How to feel at home in Hollywood?
Wherever you come from, if you’re heading for Hollywood, you’ll find out that it’s much different from your hometown. The Entertainment Capital of the World is a dreamy place for young aspiring artists in search of fame. But what if you are not one of them? Perhaps all you need is peace and quiet and a comfy place you can call home. We are not all meant to be movie stars, nor do we aspire to lead a glamorous life. If you’re not feeling comfortable once you’ve unpacked your stuff in this famous LA neighborhood, don’t worry. Take your time and soon enough you’ll find ways to feel at home in Hollywood, almost as if you were born in this exciting part of Los Angeles.
Feel at home in Hollywood.
First things first: you’ve changed your address, your favorite coffee shop, familiar supermarket, a hair stylist you’ve known ever since you started doing your hair. It’s not the end of the world! You’ll find everything you need, but you need to take a few steps to start feeling comfy in your new surroundings.
1. Choose your neighborhood
Los Angeles is the second largest city in the USA, which means that options for housing are numerous, but you have to choose wisely. If you want to feel at home in Hollywood, there are several things you need to consider:
- the distance between your home and the place of work
- safety
- proximity to amenities
- proximity to schools and other learning centers
One of the places that fulfill most of these criteria is Glendale. Only 8 km away from Hollywood, it is one of 10 safest areas in the USA according to the FBI. In addition, you can find beautiful parks in the walking distance, as well as the LA ZOO, museums and the Glendale Centre Theatre. There’s so much you can enjoy in this neighborhood!
2. Find affordable housing
Whether you’re renting or looking to buy, you need to have in mind price ranges in this area. If money is no object, good for you! But let’s be honest – you are probably looking for a nice place that won’t drain you of every cent you have. The bad news is that LA holds the highest rents in the state. However, there are entire housing complexes in Hollywood which offer income-based renting, which means that apartment owners receive funds from the government to lower the amount you need to pay. Prices range between $300 and $700 or depend on your monthly income. Central Alameda is the most affordable area in LA, where average rents amount to $1,010 a month. It’s 25 minutes drive away from Hollywood, but it is worth considering.
3. Explore transport options
If you own a car, that would probably be the best option at your disposal. Los Angeles is a city meant for driving.
The best way to move around LA is to drive.
There’s no better way to get to places of interest. However, you will probably hate the rush hour between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. in the morning and heavy traffic in the evening on weekend nights. Get used to it! If you can’t, there are several lines of very efficient LA Metro system going through Hollywood. The Red Line is the one you can use, with special discounts for kids, students and senior citizens. If you prefer riding a bike, there is a Bike Share service within Metro to make you feel at home in Hollywood.
4. Find places to shop and eat
Again, if money is no object, this place is heaven for splashing out on expensive clothes and extravagant nightlife. But if you want to cook at home or eat out without excessive spending, you need to find decent restaurants and grocery shops that will allow you to fill your empty fridge. Some of them are Food 4 Less at Sunset Blvd and Trader Joe’s in Vine St places where you can find a wide selection of cheap groceries and everything else you need to make you feel at home.
As for restaurants, you have endless choices at your disposal. The gastronomy in Hollywood is multicultural and you can find all kinds of cuisine. Whether you’re a meat lover, vegetarian or you prefer dishes from spicy Mexican food to exotic Chinese, you can find anything you want! Hollywood truly is a wonderful place when it comes to fine dining. The Taco Spot, CAFE CLUB by Les artistes and Moonlite Diner are some of the best and cheapest restaurants according to travelers who experienced quality dining in Hollywood.
5. Enjoy yourself
Once you get to grips with everyday necessities and means to fulfill them, you can start to enjoy yourself.
Hollywood is a paradise for movie fans.
You live in the entertainment capital of the world! There’s so much you can do in Hollywood that you cannot get bored even if you try. If you’re a nature lover who likes to spend time outdoors, there are beautiful parks and the Runyon Canyon where you can spend your free time and keep in shape. If you are a fan of the movie industry, it goes without saying that this neighborhood is a fairy tale place for you. Speaking of fairy tales, if you’re moving to Hollywood with kids, you should know that they will be forever grateful! You actually provided them the luxury of living near Disneyland Park and now you have a way to buy them off anytime you need by offering them the possibility of a weekend in “the happiest place on earth”!
Relax and feel at home in Hollywood
You made it! You’ve found affordable accommodation in a nice neighborhood, loaded your fridge and explored the ways to move around town. Now all you have to do is decorate your new home, which is not an easy task, but it is interesting and enjoyable. Once you do all that, you’ll realize it will not be difficult to feel at home in Hollywood. On the contrary, it is one of the most exciting neighborhoods you can choose to settle in. So relax and enjoy the ride!