Carson is its own city. The schools in Carson, (Gardena also), are part of LAUSD. Confusing, but true!

Paula,

I know where your daughter is in RB. Ha, our sons started out in our triplex with roommates, and passed the location and rent on to friends as they moved on or got married. One "friend" has been in the bottom unit for 10 years with different girlfriends, but pays the rent on time!

Last Saturday we went to a charming, small, Italian restaurant called Picarelli in Long Beach off Lakewood Blvd. on the 405. Give it a try, it's reasonable.

http://www.cucinapicarelli.com/

lvk: yes, DS has been lucky to get his paychecks, but don't get me started about salaries!!! He loves his location and has been in Carson for 9 years now, near the new Home Depot on Sepulveda. Nice school, they even installed a/c a few years ago and have a phone and TV in the room. LOL!

Mlgb: Yes, the LAUSD is confusing. DS goes to Gardena headquarters for his "classes/meetings", etc. but it's closer to his house, so it's all good!

<Do you think the OP will come back?>

No, I don't.

Hey! I was enjoying this thread until everyone got nice!

brooklyn, are you still there?

Having spent a lot of time on this website over the past few years, I've sort of learned that when a new poster registers and posts a question like this -- not really even a travel question -- we rarely hear from them again. It does seem an odd website to have sought out and posted a single post about relocating.

I actually live in Long Beach. My advice to the OP is dont move here. Weather is great, and there are lots of things to do. Thats about it....cost of living is through the roof (esp. housing), traffic sucks, and it seems to get more crowded here like every month....

Youll live a better life elsewhere, I think. But if you must live here (in Long Beach), then the more south and west you go, the better. I live in Belmont Shores, which is great...but you pay for it. And parking sucks.

Sorry if I sound like a grumpy old man. I'm only 27!

johnnyman7-You are right about parking in Long Beach particularly Belmont Shores. It does suck. But my older daughter lived in in Newport on the Peninsula when she was going to UCI and parking was the same situation. Also bad down in San Diego at Pacific Beach. I think that's part of the price you pay for living by the beach.

As far as housing, Long Beach is still one of the most reasonable rent wise if you want to be along the coast. My DD did look at some places in the South Bay and they were all running quite a bit higher than Long Beach. Again rents are alway higher at the beach. As far as areas in Long Beach, my DD was told to stay east of Cherry (or maybe a little west of there) and I know some of the places you looked at further west were not the best. It is true, though, that it's nice along Ocean Blvd heading west.

And I am sure you are only sounding grumpy because you couldn't find a parking place!! LOL

Meant to say some of the places "she" looked.

mlgb-Thanks for the info on Carson. I thought it was it's own city but interesting that it's part of LAUSD.

lvk-Thanks for some of the restaurant recommendations. I will write them down and put them in my car since I never know exactly when I am going to be in the South Bay.

I'm an LA native, and have lived in Long Beach three different times. (Currently living in beautiful Laguna Beach.) My take:

A lot of people like Long Beach because it's not *that* far from LA but it's also not as hectic. If you have zillions, yeah, you can find a nice slice of LA in which to live (if not breathe). Rustic Canyon, Malibu, places like that. But for the rest of us, Long Beach can be a good alternate. I've only been in Belmont Shore, which is kind of yuppie/yachtie, and if I were to move back (I'm 44, with kid) I would aim for Belmont Heights or Alamitos Heights.

Obviously there are SO many what ifs, and I too would highly recommend a scouting trip if OP can afford it. Who knows. He might take one look and head home fast as he can.

skateboardmom2-There are some beautiful houses in Belmont Heights and I really love all the craftsman houses that have been redone in Alamitos Heights. Laguna Beach of course is a great place to live.