{My very first apartment, before I moved all my stuff in. Downtown San Diego, 2006}
Our neighborhood wish list:
- Close proximity to the ocean
- Within an hour's drive to LA
- Lively community with lots of 20 and 30-somethings
- Walkable areas {walking distance to bars & restaurants & shops a +}
- Charming, fun atmosphere
- Lots to do - festivals, networking events, nightlife, culture
Sight unseen, I'm completely torn between OC and LA. If you've been to both, do you prefer one over the other and why? Hopefully the answer will come to me easily when I'm there.
26 comments:
I love the OC!! but im totally biased becuase i love the ocean and like the suburbs more than the city. LA has traffic 24/7 so take that into consideration and tourists galore. Good luck SO exciting!
I did love driving down the coast from LA to the OC, it was gorgeous, but what about areas in LA that are close to both! I love Manhattan beach and will probably look in that same area when I'm out there in September. On the beach, lively community, and great shops and restaurants!
Lindsay
http://harlowknoxstereobox.blogspot.com/
omg there are so many options!! Newport, Playa de Ray, Huntington Beach, Hermosa Beach...even the itty bitty town of Orange. I just did apartment hunting with my boyfriend in SF, so fun! Good luck my dear.
Playa de Ray is nice. The OC would be a great starting point as it's detached but so mainstream itself and close to everything. Ugh, I don't know - everywhere is neat on it's own!
Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach are two of my favorites! Everyone walks around and there's a great collection of bars, restaurants, cute shops and lots of young people! Good luck with the hunt :)
I'm from Boston but lived in Orange County for 4 years (graduated from Chapman U. last year) and miss it SO much! I lived in Orange, which is smaller and more residential (not much of a nightlife) but we would always make the 15 minute drive over to Newport Beach for day trips and fun bars at night. I always preferred OC to LA because it's detached from the hustle and bustle, but the traffic to and fro can be awful (!!!) so that's definitely something to consider in the end. Good luck!!!
<3 Meghan
Orange County all the way! I love it here and never want to leave. If you want more neighborhood-specific info, you can email me at honestlykristen at gmail. :)
So exciting! I know nothing about California, but I do know how fun it is to move in to and decorate a new place! Can't wait to hear more!
www.sarahandthecityblog.blogspot.com
Yayyy! I've been in LA all of a week and a half but I LOVE it. We're living in Brentwood, which is amazing because it's full of 20 and 30 somethings, has tons of places to eat, shop, and drink, and is only a 10 minute drive to Santa Monica/the beach! You probably don't want to be that far into LA, though. My boyfriend's grandparents live in Newport Beach, which is ultra pricey but super cute and beautiful. I'm so excited for you!!!
i know we talked on twitter, but you should also check out manhattan beach and marina del rey. close to the beach, walk to bars, etc.
I do love the oc it's a slower pace but i prefer the LA nightlife. and driving to LA from OC sucks.
if you want close to the beach i'd rule out pasadena.
I just moved to OC from Toronto! You should check out the Irvine Companys The Village & The Park. It's heavenly, resort like, filled with tons of fun 20 & 30 somethings. They even have activities like Yoga in the Park, Taco Tuesdays, food truck Fridays, not to mention stunning they are stunning properties. We can be neighbors!!!
i live in OC as a kid, loved it, but if you want more nightlife, i'd go LA
i dont know much about the state of california because i've never been there, so i am no help, but i just wanted to say that you should be SO excited!! this upcoming chapter of your life is going to be so, so good.
So exciting Kinsey!! I prefer the OC to LA because of traffic and smog. Also if you are in the OC then you are close enough to LA to where you can get there quickly but you don't have to live right there. Also the neighborhoods right in LA are so hit or miss -- you could be on one street and it's beautiful and upscale, and walk right down the street to an unsafe and unclean area. Some parts of West Hollywood are like this. While Beverly Hills is beautiful and wealthy, right down the street in downtown hollywood it's not really the nicest area. In OC on the other hand, there are so many options. You have Newport Beach which I LOVE, Huntington Beach, etc. Such beautiful beaches! However, as you know... I'm partial to the area that I live -- which I consider the best. :) You will be close to it all though! So happy for you Kinsey, and can't wait to hear where you end up!
xoxo
Rachel
I think first you should decide what kind of lifestyle you want. I've only been to OC a few times, but it's definitely more suburban than Los Angeles. If you prefer a more city lifestyle, then I would go with LA.
Within LA, there are a bunch of great little neighborhoods and they're all so different from one another! Culver City is really popular and situated on the west side. What's nice about Culver City is that it's smack dab between West Hollywood and Santa Monica so you've convenient to both. If you live in SaMo, it's always a trek to get to WeHo, and vice versa. The downtown area in Culver City is cute. Palms borders Culver City and the rent is affordable compared to other areas of LA. Westwood is right next to Palms and is also thumbs-up. Try searching for "West LA" as well - there's kind of a weird area between Santa Monica and Westwood that is just known as West LA.
Mid-Wilshire is nice, too. So is Beverly Hills around Doheny...sounds expensive but if you look on Craigslist, some apartments are actually comparable in price!
I know you mentioned Pasadena and it's sooooo cute. SO CUTE. I went there for the Rose Parade and omgosh. Definitely keep that in mind! It's adorable.
Definitely reach out to me if you have any additional questions! I am more than happy to help!
I've never even been to California, so I can't offer any suggestions. (I need to go one day though!) But I hope you find a fantastic place!
you should check out santa monica! by the beach but is in LA. it's almost like the best of both worlds!
i'm no help about CA, but am excited to see where you end up! apartment hunting (and then decorating) is so exciting. i'm moving next month and can't wait.
Oh how exciting!! I'm so happy for you. :) We'll definitely have to get together! Who knows, maybe our men will enjoy playing music together from time to time. ;) Haha.
Personally I would prefer OC...LA is fun to visit but it is MUCH different from San Diego. If you liked the laid back vibe of SD I think you would be more likely to capture that feeling in the OC. LA is intense, the traffic, the business--it is so fast paced and crazy. I mean I love it, you know, it's really fun there, but I am still not sure I could live there.
OH and, I'm applying to a few schools for my masters, and one of them is in Long Beach. :D Hehehe. If I got in there, we'd be even closer!
I'd for sure pick the LA beach communities over OC - Santa Monica and Marina del Rey are super nice with great restaurants, bars, etc. Manhattan and hermosa beaches are really nice too!
I live in San Diego now, but if I had a choice over here and LA - I would pick LA! But orange county does some great options throughout. No matter what you'll be living back amongst California people, traffic, and good weather - I think the biggest factor is whether you want to live in more urban area where everyone is ALWAYS on the go and high paced. Or if you want to live in a place that is a little more family oriented and can have a 'slower' pace to it.
I think either way you'll be happy :)
Wow, I really am behind on my blogging, I had no idea you were moving!! Such a loss for Boston! It sounds like you have something planned for the South End soon, will be the perfect way to see you and catch up on all the exciting details!
Girl, we totally need to email each other! I'm doing apartment hunting in SoCal as well. I need to be close to Long Beach for work. Look at apartments there and in Burbank. I've been finding some great ones. I can give you a link to an apartment company that's had some great ones on their site.
I sadly can't offer you an tips/advice for the LA or OC area. But I feel your pain! I'm looking for an apartment in NYC and it's not a fun process. But the right apartment will come to you and I'm confident you'll find the right place!
Hey Kinsey! I live in between OC and LA. I have lived in So Cal my whole life! Please email or Twitter me if you need help! GOOD luck!!
MandyMChristiansen@gmail.com
I live in Redondo Beach, i love it here. Hermosa, Manhattan, and Long Beach are awesome too!
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