Can anyone give me some tips about good places to live???

As some of you may know, I have always wanted be an actress, and I figure that dream has no chance at coming true if I don't move to wear the business is. I am going to audition for regional things this summer, but that can only go so far. It will give me an idea of whether or not I do truly want to chase this dream, though I am already pretty positive that it's the career I would most love doing.

Anyway, my 21st birthday is in July, I am going to try to become a bartender after that, as the cash is pretty good and so are the hours. I also am getting my STNA license though, as a back up plan, if I fail to get employed as a bartender out in Cali.


Anyway, I figured I can pretty comfortably afford somewhere around $1500 - $2000 a month in rent, I know that will not get a a big apartment, but I am not concerned about size. I think loft living would be really ideal, actually.

Can you recommend me good locations for apartments? It's okay if it's not in the heart of Los Angeles, I did some apartment searching online, found some I liked in San Pedro area, and what I could gather from Map quest, the commute isn't too long. I'd like to stay under an hour commute though, if at all possible.

basically, I dont want to end up in a bad area because I don't know the neighborhood.

Some other things that would be nice would be an area that is close to shops so grocery shopping isn't a hassle.


And just so you all know, I am currently saving money, I want to have at least half a years worth of rent saved up before I would move. I don't want to get over there, so far away from the help of my parents, and find myself in a sticky situation because I am struggling to find a job. So yeah...

I'm excited, the fiance isn't too hot on the idea, but supports me if I show a true desire to try to accomplish my dream ^^

moving to a bankrupt state?

Maybe, maybe not. I'm looking into it, though.

So i figured I'd get some advice from people who live in the state.

Burbank and Glendale are pretty good areas to live in. It's also pretty close to hollywood area where a lot of the clubs and bars are at.

Forget Cali.
Come to NYC.

just FYI, a lot of studios are actually in Burbank and Studio City. North Hollywood which isnt too far from them is imo a nice neighborhood. Its known as the arts district, so there's a few small theaters(for plays/comedy) in the area.
This is the general area where I grew up and love it. Traffic is no where near as bad as LA yet it's close enough to it.

As someone else mentioned, burbank itself is pretty nice too. Its a different city than LA, neighborhood is pretty quiet. Cops out there get bored and ticket jay walkers.

Pasadena seems like a nice place to raise a family.

I dont know much about San Pedro but it's next to Palos Verde which is super nice but also next to Long Beach which can be super ghetto.

Well I grew up in San Pedro (I'm here right now!). It's definitely a great place. The 110 freeway ends at San Pedro which is the same freeway that takes you straight into LA. San Pedro's entrance off the freeway is a little ghetto and that's the ghetto area of SP. The closer to the ocean you get, it gets exponentially better.

I went apartment shopping in Long Beach a couple months ago and currently live in a one bedroom apartment in Long Beach in the Belmont Shore area (pretty much downtown LB area). What's great about that is that downtown Long Beach is right next to the 47 Freeway (the bridge that connects San Pedro to Long Beach) so it's still close. Also, Long Beach is notorious for good prices. My apartment is $985 month-to-month with all expensive paid for (gas, electricity, water, heat). I live right next to a brewery, lol. Last week I drove to North Hollywood to meet a girl and it took less than an hour. HOWEVER, also take into consideration traffic. I don't know where you're from but they call the 405 freeway the "four or five hour freeway." Lol---look into it. You'd have to avoid traffic hours if you plan on commuting to LA---but I personally think it would be nice to commute since urban LA gets old. It's nice to escape back near the ocean with more humble happy people which San Pedro and Long Beach both have. However, it depends on you. You may want to stay in LA 24/7 and soak in all it has to offer. If I didn't hate the city so much I'd probably do that as I'm a Drawing & Painting major and LA's where you should be for me as well (if not NY).



My best friend grew up in Glendale and hates it with a passion. He has made plans to move his parents and family out of there and into Long Beach.


North Hollywood is ghetto though, for the most part. I've been through Pasadena and that place seems cool---especially when you go down Columbia. You got the Norton Simone Museum and awesome restaurants like Luigi and Ortega's, etc. It's the LA area! I don't know much about Burbank.

well, first alexa u would have to choose which county u wanna live in first. l a county quite different then orange county. l a is more stylish and trendy and definitely more eclectic then orange county. people in l a county are also more refine socially. if u live in the affluent parts of l a county, u might find it similiar to frisco in terms of diversity, intellectual savvy and fashion. orange county is pretty much cities of segregated communities. u have vietnamese in westminster, koreans in garden grove, chinese in irvine, whites in huntington beach and other coastal areas for the most part. its more of a beach lifestyle and chill type of atmostphere. not sure what u prefer but for out of towners like yourself, i'd say stick with l a county as orange county can be kind of racists. who knew that two counties lying in one area (socal) could be so different. i think it just boils down to infrastructure and how l a is much older and has more history and orange county is like the suburbs of l a county. u get a lot of spoil kids living in big homes that are seperated from one another. where as l a county is more integrating and crowded the way any metropolis would be. l a is much more exciting too and much more things to see and do. i live in long beach. long beach is in the cusp of l a and orange county. definitely check out long beach. rent is fair compared to other parts of socal. orange county is a little more pricey then l a county cause its newer and spacious. in l a county check out west l a such as santa monica, hollywood, pasadena, those are some nice areas. san pedro and long beach is chill but a little bit out of the area where u would want to pursue your career. those cities would be what i posted above. venice is another city in l a u might want to check out. socal is big and every city has its own personality and diversity. but, once u get the feel for socal, u have a little of everything.

l a is about the good life and everything that comes with it. orange county is about tattoos and d!ckies.

I don't live there but I'm just looking at this thread to see what it's like heh. I might be fu-ked in a few months and have to move down there. I'm going to be transferring as a Federal Employee to the Department of the Navy.

I wish girls would say this more often.