Why LA? (Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica: best schools, live in, prices)

[jackie100]

Originally Posted by LizCab44

Read my previous posts. Yes it happens in every city, every country for that matter - but LA epitomizes the hypocrisy of it all. It is like all the superficial, all the materialistic, all the twisted BS got dumped in one place.

And I'm sure if you knew some of those girls who ended up prostitutes or porn stars - you wouldn't be so nonchalant about it. Many of those girls have been sexually abused, which leads them into that line of work. You don't have to believe me, research for yourself. I am teacher, and I work with those kids. I care about them. They are not just some pretty face that I see on a billboard. So it doesn't give LA a "mystique" to me. Its real human struggle. And the main culprit is as you illustrate - indifference. And yes it does make me hate it.

It doesn't change the way I feel whatsoever. Out of all the people who are sexually abused in the world only a minority become pornstars or hookers. There are plenty who also end up as doctors or lawyers. Hell, even Oprah got sexually abused. Just because MOST prostitutes and pornstars were sexually abused does not mean all people who are abused end up as such.

Why should I hate porn just because a some of the people in the industry were sexually abused? It doesn't make a difference to me.

[Green Irish Eyes]

I'm not quite sure what the original topic of this thread was supposed to be, but it's not the porn industry and/or the likelihood that a sexually abused individual will end up in it. That's a different topic for a different thread in a different forum.

Thanks.

[jackie100]

So back to the topic of why L.A...

To me, L.A is truly a magical city. I love the vibe, the atmosphere, the tall buildings, the Hollywood walk of fame, I love Sunset blvd. I always feel "excited" and "alive" whenever I am in L.A and I don't get that feeling where I'm from (Orange Conty, CA) because it's too suburban and boring, it doesn't have that "big city life" feel like L.A

I also love all the trendy restaurants in L.A., it's more of a "look good and be seen" kind of vibe but I actually like that. It's not the same as eating in a trendy restaurant in Iowa or something, it's just more "magical" in L.A

Knowing that the person sitting next to you or driving next to you could be a celeb or someone famous... I like that too. Don't ask me why, I just do.

I also like the style of L.A, it's more casual sexy and beachy. I really hate the style of NY where everyone wears coats because it's so cold. I like to wear tank tops etc so I also like Cali because of the weather. I hate dressing winter style, wearing warm clothes and coats etc. I like the "casual beachy sexy" Cali style of L.A (same as that of OC).

I like the "cityness" of L.A. I don't like suburbs, rural areas or places where it's all nature (ok to visit once a year but not to live. Too boring).

I also like the ruggedness of L.A Driving through the city some of the streets look dirty etc but it gives L.A that authentic "gritty" feel. And then of course there is the glamorous side, the mansions in the Hills. I like the combination of it all. It's one of a kind.

[fatmancomics]

It seems like the bottom line in this thread is that the original poster is finally starting to grow up and has seen both sides of what this place is like rather than just looking at the good. Unfortounately, she seems to be concentrating on the bad a little bit too much.
Yes, there are bad things happening in this city. There is poverty, crime and corruption and there are, just like anywhere else, people who make money by taking advantage of others. But everyone's individual experiences here are what matters.
She feels that hers was a bad one because she found out that she prefers to live in a small town rather than a big city. Good for her. But that doesn't mean that L.A. is only the gangs, the homeless and the porn industry.
L.A. is business, suburbia, families, the filthy rich and the dirty poor, atheists and religious zealots, gay pride and homophobia, racial harmony and racism, art, multiculturalism, extreme left wingers, extreme right wingers and everything in between, performers, writers, beautiful people, ugly people, blue collar workers and white collar workers. It's the people that make a city and this one has the biggest and best mix in the world. We're not all pretentious and rude like New Yorkers (some of us are but not all of us) and we're not all as laid back and vapid as the movies will have you believe. If you like big city living, chances are that you'll be happier here than in any other big city in the world but the OP doesn't like big city living. The title of this thread should've been "Why I left L.A." rather than "Why L.A.?" because the OP has already made up her mind and just wanted to give the reasons why she left but chose to go fishing for people she could disagree with and have a "discussion" with instead.

[yukiko11]

You have described the average experience of most people who have come to LA at a very young age. You were looking for the LA you saw on TV which actually exists, but not for the average person. If you read any blog regarding LA, you are going to read people who are familiar with living in LA warn the person who wants to move that it is not going to be what they expect.
But, in the end, nobody will listen and most will become like you. My suggestion, is to decide what wlll make you happy and find it. You only get one chance at life, you might as well enjoy it.

[matt345]

Originally Posted by yukiko11

You were looking for the LA you saw on TV which actually exists, but not for the average person.

What’s funny is that if LA was exactly like how it is portrayed in the media (glamorous, glittery, etc.), I would absolutely hate it. I’m probably one of the few transplants who can’t stand LA’s celebrity culture and really could do without the presence of the film industry. I’m a big foodie, so one of the things I treasure most about LA are all the ethnic neighborhoods: Thai Town, Koreatown, Little Ethiopia, to name a few. Excellent authentic ethnic food as extremely low prices! I’d rather have tacos at La Estrella in Highland Park than eat an overpriced meal in a pretentious environment at The Ivy.

[uptown_urbanist]

Matt345 - I agree with you completely. I think there's a lot of us out there who feel the same way, but we all hang out at the taco places instead of the Ivy, and places like the Fashion District instead of Kitson.

[fatmancomics]

Originally Posted by matt345

What’s funny is that if LA was exactly like how it is portrayed in the media (glamorous, glittery, etc.), I would absolutely hate it. I’m probably one of the few transplants who can’t stand LA’s celebrity culture and really could do without the presence of the film industry. I’m a big foodie, so one of the things I treasure most about LA are all the ethnic neighborhoods: Thai Town, Koreatown, Little Ethiopia, to name a few. Excellent authentic ethnic food as extremely low prices! I’d rather have tacos at La Estrella in Highland Park than eat an overpriced meal in a pretentious environment at The Ivy.

I don't know what a foodie is but I think it's still cool to have the glitz and film industry here at least as a novelty. There are those of us who enjoy getting fancied up and having a nice dinner every once in a while. And how could I enjoy free movies if the industry wasn't here?

[matt345]

Originally Posted by fatmancomics

I don't know what a foodie is but I think it's still cool to have the glitz and film industry here at least as a novelty. There are those of us who enjoy getting fancied up and having a nice dinner every once in a while. And how could I enjoy free movies if the industry wasn't here?

Well if you enjoy it, there’s nothing wrong with that. I wasn’t necessarily making a judgment on people who do live a glitzy lifestyle (or like to experience it every once in a while). However, the general complaint I hear about LA is that the majority of people don’t/can’t live that lifestyle – that LA’s nothing like how it is portrayed on TV and Movies and therefore is a terrible place to live. I was making the point that there are those of us who don’t live like that, have no desire to live that way, and are perfectly happy. There’s an extremely large portion of the Los Angeles area that has absolutely nothing to do with the entertainment industry and all that is associated with it. That’s the Los Angeles that I enjoy most.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

People see the chaparral, oak savanna and grasslands and call it "barren" especially the latter two during the summer. They are by no means barren. You'd know that is true rather quickly trying to travel cross country through any one of these three biomes. I pride myself in the fact that I successfully traveled cross country on a half a dozen occasions more than 2 miles through the So Cal chaparral. I challenge anyone to try it.

Part of the challenge is the poison oak -

Did some bushwhacking up here a few days ago, was reminded ...