I stayed at Anita’s place for the month of November. Anita was great, very responsive and got me kitchen tidbits that I needed, and showed genuine interest in how she might improve the experience for future guests.
As for the rental, I was really sad to leave, it felt like home. I partly don’t want to leave a review because I want it to be vacant the next time I’m in town. ;)
The space was so comfortable, a great size (cozy, but not overly small), had phenomenal light (daylight from every angle). The bed was comfortable, the couch was comfy as a couch (as a bed it is a bit firm), the table and chairs were great for dining. Anita brought me a desk and office chair so I could work from home while I was there, and it worked out great (she even upgraded the cable to a faster connection). Smart TV, and Bluetooth soundbar for music, laundry in the garage. Private patio and a parking space. Amazing 360 view from the top level. The bathroom window felt like I was in a treehouse.
The front house was vacant when I was there, so I had my own little private oasis.
Easy to walk to Griffith Park, down to Thai Town for food, and grocery and pharmacy also walkable.
Here are a few quirks (I say quirks because they’re not bad, just might not be for everyone)—
The staircase to the bedroom is quite narrow and slightly steep (you kind of have to shift your shoulders sideways a bit). You’ll get used to it but you can’t carry too much stuff up. I was able to carry food and drinks, but left my suitcase downstairs. This is the only quirk that could be an actual problem for some people.
You keep all your clothes downstairs, there are a couple closets. It worked out great, but FYI if you’re not used to this.
The bedroom is all windows so it’s not well insulated. I was there when the night temps were low, so I would set the heater in the evening to be sure it was warm enough by the time I’d be up there for bed. (Unsure of the AC up there since I didn’t use it, but the 360 windows offer an amazing cross breeze).
The upstairs deck is narrow, so it’s more of a “sit up straight” experience to get the full view. It was cold most nights so I wasn’t out there too much, but it was amazing to be out there when it was warm, and in the morning sun, and you can also see the view from the bedroom. You can sit on all sides, so there’s always an area that’s in the sun or shade.
The private patio is shaded, so I wasn’t back there since it was chilly when I was there. I can imagine this would be great in the heat. I often would sit on the front stairs and catch the sun, it was a nice place to kick back and have lunch.
It’s close to two busy streets, so there was some street noise, but after the first night I didn’t notice it (just FYI that it’s not completely silent). The other noise is gardeners in the morning, I had to laugh, it brought back childhood LA memories for me.