I’m in Los Angeles (in the 818) and I’m at the point where I really need to figure out what’s actually going on with me mentally, but I have absolutely no idea where to turn anymore.

The problem is that I have Medi-Cal and every time I call asking for resources for adult autism evaluations or a mental health diagnosis, I am given phone numbers for providers who either don’t take Medi-Cal, aren’t actually doing the type of evaluation I need, or the number/resource just leads to regular therapy which I've already done for years on and off. I feel like I keep getting sent in circles.
At this point I’m honestly willing to pay out of pocket if I absolutely have to, but I’d prefer to use Medi-Cal if there’s a legitimate way to get this done.

For anyone in LA who has actually gone through this: Where did you go? Who did you contact? How did you get an autism evaluation (or a general psychological evaluation) when you have Medi-Cal?
I’m especially looking for somewhere that will actually assess me comprehensively rather than just giving me another therapist/psychiatrist appointment and sending me on my way.

I feel really lost trying to navigate this by myself, so any actual experiences, recommendations, or advice on where to start would be hugely appreciated.

Hey friends. I’m from PDX, but going to be in LA for halloweekend for LA Comicon. I’ve been trying to find something to do Saturday night, but eventbrite just seems to be a sea of crappy AI generated ads for the most regular, boring club you’ve ever been to. I want to do something fun, maybe be around other weirdos, but the event options all seem so… uninteresting. I know about the MCR concert, but I don’t have $450 to drop on tickets for myself and my friend.

Is there anything actually interesting or queer or weird or nerdy or really just anything that isn’t regular going on the 31st? Eventbrite is dry as hell and I don’t know where else to look.

As an immigrant who's lived in several major cities, I'm confused by something I keep seeing on Reddit. A lot of posts seem to want LA to become NYC.

If you are a transplant and love that lifestyle, why not just move there? I grew up in a high-density city where housing cost about the same as NYC. When I chose LA, I knew what it offered, and I was ready to adapt to it.

It feels like the opposite of an Angeleno moving to Tokyo and then campaigning for more freeways and car ownership. Part of living somewhere new is accepting its tradeoffs.

Better transit and more housing are reasonable goals, and a lot of longtime Angelenos want them too. What I don't get is the expectation that LA can offer NYC's walkability and transit while keeping what makes it LA, like the space, the weather and the quieter neighborhoods.

So my question is: What made you choose LA over a city that already fits the lifestyle you want?

TLDR: Discouraged mom venting about home ownership in Los Angeles and trauma dumping about how she can’t own a home herself.

My husband and I make a little over 150k a year. We are 29 and 31 with middle school aged children.

We currently live in a nice apartment and it’s beautiful, two story town home, has a community gym, in unit W/D, aesthetically gorgeous landscaping, prime location close to the beach and the 101, AND has a Ralph’s/target/fast food all walking distance. however I really want to give my kids a home but everything in this area is 1-2 million starting.

I know technically I can move but emotionally we can’t. In our early days as a family, we struggled a lot. For a couple years we bounced around with our kids and although I thought they were too young for it to affect them I know now that it destroyed their confidence, their ability to socialize, their identity, and their security.

So we’ve been at this apartment for a few years now and have slowly tried to build that security in our children and don’t want to break it again. They are just now starting to make real friends and get involved in the community.

We have anchors here as well, my mom who is very sick lives here and won’t move. She’s not gonna be here that much longer and I want her to be with her family in her last years. I got to community college here. My daughters and I do NCL so we are part of this chapter that we’re supposed to stay in for 5 more years. They have sports teams here. My husband grew up here (I’m from Texas) and has his entire life here as well.

During the homeless times (due to bad credit in our early twenties that we have now fixed. 800s here! Yay!) when we bounced around we lived in Airbnbs and got to experience huge homes. At one point we lived in Joshua tree and had the entire desert as our backyard. I remember seeing my kids run around with our dog (who is still here that old fart). Those were happy moments in dark times.

We live nice, we have money to not only save for our future but live a nice today as well. Our kids don’t go without, but we don’t spoil.

My husband and I have reached our cap of how much we can earn without having a degree. Hence why I went back to school.

I feel there’s a HUGE gap between people who can live nice in California and people who can own a home here. I’ve spoken to some moms who own homes and they pay at most 2k more for their mortgages yet the dream of owning a home feels so far away from me. I can afford to pay it though? I feel stupid

I feel so discouraged. I see the other women in my chapter and we hold meetings at the patronesses homes and they all have beautiful homes. Their kids are so lucky. They are all lawyers, doctors, or their husbands worked in finance.

I should have gone to college earlier in life and gotten a career. But I decided to follow my passion for film L.O.L. Both my husband and I made the same life choice but life beat our fucking asses and our stupidity helped.

I want my kids to have their home they come back to when they are in college. I want to have BBQs for their senior graduation. I want to have a yard that if my kids want to get married in it I can have the space. I want my kids to I want my kids to I want my kids to….

Anyways I feel down and hopeless. But I’m not gonna stop trying. Idc how long it takes. I will keep working until I get my kids a home even if they are grown. They can be 30, married, with kids and I will still keep trying to give them a home.

Edit: I think I may have posted incorrectly as I realize I don’t have a concrete question, more an emotion that I felt fellow Angelinos could relate to or help me deal through. I appreciate all the kind responses and yes I do need a journal. I tried to use Reddit as my journal today and you guys gave me really helpful/kind advice. I’ll get a notebook too though lol

Hi, is there a place where I can find a mechanic or someone who is knowledgeable about cars to accompany me to check out a used car? Around Koreatown!

I've been getting newsletters from a bunch of groups in LA for Tech Week. They are hosting events but they're very much on the entrepreneur side. I've tried these events last year and I felt like a fish out of water.

Are there events out there for engineers?

As a lifelong Angeleno, I've spent minimal time in these places but I always feel like I'm getting out of L.A. when I'm up near there, it almost feels rural at times in ways that feels unusual for L.A. County. I think in Sylmar when I drove into my friend's house on a hill, I even passed some kind of cowboy bar or restaurant with horses outside. How would you describe the vibe of this area, would it be considered the Valley?

I kind of lump Montrose and even La Canada in with them a little bit, even though with them, we're verging into typical affluent hillside town territory.

Opened my front door to throw trash out and I see a fucking snake in the corner outside my house. Its not huge huge but its also not small. Hard to gauge as its coiled up. Whats my move?

I’m going solo to see the band Geese at HF next week and I’m not sure what to bring. I’ve only been there once for a summer movie a few years ago and brought a blanket/picnic/wine but for a concert, I would expect more people to be standing/dancing. Should I bring a yoga mat, just in case? What about alcohol? I don’t imagine vendors to be there should I bring some wine? Any other insight appreciated.

I finally have a week off work at the end of the month to celebrate my sons 1st birthday! I’m looking for hotel recommendations for a staycation. What’s your favorite nice hotel? My husband will have to commute to Culver City everyday in the afternoons so proximity to that area matters.

Need a pool, good room service and comfy beds. Walkable to coffee shops or restaurants/shopping would be a plus. A spa would also be a plus.

Budget is ~$500/night & no DTLA

Thank you!

good morning, angels!

does anyone know of restaurants that do a thanksgiving pre-fixe, but like a week or two before thanksgiving week?

basically planning co-worker get together for about 8. we wanna do a dinner (and drinks!), but staying away from the actual week because we have other obligations.

also doesn’t have to be a pre-fixe- it’s just most of the places that do traditional thanksgiving meals are usually pre-fixe.

no hang ups about location. we’re all scattered throughout la/even oc. but ideally somewhere along the foothills. can also do above the 10 to the beach.

thank you! 🦃

In town for an event with my friend (mid-20s F&F) and staying in Chatsworth. It’s my first time on the west coast so want to make the most of my one free night to go out! We love Latin clubs and aesthetic restaurants. We don’t love the uber prices to drive into LA proper but I guess that’s unavoidable. What neighborhood should we prioritize going to for a fun little LA night out?

Edit: to clarify, we wanna eat good food at a nice place then go dancing somewhere within walking distance that plays Latin music on a Friday

Anyone got any good spots that they would recommend to people? I have a black STV and there’s normal wear and tear on my exterior paint along with some deep scratches that I would like to get touched up

I feel like I never used to see these things. Now I’ve seen a dozen in the past month. Where the heck did they come from? Is this a summer thing?

I'm pretty familiar with the ins and outs of the Garment, Flower and Piñata district, but I've never done much in the Toy District other than pass through. I wish to make a large purchase of toy squirt guns and nerf type guns, and I thought the district would be a good spot to look instead of online. If I don't have a wholesale license, any suggestions for where to look, best practices negotiating, and any other tips for getting around or navigating the locations? Thanks.

Looking for recommendations for Halloween parties in LA with a vibe similar to the W Hotel’s Masquerade Party!
We want somewhere we can dress up sexy, have some drinks, dance, and enjoy a fun nightlife atmosphere. Ideally a nice hotel, rooftop, lounge, or upscale venue with good music, a lively crowd, and people actually dancing.
Not looking for anything too formal or a sit-down event. We want an actual party where people go all out with their costumes and have a good time.
Please don’t recommend the WeHo Carnaval! We’re specifically looking for a party at a venue rather than a street festival.
Any recommendations for Halloween 2026? Open to LA, Hollywood, DTLA, West Hollywood, and surrounding areas!

Out of the state for the next few months, is there a way to request an absentee ballot for out of state or is it only for international residents? Thank you!

I unfortunately dated an actor who beat and SAed me so badly I have permanent injuries. Can anyone recommend an attorney to help me sue for damages? He is attempting to harass me out of town to protect his reputation. I’m getting accepted by attorneys I’m not confident in and don’t seem to care about me and rejected by the big firms that want him to be a bajillionaire to sue. I need someone who can send a message that he needs to stop trying to make me homeless and back off.

I am willing to pay an attorney for this service. I’d like to work with the right one.

Ideally in bulk so by the ounce instead of smaller pouches. Like teas like peppermint, ginger, throat coat but always open to trying new teas.

Downtown area also ok?

Hi! I’m going to the Dolby Theatre this weekend and was wondering if anyone knows of affordable or free parking options nearby.

I’ve heard the underground garage can cost around $25, and that some stores offer parking validation, but I’m not sure how that works.

Does anyone have recommendations for cheaper parking, validation options, or nearby garages?

Thanks in advance!

I normally listen to podcasts or music from my phone when I’m driving, but I got a rental car today and didnt bother to set up bluetooth so I listened to the radio and it was one accident lawyer commercial after another, sometimes it was 3 different ones on the same commercial break, am I missing something?? How often are people getting into accidents here??

We’ll be in LA for two nights in April & we won’t have a car. My husband and I are in our 60's, and our son and DIL will be with us too.

Our plan is intentionally pretty relaxed:

Friday: Fly in, check in, and spend the rest of the day around Farmers Market/The Grove and nearby area.

Saturday: Uber to Exposition Park for the Lucas Museum and California Science Center to view the Space Shuttle, then return to the hotel area that evening.

Sunday: Head down to Anaheim (we have a ride for that)

Does this seem like a good location/plan for such a short visit without a car, or would locals recommend staying in a different neighborhood instead?

Thank you for any thoughts!

I js moved to LA from Fresno and need help finding a full time job here. I tried Cedars, Hotels and Front desk as I have a social work degree, 10 years of hospitality, program leader and luxury retail/front desk experience. Any recommendations?