If L.A. is "fake" then what cities are "real"? (Los Angeles: organic, vs)

[415_s2k]

Originally Posted by jen5276

THANK YOU!! I am from NYC. Still here unfortunately. If NYC is real, then I would rather be fake.

Yep, it's one of the things that a lot of people I've known or met who have come out here from back home but haven't spent enough time to actually get the lay of the land have said...

Fact of the matter is that if someone is just friendly to you out of nowhere in NYC or Boston or Philly, chances are good that they:

1. Are trying to hit on you
2. Are going to follow up the friendliness by telling you about their church
3. Are on medication
4. Aren't on medication, but should be
5. Are messing with you - you can expect to hear their friends start laughing their asses off ten feet behind you at any moment

If someone out here says, "Whoa! Dude! Those are some sick shoes!" then they like your shoes, and because they like them, they feel like they have a reason to talk to you. You can tell them where you got them and continue to chat from there, or just say, "oh, thanks man" and carry on your merry way.

Certain neighborhoods back home, someone saying, "those are some nice shoes" meant that there was a good chance that it'd be followed up with a shove and a demand that you give them up, or regardless of your response, the person asking would go, "what the **** did you just say to me?" and he and his boys would start to come at you.

People out here just tend not to be on the short fuse they are back home. There's nothing "fake" about it... that's just how it is. I, personally, prefer it. If someone doesn't, well, then why stay in a place that drives you nuts?

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by 415_s2k

why stay in a place that drives you nuts?

So one can spend his or her days and nights complaining about it on C-D.

[No2GMOS]

I've been to LA several times. Here's what I find "fake" about LA: The people. Animated, pretentious, everyone seemed to be talking in head voice, and everybody WANTS something. Authenticity and genuine character were hard to come by. The only people I found down to earth and honest were transplants. LA people are rarely what you see is what you get, but maybe I needed to stay longer.

The biggest influences I think are Hollywood's celebrity BS and the weather. Studies show that weather affects mood; too much sun can make some people spacey. When I was there, everybody was in the "industry." I met a guy that cleaned up sets for one of the major studios, and he was trying to give me a business card. Seriously? WHY? I don't care who you know, I don't care if you're famous, I. DON'T. CARE! Even when I went to Marie Callendar's in KTown to eat, the hostess was talking to us about a table preference in head voice, with breast implants that were blinding, as if she were reading from a teleprompter. I looked at my mom like, "what?" If I lived in LA, I wouldn't have super close 'friends' unless we had known each other at least as far back as high school. When I see that kind of pretentiousness, I don't trust people.

There's a girl I follow on Twitter that lives in and grew up in LA, that says everyone in LA wants something from you in one way or another. I was even watching an episode of 'The Hills' sometime ago, (and yes, I know only a small % of the people actually live like that; it's not my point) and Lauren Conrad was having lunch with someone saying she found it a challenge to meet REAL PEOPLE in LA. And she's also FROM that area.

You can define "real" with as many definitions as you please. But real simply means HONEST. As in trustworthy, pure intentions, no ulterior motives, not in the friendship for themselves or to gain something from you or trying to figure out what you can do for them. Won't say one thing to your face and another behind your back, or back stab you period. Those are REAL PEOPLE. Sure, bad people are everywhere, but city cultures vary, and there are some places that are worse than others.

There are several things that affect the culture of a city. Diversity, religion, education, weather, history, I could on; these things tend also to have an affect on morality. You tend to find more down to earth folk in places that actually have seasons too for some reason. I lived in Sacramento back in '04, and I even find the people in NoCal vs. SoCal are different. People up North seemed a little more grounded, serious, educated. U.S. News and World Reports name San Jose and San Francisco in the list of top ten most educated cities in America for 2012.

I was sick by the time I left Los Angeles, because I don't think anybody knew exactly who THEY WERE. I have a friend in LA now that transferred for a job from DC, and she understands perfectly what I mean when I say "fake." She works for NBC.

And what you wouldn't believe is, I LOVE CALIFORNIA! I like the AWESOME weather, proximity to the beaches, the outdoor activities, and that I can be in one city, then in an hour be in another one with a COMPLETELY different vibe! All the food and culture; how in some places I can be skiing on Tuesday, and at the beach that weekend. Where they do that at?? lol. The 1&101 freeways that go along the coast; HELLO, GORGEOUS! The vastly different architectural styles of homes, TONS of individual little neighborhoods all with different character in the SAME CITY. Lake Tahoe? DONE. Day trip to San Francisco by plane? DONE. San Diego in an hour? DONE. You wanna go out to eat and you're Vegetarian? Organic? Gluten-free? Nut-free? Vegan? Macrobiotic? Raw Foodist? In California? NO PROBLEM!!! l LOVE IT!

Other than the cost of living, it's the mindset of the LA natives that keeps me right here in North Carolina. Maybe if you grew up in LA, you'll never understand what outsiders mean; and that's perfectly fineT

[Tex?Il?]

Oh, and the reason why San Jose is so educated, is that is basically part of Silicon Valley. Smart people move there, because its like the global hub of the high tech industry.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Organicbakergirl

And what you wouldn't believe is, I LOVE CALIFORNIA! I like the AWESOME weather, proximity to the beaches, the outdoor activities, and that I can be in one city, then in an hour be in another one with a COMPLETELY different vibe! All the food and culture; how in some places I can be skiing on Tuesday, and at the beach that weekend. Where they do that at?? lol. The 1&101 freeways that go along the coast; HELLO, GORGEOUS! The vastly different architectural styles of homes, TONS of individual little neighborhoods all with different character in the SAME CITY. Lake Tahoe? DONE. Day trip to San Francisco by plane? DONE. San Diego in an hour? DONE. You wanna go out to eat and you're Vegetarian? Organic? Gluten-free? Nut-free? Vegan? Macrobiotic? Raw Foodist? In California? NO PROBLEM!!! l LOVE IT!

Other than the cost of living, it's the mindset of the LA natives that keeps me right here in North Carolina. Maybe if you grew up in LA, you'll never understand what outsiders mean; and that's perfectly fineT

So you what specific areas are you referring to, when you talk about tons of individual little neighborhoods and architectural styles, etc., etc. It sounds like you are referring to LA. I am confused, I'm not sure what EXACTLY think LA is. Because I think, again, people don't realize that "LA" continues well beyond hollywood.

I'm sorry I'm just confused by your post.

[edsg25]

Of course LA is a "real" city and a blockbuster one at that (unquestionably one of the world's great cities). LA may be a different model than eastern, mid-western cities and San Francisco, but that hardly makes it feel unreal.

LA has a feel all of its own: there is nothing like it. Even the very auto-related culture it generated doesn't explain LA today and is more akin to places like Phoenix, Vegas, Houston, etc.

LA instead took the car culture and now has put a mass transit overlay on it to offer a very special vibe all its own.

[New Horizons]

Maybe you don't know who you are and that's what made you sick. Sometimes we project outwardly onto others, when the problem lies within us. But you'll figure it out though, it's all part of the learning experience of life.

Originally Posted by Organicbakergirl

I was sick by the time I left Los Angeles, because I don't think anybody knew exactly who THEY WERE.

[No2GMOS]

Originally Posted by desert_scene

Maybe you don't know who you are and that's what made you sick. Sometimes we project outwardly onto others, when the problem lies within us. But you'll figure it out though, it's all part of the learning experience of life.

I know exactly who I am, thanks. I'm speaking of MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, that's all. My experience can only be confirmed or denied by ME. No problem here. Since you weren't a part of my experience, feel free not to take it personal.

[No2GMOS]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

So you what specific areas are you referring to, when you talk about tons of individual little neighborhoods and architectural styles, etc., etc. It sounds like you are referring to LA. I am confused, I'm not sure what EXACTLY think LA is. Because I think, again, people don't realize that "LA" continues well beyond hollywood.

I'm sorry I'm just confused by your post.

What are you confused about, exactly?? I expressed my experience and what I didn't like, then shared what I love about California. I'm not sure why you would assume that I would so ignorant as not to understand that LA extends beyond Hollywood, after expressing I have been there several times.

And yes, I mean LA when I refer to the different neighborhoods.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by desert_scene

Maybe you don't know who you are and that's what made you sick. Sometimes we project outwardly onto others, when the problem lies within us. But you'll figure it out though, it's all part of the learning experience of life.

That's my experience with LA. The people that said, "Oh I had to leave LA, it is sooo fake" are typically the biggest phonies I know - they see LA that way because it is who they are and the people they surround themselves with. There are a lot of fake people in LA, but why do I care? I never spend any time with them...

Also, a lot of people come wanting to hate LA. They simply see what they want to see.