Is Santa Monica like Pasadena (Glendale, Burbank: fit in, neighborhood, living)

[GatsbyGatz]

I always find it funny when people say that cities like SM and Pasadena are walkable. Anyone who's lived in a city that's actually walkable would see Pasadena for the suburb that it is. Santa Monica's beachfront is basically a shopping mall extended along multiple city blocks. SM's beachfront shopping mall / downtown does have a good collections of bars in close proximity, so it is a pretty good place to bar hop and then sit upon the beach buzzed. Besides that area, unless you live on Wishire and enjoy bus commutes that can take up to an hour + to travel any reasonable distance, SM is NOT walkable in the sense that an actual walkable city would defined that term as. And most folks rarely work AND live in SM so hardly anyone is going to rely on SoCal's slow and limited-reaching public transportation to get to work.

So if walkable to you means hour+ commutes each way to work by bus and MAYBE living within a 15 minute walk to a Starbucks and maybe 2 other stores in a strip mall, then by all means, move to Pas/SM/SoCal, but it ain't SF/Boston/NYC.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

I always find it funny when people say that cities like SM and Pasadena are walkable. Anyone who's lived in a city that's actually walkable would see Pasadena for the suburb that it is. Santa Monica's beachfront is basically a shopping mall extended along multiple city blocks. SM's beachfront shopping mall / downtown does have a good collections of bars in close proximity, so it is a pretty good place to bar hop and then sit upon the beach buzzed. Besides that area, unless you live on Wishire and enjoy bus commutes that can take up to an hour + to travel any reasonable distance, SM is NOT walkable in the sense that an actual walkable city would defined that term as. And most folks rarely work AND live in SM so hardly anyone is going to rely on SoCal's slow and limited-reaching public transportation to get to work.

So if walkable to you means hour+ commutes each way to work by bus and MAYBE living within a 15 minute walk to a Starbucks and maybe 2 other stores in a strip mall, then by all means, move to Pas/SM/SoCal, but it ain't SF/Boston/NYC.

You don't know what you are talking about at all. As usual.

My apartment here in Pasadena is way more walkable to way more useful things than anywhere I ever lived in Boston (drug stores, grocery stores, post office, gym, Target, etc.). Pasadena is not as walkable as Hollywood but I could easily get by without a car here. And actually, the nearest strip mall to me is almost a mile away.

[yby1]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

I always find it funny when people say that cities like SM and Pasadena are walkable. Anyone who's lived in a city that's actually walkable would see Pasadena for the suburb that it is. Santa Monica's beachfront is basically a shopping mall extended along multiple city blocks. SM's beachfront shopping mall / downtown does have a good collections of bars in close proximity, so it is a pretty good place to bar hop and then sit upon the beach buzzed. Besides that area, unless you live on Wishire and enjoy bus commutes that can take up to an hour + to travel any reasonable distance, SM is NOT walkable in the sense that an actual walkable city would defined that term as. And most folks rarely work AND live in SM so hardly anyone is going to rely on SoCal's slow and limited-reaching public transportation to get to work.

So if walkable to you means hour+ commutes each way to work by bus and MAYBE living within a 15 minute walk to a Starbucks and maybe 2 other stores in a strip mall, then by all means, move to Pas/SM/SoCal, but it ain't SF/Boston/NYC.

Santa Monica is more walkable than that. What about Montana Ave from 7th on to about 17th? There are plenty of places to work in Santa Monica as well.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by fumbling

Pasadena is more a family oriented suburb, SM is more urban singles action with more to do imho

Disagree. Have you been to Old Town on a Friday or Saturday night??

Santa Monica is best for recent transplants who want to experience a more typical "LA cliché" urban singles scene. (beach lifestyle plus entertainment lifestyle.

Pasadena is better for when you are slightly older and down to earth, appreciate culture (microbrews, museums, performing arts, historic architecture, public transit (gold line), nature (hiking/mountains close by, neighborhoods with secret stairways, etc.). But Old Town is just as if not more lively than Santa Monica.

Santa Monica/Westside was fun to experience when I first moved to LA (I lived not far away in Palms near Overland and Venice for two years). But now I'm in Eagle Rock and expect to live in Pasadena proper in a year from now. I still go to the westside at least a couple times a month, but Pasadena is a better fit for me now.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz

I always find it funny when people say that cities like SM and Pasadena are walkable. Anyone who's lived in a city that's actually walkable would see Pasadena for the suburb that it is. Santa Monica's beachfront is basically a shopping mall extended along multiple city blocks. SM's beachfront shopping mall / downtown does have a good collections of bars in close proximity, so it is a pretty good place to bar hop and then sit upon the beach buzzed. Besides that area, unless you live on Wishire and enjoy bus commutes that can take up to an hour + to travel any reasonable distance, SM is NOT walkable in the sense that an actual walkable city would defined that term as. And most folks rarely work AND live in SM so hardly anyone is going to rely on SoCal's slow and limited-reaching public transportation to get to work.

So if walkable to you means hour+ commutes each way to work by bus and MAYBE living within a 15 minute walk to a Starbucks and maybe 2 other stores in a strip mall, then by all means, move to Pas/SM/SoCal, but it ain't SF/Boston/NYC.

Blah, blah, blah. too lazy to insert broken record link

[HyperionGap]

Tex have you been to Cafe Beaujolais yet?

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

Tex have you been to Cafe Beaujolais yet?

No I haven't. I should check it out.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Cali1976

Pasadena is similar in some ways, but distinct in others. Weather is obviously quite different, and Pasadena is more suburban, more academic, and yes, cheaper. Friends we had in Pasadena felt a little far from the Westside, and tended to stay in Pasadena, or go out Downtown. Nightlife in Pasadena is quieter compared to SM, and the restaurant scene is less varied. Pasadena is very nice, though.

Culver city is great, especially it's little downtown area. It's probably got rougher edges Santa Monica. The beach cities have their own vibes as well. Manhattan very affluent, Hermosa more party oriented, and Redondo somewhere between. West Hollywood is its own city, but it just blends into the Westside.

Pasadena may be SURROUNDED by more suburban areas, whereas Santa Monica blends into similarly urban areas more, but central Pasadena is just as urban as central Santa Monica.

But hey that's a good thing. I love the liveliness of Old Town/Colorado blvd and nearby areas, but I can wander through some beautiful hilly neighborhoods with hidden stairways, and of course hike through real wilderness.

Besides Pasadena actually has rail access/ is closer to Downtown/Silverlake/Koreatown, more urban than Santa Monica, and so therefore may actually be better for those who are carless.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Pasadena may be SURROUNDED by more suburban areas, whereas Santa Monica blends into similarly urban areas more, but central Pasadena is just as urban as central Santa Monica.

But hey that's a good thing. I love the liveliness of Old Town/Colorado blvd and nearby areas, but I can

Besides Pasadena actually has rail access/ is closer to Downtown/Silverlake/Koreatown, more urban than Santa Monica, and so therefore may actually be better for those who are carless.

I do think it is funny when I tell people I live in Pasadena they assume that it is very suburban. I wonder if that is because a decent chunk of Pasadena and Altadena (which to a non-native just blends right into PAS) is suburban - because the area I live in is almost 100 percent apartments with walkable commercial streets within a quarter mile. (It's probably also because I am coming from Hollywood which is very urban).

[HyperionGap]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

No I haven't. I should check it out.

Yeah it's really good. For the price it is probably my favorite restaurant in LA. Whenever I go back home I always make sure to eat there, in n out, & golden deli.