Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › LA Area People Advice
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

LA Area People Advice

post #1 of 35
8/16/10 at 11:22pm
Thread Starter 
I'm moving to Torrance. I just found out. I'm an east coaster and I know nothing about the area, but I'm pretty pumped about it.

Anything anyone can tell me about the area?

Car advice: I'm thinking about getting a moped. Is that feasible to get me around the city?
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 35
8/16/10 at 11:29pm
I used to live in Pasadena, now I am stuck up here in the cold Bay area. Not much to do in Torrance if I recall, but you should have fun on the West Side of LA. Hit up Santa Monica, Venice, and definately the South beach cities (Hermosa, Manhattan, Redondo).

Moped? You know you are moving to LA right? Only those who can afford a 5 series are welcome
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 35
8/16/10 at 11:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DocHunter View Post
I'm moving to Torrance. I just found out. I'm an east coaster and I know nothing about the area, but I'm pretty pumped about it.

Anything anyone can tell me about the area?

Car advice: I'm thinking about getting a moped. Is that feasible to get me around the city?

Torrance is a decent area to be around.

Mopeds, if you can keep get by the look, is actually very convenient specially during rush hour. But LA is a city where you're going to be traveling by vehicle a lot so just expect a lot of driving.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 35
8/16/10 at 11:37pm
torrance is actually pretty cool. some nice older parts and there's a LOT of really cool japanese stuff there. but unless you're planning on staying only in torrance, you're going to need more than a moped.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 35
8/16/10 at 11:38pm
Torrance sucks. (sucks may be a strong word I guess...just not a fan of it) Well, its not really "california living". Lots of kind of trashy mini-mall hell. I guess its redeeming factor its kind of near the 110 freeway I guess? If you go through Harbor City or something? Basically, its one of the few places in LA that has (at least that I've seen) that has a TGI Fridays. Maybe there are more, hell i wouldn't know. but that's basically indicative of it. As mentioned there are some decent Japanese places around, but just live closer to the water if possible. Live in Redondo Beach or Palos Verdes if you can afford it. If you're single, live in Hermosa Beach or Manhattan Beach. All within good commuting distance to Torrance. Moped would be terrible in Torrance. Bad drivers, congestion and long streets with people going 15mph+ over the speed limits. In the Beach Cities it would be fine though. all that comes to mind to me about Torrance is Del Amo Mall, Target and Furniture stores. There are some good chinese and japanese restarurants there though.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 35
8/17/10 at 12:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xericx View Post
Torrance sucks. (sucks may be a strong word I guess...just not a fan of it) Well, its not really "california living". Lots of kind of trashy mini-mall hell. I guess its redeeming factor its kind of near the 110 freeway I guess? If you go through Harbor City or something? Basically, its one of the few places in LA that has (at least that I've seen) that has a TGI Fridays. Maybe there are more, hell i wouldn't know. but that's basically indicative of it.

As mentioned there are some decent Japanese places around, but just live closer to the water if possible.

Live in Redondo Beach or Palos Verdes if you can afford it. If you're single, live in Hermosa Beach or Manhattan Beach. All within good commuting distance to Torrance.

Moped would be terrible in Torrance. Bad drivers, congestion and long streets with people going 15mph+ over the speed limits. In the Beach Cities it would be fine though.

all that comes to mind to me about Torrance is Del Amo Mall, Target and Furniture stores. There are some good chinese and japanese restarurants there though.


If he's planning to drive a moped, what would lead you to think he could afford those areas you recommended?
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 35
8/17/10 at 12:23am
I don't believe the price differentials are that much more unless you're buying a house. I'll assume renting, which is a lot more level in pricing from what I remember. If he's buying a house, maybe Torrance will make some sense...it just seems a bit "out there". Even though, Torrance is still not a cheap area. I'd probably personally rather live in Gardena than Torrance. It just seems like Furniture/chain store hell to me in Torrance. The nicer areas in torrance are usually homes in neighborhoods on the foot of the hill on the way to Palos Verdes, and are generally more expensive anyway. I'm not sure of the city limits, but if possible, I'd do anything I can to live west of Hawthorne Blvd......which I believe is Redondo Beach.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 35
8/17/10 at 12:49am
Torrance aint bad. Its a suburban bedroom community, but its NOT ghetto or anything. Like was said, Redondo or Hermosa or Manhattan beach would be better if you're a renter and dont have a family. Palos Verdes is too rich and boring and far from everything. Gardena is pretty hood.

Or live in downtown Long Beach with ME!!! Actually its not bad. I used to work in torrance - 20 minute drive.

Now that i think about it, if you are just moving to LA long beach is not a bad place to get a feel for the city.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 35
8/17/10 at 1:05am
It's...OK. Ocean breeze keeps it cool for LA. It's a 15 minute bike ride to the beach depending where you are. It's kind of mini-mall sprawl with some ranch style neighborhoods. You could scooter around, but I'd only do it on side streets. LA is perhaps the last real melting pot of the US and you'll be dealing with a lot of drivers from other lands, plus healthy doses of California crazies. Much risk to an unprotected guy on a moped. Yeah, if you could possibly afford Redondo or Hermosa Beach you'd be in a community that's more small town feel and more suited for scooters. Here you go. A lot of it is like this. And welcome to Cali, dude. Watch the parking signs and meters. Seriously. And here is Redondo. Forget about a place along the water, but several blocks in might be feasible.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. If the video does not play, wait a minute or try again later.       I AGREE

TIP: to embed Youtube clips, put only the encoded part of the Youtube URL, e.g. eBGIQ7ZuuiU between the tags.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. If the video does not play, wait a minute or try again later.       I AGREE

TIP: to embed Youtube clips, put only the encoded part of the Youtube URL, e.g. eBGIQ7ZuuiU between the tags.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 35
8/17/10 at 1:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Davidko19 View Post
Torrance aint bad. Its a suburban bedroom community, but its NOT ghetto or anything.
There are a lot of undesirable pockets in Torrance. Maybe they kind of overlap with other cities though such as Carson/Harbor City though. Its not Ghetto but the entire city isn't all nice and clean. There are also a lot of industrial parks, oil refineries, business parks, factories, labs, etc. I think the thing that bugs me about it is all the chain stores and restaurants though. Go up to Palos Verdes and drive down Crenshaw/Hawthrone from the top of the hill, etc on a sunny day, you'll see how smoggy and polluted Torrance is. Pretty gross.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 35
8/17/10 at 2:07am
No hating on the ancestral homeland boys. I take PV's boring over Torrance's congested shithole any day. Anyway, there is a slip of Torrance that runs out along the base of the hill toward Redondo that isn't bad, but the rest of it is flat impersonal South Bay waste land.
Redondo to Manhattan Bch is the only scooter country your going to find, but not as a commuter. The whole area is priced to the 9's at this point. Maybe scoot around the other side of the hill and see what San Pedro has to offer. Used to have a lot of old school harbor charm. Might still. Though your getting close to some of the sketchier neighborhoods, Good luck. Say Hi to her for me
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 35
8/17/10 at 2:47pm
i work in Torrance. not a bad locale but i prefer living in my south coast metro.

dont get a moped. get a car .
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 35
8/17/10 at 3:14pm
Torrance encompasses a lot. The negative comments definitely are accurate as to some of it. There are also parts that butt up against the beach communities like Hermosa, Redondo, and Manhattan Beach. Not sure of the OP's situation, but I'd think about trying to find a place in one of those communities, relatively close to the beach. (All are very accessible to Torrance.)

As far as a moped, it depends where you'll be working. It's entirely possible that a moped will be a good commute option. But more broadly, you probably will want a car in LA. It'll be pretty tough to have any sort of a social life in LA without a car
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 35
8/17/10 at 3:16pm
Definitely no on the moped.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 35
8/17/10 at 3:40pm
well...the only neat part of torrance is in and around old town. lots of good japanese restaurants (plus more in gardena if you go up western ave. no good chinese restaurants, though.) and farmer's market in wilson park. nightlife is limited to japanese food and sake. torrance is pretty big, so freeway access is much easier towards the northeast corner. if you're near the beach in torrance (or redondo), it will take about half an hour or more to get to the 405 or 110. i live in the riviera and don't really mind since i only get on the freeway to shop for clothes and try new restaurants. getting to the 405 from hermosa or manhattan is about 20min, tops. the only scooter friendly area i can think of is along hermosa and manhattan avenues, but it'll cost. there are small parts of redondo and torrance that are semi-scooter friendly, but you'll have to deal with wide streets.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: General Chat
Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › LA Area People Advice