Pretty easy question. Good: weather, entertainment, beach (water is little bit too cold though?), jobs?
Bad: pollution, crime, traffic, high cost of living.
Looks like I've answered my own question, but if you disagree or want to add anything, go ahead. I have been to LA, but never lived there. Am considering a move there in the Spring or Summer.
2007-02-11 05:53:29 · 13 answers · asked by sal 2 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a place that has so much to offer. The best part for me is the cheap, local, fresh produce (Farmer's Markets every weekend) and the overall lifestyle you can adopt there. It's sunny, beautiful all the time, and you are surrounded by beautiful people. There are tons of jobs that pay pretty decent. There is an excitement in the air about all things entertainment - I got a kick out of knowing people who could get me tickets to movie premieres and parties. Since it's such a transient town, most people are reaching out and looking for friends, especially those from the Midwest, etc. Yeah, the traffic sucks, but be smart and get a job close to where you live (even if it's for less money - the sacrifice is worth the time you'll save). You can eat great, have a breeze flowing through your apartment in December, and never have to deal with road construction and snow. You'll meet some shallow people, but at least they know they're shallow, and frankly, I always kind of liked it because I always felt like the smartest person in the room. Overall, I just love the fact you can really be who you are in LA with very little judgement. All kinds live there. A couple of tips for you - make sure you have a good car, buy a Thomas Guide once you get there (to help you navigate the city) and if you are ever feeling blue, go to Point Dume in Malibu right off the Pacific Coast Highway because it's beautiful and you'll forget all about your troubles. Also, never go downtown alone at night. And make sure you have a lot of money saved up for your move (minimum, $3500).
2007-02-12 14:16:59 · answer #1 · answered by rrmorris45 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kudos to David & Hardin for most excellent answers. You took the words right out of my mouth.
As for Mike & Emrobs, and those bitter, shallow people who no longer live here: Good riddance. Maybe it's not the city, perhaps it's just you. Sure, there are shallow people in LA. They're everywhere. There are plenty in the OC, too. But I've found out something wherever I go: There are shallow people, as well as "real people" everywhere. It's not too hard to find good honest folks if you just look a little bit.
Just one more great thing about LA: The Diversity. I don't think that you'll find so many cultures and ethnic groups in one area. It's really an amazing thing. Sure we have differences, but underneath we're all basically the same. We can unite because of our commonalities, and celebrate the things that make us unique.
2007-02-12 15:26:49 · answer #2 · answered by Capt. Obvious 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sam, I think the bad stuff mention you will find in parts of every large city...what off sets it in L.A. is the good stuff which is not found in other large cities...and it is very subjective...depending upon for example, if you were a beach person, or a club person, or a hot rod restorer person, or a fashion person among many other types of things you might want to do and jobs you might
want to get...obviously , for example, if you wanted to work in film or fashion this would be a good place..if you wanted to grow Christmas trees for a living or be a mountain climber hobbyist, there are better places..What do YOU want to do???? You might be surprised what you find here...The largest armature astronomy club in the world is here, in a city with tremendous "light pollution"...so you will have the fun of exploring the possibilities--Good Luck
2007-02-12 09:36:02 · answer #3 · answered by Paris Hilton 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree but also would add that L.A. is very much a "scene" that's pretty damn shallow. Everyone is an actor, screenwriter, producer, agent....even the cabbies, but no one is actually working in the industry. Most people you run into are big name-droppers and wannabes who's "friend of a friend's cousin's housekeeper's daughter knows Brad Pitts hairstylist....I think she can get me a meeting" is everywhere you go. It's only glamorous if you have money and are a part of the "scene." Everyone else just stands on the edge and either desperately wishes be a part of it or thinks they are a part. Do I sound jaded? I am! I spend 5 years there(4 at USC and 1 working in entertainment PR)and got very disillusioned with Los Angeles. The whole city eats, sleep, breathes Hollywood and celebrities...that gets very old after a few years. If you really want to spend 80% of your income on housing, then look into Northern California....at least the people are nice.
2007-02-11 17:53:59 · answer #4 · answered by emrobs 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head.
I take exception to the continued sterotype that people here are shallow. Maybe people in "the industry" are, but most everyone here are average working class joe's, like you and I.
And you're right about the water, it's too cold to swim in most of the year, and too polluted.
As for summer, prepare yourself for 110 degrees in the shade, in the valley at least. But at least it's not humid.
Just remind yourself it's the price we have to pay for not having snow.
2007-02-12 14:13:06 · answer #5 · answered by chieromancer 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good things:
Weather
Awesome winters (Clear Skies and warm Temps and cool Nights)
Your never far from the mountains (snow, hiking, camping), deserts, The Beach (you said it's cold but it's perfect on those hot days) or lakes.
There's always something new to discover.
Restaurants
clubs, parks, theme parks (Enterainment)
Bad things:
Traffic
Smog during the summer months
Lousy drivers
Lack of good public transportation
Lack of history conservation (anything old and with history is usually torn down therefore removing our culture)
Cost of living
Home prices
Rent to high
2007-02-12 11:57:31 · answer #6 · answered by Mike Hunt 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sam, I've lived in Boston, Pittsburgh and Detroit and I can attest that life in Los Angeles is much better than in those fine cities (Boston is quite pretty though).
In L.A., The pollution isn't really bad. Maybe it is on some hot days in the valley....but I don't live there. Neither is the crime. In fact, the crime rate has been dropping. 90% of all homicides is gang on gang violence occuring in neighborhoods I have never been to and I have been living here for 15 years. And, though the cost of living is high, most jobs usually pay well enough to make it worthwhile. In fact, there are lots of jobs here...big plus!
The traffic does suck though. I would suggest trying to live as close to where you work if you can.
Don't take the cretinous advice of Mike and Emrobs (neither of them even live here!) There are plenty of lovely, nice and sophisticated people who live in Los Angeles. If you move, consider these neighborhood to live in: Los Feliz, Silverlake, Eagle Rock, Beverly/Fairfax or Miracle Mile. I don't particularly care for the Westside.
2007-02-12 01:53:29 · answer #7 · answered by David 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
One good thing is the mountains surrounding the city. They are beautiful.
After living there 14 years, I wound up hating everything else about it (pollution, people, schools, traffic, homeless, dirty, earthquakes, landslides, fires) and moved away. Best decision I ever made- but sometimes I still think about those mountains!
2007-02-11 15:25:38 · answer #8 · answered by Not so looney afterall 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In addition to the things you mentioned, the bad things are that the people are shallow and self-centered, and you can't get anywhere without a car (which sucks because like you said, the traffic is bad. And it's also the reason why the traffic is bad). I would never move to Los Angeles. I wouldn't even visit if I didn't have to go there for business occasionally.
2007-02-11 14:01:46 · answer #9 · answered by Mike R 6 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Pros (good things)
-all the satars and glamour
-all the places to go
-all the cool sites
Cons (bad things)
-horrible traffic
-bad pollution
-very damp, definitely if you have alleriges, (especially in the areas by the beach)
2007-02-11 16:20:43 · answer #10 · answered by harpo 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋