Tell a foreigner some detail on a single LA neighborhood/city (Los Angeles: low income, apartments)

[Simonprog]

Hello to all,

I am from Italy (so excuse my bad English) and I have been always fascinated by Los Angeles. I hope to organize an holiday one day, to tour the city.

Actually I am a very avid of information about LA and yesterday I found this forum, that I'll soon begin to read and devour

I am also an appassionate Game Master of roleplaying games, and I am starting a d20 modern campaign located in LA.

So, dear Angelenos, how about to give me some info about every particular neighborohood or unincorporated city in the greater LA? So I can use this information for my interest and for my incoming game.

Just post, everyone of you that are interested in helping me, a single hood specifying:

Name, Type of zone (residential/commercial), type of terrain/ dominant urban landscape (coastal, lowrise residential), level of crime and/or economic status. Main ethnicity (if applicable and/or relevant).

Example: Beverly Hills... luxury residential zone...etc.

For now I can only dream of "my" LA, but with your help it will be more real than ever!

Thanks to everyone, I hope to find here some friends and advices.

Best Regards

Simon

EDIT: I am basing my game and my request about the various city/hoods I found on the maps on this site City of Los Angeles Map - Larger View

[SaintLaurent]

Originally Posted by Simonprog

Hello to all,

I am from Italy (so excuse my bad English) and I have been always fascinated by Los Angeles. I hope to organize an holiday one day, to tour the city.

Actually I am a very avid of information about LA and yesterday I found this forum, that I'll soon begin to read and devour

I am also an appassionate Game Master of roleplaying games, and I am starting a d20 modern campaign located in LA.

So, dear Angelenos, how about to give me some info about every particular neighborohood or unincorporated city in the greater LA? So I can use this information for my interest and for my incoming game.

Just post, everyone of you that are interested in helping me, a single hood specifying:

Name, Type of zone (residential/commercial), type of terrain/ dominant urban landscape (coastal, lowrise residential), level of crime and/or economic status. Main ethnicity (if applicable and/or relevant).

Example: Beverly Hills... luxury residential zone...etc.

For now I can only dream of "my" LA, but with your help it will be more real than ever!

Thanks to everyone, I hope to find here some friends and advices.

Best Regards

Simon

EDIT: I am basing my game and my request about the various city/hoods I found on the maps on this site City of Los Angeles Map - Larger View

Well, seeing you've never been to Los Angeles you might be fascinated of what you see on television shows shot in Los Angeles?

If so, scratch off most of the entire city, as you'd be in for a horrid shock, and look into communities in West LA. Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Marina Del Ray, Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Venice, Brentwood, Holmby Hills, etc. You generally can't go wrong with the Westside. These are the nice, quite pretty, pleasant areas with glamor and aren't as ****ty as the rest of the town. They are pretty much only areas you should dream about!

Hope that helped!

[Simonprog]

I saw on television, web, books the various part of LA, the beatiful and rich zones together with the low income hoods.

Maybe what I see in the geography of LA, with sea and mountains behind the same geography, remember to me where I live... only on a larger scale.

I hope to have not sounded too childish in my first post, English is not my first language, I just expressed my desidere to visit, one day, your city. But I don't want to stick in the tourist places or museum... I want to see the city, how it (She?) lives, breathes. Obviously I dont want to end in dangerous zones (but the Watts Towers are sure a things interesting to see).

Maybe one day I will board a plane for the long voyage

Anyway, Thanks for you comment m8!

[SaintLaurent]

Originally Posted by Simonprog

I saw on television, web, books the various part of LA, the beatiful and rich zones together with the low income hoods.

Maybe what I see in the geography of LA, with sea and mountains behind the same geography where I live... only on a larger scale.

I hope to have not sounded too childish in my first post, English is not my first language, I just expressed my desidere to visit, one day, your city. But I don't want to stick in the tourist places or museum... I want to see the city, how it (She?) lives, breathes. Obviously I dont want to end in dangerous zones (but the Watts Towers are sure a things interesting to see).

Maybe one day I will board a plane for the long voyage

Anyway, Thanks for you comment m8!

No, I understood what you meant. Your English is perfect.

But I was just trying to let you know that you will have no problems finding the bad run down areas (if that's what you want to see) but if you want the nicer scenery I would recommend the areas I listed above.

I would very much recommend you visit if you decide to move.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by SaintLaurent

Well, seeing you've never been to Los Angeles you might be fascinated of what you see on television shows shot in Los Angeles?

If so, scratch off most of the entire city, as you'd be in for a horrid shock, and look into communities in West LA. Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Marina Del Ray, Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Venice, Brentwood, Holmby Hills, etc. You generally can't go wrong with the Westside. These are the nice, quite pretty, pleasant areas with glamor and aren't as ****ty as the rest of the town. They are pretty much only areas you should dream about!

Hope that helped!

Forgetting about Los Feliz and Silver Lake? The Hollywood Hills are only partially west side.

[Simonprog]

Thanks for your tips. Those areas you describe are predominatly residential or there are some offices? Landscape is low rise or skyscrapers?

[sponger42]

Name, Type of zone (residential/commercial), type of terrain/ dominant urban landscape (coastal, lowrise residential), level of crime and/or economic status. Main ethnicity (if applicable and/or relevant).

Sounds like fun. I'll help out with the places I've lived.

Name: Canoga Park
Type of zone: Residential, some industry, some commercial.
Terrain: Flat land. (Valley Floor) Divided by Los Angeles River (paved canal)
Urban Landscape: Low rise (<5 story) apartments buildings with single-family homes and 1 story stores and businesses.
Crime: Moderate
Economic Status: Lower-middle.
Ethnicity: Mostly Hispanic, some Caucasian.

Name: Woodland Hills
Type of zone: Residential
Terrain: Foothills.
Urban Landscape: Single family homes, parks, strip malls.
Crime: Low
Economic Status: Upper-middle.
Ethnicity: Mostly Caucasian.

Name: Warner Center (Near Woodland Hills and the 101 freeway)
Type of zone: Commercial
Terrain: Flatlands (Valley Floor).
Urban Landscape: High-rise office buildings. Some medium-rise apartments.
Crime: Low.
Economic Status: Upper.
Ethnicity: Mostly Caucasian.

Name: North Hollywood
Type of zone: Residential, some commercial.
Terrain: Flatlands (Valley Floor).
Urban Landscape: Low rise apartments and single-family houses. 1-story commercial buildings with a few medium-rise offices.
Crime: Medium-low.
Economic Status: Lower-middle.
Ethnicity: Mostly hispanic. Some caucasian, some african-american, some asian.

Name: Malibu
Type of zone: Residential.
Terrain: Coastal Mountains.
Urban Landscape: Large mansions. Some apartments. Numerous parks and beaches.
Crime: Very low.
Economic Status: Extremely wealthy.
Ethnicity: Caucasian

[Fleet]

Name: Porter Ranch
Type of zone: Residential, some commercial
Terrain: Foothills; some flat areas but a lot of hilly areas, too.
Urban landscape: Mostly low-rise single-family homes, some apartments (not many), no skyscrapers.
Crime: Low.
Economic class: Upper-middle.
Ethnicity: Mostly Caucasian.

[Simonprog]

Thanks sponger42 and fleet! Your posts is exactly what I need

I'm glad you had fun detailing in a few bits the place you lived and live.

C'mom other friends of this forum Tell me more! I am sure that LA has not secrets for you all!