El Segundo, CA

Ahh tech parks, aerospace, a refinery, small shops, and perennially MY WALLET, I gotta get it, got gotta get it!

El Segundo is a very charming old beach town, with quaint original architecture in a variety of styles, ranging from American West to Spanish to California Craftsman. There is nothing too fancy to be found here — no big McMansions… yet (fortunately). There is a Main Street with a small-​town feel, as well as a central park with huge shade trees and a gazebo.
One gets the feeling that everybody knows everybody else in this village. The business district of El Segundo appears to be a pleasant array of Mom-​and-​Pop vintage shops, with enough diversity to supply everything a person could need. El Segundo is located between bustling Manhattan Beach and LAX. The Chevron oil refinery and the Los Angeles water treatment facility lie between the town and the sea, somewhat obstructing the views. I went to El Segundo to take photos of businesses to post to Unilocal,and ended up window-​shopping and exploring an antique store and chatting with local residents. The locals take great pride in their little community. Most have lived there for many years, often spanning generations. El Segundo is a delightfully sleepy & peaceful place — there is no frantic weekend beach traffic like in neighboring communities due to the fact that the town is not directly beachfront. Two drawbacks about this area that I can see: airport noise at the far north end of town… and…you do not want to be downwind of the odors from the water treatment plant on certain days. El Segundo, however, remains a great place to spend a wandering Sunday afternoon and is likely a fine place to live.