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La

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
I'm hitting LA now at the start of July, anyone been? any stories or just in general what the place is like?

I'll be visiting san diego and las vegas at some point as well but living in LA can't wait.

Bringing about $500 with me and then starting a job after the first week, should be an experience.
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    LA is expensive and you will need to drive to get around.

    You have definitely got to visit Vegas though, everyone thats been has recommended it.
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    I lived near LA for a bit. The beaches live up to their name and it's generally a really fun place to be. I really enjoyed it most of the time. I was shocked by Hollywood though - it's actually a complete dump in parts.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Shogun wrote: »
    I'm hitting LA now at the start of July, anyone been? any stories or just in general what the place is like?

    I'll be visiting san diego and las vegas at some point as well but living in LA can't wait.

    Bringing about $500 with me and then starting a job after the first week, should be an experience.

    I agree with the others that you'll need a car, or else get used to taking cabs everywhere!
    The drive from LA to vegas is really awesome, going through the desert and you can stop at a tiny place called Baker with the world's biggest thermometer!

    San Diego is great, so clean, you can go out in the gaslamp quarter, loads of bars/restaurants. Go over the border to Tijuana for an experience (probably drunken!).

    Beaches, ppl have BBQs on the beaches/. Oh I'm so jealous wish I was going!

    What job are you doing?
  • Saeed MSaeed M Posts: 270 The Mix Regular
    **Helen** wrote: »
    I was shocked by Hollywood though - it's actually a complete dump in parts.

    I was expecting it to be quite clean and glamorous when I went. It was a shock to see the condition of some of the places.
    katchika wrote: »
    The drive from LA to vegas is really awesome, going through the desert and you can stop at a tiny place called Baker with the world's biggest thermometer!

    That drive is really good especially if you have a good car. I initially walked into a car hire place for a smaller car, but when they saw I was from the UK and could drive manual, they gave me a sporty one that nobody else was taking at the same price :yippe:.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've been 3 times and I still hate it - the beaces are exellent but as a town it just doesn't work - its too sprawling - you have to go everywhere by car because shock horror noone who has a job would think of like using public transport.

    However there are a few bits which are lovely in particular Santa Monica which i have a bit of a soft spot for - but other than that well lets say i'm definately a New York kind of a girl.

    San Diego is LOVELY and definately worth a trip.

    I'd say the drive to vegas is probably more exciting than when you actually get there - but if you go you have to stay in the Wynn which is lovely - and shop around for rates.

    Also - don't miss Palm Springs - for some fabulos architecture and loads of old people and ranch houses - plus a good air muesum.

    And big bear - its a whole different world up in those mountains! A complete and total contrast to LA - lots of big mountain men.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm working in a mass production type store packing clothes and working on tills.

    I won't be driving myself but i'm living with someone who will have a car.

    Can't wait to go but wyetry as you mentioned new york there i've always wanted to visit it, would love to go there for a bit..the woman i'm living with over in LA said it's 5 hours on a plane to new york from LA, bit of a fucker, same distance from here to LA.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Word to the wise about Vegas, if you're ordering spirits in a bar then make sure you point to a bottle behind the bar and don't get the spirits they have "on tap". Most of them have to travel over a mile from the cellar, taste like shit and are as weak as anything. Not that I should know this as I was underage when I went! It's quite sad that that was my priority of things to remember to tell you, but there you go :thumb:

    Get to NY at some point if you can, it's out of this world.

    As for LA itself, well I quite liked it, can't put my finger on why but there's a definitely atmosphere that's different to anywhere else in the world. So even if it's not all's it cracked up to be (Hollywood definitely isn't, I'd second...third (?) that, though I did see a fuckload of famous people when we went) it's an experience and a half. I found it pretty cheap, too, but obviously that depends what you're getting up to... and where.

    There is a subway system and a bus system (obviously) but as has already been said it's really not all that extensive - for the massive size of the city, anyway - and is hugely underused. Everybody does drive. The freeways themselves really, really scared me, they were like nothing I'd ever seen and I felt like some daft country bumpkin -- so I regard you as lucky to not be driving out there :razz:

    I stayed for a month in an area called Los Feliz which was quite close to Hollywood and the fella I was with with drove everywhere. He wouldn't even walk to the shops the lazy bastard. He lived very close to where the HUGE park [Griffith Park] with the Hollywood sign is, LA Zoo is there too along with a big Western-yeehaw-style museum and loads of beautiful trails and hikes up to viewing spots. The smog is pretty unbearable at times and does affect the views but it's still pretty remarkable. Sadly the thing I found most exciting about the park was the spots where Back to the Future had been filmed. It was weird coming across loads of places I recognised out of films and I think I got disproportionately excited, I bet they wondered who'd approved my day release!

    The beaches have been mentioned but they really are amazing, my favourite beach was a place called La Jolla Cove which is actually in San Diego. It was gorgeous, and a nice break from all the surfers and boogie boarders etc as you're not allowed to use them as part of a conservation project.

    Second Santa Monica, and I can't rave enough about getting up into those mountains and away from the incredible amount of bustle and traffic. If you get half a chance go to Yosemite National Park, I think it might be the most beautiful place I've ever visited. Obviously depends how long you're there for, I suppose!

    You must be dead excited, I bet you'll have a blast :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Also i forgot to say Crystal Cove which is really lovely and in the OC (south of LA) - i'm not sure I can rave enough either about the mountains - they are soo cool

    Also in Big Bear there is a really cool wildlife rescue centre where they have loads of lovely animals - and you should go see it - especialy as they are trying to raise funds to move to a bigger location.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh yeah the OC..make some rich mates so you can spend your days off hanging round there. I went to some great house parties there, with hot tubs/pools/bars in the house. The beaches are nice as well, try Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, sometimes it's nice to see how the rich live. There's some nice surf and clothes/vintage shops there. As well as a shop for pets with mini outfits and even bikinis for dogs and cats! Hilarious!

    In and out burger...jamba juice..yum yum.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Talking of food, try not to develop a Denny's addiction like I did out there. Oh dear. To make excuses I did arrive at 5am and the lure of fluorescent lights in a 24 hour fast food place was just too much to resist :razz: unfortunately I had to have my grease fix almost every day after that.

    Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica Bay is so cool, as well, I "did brunch" there twice and I want to go back. We saw Robert Downey Jr the first time we went :cool:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds brilliant, can't wait.

    Does anybody have a rought estimate of how many $ to bring out with me to start off with? I know it all depends on what i plan to be doing and all that but i'm starting to work after the first week.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you know when you'll get your first paycheck? I mean, is it weekly or monthly (I've no idea how this stuff works over there!).

    Will you need to pay any rent or anything like that out of the cash you take over with you?
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    briggi wrote: »
    Talking of food, try not to develop a Denny's addiction like I did out there. Oh dear.

    Yes oh dear indeed miss briggi - Denny's is :yuck:

    I much preferred Jack in the crack, sorry I mean box :razz:

    But everyone else raved about In and Out Burger - you'll have to check that one out if you're a beef fan shogun :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    briggi wrote: »
    Do you know when you'll get your first paycheck? I mean, is it weekly or monthly (I've no idea how this stuff works over there!).

    Will you need to pay any rent or anything like that out of the cash you take over with you?

    Not sure when i get my first paycheck but i'm assuming it's every week because i'll only be working for 6 weeks.

    No don't have to pay any rent, i'm getting free accomadtion when i'm over there, which is a big advantage.

    Yea helen i love me burgers so i'll be checking that place out.

    I'm sure the people i'll be living with will show me all the best places as they've been living there the past 40 years.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey,

    I totally loved it there and want to go back!

    I reccomend going to Venice Beach (Especially on a Sunday cause a lot goes on then)

    Also, Santa Monica was really nice.

    Universal Studios was really fun too. Warner Bros studios is pretty good too if you like seeing loads of props of movies and that. You could always go and see a show, when I went I saw 'Two And A Half Men' Rubbish show but the experience was amazing.

    Oh 'The Firehouse' is a good place to eat, and was also in the film 'Speed' :P

    We took buses everywhere, which were exreamly cheap too.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    briggi wrote: »

    Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica Bay is so cool, as well, I "did brunch" there twice and I want to go back. We saw Robert Downey Jr the first time we went :cool:

    OH my life i swear we are twins - I have a total obsession with Shutters on the Beach.

    Also try and get the buses - though when i was staying in a hotel once and wanted to get a bus none of the staff could tell me where to get one from or which bus to get to the greyhound bus station. Eventually they dug up a cleaner who didn't speak much english but did get the bus every morning to work.


    Ohh and if you go to the OC there is a really cool retro style rubies diner in Laguna beach.
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