What is the appeal of the west side? (Riverside, San Bernardino: movers, brokers)

[Carlite]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

That's not always a good thing. It kind of perpetuates the stereotype that LA is yuppie-Land.

I agree. The affluence of the Westside breeds, at least in some folks, arrogance and excessive trendiness and fashion consciousness. The price of real estate and thus of even ordinary goods and restaurants gets bid up.

It's not necessarily a bad thing either...I agree The affluence of the Westside has brought a huge amount of cultural resources, such as art museums and theatres. Westside cities have been able to create elegant public spaces that are open to all, such as the libraries in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. West Hollywood and Santa Monica are among the more active cities in helping their needy residents.

[West of Encino]

Originally Posted by Carlite

Not everybody on the Westside is affluent/rich by any means, but the Westside has a greatly disproportionate share of LA County's rich. That drives a lot of the character of the Westside, and differentiates it from other parts of the city and the region.

I used to think that the Westside was all white, when I didn't venture through the area much back in the day.

[West of Encino]

Originally Posted by taydigga

You're putting all the Westside into one box. Only really snobby areas are Brentwood, Beverly Hills area and maybe even Westwood. Other than that, you're just proliferating the stereotype of the Westside which has a ton of different types of people. The people that live in Palms aren't like what' you'd see in Bev Hills. The people and crowd in Santa Monica isn't like what you see in culver city. It's different. You just inspired a thread for me though...

I hear you have to wear a suit to eat at a restaurant in Brentwood or Beverly Hills.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by taydigga

Warmer, not super hot, like the Valley but not cool like the westside either. Well not in the summers. I feel that in the spring and fall it's cooler than the west side though.

I do remember that when I was in Sierra Madre (awesome town!) it got much hotter. I know the westside is much cooler than the rest of LA, but what about central LA? Areas like downtown and Hollywood? How would you say that compares to Pasadena and the westside?

I am considering living in a few of these areas. I hadn't really researched the weather in-depth. I think it's amazing how in one city weather can change that drastically in certain areas.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by West of Encino

I hear you have to wear a suit to eat at a restaurant in Brentwood or Beverly Hills.

Nah man, not at all. Don't get too caught up in the hype of the westside. Those areas are boogie but there's a lot of lowkey chill places in them, especially in Brentwood. People don't realize that the westside includes areas like, venice, palms, culver city mar vista and even a small section of santa monica that isn't boogie at all.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by PDF

I do remember that when I was in Sierra Madre (awesome town!) it got much hotter. I know the westside is much cooler than the rest of LA, but what about central LA? Areas like downtown and Hollywood? How would you say that compares to Pasadena and the westside?

I am considering living in a few of these areas. I hadn't really researched the weather in-depth. I think it's amazing how in one city weather can change that drastically in certain areas.

You'll be fine in Central LA, don't live past Pasadena and the weather won't be that bad. Pasadena does get some 95's even 100 degree weather, sometimes (it'll be like 90 in west LA) but it's what adds up to like maybe a week or two. This past summer people were complaining that it was abnormally hot in LA (85-90) but there's no humidity and the breeze makes it feel cooler than it is. A walk down the street isn't like an 85-90 degree walk in humid chicago or even New York. You don't enter your house feeling sticky. So yeah, I'd say DTLA and Pasadena, maybe Hollywood but not really are a lil' warmer but not enough to be a deal breaker.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by taydigga

You'll be fine in Central LA, don't live past Pasadena and the weather won't be that bad. Pasadena does get some 95's even 100 degree weather, sometimes (it'll be like 90 in west LA) but it's what adds up to like maybe a week or two. This past summer people were complaining that it was abnormally hot in LA (85-90) but there's no humidity and the breeze makes it feel cooler than it is. A walk down the street isn't like an 85-90 degree walk in humid chicago or even New York. You don't enter your house feeling sticky. So yeah, I'd say DTLA and Pasadena, maybe Hollywood but not really are a lil' warmer but not enough to be a deal breaker.

Well I live in Florida now. I'm sure any kind of weather in California will feel so much better to me. I'm not worried at all, was kind of just curious on the weather difference between these areas.

[Carlite]

In summer, it's pretty much a straight line gradient from hottest in the San Gabriel Valley to coolest on the coast.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Carlite

In summer, it's pretty much a straight line gradient from hottest in the San Gabriel Valley to coolest on the coast.

Ehh . . . . its actually a bit more complicated than that.

The San Fernando and San Gabriel Valley (and the IE even more so) are hot in the summer specifically because well, they're valleys sandwiched in between mountains/ranges of hills, that prevent the ocean breezes from coming in.

Central LA, while too far inland to be truly cool in the summer, is not COMPLETELY blocked by ocean breezes, and therefore is not the oven the valleys are.

Case in point, Woodland Hills is typically one of the hottest spots in greater LA in the summer, even for the valley. However its closer to the coast/beach than central LA (downtown/Hollywood, etc).

Elevation also plays a role too. The Antelope Valley/high desert is in the 2000s feet above sea level, and therefore is a touch cooler than than the IE. It also normally gets some light dustings in the winter.

I'm a climate region nerd.

[Ed from California]

Once upon a time, WLA was the best place to live in SoCal. We used to have a saying, "There is no life east of Sepulveda". Those halcyon days are long gone (since the end of the 60's). Now, the whole Southland is one big cesspool.