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I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Old Jan 8th 2010, 9:16 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
Hi all. The missus could have a too-good-to-turn-down chance to move to LA with work (she is Canadian) and I've got a few question maybe you guys can help with.

Am I going to find it any easier as a Brit to immigrate with a Canadian spouse? I've only just started looking into things and it looks like I might have to be a resident for 3 months before I start to work? We are in the Netherlands right now and my company here does have a small office in LA and they said they can try and make things work for me, is that the better way to go?

Of course the most important thing to me is my pet rabbit Basil. I'd really like to take him with me. Pretty much every link I've found on google wants me to buy an immigration guide for $50 so does anyone have any advice? Is there a quarantine period or is it all just paperwork.

Finally I love an outdoors life which is why I like Amsterdam. I cycle everywhere and hate driving places. I'm worried that LA is going to be a concrete jungle and not really be for me, but some people have mentioned places like Santa Monica are better than downtown LA. Can I still live a European way of life and get away with it

Any help will be really appreciated, thanks!
You seem to be coming at it from an unusual angle. Do you need to work? Surely that side of it needs to be looked at first.

It is absolutely nothing like Amsterdam and you will be car-dependent here.

Santa Monica is nice but very pricey. 'Downtown' is a specific area of a huge, sprawling city.
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Old Jan 8th 2010, 11:15 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
Finally I love an outdoors life which is why I like Amsterdam. I cycle everywhere and hate driving places. I'm worried that LA is going to be a concrete jungle and not really be for me, but some people have mentioned places like Santa Monica are better than downtown LA. Can I still live a European way of life and get away with it
In LA you can live whatever life you want and be whatever you want to be!

But seriously, LA is not so much a concrete jungle as just huge, in a sprawling American way, which is one reason driving is a necessity for so many people and why public transport is less inviting than it sounds (try taking the bus from Santa Monica to West Hollywood.... half a day later...).

But the LA area is also a place of some fairly distinct, self contained neighborhoods and small cities (such as Santa Monica, Venice, West Hollywood, Silverlake, Los Feliz, Fairfax, etc.) all of which are pretty bike friendly and have some euro aspects to them, all with the wonderful LA climate. Downtown LA is more of a "work" than a "live" area, but also has a few grittier neightborhoods around it.

In fact with the advent of Zipcar and the like it is easier to cope in LA now with just a bike and/or scooter. But "cope" is the operative word. To enjoy it and explore it you really need proper access to a car, even if you don't commute every day. Just visiting friends for an evening can involve a 30 minute drive across the city.

Personally I like LA. For all its faults and problems (and there are many) it is a dynamic place. In many respects, however, it is almost the complete opposite of Amsterdam.

Last edited by wordfool; Jan 8th 2010 at 11:23 pm.
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 12:22 am
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Being outside in LA is great (despite pollution) but if you're looking for a 'European' life-style and you hate driving, then seriously I wouldn't even consider it.
I've spent time in both cities. The closest thing to European lifestyle (IMO) would be Santa Monica or Santa Barbara but LA is HUGE and no doubt you'd spend half your life in a car trying to get to your respective offices unless you could work from home.
No idea about cute bunny or visas though. Sorry.
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 1:05 am
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by wordfool
In LA you can live whatever life you want and be whatever you want to be!

But seriously, LA is not so much a concrete jungle as just huge, in a sprawling American way, which is one reason driving is a necessity for so many people and why public transport is less inviting than it sounds (try taking the bus from Santa Monica to West Hollywood.... half a day later...).

But the LA area is also a place of some fairly distinct, self contained neighborhoods and small cities (such as Santa Monica, Venice, West Hollywood, Silverlake, Los Feliz, Fairfax, etc.) all of which are pretty bike friendly and have some euro aspects to them, all with the wonderful LA climate. Downtown LA is more of a "work" than a "live" area, but also has a few grittier neightborhoods around it.

In fact with the advent of Zipcar and the like it is easier to cope in LA now with just a bike and/or scooter. But "cope" is the operative word. To enjoy it and explore it you really need proper access to a car, even if you don't commute every day. Just visiting friends for an evening can involve a 30 minute drive across the city.

Personally I like LA. For all its faults and problems (and there are many) it is a dynamic place. In many respects, however, it is almost the complete opposite of Amsterdam.
Good analysis. Also - there is a pretty decent light rail that has been implemented recently, so if you were able to live and work close to it, that could help. There's a strong 'beach' culture there too - Venice, Santa Monica, etc. But you are going to have to pay big bucks to live anywhere near any decent area.

Rabit stew sounds like a good avenue for Basil ...
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 1:25 am
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by Steerpike
there is a pretty decent light rail that has been implemented recently, so if you were able to live and work close to it, that could help.
The recent expansion of public transit in LA (metro, light rail, express bus) is nice if it coincides with your route, but therein lies the problem. The city has grown for the last half a century with next to no transit, so building it now is a bit like closing the stable door after the horses have bolted, lived a happy life elsewhere and died of old age. Normally cities grow *around* transit corridors. LA's trying to do it bass ackward. I guess threading light rail lines down the middle of freeways is one way of playing catchup

And maybe one day there will actually be a worthwhile transit link to Hell-A-X
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 10:35 am
  #21  
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Someone told me LA had an underground/metro system, an expansive one, but car companies/oil companies bought it and closed it down. I don't know if that's true or urban myth.

Sally, I wouldn't need to work but in my line of work I would really want a crack at carving a niche out for myself in Hollywood. I'd go stir crazy not working anyway.

Accommodation is going to be provided for 6 months if we do move but what are the best websites to look at for house/apartment rentals? So I can get an idea of what we can afford after that.
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 5:21 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
Someone told me LA had an underground/metro system, an expansive one, but car companies/oil companies bought it and closed it down. I don't know if that's true or urban myth.

Sally, I wouldn't need to work but in my line of work I would really want a crack at carving a niche out for myself in Hollywood. I'd go stir crazy not working anyway.

Accommodation is going to be provided for 6 months if we do move but what are the best websites to look at for house/apartment rentals? So I can get an idea of what we can afford after that.
Try this for one of the places to look for housing. It's mostly through private landlords rather than agencies but should give you an idea of prices.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/apa/

Check out the tabs on the top for more refined searches [westside/southbay, SF valley, etc]
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 5:41 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
Someone told me LA had an underground/metro system, an expansive one, but car companies/oil companies bought it and closed it down. I don't know if that's true or urban myth.

Sally, I wouldn't need to work but in my line of work I would really want a crack at carving a niche out for myself in Hollywood. I'd go stir crazy not working anyway.

Accommodation is going to be provided for 6 months if we do move but what are the best websites to look at for house/apartment rentals? So I can get an idea of what we can afford after that.
That's what an elderly neighbour of mine told me.

Try Realtor.com, I put in rentals in Santa Monica

http://www.realtor.com/?source=suggest
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 7:02 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
Someone told me LA had an underground/metro system, an expansive one, but car companies/oil companies bought it and closed it down. I don't know if that's true or urban myth.
I'm not sure it ever had an underground system but LA did once have a fairly extensive tram system in the 1930s and 1940s that was indeed scrapped (supposedly aided by tire and car companies). Of course, that was back when LA was a lot smaller than it is today. Sadly for most of its post-war growth there was no public transport and instead the city grew around cars and freeways, which is why the city is the sprawling mess it is today.

For apartment/house rentals, give craigslist.org a look to get a feel for what's out there.
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Old Jan 9th 2010, 8:12 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
...
Sally, I wouldn't need to work but in my line of work I would really want a crack at carving a niche out for myself in Hollywood. I'd go stir crazy not working anyway.
...
For this, you are going to have to deal with visa issues ...
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Old Jan 11th 2010, 6:21 am
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

I'm originally from Scotland and lived in LA for 5yrs in an area called "Palms" which was a good price and safe (only one sighting of a guy holding a shotgun, standing on the street corner ), not too far from Venice, Santa Monica and right next to Culver City/Sony Studios. I tried to be european and ride the bus and was able to do so a number of times without too much trouble, but the LA people I worked with, looked down on this method of transport and informed me that only the "crazy" people used the buses. Slightly true...... I used the car mostly. I had a difficult time finding anything European style in LA. Overall, I found the culture a bit shallow and money grabbing. I did however find some good friends in the world of the Arts who were linked with UCLA and USC (university systems there). Venice was the most european like, and it had one of our favorite places to eat called Mao's Kitchen!

I've been to Amsterdam on holiday and it was beautiful..........LA has nothing on it! Hope you have fun, and carrots to Basil
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Old Mar 7th 2010, 6:52 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
moderator note: Split from http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=648105

it looks like we will be moving to San Francisco
So ...

... which is it - San Francisco, Los Angeles or Louisiana?
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Old Mar 7th 2010, 6:59 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

oops, forgot to redirect this thread.

OP's new comment starts a new thread here: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8401906
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Old Mar 7th 2010, 7:22 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by Sally Redux
It is absolutely nothing like Amsterdam and you will be car-dependent here.
I quite agree. LA has better weather but nearly everything else is better in Amsterdam and there certainly is no "European style living" in LA. I'd visit and see what you think, but imagine "files" (traffic jams) that cover the entire city because there isn't adequate public transportation. Very little pedestrian friendly areas unlike the -pleins and -straats and -plaats in Amsterdam. Certainly no European-style shopping unless you hide away in an area like Santa Monica...

Also, your respective jobs are far better protected in the EU. Something to consider.
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Old Mar 7th 2010, 7:23 pm
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Default Re: I am mulling over a move to LA and have some questions

Originally Posted by md95065
So ...

... which is it - San Francisco, Los Angeles or Louisiana?
Well, SF would be slightly more European and slightly more like Amsterdam (certainly liberal enough) but Louisiana?!
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