BU Alumni Web :: BU Alumni Club of LA

LA Survival Guide

Do I need a car to get around?
Where should I live?
How do I get a job?
Who are my elected officials?
What do I need to know about earthquakes?
How do I keep informed?
Where do I eat?
Does LA have culture?
What are some local film festivals?
What about night life?
What are the local Sports Teams?
What are some local tourist attractions?
What special BU alumni discount can I get in LA?

So, you're thinking of moving to LA? Ah... surf, sun, glamour, blah, blah, blah. Okay, you've got that part down, how about the basics? Here are some answers to common questions on how to survive - and thrive - in Los Angeles. This guide will feature links to some services and organizations. Please note it is merely a sampling; it is not (nor is it meant to be) comprehensive, but a way for you to hit the ground running.

This should get you started. If you have any questions or suggestions for the guide, please feel free to contact us at alumclub@bu.edu.

DO I NEED A CAR TO GET AROUND?

Do you need a winter coat in Boston? Theoretically, you could take mass transportation, but stops are far apart and the bus system is definitely not run by Mussolini. The subway is clean, efficient and worth seeing, but let's face it, how safe would you feel in a hole in the ground should an earthquake strike (more on that later)? And walking? Well, to use the line from a song, "Nobody walks in LA."

A car is currently the only viable option for most Angelenos. If that is your option, we highly recommend getting a Thomas Guide, which is the map (or rather, book of maps) of choice for most Angelenos. Also, insurance is quite expensive in the Golden State, so shop around. Not only is it required, but your gonna need it with all the crazy drivers who come here from elsewhere. :-)

Thomas Guide
Los Angeles Traffic Incident Information Page (so you can get around those pesky SIG alerts):
California Highway Patrol
CalTrans

Back to top

WHERE SHOULD I LIVE?

Los Angeles offers a great choice in neighborhoods, all with a distinct identity. In fact, the communities within each of the areas below are quite different from one another. Because of the vastness of Los Angeles, this segment will concentrate on only four areas. This is not exact, folks, nor are all the communities in each area listed - it is merely a sampling of some neighborhoods in LA:

BEACH CITIES (Malibu, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Venice, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach)

Pluses: For many people, this is the Southern California ideal. If you like an active, athletic lifestyle this is the place to live; the area has good shopping and restaurants.

Minuses: The Beach Cities are so ideal for so many people that parking is difficult. Generally, finding a place to live is neither easy nor cheap. With the exception of Venice, Marina Del Rey and Santa Monica, the other Beach Cities are a bit removed from Los Angeles and can be a commuting nightmare. Sections of Venice are not the safest.

Notable: Great surfing in Malibu; Santa Monica has the Pier and 3rd Street Promenade; Venice has Muscle Beach and is a bastion for the "artsy" crowd.

If the Beach Cities had an official TV show it would be: the original "Baywatch".

WESTSIDE (Brentwood, Westwood, West L.A., Culver City, Century City, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood)

Pluses: The word that best describes the Westside is "trendy." Terrific central location; great shopping and restaurants.

Minuses: The word that best describes the Westside is "trendy." High tourist quotient, traffic is an unmitigated nightmare on Santa Monica Blvd. and Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood; some rentals are affordable (West LA & Culver City), but most are quite pricey (the rest of the area).

Notable: Large core of the entertainment industry is located here including Sony Pictures (Culver City) and Fox (Century City); Westwood is home to UCLA; West Hollywood has the Sunset Strip and a sizable Russian and gay & lesbian community.

If the Westside had an official TV show it would be: "Beverly Hills 90210".

MID CITY (Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Hancock Park, Larchmont, Silverlake, Los Feliz, Atwater Village)

Pluses: "Cutting-edge" and "artsy"are two terms frequently used to describe this area; probably one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse areas of Los Angeles. Rents vary and, in certain areas, can be the most affordable outside the San Fernando Valley. Close to downtown Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium.

Minuses: Hollywood is a big old tourist trap; commuting can be a nightmare; the crime rate is higher in some portions of the area.

Notable: Hollywood is home to Paramount Studios, the shops on Melrose Avenue, the Walk Of Fame and many, many tourist haunts; Los Feliz has the American Film Institute, Griffith Observatory & the Greek Theatre; Silverlake has a large gay & lesbian population.

If Mid City had an official TV show it would be: "The Real World".

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (Woodland Hills, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, North Hollywood, Universal City & Burbank)

Pluses: Rents are more affordable than the Westside and parts of the Valley give you reasonable access to all points in the metropolitan area.

Minuses: In the summer, the Valley gets really hot (anywhere from 10-20 degrees hotter than the "other side of the hill") and when it's not baking, parts of the Valley flood during the winter (our rainy season). No one will call The Valley "trendy" or "artsy"... at least not yet...

Notable: ...there is a nascent arts district in North Hollywood that has been dubbed NoHo. The Valley is home to another large core of the entertainment industry; Universal, Warner Bros. and Disney Studios are located here. The Bradys (you know - Mike, Carol, their six kids with that wacky housekeeper, Alice) lived in Sherman Oaks.

TV show that epitomizes the Valley: What else - "The Brady Bunch".

If you are budget-conscious, there are a couple of factors to consider if you move to Los Angeles on your own:

1) Share a place, be it an apartment, condo or house. Not only does it cut your housing costs, it also can be a great way to meet new people. You can try your luck by checking the papers, or you can use a number of roommate services which, for a fee, will match you with others who have similar profiles.

2) If you are worried about the current energy crisis in California, Los Angeles is not affected because the city gets its power from the DWP (Department of Water and Power) and does not have to worry about ther rate increases or blackouts. Other communities, such as West Hollywood, Universal City and Santa Monica get their power from Southern California Edison and thus are subject to the increases and potential blackouts. Energy costs for cities that get their power from Southern California Edison are about one third higher than in Los Angeles.

Back to top

HOW DO I GET A JOB?

At the risk of sounding like our brains have been baking in the California sun for too long, everyone's path and experience is different. The most important thing is to start contacting people and conducting informational interviews. This will help you know the market and the "players" in the field you are interested in. It will also help you focus on what you really want to do.

At the outset, you have three BU-related resources to call upon. One is the Los Angeles Alumni Club (like we weren't going to take this opportunity to plug the club). Our networking event, BU Connections, is a great way to meet alums and start the process going. While we can't guarantee you will get a job (although it has for some people), BU Connections is a way to find out what's available and lead you in the right direction. A second resource is our on-line community, the LA Cyber Forum, which we encourage you to sign onto. And finally, there is the Career Advisory Network at Boston University. Take advantage of all three; goodness knows you've spent enough on tuition!

Career Advisory Network (CAN): 800-800-3466, 617-353-5261, or alumni@bu.edu

A comprehensive listing for entertainment/communication job links

Back to top

WHO ARE MY ELECTED OFFICIALS?

City of Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
California State Assembly
California State Senate
California Governor's Office
US House of Representatives
US Senate

Back to top

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EARTHQUAKES?

The Midwest has tornadoes; the East Coast has hurricanes. We have earthquakes (and fires and floods and landslides, but that's nothin'). It is highly recommended you prepare your home, office and car with supplies and are constantly aware that earthquakes can happen at anytime. It's not a question of "if" The Big One (a quake of a magnitude 8.0+ on the San Andreas Fault) will hit, but when. Most seismologists think The Big One will occur sometime within the next 30 years. Add to the mix the dozens of faults underneath Los Angeles (such as the fault found from 1994's Northridge quake) and you will realize the urgency of being prepared. Because of their location in the Los Angeles area, some of these smaller faults have the potential to be as devastating as The Big One. If you are prepared, it will greatly increase your odds of survival.

And, another thing:

One measure of your becoming a full-fledged Angeleno (and not just a transplant) is when you can accurately guess the magnitude of an earthquake before Cal Tech makes its announcement. When you can do that, Los Angeles is home.

Here are some good earthquake information sites to help you be prepared:

City Of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department
Southern California Earthquake Center
California Office of Emergency Services
American Red Cross

Back to top

HOW DO I KEEP INFORMED?

Los Angeles has a number of papers, among them:

LA Weekly
LA Times
LA Daily News

And, for entertainment news:

Billboard
The Hollywood Reporter
Variety

Back to top

WHERE DO I EAT?

Los Angeles County has some of the best - and most creative - restaurants. With it's diverse population, you can experience the cuisine of the world within an area the size of Lichtenstein. For restaurant reviews, check:

Zagat Guide

Back to top

DOES L.A. HAVE CULTURE?

Los Angeles has one of the most vibrant cultural scenes today. While the East Coast has been greatly influenced by Europe, Los Angeles is suffused with the vitality and talent of Latin American, Native American and Asian culture. The city is also blessed with talented young artists from around the country and the world.

Visual Arts
Art Share Los Angeles
J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Norton Simon Museum
Southwest Museum
Museum of Contemporay Art (MOCA)
Museum of Jurrasic Technology
Museum of Tolerance
California African American Museum
Descanso Gardens
Huntington Library & Gardens
Museum of Television & Radio