Clawing to escape the belly of the beast here in Hollywood. To commiserate, email my name assistantatlas at yahoo.

Friday, September 09, 2005

Trendspotting: Hollywood Living: 3.19

I've noticed an interesting trend among the twenty-somethings in the city: they're moving to Hollywood. Time was, most of the people my age were split pretty evenly between Venice/Mar Vista and Glendale/Echo Park. In the past three months, though, not one or two, but fully SEVEN different people the roomie and I know have moved into Hollywood-area apartments. What I can't figure out is. . . why? Why on earth would you move to Hollywood?

Quick info for my non-Angeleno readers: Hollywood, in addition to being an idea and a description of the studio system, is a neighborhood of Los Angeles. And right now, it's getting a facelift. The past few years, Hollywood has undergone a transformation, turning from seedy tourist trap into shiny, happy tourist trap. Despite some gentrification and Disneyfication, Hollywood is still kinda shady, which means that is has the cheap [but usually new or recently-renovated] apartments that are attracting the kids.

But there are cheap apartments scattered throughout the city--why Hollywood? And why now? There are still a ton of downsides to living in Hollywood.

1) Try NOT to be woken up as the bars/clubs empty at 2AM.
2) Worst parking situation outside of Westwood.
3) The shady factor-- women walking alone WILL be harassed. Even small groups can be harassed, especially at night.
4) Tourists, tourists everywhere. Seriously, it seems like the entire state of Nebraska comes to Hollywood at the same time.
5) Undeserved stars clutter the sidewalk.
6) It's hotter/stickier inland in Hollywood, usually about 5-10 degrees than oceanside communities.

Of course, a lot of those downsides can be turned into positives.

1) If you're out drinking until the bars close, you can stumble home.
2) If you live there, you probably have a parking space at your apartment building, mitigating the crappy parking situation.
3) Shady factor: um. . . maybe you like the attention?
4) Screwing with the tourists is a lot of fun, I must admit.
5) Lots of pooping opportunities.
6) Hot and sticky can be fun.

But in all honesty, I think the perception is that Hollywood has turned the corner, at least, enough that you'd jump at the opportunity for a dirt-cheap apartment there. As for me, I'll be staying in Venice, at least for now, but I thought you guys should know where everyone was going.

12 Comments:

Blogger Clutch said...

When I visit LA from Detroit, I stay at the Best Inn at Cahuenga Blvd and Yucca in Hollywood. I hear that's a crackhead part of town, but I don't mind. Clean room. Cheap. And it's walking distance to the bars. I walk around late at night alone, and I've survived. No problem. It's not Detroit, that's for sure.

1:33 PM

 
Blogger Grace said...

thanks for the update.

I'm, from now one, going to assume everyone is moving to hollywood.


my co-worker just told he was moving and I'm like "I hear Hollywood has turned itself around".

1:45 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hate Hollywood with a fiery passion. And now that all the porn stores are being pushed out, there isn't a single reason to go there.

4:47 PM

 
Blogger Peggy Archer said...

I can assure you that those shiny new apartments aren't economical.

The seedy Hollywood was cheap, but the new Disneyfied version is almost as expensive as the westside - a friend of mine was apartment hunting, and ended up paying $900 bucks for a teeny-tiny single in a really horrible area.

Screw that.

5:55 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great. Now just to be with the in-crowd I have to move again. I knew moving to El Segundo was the wrong choice.

12:52 PM

 
Blogger B2 said...

I keep hearing people moving to Downtown, of all places -- it, too, has turned around (they say), but I still wouldn't want to live there. Though my commute would be incredible!

10:50 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't move to Hollywood. You will not be discovered and you will not be a star. I lived there for ten years and must of met thousands of people that moved there to become stars, and I never - ever met anyone that made it. Most folded after a year and went crying home to Mommy, humiliated. The movie business is dying. If you are not famous already, you have nothing that the studios want. Why do you think Paris Hilton gets into movies? All the books about how to succeed in Hollywood are not being truthful. They are just trying to sell their book, and they are written by what just amounts to be another failed actor that made a few commercials. I hate hollywood.

10:50 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sour Bitch. Your probably a fat whore who only has negative things to say all the time,I hate people like you so therefore I choose not to associate with your kind. Fuck you, if you dont like Hollywood stay the fuck out, hollywood dont like you. and for all the aspiring actors out there keep it up you never know when and where youll get that break. just keep on working hard. Sour fat whore......eat a dick and stay out of hollywood

9:13 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have lived in Hollywood for the past two years...as long as you don't live right on a main street, like sunset or Hollywood blvd, then I don't think the bars will wake you up. For the most part, I found the people to be very nice there. However, many of the young people that live in Hollywood are assistants in the entertainment industry (like myself). The cost of living there makes it hard to survive on the mere 500 dollars a month you earn as an assistant. Still, after a few years your salary and careers will advance. I personally recommend Hollywood, and as far as that earlier post saying the film biz is dying....a.) He is so very wrong (I work for a major studio) and b.) I say follow your dreams and try to become an actor/actress....just dont be one of those people who say they are an aspiring actor/actress but never do anything to better your situation.

9:12 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

******In my post above, I meant 500 dollars a week *******

9:13 PM

 
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