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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
moving to L.A. - suggestions downtown?
Hi ladies!
My DH and I are moving from NYC to L.A. at the end of November. We have temporary housing and need to find a place before the end of the year. Does anyone have info or suggestions for apartments in Downtown L.A.? We like the idea of living in walking distance to restaurants or bars. And while we're discussing it, any great restaurants that we should check out?
Thanks for any help you could give. 
Danielle
Re: moving to L.A. - suggestions downtown?
Welcome to this coast! My girlfriend lives in a really cool building across the street from LA Live. That's really where you want to live. It's on flower and 9th. I'll try to get the name of it. The Eastern building is also very cool.
Have you been here before? If you haven't our downtown is nothing like NY. There are a lot of places in LA that you can walk to restaurants and bars that you may like better.
PM me if you want to discuss : )
Personally, I would think if you are moving from New York to LA and liked living in New York - then you will be pretty disappointed living in Downtown LA. We lived in Downtown a few years ago and have friends that still live there - and while there continues to be more condos, apartments, and restaurants being built - it still has quite a long ways to go in my opinion. It is definitely not a traditional downtown.
One of the things I love about LA is that there are so many different neighborhoods, that all have their distinct feel. There are a lot of great neighborhoods that are within walking distance to restaurants and bars and it really just depends on your personality as far as which neighborhood is a best fit.
Another big factor is where you work - commuting can be a beast so its always best to consider the commute when deciding where to live.
Daisy - YGPM
Wishin - I'm going to be working by LAX but my husband is going to work in downtown. We wanted to try to be within walking distance/short drive of his office. My friend lives downtown and said there were good bars and restaurants nearby. I'd love to be able to walk for brunch and bars or to run a few errands from our apartment - if that's possible?
I did just hear today that a Target is opening downtown - so that should help! Other than that as far as I know there is only one grocery store - Ralphs. And for stores - I think one mall with eh stores. For bars and restaurants and grocery store etc. I would stay near Figueroa and 7th ish area - towards the Southern side of Downtown - it will be the easiest area to get by with walking to most places. And LA Live is on the south side of Downtown as well.
We moved from the east coast as well - we grew up in Boston. Coming from cities like Boston and New York its just very different. But like I said Downtown is going through a huge revitalization - its just taking sometime. I remember I was on an e-mail list where they would send out surveys asking what people wanted Downtown - and also they were trying to make sure that taxis were available.
I agree about 7th and figueroa. Spring street is also a big up-and-coming area that's sort of gentrifying. When you get here, let us know! I can recommend a lot of bars and restaurants downtown. Some of my favorite bars are Seven Grand, Library Bar, Las Perlas, and Broadway Bar. Cool restaurants include Cole's (french dip sandwiches), Rivera, Zucca, Nickle Diner (brunch) and Wurstkuche (craft beer and sausages).
I feel like there are more great bars and restaurants in Hollywood, but for where you'll be working, downtown will be good for you. It's also gentrifying, unlike Hollywood, which gentrified (again) about 10 years ago and is now a bit overpriced (and I say that as someone who lives in WeHo on the Hollywood border). Also, public transit downtown is better than in almost any other area of LA. Will you be taking the train to work? Depending on where you work, the green line goes out to the LAX area. I would take the subway everywhere if I lived downtown!
I also suggest getting a WestsideRentals.com account. Everyone I know who uses it finds a place, usually in a lot less than 2-3 months. That's how we found our apartment.
40/112
you'll quickly learn that there are 'westsiders' and 'eastsiders' in LA and never the twain shall meet or however that goes.
i worked downtown for 9 years ('01 to '10) and it's changed and has gotten A LOT better and more vibrant. i went down there for drinks recently and didn't even recognize it, it's very hip and lively now.
don't live near LA live- go towards flower, spring street, etc., more north and east of LA Live-- that's a big tourist trap.
don't listen to the haters. downtown is great. it's no NYC, but still pretty rad.
we lived in Miracle Mile, near Hancock Park/LACMA (LA Cty Museum of Art) for 6 years- a great neighborhood, very east-coast feel, walkable, young area for-up and coming types. it took me 15 minutes to get into downtown in the morning, easy. maybe 30 getting home, at worst. getting to LAX area wouldn't be bad,either, from miracle mile. now, getting to LAX from downtown will be a PITA and there isn't a train that goes down there.
good luck deciding! LA is great.