I just got a job in Torrance, and am moving from the east coast. I have only ever been in LA (or California at all) for the interview. Any and all info you could provide to help me figure out how to get around and where to live would be useful. Also, any tips on things to do in my free time would be great (I’m pretty outdoorsy and one of the reasons I wanted to move to Torrance is the fantabulous weather), as well as advice on traffic patterns. I will be making a little less than 50k/yr my first year.
Some pertinent facts:
I will probably need a roommate, but would prefer to have just one and have my own bathroom. Is it unreasonable to want in-unit washer and dryer? What about off-street parking?
Proximity to fun things isn’t actually that important to me, because I will be working most of my time. In fact, I would probably prefer a more “old-people, boring” area. However, proximity to work (at Harbor-UCLA) is important.
Don’t live next to the huge Exxon/Mobil oil refinery…it stinks! Try to stay near the Redondo Beach area-much nicer. Avoid the eastern end of it-high crime. That’s all…and don’t be put off by the Santa Ana winds-its hot and dry, but it does clear the air.
There are lots of Japanese restaurants and stores (a lot of people moved there from Little Tokyo). There’s a really great Japanese grocery store / department store / mini-mall called Mitsuwa that several a couple of good restaurants.
OK - Torrance is good and bad. Lots of industrial stuff, and the further East you go, the more sketchy it can get. Bluntly, don’t live East of the 405. I had offices in Gardena at one point, and we had bullet holes in the wall of our building from a gang shooting.
The great thing is that you are close to awesome beach cities like Redondo and Hermosa and Manhattan. The way that works is that the closer you get to the beach, the more you pay. There are a lot of different apartments that cater to the beach types out there.
You can also live down in Long Beach and have a commute of sorts as well - depending on your hours and tolerance for stop-and-go.
If you can, find a place to crash for a month and drive around before signing a lease. You really don’t get a feel for living and working in Los Angeles until you have learned the freeways, side streets, short cuts and the amount of driving you are willing to deal with.
The Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy is located in Torrance and the Inosanto Academy is practically next door in Marina del Rey. If you have ever wanted to learn any martial arts there are many who would envy your proximity.
Gardena seems to be more Korean, to me, although there is a Japanese mall (Marukai) on Artesia/91. Plenty of Japanese stuff in Torrance, including Toyota and Honda. Also, Torrance is mostly south of the 405, when you go east from Torrance you get to Carson, which is also dodgy in a lot of spots.
Living there on 50K/year, you’re not going to be able to afford to live in the high end beach communities, and might want to consider a roommate situation to avoid living in the less desirable areas. FWIW, Harbor UCLA is in Carson, not Torrance.
If anything, Torrance is (temperature wise) cooler than the surrounding cities because it gets an ocean breeze everyday.
You should check out places south of Sepulveda and west of Western or one of the apts near Sepulveda/Crenshaw. Like madsircool said, that’s a pretty nice boring suburban area with an easy drive to Harbor UCLA. For fun, you’d probably be driving out to Redondo or Hermosa.
Play your cards right and you will never need to own a pair of gloves or a thick coat ever again. If you’re used to East Coast weather then this is nothing