That's just an hour from where I live now, but to me it feels big and crazy exciting!
Also, and I'm afraid to even write this because what if something goes wrong but Anthony is also moving from Sacramento to LA. I guess if he changes his mind I can buy ten cats to hang out with me instead.
This will mark the end of 2 years of long distance. Frankly, there was about a .001% chance of me getting a decent job in Sacramento given my field, so it's a pretty big relief that he got a good opportunity down here. I'm also relieved because my travel schedule just got a hell of a lot easier. I love flying, travel, and airport bars are the best but being unable to commit to anything for two consecutive weekends gets old after a while...
And I won't lie, it's also scary. Any big change brings nervous butterflies. WAHHHH!
I'm moving in about a month. Please let me know if you live up there and want to be best friends. Also let me know if you want to do track workouts or go to a public pool for laps.
The Hunt: I've spent the last two weekends apartment / condo hunting which has been painful to say the least. It been about ten degrees hotter than a lava pit and my thirteen year old car's AC is less than stellar. Also, rental agents in LA appear to operate on a time scale that is indecipherable to the rest of the population.
"Hi I'm here for the open house at 1 PM?"
"Oh we're going to lunch, come back at 2PM"
"But...but...you said..."
::Rent agent goes back into her Cold War style bunker and locks the door::
Additionally, in a phenomenon that appears to be exclusive to Southern California, most places don't have refrigerators. This blows my mind. Who the hell travels with their own refrigerator? I will happily use an old refrigerator the last tenet used. Just Windex that shit down and I'm good to go.
Between the rental dude that yelled at me "NO PETS! YOU DON'T HAVE PET! NO PET!" and the lady who was showing me the place at the same time as she was trying to manage a cockroach extermination at the same place, I've wanted to smother myself with a pile of rental application several times.
Hoarders: I've moved four times in since 2008 which is a good thing because I am forced to get rid of most of my stuff. And I am too cheap to pay for professional movers. So I own like nothing. I've been living off roommates stuff since college which has worked out pretty well. Usually someone already has a couch they want to use...and I'm happy to sit on it rather than insisting on using my own.
Still, despite the fact that I buy nothing substantial, my place without fail ends up resembling an episode of hoarders.
"Those pipecleaners I bought for a stupid costume five years ago? Don't throw them out, I might need them someday...".
Basically, in order to avoid being a TLC special, I'm going to have to continue moving on a yearly basis.
Who's to say what's next!
LA Fear: I've lived in LA before when I went to UCLA for grad school. I wasn't very happy.
I had no friends, parking sucked, and I had no money. Also, as someone who loves to chat up everyone (like cashiers at the grocery store, etc.), I found LA pretty unfriendly.
But I'm trying to be really excited for LA this time around. I'm moving pretty close to the beach and to an area that's just between urban and suburban. Target accessible and fun bar accessible all at once.
And I'll be damned if I'm going to let the cashiers get away with not talking to me this time around.
"HI RALPHS EMPLOYEE HOW IS YOUR DAY GOING TODAY???"
"TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR LIFE AS YOU CHECK OUT MY GROCERIES!!! OR ELSE I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THE 5K I JUST RAN INCLUDING EACH 400 METER SPLIT!!"
...and so it begins.... =)
I also just moved to West LA in July! I also have no friends! I moved from San Diego- where everyone is nice and friendly. So far, everyone in LA sucks. I swear I'm not normally this weird, just excited that someone is going to have the same experience as I am having!
ReplyDeleteYes! Let's be friends. Let's connect in a few weeks when I'm all moved. Sorry everyone sucks. But glad you agree ;).
DeleteCongratulations! I hope it's an awesome move and you can make friends with 10weekplan and live happily ever after! But for reals, try to enjoy it. Abbot Kinney is fun and funky, decent shopping on promenade. Getty is fun for an afternoon stroll and if you feel like running trails you can start near Will Rogers in the palisades and I can meet you from the valley side ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice! I've hit up the Will Rogers trails before and am looking forward to going there.
DeleteI will visit and keep you company with your cats or better yet boyfriend. I miss L.A. And I need penguins frozen yogurt.
ReplyDeleteThat would be awesome. Just name the date.
DeleteGood luck girl! I'd be scared shitless to live in LA.....but then again I'm from UT. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha. Hey...I loved Utah when I visited...
DeleteI love chatting people up at the store haha When I was a cashier I had some of the best conversations. If a cashier won't talk beyond "hi" I automatically associate them with being rude. And I always make sure to tell the cashier (and the bagger if there is one) to have a nice day. It bothers me when they don't say it first. Whatever happened to being friendly? West Coast or East Coast....both unfriendly. Good luck with the move! I've only really moved twice and luckily haven't accumulated a lot of stuff yet...
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteHere is how my runs changed in LA: 1. I play a game called "count the homeless". 2. The lingering smell of marijuana as you run past someone at 5 am (seriously, at 5 am? Get some sleep man.). 3) run in the morning because evenings have odd people out still. 4) track workouts aroun my block because all the schools are locked down
ReplyDeleteDude do you live in Compton? lolz.
DeleteI live in LA! Well, Sherman Oaks, but its just on the other side of the hill from the westside, and I'm desperately trying to move to the westside. I know of good pools all over the place, thank you ironman training, and will start doing more pool swimming when its too cold for ocean swims, in october (still doing some now) if you want company. And, I'm not nearly fast enough to run with you, but i'll come to the track and pretend to run fast (i also know of tracks that are open). LA local and native here - its not so bad, I have lots of great friends and am happy to share them :)
ReplyDeleteCool let's do it! Especially if you move to the westside :).
DeleteGood luck with the move and no refridgerators, are they serious?! I used to move every year to a different apartment in the same city, I know right it sounds crazy but I would get bored or change roommates lol
ReplyDeleteBut I bought a townhouse almost 3 years ago and bought all new furniture and I guess I secretly became an old lady but it's all worked out nicely. Hope everything works out for you, some day I am going to make it out to Cali to visit all you lovely ladies!
Yes the fridge thing is ridic! Can't wait for you to come visit ;).
DeleteChange is good! I'm glad Anthony will be closer (no jinx)--I know the long-distance thing well and am glad I won't have to do it again. Hopefully you won't either! :^)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely hope this is the end of long distance. Thanks for the well wishes!
DeleteI find that the cashiers at Trader Joe's are more than happy to chat you up. They're always super nice and friendly.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I live in West LA! This means we have to get drinks. I don't know about morning track sessions since I like to sleep enough just to make it to work in time.
Yes let's get a drink! Woo hoo. Yeah trader joe's is definitely the home of friendly cashiers. Must be all that delicious stuff.
DeleteOooh, sucky parking is the worst, but it sounds like your improved travel schedule might balance that con out by a lot. Good luck - hope everything works out with your boyfriend moving too! Or the ten cats, whichever!
ReplyDeleteYeah improved travel schedule rocks. I think I just valued my boyfriend at 1/10th a cat?
DeleteI actually love LA! Except I lived in Manhattan & Hermosa Beach so, the vibe is different than up in LA proper (I'm not a huge fan of Hollywood). Those where you're moving too you'll be in the middle of SM and Southbay so I think it'll be good!
ReplyDeleteIF YOU LOVE LA SO MUCH WHY DON'T YOU MARRY IT????
Delete(come run something in LA and visit.)
I guess I'll just have to do the LA Marathon since that will be a simple roll off of your couch next year!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI hope it goes well on all fronts!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the move : )
ReplyDeleteoh dang girl, good luck with moving!! i HATE all that packing but i hope once it's all done and over with u're happy in LA. and if that Ralph's employee isn't interested in ur splits just make fun of his acne or something. jk.
ReplyDeletePS- i'm also here on a little recruiting mission. i'm doing this little Sept. Miles Madness Challenge and trying to get all the cool kids to join my team. if u've got a sec and are interested feel free to check it out. :) http://caitchock.com/the-september-miles-madness-competition-team-cait-vs-team-ashley/
Hey! I just got back from vacation but I'll check it out as soon as I can :).
DeleteI am so glad you didn't move to Sacto. I don't think you would have liked it. Yay for no more long distance!
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping all goes wonderfully :)
Thanks for the well wishes. Yay no more long dist!
DeleteGlad to have found your blog...I'm your newest follower. :) Jessica
ReplyDeleteWelcome!
DeleteYay! Now you can spend your travel time visitng meeeeeeeeee!
ReplyDeleteExactly. In fact, I'm thinking this is the year to come for the christmas party? What do you think?
DeleteOddly enough, I have not gotten like 5 emails for the xmas party already, so I dont know exactly when it is, but I am sure I will be in town. Our guest bedroom has your name on it. Bring Anthony! hmmmm, maybe that is not the best intro to Texas.
DeleteNew follower and neighbor! I'll also go to the track and pretend to run fast! I bike as well, if you're looking for a biking buddy! => and, when not feeling too shy, I've been known to chat up and crack a joke with a cashier or two, Midwest roots die hard I guess! ;)
ReplyDeleteI do need a biking buddy for sure. And thank you for reading!
DeleteCongrats on the big life chance! Long distance sucks. I'm just north of LA... people seem friendly up here! Definitely friendlier than in NJ, which is where I lived for 6+ years up until this past February before making the cross-country move. I, too, thought it was weird that we had to purchase appliances. We bought a used fridge, washer & dryer all from a place in Mission Hills and got a decent deal though (and free delivery). The realtor that helped us find our rental recommended a place for used appliances in Hawthorne if you want his info. We didn't use him because he didn't deliver all the way up where I live, but he came highly recommended.
ReplyDeleteHey! I moved to LA last year from NYC and also live near the beach on the west side in SM ( by the Venice Whole Foods). I run track workouts with TCLA http://www.trackclubla.org/ on Tuesday nights at the Santa Monica Track and do long runs with a few running friends or with LARR http://www.lamarathon.com/roadrunners/ usually in Brentwood and Santa Monica. On Wednesday mornings I used to do hill workouts with a group of early runners in Westridge or Sullivan Canyon but have been staying pretty flat for Chicago.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to get together for I usually do track Tuesdays, tempo Thursdays and long runs Sat I'm running Chicago in 2 weeks and if don't BQ maybe will do CIM. Anyway, contact me if you want to run!