80 miles NW of LA? So, like Ventura? Or Santa Barbara? Lovely places to live! *Personally* I think living
in LA is a bunch of shit. It's not like SF or NY where the city is the destination, LA is just urban sprawl.
The places you want to live "in LA" aren't in Los Angeles. And may not even be in Los Angeles county! Personally, I would live in "Southern California," but I wouldn't live in LA. I would definitely go for Ventura or far south like San Diego, maybe go back to Orange County maybe off to the east in like Pasadena. LA itself is just too much for me - and I love SF.
I think California has a lot going for it, but if you're not excited for the weather (which it sounds like you might be) or the culture or some other aspect, I'd be as mercenary about this as possible and live where your income:expense ratio is the most favorable - at least for a while. I would move to Colorado or Oregon tomorrow *except* that I happen to have a situation where my ratio is pretty darned good. It would be tough for me to do better.
Where was KB's moving through? Here, or some protoforum?