Tomoko's shared apartment is in the perfect location for a solo traveller (like myself) to easily walk to all of the main attractions in Santa Monica. For my short, two-day trip, I was able to park my car easily and leave it there. Her apartment is within very easy walking distance to the Third Street Promenade with lots of shopping and dining options. The Santa Monica Pier is a comfortable walk as well. Stop at Barnes & Noble on the way to the beach to grab some magazines or a good book while you people watch on the beach. The only issue I had was with the hot water. Tip: Turn on the sink's hot water tap and let it run until it's hot. Then leave it running while you turn on the shower - all the way to as hot as the tap will turn. You won't burn yourself and you'll manage a warm shower. Note that you're also sharing the space with Tomoko's parents. They are very nice people. I barely saw them during my time at the apartment. It could get a bit noisy outside the apartment building at night, but it wasn't too bad.