QM has changed my life and now I need some help from you guys.

[Julius Xavier]

After finally going to Califorina and being aboard the Queen Mary then having to leave and return to Milwaukee I have decided enough is enough. It's time to persue the acting career that I have been putting off for awhile. I would like to move to Califorina and my lease is up here in Milwaukee in April so that's the approx. time I'm shooting for.

What I need from you all is this. If you live in California I need you to tell me a couple things...

1. Where you reside?
2. Where do you suggest I look for a place?
3. What are the things you don't like about where you live?
4. What are the things you love about where you live?
5. What are the safest/ unsafest places to live?

Now I'm willing to and able to either live in a house or an apartment. Doesn't matter either way to me.

Please help me out anyway you can by answering my questions and offering suggestions, thanks alot.


-DocIndyJones. (the infamous 9 of Spades)

 

[Vanessa]

We ought to start a post on how many people are moving after this past weekend. I know I am planning to be out there by next New Years. (As I look out my office window at the snow falling. :cry: )

 

[Lauren]

1) Vista (north county san diego)
2) It's up to what your lifestyle is like. If you're kicked back, try San Diego. It you're into the nightlife or dance scene, try Los Angeles.
3) Not much to do after 8 pm. No swing dancing nearby. No vintage events. I live in a suburban area, so it's just me and dan as far as I know who are really into vintage.
4) beaches, sunshine, quiet neighborhood.
5) compton. Vernon. Skid Row. For SD, I'd say to stay farther north. Sure, there's not much to do, but it's a bit cheaper and it's really nice/

Things you should know:
It's very expensive and there's a lot of compitetion for the good jobs. Minimum wage may be higher than other places, but you can't live on it.

It would be cool to have you out here!

 

[Julius Xavier]

*

Well if I moved near by then there would be three of us in the same neighborhood that are huge into vintage. Maybe we could take it over...lol.


-DocIndyJones

 

[Lauren]

Muahahaha! Estate sales here we come! Vanessa, you need to get in on this!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

After finally going to Califorina and being aboard the Queen Mary then having to leave and return to Milwaukee I have decided enough is enough.

It's time to persue the acting career that I have been putting off for awhile.

As the roomate of an actor...you do have a backup career right?


What I need from you all is this. If you live in California I need you to tell me a couple things...

1. Where you reside? Just south of Downtown Los Angeles

2. Where do you suggest I look for a place? Depends on you, what you like, all tempered by your budget and willingness to live with certain things.

3. What are the things you don't like about where you live? Parking on USC football game days sucks. Other then that I love my ghetto-tastic neighbourhood...but I am abnormal.

4. What are the things you love about where you live? Its multicultural, has small local stores, is close to transport (both freeway and the metro train systems)

5. What are the safest/ unsafest places to live? about 20 blocks south of where I live

 

[Andykev]

Northern Ca. SF BAY

If you live in the SF Bay Area, the weather is mild, a Mediterrian Climate. The air is fresh, it is not too hot in the summer, and not too cool in the winter. No snow. There are cultural things, reacreation, the Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and thousands of museums, art galleries, parks, jogging trails, lakes, restaurants, theater, entertainment. You will be no more than 2-3 hours away from the ocean, the redwood forrest, the snow, the mountains, the lakes.

Oh, and bring a suitcase. Full of money. The house prices are sinful.

 

[shamus]

First, sometimes it's better the be the big fish in the small pond than just another one of the million of fish in a huge pond...

if you still want to act... .then move to LA.

1. Where you reside? Burbank

2. Where do you suggest I look for a place? The valley, unless you're really rich.

3. What are the things you don't like about where you live? smog, I can't see the ocean, it's hotter here than over the hill.

4. What are the things you love about where you live? Well as entertainment industry goes, I have NBC, ABC, and Warner within a mile or two of me. I like never having to drive over the hill into Hollywood for anything.

5. What are the safest/ unsafest places to live? Don't live in Hollywood. If you're young and single than live in West LA. That's were the acting is anyway. I'm not an actor... but I play one on tv....

Do you have a real job? No offense but you'll need it unless you're rich. Apartments start about 800+ a month. A mid house is around 500,000.

Dell Taco pays about 7.00 an hour...

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Do you have a real job? No offense but you'll need it unless you're rich. Apartments start about 800+ a month. A mid house is around 500,000.

Dell Taco pays about 7.00 an hour...

In-N-Out starts at 9.00 oddly enough.....noticed that the other day while waiting for my fries...was considering it for a weekend job...

and you can live on 'the other side of the hill' if you arn't rich...just cannot be picky about things like neighbourhood....mine is safe, but not at all glamourous...although I do get the cool side benefit of living in a house built in 1896 or so....

 

[shamus]

And you get to wear those cool hats too!

 

[Miss Neecerie]

And you get to wear those cool hats too!

Oh do I sense a thread for that....either that or a board of its own...the Paper Hat Lounge has a nice ring to it

 

[Trickeration]

1. Where you reside?
2. Where do you suggest I look for a place?
3. What are the things you don't like about where you live?
4. What are the things you love about where you live?
5. What are the safest/ unsafest places to live?

-DocIndyJones. (the infamous 9 of Spades)

1. Long Beach

2. Long Beach or Whittier are reasonable, and not so "city" . Both have great old houses and are pretty close to whatever's going on in LA County.

3. There are some rough parts of town, and this was Snoop Dogg's hometown. Yuck!

4. Long beach is central to everything going on in Orange County and LA County. Lots of vintage shopping and events in the area or within reasonable driving distance. There's a great antique swap meet once a month here.

5. Unsafe-Compton, Lynwood, Hawaiian Gardens, Lawndale, North Long Beach (my son was once playing in the yard when the police ran by, guns drawn, chasing an armed suspect. He was 7 at the time. We've sinced moved to another part of Long Beach ) East or South Central LA. I got lost a bit south of Union Station Sunday night VERY scary!

Safest-You kind of have to check out each neighborhood. It's best if you go with someone who's lived in the area (or at least in the same county) for a little while. When we moved into our old neighborhood, with it's nightly police chases, it looked really nice during the day. Turns out it was boxed in by 4 of the roughest streets in town. [huh] We didn't know until the lease was signed.

I like Long Beach, it really is a pretty good place for the vintage lifestyler.

 

[Julius Xavier]

*

That's where I'm focused right now is Long Beach... one beacuse of everything you decribed and two because I'd be so close to the Queen Mary. I was also thinking of Vista, CA because that's where Lauren and Daniel live and it would be nice to be close to friends and someone I know. So if you could find anything real estste wise or maybe an Apartment Guide to send me that would be great. What are the major Real Estate Agencies by you?


-DocIndyJones

 

[Trickeration]

Hi,
For starters, here's the link to the Long Beach paper, you can check classifieds at www.presstelegram.com www.westsiderentals.com also has local listings. Local realty I see most often are Century 21 and Prudential. The realtor that got us into our house may have some connections with rentals, though I'm not sure. But she's great to have on your side where realty is concerned. You can find her at www.lauraford.com She's with Prudential. If you want to PM me your address, I'll pick up the local apartment and home guides for you and send them out to you. I can try to get info, too, on neighborhoods if you see something that catches you eye. Also, there are several apartments right around the corner from me. I'll see anything's available.

Vista's nice, too. We lived on the border of Vista/Oceanside for about a year, but my husband works up here and 80 mile commute was too much. It's a nice town, though.

 

[katiemakeup]

1. Where you reside?
2. Where do you suggest I look for a place?
3. What are the things you don't like about where you live?
4. What are the things you love about where you live?
5. What are the safest/ unsafest places to live?

So I'm a bit late on this post, but here's my two cents worth.

1. Los Feliz/East Hollywood in Los Angeles.

2. Go with what your needs are. An Actor probably wants to be in a central location, like Studio City, (quaint & central, can score good rent if you really search) North Hollywood (great arts district & cheap rent, some areas kind of sketchy) West LA (a little drab but doable) Fairly cheap rent? Culver City, North Hollywood, Burbank is nice, Mar Vista, Torrence (getting closer to Long Beach) I would tell you that any place south of Culver City is going to be a nightmare going into Hollywood Central LA because of the 405. At all times. I love my neighborhood- allthough I live in a shoebox. It's all a crap shoot, really. I have seen studios for $725 and one block over they are $1100.

3. I don't like how if you are traveling during peak hours, it can take you an hour just to cut across town.

4. I, unlike most people, love Hollywood! I love seeing the Hollywood sign everyday, I love the renovations they are doing- I love seeing historic buildings, streets, restaraunts...this is where the dream started. I cannot even start to get into my love affair with old Hollywood- I can't imagine what you as an actor would feel! The sunshine does wonders for the soul, let me tell you. There is always stuff going on for industry people, too.

5. Personally, I would avoid certain parts of Downtown- a lot of it is skid row, but I have met people who live in downtown and they say they love it. If you think that's your area (So many historic and beautiful things) I would explore it first. I was very put off by it when I first moved here, but now I love it. I don't recommend hanging out there at night unless you have a bio hazard suit and eyes in the back of your head. Central LA is, as Trickeration put it, Snoop Dog territory. Check out Craigslist, I found great roommates off of there, and you can get subleased places, too. It's good b/c it's free classifides.

You will love it! I remember when I came to visit to check it out, I stepped outside LAX and said to myself, 'I am home'. (I am an East Coaster, and Old New York is pretty amazing in itself!) Of course, a few months later when I was driving out here, I said to myself, 'why didn't I fly'?

 

[Rundquist]

Stay where you are. We're full up' already. Besides, do you really want to move to a Peoples Republic?

 

[Ken]

And remember - Rundquist lives in CA!!

Ken

 

[Wild Root]

My two bits…

I’ve lived here all my life and can’t really think of moving any where else I’d be happy. Now, things are very pricey in perspective but, you can make it work for you if you are a die hard. Now, remember, having a car is key to living here! The mass transit systems here USED to be really good up till the tragic 60’s.

Pasadena is a good place and it’s close to LA and Hollywood. You can find some places to rent that aren’t too bad. Also, Glendale is very nice and I had a friend rent a nice one room for $625. a month. It was a nice 1920’s Spanish revival apartment so, if you wish to keep things small till you get established, I’d look into something small and simple.

For me, I love the night life here! Being into swing dancing and seeing bands perform is key to my enjoyment. There is no other place on the planet that offers so much swing dancing as CA does. All the best bands are here and the vintage clothing shopping is good compared to other places in the US. So, if it’s a vintage life you want to live, CA has to most to offer in that department.

Think it over, give it a lot of thinking and be sure that this is the dream that you want to make happen! We’d love another Lounge member who is as crazy about the past as we are so, you’d have no problem fitting in here with us! Just hunt and apply for jobs out here like mad and when you get an offer, jump on it and everything will fall into place!

Good luck my friend,

=WR=

 

[Twitch]

All I'll say is that if you are interested in acting jobs you should reside in the San Fernando Valley in that it is located close to most major and minor studios there and is close to Hollywood itself.

 

[Doh!]

If you're serious about the acting thing, Long Beach may not be the best choice. Realistically, you'll need a day job and hopefully snag some auditions during the day. I have co-workers who are able to duck out on their lunch hours because most of the auditions are Hollywood-adjacent. Not so easy if you have to come and go from Long Beach.

The drawback is, of course, the cost. I don't know how pricey LB is, but L.A. proper is pretty disgustingly expensive when it comes to housing. But if you are truly looking for a change, you won't regret the move... probably.