I grew up in Hollywood, and would consider that about 30-45 minutes from UCLA. So I don't know if I would look too much further east than that.

Ask nostatic about the west side (Santa Monica). Culver City, maybe?

You can also try the Valley. That's nearly a straight shot via the 405/Sepulveda Pass to UCLA. During rush hour, that can easily take 30-45 minutes from Encino, Sherman Oaks, or Van Nuys. Even Tarzana or Studio City. In the Valley, I've found that the further south you are (closer to LA) or the closer you are to Studio City (from an East-West perspective), the more expensive it gets.

Are you both commuting to UCLA? Or did I miss something and it's just one of you?

Maybe you can talk them into moving UCLA to a nicer area, like Orange county for example ;)

You will hate the drive to UCLA from Glendale Pasadena area. I don't know your budget, and I have no idea of what rent is over there, but Palms area, Culver City area. Look at the freeways, the 405 and the 10 are probably the busiest freeways in the World. UCLA is where those two freeways meet.

Check El Segundo too... cool little town... I have taken to hanging out there while waiting to pick people up at LAX... lot of nice shops and restaurants.

He said he is currently working out in San Berdoo but wants to change. Apparently the wife's job is a keeper.

I'd go with Culver City or the westside. If you're going to be north in the valley, try to be near Beverly Glen so you can shoot over the hill. Or check out near Denis, getting "whacked" in his area was an isolated incident.

People hardly ever get OJ stabbed on my block. In fact, it's never happened to me and I've been there for years.

Seriously, where I live is an extremely popular and hip neighborhood. It's also beautiful and close to downtown and 3 major freeways. It's particularly popular with USC students but less so for UCLA people. SC is just a hop/skip/jump from here. Unfortunately, the rents have gone up commensurately over the last 10-15 years as the place caught on. It's the most densely populated neighborhood in L.A. and the 3rd most densely populated in the U.S., after DT and midtown Manhattan. At least according to Wiki:

Koreatown, Los Angeles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Long commutes blow the quality of living completely in Los Angeles. Whoever mentioned Pasadena has no clue about this city. If you could find something in West Hollywood, that would be the ultimate. The commute through Beverly Hills to UCLA is one of the milder, (and prettier), that is possible. Relatively close-in parts of the valley like Sherman Oaks would not be too terrible for UCLA, Westwood or Brentwood would be best but they're pricey. You get what you pay for in terms of lifestyle, though. The areas are nice and practically in UCLA's backyard.

I get your joke about West Hollywood but that's an outsider's view only. It is a desirable area for anyone and gays make good neighbors for the most part. It's chock-full of young chicks and rockers, etc. The only drawback, IMO, is the proximity to clubs on the Sunset Strip. If you are too close to Sunset, it can be a PIA on weekends.

Palms and WLA blow dick but they're affordable, I guess. The geography is nothing but concrete and freeways + crap box post-war apartment bulidings, sort of the stereotypical schit image of L.A.

People get murdered on a random basis absolutely everywhere in the world. There was nothing about the crime I posted on the other thread that has anything to do with the safety of the area. It was personal and happened inside someone's home. That can happen in the most boring part of the OC, where Sammy lives. :cool:

Well, hopefully the wife will get a job when she's done at UCLA! I'm ready to move on from my current employer, and I figure there are more openings in the Los Angeles area whenever I look (I work in I.T.) so it just makes sense to move. I don't want her in the car for four hours a day. Me either.

UCLA, you're f' ked with the the traffic and the price range plus not getting murder. How about Atwater village, Los Feliz, or echo park? They are a bit far but pretty safe for the most part and not too crowded like Mid-city or West LA and a bit cheaper. Just a little bit. Pasadena is a nice town. Burbank is good, about an hour with traffic, it will be a b1tch when it rains. Eagle Rock, highland Park is hip, and are right within your budget, still factor in an hour, without traffic, 20-25 minutes. I know a couple of people that work in UCLA but live in Echo Park. They seem ok with the traffic.

Are you looking for a house, condo, or an Apt? I may have a back house by the June in Eagle Rock.

Yeah, I'm painfully aware of that. It seems like the absolute worst location possible in terms of commute. Especially since I'd prefer to live east of Los Angeles.

Culver City and the Valley sound like good areas to check out further, along with Hollywood. Brentwood probably isn't in my budget right now (see note about wife going to UCLA).

Half of the cities you guys mention I'll need to lookup on Google Maps, but that's good, that's why I asked here.

Thanks.

Yeah, what's so wrong with The Valley. You skipped right over it and pointed out T.O.

i use to live in park la brea apts next to the tar pits around that area you can find near nbc studios

now i live in i.e. outside of moreno valley

CBS, no?

Yeah, he meant CBS. BTW, Pasadena is gorgeous. Just too far from the target, IMO.

yes i meant cbs

Certain areas of the Valley is really nice and quiet, if that's what you are looking for? You WILL learn the "Way" through the little streets going over the hill to avoid traffic. they are there, I use them all the time and not too many people are on them because they are narrow curvy. West of Downtown is too much for me. I need the piece and quiet with less traffic once I get out onto the blvd. from the side street of my house (Absolute possible, you just pay for it). North East or smaller cities east of downtown will do it for me. Try looking at Monterey Hills. There are a bunch of nice condos there with a couple of professors from Usc who rent from my neighbor.

Some of you guys have optimistic ideas about commute time to/from/around UCLA. It once took me 2+ hours to drive from Santa Monica to The Mint (9.4 miles). It is time dependent, but the reality is that the 405/10 area is incredibly busy. Also, getting to K-town and places like Silverlake, etc can be a royal PITA from the westside (K-town less so as at least it is west of the 101). And the valley? I wouldn't do that commute regularly unless you can timeshift or have lots of meds.

I love Pasadena. No way you want to live there and commute to the west side. btdt.

$1400/mo for what size place? Your best bet is west LA, Culver City, Palms. I had a 1-br place in west LA (almost walking distance to UCLA) that was about $1400/mo. The 2br place was more than that. Highly dependent on the building and location. You can check CL or pay $60 for westside rentals subscription. My 2br place in Santa Monica was $2300/mo.

Do you know where your job will be? And is she a student and what's her schedule on campus? Those things all go into the equation.

It's really not that difficult to get to UCLA from here during the traffic hours. You just need to know which roads to take. ;) I used to commute to Century City from Encino and back. The worst traffic was city side. Even DT is not bad. I think the worst has been an hour. It's usually always about a half hour.