I've visited L.A. many times because my cousins live there. I hate the highways there. The air is not good either.
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
I'm lucky, I don't deal with the 5 or the 605 too often - I'd probably die if I did. Whenever I'm on KNX 1070 (traffic every 6 mins), it's "There's been an accident on the 5 North, an ambulance is responding, but it's slowing traffic to a crawl..."
I work (and live) in the Valley...every Thursday, I have a meeting in Anaheim at 7:00pm. That has got to be the most miserable drive, trying to fight the 5 during rush hour. What a pain.
There used to be a trolley along Santa Monica Boulevard, and there are a couple of Subways - of course, they are nowhere NEAR where I live.
I guess no one thought too much about it. We have buses, which are okay, I guess. But as for a subway, monorail, whatever - it would be too expensive to erect at this point.
I live and work in the Valley, and I love it. Sure traffic sucks, but it's a trade off. I guess I am either lucky or a freak...I know tons of really great folk, good people, not flakes.
Despite the rain, the weather is great. Also, I hear the air in other cities is actually worse, places like Houston.
Oh, don't get me wrong...I like living in the Valley. I'd be about ready to buy a house, too, if they didn't cost three-quarters of a million (oops...I guess that's another rant!). :) I was whining about that particular drive, not the Valley in general.
I live in LA and I LOVE it! I was born and raised here and I wouldn't trade it for the world. If you don't like the fwy's then take side streets. That is what I do. I HATE the fwys!
It started with a sipmle idea, collecting one paper clip for every life lost, the feelings that connect us...are greater than those that divide us!
Oh yeah! I live in Burbank. I try to avoid the freeways like the Plague. They are awful! Boy how I wish they had a good mass transit system. Thank goodness I work where I don't have to drive very far. 405, 101, 5...Terrible. As for the fakeness, I don't have a problem with that. I have more trouble with the language. I don't know Spanish at all (grew up in Buffalo) but I sure wish I knew it now. I think I'm going to start trying to learn it a bit.
You may know what you need but to get what you want better see that you keep what you have.
I lived here a year ago, and hated it...I lived in Marina Del Rey..ugh. so unfriendly, stressed-out, crazy drivers, nasty old men in very chi-chi cars... but then I moved back after a year in NYC. I realized NYc wasn't "home" for me anymore...I hadn't lived there since before 9/11 it's changed. in a good way, but it's changed. there are no 'bad areas" anymore. there are less and less people who understand what it used to be like to live in NY and why being a New Yorker was some strange kind of achievement...anyway I found myself longing for L.A. and I came back, and got a job before I even moved into my apartment. this time, I'm loving it here...the "fake" stuff...well, I actually just see that as there being just more of a culture of friendliness over here. people want to be polite. like, the wickedest thing you can do to someone is decide, o.k. I'm going to be SO RUDE to this person!! I am NOT going to say "thank you" and that's a huge big deal for me. man, it takes a LOT of effort for me to not say thank you. that's me being utterly fierce. heh. you do realize a lot of this post is completely tongue-in-cheek, don't you...I'm not really that much of a moron... but seriously...there's a lot to LOVE about L.A. if you take the time to do it. god I love the drive up on the 5 coming to Glendale from ORange County...I love seeing those mountains rising up, and all the trees--everytime I see it I just...remember to breathe again. and I love that no one is in a hurry if I want to count out the change that's due for my coffee or whatever. I never had time to get rid of my change in NY for fear of getting screamed at. and I love that I'm learning Spanish just by walking around and keeping my ears open. hm. what else do I love? good tacos. good sushi. and once in awhile a good, good person who lets me in front of them in the line at the grocery store because I have less stuff. wow...it makes my week. I love you LA !! never thought I'd say that...
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