Livin in LA?

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I would suggest to come to L.A. for vacation before moving out here. I don't find L.A. to be a fun or exciting city. You have to drive everywhere (public transportation is no good) and the traffic is horrible. There is not much to do here. When you try to think of things to do on the weekend, there are not many options. When you think about it, where do tourists go when they come here? They go to Disneyland and Universal Studios. But do you think that people in L.A. do that every weekend? Those are places that you can go to once and that is enough. What else is there to do here? Life here is pretty boring. Also, if you look at Yahoo! Travel you will see that L.A. is ranked #7 in U.S. cities. Almost all of the other major U.S. cities are ranked ahead of this place. NYC, SF, Chicago, Las Vegas all have better ratings. I believe that all of these cities are ranked higher than L.A. for good reason.

Jackie

If you are referring to the image of L.A. as a glamorous entertainment capital filled with posh restaurants and fancy boutiques....No. Living in L.A. is not all it's cracked up to be.

But don't get me wrong, I love living here. Los Angeles is huge though, you can drive 20 minutes from the poor urban slums to the ritzy affluent residential areas. It really depends on *where* in L.A. you are. For example, Hollywood...it's NOT all it's cracked up to be.

One article states the truth:

Tourists arriving in Southern California often confuse Hollywood with Beverly Hills.
Many visitors come to Hollywood expecting to find a gleaming city filled with movie stars, posh restaurants, grand mansions and expensive shopping areas. They are, of course, very disappointed; the actual suburb of Hollywood is far from glamorous. The real "Hollywood" is a state of mind, not a place; it's not so much a city as it is shorthand for the general movie and entertainment industry.

However, LA is so great because you can do so many things at once. You can relax in the warm beaches of Malibu or shop at the best fashion districts, or eat international cuisine....LA is full of life; it's a melting pot of culture and I'm sure you'd love it. Some aspects you may be disappointed, but for the most part, It'll be very enjoyable.

Kelly

There are so many negative responses here that I had to add my 2 cents. I've lived in L.A. for five years and I would say that like everywhere else I have lived (NYC, London) the city is what you make it. I live in a nice studio apartment (not expensive at all) mid-Wilshire by the Grove and I love it. It is close to nightlife, museums, nice restaurants, shopping, and my job. But I used to live further on the outskirts (by USC) and I hated it. What changed my perspective was actually getting out in the city and trying the hotspots and trendy places. LA has an attitude all of its own: somewhat snotty and superficial, very trendy and young, exciting, yet laidback. And there is definitly something for everyone who lives here. I am on a young 20s budget and yet I manage to have tons of fun and try all kinds of cool restaurants. My tip: take advantage of happy hour prices at expensive restaurants for the glamorous feel at a low cost. I could recommend some if you decide to move here!

dzjynn

If you got plenty of cash. Other than that, you will be another scrub trying to earn a meal.

Most people DON'T live the LA dream, and I mean most as in like 99%.

runner99

well if you want to live in LA my suguestion is that your going to want to have a good paying job and maybe good amount in the bank, if you know what i mean......

Musica

I think the lyrics from the Broadway musical Evita says it all...

"The City can be paradise for those who have the cash, the class and the connections, what you need to make a splash..."

Otherwise, it can be an EXTREMELY tough place to live! Yet, people do it everyday. I don't know how exactly, but they do. If you're determined to move to L.A., I'd say visit first stay a week to two weeks living "on the economy" as it were to get a feel for the place. If you go to live there anyway, make sure you have plenty of savings, good health insurance, a reliable car with insurance, and get a roomate to cut down on the cost of renting.

days_o_work

I lived and worked in the northwest suburbs in 2002-2003. I liked it a lot and the weather was good too. But yea if you are from somewhere like the Midwest like me then you can expect your quality of life to take a little hit. I rent a house in Michigan now for less than what I rented a 2BR apartment for in LA and that was 5 years ago too.

Silent

Living in LA isn't all it's cracked up to be by other people. Life here is very expensive over all and because of that we are too busy working and trying to get to work while at the same time making time for our families that we don't get to see more than maybe once or twice a week. In LA when your on the freeway for 30min you travel sometimes no more than 7-10 miles distance. Also the smog is pretty bad.

Mel

Yeah, I definitely agree with the Hollywood comments people have made so far. Yes, they are building it up again (Hollywood/Highland area) but its still needing alot of work. I wish it were still as glamorous as it was back in it's heyday :-(

Hollywood is mostly very dirty and crime ridden. If you drive down Hollywood Blvd. and even Sunset, you'll see crackheads galore!

Nice areas are:

West Los Angeles
Hollywood Hills
Los Feliz
Beverly Hills
Pacific Palisades
Santa Monica (some parts)

misstsukino

LA has a lot of culture, but the living is expensive and jobs can be hard to find at times. The weather is nice. Most of the people out here are stuck-up. It takes a while to get used to the people because they aren't as nice as other places and you need to learn how to get along.

Your O.C. Paisano

Anyone can live here with a decent job. You just have to keep your ears and eyes open at all times. When someone yells 'Hey!', don't turn around. Take a vacation first to see if you like a beach suburb, "the Valley", Hollywood area, or West L.A. better. Look for inexpensive places to shop and keep a budget.

glitterpunkgirliee

I wouldn't recommend moving to LA to anyone. The cost of living is extremely high compared to the rest of the country, it is way overcrowded - it's bumper to bumper traffic all day long. Drivers in LA are the worst, a trip to the grocery store can you get nearly killed cuz of some idiot that doesn't know how to drive. The air quality is just nasty and LA has some very dangerous areas, the nice areas are even more expensive to live in. It's not all glamorous as it seems to be in the movies, tv, and magazines!!

Mr.K

yea i hate to say it but things here are expansive. The weather is great, nice beaches, lots of clubs, etc. You even get to see a lot of celebs. But if you wanna live here make sure you have a good job and money. I currently pay over $4,000 for my 2 bed room apartment.

deathcrushermjsgt23

Yes It Is Cracked Up As It Is.

LA Is One Smelly Polluted City

I Don't Recommend Living Here.

The Only Place You Would Like Is The Rich Places Such As Beverly Hills, Rancho Cucamunga (TYPO), And Palos Verdes, Etc... The LA Life Is Not What You Think Unless You Are Living In A Fancy House, And Living In A Safe Street, Where Your Car Wouldn't Be In Danger Of Getting Stolen.

You Must Have The Imagination Such As Hollywood, And the Beverly Hills Life.

Take It From A Person Who Lives In LA.

sweetmurderous

ahh well. i lived there for 4 years i live about 40 mins away now. if you like to party and like a fast paced environment go. if not. dont.
people can be very rude... the traffic is horrible and there are alot of drugs in LA. dont get me wrong. it s fun place to be on the weekends.

day_day

LA is not wat u think it seems to be..alot of drugs..gang bangers..drive-by shootings..shootings!!..and most of all they have alot of badd houses..they got alot of crack heads..its worst than NY..and not onli this but in every club..everyone does drugs in the bathrooms..its so disgusting..please take my advice dont go there

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