L.A. Strutters : help needed (NRR)

izm707

Ok, here's the deal...My wife and I need to relocate from Paris to Los Angeles from Nov 15th 2007 to Feb 15th 2008, with a possibility to extend the trip to May 15th 2008. Since wifey needs to evolve around the SFV area (Burbank and Studio City mostly) and the Hollywood area (B.Hills, WeHo and such), we decided to rent a fully furnished apt in those areas, knowing that we are traveling with 6 months old baby.I managed to get some help from a friend who happened to live in Culver City, but other than that, i'm pretty lost. I learned the map and discovered many interesting things about L.A. but i still have a big issue that i need to clarify and i wish strutters onboard could help me with that.During my quest to find an apt, i came across a dude named Sholom Fine. I never met him. Just emails and phone. He and his wife Debra have a bizness going on called "LA Furnished Apts". They are situated 462 North McCadden Place LA., CA. 90004. Sholom proposed me a lease that fits my needs for two apts situated N Hayworth Ave. LA 90048 (one on Rosewood, the other on Oakwood). Included : High Speed Internet, Utilities, Gated garage Parking, HBO Sat.27" TV 250 Channels, Stereo, CD, Cordless phone, Answer machine, Queen-sized bed, Dresser Mirror set, Sofa bed in living room, Framed art, Microwave, Pots & Pans, Flatware, Dishes, Linens, Towels, laundry in building. Here's some pics : My questions are : -does anybody know Sholom??? (The Lord works in mysterious ways sometimes...)-does anybody live in that particular area or know that particular area very-well so they can tell me more about it?-does anybody think/know it's a scam since i would seal the deal on Internet, sending deposit fees, wihtout meeting or visiting first?-does anybody have a clue about a small family living over there since i was told it's an all-gay area and not very family-oriented?and last but not least, should i go for it knowing that the rent is 2300$ all inlcuded. Thnks in advance for the replies.

street_muzik

street_muzik

BTW, it's not the gay area. It's near a part of Fairfax that is a historic Jewish area but now has recently been revived as LA's streetwear center with Supreme, Alife, Diamond Supply, The Hundreds, Reserve, Labcabin, Bape, Crooks & Castles, etc.

I live less than a mile from here and really enjoy it. That's all I know. It's not really for most people. LA lifestyle in effect to the fullest.

grandpa_shig

i dont know who sholom fine is. i can tell u the address he's given you is in hancock park which is a very expensive area.

i can also tell u that the location of the apt is nowhere near the sfv nor a freeway for that matter. and traffic in that area is fairly bad. other than that its prolly family friendly...for LA.

if u are looking for a more typical family lifestyle experience, i would suggest toluca lake or sherman oaks in the valley.

asprin

Hayworth & Rosewood is def. a historic Jewish neighborhood with some Russian sprinklings. You will be close to Labcabin ... if that matters... a couple blocks away. Otherwise, it's a decent neighborhood, I've walked through there before and it's centrally located to a lot of west hollywood, LA & West LA stuff.

Getting over to SFV will be fairly easy too as she can hop on Crescent Heights and cut through the hills until it turns to Laurel Canyon on the other side. Don't know shalom btw.

izm707

Thanks y'all...I just needed confirmation about the kind of area it was. I've checked his company out (BBB) and everything seems legit. I'm dwelling in the realms of craiglist since three months and i didn't come across much valuable offers fitting my needs. So i think i'm gonna go for it. I hope to see some of you there...

street_muzik

i can tell u the address he's given you is in hancock park

Not true, it's in the Fairfax, north of Beverly, south of WeHo.

edit: oh I see, you mean the McCadden address.

Belson

You should try calling the company that I currently rent with. Largely based around the Culver City/Santa Monica area, they have some excellent units and much cheaper than what you're currently being quoted.

The Roberts Company

If you need more info, PM me and I'll see what I can do.

rootlesscosmo

there's a good kosher fish spot not far from that address.

karlophone

i sometimes live in LA, about a 10 min walk from that one on hayworth. that area is as others have said: jewish, dash of russian, fresh influx of Turntable lab, etc on fairfax, very hipster-centric, short drives/medium to long walks from all things Bev Hills, Melrose, WeHo, and Hollywood. the burbank thing is not close, but by LA standards its no big thing - 20 minutes if its not rush "hour" (3-8 pm). just a zig zag up fairfax/hollywood/labrea/franklin, to cahuenga/101 then slip over on Barham (pass the Oakwood aka Smokewood apts, home of countless child actors and rock bands), down into burbank. [Add 30 min if its 5 pm, add 1 hour if its 5 pm on friday]. as for the deal, $2300 for that area is actually normal. looks like a 1 bedroom though? hopefully youre getting a 2 bedroom for that $. still, its got all the sweet hookups, is already furnished, and im sure its family friendly. welcome! i seem to be in LA less and less this past year, but i plan on holding onto my piece of the apt pie for the time being. maybe we'll run into each other.

izm707

Thanks Karl...i'm looking forward to catch up with you when i'm over there. And thanks for the directions for Burbank. The time it takes is not that much of a problem. I tought it would be worse. People actually forget that LA traffic is far from being the worse in the World and Paris could be his best competitor...lol.
I know i'm asking a lot of things, but you wouldn't happen to know what's the best deal to rent a car when i'm over there? I guess buying a second hand car is out of question, so i wanna rent one. Any hint?
And about that Kosher Restaurant, i'ma fish lover, so i'm all ears open if you wanna shoot the nae or the adress... ;-)

street_muzik

The Hundreds just posted a photo article about the spot one block from the apt.

http://www.thehundreds.com/wordpress/?p=2460

I was in Diamond Supply Co today in fact.

izm707

Thx for the link...and while i'm at it, what about the weather?? What should i expect around the time i'll over there?

mannybolone

Thx for the link...and while i'm at it, what about the weather?? What should i expect around the time i'll over there?

Winters are usually relatively mild in Los Angeles - expect average temps in the 50s to low 60s for most of the months you'll be there. Not a ton of rain (L.A. is in a desert zone, after all) though Nov is the beginning of the wet season in L.A. (again, we're talking something like 2 inches of rain A MONTH...not exactly Seattle). No snow, though on the coldest days, the top of the San Gabriel mountains might be frosted with snow.

izm707

thx a lot...

rootlesscosmo

The Hundreds just posted a photo article about the spot one block from the apt.

http://www.thehundreds.com/wordpress/?p=2460

I was in Diamond Supply Co today in fact.

they forgot twelve bar.

Woimsah

Wasn't around to reply to this earlier....but I lived on Rosewood and Gardner for 5 years or so - then moved to Rosewood and Genesee for two months, and now I'm in the Hollywood Hills . That's a great neighborhood though. Filled with lots of, excuse the phrase, "young professionals." It's not at all Hancock Park - although Hancock Park is close. And it's not at all a gay neighborhood - it's not even considered West Hollywood - it's not even Hollywood. It's technically 1/2 mile South of Hollywood (Hollywood doesn't go below Santa Monica Blvd really).
I was living there before all the allover print madness began a few years back. Sorta started with The Dime - a bar right across from Canter's that sorta felt like a New York bar. Then came Supreme, then came all the other shmata. Bleh. Turntable Lab is great though - that was definitely welcome.
Anyway it's def a good neighborhood to live in. About what people said regarding the commute to Burbank/Studio City - not true at all. I myself made the drive for two years to the heart of Burbank from Rosewood and Gardner - it's 15 mins. You just head to Melrose - take it east to Highland of Cahuenga and head North to the 101 (cahuenga's usually a little quicker due to Hollywood/Highland/Sunset congestion). You'll be on the freeway for about 3 minutes tops if you're going to Burbank because you'll just exit Barham. For Stud City (as original inhabitants like myself like to call it) you'll be on the freeway for about 7-10 mins as you'll exit Tujunga or Laurel Canyon. Taking Laurel Canyon all the way from Rosewood works just as well if you're going to Studio City, and it's a little more enjoyable of a drive as you get to go through the Canyon.
About your apartment - sounds like you're dealing with an Israeli which is a good sign as all the realtors/managers in that area are Israeli. $2300 seems sort of fair - more so for a 2 bedroom than a 1 bedroom (that's what you're getting right? A 2 bedroom?). I've never heard of any apartment scams dealing with that neighborhood.
Weather during the winter is fucking awesome, to put it mildly. You'll deal with rain here and there, but the temp is always crisp and it always smells like winter. You'll need nothing more than a sweatshirt.
And you've got ILL food all around you in that location. Joan's On Third has the ILL lunches....California Chicken Cafe is right on La Brea and Melrose.....Pink's is there too but Angelinos with half a brain don't fuck with that place (Carney's is just as good IMO if not better - and there's none of that waiting in line with tourists bullshit). Cafe Midi on La Brea just north of Third has the ill breakfasts (and breakfaces). Cobras and Matadors has amazing tapas - and that's literally walking distance from where you're living (it's on Beverly and The Grove drive basically). And the best meal I've had in years is right there too - Hatfield's on Beverly. That's on some much nicer shit - but you gotta go. Place is amazing.
Hit me if you got any other questions though....I lived here my whole life so I know the town in and out.

Belson

Pink's is there too but Angelinos with half a brain don't fuck with that place (Carney's is just as good IMO if not better - and there's none of that waiting in line with tourists bullshit).

I can't believe the queues for that place - I mean like 40-50 feet and like 3 wide?

I don't intend to ever get Pink'd....I'm always too full from the excellent Chicken Tikka from the Anarkali round the corner.

grandpa_shig

And you've got ILL food all around you in that location. Joan's On Third has the ILL lunches....California Chicken Cafe is right on La Brea and Melrose.....Pink's is there too but Angelinos with half a brain don't fuck with that place (Carney's is just as good IMO if not better - and there's none of that waiting in line with tourists bullshit). Cafe Midi on La Brea just north of Third has the ill breakfasts (and breakfaces). Cobras and Matadors has amazing tapas - and that's literally walking distance from where you're living (it's on Beverly and The Grove drive basically).

but is the food ILL[/b]?

izm707

thx for all again...