one of its communities made the list. For those who love to bash East of La Brea, south of Mullholland, west of Orange Grove and north of Torrance - the EP may not be the neighborhood for you.
It's amusing that outsiders halt at the vastly overrated images of hipsters and gangsters that you see defining EP, and most locals appreciate that as it prevents the lifestyle "downsizing" bourgeoisie from the Westside from moving in.
The EP has wonderful associations to belong to for businesses, local citizens, families, preservationists, creatives and more. I belong to several and for me, it was the best way to learn more about the neighborhood I moved into. The most common thread you'll find among EP locals is their desire to see their neighborhood thrive and the understanding to do that means to invest locally, support locally and shop locally.
Clearly, efforts have paid off to attract such national attention.
The battle of gentrification is being fought in communities like EP (Atwater, Mt. Washington, Eagle Rock and Downtown, for example) and EP has had many head-to-head clashes over the newcomer changemakers vs. the oldtimer traditionalists. I can't agree with the superior attitudes of both sides but I can see that the conversations and efforts taking place have made for visible and positive change. Do I wish for more? Of course.
As someone who actually walks around my neighborhood, I take notice what's and who is around me. I do worry about the wave of crime, vandalism and public disorder that will hit ALL of LA due to the economic downturn, but I am confident that EP has taken many steps to create an environment of awareness and security that its citizens are invested in.
If I had to list my favorite things about living in Echo Park it would be:
1.) the urban wilderness and wildlife of Elysian Hills and Elysian Park
2.) Dog-friendly neighbors
3.) Ti George's Restaurant
4.) EP Farmer's Market
5.) A-Market
6.) The fact that I can walk to work and get my personal services: doctor's office, dentist, post office, drugstore, cafe, bakery, market, florist and vet among other things 7.) the newly opened EP recreation center and its classes
8.) Proximity to the 2, 5, 110, 101, 134, 10 and 210 Fwys,
9.) Street-side vendors
10.) Community organizations and blogs
My least favorite things are:
1.) Dodger traffic
2.) Time-Warner cable service
3.) T-Mobile reception
4.) driving up the steep hills
5.) the occasional early wakeup to hawks shrieking outside my window.
Last edited by EPgal; 01-02-2009 at 02:42 PM..
Reason: easy to read
I'm from South Central LA, have lived in SF (Potrero Hill) and most recently, I have lived in Echo Park/Elysian Hills for the past 4 years. I recently sold my car and have spent the better part of a year bus commuting and/or walking to and from Downtown LA to work. I also co-own a business in EP on Sunset Blvd. I love the EP and look forward to purchasing property and having children here within the next two years.
EP definetely deserves the recognition of being a top 10 neighborhood in 2008 and LA should be proud that one of its communities made the list. For those who love to bash East of La Brea, south of Mullholland, west of Orange Grove and north of Torrance - the EP may not be the neighborhood for you.
It's amusing that outsiders halt at the vastly overrated images of hipsters and gangsters that you see defining EP, and most locals appreciate that as it prevents the lifestyle "downsizing" bourgeoisie from the Westside from moving in.
Quite a few are already in EP, so the outdated stereotypes aren't keeping them out. Perhaps they are preventing more from coming,
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The EP has wonderful associations to belong to for businesses, local citizens, families, preservationists, creatives and more. I belong to several and for me, it was the best way to learn more about the neighborhood I moved into. The most common thread you'll find among EP locals is their desire to see their neighborhood thrive and the understanding to do that means to invest locally, support locally and shop locally.
Clearly, efforts have paid off to attract such national attention.
The battle of gentrification is being fought in communities like EP (Atwater, Mt. Washington, Eagle Rock and Downtown, for example) and EP has had many head-to-head clashes over the newcomer changemakers vs. the oldtimer traditionalists. I can't agree with the superior attitudes of both sides but I can see that the conversations and efforts taking place have made for visible and positive change. Do I wish for more? Of course.
You seem like one of the most level headed people in this forum, something that is in short supply.
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As someone who actually walks around my neighborhood, I take notice what's and who is around me. I do worry about the wave of crime, vandalism and public disorder that will hit ALL of LA due to the economic downturn
It's somewhat remarkable that it hasn't hit yet. Said wave's already hit the Bay Area, unlike in the early '90s recession which took a far worse toll on L.A. than on S.F. and despite L.A. having more homeless and a worse economy than S.F. I guess someone's doing something right even if I'm not sure who. One really can't predict the future but Angelenos should feel lucky that these negative byproducts of recession haven't gotten to the level of other cities (or L.A. in the early '90s) yet.
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but I am confident that EP has taken many steps to create an environment of awareness and security that its citizens are invested in.
Another thing that makes EP a great area.
If I had to list my favorite things about living in Echo Park it would be:
1.) the urban wilderness and wildlife of Elysian Hills and Elysian Park
2.) Dog-friendly neighbors
3.) Ti George's Restaurant
4.) EP Farmer's Market
5.) A-Market
6.) The fact that I can walk to work and get my personal services: doctor's office, dentist, post office, drugstore, cafe, bakery, market, florist and vet among other things 7.) the newly opened EP recreation center and its classes
8.) Proximity to the 2, 5, 110, 101, 134, 10 and 210 Fwys,
9.) Street-side vendors
10.) Community organizations and blogs [/quote]
Haven't mentioned another great thing about EP yet: the Short Stop, which has the best jukebox in L.A.
And while I realize Chango is rather controversial in Echo Park - old timers swear they'll never patronize the place and they think it symbolizes everything they DON'T want EP to be - I personally like it and think it's a great place to stop for a coffee.
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My least favorite things are:
1.) Dodger traffic
2.) Time-Warner cable service
3.) T-Mobile reception
4.) driving up the steep hills
5.) the occasional early wakeup to hawks shrieking outside my window.
Baseball season in EP can be VERY unpleasant in terms of traffic- no surprise it's the only part of L.A. in which one will find people who were hoping (accurately) that the Dodgers not get into the World Series.
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Don't get me wrong because I have family in Orange county & always enjoy my visits. But Santa Ana is just like dozens of other mid-size cities [ie Burbank\ Ontario\ Pomona, etc]. Nothing all that exciting w/ good & bad neighborhoods like everywhere.
