Moving to Los Angeles, California!

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Welcome, in advance!

If you're not familiar with the area, it might be good for you to learn a little about it, in order to avoid a bad experience. There are some areas not to go, and roads not to try to go on at certain times certain days, due to impossible traffic jams, etc. If you're going to look for a place to move into ahead, or if you're going to take a hotel room here and look around first, post up, and other SoCal members and I will try to offer suggestions, if you want.

The thing I need to say up front, is that Hollywood and the whole central metro LA area is very busy, crowded, and has high crime. (No offense to those who do live there, as I have lived in LA my whole life 'til we moved part time to Dallas 3 years ago).

Basic rules: DON'T try to go anywhere on Fridays after 3PM on any freeways, and also after 4PM other weekdays. If you look at a map of the "greater Los Angeles Area", including the Basin (Los Angeles/downtown/West LA, and the San Fernando Valley), there are parts of it just "off limits" to people who have the opportunity to choose where to live. In the Los Angeles Basin and basically anything within a 10-mile radius of downtown Los Angeles is either (1) a decent neighborhood but ULTRA-costly), or (2) a run-down and overcrowded, and somewhat dangerous crime area. In the San Fernando Valley, basically anything west of the 405 Freeway is decent, with the exception of the Canoga Park area (a few square miles of it near the intersection of Sherman Way and DeSoto Ave). Anything east of the 405, although there are a few pockets of nice places around the outer edges, is not where I'd ever want to live. The suburbs I'd recommend, which are all appx 20-30 miles out, are the Santa Clarita Valley (north on Interstate 5 from Los Angeles City), and Ventura County (25 miles northwest) where I am. Even if you get a less expensive place in Ventura County or Santa Clarita Valley, it's not such a high crime rate, and the places you will shop and be out & about in, are much nicer, cleaner, and newer. As far as racial integration, the decent areas are pretty much all integrated, and there aren't "white, Hispanic, or Black neighborhoods" anymore to speak of. There are some places which have a very strong Asian population, but again, basically all people are welcomed in any neighborhood. With that said, there are a few tiny pockets where bigots and white gangs are known to live, such as in the hills southeast of Simi Valley, and in the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas.

Anyway, that's a quick wrap-up from a 43-year Los Angeles resident

I haven't eaten there in a few months, but I don't know that term... I only ever order a single hamburger with mustard & ketchup only, and a drink. The fries are the best, but they don't work into my physical fitness goals, which I have met and intend to maintain.

What's "animal style" ?

Charles

^^^ Nothing that will advance any goal of physical fitness. But oh so good. (Unwritten tradition, as I've received it, is not to tell!)

Damn you... now I want In n Out.

There's some small consolation in the fact that Coldstone Creamery has jumped coasts to Maryland. Maybe In-n-Out will follow suit! It could merge with Chick-fil-A, the two have similar philosophies...

FYI - In 'n Out "animal style" includes onions sauteed in mustard, not my thing but many people love them.

It's not exactly a closely-held secret, but it's not on the menu so you have to be clued-in by someone who already knows about it.

Onions sauteed in mustard? I'm kind of disappointed to learn that's all it really is ... I mean, calling it "animal style" gives it such a mystique.

More of a ranch sauce. And on the fries, IIRC they add cheese.

It works with the fries too?

I know where I'm going for lunch today...

It wasn't until about a year ago that I learned that Seattle, Washington is 2700 miles away from Washington DC.

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity. Good luck.

welcome. i hope the noise from all the highway patrol helicopters doesn't drive you crazy.

lol, Damn it, Me Too!

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Alex, I hope you have a wonderful time driving to LA and living in LA, just becareful if you guys need to stop at those rest stops out in the middle of nowhere (okay... that's the mother in me).

Both my adult children (who are in their 20's too) are in California. My NT daughter, Leah is a musician and recently moved from Virginia to LA and she loves it out there. My AS son Liam is a Marine and has recently been stationed in San Diego and he loves it too. They both grew up in Virginia and Arizona so they're familiar with the West.

I think of the East as traditional where the West is more laid back. It will be interesting to hear your opinion of it.

I wish you all the best, have a great adventure.

TaupeyAna

That's exactly what I've been trying to do for the past year or so. I want to be able to do it in the next year at least. Only difference is that I don't have any friends to take the trip with me or the financial backing. Do you already have a job there?

L.A.... Good luck

Enjoy your move and don't believe all the bad things said about L.A.

Yeah, only most are true.

This is a problem for me... They recently built a new IN & OUT only a couple miles from where I live, and the smell blows across the highway and I can smell it every time I pass by . I ate there some time last summer, so I guess I can go again soon. Willpower needed!! !

Charles