You live where?
FOR YEARS, Los Angeles has been a big city without the city, a town known for its endless suburbs and single-family homes. Reach out your window and pick an orange. Hop in the car and drive to the supermarket for a carton of milk. Subway? What subway? But with developers converting vintage downtown office towers into lofts, and gas prices still painfully high, the original heart of Los Angeles is becoming a new urban environment for people bored with the suburbs and sick of the freeway. For a glimpse into what the new downtown lifestyle is all about, The Times turned to two of its Business section editors, Julie Makinen and Patrick McMahon, who are among the new wave of downtown denizens. Although they hail from different generations, both were intrigued by the prospect of living in a dynamic community — and commuting on two feet.

:: HER VIEW: Downtown move pays dividends

:: HIS VIEW: A walk to work on the wild side

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YOUR MONEY VAULT

:: Create a spending plan

:: Buying a used car

:: Planning your funeral

:: Getting long-term care insurance

:: Selections from Forbes.com