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I've lived in several big cities -- Houston, Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta -- and for me LA tops them all. The weather, the opportunities, the friendly (that's right) people, the diversity, the restaurants, the proximity to some truly breathtaking natural beauty. My wife and I live modestly, on one income, and we love it here.
There will always be the few who like to feel superior and crap all over whatever the subject is. Makes them think they're smarter than the rest of us. Or perhaps they just can't/couldn't make it here, so they're bitter contemplating their own inadequacies and can't stand the thought that some people could be successful and happy in LA. My favorites are the ones who've never even been here, or maybe were here once or twice and had a bad experience or were intimidated, and so they're experts. And some are just, plain-old whiners. And nobody likes a whiner.
My favorable opinion of LA is well documented. If YOU already know that YOU like LA and want to live here, I don't know why the negative opinions of others would influence you. If you like chocolate ice cream and others don't, that's not going to stop you from eating it, right?
I joined City Data more than 1.5 years ago and have seen every negative comment and false statement made about LA imaginable on this Web site, but I still moved back here last month. Why? Because I know what LA is like based on my own personal experience. The negative comments of others can be thought provoking and interesting and sometimes amusing and annoying, but ultimately completely irrelevant to me and my own experience. I have a great life here as do many other people. This is the case in every city, big and small. What might be one person's paradise might be another's hell. Some people will be happy with where they live and others won't. Ultimately I think each person is responsible for their own personal happiness and quality of life. Life is what you make of it, wherever you live.
Yea, just like he can find a nice picture of Detroit and call it picturesque.
My point is, every city worth mentioning has its good and bad areas. I think the new transplants who detest Los Angeles the most just watched a bit too much television prior to their move. They thought that they would be living in Beverly Hills, Brentwood and the Hollywood Hills... you know, the nice images of Los Angeles that they are bombarded with on television.
Then they move and realize that Los Angeles is not the Beverly Hills and the Malibu lifestyle they though they would be living and instead they are forced to live in the huge pockets of less desirable ugly sections of the city.
Don't take your frustration out on Los Angeles, just come to LA with realistic expectations. I personally like Los Angeles, namely the wonderful weather.
Just curious with the majority on here advising me not to move to SoCal if there is any POSITIVE things anyone can say about SoCal? I believe in balance and really I'm sick of all the negative input so I'd like to (just for once) have ONLY POSITIVE feedback in this thread.
Not that I'm trying to block out the bad, but believe me, I have heard enough bad about SoCal to last a lifetime, it's still not stopping me from following through with my goal.
Just would like to hear a positive side or please say nothing at all. Thanks!
I've lived here my whole life. I have alot of mixed feelings. I think you'll get that from alot of people who have lived here, at least 5-10 years.
-There are TONS and TONS of things to do. You could live here your whole life and never see all of it.
Entertainment, Hollywood, club scene, beach, mountains, lakers. Tons of shopping. The Grove, Promenade. The last mall I went to recently was Westside Pavillion mall, hadn't been there in awhile. Theres a landmark theater there thats booming. You can't get that in every city, and thats just in a little corner in LA.
If you're into celebrities, tv, movies, you can see movie premeries in westwood, on hollywood blvd, or see the oscars or something. Again, something completely unique to LA (maybe except for new york or a few other places). Or filming on streets.
Other positives..
-In N Out Burger
-A summer night at the Hollywood Bowl
-Getty
-Disneyland, Universal Studios.
-Drive on pacific coast highway
And you're only a few hours away from Santa Barbara, San Diego, etc.
Some of the negative feedback on here is way overboard, but some of its real, esp if you've been here awhile. Traffic has gotten ridiculous, even compared to 5-10 years ago. The illegal problem is crazy. We have a crazy mayor, but thats another topic.
The schools are horrendous. And materalism, the overall culture, I dont think its ideal for families, I wouldnt want to start a family here, but it depends on what you want, where you're at. Life's definitely what you make of it.
Denial; I make 1/4 a mil a year. The bottom line; for a 1/4 a mil a year, you still don't get much here. I can't help it if your ignorant to what the world offers you. Can you say subway (don't even; LA subway and trains are a joke), decent trains, monuments and history (yes, older than 100 years), world reknowned museums (okay, you got me, we have the getty, wow), safe cultural centers (safe after dark) (ohh, you got me again, we have ghetto China town or Alhambra or whatever dump you want); we have disneyland (try Disney World; the land is so friggin ghetto; don't argue, if you do your ignorant), a fantastic mall (everywhere in the U.S. has a great mall), we can get anything anytime (hello Walmart). We have the Grove. Wow, the Grove. There are like 15 million peeps in the city, and all we have is the grove. How about something like the Empire State Building. Anything. Ohh, my fault; we have the tar pits. We do get to shop with Britney Spears and Kevin Whateverline. Please if you coming to LA; I highly, highly encourage you to look into San Fran, Chicago, NYC, Orlando, or Mexico City (kidding, that would be like checking out L.A.).
You guys still think this is the L.A. of the 60's; no more clean air and water, no more racial tolerance, no more safe streets, no more driving to the mountains and beach in one day (not in this traffic), no more quick drives out to Vegas or SD, no cheap housing or affordable renting (this would make sense if it wasn't suburbs). The is city is for those who can make excuses. Ya, it's dirty here, but it's sunny everyday. Ya I hate my neighbors, but it's sunny here everyday; ya my commute is an hour and a half, but it's sunny here everyday; ya there are 100,000 gang members walking the streets here, but it's sunny everyday; Ya there is graffiti all over the city, but the weather is sunny everyday; Ya the ocean and air is polluted, but it's sunny everyday.
JOKE. YOU are either from a 3rd world country or a transplant from a small town if you enjoy L.A..
Wow I really like the idea of this thread. Thank you for making it. I've lived in the LA area my whole life and reading through all these comments(85% being negative) I was getting sick. If you hate living here so much then you can do one of two things. One, try to make this a better place by getting involved in your community, getting involved in politics, join a movement or organization or whatever. Or two, you should move away. Far, far, away. Maybe then it'll help solve the problem of overcrowding and our seemingly overabundance of whiners in the metro area. As you can tell already, I am sick of all the negative comments in these forums. I understand saying "Traffic out here is not what you're used to in <insert random city>" or "It is much more expensive here than <again, random city>", but some people go way overboard and make this place seem like hell on earth. Come on people, there has to be a little attempt at a balance. That's why I like this thread so much.
All this being said, these are just a few of the things I like about LA:
-First of all where else can you live within an hour or two drive from the beaches, the mountains and pretty much all the cool outdoor activities that are available here. There's skiing(both on water and snow), snowboarding, surfing, hiking, rock-climbing, etc..., and all this can be done in the same week.
-Also, the weather. I know everyone says it. But, then again, it's so amazing I think it's worth mentioning again.
-Pink's hot dog stand
-Hollywood
-The fact that there are so many cool neighborhoods to explore in the metro, that it would probably take a lifetime to experience them all.
-Griffith Park, The Observatory, and all the great views you can get from up there, especially after it rains.
-REAL Mexican food.
...the list goes on but yeah you guys get the idea.
^^^ to the guy above me. First of all I like how you said that there was clean air and water back in the 60's. That was when smog was at it's worst, and the water quality was worse than what it is now. Are you kidding? There were smog alerts all the time back then. I remember seeing an old LA Times from '56 that showed on the front cover that the smog was so bad you couldn't see 1000 feet in front of you. So if you don't appreciate what this awesome place has to offer, then please move to one of the cities you just mentioned. We could do without another whiner. I'm sure no amount of debating will get you to admit how great LA can be so you might as well get out before it's too late.
Last edited by LA-dude; 01-05-2008 at 01:39 AM..
Reason: the guy above me.
These forums are often just a bunch of sour grapes types who either secretly love California and badmouth it b/c they cannot live there or people who try to justify why they live in crummy places like Texas. If you are looking for real information about LA, go visit and talk to the actual residents. By reading these forums you would think North Dakota and Houston were appealling. They are not.
This is great to actually hear all your positive input on the greatest city in the world!
I have not let any of the badmouthers sway me from my dream. I see there are a few who just cant resist to chime in with their ugly words, that's human nature I guess. I see there are tons of you who totally love L.A. and that's all I wanted, just to hear some good things for a change. Like i said before I can step into any thread on here and hear whining, just thought it would be nice to hear the upsides.
I'm not blocking out the immigration problem. I'm not refusing to accept and see the way traffic has tripled. I'm not trying to tell anyone that their negative opinions are going unheard, just asked that we keep this ONE thread aside for those who have the good things to share about L.A.
Please don't take it personal, I understand you are frustrated and that's your right. I hate Indiana with a passion and I would never be able to sway from my negative view of it, but I do respect those who love it here.
This is great to actually hear all your positive input on the greatest city in the world!
I have not let any of the badmouthers sway me from my dream. I see there are a few who just cant resist to chime in with their ugly words, that's human nature I guess. I see there are tons of you who totally love L.A. and that's all I wanted, just to hear some good things for a change. Like i said before I can step into any thread on here and hear whining, just thought it would be nice to hear the upsides.
I'm not blocking out the immigration problem. I'm not refusing to accept and see the way traffic has tripled. I'm not trying to tell anyone that their negative opinions are going unheard, just asked that we keep this ONE thread aside for those who have the good things to share about L.A.
Please don't take it personal, I understand you are frustrated and that's your right. I hate Indiana with a passion and I would never be able to sway from my negative view of it, but I do respect those who love it here.
LA has its good and bad, just like chicago, NY and other big cities. I imagine that it is better than Indiana (more exciting anyway).
I sure really enjoyed the hiking I did in the San Gabriels. So epic, so stunning, the vistas so encompassing. The sky so blue, the sun so bright. The richly scented, varied chaparral on the slopes like an outdoor scene from the original Star Trek...I love hiking the Rockies in Colorado, but they don't have chaparral! I like how the trails have a sandy loam on them, very soft and good for running, again very different from the rocky Rockies. My favorite hike is you ascend up to the old ruins on Mt. Echo, then summit Mt. Lowe, then summit Mt. San Gabriel, come back down on different trails. I can't get these sunny lofty vistas out of my mind. It's been 3 months and I still see them in my dreams all the time. I like to think about what an absolute paradise of uncomparable beauty SoCal was prior to 1750, in the time of the Chumash and Tongva.
Some other things, well, I some some real nice lookin' ho's on Sunset, I'll bet if you had the money you could have some real fun in LA that way. I did hook-up with a girl I met in Hollywood in Beachwood Canyon, I'll always appreciate LA for that.
It seems like you could easily score some real nice "medicinal" buds there. Although I never did cuz I still had ample personal stash of Colorado "kind".
I'll be back there someday and buy my own piece of that bizzare sprawling empire they call SoCal.
Okay, I've managed to keep this positive, I think I deserve a kudo!
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excuses for your crappy city
. As you can tell already, I am sick of all the negative comments in these forums. I understand saying "Traffic out here is not what you're used to in <insert random city>" or "It is much more expensive here than <again, random city>", but some people go way overboard and make this place seem like hell on earth
. Come on people, there has to be a little attempt at a balance. That's why I like this thread so much.
.
I imagine that it is better than Indiana (more exciting anyway).
