I moved to LA last summer after blindly accepting a job offer here. Without any expectations, I have been pleasantly surprised: The weather, landscape, car culture, and food have all blown me away. While it's not a partivularly attractive city, and it can't really be summarized in a photograph due to its expansiveness, it has been much more a wonderland than the wasteland that it is often portrayed.
My yearlong stay in the city is about to come to a close, so I'm off to the inland empire, closer to work.
shhhhhhhhh....
As some have to be reminded, there is a reason why real estate is so expensive here.
The inland empire (Riverside area)... well.... lets just say that Breaking Bad was originally going to be set there...
Thousand Oaks? I've made a few laps through the canyons between your area and Malibu.
Real estate is something else here. My place in koreatown will be 19% more expensive for the next tenant than when I signed last year.
I can see Breaking Bad taking place in the IE -- especially considering how huge, desolate, and broke San Bernardino county is.
If I live my entire life without ever stepping foot in LA, or actually any part of Cali, I will die a happy man.
I live in the Inland Empire. Its been a year and 3 months since I've moved from Virginia to here. Have had no issues with crime around here. Yeah IE isn't as glorious or beautiful as OC and SD or as popular as LA. But, its slower and easy. Plus you can get a lot of garage for your money.
Riverside is really nice in my opinion. I live one city east of it called Moreno Valley. Really ain't much here lol.
Nick_Comstock wrote:
If I live my entire life without ever stepping foot in LA, or actually any part of Cali, I will die a happy man.
I've now lived in TX, FL, and CA. LA is a lot of things: It is "The Industry," yes, but it is really what you make of it. I have only seen some of CA, but I have seen some breathtaking scenery here. If someone forces you at gunpoint to visit the state, I recommend visiting Big Sur. Stay at the Ragged Point Inn.
In reply to yupididit:
I'm just north of you, in Colton!
Inland Empire = Fon-tucky
There was a street there Whitram Ave where you could get anything you wanted with the right amount of cash.
Space Shuttle parts to freshly cooked meth, carnal delights to a hit man, it was all there on one street.
I have only been to LA a few times for trade shows, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it out there. At least down by the convention center.
In reply to Mitchell:
Hi neighbor, I cut through there about once a week haha.
I'm in LA every year for a while. It is less populated than pre-2008 levels, the economy drop caused a small diaspora so the population density has consequently dropped. At least that's what residents tell me when I ask where all the people went. It makes it much more livable. Weather is so perfect. Easy to get around. I always miss it when I leave but I couldn't live there. I'm incorporating some of the common landscape features in my own landscape design to remind me of it when I'm at home.
bluej
SuperDork
6/29/15 9:22 a.m.
bentwrench wrote:
Inland Empire = Fon-tucky
There was a street there Whitram Ave where you could get anything you wanted with the right amount of cash.
Space Shuttle parts to freshly cooked meth, carnal delights to a hit man, it was all there on one street.
There's a spot like that here in DC. It's at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Maryland Aves. 
Cool, glad that L.A. took good care of you.
Grew up north of there in the Santa Barbara area. Miss the canyon roads and the beaches (surfing). Still have family in the area and just left there a few days ago visiting family. Don't have much in my line of work there though.
I'm usually in LA and/or San Diego a couple weeks a year. Great place to visit but with the laws, population and cost of living I'll avoid moving there if I can avoid it. My best friend has been out there for about 5-6 years and loves it.
stroker
SuperDork
6/29/15 8:37 p.m.
Just got back from a four day family visit to Santa Ana. Generally, they can keep it.
I spent last week in Laguna and the Irvine area. I love the whole area and I could easily move here. I spent my life as a kid watching the Rose Bowl parade and seeing the mild winter thinking about California as Chicago was under a blanket of snow.
We did some body surfing last week at Laguna beach and I was amazed at the workout I got when those waves hit me. My 12 year old daughter freaked and for some reason was hoping the waves were smaller.
Another glimpse from my childhood - all the cool stuff was in California.
stroker
SuperDork
6/30/15 10:58 a.m.
In reply to Datsun310Guy:
Doncha wish you'd socked away two or three of those back in the day? Sheesh....
stroker wrote:
In reply to Datsun310Guy:
Doncha wish you'd socked away two or three of those back in the day? Sheesh....
My parents couldn't afford a Schwinn and got me a Murray bicycle - maybe 1/2 the cost? I love those old Krates.
84FSP
Reader
6/30/15 8:24 p.m.
Wanted to love Cali as I spend a fair bit of time traveling to customers there in San Jose for work. Sadly it doesn't seem to love me as I attract an impressive series of expensive bad events every time I show up.
I'm about 30 minutes north of Riverside in the High Desert. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the Victorville area but my job is nearby so I'm attempting to work with it. I really enjoy running around the San Bernardino mountains with the car, there's a lot of off highway vehicle recreation areas, and the BLM areas, while trashy, are pretty loose about shooting out there.
Not my first choice of places to live but I have to admit that it's cool seeing all the old J-Tin out there and the national parks are pretty fantastic.
