Hi! We are “The Experiment,” a small, intentional community striving to center personal and collective development. We are based in Monrovia, CA and are comprised of anywhere from 8-10 residents and always many more friends and neighbors. We work together to craft more supported lives that center nourishment and connection! In this spirit, we come together to share the beauty of being and often open the space for joyous and open-hearted gatherings with our broader communities. Day to day, we aim to hold and support one another in our ups and downs seeking to honor and transform the domestic sphere.
In the spirit of this, we have a large, water-wise garden that provides us with food, medicine, and companionship. We share meals, social time, and spiritual practices. What unites us at The Experiment is a shared belief in the pursuit of the capacity to serve the greater good. Together, we build this capacity through a focus on nourishment arising from both our domestic space and the food we eat. Part of our broader mission is to invigorate the re-discovery of grounded skills that allow for the possibility of divesting from the oppressive economy as it is. Drawing from those two key components, we have begun an apprenticeship system that seeks to foster deep contributions to the shared space while also honoring diversity in individual interests and beings.
What is the Apprenticeship Model:
The embodiment of apprenticeship is clear-eyed, lighthearted, and deeply engaged. We are inspired by the apprentice’s posture of learning and attention to craft. They are always experimenting and honing in. As a part of our residencies, we each choose a small number (~2-4) of crafts, arts, subjects, offerings… to apprentice under. Since we carry out our apprenticeships under a focus, not a person, we each pursue learning and practice independently with the intention to share the fruits of our labor. The only requirements for areas of apprenticeship are that they make a contribution to our shared space and that one understands them to be towards broader collective liberation. Through the apprenticeship model, we hold a container to grow our individual capacities. As these capacities grow, we gain the energy and heart-centered inspiration to effectively direct our life-force toward the things we find most deeply meaningful. In humility and mutual respect, we work to address the blocks within each of us that hold us back from effectively living an active and inspired life.
The Nitty Gritty:
We are not merely seeking roommates. We ask that applicants be serious about interrogating whether they wish to make the time and space to make The Experiment a primary aspect of their lives. It is important to us that residents can also maintain their own hobbies, friendships, occupations, pursuits, etc. out of the home (and also integrate them into the space!), but it is necessary to understand that participating as a resident of The Experiment requires that it be a priority in your life. We understand that it is impossible to truly discern if one desires a major life change hypothetically, or whether this major life change will be right for you. As such, residency at The Experiment begins with a four-month Residency Period. Throughout this time, we openly and collectively evaluate whether a continued residency is best for all parties. We have found that these processes lead to mutual agreement and an increase in relational security. We have observed that this model reduces anxiety for residents about it being the “right fit” and instead fosters open dialogue about community dynamics and how the community can be most supportive for all.
We believe deeply in the importance of individual and collective dynamism. We seek to hold structures and expectations as invitations to practice, connection, and growth. We strive to prevent these structures and expectations from feeling oppressive or obligatory. We have found that consistency and structured time together wonderfully fosters organic relationships. In this spirit, we have the following expectations of long-term residents but practice a soft-transition for new residents as they settle in and build capacity: a
Weekly community meeting (1.5 hrs)
10 hours weekly of basic contribution (cooking, cleaning, garden maintenance)
5 hours weekly of apprenticeship practice
Make dinner 2x weekly, someone makes dinner nightly though attendance is non-mandatory
There is an opening in the middle room which currently has a twin bed, but could fit a larger bed and features a walk-in closet and individual full bath. We evenly divide the $3200 rent by the number of Front House residents (4-6). We’ve recently acquired a teardrop trailer as an auxiliary dwelling that one of us uses as a bedroom. Utilities are split evenly and not included in rent. We also evenly split food costs as we have developed a rigorous system that includes direct relationships to the producers of most of the food that we cannot grow. Individuals are welcome to have their own special food items/ snacks but must be willing to integrate into the larger meal system. We can accommodate dietary restrictions however are looking for a good eater with omnivorous habits. We only consume meat products from humane, sustainable sources. We believe meat is an important part of the human diet. We are pet friendly though we already have a dog and two cats on the property.
We would love to hear from you if the prospect of residency excites you! We will send a short application with a few questions that will help us get to know you and hopefully invite you into further exploration about potential residency. After that, we would love to meet you at our home and get to know you! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns!
*If elements of the residency are not realistic for your lifestyle but you feel similarly called to this philosophy and aligned in value, there are various opportunities to join our community with lower expectations! We have a growing number of satellite members whose presence brings much joy.
Please reach out to at
theexperiementinmonrovia@gmail.com
or 610-999-3833
Beverly Hills
Available: January, but will consider sooner if needed (6 months with option to 1 year) 1BR in a 2BR/3BA (1800 sq ft). Laundry in unit, parking underground, central ac and heat, en suite bedroom.
$2500/month.
One of the most convenient locations in LA, the apartment is in Beverly Hills , N Oakhurst & W 3rd) in an art-filled 1800 sq ft flat. Great for WFH. Comes with a 2-year old yorkie. Gorgeous quiet street. I lead a conscious, healthy life, and I am gone during the days. Place has lots of great art and furniture. Seeking one awesome roomie!
1BR open in 3BD/2Bath – amazing unit on an entire floor with a huge private deck for the ultimate indoor/outdoor experience! Awesome view in prime silver lake/echo park hills location. just remodeled 2000 sq ft flat single level unit with private deck (additional 500sq feet!), open floor plan, hardwood floors, new kitchen, smooth concrete counter top, all stainless steel appliances included, recess led lights, lots of windows, 2-3 cars tandem parking. available for the first time after 4 years.
We have videos from a walk through that we can share if you’re interested. The picture of the room is the room that is available. We’ve applied to the apartment but are looking for a third person to join us on the lease.
ABOUT US:
We are both originally from New England, we met in Barcelona this past year on a trip for digital nomads. Greg (31, M) has lived in LA for a few years, and Elisabeth (30, F) has been traveling after leaving NYC. We both work mostly from home in creative fields.
We’re hoping to find someone who is clean and respectful, as we both are. We’re open to dinner parties and chill gatherings but love our quiet time too. Communication is important to us!
The open room is the middle sized room, and shares a bathroom with one of us. No pets please.
Let us know a little about you! Happy to share more once we connect as well.
Live/Work Art Studio Space!
Has been used as a live in Studio and also as a studio space. See photos.
Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Heart of Silverlake.
Current artist tenant leaving 10/20/24.
850 square feet.
-Private entrance
-Gated property
-Digital entry
-Full bath
-Kitchen
-Private Backyard
-Peaceful Nature