Alhambra area.  I rented a condo a half block off Main St. with a civvie Chinese girl a few years ago.  I used to be in downtown LA for a week at a time every month on business, and rather than commute back and forth each day to my home in South OC, I would just stay at our condo.  We split the rent and she liked the deal because she mostly had the place to herself and it was a definite step up from where she was living before. For me, my half of the month was no more than a week's worth of downtown LA hotel rooms.  After the first month, we became Friends w/Benefits and that was a positive development as well. I'm sure you know the area if you know MP.  There are good restaurants within walking distance all up and down Main St.