where to live in LA?

[Cman]

You live in the Bay Area??  Whereabouts, and why have we not watched a Celtics game together?! 

That is a good question! My wife and I live in Sonoma County, about an hour north of SF in Wine Country! I do not remember the last Celtics game we did not watch! Where in the Bay Area are you located?

Man, I am jealous.  It is beautiful up there.  My wife an I used to go there frequently for wine tasting.  Less so now...

[TheGreenThumb]

I lived in Pasadena for 15 years so I am very familiar with the area. I would not recommend living in the LA downtown area.  Since you want to minimize commuting, there are pretty nice communities that are within a 10-20 mile radius from downtown LA.  Plus, you should be able to catch Metrolink service to downtown LA on several stops along the 210 freeway or (I believe) in Pasadena, too.

Someone already mentioned Glendale & Burbank.  I would add South Pasadena, Pasadena (although avoid the N/W area of town), San Marino (expensive),  Montrose, La Canda Flintridge (kinda expensive), Arcadia (kinda expensive), Sierra Madre, Monrovia.  These cities are all very livable.  There's nite life in Old Town Pasadena which also has tons of excellent restaurants.  Some of the smaller cities I mentioned are quaint and quiet.  Although these communities are not close to the beach, they lie close to the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains.  During smog free days, and especially during the winter, the mountain view is beautiful.

On the other side of town, I think that North Hollywood may also be a good choice for you.

Good luck!

[Cman]

I would not recommend living in the LA downtown area. 

Thanks for the detailed post.  What is the matter with LA downtown? crime?

[Danimals]

Cman, opinions will differ. It all depends on your priorities and specific requirements:

1) If you want to settle down and have kids, go buy a nice house in San Marino or La Canada. Being near Caltech and JLP(NASA), these school districts are the best and second best, respectively, in the entire state.

2) If you want to live in a safe, urban neighborhood that is along the Metro rail, look at the Old Town Pasadena area.

3) If you are a good cook and do a lot of it, keep in mind that the largest farmers market in LA is nearby in South Pasadena (also along the Metro rail).

4) LA downtown is nice if you are thinking of one of the new condos. 

5) USC is a bad area. Dont live there, unless the wife hails from Oakland (no, I'm not referring to the part of Oakland bordering Berkeley).

6) Smog is a problem. The aforementioned San Gabriel mountains only show themselves in late December, or when the Santa Ana winds blow. If you wnat to live a few years longer, check out the coastal communities on the west side of town. Beware though, places like Long Beach can actually have worst air than places like Culver City.

7) Try to minimize your carbon footprint. Lots of places are accessible via Metro: Staples Center, LA Convention Center, Pantages, Kodak Theater, Hollywood Bowl, etc.

[Big Ticket]

You live in the Bay Area??  Whereabouts, and why have we not watched a Celtics game together?! 

That is a good question! My wife and I live in Sonoma County, about an hour north of SF in Wine Country! I do not remember the last Celtics game we did not watch! Where in the Bay Area are you located?

Man, I am jealous.  It is beautiful up there.  My wife an I used to go there frequently for wine tasting.  Less so now...

Never ended up seeing these responses, but to the two Bay Area residents... I am on the peninsula, about 30 minutes south of San Francisco.

[RAcker]

As far away from Kobe as possible, because you know as well as I do that when he's in the mood, ain't nothin' stoppin' him.