"Beverly Hills: That's where I want to be! Living in Beverly Hills... Beverly Hills - Rolling like a celebrity!" (-Weezer, "Beverly Hills")
Well-known as the home to the posh 90210 zip code, there are no hillbillies as far as the eye can see on this playground for the rich and famous. Home to some of the biggest celebrities, Beverly Hills is usually synonymous with Hollywood and offers some of the best (read: expensive) shopping, dining, and hospitality in the world. Situated near West Hollywood in Los Angeles County, it's part of the “Golden Triangle” along with neighboring areas Holmby Hills and Bel-Air, with Rodeo Drive at its center. 34,358 people enjoy its warm Mediterranean climate, with temps for the summer reaching into the 80s and dropping to the 60s in the winter time (I know, brrr, right?). To live among the crème de la crème, you can be expected to dole out a pretty penny – living the posh life here costs about 72 percent above the U.S. average. Not a Hollywood exec, actor, or trust fund baby? You can still make it work. Read on.
Location, location, location: Keep all three in mind when looking for places to rent in Beverly Hills
"Beverly Hills: That's where I want to be! Living in Beverly Hills... Beverly Hills - Rolling like a celebrity!" (-Weezer, "Beverly Hills")
Well-known as the home to the posh 90210 zip code, there are no hillbillies as far as the eye can see on this playground for the rich and famous. Home to some of the biggest celebrities, Beverly Hills is usually synonymous with Hollywood and offers some of the best (read: expensive) shopping, dining, and hospitality in the world. Situated near West Hollywood in Los Angeles County, it's part of the “Golden Triangle” along with neighboring areas Holmby Hills and Bel-Air, with Rodeo Drive at its center. 34,358 people enjoy its warm Mediterranean climate, with temps for the summer reaching into the 80s and dropping to the 60s in the winter time (I know, brrr, right?). To live among the crème de la crème, you can be expected to dole out a pretty penny – living the posh life here costs about 72 percent above the U.S. average. Not a Hollywood exec, actor, or trust fund baby? You can still make it work. Read on.
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Finding an Apartment
Location, location, location: Keep all three in mind when looking for places to rent in Beverly Hills. One bedroom apartments cost anywhere from market price to “well there goes my vacation,” depending on the amenities. That being said, an apartment with just the basic amenities (stove, fridge, dishwasher) in the prestigious 90210 area code may costs you almost double what a 1 bedroom (with access to a heated pool and granite countertops) runs in a less expensive LA area. If you bring pets along, be prepared– some apartments are animal-friendly apartments in Beverly Hills, and some are not. The only complication in regards to moving to the city is the money required (lots of it). Be prepared to show adequate proof of income and to act fairly quickly to rent an apartment. Prices are so exorbitant that finding one to fit your budget is like finding a needle in a haystack-- have deposits, IDs, and renter's insurance at hand.
Neighborhoods in the City
Beverly Hills itself is sometimes called a neighborhood of Los Angeles, but it is in fact its own separate city. Because it is so often grouped as such, it doesn’t have its own neighborhoods per se, but there are defining areas that make up the city.
The Flats: This is what residents (very creatively) call the mainly flat area south of Sunset Boulevard. It's also what many folks think of when imagining the stereotypical Beverly Hills – many commercials and movies are filmed here.
The Hills: The richest rich of the rich! Generally speaking, the further north beyond Sunset Boulevard you go, the more ka-chings! That you can expect to hear. There's much glitz, and a healthy dose of glam.
Many celebrities choose to lay their head in Beverly Hills. Just think: you could be borrowing a cup of flour from Nancy Sinatra, Steve Martin, or Eddie Murphy!
Living in the City
As you can imagine with the above ilk living here, the anti-stalking laws in the area are very strict: that means that hoofing it will likely get you stopped by a Beverly Hills cop. Still, Beverly Hills is much more manageable pedestrian-wise than some of the urban sprawl that makes up other parts of Los Angeles when it comes to shopping and dining. Most people do drive, yet be forewarned, the parking garages in the downtown area tend to fill up rather quickly. Public transport is also available via bus service.
Much of the job force in Beverly Hills is white-collar, and employment is concentrated in management occupations, sales jobs, and art, media, and design.
Your taste buds will thank you for choosing this city. If you are craving it, Beverly Hills has it--maybe with a side of a star sighting. Wolfgang Puck’s flagship Spago is located in Beverly Hills, as are La Dolce Vita and Mastro’s. More mid-priced eateries are also available, like Barney Greengrass, at the top of Barney’s New York, and the always popular comfort food haven of Kate Mantilini, which some will recognize from the Robert De Niro movie, Heat.
Shopping is also a premier experience – flagships for Prada, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, and Jimmy Choo will gladly lighten your wallet. The mecca of luxurious retail is Rodeo Drive - over 100 shops and boutiques spans 3 city blocks. Ferragamo footwear? Check. Rolex cleaners? Can do. The possibilities are endless, but your pocketbook pretty much has to be, too.
Basically, Beverly Hills is a small city for the fabulously wealthy. If you have the means to pay for it, the city affords you access to some of the most breathtaking views of Los Angeles, the finest in home goods and haute couture, plus the chance to be Bruce Willis’s neighbor.
