As a lifelong New Yorker, I was raised to subtly resent Los Angeles. The only thing that ever piqued my curiosity about the city was when Hannah Montana aired and she lived in Malibu. That was it’s one draw.
Recently, I went to LA for the first time. I had never visited before, mostly because I assumed I would hate it.
I wanted all the bad to be true – that the traffic and the earthquakes were non-stop, that the laid-back lifestyle was all a facade promoted by Hollywood to cover up vapid people who woke up 3 hours later than us hardened East Coasters.
Unfortunately for my ego, I loved LA. The hills looking down on the ocean literally made me cry when I first saw them, if that indicates anything. It was raining for half the time I was there – a rare, but necessary mood for Southern California. I appreciated getting this glance at LA, when everyone, seeing rain for the first time in months, was a little situationally unsure themselves. I rented a car, and stayed in Santa Monica for five days- throughout which I wrote down observations while driving and walking around.
- I understand why people brag about being from here, I would be so die-hard LA if I grew up there and laugh at the New Yorkers.
- A lot of crows ? Everywhere? Murder of crows. Lots of birds in general.
- Everyone has a dog. The dogs come everywhere and are invited in seemingly all establishments.
- People drive slowly, compared to NY/ NJ / PA drivers
- Everyone in a car, way less daily face-to-face interactions than in NYC – so rare occasions when you have to deal with other people, there’s friendlier vibes.
- Having consistently good weather does something to the psyche – more optimistic, less temperamental general population.
- Island time, but in America. Had to slow down my pace- actually good for me.
- Winter coats everywhere (North Face & Moncler Puffers) – it was 60 degrees.
- Everyone very dramatic with wrapping themselves up, scarves, gloves, hats etc.
- I like the schmooze, the immediate assessment of potential networking.
- Everyone tan, everyone has eyelashes. Everyone has sunglasses immediately on their person.
- Cant help but think everyone came here to become famous / chase a dream / is creative. New York I assume everyone is there for finance / is boring.
- Everyone is on the phone in their cars, not listening to music. It’s like bubble of privacy.
- Surprisingly- doesn’t smell like weed the way NYC does.
- People love a custom license plate here. 1 in every 4 cars seems to have one.
- Lots of Australians. Every other person it seemed.
- Huge city – so many schools- so many neighborhoods.
- Schools and TESLAS. SO many Teslas.
- Never had better Mexican food. Of course. Breakfast burritos, general burritos everywhere with fries in them.
- Entertaining (duh) street / tourist gimmicks. So many booths on beach offering to engrave your name on a piece of rice – pretty tempting.
- Parallel parking- I would need to get that down before moving here.
- People take the La Brea Tar Pits for granted. They are sick.
These are just first impressions. I’m sure a lot of these observations can be explained with nuanced and cultural explanations, but they all seemed uniquely Californian to me.
Living so close to the ocean, or even close to a palm tree – sounds appealing. To be able to have all that and not live in Florida – it’s mind blowing to an East Coaster.
Moral of the story – visit places you think you would hate.