What is it like to live in Los Angeles? (San Francisco: neighborhood, living)

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by Nightscape

I say the same thing all the time. The tourists come to hollywood thinking they're dressing the part, but to a local, they look completely ridiculous and out of place.

Tourists, transplants and foreigners are still under the impression that LA is what it was during the 80s movie era or what it is now as featured in reality shows. That image is only really exhibited in small pockets of West LA. It's not even a Hollywood-proper image.

Rich transplants from the East Coast, European tourists especially from the Northern countries (Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands) and Middle Eastern/Russian immigrants who own homes here.

It's literally a hodgepodge of non-natives that dominate the "image" that LA gives off to the rest of the world.

[bophisto]

mercikaleb, you mention that there are not many Hispanics in L.A that are non Mexican , but I know there are a lot of Guatemalans , El Salvadoreans, etc etc. There are also a lot of Brazilians in certain areas too like Palms.

I agree there are a lot of people that come from other places(transplants) that think they have to act the part.

The theory of natives being the ones driving the Priuses and dressing down is probably not too far off.

I think the frustrating thing ,as a native is there is no respect for natives here. In NYC it seems the natives command a certain respect. In L.A there isn't that same respect or legacy.

I think a lot of it is because we don't really have many real "neighborhoods" and our communities aren't as strong as those in NYC.

[EuroDuderino]

Originally Posted by Nightscape

The tourists come to hollywood thinking they're dressing the part, but to a local, they look completely ridiculous and out of place.

I'd like to get a more precise impression of what that entails.

Do you guys maybe have some examples? They're certainly not wearing fur scarfs in mid-summer on Hwd Blvd, so I assume it is still something more subtle. Do you simply mean expensive-LOOKING jackets/jewelry? Actual pics would help, even if they are not taken in L.A., just to get the idea.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by EuroDuderino

I'd like to get a more precise impression of what that entails.

Do you guys maybe have some examples? They're certainly not wearing fur scarfs in mid-summer on Hwd Blvd, so I assume it is still something more subtle. Do you simply mean expensive-LOOKING jackets/jewelry? Actual pics would help, even if they are not taken in L.A., just to get the idea.

I'd take pictures but that would probably only fuel their narcissism.

It's not really expensive stuff that I am talking about. I am talking about ultra-skanky clothing. Basically super low-cut tops, very short skirts... I mean, I'm not really complaining, they look great. They just look ridiculous too - especially because they are trying to "fit in" with the Hollywood set (who are much more likely to be wearing jeans and a T-shirt and smoking a J than getting glammed up for the club).

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by EuroDuderino

I'd like to get a more precise impression of what that entails.

Do you guys maybe have some examples? They're certainly not wearing fur scarfs in mid-summer on Hwd Blvd, so I assume it is still something more subtle. Do you simply mean expensive-LOOKING jackets/jewelry? Actual pics would help, even if they are not taken in L.A., just to get the idea.

When you visit you will know?

Down Hollywood proper you will see a lot of Northern European tourists (Swedes, Danes, Dutch) dressed like an H&M catalogue strutting down the walk of fame like they're just ready to shine. I feel bad for them because on Swedish TV Hollywood is touted like it's a glam wonderworld, far more than American TV, and I bet once they get here they're sorely dissapointed.

In Beverly Hills walk down any of the cafes and restaurants with open patios and hear the languages being spoken. It's usually Farsi (Persian), Arab, Russian or Hebrew. Rich foreigners have taken over what was once a WASPy area.

In the rest of West LA you have a lot of wannabe actors, comedians. models from all over. These transplants come here thinking they have act LA and are usually unbearable. They dress up or even stylishly dress down (if that makes sense).

Native Angelenos dress really down, care not about style so much, and way friendlier than the rest of the list mentioned above.

Non-natives treat natives as though they're wasting their time in LA and not going into the entertainment industry almost. Transplants tend to rough it out in West LA if they're not rich and talk down on the rest of LA even though they've never really ventured out of West LA.

So it's really the non-natives that keep the image of LA alive and well for the rest of the world.

[Ds1111]

LA sucks 20 million losers

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

No one in the rest of the country thinks 60s in mid winter low 50s at night is cold, except maybe Florida & Hawaii. But even Florida gets cold snaps where the temperatures dip below freezing overnight.

I was just about to say the same thing. Also, in my opinion LA is amazing. The June gloom thing is only in the mornings by the middle of the day it's burned off (marine layer). What I like about LA is how, yes it's a urban place but you can turn a corner and be somewhere quiet and chill, then turn another corner and be in the thick of people and traffic. LA is a bunch of neighborhoods, each one with its own flare. I'm from the midwest and I'll tell you it's great here. To these people 85 degrees (no humidity) is crazy hot! But we know better. Also as you can see, 55-60 is chilly to these fools. The movies do it justice but don't be fooled LA has it's bad parts and things but in general, great place to live.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by bophisto

Not sure about the dark dreamlike undertone...

Because L.A is so famous , sometimes it's crazy to think that you live here. I guess the same way that one can't believes they live in NYC.

I agree with others there is really a big gap between the rich and poor here .

The rich are able to kind of cocoon themselves in areas like Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades,etc

There are community after community of poor people.

I think the answer to your question ..What is it like to live in Los Angeles depends a lot on WHO you are , and how much money you have

To a rich person they might say Los Angeles is their playground filled with great restaurants , clubs, beautiful people and mansions

A poor person might say that living in L.A is a struggle.

LA is what you make of it. I'm not rich at all. But I go all over LA to have a good time. If you venture out you will see that there's so much to do in various neighborhoods--the thing is a few days or months might not really put you on to what LA is really about. Google hiddenLA and peep that. You don't need to be rich to live here and enjoy life. You just need to be savvy.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by guydude

L.A. has great weather. The city is wonderfully ugly, charmingly so. There are palm trees everywhere. L.A. has some of the best cheap eats in the nation, due to the ethnic vibe of the city, as well as some of the best fine dining. The city is gentrifying, though not like New York, as here you get the farm to table restaurant right next to the 50 year old taco stand. Hamburger stands are revered. Everything is commercial- billboards are everywhere. Street art everywhere. People love to talk about how they wish L.A. had better public transportation as the cruise around in their cars. Lots of expensive cars. People who shouldn't really be driving expensive cars drive them, and the people who actually can afford expensive cars drive a Prius. There is so much great architecture here, but it's hidden on sides streets, and around corners. There's always something to do. L.A. is a city in the middle of nature, ten minutes from downtown you can hike around a mountain range, ten minutes from Santa Monica or Malibu you can visit waterfalls and forests. Most of all, L.A. is a completely unique city- there is nothing else in the world like it.

Couldn't agree with this more! Great description. LA definitely has plenty of cheap eats, I don't know what some of these people are talking about. Yeah it has it's rich snobby types but it's also charmingly casual in a lot of areas too.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by mercikaleb

One of my few disappointments was in the fact that there arent many mixed people or hispanics who arent mexican, so I was always asked "what are you?" And it became a huge talking point.

Really where did you go? I meat El Salvadorians and etc., all the time not to mention LA has pockets of certain types of people. Like in Palms (where I live) there's a brazilian neighborhood.