Moving to Los Angeles, and even within Los Angeles, is tricky. Finding a place in the location you like is close to impossible, pricing is painful, and roommates are a gamble. Not to mention, once you begin the undertaking, all of the grim moving details begin to slowly reveal themselves. Do you have enough boxes? Is there a truck big enough to move everything? Did you break that irreplaceable lamp? How much gas does a U-Haul need? — The list goes on and on. Then there is the amount of time that goes into meticulously packing all of your worldly possessions so that they might, with some luck, survive the long trek. Continue reading »

Given the current state of the economy, the country, the world, it would be
insensitive to spend wads of cash on entertainment, even if you had said wads. Hence, we explore cheap thrills in the city so that you don’t have to add boredom to broke-ness.

Movies on a budget

A movie ticket during peak hours is currently $12.00 to $13.00, which is obscene when you consider it would take a person two hours working minimum wage to fork over that amount. However, a matinee at any theater is at least three or four dollars less. If you’re annoyed by the crowds and architecture at places like the Grove, you should join the Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theater. $25 a month gets you admission to all of their screenings, free admission to any members-only events, and a free bucket of popcorn. They don’t play the usual movie fare; a recent series celebrated Disturbing and Inappropriate Kid’s Films.

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By Kirsten Laulainen

Mother’s Day is May 10th, guys. You don’t have a lot of time, but don’t worry. Here are a couple of ideas to keep your wife and/or mother happy on her special day, and on a budget. Continue reading »

By Shelby Chamber

A major part of surviving in a city like Los Angeles is keeping one’s finances at bay. There is a price to pay for living in a bustling cultural center where you have only to look out the window to see the beach, the mountains, two Starbucks and an AT&T store. But with the right combination of of budgeting (cringe) and willpower, you can subsist and partake in all that the second most expensive US city has to offer. Continue reading »

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I were driving home with our brand-spankin’-new, stand-up paddle board.  It was a pretty serious investment…and it was beautiful.  Then the 405 ate it. Continue reading »

Everyone knows about the housing crisis.  Of course, if you live in LA and are thinking about buying, the subject of housing always seems to be a crisis.  Even with the market dropping as fast as it currently is, everything for the 20-and-30-somethings still seems to be out of reach.  One of the solutions, though admittedly still a bit unreachable for some, is the concept of buying a fixer-upper and remodeling it. Continue reading »

Flowers Brighten a Day

If you haven’t read it already, check out my article about February Resolutions.

With Valentines Day around the corner, February seems like a perfect time to discuss my love for tulips, lilies, orchids and roses.  I’ve always been a flower-fan.  As a child apparently I got in trouble for picking the flowers out of the alter at church.  Today, I honestly can’t think of anything more spectacular than a field of wild flowers, roses from a lover or friend, or a kitchen windowsill with a single orchid resting in the light. Continue reading »

February is here...

With February just around the corner, I think it is pretty safe to say that a good majority of those New Year’s Resolutions have been broken. Well, personally I didn’t really make a resolution. I mean I did say out load at one point that by 2010 I wanted to be 10 pounds lighter and at least 10k richer, but I’m not sure what level of commitment I put behind that.

But Life in the City is an STC section about all parts of LA life. Part of that is self improvement, so throughout February I’m going to be working on a bit of self-improvement and bringing you guys along for the ride.

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Lori and Heather

A New LA Friend

I met Lori through a friend over a year ago.  I’ll never forget the first day we met; she was coming out of her apartment to meet me and my friend Ali and looked absolutely adorable in her sun dress and boots.  “Why couldn’t I have taken the time to dress cute today?”  I reprimanded myself.

Over the next few months, and with the help of Ali, Lori and I became good friends.  We went on hikes, spent time at the beach and of course, talked often about boys.   Eventually we ventured out on our own, without the guidance of Ali, for a day of shopping.  That’s when I knew it must be official.  I had made a new friend - a task that, in Los Angeles, isn’t always a breeze. Continue reading »

As you well know, commuting in L.A. means making the most of all that valuable time spent driving, which means multitasking. Not recommended, of course, but it’s a fact of life. We’re all guilty of something–whether you put your mascara on in the rearview mirror or hold your coffee in one hand and your breakfast burrito in the other, we don’t always have our eyes on the road.
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