Introduction

I moved to 18th and Main in November 2007.

Completed in the late 1920s, the Rutland buildings were acquired by Playa Vista Property Management in 2006 and renovated into affordable and pleasant bachelor, single, and one-bedroom units as part of the company's "Genesis 2000" project. The project's vision is to restore the long-neglected area south of the 10 freeway, a plan that seemed a hopeless investment.

In my short time here, I have concluded that their vision is not necessarily hopeless, and I plan on doing what I can to contribute to this area's revitalization by frequenting local businesses as much as possible and by sharing my findings with-- well, with whoever reads this blog.

About the living space:

My studio apartment is filled with light thanks to large northwest-facing windows. I estimate that the entire unit is no larger than 250 square feet, and despite the tiny kitchen (approximately 5' by 5' at best), it's a very comfortable space. Visitors find the area outside my building a bit disconcerting in its seeming desolation and have accused the marble staircase of being treacherously steep, but inside is a cozy, quiet place that belies its location between both a major highway and the Metro Blue Line.

After living in the suburban fantasy (or nightmare) of Irvine, this place with its rooftop view of the downtown skyline and proximity to public transit is a breath of fresh air, smog notwithstanding.

This is not to say that I have no qualms with my new residence: whereas in Irvine I lived within comfortable walking distance of a Trader Joe's, Albertson's, Washington Mutual, and a variety of eateries ranging from fast-food to Zagat-rated, I now must adapt to having none of them so easily accessible. There is also the issue of safety: in Irvine, I would have thought nothing of jogging a few miles around the neighborhood at 10PM or walking the quarter-mile to Trader Joe's after nightfall, things that I can hardly imagine doing here.

It is different than what I am used to, but I am excited to adapt and discover what this place has to offer.