Patrick, janisj and lvk - Love you guys-thanks for the support.

Patrick, you seem to have read everything carefully to post all quotes except for the one where I explained

"My "nothing nice about it" comment was probably too harsh, but considering the wealth of options, I was just trying to make it clear that there are much more convenient and nicer areas, even for the same price."

Smartcookie: No place is convenient - UNTIL the OP/friend know where they are working.

It is plain silly to recommend one area over another until they have some idea when their jobs are . . . . . .

janisj, if they can't handle this, then yes, they probably should stay in the south or move to the midwest. i think you have to be somewhat thick-skinned to live here and enjoy it. it's a big intimidating spread out city to someone coming from a small town in Louisiana.

(Btw, one of my really good friends is from a small town in Lousiana as I mentioned before and she's regularly getting screwed over since she moved here a year ago as she's pretty naive. This includes everything from renting an apt to paying $50 to change her oil, etc)

As I already explained, there is a difference between moving somewhere to live in that specific city to experience that specific city, and moving for a job. considering their post, it seems that the location is more important than the job as people don't normally move to LA from Louisina having never been here to live in Long Beach, as they don't move to SF to live in San Jose. But only they can clarify.

I think you are being argumentative just because . . . . . maybe it is sport.

They made it very clear they will need to look for teaching/photography gigs. It makes absolutely NO sense to pick a neighborhood only to find the jobs are on the other side of town.

smartcookie, I did read where you later said that perhaps your comment was too harsh, but it was already said. Are we now to assume everything else you've said may also be "too harsh" if we question it enough? It's kind of hard to take back an absolute statement once you've made it. And if you do, it makes everything else you say pretty meaningless, since basically you've just admitted, "I didn't mean what I said".

WOW this is gone bad to worse.

I wouldn't take advice from any of you
:-(

If you want to be freaked out, try Venice Beach. Maybe the biggest collection of nuts in the world.

I would try and rent a place in Redondo Beach. although it may be out of your price range, Newport Beach would be fine. The closer you get to San Diego, the closer you are to black Beach, one of the finest in California.

George W - Black's Beach. LOL

suze-You're right. I already said that I wanted this to end but smartcookie won't let it go. So maybe you can see why we get a little defensive. Anyway this is my last post on this thread. Good luck to brooklyn0185.

Long Beach has a repuation as a working town. It has one of the biggest ports in the nation, thus, many stevedores(a very well paid blue-collar profession) live in the area. It is an industrial town with oil, airplane and auto parts at the top. The best neighborhoods are Belmont(vibrant nightlife), Naples, Bixby Knolls and California Heights. The city is approximately 40 percent white, 35 percent Hispanic, 15 percent black and 10 percent Asian. The actor Robert Mitchum got his start with a Long Beach theatre group about 70 years ago.

Don't expect good Cajun cooking, however. You'll have to make your own jambalaya. When I last visited California years ago, I found the pizza particularly lousy.

"Don't expect good Cajun cooking, however." Maybe not in Long Beach.

In Hermosa, we are fortunate enough to have two Louisiana transplants named Steve. One owns the Ragin Cajun Cafe - www.ragincajun.com, and the other Cafe Boogaloo - www.boogaloo.com, which also has live blues music. Each has a different take on their native cuisine, and both are wonderful.

Happily, I have been corrected.

lvk-That's nice to know. My younger daughter lives in Redondo right on the border of Hermosa. Often when I am in LA, I will stop to have dinner with her before driving back to San Diego County (try to miss some traffic and see my DD). Because she is a college student, she doesn't eat out much except for pizza, chinese, etc. So we always get in a discussion about where to go to dinner. Will have to try the Cajun places. Also should get a list of moderately priced places. I will search the threads but if you have any favorites let me know. We eat pretty much everything.

Paula,

Why not start a new thread? (too much bad karma on this one ;) ) You can title it: List your favorite South Bay & Long Beach restaurants here. I did this for So. Lake Tahoe and got great responses.

Sounds like a great idea.

Hi Paula, not a moderate priced restaurant but if you ever want to have a celebration dinner with your daughter (birthday perhaps) L'Opera in Long Beach is a fantastic restaurant.
http://lopera.com/
It is in a building that once was a bank..very lovely and wonderful food and service.

GeorgeW,
Redondo Beach is a good suggestion, too. Most people think of South Redondo area, when they suggest that city, where the prices are much higher. We own rental properties, one is a 2 bedroom each, triplex in North Redondo, across the street from Manhattan Bch Blvd and Aviation, and our rents are $1,200 and under and include garages. It's a couple miles to the beach, and easy access to the 405. So, it's not impossible to live near the ocean. There are lots of rentals in that area, but not fancy apts. with laundry rooms, swimming pools and elevators.

Brooklyn, one of my sons is a LA City School Teacher in Carson, and has a 16 minute drive south, on the 405 from there. I think you will be able to get a teaching job with no problem. Not all LA City schools are located in the heart of downtown LA. Good Luck!

lvk beat me to it again. Love Cafe Boogaloo and Ragin Cajin!

LoveItaly-Thanks for the suggestion in Long Beach. Actually my DD and her boyfriend had a special dinner last weekend (it was their 3rd year anniversary of being together). They went to 555 in Long Beach which is one of my favorites for a special dinner. But L'Opera looks fantastic and my DD loves Italian. She keeps asking me if I am sure there is no Italian in either side of the family. She even looks Italian. So I will pass that one to her and maybe we can go there for a special family dinner. Their pasta prices look very reasonable.

MBNancy-That is great rent for that area. My younger DD lives close to 190th and Flagler but the house belongs to one of her roommates parents. So she has a deal for that area. Yes it's not a bad drive to Carson. My older DD wanted to move to the South Bay instead of Long Beach because her boyfriend works in Carson. But he's a lifelong Orange County boy so as she says "we're doing babysteps getting him out of the OC!!"
I always thought Carson was it's own city, didn't know it was part of the LA School District. That's certainly better than Southcentral LA. I just know South Central was where my friend's daughte always was sent when she was substitute teaching.

Hi MBNancy,

I hope your son isn't caught up in the payroll debacle going on at LAUSD right now. What a mess!


Paula(just for starters), Amigo's Tacos on the corner of Manhattan Ave and Longfellow in Hermosa has THE best breakfast quesadillas and burritos. The Hermosa Fish Market Cafe on Pier Ave. has surprisingly good paella, reasonably priced.

Do you think the OP will come back? Since brooklyn0185 is a AVP fan, I would also like to mention that the City of Manhattan Beach Rec. dept. has great beach volleyball classes for all levels. Lots of fun and a good way to meet people.