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Old 05-09-2011, 07:29 PM
 
5,951 posts, read 13,043,625 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JayVill2008 View Post
That's true.. I am kinda surprised you didn't mention anything asian (I'm filipino) considering there are a lot of asians living over there. I hear sushi is popular over there but whenever I visit relatives out there they never took us to any sushi places.
Yes, California in general is groud zero for Asian culture in the United States hands down. Well . . . mostly.

The one major exception is South Asian/Asian Indian. California seems to stand out less in terms of the presence of this culture compared to other areas (Chicago, D.C., NYC, etc.)

Although there certainly is a southeast presence in Chicago for sure, its relatively low compared to many other metro areas of the country.
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Old 05-10-2011, 01:56 AM
 
23 posts, read 38,542 times
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I wouldn't say LA is overrated at all. I'd just say its 'misrepresented' in so many ways, which is maybe the reason why you were dissapointed. Before I first went, people would say it's a total slum and crime-ridden while television has presented it as a place of glitz and glamor. So I was confused. When I got there, I realized the majority of it is just in between. It's really just everyday people living their everyday lives. Of course there are parts you should avoid, then again it does have snippets of that glamorous lifestyle that you often see on TV, but remember that television only captures the very best parts and makes things look better than they are. But overall, I think its a great city. It's a bustling, and very happening place. I had a great time while I was last there in April. It's on the coast of course, and the weather is great. I think it becomes what you make of it.
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Old 05-10-2011, 03:05 PM
 
326 posts, read 811,388 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DynamoLA View Post
This is a good post, and I especially agree with the bolded part. Los Angeles is not very "tourist-friendly", in that most things are spread out, you need a car to get everywhere (hence everyone experiences the miserable traffic), and the "tourist stuff" like Hollywood can tend to be underwhelming.

I've lived in/near L.A. most of my life, and I am still finding things to do/see. It's not a city that lays itself out for you all at once, you have to find things. And most tourists don't have the time to do that.

Part of the reason I love L.A. is that I am still discovering new aspects after all these years!

Yea thats probably why I didnt enjoy my visit as much
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Old 05-10-2011, 06:10 PM
 
10,629 posts, read 26,638,574 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tweetybird11208 View Post
Yea thats probably why I didnt enjoy my visit as much
I think the best way to appreciate the city is to toss out the idea of "tourist" stuff and just enjoy the city for what it is. That includes some of the tourist attractions too, of course.

I would, however, argue that the BEST way to get to know the city is by taking public transportation.
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Old 05-11-2011, 12:10 AM
 
45 posts, read 91,469 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tex?Il? View Post
Yes, California in general is groud zero for Asian culture in the United States hands down. Well . . . mostly.

The one major exception is South Asian/Asian Indian. California seems to stand out less in terms of the presence of this culture compared to other areas (Chicago, D.C., NYC, etc.)

Although there certainly is a southeast presence in Chicago for sure, its relatively low compared to many other metro areas of the country.
Not so much SoCal, but Northern California is ground zero for South Asian/Asian Indian culture. Bay Area has a substantial population of South Asians due to Silicon Valley influence
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Old 05-11-2011, 02:23 AM
 
Location: Paradise/Las Vegas
1,658 posts, read 7,554,677 times
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Every city is like that.What you see on TV is not what you always get.Miami is not all about beaches and parties;its got a really gritty side too.Las Vegas?Same thing just NW,and East of the Strip as well as parts of the city of N.Las Vegas.San Diego?By the airport it looks like Paradise to some,but go to parts of the City(and county) away from the tourist areas?Very iffy and rough.Parts of it makes you wonder,"Are we even in San Diego?"In Anaheim the area around Disneyland(Harbor Blvd) and the A/Honda Center is the biggest curveball of them all I have ever seen a city do to put up a front for tourists.With that said the same goes for both the city and County of Los Angeles.

I remember I went to Honolulu when I was four and then a second time when I was six.People always bragged about "OMG,it's so beautiful and the beach,ect ect".Then I had to tell them,"Yes.But from what I saw and remember there are some really really really slummy parts out there too.Nothing like what you see on TV."At first no one believed me or didn't take it too serious.Then about 12 years later Dog the Bounty Hunter hit the air and some of those people ended up saying "Wow.That JK kid was not lying."
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Old 05-11-2011, 06:39 PM
 
277 posts, read 378,003 times
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Lol
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Old 05-12-2011, 02:34 AM
 
2 posts, read 4,007 times
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Default It depends on what you want to do

I've lived here for nearly 30 years and with so many places to go and things to see, I am always amazed at the choices some family members will make when they visit (NONE ever lived here).

My nieces and nephews who come always seem to spend their entire trip (of 3 or 4 days) at Disneyland, which is crazy to me. Occasionally, they'll go to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach or Sea World in San Diego. Occasionally, in the past, a drive through Hollywood and Rodeo Drive. But... MOSTLY it's Disneyland for three or four days straight. Yikes!

Most of them have NEVER been to a beach on an ocean in their entire lives, yet don't make that little side trip to any beach for even half a day, which I find really bizarre!

We drove my brother and his wife from Pasadena to Santa Monica on local streets, then went south on Hwy 1 to Long Beach where we had a great meal. Then drove back home on local streets, making a big circle. They were simply blown away by the sheer size of this metropolitan area... it was bigger than they could imagine & they had difficulty envisioning living, working & navigating such a crazy place.

This is a good way to REALLY see the city "close up" and personal, going through all kinds of neighborhoods, rich and poor, older, ethnic, hip and funky, along with the ubiquitous newer cookie cutter ones. Though you'd need to plan it out if you're not familiar with the area, you will really get a better feel for LA if you do what the locals do: drive.... and be a little adventurous and flexible with your time (and where you stop to eat or whatever).
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Old 05-12-2011, 02:43 AM
 
2 posts, read 4,007 times
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Living here so many years, I get sick of the assumption of most outsiders seem to have that we're all ... Hollywood elite, Westside chic, etc... Because we are definitely not all that; however, show business definitely is a big industry here; it's just that most who work in it are not famous actors, etc. And most of us have nothing to do with the "industry," in our professional or personal lives.
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Old 05-12-2011, 03:31 AM
 
121 posts, read 282,180 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JeanieBeanie View Post

We drove my brother and his wife from Pasadena to Santa Monica on local streets, then went south on Hwy 1 to Long Beach where we had a great meal. Then drove back home on local streets, making a big circle. They were simply blown away by the sheer size of this metropolitan area... it was bigger than they could imagine & they had difficulty envisioning living, working & navigating such a crazy place.

This is a good way to REALLY see the city "close up" and personal, going through all kinds of neighborhoods, rich and poor, older, ethnic, hip and funky, along with the ubiquitous newer cookie cutter ones. Though you'd need to plan it out if you're not familiar with the area, you will really get a better feel for LA if you do what the locals do: drive.... and be a little adventurous and flexible with your time (and where you stop to eat or whatever).
I agree. A simple drive on Wilshire Blvd from Downtown LA to Santa Monica tells quite a stroy all on its own. Or a drive down Sunset from downtown all the way to PCH.

As the Steely Dan song says:
"Drive west down sunset to the sea,
Turn that jungle music down,
Just until we're out of town,
......the end of a perfect day,
Distant lights from across the bay."
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