Headin' South - a plea for advice/help

[mousepod]

So here's the scoop:
After more than 10 years in San Francisco, Heather and I are planning on packing up and heading out. The only two real destination candidates are NYC and LA, and at this point, LA is winning with an estimated 80% lead.

The reasons for the move are myriad. Among them are: the company that Heather worked for out here no longer exists, I'm sick of working in a jail and yearn to return to the evils of the entertainment biz, we realized that we've paid close to a quarter million dollars in rent and have no equity to show for it, and the owners of our house want to do structural repair to the foundation in the Spring.

At this point, we know that though Heather and I could both probably get decent jobs in NY, we'd have to live in the 'burbs or in a shoebox. We're not ready for that yet.

So it's the greater LA area.

The majority of our experience has been centered around the Hollywood area (I used to work in a satellite office on Sunset) and, of course, Disneyland.

We've purchased The Newcomer's Handbook for Los Angeles, but really haven't done much else yet (we were waiting until after the holidays).

We're looking for work and a place to live. And we're asking you, our potential neighbors, for advice and help.

And so it begins.