Relocationg to LOS ANGELES -- Need ADVICE!
 

Hi all!

Is there one really good DRIVING MAP for Los Angeles that I can get? (AAA?) I want to start acquainting myself with all the neighborhoods.

Also, I'm pretty sure we'll be living in West Hollywood. Besides westsiderentals.com, are there other sources for finding a great deal on a two-bedroom apartment?

Thanks a million,
Betty (NYC)

Sorry, I meant "Relocating" in my title. Darn spelling!

Betty,

Get a Thomas Guide! It's the best money you will ever spend (besides a navigation system for your car). Most major bookstores carry them.

Westsiderentals is good, but also check out craigslist.org

Good luck with the move!
m

Thanks, Mitch! Actually I AM going to buy a GPS as well!

If you have any input on that, it would be appreciated. I know the portable GPSs are much cheaper than having one built in to your car.

Does the GPS also advise you on which are the best roads/streets to take to avoid traffic jams?

Cheers!

Second the Thomas Guide! When I moved to LA, it was a life saver!

I third the Thomas Guide. I just bought a vacation condo in an area I'm unfamiliar with and the Thomas Guide has helped trememdously. Much easier to deal with in the car than a folding map too.

Thanks, travelgirl and amwosu!

Really excited about this move...and a little overwhelmed!

I totally understand it being overwhelming...I felt the same when I moved out there but soon got the lay of the land was good to go. It is most definitely different from the East Coast but you can't beat the weather! When I moved to LA, I left DC where it was 30 degrees and a few hours later landed in LA to a sunny 80 degrees.

A funny story...when I was living out there, I bought a new car. A year later I was moving back to the East Coast and my father came out to make the drive with me. During our drive, it started to rain and my dad asked where the wipers were on the car. I honestly had no idea as I swear I don't believe I ever used them...the song is right, "it never rains in Southern California"!!

Good luck with your move!!

Yes, the Thomas Brothers maps are great however, the AAA maps of the freeways are much better. So, I always use both when getting around. MapQuest is just so so.

I have lived in SoCal since 1955 :-B

Ed,

Great face! I was hearing stories of how LA drivers have a lot of road rage. Is this true?

What kind of car should I get? I want fuel-efficient, but it would be nice to have one that is a convertible too!

The stories of people shooting each other on the freeways are a bit exaggerated, but they DO happen. Defensive and deferential driving habits will keep you safe.

There's no one "best car" for anyone. How much do you want to spend? Remember that the cost of a car includes gas (still over $2.70 a gallon last I looked) maintenance, registration and insurance (a CA requirement). Convertibles cost more to insure, especially if they are two-seaters. Hybrids are increasingly popular out here-- the wait can be weeks to get a Prius in a specific color.

You may want to resist the temptation to buy a large car or an SUV (even a hybrid) until you're sure you have off-street parking where you live. By the way, most of West Hollywood's residential streets have permit-only parking in the evening. Arrange to get the permit as soon as you've got an address.

RJW,

Hi there! Don't worry: NO plans to get an SUV. Also, we're looking for a place with parking. But thanks for the heads up on the PERMIT.

Just curious: HOW MUCH DO YOU L.A. FOLKS SPEND ON GAS PER MONTH (on average)?

I just watched an upsetting news segment on price gouging of oil, and the oil companies' RECORD PROFITS at this time.

My brother from San Diego says California prices are among the worst...aaaaa!

I think I'm spending about $240 a month to keep my convertible's tummy filled with gasoline....

yikes!

I have a new BMW convertible two-seater and it doesn't cost anymore to insure than my BMW sedan did before it. In fact, I think my premium went down $10 or something like that. Gas-wise, I fill up about twice, maybe 3 times a week, depending on how often I drive. Most of my driving is city driving - or going back/forth between OC & LA. Using premium, I guess I spend anywhere from $160 to $240 a month on gas alone. Living in OC has its benefits, and my insurance costs maybe $1000 a year and that includes a $3m rider. On the other hand, my dad has a 10 year old car in LA and his premium for liability coverage only, costs higher than my full coverage. Sad, but true.

But, back to the OP's original questions. I agree with the Thomas Guides. They're so handy! I also keep a Rand McNally laminated fold out that has just the major freeways (not a city map) so that I know which freeway to take if I'm on a detour or something.

Don't be scared about road rage. I happen to think (anecdotally) that SoCal (and LA/OC in particular) have the best drivers in the US. With all the navigating and construction we have to deal with, and the myriad of freeway interchanges, for us to be able to drive safely doing 75-95 mph on the freeways while talking on cell phones is pretty amazing. LOL.

I've had to drive in the Southeast and the Pacific Northwest and I must say (anecdotally) that SoCal drivers do know how to drive better than most. I still remember a taxi-driver in Vegas once saying how he could tell the CA drivers from all the other visitors in Vegas - we drive better. LOL.

I'm glad you're looking for parking included in whatever place you're looking to rent or buy. Parking is definitely a premium around here. I absolutely refuse to live somewhere that doesn't have designated parking. I don't know how street-parkers do it. That is just something I couldn't compromise on.

Westsiderentals.com is ok, but I agree craigslist will have good listings, too. I've also found that if you can spend a day or two just driving around in the neighborhood, you'll see signs on the places for rent and you might have better luck. Most of the good places don't need to run ads and the signs are usually only out for a week or so before a good place is rented.

Good luck and let's hope you get to see some sunny weather this winter (unlike last year.)

Hi Simone!

Thanks for all your feedback! Yes, I've lived in NYC for so long that all this car stuff has become so foreign to me!

That's a good idea: I will drive around West Hollywood, looking at what's available. I understand that is also easy to find short-term rentals pretty easily in that neighborhood.

Cheers,
Betty

Hi Betty!

Definitely a Thomas Guide. We have them at discounted prices and our EasyFinder laminated folded maps are indispensible as well to keep in your door or glovebox. (Nice to use quickly when stuck in traffic for an alternate route. Plus they give you the overall freeway look.)

Los Angeles county comes by itself or as a Los Angeles and Orange County combination, (you get the book and cd-rom!), or as Los Angeles and Ventura County combination, (again book and cd-rom).

The digital edition cd-rom is just like the Thomas Guide Book except you can zoom in and print out the area you are interested in with a larger format.

If you are interested, our online map store is here: www.mapbooks4u.com

You will find pictures, descriptions, and a wealth of other information about the Thomas Guide books there. The 2006 Thomas Guides are available now.

Have a safe trip and a wonderful relocation move.

I agree with the Thomas Guide. My boyfriend recently moved here from Australia...you should see what his looks like already. Highlighting everywhere!

I just recently did a business event, and met a rep from TomTom. I was thinking about getting it for my boyfriend, but it is expensive. You may have seen the ads. You can go to www.tomtom.com to see what I am talking about.

Apparently this thing works straight out of the box. There is a service where it's supposed to tell you about traffic, but the rep was honest and told me this system is buggy right now. So best to get it just for navigation.

Demo looked cool, but when I told my boyfriend that it has a suggested retail price of $699, he said he'd make do for awhile with his $30 Thomas Guide. I think there are also much cheaper GPS systems on the market, but I don't know what they are like.

Thanks, MapBooks and Mina!

Mina: Funny thing -- my husband mentioned TomTom before I tuned into your post. Yes, $699 is kind of high, but still may be worth it.

Would love to hear from others who may be currently using TomTom or other GPS systems.

Cheers!
--Betty

I worked in LA for 6 months a few years ago. The office I was working in was on Sunset Blvd. The last office building in West Hollywood before going into Beverly Hills. I stayed in West Hollywood. I bought a highway map for weekend "touring" but never bought a city map. I had no problem finding my way around that area. I used MapQuest alot. But I'm sure the GPS would be great!!! Anyway, just wanted to say that it's a pretty easy area to become acquainted with. Or at least it was for me. And I had only been to LA once before that, as a tourist. There definately is alot of traffic, but I didn't have a lot of trouble with it. Tried to do the same thing I do at home....learn the city streets and stay off the interstates as much as possible.

Good luck with your move!!!

Betty, a lot of online retailers have it for less. For instance, I found at it PCMall for 599...
http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/de...pno~536207.asp

But as the others said, if you don't mind getting lost once in a while, you could make do a with a map. Our roads are pretty simple.

Thanks, mina. Will check it out!

Also keep in mind if you like to entertain, because even if YOU have parking, your guests may not be able to park unless the apartment building has sufficient guest parking spaces.

How much you spend on gas depends on how far you have to commute to and from work and whether long drives will be involved for spare time activities. I have a 99 Miata that just hit the 9,000 mark. It's easy on gas and fills up for $25 once a month. Then, my "commute" is 1.5 miles and in summer I bike to work when I can. When gas prices soared, my husband, who works downtown and commutes from the Westside, started taking the express bus, which he loves. $2.50 round trip, and stops right outside his office downtown. He can read all the way there and back and chill.

Also factor in the cost of parking. If your employer doesn't pay for parking, the cost will add up quickly. $15-$20/day downtown, about $25/day in Century City. Areas in West Hollywood (say you want to go to the Strip for dinner) have metered parking that continues to 10 p.m.. Up there, it's ultimately cheaper to park in a lot for $6 or $7 if you plan to make an evening of it. A smaller car is better for non-metered street parking (you can get into small spaces easier!).

When you buy a car, ask what type of fuel it takes. The Mini, for example, takes premium gas; a PT Cruiser takes regular. A Prius is the middle fuel. That can make a big difference, as well as the cost of upkeep.

SG: As a Prius owner, your statement made me go to my car to check the owners manual. The guy who sold me the car said my car took "the cheap stuff". According to my owners manual, he was right. It takes 87 octane.

Betty: When looking for rentals, I also recommend:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/

Another really good idea is to simply drive around the area you want to live and look for signs posted. Not all landlords need to advertise. A simple sign out front will start the phone ringing.

Thanks, surferfirl and wantagig!

Wantagig: In NYC, they usually ask for the first month's rent, one month's security deposit and job references. Will the landlords ask for the same around West Hollywood?

Is there anything special I should look out for when apartment hunting (warning signs, etc.)?

Appreciate your time and suggestions!

As a landlady, the most important thing to me was the credit report and if they had a verifiable job. Yes they'll ask for first months and a security deposit.

The maximum security deposit allowable by law can total no more than double the monthly rent. Because rents are so high, most people charge one months rent, give or take, as a security deposit.

Re: warning signs, someone had mentioned the parking situation. It's a good idea to take note. Also, ask other renters in the building if they like living there. I had an apartment with the bedroom facing an alley (lots of alleys in LA). The problem with that is that there would be homeless people sleeping back there or shoving their shopping carts up and down the alley at all hours. (Not to mention people driving like maniacs down the alley) They have a right to live as best they can. It's just frustrating when you pay premium rent and have to deal with tripping over a poor homeless person as you open the gate to the alley.

I worked for 5 or 6 years in WeHo. It's a very nice area. I felt very safe there.

Thanks, wantagig!

QUESTION FOR SURFERGIRL: When you say that the "Mini" takes premium gas, did you mean the Mini Cooper car?

My husband was looking at a great BMW Roadster convertible (around $14,000). Does anyone know what kind of fuel it takes? Also, what about safety regarding some of these smaller cars?

Sorry, I'm a little clueless about the car thing being a New Yorker.

Cheers, Everyone!

Thomas Guide costs 19$ at local drug stores. Sunday is open house day for buyers/renters just drive around the neighborhood you like. Take a financial statement and references with you for Johnny On The Spot.
welcome

Thomas Guide (LA Bible).. if you haven't bought one already.. West Hollywood hummmm?? Well I used to live there it's very central, super hip and very crazy with parking.. though now I live in Los Feliz/Silverlake.. MUCHO better :).. if I were you I would try for a 6 month or less lease, live here a while then decide which neighborhood you want to live in, they are all so different! You might prefer Santa Monica with morning mist and cleaner air, or the Valley with lower rents.. or the best side, the Silverlake, side..fewer fake boobs...The road range thing well, we who were born and raised here, swear it's all those East Coasters arriving in droves who don't know how to drive and get really frustrated with the traffic. The best thing you can do is arrive and adopt a really ZEN attitude with traffic or you will go nutty.. yes your appointment is 5 miles from your doorstep, yes it will take you 45 minutes to get there!!! Get used to that and never be in a rush, and also note that anyone who has lived in LA past 4 days will be very understanding when you tell them that you were late because you got stuck in traffic!
If you don't know already, start getting an LA Weekly www.laweekly.com, if you want to find out about what's going on in town. I don't know if you are hiking, but LA has some terrific places for hiking.. I hike 6 miles in Griffith Park every morning and belive it or not see deer, coyotes, foxes, rabbits and horses,, and this is all within spittin distance of the biggest (geographically) speaking city in the US. If you are on the Westside, Runyion Canyon (for dog walkers) or Fryman Canyon are great for walking.
Oh, note on traffic, you should hitch up with a local right away and get their "alternative" routes.. I hardly ever sit still when driving cross town, I have this pathway of residential streets and I zig zag across the LA basin.. DON'T sit on Sunset Blvd.. zip up Selma! When you get here you'll see what I mean.
Welcome to our city.. I hope you like it!

Peeky & Thyra: Thanks for the "rundown."

THYRA: I'm focusing on West Hollywood because for acting, it sounded like the most convenient area (shortest drives to studios, etc.) I like the IDEA of Santa Monica, but when you're hitting a bunch of auditions, the driving really starts to add up from there.

I will definitely take a look at Silverlake, though. Thanks so much!

OH, the business, well are you talking stage acting or screen? Most dance/music theatre auditions occur at dance studios in the Valley, 99 seat theatre shows Hollywood/Weho/Valley, Talent agencies are mostly in BevHills (ICM, WMorris CAA Endeavor). To be studio close, I would hit either Hollywood or Burbank (Para, Disn, Warner) though Sony/MGM is in Culver and Fox is in Century City. The issue you will have for acting is that nearly every other person you meet in Weho is also doing acting, which could be good, could be bad depending upon your feelings. I assume now that I am thinking about it, that you are looking to do film because if you wanted theatre you sure wouldn't be leaving NYC :).

oh, also in the Valley is Universal.. if you REALLY want to be close to the most studios then Studio City/NoHo is your best bet.

Since you're moving out here to find acting work, West Hollywood is a good starting neighborhood-- there are dozens of 99-seat playhouses between WeHo and Silver Lake, as well as acting schools (like the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute), repertory companies (say, the Actor's Gang) and improv companies (such as the Groundlings). I happen to like Silver Lake quite a bit, as well as Los Feliz and Hollywood, as far as livable neighborhoods. Still, WeHo is a bit more upmarket and fun for your first taste of living here.

In addition to the Thomas Guide, I always check www.sigalert.com before hitting the road. That way I know to avoid any freeway that already had a problem and use my alternate surface street route. BTW a Sig Alert is what they call it when they shut down one or more lanes on the freeway. I think it is named after an old time traffic reporter or something.

Roadster for $14,000?!? What year is it?! All BMWs take premium. Yes, Mini Cooper.

On the Prius, well I'm glad to hear it takes the "cheap stuff". The car dealer salesperson said it was the middle fuel when I asked after a test drive last week. I don't know why I believed him. He didn't seem to know anything about cars!

Thyra, we were up in Runyon Park (the old Errol Flynn estate) this weekend with an English friend who came here to see the Stones (awesome concert, but I digress). Haven't been up there since before it was turned into a park. Gee, it has a real pavement now!

We used to live, literally at the base of Runyon.. I saw many famous faces walking their dogs up that hill.. now I hike in Griffith, less celebrity, less pavement, less oxygen but what can you do? On a clear day, I can see from the snowy mountains to the ocean, to the brush fires in Chatsworth! G*D I love this town!

Betty - I actually have a BMW roadster (convertible) and it takes premium, as do all BMW's. What year is the roadster your husband is looking at? I'm actually interested in selling mine, but it's a bit newer (2005 - 18k miles - Kelly Blue Book is $33k but I'm willing to negotiate) :p

SG: It just dawned on me that maybe the new Prius design (2004, 2005) takes the middle grade. I dont know though. Mine is a 2002 and takes the cheap gas. (although the words "cheap" and "gas" don't belong in the same sentence anymore)

As a p.s., I recently got my stickers from the DMV that let me travel in the carpool lane all by myself. Talk about a timesaver. I'm in Palm Springs now and BOY does that come in handy!!

wantagig - the carpool sticker is only available to cars that can get 50 mpg on the highway. SUV hybrids only get 30-35 mpg, so they don't qualify. Priuses (sp?) and Civic Hybrids easily qualify for that rule.

A few tips from one who has recently relocated to So Cal.

1) don't bother asking if the place is air-conditoned: it is not
2) do ask if the refrigerator is included in the apartment: you might have to buy your own
3) best time to go to the semi-archaic DMV is at 4:25 PM on a weekday. or later if you aren't getting a DL. Go at 4:45 for just a vehicle reg.