Staying at Mariko's house was a great experience for me. The house is lovely and its' owner is such a nice person. It was a 'home away from home'. The bedroom was spacious and very comfortable. Mariko provided me with an iron, ironing board and a hairdryer. Using her kitchen space and all the utensils was never a problem. Whenever I needed something, Mariko was always very helpful. She didn't mind when I asked her to use her washing machine. She also gave me a lift to a couple of places - that was kind of her, especially since I was not familiar with the area when I first got there. Mariko is a happy, positive and full of energy person who makes you feel comfortable around her. I loved the smell of lemon trees in her garden :-) Mariko responded to my request within half an hour which was great as I was about to start my journey from San Francisco to LA and at the time I still needed to find a place to stay in LA. I felt safe in Mariko's house; the area is quite nice too (there is a Mexican supermarket not far from the house - it takes about 10 mins on foot to get there). The house is located near Woodley Station (15 mins from North Hollywood by a Metro bus). I travelled everywhere by trains and buses. It takes around 1,5 hrs to get to Santa Monica or Malibu if you don't have a car. I would definitely choose Mariko and her house if I wanted to stay in LA again. Mariko, thank you very much for welcoming me into your home. I had a great time in LA. Best wishes, Sylvia