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Posted: |
Sep 10, 2013 - 6:13 PM
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By: |
DeputyRiley
(Member)
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Awesome feedback everyone, I'm really touched that so many of you are willing to help in so many ways with so many great points and things I haven't thought about. I've gotten so many points and questions from so many people I'm not sure I have time to address each one specifically but I'll try.
I don't have too many expectations or needs as far as entertainment and places to hang out for fun are concerned. I am anticipating (if I get the job, or when I get any job out there) being snowed with work and trying to make ends meet and learning to get around for the first little while, although I have seen some great ideas to blow off some steam and take my mind off stress in fun ways from a lot of people in this thread.
I guess things like weather or nightspots or much else are not too much of a determining factor or preference for me at this point. I do understand I'm going to have to make concessions and sacrifices until I find my footing (financially and otherwise) out there so I am not picky about much at this point.
The things that I will want to make my own the most are things like (like people have said) trying to live somewhere reasonably close to work, but again I'm willing to drive a distance if it means I'm crashing on someone's couch or something. That's seems to be a no-brainer trade off in the beginning. I do want to keep up with exercise like I already do, as well as diet, so a good grocery store (Whole Foods or something would be perfect) or gym or place to jog outside would be ideal. Hoping to stay in an area not known for excessive crime.
Like I said, hoping to have a car (prolly will) and if I do I will have a GPS, but if not I'll look into public transportation and subway when I get to that point.
I'm sure I'm forgetting to address lots of stuff you all have mentioned or asked but I'm just typing this post from memory. Will try to address more points soon. The main thing I guess is just having people to help me in various ways, whether it be in a thread like this, or maybe to go out to dinner to talk about stuff, or just knowing people, so this really helps. I've gotten a few good ideas for neighborhoods in good areas close to where I would work but I wouldn't be able to move into somewhere, my own apartment or something, until a little bit of a stay in LA getting my finances together and looking around. That's probably my biggest concern is finding a place to stay when I first get there and being able to get around ok. I feel like everything else will be manageable and I can handle. It's just so hard to arrange for things ahead of time because I don't have much savings and I'm currently across the country.
Ok, all for now, back with more. Thanks again all, this is all really helpful!
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The 2 dominant cultures I saw in LA:
FILM - It's here in LA in good ways and bad ways. In good ways: access to anything film is here, as I mentioned earlier. It's amazing how many opportunities there are even for just free stuff (screenings, etc.)
In bad ways: the biggest butt-wipes I dealt with in LA were film people and property management people. Film people act like they are royalty, and most of the rest of the city treats them like they are royalty. And they didn't get to those positions by being conscientious stewards of power, from what I could see.
And if there's filming going on (on the street, in a public building, anywhere), be prepared to be inconvenienced, and scorned if you dislike being inconvenienced by them.
CARS - Depending on where you're from you might need to
--Be prepared to pay more for car insurance. And please don't be a silly sod and try to tell the DMV you live somewhere other than your actual address to save on insurance. I've seen this make headaches for people in more ways than they could have imagined.
--Be prepared for parking to become a part of your relationship with people, events, jobs, home and everyday conversations. It's a trial parking most anywhere in the areas I lived (Koreatown, WeHo, South Central, Long Beach). If you are offered off-street parking, even if you don't have your car just yet, take it.
And it's a trial parking most anyplace you might visit in the areas I frequented (WeHo, Santa Monica, Westside, LA downtown, Mid-Wilshire). Read the signs ALL the way the length of the block if you park on the street ANYWHERE. Retrieving a towed car in LA is no afternoon at the spa!
And with the money you save, you can buy me lunch at The Ivy!  (where the grilled vegetable salad is awesome, by the way).
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Anything like this info, no matter how small, feel free to post.
The Asian meatloaf at The Newsroom Cafe is awesome, especially with the ginger ketchup!
(Small enough? )
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Again depending on where you've lived in the past, this might be useful:
A city the age of LA will have big, older buildings, from as early as, say, the 1920's. I liked these buildings because the units were bigger and weren't cracker boxes: not a lot of sound leaking from other units!
On the bad side, though, is they were either in scary neighborhoods or were costly. Mine, while reasonable, also had the downside of a landlord who decided that the truly handsome, vintage bathroom tilework in black and green REALLY, REALLY needed to have a tub, toilet and sink in lavender. Blech! 
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"The 405 is a parking lot" was one of the most common freeway-isms I heard while living there.
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The east-west busses in the areas I frequented (see above) were worthwhile.
The north-south busses stank up the place, almost uniformly.
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Sorry -- don't have any recommendations or suggestions regarding your last question, but did want to reply to the person who cited natural disasters like earthquakes as something to think about. I've lived in Southern California since my mother brought my little sister and I here from Missouri when I was 3 years old, and have spent almost my entire adult life living between Westwood and Downtown Los Angeles, and since I am now retired, that's a lot of years! One of the reasons I stay is the fairly moderate climate compared to what we've seen in other areas of the country. You don't have to deal with constant rain (or snow!), blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes, and the various other things that plague areas around our great country. And please, I'm not taking cheap shots at such places! I'm just pointing out that there's far less to worry about than you may find there. Yes, crime may be a factor for some, but it doesn't affect most of us and I honestly don't look at that as a factor. I've been here longer than most readers here have been alive and wouldn't live anywhere else.
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To DavidinBerkeley:
Ever consider combining some of those posts by editing them and adding your new material rather than starting so many? Not bashing you, because it's obvious you're trying to be helpful, but it might have been easier for the guy who is contemplating moving to Los Angeles had your many suggestions not been so fragmented.
Cheers.
Ron (who has lived in Los Angeles almost forever)
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DepRiley: Just had to chuckle at that. Let's bump this up the chart!!!! Cheers.
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Well, found out today that I didn't get that job. Regardless, I will still be coming to L.A. later this month.
Regarding my post from last week, does no one have any ideas for cheap motels or places to stay in L.A.? Again, would love a place at or below $50 a night, any reasonably priced motel or lodging in the Santa Monica/North Hollywood area (possibly other nearby areas). Am considering the couchsurfing website as a last resort, as it would be free...
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Posted: |
Oct 2, 2013 - 10:56 AM
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By: |
Mark Ford
(Member)
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Well, found out today that I didn't get that job. Regardless, I will still be coming to L.A. later this month.
Regarding my post from last week, does no one have any ideas for cheap motels or places to stay in L.A.? Again, would love a place at or below $50 a night, any reasonably priced motel or lodging in the Santa Monica/North Hollywood area (possibly other nearby areas). Am considering the couchsurfing website as a last resort, as it would be free...
Sorry you didn't get the job, but hopefully there will be other opportunities out there for you.
I don't think you're going to get much lower than $60 plus tax. I'm staying at the Super 8 in North Hollywood, but it's around $69 without tax. There are a couple of cheaper ones in the Burbank/North Hollywood area for around $60-$65. The Glen Capri Inn in Glendale is $59 and has some decent reviews.
I don't think you'll want to stay out in Santa Monica since Chris Young's party is the only FFM event in/near that area. Many all the other events are in the Burbank/North Hollywood area, except the GSPO concert and Henry Stanny's Halloween party which is still much closer to the Burbank/North Hollywood area than Santa Monica!
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Posted: |
Oct 3, 2013 - 7:30 AM
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By: |
Mark Ford
(Member)
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Well, found out today that I didn't get that job. Regardless, I will still be coming to L.A. later this month.
Regarding my post from last week, does no one have any ideas for cheap motels or places to stay in L.A.? Again, would love a place at or below $50 a night, any reasonably priced motel or lodging in the Santa Monica/North Hollywood area (possibly other nearby areas). Am considering the couchsurfing website as a last resort, as it would be free...
Sorry you didn't get the job, but hopefully there will be other opportunities out there for you.
I don't think you're going to get much lower than $60 plus tax. I'm staying at the Super 8 in North Hollywood, but it's around $69 without tax. There are a couple of cheaper ones in the Burbank/North Hollywood area for around $60-$65. The Glen Capri Inn in Glendale is $59 and has some decent reviews.
Thank you so much Mark, this is just the info I needed! 
Hope it helps. If you do find something for under $50, I'd be a bit leary of it. The front desk clerk might be talking to you from behind bullet proof glass! 
You still might want to peruse a site like expedia.com so you can compare the hotels and prices. I did by choosing Burbank as my location and then filtering for hotels under $75 . I think there are only 5 or so. Good luck on your search and see you in a couple of weeks!
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Sorry you didn't get the job, but hopefully there will be other opportunities out there for you.
I don't think you're going to get much lower than $60 plus tax. I'm staying at the Super 8 in North Hollywood, but it's around $69 without tax. There are a couple of cheaper ones in the Burbank/North Hollywood area for around $60-$65. The Glen Capri Inn in Glendale is $59 and has some decent reviews.
You still might want to peruse a site like expedia.com so you can compare the hotels and prices. I did by choosing Burbank as my location and then filtering for hotels under $75 . I think there are only 5 or so. Good luck on your search and see you in a couple of weeks!
One of the reasons I was thinking of a motel in Santa Monica (in addition to Chris Young's party) is that I'm looking into a job in Malibu and may be spending some time in that area too, at the beaches and going hiking. A decent motel in Santa Monica seems it would be a good in-between from Malibu to N. Hollywood area. A motel in Malibu would be too far out.
I'll definitely look into the Super 8 idea in N. Hollywood as well as the Glen Capri Inn, which sounds like an excellent price in a good area. Expedia is a good idea, although I used to always only think of them for booking flights but now I'll look on there for motel rates too.
Will try my best to make the Tiki restaurant! How many people are you expecting there? Sounds like a cool place. What time did you say you all were meeting there? I guess I could go to the FFM4 thread on the other side because I know you posted it there but thought I'd ask here too. My flight gets in at 5pm, so however long it takes to get from LAX -- Enterprise -- Tiki restaurant...you'll know me because I'll be the out of breath fellow bursting onto the scene looking bewildered.
EDIT: Ok, just saw the post on the FFM4 thread. People start arriving @ 7pm. Will definitely have time to make it.
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This reminds me. Generally speaking, what's the best method of parking in L.A.? Parking lots, parking garages/decks, street/metered parking? I know it depends on the place in question and the area, but I was just wondering in general. Like at the FFM4 event at the hotel I assume there will be hotel parking. At the Varese concert Warner Grande I expect likewise for there to be a lot. Or am I wrong and you park on the street? What about a place like Tiki No? Should I just in general always keep change in my car for metered parking, or do they all accept the credit/debit cards? Should I always have cash just in case a parking lot/deck only takes cash for hourly parking or whatever?
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