Friend moving to Hollywood (sight unseen) to be near the Stars (San Diego: hotel, house)

[Lisa from Philly]

Sorcerer - you are the best. You always have the most positive, realistic and hopeful spin to all of your posts. We're coming to LA next week before our move in June to get an idea of neighborhoods and i'm taking your advice from previous posts.

It's funny though - I posted 'any families in West Hollywood' and got 0 replies! I think I'm dreaming thinking I can live in W Hollywood and have a good neighborhood for the kids. I'm not looking for suburbia - on the contrary - BUT it HAS to be safe for my girls.

I remember visiting Hollywood years ago and thinking how gritty it was - being surprised - and loving it! It's like when people go to Rome and complain of the dirt - I mean, c'mon, what did they expect?

So---so far my choices are Burbank, Pasadena and maybe W hollywood for looking at rentals. Does this make sense for a person who likes a little grit, a lot of culture, and healthy diversity?

[sliverbox]

Your friend's plan actually sounds less sane than what I did. I moved to San Fran at the end of the dot-com thinking that I'd just be able to walk in and snap up one of those high paying jobs. I didn't have a clue and packed my bags in rural TN, drove my small truck the entire 2800 miles to CA with $400 in my pocket with $350 going for rent the next day for renting my HALF of a room I was renting in a 2 bedroom tiny apartment with 4 other guys.

It was miserable for about 2 years. The economy was AWFUL. all the companies were laying people off. Moving trucks were moving out rather than in. We all had Joe-Jobs selling movie tickets, mixing paint, and so on. Everyone I lived with moved back to wherever they came from but I stayed.

The economy got better and I got into a decent job finally landing at one I love. I guess my initial reaction was: " Holy Sh*t- it is EXPENSIVE here!" Secondly, if you're Southern, people are not as outgoing. I still have yet to make a strong collection of friends. Traffic is crappy- even worse in LA. Buuuuuttt... rent for now is dirt cheap compared to buying. If you have house mates, it can actually be almost as cheap as anywhere.

I've only recently become less a fan after getting married because housing is unaffordable, which combines with the broad picture of an entire state sinking in overinflation. I'd say that for young single people, it's a great place. For married couples... not so much. But you learn an enormous amount of things about food, people, living, culture, and so on. You also grow a thick skin so that if you someday relocate, you will be able to take any crap people could possibly dish out.You've been through it all. That and those boring little suburbs he is escaping will someday look eerily inviting. I'm glad I did it. I've learned about survivability and gotten a better perspective about life. Tell him to go for it~!

[mover007]

living near The Grove...
i agree with socerer...that's where i live and i love how pedestrian friendly it is compared to other areas. Some of my friends live between sunset and fountain and it is pedestrian friendly, too. However, for kids, my vote is the area near The Grove. LACMA and the LA Brea tar pits and the farmer's market all host fun things for families, as well. Free music, dancing and picnics--it's summer time.

[Nihilanth]

OP..

sorry, i don't believe you.

[mover007]

hi nihilanth
...don't believe what exactly? And from which post?

I see you are considering moving to LA. If there is a question in your mind about the validity of any comment, and you wish to understand what LA offers, be clear with us. We're just regular people trying to help one another.

If I posted something that left a ? in your mind, I'd be happy to elaborate.

[James T]

Originally Posted by Dingler

I am still amazed at the lure Hollywood and California have on people even today. A friend of mine, who is younger (in his 20s), is bored living in Virginia and has decided he is moving to Hollywood, CA. He has never been to CA and has only a few thousand dollars saved.

His plan is to drive his car out to Hollywood and find a place to live and then look for work. No matter how hard I try I can not convince him that Hollywood is not the glamorous scene that is shown in the media. He is a small town person and maybe not so bright, but totally convinced it will be paradise in Hollywood and he will do just fine there.

Has anyone on this board moved to Hollywood (Southern CA) sight unseen just because the media made it seem so nice? What happened?

That's not a good plan. Several thousand dollars isn't much money out here. In some places that won't even cover a first month's rent, let alone a deposit. Furthermore, it's not particularly smart to move to a large city, and then after look for a job.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by James T

That's not a good plan. Several thousand dollars isn't much money out here. In some places that won't even cover a first month's rent, let alone a deposit. Furthermore, it's not particularly smart to move to a large city, and then after look for a job.

Agreed. This is what I did three years ago and I've been paying for it ever since.

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by Lisa from Philly

Sorcerer - you are the best. You always have the most positive, realistic and hopeful spin to all of your posts. We're coming to LA next week before our move in June to get an idea of neighborhoods and i'm taking your advice from previous posts.

It's funny though - I posted 'any families in West Hollywood' and got 0 replies! I think I'm dreaming thinking I can live in W Hollywood and have a good neighborhood for the kids. I'm not looking for suburbia - on the contrary - BUT it HAS to be safe for my girls.

I remember visiting Hollywood years ago and thinking how gritty it was - being surprised - and loving it! It's like when people go to Rome and complain of the dirt - I mean, c'mon, what did they expect?

So---so far my choices are Burbank, Pasadena and maybe W hollywood for looking at rentals. Does this make sense for a person who likes a little grit, a lot of culture, and healthy diversity?

West Hollywood has for a long time been known for being a Gay Ghetto...Ghetto not being used as an adjective describing grit but one describing a neighbohood where a type of person lives. If you want grit, Weho doesn't have it. There are a few families there...but has more single/partnered working professionals than anything else. I'm told by my friends who live there that families are slowly moving in. Pasadena passed gritty years ago. There are a few areas in the northwest that still look that way but as far as Old Town and the rest...all gentrified and generally spotless. Now if you sit at a sidewalk Cafe' on Colorado, you'll see celebs and fancy cars. As I've said, it's my personal fave for reasons I've listed before, mainly the architecture, vibe and the fact that hit has, hands down, the best urban village in Southern California. Burbank is an easy place to live. I like the neighborhood down by Disney/Warner Bros/Equestrian Center the best although it's on the other side of Burbank from Media Center. It and Pasadena are great places to raise kids. South Pasadena has better public schools and is next to Pasadena but it's a little pricier. I have the strangest feeling you might fall head over heels with either Los Feliz or Echo Park.

You'll know when you get here and look around.

[Candid Canuck]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer68

I have friends who live in Hollywood who wouldn't live anywhere else, INCLUDING CELEBS. I can name a very famous one who lives behind the gay porn theater. I love her but she's the C word........

what do you mean c word..?? what's her name??

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by Candid Canuck

what do you mean c word..?? what's her name??

I will give you one and only one clue:

"I will always beat you!"