I've lived all over LA: San Monica, W. Hollywood, Westwood, Downtown, & various valley locations. With the exception of San Monica, one can park without conside

I've lived all over LA: San Monica, W. Hollywood, Westwood, Downtown, & various valley locations. With the exception of San Monica, one can park without consideration on the block of their destination, and non-franchise eateries of many ethnicities outside the fashionable expensive vortex are still common. As far as "crime bad", LA's reputation is a product of Hollywood and nothing like its dangerous reputation - people here are generally nice to strangers because everyone is a stranger. And who knows, if a stranger are dangerous, be nice as a default and you won't find out. Most other cities trying to "live up to LA" over do it and are much more unfriendly towards strangers.