One thing I really didn’t understand about LA when we first arrived is that rather than one big city it is a collection of “neighborhoods”. In some cases they’re just neighborhoods but in others they are their own little towns with their own governments, but they’re surrounded by LA proper, so they’re part of LA, but their own thing. From the outside the identity and culture of LA is all one thing (I certainly thought that) but in reality each neighborhood has its own unique character. I know that is the case in other large cities but here the differences between the neighborhoods can be significant and more importantly because of traffic once people pick a neighborhood they tend to stay in it. This might be self evident to anyone who has ever lived in a major city, but it’s kind of new to us.

Recently Lee and I had dinner with some people who have lived here for awhile and that was really brought home. They commented on how we were using the city as a whole rather than finding one neighborhood that worked for us. It was seriously like a lightbulb went off in my head and I realized that if we wanted to stay here we really needed to find that neighborhood.

Don’t get me wrong we have been exploring the neighborhoods, but certainly not with the mindset we would rarely leave it. With that in mind we spent a Saturday in Burbank (top of our current list) really checking it out. Turns out that was a good idea because although I have been to Burbank multiple times and we even stayed in the Elks lodge for several weeks I didn’t really understand the layout. The city is bisected by a major freeway and I have only been on one side missing a whole section. Nuts right, but that’s the thing about LA you really have to explore to see it all.

The first thing we did was go to the Burbank farmer’s market which is in the old downtown. (Beautiful downtown Burbank, for those who remember Laugh In and Carson!) 100% organic, and really great. I loved it and loved the vibe so next we drove up and down all the main streets in the downtown area. It’s unusual because it has a great small town vibe and also has a small mall right in the middle of downtown. Around the mall they have built apartments and lots of small restaurants to create a 15 minute city. These walkable foot prints close to public transportation are very attracted to the younger generation but for me it’s a little densely packed. Still it was great to see this area would be available for an evening out and I liked that there was a mall close by.

After driving the streets and seeing the police station (Burbank is it’s own city), Local library (very nice), and grocery store availability we drove over to the apartments that have made the top of our list. Lee had narrowed our selection down but I needed to see them in person. Turned out I really liked the complex he picked. It sits on the edge of town with a view of the mountains and a small city park next door. It also has a workout faciality, small theater, nice pool, and a wonderful garden courtyard vibe. The apartments themselves are a little smaller than we would like but they all have balconies two bedrooms and two baths.

Interestingly enough the things that matter most were layout (right side kitchen I hated but left side kitchen was fine) and where they sat in the complex itself. I really want a nature view (rather than pool or street) so it’s important which apartment are available. The rental manager was also very nice and chill and they have an outstanding fenced in dog area that is under the parking garage so it is shaded. The dog area totally won me over and I was ready to sign.

Obviously it is way more complicated than just signing a lease. Due to the ongoing writer’s strike and the potential for a SAG/AFTRA strike, nearly all production work has ground to a halt. So while Lee is doing freelance work here and there we haven’t proved out that we can swing the $4000 a month without a steady second income and of course we have no furniture. We will also need to become California residents the moment we move in which will increase our state taxes significantly. All the financial stuff aside though I could truly see myself living there which was a bit of a surprise to be honest. It’s been a long time since I even allowed myself to think in that direction and figuring out what mattered to the older me required some introspection.

Since I think Lee will be working long hours, I wanted a place I felt comfortable being alone that had safe places to walk the dog and facilities I could use without leaving the complex. Since I work from home I also wanted a decent view for my workday and a generally peaceful feeling. The day we went there were people around, but as I said it was pretty chill which is exactly what I am looking for.

To be clear, we are not going to do anything rash. It took us over a year to become full time RVers and I anticipate it taking a similar amount of time to stop being full timers if that is what we ultimately decide to do. All the steps we have taken to date are in preparation, but picking a neighborhood and an apartment were major steps. Now that I know there is a pleasant alternative to how we are living now I feel a lot more Zen about the decision overall. There is absolutely nothing wrong with our current life, but if we choose to change it I am OK with doing that as well.

On another note I have decided to take advantage of being in one place and signed up for an introduction to wheel potter class. Well I LOVED it and immediately signed up for another 6 weeks of classes. Once I have the basics down I will be able to do it anywhere, but its nice to be in one place and be able to complete a set of classes. Been a long time since I have been able to do that and it will be a nice creative outlet for me. I miss nature photography.

One last thing, Lee and I have been talking about the blog and it is really important that I keep writing it until we stop RVing and through the transition. I agree that will be a nice bookend to the start of the blog which showed how we become full timers and talking about the exit (when it happens) is equally important. From that point forward I am not sure to be honest, but I will continue for the foreseeable future and let you all know if that changes.

We very much appreciate your support of our blog.

• You can purchase the ebook telling the story of how we became full-time RVers.
• You can purchase our recipe book filled with 80 recipes we have cooked in our RV and taste tested by Lee himself. You can purchase the kindle or paperback version on Amazon or buy the Apple version on Itunes