Best Neighborhood for NYer Moving to LA?

[Ronald B. Johnson]

Hi Ovaltine 28

This is my first time using this forum. I hope you get to read this. I don't know or understand what I am doing. fairfax area keyed my interest. Try looking at an area around Highland Bl. northeast of San Vicente,(straight north of the Midtown shopping center). Next to Hancock Park, there is a little gold mine of duplexes in this area. The rents run $1800 to $3000 for 3500+ square ft. Most have in door parking. If you wish, you can park your car and catch the bus at Pico and San Vicente. Buses leave every 5 minutes for Downtown. If you know the Fairfax area. Do yourself a favor. Check this area out. Just trying to help. Live in area. Worked downtown as a stockbroker (retired at age 55).

[ovaltine28]

I'll give Los Feliz another look for sure.

As for Hollywood itself, the subway commute is very attractive, but what sort of locals live there? I don't mind gritty and I don't even mind having tourists around.

[uptown_urbanist]

Hollywood has a pretty broad range of locals; our building had everything from retired couples to young actors/musicians to 20 and 30-something office workers. It also varies heavily by building. There was a building down the block from us that had a lot of families and seemed to be mostly immigrants (of different nationalities). It's been a couple of years since I've lived there, and it has gentrified a bit even during that time, but it's still a pretty diverse mix of people. That was one of the things I liked best about the neighborhood, actually. A little bit of everything, old, young (although more young than old, overall) ethnically diverse, economically diverse.

[ovaltine28]

That description of Hollywood sounds pretty good actually, since I think diversity is sometimes find to hard in a lot of neighborhoods in LA. My only concern is being around wannabe actors all the time since that's really not my scene, but that doesn't seem like that's the case.

[04JETTA]

Lbc

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by ovaltine28

My only concern is being around wannabe actors all the time.

Well, good sir, you best not move to LA.

[uptown_urbanist]

Well, there are a lot aspiring actors all over the place in LA (Hollywood included) but there are lots of other people in the city, too. Neither my husband or I worked in or in any way connected to the film industry, and most of our friends were similarly unconnected. Still, it's tough to get away from the industry influence, but that's not as bad as it sounds. Both of us worked with and were friends with people who were in relationships with people in the industry (in various capacities); they were perfectly nice people, and often were doing interesting projects. I'm assuming you're talking about the really annoying people who like to drop names and talk themselves up like they're about to win an Oscar; I sometimes ran into those people, but in general it's very easy to avoid them. You do see stuff being filmed a lot around the area; I actually kind of liked that (saw our apartment lobby in some commercials) because it's part of the local experience (can be annoying at times, but generally not bad, and sometimes you can get free food, cash, or gift certificates out of it if they're filming in or near your place). My husband's building downtown sent out regular reports informing people of filming (mostly after hours or on weekends); the best one was the one telling employees not to be alarmed if they saw people rappelling down the outside of the building.

Despite all of that, if you don't work in the industry and aren't interested in it (I'm really not, and watch little TV and haven't seen a movie in the theater for years) you'll be in good company and will meet lots of other people who similarly have no interest in becoming the next big star.

I forgot the other group of people in Hollywood: the Scientologists. They're out in full force, as they own a lot of buildings in the area. Still, they're easy to avoid, assuming you don't want to take a Scientology test or talk about L. Ron Hubbard. (and if you do, you can do that, too).

[matt345]

Also, if you like Thai Food, Hollywood is only one or two subway stops away from Thai Town, which has some of the best (and least expensive) thai cuisine in LA!

[Londonteacher]

Larchmont village I think it is called is a nice little nook in west hollywood- stuff in walking distance and loz felix seems to have a nice feeling too.

you will get more than a shoe box for that rent- and expect the rent to be lowered to what it is advertised at- there are loads of available flats at the moment it seems- lots of friends have got discounted rent by asking and walking if the rent is not lowered.Friends just took a 1200 s foot apartment in good area in a nice part of hollywood for 2200 per month in a really nice block- i think they were asking more than that though.

good luck- you will be one of the few people who finds LA cheaper having come from NY!! So that is a bonus!

[BRinSM]

larchmont village is a nice area, with a great retail stretch. however, if you are not into the stores in the area, there really isn't much else within walking distance besides paramount studios. also, larchmont is not in west hollywood, it's actually a couple of miles east of west hollywood.