Good afternoon, and welcome to volume 2. If you're a newbie to Los Angeles, this post is geared toward you. I will be giving you a basic idea of the pros of living here. I also promised in the last installment that my twisted sense of humor would return, I must reserve it for the next couple as it's easier to bring that out when I am discussing the negative side of it here...
Regardless of where you're moving from, there's no place on earth like L.A. Initially, it may be a shock to see all that goes on here, it may be exciting, thrilling, whatever descriptive words you may use or think upon arriving here. For most it is an exciting time, if for no other reason that you're really going for it and moving to L.A. It's really a big deal when you think about it.
One of the biggest pros about being here is the weather. Rarely is it below 70 degrees, even in the "winter" time. In the later and early months of the year you'll be driving around (if you have a vehicle anyway) with the A/C on. I come from northern IN, where the below zero temperatures are one of the things I miss the least. Even when it rains in L.A. it'll be a rare thing for the most part to see.
If you live in Hollywood, North Hollywood (NoHo), West Hollywood (WeHo) or any place within a few miles of Hollywood, then you have the plus of being able to walk to most areas within reason. Traffic is so bad most times that you will be able to reach your destination faster by walking, believe it or not. The metro rail (Red, Purple and Green lines) cost $1.75 for a 1 way trip. It's great, easy and one of the cheaper ways to get around. Plus if you walk more you'll be able to take in more of the city vs. driving. You'll see some of the most entertaining things you ever have purely due to the inhabitants of this place. Shocking, amusing, hilarious, disturbing, smelly, appalling, it's all here in droves. Very little will surprise you after being here for very long. It's not called Hollyweird for just any old reason.
Entertainment - there are tons of movie theaters, clubs, restaurants, unique shops, souvenirs, and just about anything you could ever want to buy here. A lot of times the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. will have re - showings of classic films and have cast members there for Q & A after the films, and the Arclight on Sunset does the same. Many films I didn't get to see in the theater as a kid are shown there. This is really cool. Amoeba records also on Sunset has free live concerts a fair amount of the time. The world famous Sunset Strip with the Whisky A Go-Go, Roxy Theater, Viper Room, Rainbow Bar & Grill, Hustler Hollywood, and the (sadly) empty Tower Records building are all in this short stretch of debauchery roughly 4 miles from the heart of Hollywood. Your chances of running into celebrities at the Rainbow are pretty high, especially if it's on a Friday or Saturday night. I'm rarely in that part of town but I do enjoy going there and hanging out now and then, and the food is great there too.
Chance meetings with folks from the entertainment biz/etc...my roommate told me that the guy who did the special effects on the first Evil Dead movie installed the internet here. I was getting my oil changed the other day and the lady in the seat next to me used to date the guy who founded Metal Method guitar lessons, from which I learned briefly a long time ago. I once saw Patrick Stewart of Star Trek and X-Men fame when I got off the plane at LAX. None of these things are really going to help you survive here, but they do make it interesting and I don't know of any other place in the world where they would occur.
There are lots of free events to attend in L.A. also, you'll have to pay to get yourself there but it makes being here a little easier now and then. A lot of your $ will be going toward basic living expenses, so this is a welcome perk to being here as well. Get out and enjoy it, as again the price tag here is so high you may as well if you're able.
Just the overall experience of being able to say you lived in L.A. for any length of time, especially if you come from where I do, is actually really cool. It does have its pluses. This is a short list of perks, there are others but since I live in Hollywood these are the ones that came to mind initially for now.
Join me for the next installment as we dive into renting and the unavoidable (unless you're wealthy or have more $ than most of us) world of roommates.
Have a good day all, and thanks for reading!
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