Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with la

A hike on X-mas morning in or near Los Angeles?

drjimmy11 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:24:46 -0800

A hike on X-mas morning in or near Los Angeles? Since I have no big plans, I'm thinking about getting out and going hiking tomorrow morning. Doesn't have to be a huge all-day thing, I wouldn't mind being back by the Lakers game at 2pm actually.

I'm just wondering if the local parks like Runyon Canyon that are (I think) closeable will be closed. Also just generally looking for suggestions of fun, nearby trails that would make a good solo Christmas day hike. (I know about most of the hiking websites and books, just wondering if anyone has any specific ideas to throw at me.)

Thanks!

LOUD ALL THE TIME

defmute — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:56:23 -0800

WHERE IN L.A. CAN I BE LOUD ALL THE TIME? (FOR CHEAP) i'm looking to find a studio apartment in l.a. county somewhere (the closer to koreatown the better) where i can play music as loud as i want, whenever i want without spending a whole lot of money for some concrete future loft bullshit. i am looking to spend like...500 per month for rent. what do yall think?

Rainy Saturday in LA

forallmankind — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:46:49 -0800

I'm entertaining guests from India in LA tomorrow for the whole day, and all my plans are being scuppered by a forecast of rain. What can we do in the LA area (don't mind driving pretty much anywhere) that won't be compromised by grey clouds and rain? The guys (3, mid 20s) have been here for a few weeks now and have so far been to Manhattan/ Venice/ Santa Monica and Hollywood, and they're going to Little India on Sun. Usually when I have folks in town we go up to the Hollywood sign, hike in the mountains, drive up the PCH etc and obviously all these activities presuppose good weather. I'm kinda stumped when it comes to bad weather - even the Getty doesn't seem such a good idea since the main attraction for folks from out of town is the grounds and the views.

Help!

Black tie in Los Angeles?

YoungAmerican — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:21:18 -0800

What's the best black-tie New Year's Eve (or other event) in LA? A friend and I work on a men's style video series, and we're planning an episode on black tie. With New Year's coming up, we though it would make a great opportunity to shoot a field piece - but then we remembered that we live in LA and couldn't think of a single black-tie event besides the Oscars.

Can anyone suggest an elegant black tie New Year's or other event happening in the first 2-3 months of 2010? One that might potentially be open to press with cameras?

(Yes, we thought of the Oscars, and the opera and symphony openings have passed.)

I'm going back to cali

kanemano — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:58:15 -0800

On my flight back form Jamaica to Hawaii I have a layover in Los Angeles from 10PM Friday night to 8AM the next morning What can I do with myself for 10 hours. I was thinking of renting a car and driving around, so that I can keep my luggage close, I haven't been in LA since 1993) . what can I do overnight that won't make me miss my flight home.

From LAX to IND with no stops - that's possible right?

rileyray3000 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:20:34 -0800

Does any airline fly direct from anywhere in the Los Angeles area to Indianapolis? I've been looking for a little bit here now and I haven't found one airline that's direct to Indianapolis. Am I crazy? There's nothing? Not from Long Beach? Not from Burbank? Not from Ontario? How is that possible? Indianapolis is a pretty big city for the midwest isn't it?

Are there ANY direct options or am I nuts?

Wildflowers near Los Angeles?

klangklangston — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:59:45 -0800

Wildflowers day trips from Los Angeles? Girlfriend and I want to see wildflowers in the wild. We live in LA, and would prefer to be able to do this on a single day (she's got some furlough time coming up).

Where are the best? What did you like about them? What's can't miss? What specific dates should we shoot for? What's the best season to see which flowers?

I know very little about the plants in Southern California, mostly because I grew up in the Midwest.

And personal experience is very much appreciated—I've found a fair passel of vague pages on the internet (some Parks Service, some not) that don't really have the "Go here the third week of February" specificity that I'd like, being a total newb and all.

Need money now thankyou.

drjimmy11 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:50:15 -0800

What are some good tech-centric temp agencies in L.A.? Hi! Yet another in my long series of job-trauma questions.

I'm currently between jobs- I'm a web/software developer, specializing in flex/AS3 but with years and years of doing html/js/ajax/php type stuff too. I have a pretty strong resume, I like to think, going back about 10 years.

I'm currently getting contacted by a lot of recruiters and going on a lot of interviews, but it's a very drawn-out process. Basically I need a gig to bring in some money now- cutting up PSDs or whatever is fine, I'm not proud at this point. I'm curious if anyone knows any decently reputable agencies who could get me something like this soon. Specific names of agencies are appreciated, referrals to specific people are even more appreciated. (meMail me if you like).

(I'd also be interested in where I can advertise myself as a flex freelancer, but I'm more inclined towards W2 right now for a few reasons.)

Thanks!

What risks does drinking LA tap water pose?

Jenna Roadman — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:20:03 -0800

What risks does drinking LA tap water pose? ? Should I be using a filter? The plant says that water is potable after it is processed, but my neighbor just told me that all the dirty pipes it goes through, plus the fact that the potable water from the plant still isn't healthy means I should really get a filter.

Specifically I live in the West Hollywood area and can't seem to find any info on this.

These are my cons:

1) I'm living on Production Assistant wages at the moment and do NOT spend money unless absolutely necessary. This would cost me $34 for the unit and $34 for two filters (filters changing once every 4 months or so).

2) I HATE how slow the water comes out. I fill up my fridge with tons of flavored water bottles and this would really slow me down. Also, I hate the pitchers because you get barely any water out of such a bit unit, so I would have to get the sink unit.

ADD in LA

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:05:52 -0800

ADD help in LA? Diagnosed with ADD NOS right before I left college, then moved to LA. My success in managing it comes and goes, but seems to be at a particularly low point right now. Which, combined with unemployment, means I just feel like my life is out of control and I can't focus on any one thing long enough to get my life back on track.

Since I'm unemployed, I'd prefer options that are cheap or free until I can get back on my feet. I've tried GTD and similar organizational structures and have had no luck sticking to them. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can only seem to follow any routine until something unexpected happens, then it's all lost in the shuffle and ugh.

Anyway, ideally a professional. And friends in other places who also have ADD seem to have done well with drugs and CBT. But in trying to do some research on options here, I've been fairly snowed under by the myriad options and the high percentage of dubious-looking advertorials.

What's biting me?

captainawesome — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:49:53 -0800

What's biting me, and how do I make it stop? So I know this is going to be a vague, hard-to-answer question, but I'm mystified. I'm in the Los Angeles area (specifically, Burbank) on a summer internship and I keep getting bitten by something. I have a few dozen of these bites, which look and itch a lot like mosquito bites, except I haven't noticed anything that could be biting me - it's not like I'm being swarmed by flying insects or anything. And with a few dozen bites, you'd think I'd at least notice when they happen. But I don't: I only notice when they've begun to itch, and while they go away eventually, it seems like fresh ones are popping up all the time.

The bites are mostly on my arms (which are always exposed - I wear a short sleeve shirt for most of my waking hours) but some on my chest and side and legs, and a few on my back (all areas that are mostly covered). So, Los Angelites (or anyone, really): what kind of bitey critters are out here that can fly under the radar like this? And how do I encourage them to stop? 'cuz I'm puzzled.

"Proactive? Paradigm? Aren't those just words dumb people use to sound smart?"

drjimmy11 — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:49:10 -0800

Where does one proactively look for software (specifically Flex) jobs these days? So I'm on the market. I have about ten years web/software development experience overall, with the last 3 focused in Flex. I'm in Los Angeles and not keen to move.

In the past I would just put my resume up on Dice and get bombarded by recruiters. This time though, the response has been a little more sparse, and I'd like to find something sooner than later.

So:

Are the major search sites (Monster, Careerbuilder) as useless as I remember them for tech jobs?

Is there anywhere tech-specific besides Dice I should post my resume, or search for jobs? This would include job sites or message boards or whatever.

Are there any other strategies I'm missing, or should I just browse the websites of specific employers who i think I might like?

Thanks!

Pay for Flex?

drjimmy11 — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:58:42 -0800

What, anecdotally speaking, are Flex developers getting paid right now in Los Angeles or a similar city? I have been to the salary calculators and such, they tend to come back with a number up around $120k or so- but I'm not sure how "real world" that is. I'm a Flex developer with about 2 years experience in Flex, and 10 years programming overall. I consider myself an expert in Flex/AS3 (have written my own framework, used all the major ones, can explain their strengths and weaknesses, and stuff like that).

I'm interested in knowing, if I put myself on the market tomorrow, what salary could I expect to find in Los Angeles for full-time? How about as a consultant? How high is the demand, really? Mostly just looking for anecdotes, but hard data is welcome if it's more specific than those generic salary calculators.

Thanks!

So Cal Bachelor Party-- Help!!

my homunculus is drowning — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:52:31 -0800

Uh oh, time to plan a memorable, one of a kind Southern California bachelor party and strippers aren't an option! Please hive mind, help! The party will be happening at the end of September/early October.

Things we are considering but know nothing about:

A boat/fishing trip of some kind? Catalina?

Paintball? Any great places to do it?

Great steak house and classic cigar bar afterwards? Any recommendations?

And any other idea under the sun would be appreciated!

Some of the ideas we've had so far seem great but I've never done them in the So Cal area and have no idea about quality of establishments, feasibility at that time of year, et cetera.

Thank you thank you!

Going to California

pwicks — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:12:48 -0800

I'm going to Los Angeles later this week. I've never been there, what should I do/see/eat? Details inside. * I've already done some looking and I know that I want to try and get to joshua tree national park (which parts of the park are worth seeing?), but I'm wondering what other things there are in the L.A. area that are outdoorsy? Good hikes? Cool Beaches? Something else?

* Also, photography is a hobby of mine, anything I shouldn't miss?

* Foodwise, what's a good Vietnamese restaurant? Other food recommendations would be good too (cheaper is better, but not required).

* Anything else in L.A. that I shouldn't miss?

Sorry to be all over the place with this, and thanks for any help you can render.

Find me a real dive in LA!

swbarrett — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:02:53 -0800

Looking for a serious Dive Bar in Los Angeles. In the Venice, Culver, Santa Monica region. Not an "LA" dive, a real dive please. People in LA say "oh XYZ is a total dive" and when you get there it's like an upscale sports bar. I'm looking for a real, well, shithole. Dark, wood paneled, cheap beer, strong drinks, grisley old men who have been on the same stool for 35 years. no velvet ropes, no plasma screens, just drinks and drunks. bartenders who understand that a Martini is made of gin not vodka, that jack daniels is whiskey but not bourbon and wouldn't say "and what?" when you ask for said whiskey or bourbon. If you saw the place in Baltimore you'd say "man this is a shithole." they've gotta be out there, but where?

Renting a House that's for Sale

visual mechanic — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:22:06 -0800

Renting houses that are on the market for a discounted rate. Good idea? If so, how to do it? We're living in LA, but kind of flexible in that we don't mind moving much. I was thinking maybe we could get good deals if we were willing to live in a house that is on the market. Do people know how to get signed up for that kind of arrangement, and does anyone have any experience with it? (We'd like to stay around Topanga / Malibu / Palisades area).

The headaches of moving before moving

Tequila Mockingbird — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:29:39 -0800

What is the best method for moving several furniture pieces from L.A. to Montreal? (And an add-on about getting my car there, too.) Our L.A. office has a branch in Montreal, and recently the option to transfer over for a year or two has been made available. It's fantastic, because my boyfriend lives there and will attend Concordia - which is 5 minutes from our Montreal location. It seems perfect.

I'm willing to purge as much of my stuff as possible, but I do have furniture, barely a year old, I'm just unwilling to let go of:

* The World's Most Comfortable Couch,
* its matching armchair,
* and a beautifully designed dining table+4 chairs set.

(I'm torn when it comes to my 50 gallon aquarium+stand - that system was a big investment.)

What would be the cheapest but most reliable option? I've found uShip on another AskMe about a cross-country move, and I'll be taking a closer look for sure. But there might be other ideas I'm not aware of.

Car add-on: 2007 Honda CRV, approaching 20k miles - find a vehicle transport, or drive it over? (As convinced as I am about being able to get around by foot, bike, or public transit, I'd love to explore beyond the city on my own, at any given moment. Plus, visiting friends who live further away.)

Huge decision for me and I still haven't made my mind up 100%, so I'm hoping that having some of these things explained will help. Thanks guys :)

Therapy-filter: CBT practitioner in L.A.?

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:10:31 -0800

Asking for a family member: need recommendations for a top-notch cognitive behavioral therapist in downtown Los Angeles or around the Pasadena area. He's only interested in CBT therapy. Assume cost/insurance is no object. Thanks!

South LA guided tours?

GleepGlop — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:25:19 -0800

Anyone know of any guided tours of South Central LA? I am visiting LA right now and I would like to check out 'South Central'. You know, HomeBoy 3000 and Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, etc. LA is so vast and sprawling that I would prefer a tour rather than just try to rent a car and drive around aimlessly...

Is there a secret furniture district or similar somewhere in Los Angeles?

The World Famous — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:42:24 -0800

Where to get a great deal on new furniture in Los Angeles (Not Ikea)? Is there a furniture district or something? Surely there must be great deals to be had in some sort of industrial part of town or something, and not just Ikea, Plummer's, garage/estate sales, and Craigslist, right? Specifically, I need to get a sofa, nice bookshelves, and a bunk bed for kids. I like mid-century modern looking stuff, but I'm not necessarily looking for places that just have that sort of thing.

Really, what I'm asking is this: Other than Ikea, Craigslist, Plummer's, and garage/estate sales, is there some sort of furniture district or something like that where there are direct-from-the-factory or similar furniture warehouse places in Los Angeles? There seem to be places like that here for pretty much everything else.

On the East Coast, there are places like this (e.g. Green Front in DC). Given that I like LA more and more, and that I left the East Coast to live here all those years ago, there must be something like this here, right?

Where's a good meadow near L.A.?

drjimmy11 — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:04:20 -0800

Where's a good meadow near Los Angeles? I'm looking for your basic pleasant-for-a-picnic type of meadow. i don't want to actually have a picnic, but I want to shoot photos or video of people pretending to have a picnic.

The catch is that L.A. is in a desert, and even most places you see listed as nice picnic spots will be very un-photogenic- devoid of flowers, color, trees and even pleasant-looking grass.

I'm influenced by French new-wavey type films (thanks to a previous AskMe) and what I'm looking for is similar to the locations seen in the trailer for Le Bonheur. (in an ideal world my spot would be a little more colorful than what's in the trailer, but that film captures the spirit of what I want.)

My requirements are:
ideally within a 2-3 hour drive of L.A.
not overrun with people, but not impossible to reach carrying basic film/photo equipment.

Suggestions with photos online greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Please, please stop Standing By Me.

YoungAmerican — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:49:05 -0800

How can I get my neighbor to stop playing Stand By Me on repeat at ear-splitting volumes? I live in a crowded urban neighborhood in Los Angeles. Picture "Do the Right Thing" or "Westside Story" or something.

the windows of my apartment face an alley, and every Sunday afternoon, someone in one of the adjacent apartments plays the song "Stand By Me" on repeat for several hours at what I would describe as "block party" volume levels. The person is clearly pressing the track buttons on their stereo, not actually setting it to repeat -- once in a while they go back in the middle of the song or shortly after the next song (a Liberace-ish piano ballad - Yanni?) starts.

This has been going on for months now.

It is July in LA, and closing the windows isn't really an option (and doesn't help that much, honestly, it's really loud).

I don't know exactly what apartment it's coming from (several buildings face mine directly and the alley is smallish , so the source of sound is tough to judge).

What can I do?

I have lived in an urban environment like this my whole life -- I am used to the sounds of the city. This, though, is insane. I actually think that the person is mentally ill or something. But it's SO LOUD! And my poor wife is trying to study for the bar, and has to wear earplugs.

I've yelled out the window already, so we know that doesn't work :).

I Would Be a Member of Any Club...

drjimmy11 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:34:57 -0800

What group/club/organization can I join on L.A.'s eastside? Film-related is a plus. I'm looking for something, but I don't know exactly what. I'm trying to solve two problems:

1) I feel kind of adrift in my film career. I have made a few short films at an almost-professional level but am yet to make any money at it and still have a dayjob. I've always had issues finding collaborators and am frustrated by the fact that I didn't really meet many people I'd want to work with again on my last project. I want to meet like-minded people to collaborate with, but I really haven't. For the sake of this question let's assume I am not a total clown and have enough ability as a writer and director that i wouldn't be laughed out of a room of professionals or talented amateurs. I'm just not sure exactly what I should be doing next.

2) I moved to the eastside (Silver Lake) two years ago and I really haven't made many friends over here. I have an existing, westside-based group of friends, but I spend a lot of time alone because they often aren't interested in the same things as me. Also, getting back and forth across town is a hassle.

So in an ideal world I would find some kind of film collective- people who were interested in working together to make cool, low-budget indie film type things. In addition, it would provide a peer group who I could talk about film-nerd stuff with. The closest thing I'm aware of is the Echo Park Film center, but they only offer one class longer than one day, and it's in documentary filmmaking, which I am not especially interested in.

I definitely have a lot to learn, but I'm not interested in beginner classes like those offered at a community college at this point. And in an ideal world I would find more like an ongoing club or society than a class.

Even if it doesn't have to do with film, I would love to find any kind of likeminded group of people on the eastside with whom i could share some or all of the following:

1) literature
2) hiking/outdoor stuff
3) good music
4) Even if they're not filmmakers, people who are interested in good movies- more like the Agnes Varda double feature I saw Sat. and less like, say, Transformers II
5) writing, screen or prose
6) still photography
7) Anything else I haven't thought of where I might interact with creative, open-minded people

Just a few more notes:
1) I have tried and failed to start something on my own before, a writer's group. I found it exhausting to maintain on my own and I really wasn't able to grow it how I wanted, and eventually it fell apart.

2) I am mainly looking for specific things I can join on L.A.'s eastside. General suggestions like "join a club" or "volunteer for something" aren't that helpful because I have tried and I am struggling to find the right thing for me.

3) i work a dayjob and am gone from home 7am - 6pm every weekday. this rules out things that take place on weekdays, like tutoring at 826LA in Echo Park, which i would love to do otherwise.

thanks!!

To pay or not to pay: LARSO rent registration fee

booksandwine — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:29:35 -0800

Los Angeles Filter: Should I pay the rent registration fee even though my landlord did not give me the requisite 30 days notice? I live in Los Angeles and started the lease on my new apartment this past May. My apartment falls under LARSO - LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Per LARSO the landlord may collect a rental surcharge of $9.35 every year in June, which is the tenant's half of the annual rent registration fee, provided that he gives me 30 days notice. I received a letter in the mail this past week telling me my $9.35 is overdue - this is clearly not 30 days notice, and this is the first notice I have received.

I love the apartment, I think I got a very good deal, and the building being under rent-control is an added bonus. I want to have a decent relationship with the landlord. I am planning to pay the $9.35, but want to consult the hivemind to make sure I am not 1) being a doormat and 2) setting a precedent for the landlord to take advantage of me in the future.

My questions for Metafilter are as follows:
1. Would you pay the $9.35 if you were in this situation?
2. Is this one of those laws that every landlord ignores? Other Angelenos living in rent-controlled apartments, do you receive 30 days notice of the $9.35 every May?
3. The ordinance also says the landlord is supposed to give me a copy of the rental registration - I don't have one, should I ask for one? Or is it just posted somewhere in my building and I've missed it?
4. Would it be a good or bad idea to include a letter with my check citing the relevant portions of the ordinance and saying something like "In the future, I would appreciate 30 days notice"?
5. Or should I just shut up, send the check, and thank the stars I got a good deal on an apartment that I love?

Thanks for your input!