Cruising L.A.

Traffic on the 405 in West L.A.

Sometimes I think L.A. isn't a bad place to live - and then I run into traffic. It's 7:45pm on the 405 North and there's still a backup past Santa Monica Blvd. Unbelievable. I wonder how Angelenos put up with this stuff.

I abhor traffic. It impedes my flow. I can't drive 55. Hell, we're barely doing 25. Sucks.

As I make my way across L.A. to the San Fernando Valley, I reminisce about the old days in SoCal. Back in my paintball days, I used to stay with my cousin in Van Nuys, then make the drive all the way down to Hawthorne. It didn't seem too far back then and, somehow, I don't remember ever running into traffic. From what I recall, the drive was quick and easy. But now it's long and far away. Who knew?


Descending into the San Fernando Valley.

In my movie days, I would stay again in Van Nuys or at friends places in Los Angeles. Those seemed like easy commutes to the studios or supply houses. Now, a trip from Hermosa to Location Sound is quite a haul that needs to be planned accordingly.

I'm considering living in L.A. for the very first time. Possibilities abound here and because of the traffic, I've been considering flats in West Hollywood and surrounding areas. The one house in the Hollywood Hills looked pretty tempting, but at $4,000/mo. I thought it better to pass.

One of the girls out here encouraged me to live in Marina Del Rey, which is quite nice and by the water, but I'm not sure about the commute to WeHo - although she assures me that her commute to Beverly Hills is about fifteen minutes. We'll see.