Apartment Guide: Explore Your City (Part 2)

This post is sponsored by Apartment Guide. Are you looking for a new place to call home? Apartment Guide has tips and articles about exploring a new city and making a space your own on the Apartment Guide blog and Moving Today.

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone who participated in my Apartment Guide giveaway! I loved reading through all of your comments about how you would spend $50 to explore your city. Checking out new restaurants seemed to be the No. 1 pick. In fact, that's just what Elena said. Congrats, Elena! Bon appetit! I'll send you an email with more details.

In my previous post, I wrote about looking for a place to call home in a new city. While I was fortunate enough to practically stumble onto a great studio apartment when I moved to L.A. from New York, it's always great to have a resource like Apartment Guide, which has photos, floor plans, features and tips to help you find a great apartment community.

Over the 10 years that I've lived here in Los Angeles, I've definitely changed perspectives on what I want in an apartment. After all, I went from being a single grad school student who enjoyed making creative use of a small studio apartment to a married mom of a little (active!) girl. That's where choosing a suitable neighborhood comes into play. And more space!

I was always on the lookout for a neighborhood where I could walk, but I also wanted something that was fun for our daughter. A park in the area would be nice as well.

While we've moved a couple of times since that New York-style Los Feliz apartment building -- first the Hancock Park/Koreatown area and now to the Westside -- we've looked for places that help make CC feel at home. I love it when she recognizes landmarks in her neighborhood and feels as if it's her own. Which it is.

But even moving across town can be a big switch. Personalities are different. Stores are often different. And there's just a different vibe. (Bye-bye, Los Feliz hipsters. Hello, family four-packs and indoor play spaces.) That's where a resource like Apartment Guide comes in handy when doing neighborhood research. Whether you're content with where you are, are looking or planning a move, Apartment Guide offers how-tos for making the most of your space, city and neighborhood.

Whatever stage you're in, I hope these posts have inspired you to check out your neighborhood and explore your city even more. I'm definitely inspired by your comments and would love to check out a (relatively) new restaurant in Culver City called A-Frame.

Maybe we'll make it a family outing!

To check out more Apartment Guide info, you can "Like" their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter @AptGuide, and "circle" them on Google+ for real-time tips and updates on exploring your city and neighborhood.

(Disclosure: Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in their monthly blogger programs. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The winner of this giveaway will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.)