A Serious Discussion About LA

[apostle2]

So I've been a lurker on this board for roughly four years now (the entire time I've been at school.) I'm getting to the end of my tenure at college, and I have to decide what to do next. A major part of this decision is of course where I will be spending my future, and in the industries I am going into, there are really only two choices - NYC and LA.

I have always lived on the East Coast, but I know that there will be more jobs for me out in the territories...and I knew from all my years that this board was a place where people would certainly carry opinions about LA, good or bad. So could anybody tell me straight up how they feel about LA?

Anything, anything at all. What it's like to live there, what it's like to have a job there, how much is wildfire insurance, anything.

Also, I'm going to coachella for the first time this year, FINALLY. but that's beside the point.

[algunz]

LA sucks, stay in New York.

[Alchemy]

NYC.

[tessalasset]

I am a huge huge fan of Los Angeles. I kind of have an advantage cause I was born and raised here, so I never feel overwhelmed by how expansive the city is. I love that there are so many different areas - much like New York. I was raised on the West Side (read: west of the 405 freeway) so I actually think it's gorgeous where I live. If you can afford it, definitely live on the west side. It's cleaner, the traffic goes in the opposite direction, and it's much nicer than the rest of Los Angeles, not counting Beverly Hills. I like being able to go back to a quiet part of LA to sleep and then take a trip out to the heart of LA if I need to. You obviously have to have a car to fully enjoy what the city has to offer. So you're looking at monthly insurance payments and gas fillups at the very least.

I want to say so much more but I have to get back to Squirrel Nut Zippers. I will finish this tomorrow maybe.

[full on idle]

Both cities are famousist for the fake as hell people within em. If you've lived in LA for four years an haven't found a real spot I'd say go back to NYC. A much realer place overall, even if the richest people have been richer longer than the richest people in LA.

Basically, move to Minneapolis.

[Hannahrain]

When it's that small and just out of the corner of my eye when I'm reading the main post, the No Country for Old Men cover looks like Hitler. The man running is the mustache.

That is all.

[luckyface]

I moved out to LA a year and a half ago and I pretty much hate it. But I am more at ease in a smaller big city. The live music scene is unparalleled and there is always a lot to do. The weather can't be beat, either. But there are way too many people and the majority of them are asshats. Oh and don't worry about wildfire insurance if you are in the middle of the city. If you decide to live around a forest or in Malibu, then you can worry about that.

I have been to NYC once and I really enjoyed my time there. With that said, I think I would hate it a lot more than LA. Way too crowded, claustrophobic, and the weather is abysmal.

[suprefan]

I want to say so much more but I have to get back to Squirrel Nut Zippers. I will finish this tomorrow maybe.

Please dont tel me Andrew Bird is going to show up at this show.



And I love L.A. I live in the valley, its nice and quiet and you could probably find a place around here for not so much $$. Its easy to get aroudn to places if you want to use public transportation to its fullest extent. Of course its not as expansive as NYCs metro, but the subway here takes you lots of places you would want to go, and then you save money on gas and parking. The only thing is that the trains stop at about 1am so you better not be out too late or you gotta grab a cab. The music scene is equal or better than NYC and you have access to the entire state of Cali, oh and Mexico and Vegas are a mere 2 or 3 hour drive away. How can you beat that? Sin City and real mexican food at your beck and call. Also San Francisco is a 5 - 6 hour drive away so you can feel like you are in NYC again when you see that town.

[kreutz2112]

I have nothing to contribute to this except that I went to a science meeting at UCLA and that was cool. I also saw Pearl Jam in New York and that was cool.

Dont move to Utah. I drink weak beer and have 7 moms.

[bmack86]

I really like both. Why not cut your losses and just go to Chicago? Calmer than either, and there's some great stuff there.

[bballarl]

San Francisco.

[suprefan]

I have nothing to contribute to this except that I went to a science meeting at UCLA and that was cool. I also saw Pearl Jam in New York and that was cool.

Dont move to Utah. I drink weak beer and have 7 moms.

Well I like SLC, its quiet and the air is clean, people are nice to me there.(not to say they are not nice here) Oh and I snowboard, so of course I have a bias. And SUNDANCE.

San Francisco.

Ill second that if you are considering cali in general.

[apostle2]

this is all really really helpful, including but not limited to the hitler optical illusion.

There are a bunch of things influencing my decision, but some of them obviously can't be changed, like job availability, proximity to family, etc. I think I would really rather be in a smaller big city like Minneapolis or Austin or something, but I'm just not finding jobs in those places...haha.

What I don't really like about NYC is that I feel claustrophobic, there are too many people, it's a little dirty, I like to be able to drive, and sometimes I want to just get away, which can't be done there. Also, people are kinda douches.

also, things like live music scene are very important to me. And like transportation out (airports, etc.)

[wmgaretjax]

i'm applying to a great PhD program at USC, but I dont want to live in LA. I kinda hope I don't get in. I probably won't, so it doesn't matter.

[apostle2]

I would definitely do Chicago (one of my favorite cities in the world) or San Francisco (heard amazing things) if I could, but I am going to be doing television/film (would be doing music industry if I could) so they aren't really possibilities

[suprefan]

I am calling USC to have them let you in there for school. Hello, hollywood Bowl shows all summer man!!! $2 tickets!!! Radiohead more than once in your city!!!

[luckyface]

What about Seattle or Portland? Could you do one of those cities? They have great music scenes and they are smaller big cities.

And USC rules!

[bballarl]

I love West LA. There's a lot of charm amidst LA's sprawl here. LAX is literally 5 minutes from the condo I share with my roommate. It's away from most of the hustle and bustle, which is nice. Commuting to and back from the valley for work (I intern at Warner Bros. Records) is a bummer, but good tunes make the drive bearable.

What I've learned in my short time here is that the broad generalization that "LA sucks" is totally untrue. I will always love the Bay Area more, but LA is so big that you will discover the little pockets of it that are cool/have character/you are comfortable in. Yes, there are fake people, etc, but there are plenty of awesome people as well. There is plenty to do here, especially if you love music.

[apostle2]

Some of these endorsements are actually sounding great to me. Alas, I am going to prove my ignorance here and state that I have no idea about where things are located in LA. If I were to move there, I would most likely be working in the burbank/studio city/ van nuys area. So what does that do for me?

[bballarl]

That's the Valley. That's where Warner Bros is, etc. I am not super-familiar with it beyond commuting to work, but I'm sure other people can help you out.

[xbnmx]

Both cities are famousist for the fake as hell people within em. If you've lived in LA for four years an haven't found a real spot I'd say go back to NYC. A much realer place overall, even if the richest people have been richer longer than the richest people in LA.

Basically, move to Minneapolis.

I agree, LA is the fakest of the fake. The pretention capital of the world.

[apostle2]

I do have a big problem with fake people, but I guess there are a lot of fake people everywhere. Also, I should probably not be doing entertainment stuff if I don't like fake people...hahaha

[keriann]

I love West LA. There's a lot of charm amidst LA's sprawl here. LAX is literally 5 minutes from the condo I share with my roommate. It's away from most of the hustle and bustle, which is nice. Commuting to and back from the valley for work (I intern at Warner Bros. Records) is a bummer, but good tunes make the drive bearable.

What I've learned in my short time here is that the broad generalization that "LA sucks" is totally untrue. I will always love the Bay Area more, but LA is so big that you will discover the little pockets of it that are cool/have character/you are comfortable in. Yes, there are fake people, etc, but there are plenty of awesome people as well. There is plenty to do here, especially if you love music.

I pretty much agree with this. I grew up in Northern California where people pretty much vehemently hate LA. I never thought I would move here and like it. I sincerely believe LA is what you make of it. I live on the Westside as well so I'm a little bit spoiled and don't know if I'd like living here as much if I lived in the middle of the city or in the valley. But the music scene is awesome, the weather is fantastic, and you can find just about anything here that you'd find in any other city as long as you're willing to look. Besides good public transportation. If you have to work in Burbankish, you could live on the Eastside (Silverlake, Echo Park, Los Feliz), where there is a bit of a bohemian, arty, hipstery community. If that's your thing.

I'd say probably the hardest thing about moving to LA is making good friends in the beginning because there are a lot of shitty people here. But once you have that, I think life is pretty good.

[bballarl]

I do have a big problem with fake people, but I guess there are a lot of fake people everywhere. Also, I should probably not be doing entertainment stuff if I don't like fake people...hahaha

You might be surprised. In my very limited experience at WBR, I've found the people around me to be awesome. But I get your point.

[algunz]

"What I've learned in my short time here is that the broad generalization that "LA sucks" is totally untrue."

Yes, you're right, b. It's an easy out for some of us. Honestly though I have learned to enjoy LA. After returning to SoCal from 4 years in NYC, I had a VERY hard time transitioning and relearning to tolerate the quirks of the area. I worked in LA as a PA for television and driving around the city for hours at a time, at all hours of the day and night was horrible. But now that my ventures to LA consist of only entertainment and shopping, I have learned to greatly appreciate what the city has to offer. Although driving around it is still torturous.

I guess my point is that no LA doesn't totally suck. My biggest beef would be that everything is so spread out and just not as easy to access as NYC. But it's got so many great music venues and cool little neighborhoods for shopping and people watching.

[bballarl]

I pretty much agree with this. I grew up in Northern California where people pretty much vehemently hate LA. I never thought I would move here and like it. I sincerely believe LA is what you make of it. I live on the Westside as well so I'm a little bit spoiled and don't know if I'd like living here as much if I lived in the middle of the city or in the valley. But the music scene is awesome, the weather is fantastic, and you can find just about anything here that you'd find in any other city as long as you're willing to look. Besides good public transportation. If you have to work in Burbankish, you could live on the Eastside (Silverlake, Echo Park, Los Feliz), where there is a bit of a bohemian, arty, hipstery community. If that's your thing.

I'd say probably the hardest thing about moving to LA is making good friends in the beginning because there are a lot of shitty people here. But once you have that, I think life is pretty good.

I think this is true of any place, but LA is what you make of it. A friend of mine (one of maybe 5 true friends I have at LMU) is transferring. He is from the Bay Area too, and one of the main reasons he cites for leaving is the traditional LA stereotype: the people are fake and image-centric, etc. The fact is, there are plenty of awesome people here. My friend has made himself miserable because he has made NO effort to try and find things he enjoys in LA. Granted, he hasn't had a car here. But he has decided that he hates the entire city based on the LMU campus. He looks for reasons to hate LA. If you do this anywhere, you will be miserable.

So the point is, if you make the effort to find things in the city, the city will give back to you. You will find the places you are comfortable and people who you enjoy being around. There is plenty of awesome stuff here: you just have to go out and find it.

[apostle2]

this part of the discussion can actually probably help me quite a lot, seeing as how if I go to LA, chances are very, very good that I will be a PA for television. I'm just not sure if I will be able to be a gopher for as long as I will need to be to break in.

[apostle2]

Yeah, I definitely understand the point about a city being what you make of it. Another side question: never been to LA before, and I am flying out for 4 days in early January...what should I do there to best get the feel?

[wmgaretjax]

What about Seattle or Portland? Could you do one of those cities? They have great music scenes and they are smaller big cities.

And USC rules!

yeah. i love seattle. i also love san francisco. there just isn't much about LA that I enjoy (besides all the music). At least, not much that I can't find somewhere else.

Side note, how is public transport in LA? Every time I've been there I've had a rental car...

[algunz]

There is plenty of awesome stuff here: you just have to go out and find it.

And that's the biggest problem. LA takes a lot more effort than other cities. Not only with getting around, but with dealing with the "element." The element being the falseness that is so prevelant.