INSTRUCTIONS TO OAKWOOD APARTMENTS IN TOLUCA HILLS
If Driving
You will have to consult a map to decide from which direction you are approaching Los Angeles. The Oakwood Apartments are on Barham Boulevard in Los Angeles near Burbank. The Apartments are about 1 mile from Universal Studios & the 101 (Hollywood Freeway). Use the Barham Boulevard exit off the 101. The 134 (the Ventura Freeway) is about 3-4 miles north of Oakwood at the Forest Lawn Drive exit.
From Burbank Airport
Take Hollywood Way South to Olive Avenue (Beautiful Downtown Burbank). Bear left. Olive Avenue becomes Barham Boulevard. Keep going south on Barham Boulevard (toward Universal Studios). You will see the sign for the Oakwood Apartments on your left. Come up to the stop light on Barham at the main entrance to Oakwood. Follow the yellow line into the Oakwood Complex until you see the SOUTH CLUBHOUSE.
From LAX
Take Century Boulevard (out of the airport) to the 405 North (San Diego Freeway). Take the 405 North to the 101/Ventura Freeway East (toward Los Angeles). Stay on the 101 Freeway. The 101 becomes the Hollywood Freeway. Go South to the Barham Boulevard exit. Take Barham Boulevard for about 1 mile. You will see a sign for the Oakwood Apartments on your right. GO IN THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF OAKWOOD. Follow the yellow line into the Oakwood Complex until you see the SOUTH CLUBHOUSE.
If you need transportation from the airport to Oakwood, here are the names of 3 popular airport shuttles. You must make reservations at least a day in advance, and the cost is roughly $30.00:
| YELLOW CAB | (877)733-3305 | http://www.layellowcab.com/ |
| SUPER SHUTTLE | (800)258-3826 | http://www.supershuttle.com/default.aspx?content=LosAngeles |
| XPRESS SHUTTLE | (800)427-7483 | http://www.xpressshuttle.com/los_angeles.htm |
If you are taking a taxi from LAX, ask for the "Flat Rate." Yellow Cab should give you a flat rate of $50.00. (Because the Burbank Airport is so much closer, it is relatively inexpensive to take a taxi from there to Oakwood.)
LIVING IN LOS ANGELES
THE OAKWOOD APARTMENTS are furnished with:
Beds, Dressers, Night Stands, Sofa, End Tables, Lamps, Coffee Table, Dining Table, Refrigerator, Microwave, etc. The beds in the studio apartments are murphy beds (the kind that retract into the wall) with queen-size mattresses. Beds in the one-bedroom (double) and two-bedroom (quad) apartments have regular twin-size mattresses.
YOU WILL NEED TO SUPPLY:
Bedding, Linens, Towels, Phones, Answering Machine, Pots & Pans, Dishes, Television, VCR, Stereo, Hangers, etc. Other "comforts of home" vary individually.
You can rent most items for your apartment from Oakwood Home Services for the time you are staying at Oakwood. For a complete list of items and prices, you can ask the clubhouse desk or check the prices and items by logging onto http://emerson.oakwood.com/index.html. Also, many items can be purchased very cheaply in local stores such as IKEA, K-Mart, Target and other department stores. Check with your roommates. Split among 4 people, the costs may seem more reasonable.
On the Emerson LA web site at http://www.ecla.edu is a message board where former LA Program students post messages about furniture and appliances they may have for sale. You may want to check this out before you make any major purchases.
Do not plan to ship belongings to Los Angeles unless you are certain you will be there to receive them when they arrive. The Los Angeles Center cannot receive packages for students, and on a couple of occasions during past semesters packages signed for by Oakwood staff have been lost. Use the Oakwood concierge service at your own risk.
PHONE INFORMATION / INTERNET
SBC
You are responsible for your local phone service. If you want a local land line you must contact SBC at 1-800-310-BELL to set up phone service. Once you set up SBC service, you must call Jennifer Fitzgerald at Oakwood and provide her with a "supply binding post #" and your new telephone number. Service takes about three days to set up. (If you prefer, you may choose to use a cell phone and not set up a land line.) Contact the LA Center once you receive your phone number so that you may be listed in the Student Directory.
For internet access in your Oakwood apartment you have three options: Oakwood’s Wireless Hi-Speed Internet Service, DSL or dial-up service offered by SBC. There are pros and cons to all these options.
Each apartment comes with one free access code to the Wayport Hi-Speed Wireless Internet Service at Oakwood. This code allows for multiple users, but not at the same time . If more than one person in an apartment needs to connect to the service simultaneously, both must have separate access and additional $30 fees per code must be paid. To set up wireless internet service you may purchase this with a credit card right on your computer after you move into your apartment. You can also purchase a coupon at one of the Oakwood clubhouses with a code that will give you access.
To gain access to the wireless network you will need a WI-FI airport card, type 802.11B or 802.11G. You can get a card from Oakwood for an $80 deposit, but if you use an Oakwood card it will only work at Oakwood. A better option is to purchase your own card at Best Buy or Circuit City or Radio Shack for between $12-$20. This card will work at Oakwood and anywhere else, and you get to take it with you when you leave!
It should be noted that the Oakwood wireless internet service is relatively new, and there have been complaints from students that the service is slow and that sometimes the connection doesn’t work. We have been informed by Oakwood that due to illegal file sharing Wayport has removed bandwidth, which has slowed the service down considerably. Be warned that if Wayport detects illegal file sharing, or even if they detect file sharing software on your computer, they will ban you from the service permanently. So if you plan to use the wireless internet service, make certain that any file sharing software on your computer is uninstalled before you sign up. Wayport’s toll free number is (877)WAYPORT (929-7678). Their web site is http://www.wayport.net/.
DSL
Another hi-speed internet option is DSL through SBC. DSL works through a regular land line. The cost will be roughly $30/month, but set up fees can cost approximately $200, and usually one must make a long-term commitment to the service. This is a more expensive option, but very reliable for hi-speed service. DSL can be used by multiple users simultaneously.
Dial-Up Service
The least expensive option is regular old dial-up service. Dial-up is slow, but it is low-cost and reliable. All you need is a land line. For more information go to http://www.sbc.com.
STORAGE FACILITIES
Occasionally participants may need to store some of their belongings off-site either before, during or after the term. There are many storage facilities in the area, but perhaps the most used is Public Storage. Public Storage has locations in Studio City and Burbank. Public Storage's web site is at http://www.PublicStorage.com.
WEATHER / CLOTHING
The Oakwood Apartments and the LA Center are located in the San Fernando Valley and have a desert climate. While the weather is usually pleasant and sunny, at certain times of the year it can be unpredictable. During the "winter" months it can be rainy and cool (particularly at night), and during the summer it can be very hot, with highs in the 100's! Be prepared for anything (except for snow - you shouldn't need to worry about that!).
Since you will be spending many hours at your internship site, you should be prepared to dress more professionally than you might be used to as a student. Some intern sites are very business-like and some are more informal - you will eventually need to acclimate to the environment you find yourself in. Do not, however, arrive for your first day at work in an old pair of jeans!
LAUNDRY FACILITIES
Laundry facilities are available in almost every Oakwood building (if not in your building, then the one next door). The machines don't take quarters, but use a prepaid card system similar to a prepaid calling card (or ECCash). Laundry cards are dispensed by machines at both the North and South Clubhouses. You must supply your own detergent. There are also dry cleaners next to each clubhouse.
GUESTS
Guests may stay no longer than three days within a seven-day period in your apartment. This must also be agreed upon by your roommate(s). If you have a guest, you are responsible for their behavior both in the apartment and in the common areas. The guest/visitor must be a personal friend or relative of the resident. THIS POLICY IS STRICTLY ENFORCED. Students who disregard the guest policy will be subject to dismissal from the program.
PETS
As is the case with all Emerson housing, no pets are allowed in any apartments.
SMOKING
As is the case with all Emerson and Emerson-leased buildings, no smoking is allowed in any of the Oakwood apartments.
TRANSPORTATION / PARKING
Los Angeles/Burbank does have public transportation and several bus lines have stops at the Main Entrance of the Oakwood Complex. For immediate information about bus and subway routes contact the MTA at (800)-COMMUTE or go to their website at http://www.mta.net/.
However, because of the vast size of LA County, many students prefer to bring their cars or lease one for the semester. All Oakwood residents receive parking passes for their vehicles.
TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks and materials for your classes will be purchased locally or via the web.
COMPUTER LAB
There is a small computer lab at the Los Angeles Center offices which is usually open six days a week on roughly the following schedule:
| Monday - Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|
| 9 AM - 7 PM | 9 AM - 5 PM | 12 Noon - 6 PM |
There are not enough computers available for students to have unlimited access. If you have a computer you can bring with you to Los Angeles, particularly a laptop model, please do so. You will be able to access your Emerson e-mail at the lab.
We want your stay in Los Angeles to be as stress free as possible. If you have any housing questions, please contact Emerson LA Residence Director, Alicyn Packard, via e-mail, or by phone at (818)840-9566.
(as of 10/14/08). Subject to change)
