I looked at three places this weekend.
The 1924 Bungalow
I figured I wouldn't like it because when I talked to the owner she said implied the walls were paper thin. It's not that I'm noisy but because I am up later than "normal" people, I worry I could get complaints. It's in Santa Ana, just behind the civic center. The neighborhood was super nice and according to the owner it's got a real good community feel (they do block parties and take care of each other). I like the idea of that sense of belonging and being able to hang out with the people who live around me.
The set up is a bit weird. The bedroom is right in the front, which is a bit worrisome. The carpet was a very ugly blue/gray color. The walls aren't sheet rock so there's picture molding (meaning you hang your pictures from what looks like a thin chair rail -- it's actually a neat idea). There's no dishwasher but for $10 extra a month I can have a washer and dryer. Neither requiem and I noticed a place for the fridge. The stove is neat because it slides out from the wall (it sits under the oven). It shares the backyard with the owner (her house is next door) and the other tenant (it's a duplex). I'd have room to garden (yippie!). The garage is a manual slider. It's kind of neat but I'd worry about trying to fiddle with it when it's late at night. I could park on the street, I think.
So it's $1,200 a month (plus the extra $10 for the washer and dryer). I like the idea of it but I'm still unsure. I forgot to ask about a pet deposit or pet rent.
Long Beach boxed beams
This place would have had more appeal if my friend Leslie was still living in her old building which was two doors down. The set up was odd. The kitchen wasn't very functional looking. The bathroom had a shit ton of wasted space. I didn't like it at all. The good points were the sun deck (or Squee Room as requiem named it) and the beautiful wood floors. The living room was very much like a tudor style home with dark wood builtins and boxed beam ceilings over white walls.
Of course this was requiem's favorite.
It was $1,175, plus $100 for a parking space. No pet deposit or pet rent. There were on-site laundry facilities.
One bedroom plus den
I'd looked at this earlier in the week with chckpotpie (my best friend and former roommate). I immediately fell in love because it was the perfect space for entertaining. The den would make a perfect office/library. The kitchen and dining room were beautiful. The bedroom was a great set up. It has two full bathrooms. Basically it was just perfect.
The catch? It's almost $1,600. Pet deposit is $300 (not so bad) but there's no pet rent. I could turn the den into another bedroom and rent it out but really I want that library/office.
So gentle readers, any advice? Miss Jerawyn gave me some listings for properties to buy and places to rent. Unfortunately the one I like I cannot afford because it's a cash only sale type deal.
In other news, while requiem was here we went to Day 1 of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls first ever bank track tournament. We missed the first couple games but the two or three we did see were pretty good. The Golden Girls (LA's No. 2 team) were robbed out of advancing to the finals. But it was probably just as well. Their best jammer, Miss Laura Palm Her, suffered a pretty bad back injury. So bad in fact that after everyone went home and we were waiting around for l_train, some guy who pushed on her shoulders caused her to collapse into a puddle of pain and tears. It broke my heart to see her in so much pain and not be able to do anything for her (did I mention I totally have a mega girl crush on her?!). I can only hope she's healed up enough to play the rest of the season.
I believe I shall be purchasing a Mac Book Pro in the next couple days. One of the reporters tipped me off that the bridal magazine she freelances for needed a freelance designer. I got the job. I'm totally excited to have this project in my portfolio. The designs are beautiful. The woman I've been talking to says everything is templated but once I understand their style I'll have some free reign to do some super kick ass designs. I'm only getting $300 for it (she'd said it might be 45 pages but who knows?). Sadly this product only comes out quarterly or else maybe I'd feel more confident about getting the one bedroom plus den apartment.
Welp, I should probably actually eat my spaghetti bolognese. It's no Yogurt Land chocolate, peanut butter, banana, cookie dough but it'll do.
The 1924 Bungalow
I figured I wouldn't like it because when I talked to the owner she said implied the walls were paper thin. It's not that I'm noisy but because I am up later than "normal" people, I worry I could get complaints. It's in Santa Ana, just behind the civic center. The neighborhood was super nice and according to the owner it's got a real good community feel (they do block parties and take care of each other). I like the idea of that sense of belonging and being able to hang out with the people who live around me.
The set up is a bit weird. The bedroom is right in the front, which is a bit worrisome. The carpet was a very ugly blue/gray color. The walls aren't sheet rock so there's picture molding (meaning you hang your pictures from what looks like a thin chair rail -- it's actually a neat idea). There's no dishwasher but for $10 extra a month I can have a washer and dryer. Neither requiem and I noticed a place for the fridge. The stove is neat because it slides out from the wall (it sits under the oven). It shares the backyard with the owner (her house is next door) and the other tenant (it's a duplex). I'd have room to garden (yippie!). The garage is a manual slider. It's kind of neat but I'd worry about trying to fiddle with it when it's late at night. I could park on the street, I think.
So it's $1,200 a month (plus the extra $10 for the washer and dryer). I like the idea of it but I'm still unsure. I forgot to ask about a pet deposit or pet rent.
Long Beach boxed beams
This place would have had more appeal if my friend Leslie was still living in her old building which was two doors down. The set up was odd. The kitchen wasn't very functional looking. The bathroom had a shit ton of wasted space. I didn't like it at all. The good points were the sun deck (or Squee Room as requiem named it) and the beautiful wood floors. The living room was very much like a tudor style home with dark wood builtins and boxed beam ceilings over white walls.
Of course this was requiem's favorite.
It was $1,175, plus $100 for a parking space. No pet deposit or pet rent. There were on-site laundry facilities.
One bedroom plus den
I'd looked at this earlier in the week with chckpotpie (my best friend and former roommate). I immediately fell in love because it was the perfect space for entertaining. The den would make a perfect office/library. The kitchen and dining room were beautiful. The bedroom was a great set up. It has two full bathrooms. Basically it was just perfect.
The catch? It's almost $1,600. Pet deposit is $300 (not so bad) but there's no pet rent. I could turn the den into another bedroom and rent it out but really I want that library/office.
So gentle readers, any advice? Miss Jerawyn gave me some listings for properties to buy and places to rent. Unfortunately the one I like I cannot afford because it's a cash only sale type deal.
In other news, while requiem was here we went to Day 1 of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls first ever bank track tournament. We missed the first couple games but the two or three we did see were pretty good. The Golden Girls (LA's No. 2 team) were robbed out of advancing to the finals. But it was probably just as well. Their best jammer, Miss Laura Palm Her, suffered a pretty bad back injury. So bad in fact that after everyone went home and we were waiting around for l_train, some guy who pushed on her shoulders caused her to collapse into a puddle of pain and tears. It broke my heart to see her in so much pain and not be able to do anything for her (did I mention I totally have a mega girl crush on her?!). I can only hope she's healed up enough to play the rest of the season.
I believe I shall be purchasing a Mac Book Pro in the next couple days. One of the reporters tipped me off that the bridal magazine she freelances for needed a freelance designer. I got the job. I'm totally excited to have this project in my portfolio. The designs are beautiful. The woman I've been talking to says everything is templated but once I understand their style I'll have some free reign to do some super kick ass designs. I'm only getting $300 for it (she'd said it might be 45 pages but who knows?). Sadly this product only comes out quarterly or else maybe I'd feel more confident about getting the one bedroom plus den apartment.
Welp, I should probably actually eat my spaghetti bolognese. It's no Yogurt Land chocolate, peanut butter, banana, cookie dough but it'll do.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
"was DOA".
Oh, and I'm stocked up on Ice cream. Yellow cake batter and creme brullee from B&J's, with this Low Far Latte thing from Starbucks. And pudding. Aaaand now I need to hoof it to the store for Redbox DVDs and more pudding. And pineapple juice.
I'm just trying to type and a thousand times.