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Old 02-12-2016, 04:03 PM
 
4 posts, read 4,282 times
Reputation: 11

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Hi everybody in sunny Los Angeles,

Ever since about 2003 at the age of 13 I have wanted to move to Los Angeles. Ever since then I have been put off by my parents, friends, and etc. telling me that it is a miserable and dangerous place with shallow people and no hope of gaining employment.

Since I am pretty good at lounge piano (I would actually consider myself to be the best around at 1970s style lounge piano) I am looking at entertainment, and it seems to me that Los Angeles is a good place to be for entertainment.

More importantly, I have been comparing the people I have been getting advice from to people who live in LA, and it is my opinion that LA is a very social, friendly, fun place with beautiful weather and is really lovely compared to New England, where I currently live.

I was wondering if in this thread you could lend support and encouragement that there really are some good things about LA and lovely places to eat, beaches, etc. as I suspect so that I can get this dark New England stereotype out of my head (or maybe it's just my parents' brainwashing).

Thanks,
Joe
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Old 02-12-2016, 04:30 PM
 
10,097 posts, read 10,010,013 times
Reputation: 5225
LA is a city of contrasts. I started off in a working and middle class area in the Valley when I first moved to LA and I found the people to be pretty cordial and friendly. The Valley is very much the closet thing you'd get to middle America. I didn't get it when they told me LA was rude. It wasn't until I made it out to the more affluent areas that you'd find the stereotype of the rude snobby type. It was like straight out of a movie, some can be really brash. In other parts of the country especially the Midwest and Southern US there's this veneer of politeness among the upper crust but that's not a staple of society here, so they're who you'd expect to be the stereotypes of crass materialism and vapidness. The OC is one of the rudest places I've ever been too. It gets worse the further south you go especially in La Jolla San Diego. The average middle class to working class Angeleno though is super cool, friendly and very humble. Prolt one of the most humble people I've ever met. The non-Hollywood, non upper echelons of LA are the best. Love it.

The weather is gorgeous. It gets hotter than you think though. It's 90 degrees in February where I'm at but the closer you get to the beach the cooler it gets. But still yes the weather is the best the US, heck even the world, has to offer.

One stereotype that you will find is not true is that LA is some turbo charged party town like NYC, NOLA, Vegas or Miami. If you want that you will find that but you have to look for it yourself. There really is no designated round the clock rowdy as heck go all out spots like the Vegas Strip, Burbon St, or South Beach. LA has the best work life balance I've seen out of any major metro area.

The food is AMAZING!
Any other questions? I'm happy to help.
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Old 02-12-2016, 04:32 PM
PDF
 
11,395 posts, read 13,418,339 times
Reputation: 6707
Do your parents control you? If you have a plan and money saved up, make it happen!
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Old 02-12-2016, 04:32 PM
 
Location: New Orleans
2,322 posts, read 2,992,528 times
Reputation: 1606
Of course they're Pros and Cons about living in every city.

You need to really ask yourself what you really doing in Los Angeles first a foremost, and whether you might be able to accomplish the same thing in a different city.

If you do decide to come to LA, I would come with some kind of valuable education more than just being good at piano. Because there are thousands of people just like you.
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Old 02-12-2016, 04:51 PM
 
4 posts, read 4,282 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiolibre99 View Post
LA is a city of contrasts. I started off in a working and middle class area in the Valley when I first moved to LA and I found the people to be pretty cordial and friendly. The Valley is very much the closet thing you'd get to middle America. I didn't get it when they told me LA was rude. It wasn't until I made it out to the more affluent areas that you'd find the stereotype of the rude snobby type. It was like straight out of a movie, some can be really brash. In other parts of the country especially the Midwest and Southern US there's this veneer of politeness among the upper crust but that's not a staple of society here, so they're who you'd expect to be the stereotypes of crass materialism and vapidness. The OC is one of the rudest places I've ever been too. It gets worse the further south you go especially in La Jolla San Diego. The average middle class to working class Angeleno though is super cool, friendly and very humble. Prolt one of the most humble people I've ever met. The non-Hollywood, non upper echelons of LA are the best. Love it.

The weather is gorgeous. It gets hotter than you think though. It's 90 degrees in February where I'm at but the closer you get to the beach the cooler it gets. But still yes the weather is the best the US, heck even the world, has to offer.

One stereotype that you will find is not true is that LA is some turbo charged party town like NYC, NOLA, Vegas or Miami. If you want that you will find that but you have to look for it yourself. There really is no designated round the clock rowdy as heck go all out spots like the Vegas Strip, Burbon St, or South Beach. LA has the best work life balance I've seen out of any major metro area.

The food is AMAZING!
Any other questions? I'm happy to help.
Thanks so much!
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Old 02-12-2016, 04:53 PM
 
4 posts, read 4,282 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by PDF View Post
Do your parents control you? If you have a plan and money saved up, make it happen!
They don't control me, just a question of finances. I do have 3 degrees in addition to my talent.

I'll make it happen! And soon!

I actually don't need this to be a long thread, just wanted to make sure you all are as welcoming as I heard. You are

Best wishes,
Joe
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Old 02-12-2016, 04:54 PM
 
4 posts, read 4,282 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamills21 View Post
If you do decide to come to LA, I would come with some kind of valuable education more than just being good at piano. Because there are thousands of people just like you.
Yeah...I doubt it. I am pretty damn good, no offense.

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Old 02-12-2016, 05:14 PM
 
Location: TOVCCA
8,452 posts, read 15,041,876 times
Reputation: 12532
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lounge Pianist View Post
I have been put off by my parents, friends, and etc. telling me...no hope of gaining employment.
One of the highest job growth cities in the US now:

10 cities winning -- and losing -- with job creation - Page 4 - CBS News

The Los Angeles metro is huge, HUGE. This cannot be overstated. The area has all kinds of neighborhoods, all kinds of jobs, all kinds of people. It can fulfill dreams or crash them. It is a world-class city so there are no limits.

Last edited by nightlysparrow; 02-12-2016 at 05:29 PM..
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Old 02-12-2016, 05:18 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
4,627 posts, read 3,394,411 times
Reputation: 6148
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lounge Pianist View Post
Hi everybody in sunny Los Angeles,

Ever since about 2003 at the age of 13 I have wanted to move to Los Angeles. Ever since then I have been put off by my parents, friends, and etc. telling me that it is a miserable and dangerous place with shallow people and no hope of gaining employment.

Since I am pretty good at lounge piano (I would actually consider myself to be the best around at 1970s style lounge piano) I am looking at entertainment, and it seems to me that Los Angeles is a good place to be for entertainment.

More importantly, I have been comparing the people I have been getting advice from to people who live in LA, and it is my opinion that LA is a very social, friendly, fun place with beautiful weather and is really lovely compared to New England, where I currently live.

I was wondering if in this thread you could lend support and encouragement that there really are some good things about LA and lovely places to eat, beaches, etc. as I suspect so that I can get this dark New England stereotype out of my head (or maybe it's just my parents' brainwashing).

Thanks,
Joe

Sure, just come with a plan and keep your expectations in check: LA is no paradise (very few places really are). Sometimes people associate "glamour" cities with paradise, nothing could be further from the truth.


I did the opposite move when I was your age (mid-20's) and moved to the northeast (NYC area), so I am all for trying something new.


Finally, yes the weather is nice but this is not Hawaii or Miami....LA has a Mediterranean climate. There is a big difference. And the Pacific Ocean is cold, pretty much all year long.


Speaking of 1970's piano lounge music, Billy Joel (before he was famous) did a stint in LA and penned his "Piano Man" when he regularly played a piano lounge near Wilshire and Western in the 70's.
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Old 02-12-2016, 05:33 PM
 
4,795 posts, read 4,822,563 times
Reputation: 7348
Where in New England are you the best lounge piano player around? Boston, Providence, Worcester, Portland? Odds are you are not going to be anywhere near the best lounge piano player in Los Angeles. Musicians moving to LA are like wanna be actresses. Everyone is the hottest girl in their town back in Iowa but in LA they are one of 100,000s of equally hot girls
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