(Excuse the quasi-lame Arrested Development-themed title)
I'm sitting at YVR (Vancouver's Airport) waiting to board my flight to Los Angeles for my final visit to California before the real move in August. I have decided to come down the coast for four days to complete two key pre-school activities: meeting my roommate and finding an apartment. I remember when I made a similar trip in the summer of 2009 to Vancouver for the same amount of time - except that time there was no roommate to help and no real experience in house hunting to steer me to sound judgment. There is a great feeling of optimism in the air as I sit here listening to the new Bon Iver album, taking in the change that is occurring around me. My visions of Brentwood and Santa Monica are formulated from a short apartment tour in April, and the commentary of my fellow classmates on Facebook. That said, that arms me with more information than when I decided on the neighborhood in Vancouver that would become my home for two years.
I now complete this entry three days later. A roommate has been met and a friendship formed. We toured Brentwood and Santa Monica for 36 hours before finding the apartment that best met the criteria we had discussed. A heads up to my classmates...the search is tiring, and the landscape competitive. Be ready to pull the trigger immediately on a place if you like it, and don't forget to leverage Westside Rentals and Craigslist (where we found the unit we will be living in). Brentwood will be my home for the next two years and I couldn't be more excited. We have a pool. I thought that I was going to B school to find a career that allowed me to have a pool...so why bother? (kidding, but open invite to classmates for pre and post exam hangouts poolside)
The real kicker of the week? Sean (my roommate) and I were celebrating our successful house hunting trip with a few cold ones at his friends place, when we are asked if we would be able to play extras in his short film. Only in LA can one begin the day homeless by the beaches in Santa Monica and end the day with an address in Brentwood and an upcoming profile birth on IMDB.
Edit: Second kicker of the trip. Having to go to UCLA to take care of some paperwork, I walk out of the parking garage to the screams of thousands. Quickly realizing they weren't for me, I turn to my right to see Real Madrid drive by me in golf carts. Now, I'm by no means a soccer/football enthusiast, but I could certainly get used to star sightings on a semi-frequent basis. Apparently they practice annually at UCLA...note to self: traffic sucks on those days (or all days).
Week 2 - Food: What's life in SoCal without fish tacos? Ricky's Fish Tacos in Hollywood are apparently pretty good, so I will definitely be venturing over there for a try.
Week 2 - Adventure: 7 Falls - take the Pacific Coast Highway north to Santa Barbara where there are tons of great hikes. The ocean air keeps the weather manageable on warm days. Great views!
If you need me I will be procrastinating by the pool.
Cheers!
Evan
