Meet Donna McCaleb from Hackney, East London who moved to LA in January 2020 to pursue a career in Real Estate & Staging
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
My husband was offered a tech job in Santa Monica. At the time I had just finished managing a charity project called Tour de Branch for a charity that was co-founded by Princess Diana. Tour de Branch turned out to be the largest corporate charity cycle race in the UK and so after a year of staying in hotels up and down the country, I was absolutely shattered and ready for a break. The thought of sun, sea, and sand was a no-brainer for me so I quit my job and packed my suitcase.
What do you miss most from home?
Tottenham Hotspur, family and friends, in that order, haha. Sometimes I just miss the simplicity of going to the pub with mates after work then just jumping on a bus home. I also miss the architecture. The UK is full of interesting buildings old and new, that’s one of the reasons why I eventually moved out here to the desert, I needed to be closer to all the Mid Century Modern architecture of Palm Springs.
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since?
We got here two months before lockdown so first impressions were strange, to say the least. We chose one hell of a year to move abroad but we made the most of it, we were able to see all the tourist sites without any tourists, which was actually quite magical.
We eventually moved out to Joshua Tree in October simply because we wanted a bigger house with mountain views and we didn’t have a spare $1m for a broom closet in Malibu, lol.
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus London?
Gosh, where do I start? I guess in London I relied on public transport, tube, bus, train, riverboat, you name it, I took it. We never owned a car there but here we have two cars, LA is so spread out you really have to drive everywhere. On the plus side, LA is a place where you can totally reinvent yourself, you can become a better you, you can pursue your dreams. It sounds tacky but I did it. I changed my career, followed my lifelong passion for all things real estate, passed an exam, passed my driving test, brought a car, and for the first time in my life I am finally a homeowner and I did this all in one year. I don’t believe I would have achieved any of this in London, certainly not in a year.
I’m not saying it’s been easy but on the days where things felt tough, I’d look out the window and think “well at least it’s not bloody raining’. The sunshine never lets you down.
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
The rooftop pool at the Freehand Hotel in downtown LA is such an oasis in the city, and it’s steps away from The Last Bookstore which is a bonus, oh and while you are there do not leave without trying Howlin Ray’s (727 N. Broadway), the best god-darn fried chicken in town. And Thai District on Linden Avenue in Long Beach! Hands- down some of the best Thai food I’ve had, including London and Thailand.
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
Do it, make that move but I would totally suggest getting a job first because that will define where you live, trust me you do not want a long, slow commute to and from work every day, traffic really is as bad as they say it is. If you can work remotely then that’s great, LA is your oyster. But most importantly bring a year’s supply of chocolate.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Always treat people how you like to be treated and things will come your way.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you? Are you working on anything at the moment?
I’m a Real Estate Agent covering Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and Big Bear. Online I’m at homeiscali.com and on Instagram you can find me at @mccalebhomedesigns or @dalstontodesert where you will find me renovating our new house & Airbnb.=
