Is Los Angeles Magical? (San Diego, San Francisco: living, restaurants, prices)

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Userdavey

YESSSSSS!!!!! Spend some time in the mountain west with its cold, dry barren landscapes and miserable lifestyle and you will BEG for the beach!

Trees in LA have red flowers in them!!! WTF??? How is that? And some have PURPLE FLOWERS!!! Some have bark that is smooth and green! Dude!! That is so different from here!! The grass that is like a putting green? What is that?? It is so tropical out there and so nice! Man if I could afford it I would drop everything to be there!!!

So what? are you talking about bouganvilleas, jacaranda or coral trees? only parts of the LA area have those. but so do other desert areas like arizona. LA is NOT tropical. it is semi-desert and only appears to be tropical b/c of excessive watering. there are also times of the year where it may seem more verdant than others due to the rain patterns. right now, there is al lot of rain coming down. you will see many green hills when driving down the major highways going eastward from LA. you will only see this greenery in a few months of the year. when i first drove to LA from texas, i also thought that LA was tropical due to the heavy rain that I encountered while driving. It was in fact a freakish period where they were receiving lots of rain

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by wehotex

So what? are you talking about bouganvilleas, jacaranda or coral trees? only parts of the LA area have those. but so do other desert areas like arizona. LA is NOT tropical. it is semi-desert and only appears to be tropical b/c of excessive watering. there are also times of the year where it may seem more verdant than others due to the rain patterns. right now, there is al lot of rain coming down. you will see many green hills when driving down the major highways going eastward from LA. you will only see this greenery in a few months of the year. when i first drove to LA from texas, i also thought that LA was tropical due to the heavy rain that I encountered while driving. It was in fact a freakish period where they were receiving lots of rain

I'd like to offer some defense against this notion. LA is a Mediterranean climate. That's not a literary description but its Köppen climate classification. So the vegetation is by and large natural. That's not to say there aren't private indulgences in tropical gardening, but generally much of what you see here is perfectly suitable.

Illusions work both ways, you see, both to the positive and negative. That's the nature of a town that's muchly centerless, that perceptions can often run biased against realities. Throw in the entertainment industry and it's a pretty volitile kettle. The fact is over the past 30 years, LA has been way ahead of even eco-self-conscious San Francisco in its water conservancy. (BTW, the Bay Area outside of SF proper--that is, South Bay and Contra Costa County)--looks just like the rest of LA outside the beach communities.) Despite an 18% growth in population, Los Angeles' water use has remained steady, even in some months dropping by as much as 11%. More restrictions are coming into effect this summer. Can we do more? Oh, absolutely, and we have to, and we have to be more actively aware of doing more. The conventional Midwestern attachment to lawns, for example, has got to be stomped out, but tell that to my dad. Still, behind the curtains, Los Angeles, in fact, has been doing more, more than is popularly credited. Finally, 80% of that water coming to SoCal is going to agriculture. California has no business growing rice.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by Bunjee

I'd like to offer some defense against this notion. LA is a Mediterranean climate. That's not a literary description but its Köppen climate classification.

Cool! Someone else who knows about the Köppen climate classifications! (I majored in geography.)

Years ago, I would attempt to educate people on the fact that Los Angeles does not have a desert climate, but I gave up after trying a few times. Facts don't seem to matter to most people.

The myth that I hear the most out here in Palm Springs is, "The climate in Palm Springs is more humid than it was 10 years ago because more people have swimming pools now."

I just nod along. Yeah. Uh-huh.

[miss x3]

Originally Posted by Userdavey

My question is this. If LA was as cheap to live as CO, there would be like 50 million people there. I guess that's not a question, but...you know what I mean?

MY AUNT really was intelligent.. she moved to Los Angeles when it WAS
inexpensive, in the 1950's.. bought a little bungalow, never moved back to Ohio.

[Alexus]

Originally Posted by Userdavey

I have visited LA/OC several times. The first was 28 years ago when I was 12. I was immediately in love with the palm trees, the air, and just the feel of the place. It seemed so magical. Recent trips only confirm my love affair with the atmosphere there. Does that ever go away if you live there?

I always felt that LA was a good place to visit. Last time I was in Brentwood and Beverly Hills, it had a special ambiance. Definitely a unique atmosphere if you're in a position to focus on the good and not the day-to-day grind.

[richierichh]

Los Angeles, magical? Is this a joke?

I was visiting Paris and I was reminded what a very ugly city Los Angeles is.

The air is magical? The filthy, purple smog? Do any of you actually get out of LA?

[richierichh]

Originally Posted by moxieman2

I have a serious question for everyone on this forum who is so negative about LA....Why don't you leave?

I mean really, if the "gridlock traffic" and "disgusting air" aren't worth dealing with for perfect weather, palm trees, the ocean, and magic (yes I said M A G I C). There is NO other single place on the planet that individuals from around the world want to move to and make a life!!! And, please, don't even bring up New York City, yes its great, but if your Moderator cut: complaining about LA traffic and air you don't like NYC either.

So please, answer my question if LA is SOOO terrible why do so many of you choose to stay and pay ALL THOSE TAXES. BTW, I'm not really interested in a guy with 3 kids looking for a 4 bedroom house (he can move to Utah with the rest of the complainers, help solve that nasty overcrowding problem LA has, according to you pessimists).

Whenever there is a list of most desirable cities, LA is *ALWAYS* at the end, behind New York, San Diego and San Francisco.

The people coming here are mostly illegal immigrants who have no choice, or people who are relocated for jobs.

I can see how NYC, San Francisco and San Diego could be magical (S.D. and it's typical "SoCal lifestyle", San Francisco and its charm, and New York and it's cosmo/glitz/$$/opportunities). LA is good, but you must be high if you think this ugly, smoggy, illegal ridden dump is anywhere near a top desirable spot.

[TheRealAngelion]

Originally Posted by moxieman2

I have a serious question for everyone on this forum who is so negative about LA....Why don't you leave?

That has been the million dollar question for several years running now, and you still have the same people whining and complaining about how miserable life in LA is and yet they remain here. I have come to the conclusion that these are people who have lived here most of their life and have never experienced living anywhere else outside of California and they likely don't travel that extensively either so they have very limited knowledge and information on which to base a comparison between LA and other major metro areas with millions of residents.

However, more importantly I think the misery, unhappiness, and bitterness reflected in some of these posts is actually more indicative of a personal unhappiness and a lack of fulfillment in life that has little to do with LA. It is not that LA sucks, they suck! And I mean that in a figurative and illustrative way. I think people who lead healthy, productive lives, who are gainfully employed and enjoy their careers and like the people they work with, who surround themselves with good people who have a positive outlook on life, and who have some sort of spiritual foundation, are generally more happy in life and are more readily able to smell the roses wherever they are. In contrast, people who are negative look for things to complain and to be cynical about, are insulted by the happiness of others, characteristically are quick to ridicule other people’s dreams, and shoot down people who find goodness and pleasure in something they have chosen to detest.

They likely will never move and look for ways to improve their life circumstances because they lack the motivation, skills and vision to do so.

[SandyCo]

I've never thought of L.A. as being magical, but then again, I've lived here my entire life. It's "home", pure and simple - great on some days, not so great on others. I can certainly see how it would look magical when you're visiting from somewhere else, especially if you're a child (because children tend to miss or overlook some of the ugliness).

[Userdavey]

From the Real Angelion...
"They likely will never move and look for ways to improve their life circumstances because they lack the motivation, skills and vision to do so."

A bit harsh and maybe too close to home for some to swallow, but so true.

I have been guilty of slamming my place here in the Springs too though. I was born in Abq., NM and lived there for 30 years until I found that Colo Spgs was pretty attractive looking. Suddenly, Abq. was the last place on earth I wanted to be. I hated it more and more everyday. The silver lining? I LEFT. I didn't start to dislike it until I had planned on leaving, so I think the dislike was more of a transition tool for my mind or just to help me divest.

Now, after a few recent visits to the LA area, I am developing an ugly feeling for Colo Spgs.

The problem I face this time is my work and money. I work for a small firm for 9 years now and it is a great job. I love the people, the work, everything. I have kids now, and I don't really want to yank them out of school here just for the palm trees.

Going from Abq to the Spgs was easy - same cost of living and not too far away or different. Plus, I had just graduated college and was ready to cut my teeth in a new city, and I had no kids. It worked seamlessly.

The interesting thing for me is that 9 years ago I couldn't wait to move to the Spgs. Now I can't stand the place. Thanks a lot, LA.

And I am a lone wolf big time. EVERYBODY here in the Spgs hates LA. Of course they have never been there, but they still hate it. Too crowded, too much pollution, too crazy and just too big and expensive.

It's funny when I hear people from other areas say how great Colo Spgs is! This town is EXTREMELY military and religious. (Christian, hardly anything else) and the weather really beats you up. Of course all the people who come from the Dakotas and Michigan and etc. LOVE the weather here. And the people from Antartctica LOVE the weather in North Dakota. And the people from Pluto....

Long story short, the cons are outweighing the pros for me in the Spgs. I honestly don't even know what the pros are here, besides my job.

I think that the population figures pretty much tell the story. People live where they want to live. LA has all the problems that it has and there are still so many people there...it must be pretty freakin cool.

I know when I go there I get a feeling like no other. Walking around Manhattan Beach is just Paradise. Driving along the Strip at night? With the billboards? OMG that is so cool. I think that if you don't like the look of the Hollywood hills and all the signs and the flat streets and the palm trees you really really really have total brain damage. You do.

And you KNOW I haven't even scratched the surface of all the cool things that visually just blow me away out there. Even just seeing a palm tree just literally perplexes me. LA is like another planet. Another dimension. I can't even believe it's real.

And the traffic and congestion? Oh I am sure that it sucks real real hard. But to me, that's like saying I hate my kids because they don't always make their bed. Or they get a bad grade. Or they say a swear word. It doesn't even come close to making any difference whatsoever. Not in a milion years.