Question For LA Transplants... (appointed, credit, how much)

[LAMayBeMaybeNot]

Has LA lived up to your expectations? Exceeded them?

I don't think anyone moves to a city like LA without a lot of excitement and high expectations. Just curious to know how transplants feel now that they've made the move.

Not trying to turn this into a bashfest. I'm well aware that there are people who have ridiculously high expectations of the city and underestimate what it takes to 'make it' in city like LA, and end up hating the city.

Just trying to get people's opinions, minus the unnecessary stuff.

[PDF]

Although I'm about to leave LA, the city did live up to my expectations. It didn't surpass them, but it's a fairly good city. I did take a vacation here before moving, and that definitely helped.

LA is a global, diverse city with many opportunities if you take advantage of them. Public transit is of course lacking compared to other major cities, but that is being fixed with new lines/routes opening every year it seems like. You will never run out of things to do, and the scenery/weather is gorgeous.

[subPrimeTime]

Before the transplants chime in (I'm an LA/Socal native), think long and hard about your social relations and how that plays a role in how much you enjoy life...and then how much you enjoy life plays into how much you like or dislike a city.

For example, I think New York City is awesome, but if I moved there and had no friends and no success in dating, well I'd probably hate life...and in turn the old me would've blamed NYC. But the more mature me would realize that it's probably my fault.

I can guarantee that people who have a good group of friends and perhaps a significant other would enjoy whatever city they're in.

[DariusOCR]

The first time I've visited LA was a few years back on my trip across the states, and I have to say I was disappointed because it went pretty much this way: NYC > Vegas > SF > LA, so it's understandable. I stayed there for a while and quickly understood there's more to it than just a vast amount of skyscrapers. I'm about to move there, but from the little I've gathered - I loved it!

subPrimeTime, I would say that's subjective. I've had a lot of friends living in UK and hated the place. I've stayed in some other countries absolutely alone, and loved some of them.

[jm1982]

I'm also not a transplant ,but native. I agree that every city is what you make of it. As much as people like to imagine that they do all these unique things in L.A and everywhere else besides LA and NYC is a boring hick town.. most people seem to do the same things.

Work most of the day during the week and do similar things on the weekends . You're general attitude probably won't change.

If someone is a miserable or upset or negative person in different city..they won't magically change when they get in the L.A city limits.

[Rkstar71]

I moved to L.A. to be with my gf. I love living here but there are somethings I don't like too.
I love the weather and the scenery. I just love the change after living in PA for 40 years. I should have come here 20 years ago. Anywhere you go there are positives and negatives. I won't list the negatives here. But there are a few. All in all I love living here despite the employment problem.

[subPrimeTime]

Originally Posted by DariusOCR

subPrimeTime, I would say that's subjective. I've had a lot of friends living in UK and hated the place. I've stayed in some other countries absolutely alone, and loved some of them.

Sure, I'm not saying that what you've described is not possible. There were probably other circumstances involved that led you to your opinions of each place.

All I'm saying is, if I may use a sports analogy, coaches seem to get too much credit for wins and too much blame for losses, when we all know that at the end of the day, players play the game....in this case City = Coach.

[Cheektowaga_Chester]

Originally Posted by subPrimeTime

Before the transplants chime in (I'm an LA/Socal native), think long and hard about your social relations and how that plays a role in how much you enjoy life...and then how much you enjoy life plays into how much you like or dislike a city.

Yes, and every other personal thing like family (in addition to friends) and your job. It's easy to blame a city on other things ("People are so.... in LA")

Heck you could write that about any place. People don't vary as much from city to city as they do from income tax bracket to income tax bracket or neighborhood home price to neighborhood home price. Believe it or not there are snooty people people in Buffalo and Huntsville Alabama - if you are in the snooty neighborhoods (easily identified by seeing "Center" spelled as 'Centre"). Similarly, there are down to earth, talk to you in the elevator people in LA, in the average neighborhoods.

[hken]

Moving to LA was the best decision I made in my life. However it comes with a big asterik - I came here for grad school and by pure luck I was able to find a great paying job and stick around...I had no plans to do so when I originally came out here. Grad school gave me the free time to enjoy the city and more importantly, cultivate real friendships that is so hard to do when you are working full time.

[RoaminRebel]

Moved here for a job 8 years ago and some ways, LA exceeded my expectations. I didn't expect so much hiking and beautiful vistas here. You can certainly see them in pictures, but you have to experience it to fully appreciate its beauty. Jean Paul Getty really got it right when he chose the location for his museum. The people are health conscious and many are quite beautiful, although not always intellectually stimulating or engaging.

The dining is great here, but I may say I prefer NYC. It's not unusual in LA to find a highly touted restaurant that serves mediocre food in favor of ambiance. But LA still has enough great eats to keep me busy for a while longer.

Having said all this, I can see how someone might become disillusioned if they came here to pursue a career in entertainment.