Raising kids in L.A...where to live? (Long Beach, Pasadena: cul-de-sac, real estate)

[Kaphawoman]

Culver City. I have friends there with an 8 year-old and they like it; also know couples there younger children and they're pretty happy. It's fairly safe as well as close to the beach (esp. with the Expo Line to Santa Monica now) and the tech companies in Playa del Rey. As far as access to the rest of LA, that really depends on what part of town you want access to. If you had what you wanted in Culver City, there's probably few reasons to go to downtown LA or the east side.

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

I can see why you might think South Pas is dull if you're from New York City. What about the Westside? Marina del Rey? Manhattan Beach?

Thank you for your response.

I actually really, really like South Pasadena. I would highly recommend it to anyone whether it's here or in real life. It's a lovely little city. The area of South Pasadena and nearby Pasadena are like a little piece of heaven as I often called it whenever I drove my daughter around. It's more that for our very energetic, creative and spontaneous daughter South Pasadena is too quiet and not "happening" for her.

I love Manhattan Beach but it's a bit out of our budget range IF we're looking for at least 3 beds/2bath house. I like Marina del Rey, but don't know enough to form an opinion yet.

You were right, I feel that Westside will be better suited for our personality and desired lifestyle. I just don't know exactly where. We are not looking to move tomorrow or even next year. However with daughter growing older and her intellectual/creative/educational needs are higher, we do feel more and more fish out of water in South Pasadena.

Thanks again for your reply.

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by majoun

The "easy access to the beach" part really limits your options, as does your taste and your desire for a place with many children.

There is no place that satisfies all of your criteria. Culver City probably comes the closest.

Your reply is well-noted. I'll check Culver City.

I should have made myself a bit more clear last night (half-asleep typing before bed.) that we are not trying to live our life here New York-styled. We LOVE California, we LOVE L.A. (and we love South Pasadena, we just get a bit "bored" after 7 yrs.)

We just feel it's time to move to somewhere with more energy and less "quaint".

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

There is no place in SoCal that is similar to Manhattan. High-income neighborhoods have few children. Non-boring areas like are usually accompanied by an increase in crime and/or homelessness. If you already think South Bay is a cultural wasteland, go for Venice or Santa Monica. At least they are animated areas.

Thank you for your response.

I wasn't too clear last night in my original post. We are not trying to recreate the Manhattan/NY lifestyle. I wouldn't want to move back to NY if given the chance, we are very settled in the lifestyle here in L.A, physically, mentally and emotionally.

South Pasadena is a great city, I would recommend it to anyone who's raising a family. However my husband and I are both from creative fields, like to move around, need a lot of mental stimulation and now our 8 yrs daughter is the same way. You used the right word we're looking for: "animated".

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by Lablitz

I'm surprised that you find it boring. I also have a 2nd grader and work from home. here are my thoughts:

1. Being in manhanttan when you were single or without a child is very different from family life with kids. So even if you move back to New York, you may find it boring too.

2. I read somewhere that good school districts like South Pasadena, San Marino are very boring in general. That is the way family life is. Family will be going to library on week nights and weekends. No clubing or late night bars in good school disctrict areas.

3. Old Pasadena district in Colorado Blvd is pretty close to manhanttan city lifestyle.

4. I don't understand the cookie cutter school comment. That is how all schools work operate. Every kid will have the same homework assignment and class material. I don't expect different students to get easier or harder homework because one is dumber or smarter.

Hi thank you for your feedback. However:

1: We both lived in Manhattan for a long time, got married and our daughter was born in NYC. So we had both single life and married life in the city long enough to know the differences. I don't mean "boring" in the nightlife/clubbing kind of way. Neither of my husband and I was/is the partying type. We both come from creative fields, so energy and culture very important as an element of our daily life.

We don't want to move back to NY, NY is extremely gentrified now and losing its previous beautiful energy. We both grew to love L.A very much (my family was from L.A.) so moving back to NY isn't an option.

2: You don't need to have the sameness to live a family life. Some people can live in the same town with the same lifestyle all their lives, which is nothing wrong. We aren't the type though. We are not the clubbing type either. Our family spends a lot of time traveling, road-tripping, going to the museums, events, exploring different cities/neighborhoods.

South Pasadena school district of course is "high-performing", which most parents love. However after living here for 7 yrs I grew to know sometimes the "high-performing" status is achieved at students' expense, especially the very creative and with different learning style. My daughter is academically advanced, but doesn't enjoy leaning through worksheets and heavy repetition.

3: Old Town Pasadena is lovely, but not even close to half of the Manhattan lifestyle nor energy. I can count all the stores in Old Town Pasadena after 3 trips. Not to criticize it, (I love Pasadena. The architecture, the culture, the education, the overall vibe. Great city with history and its own culture.)

4: Re. cookie-cutter. Please see my comment on No.2. Not every child learns the same way, not every student thrives on worksheets and repetition. Standardized tests drive the public schools to be "high-performing" so they get better federal funding. Hence the PISA score of the U.S has been going down because the teaching has been "cookie-cutting" and fails to educate students who need more innovative or unconventional approach.

That's why now after 7 yrs, we realized just because a school district is considered "high-performing" doesn't mean it's a good fit for ALL students.

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

OP said they are home schooling so schools don't matter. But I always say that anyone looking to recreate NYC in LA is going to end up disappointed. Since OP has been in South Pasadena for 7 years I'm sure they are familiar enough with the area to realize that but still sounds like they are looking for something that doesn't exist

Thank you for your understanding my original post.

We are not trying to recreate the NY lifestyle here. We love it here, after 7 yrs we love L.A/California more than NYC. We consider L.A our home now. (my own side of family has been here for more than 30 yrs so L.A has always been home, but the impact of NY is hard to shake, truthfully.)

We love South Pasadena too, it's just too quiet and quaint. After 7 yrs we can draw maps of the whole city. Some people love to settle in one place and never want to leave. Not us. We are just looking for another place with more people energy and an animated place for a very animated, creative little girl without needing to be stuck in DTLA traffic every time we wanted to venture out somewhere interesting.

[orionstars]

If I had kids, I would consider these areas. Note some of them are at the borders of the greater L.A. area.

El Segundo-Manhattan Beach-Redondo Beach area.

South O.C.

Perris-Murrieta area.

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by Mr. Zero

I'm a native New Yorker, and like Manhattan Beach a lot. I don't think you're going to find the NYC "vibe" anywhere in Los Angeles, but the Beach Cities have enough going for them (great schools, comfortable weather, safe neighborhoods, some really good restaurants, etc.) that I find myself not missing NY as much as I thought I would. Additionally, if you travel a lot (as we do) proximity to LAX is a real convenience.

I agree. I don't want to create a NYC life here either. We left the city for a reason.

We love Manhattan Beach too, probably more so than the rest of the "beach cities". We don't have millions to afford the very nice houses there in MB, unless we are talking about townhouses or even condos (if there's such a thing there in Manhattan Beach.) From very superficial visiting I like all of the beach cities, I even love Torrance but I have to say I don't know enough to immediately make a decision yet.(hence the point of this post.)

I am a somewhat intense, neurotic creative type so we need a lot of mental stimulation and interesting people. I also find myself more relaxed and laid-back near the beach. I grew up near the ocean so it's almost a childhood nostalgia of mine.

Thanks again for your response.

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by majoun

If they want to recreate NYC in LA? Venice. They'll be there with the other New Yorkers.

I like Venice a lot so thanks for the feedback. But no, we're absolutely not trying to recreate NYC in L.A.

I actually prefer L.A to NYC very much. We just want a little more energy and more "happening". Not necessarily "hip" but a bit more creative and sophisticated environment. South Pasadena feels like a cute lovely little town, after 7 years.

[Mirabella_Balthazar]

Originally Posted by orionstars

If I had kids, I would consider these areas. Note some of them are at the borders of the greater L.A. area.

El Segundo-Manhattan Beach-Redondo Beach area.

South O.C.

Perris-Murrieta area.

I like your first choice.

We are staying far, far away from the O.C. Being the liberals we can't do the O.C.

I don't know the 3rd area, will google it.

Thank you for your reply.