But I was born and raised in West Hills, just about 2 miles Northwest of Warner Center, so its my home stomping ground...

A thought:

If you are working down on Ventura Blvd, getting from there to the Orange Line may be a bit tricky in making bus connections and/or involving lengthy walks (more than a mile). That being said, there are a number of local and express bus lines that follow Ventura east...some all the way to the Red Line subway station. You might consider living in in the corridor between the 101 freeway and Ventura Blvd, with pockets of upscale apartments in Woodland Hills, Encino, Sherman Oaks, and Studio City. There are lots of shops, restaurants, markets, and mid- to upscale businesses along Ventura. Additionally, previous commenters are right that the morning commute West-bound along the 101 is *much* better than that heading East. However, for some reason the revers is *not* true.

You might try using Google Maps Street view to explore the major streets in areas you are considering.