Meet Noam Friedlander from London who moved to LA 14 years ago to pursue a life in the sunshine!
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
I have a US passport and had never used it for more than a holiday, so I decided to come here for a year in October 2008 and try it out… and I’m still here. It was also the furthest point on the mainland away from my family that I could legally work. I could have gone to Hawaii I guess but that seemed a little far.
What do you miss most from home?
QPR. The Loft. The NHS. And…decent crisps. If you want to win my heart, bring me frazzles, skips and salt and vinegar discos. Oh, and M&S – why don’t they have egg and cress sandwiches here? Or a proper sandwich? If anyone knows where to find two slices of bread with a decent filling, please DM me on social media!
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since?
I used to take the bus when I first came to LA in the 90s to live with my sister and no one took public transport. Most people still don’t BUT at least the Metro has evolved! I had a job in a jeans store on Melrose and the neighborhood as cleaned up a LOT since then. It also was relatively reasonable to rent a place but now…!!?
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus London
The car life is a huge deal here, again, it’s the public transport issue. And the heat in general here (let’s not count this summer in London). You’d think I’d be better with the heat by now. I miss London, but, I’ve chosen to live in places in LA that have an almost ‘village’ feel to them. My neighbors are lovely – but it helps that I got a dog during the pandemic so have got to know a whole new community of like-minded dog-lovers!
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
It’s too special to share. But let’s just say there’s a stunning body of water in the middle of LA that has wild deer. If you know. You know. Failing that, hike to the Griffith Observatory in the morning and watch the sunrise. It’s glorious. And you’ll beat the heat.
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
Have your ducks in a row. I’ve worked in immigration for 13 years. You need those visas sorted out as well as some savings, a place to stay and good friends. You’ll move here with a zero credit rating, which means practical issues will be challenging. Reach out to fellow Brits and go to some events just to start building your own community. Also, if you can, find a place with rent control!
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?
Tip your bar and wait staff generously. This isn’t England. Tips are vital here! Also, you’ll never beat the traffic so allow yourself more time than you think. No one can drive here. Just remember that and, as Elsa says, ‘let it go’.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you? Are you working on anything at the moment?
During the pandemic, I’ve been building a genealogy business. I’ve been hired to build people’s family trees, either as gifts for family members or just due to their curiosity and I love doing it. It’s a privilege and there’s something fascinating about discovering someone’s roots. I’ve traced my own tree back to the 1500s and, for others, I’ve been a myth buster (no, you’re not related to the Royal Family), reunited relatives, found missing family members and linked others to some castles across Europe! It’s been an absolute blast and I can’t wait to help other people find their hidden secrets!
If you want to find out my secret water spot you’ll find it on my insta noam25… twitter @noam25 My geneology insta is @mygenesearch and my genealogy website is mygenesearch.com
