Any conversation about Los Angeles is sure to be riddled with various adages and superlatives that are meant to make sense of the entire area. The conversations can range from “LA is the best” to touting that the city is full of influencers and “fake” people. Many characterizations can be true, depending on where you find yourself, but focusing too much on overly generalized blanket statements can distract a new city dweller from discovering what truly gives the city its character and notoriety.
Anyone who has truly lived here for long enough knows that even neighborhoods that are right next to each other could not be more different from one another. It also greatly depends on how you define the city as a place and even a concept. For instance, some may define LA as only the city, while others opt for a broader definition that aligns more with LA County.
The latter definition is generally more popular and accounts for more of the traditional images of LA that color movies and pop culture. For instance, Malibu is not part of LA city, nor are Beverly Hills, Inglewood or Santa Monica, which are all cities within the county. Beverly Hills, in particular, becomes the poster image for those who scorn a city full of influencers and superficiality.
Of course, there is no doubting that LA (referring to the county) is a prime location for internet creators and the adjacent entertainment industry, yet many sites that are part of this image of LA, like the Melrose area, Community Goods, popular restaurants in downtown and Silver Lake, are all characteristically above the 10 Freeway. Like many natives have echoed in recent months, and at the expense of sounding corny, Kendrick Lamar was not wrong to say, “don’t say you hate LA, when you don’t travel past the 10.”
As in the quote, the city cannot be appreciated in its entirety without a good deal of traveling. Part of what makes it so unique is the sheer scale of urban sprawl, and the way that each neighborhood interacts with one another. Most people do not work in the neighborhood they live in and routinely take part in the constant exchange of ideas and practices. Adapting to the scale means being open to new cultural experiences and ideas.
Of course, keeping an open mind is a lifestyle mantra that most people do their best to live by. But when it comes to living in a new city, this can be more challenging than we may realize. It means not expecting each new place to have Hollywood glamour, and understanding that most areas are constituted of tight-knit communities that are culturally vastly different from our own. But it is in these places that we may find the best food, the most specific markets or our favorite scenic viewpoints. For instance, while many people flock to Sawtelle, Koreatown or DTLA for Asian food, the San Gabriel Valley and Cerritos areas boast countless restaurants, dessert spots and specialty shops.
No doubt, reaching these places requires a great deal of movement. The next life-mantra that is an integral part of living here is learning to let ‘LA time’ take the lead. A classic complaint about the area is the traffic. This can be an intense and unbearable hurdle for those coming from areas with better public transit or with less urban density. But traffic does not necessarily need to be a constant barrier to appreciating the city.
Being able to appreciate parts of the city farther removed from UCLA means learning what times of the day allow for the best ease of travel. For instance, always check travel times the day before and plan your day based on timing, not on mileage. Culver City to Koreatown can be anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour, depending on whether it’s 9 p.m. or 4 p.m. (Hint: 4 p.m. is one of the worst times to make that trip). In this case, one superficiality about LA is true: living here requires truly “going with the flow” (….of traffic).
Another common image of the county is the constantly sunny weather. This is undeniably a real characteristic of living here. While there is a fair share of “chilly” overcast days and a couple of terribly rainy days during the year, the mild weather means that many of the best activities in LA ask you to get outside. For instance, tour the stretch of beaches using the bike path, go on some of the many hikes in the hills, explore arboretums and botanical gardens and attend flea markets, farmers markets, outdoor concerts and more.
Beyond these tips, taking advantage of living in LA means acknowledging the impact that each neighborhood has on developing the culture of music, media, film, sports and more, and especially appreciating the culture-rich neighborhoods that may be removed from the affluent centers pictured in TikToks and vlogs. Before you are tempted to say you hate the city, consider that the frustration may stem from taking the wrong approach. Likely nowhere else will you be able to find the same combination of climate, culture, landscape and vibe. Maybe your niche isn’t in Westwood, but the 4,753 mi² county is sure to house another nook that is just right for you.
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Featured Image via BruinLife Archives
