L.A. is a traveler's paradise
 

The more I read the comments of the L.A. bashers on this forum, the more I wonder if they have ever lived in L.A. or if they have ever visited. And if they have, where in the world did they live or go. <BR>I have to admit that I love the L.A. metropolitan area—quite unabashedly so. I haven’t lived here for some thirty years, but I visit several times a year, for extended periods of time (a month or more). <BR>One thing the detractors need to understand is that L.A. is not a city like, say, Orlando or Cincinnati, or St. Louis. The L.A. basin is a modern city state (in all but political reality) with its own rules. If you play by the rules, you don’t get frustrated or hurt. For example, you know you’re going to get stuck in traffic. Bring lots of tapes, or CDs, or a dictating machine. That way you’ll stay calm and occupied. It’s silly to get excited, and it’s not going to get you anywhere more quickly. If traffic takes too long, pull off and go to a restaurant or watch a movie. <BR>I don’t really think L.A. traffic has gotten all that much worse in the thirty years since I learned to drive on the Santa Ana Freeway (pre-I-5). <BR>As I am typing this, I’m thinking back about some of the memorable experiences I’ve had here. They range from the mundane to the truly splendid, with every shade in between. <BR>I love the restaurants and the great variety of foods the region has to offer, from simple taquitos and won tons to meals fit for an emperor. The best abalone I ever had crawled on the glass pane of the countertop cooler of the sushi bar, until I ordered it. I have enjoyed fresh fish and lobster right of the dories of the Newport pier, and I love to watch the Asian, black, and Hispanic fishermen fish off the ends of the piers late into the night. There’s a unique camaraderie here that makes this very special. I love shopping at Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Mexican markets (even the ethnic supermarkets have their attractions). <BR>I love the truly world-class museums and theaters, the rather funky local art scene, and the superb performances at the Music Center. But I also enjoy watching the local amateur talent in Venice, the enthusiastic volley ball players at Hermosa Beach, or the rafts of surfers floating offshore like some strange primeval tribe. Ah, yes, and the music. Music is everywhere (and I don’t mean “muzak”). <BR>I love the flowers, which seem to spring up spontaneously wherever a drop of water touches the soil. I never tire of marveling at tall rubber trees, monsteras, philodendrons, tree ferns, cacti, and all sorts of exotic flowers and vines which residents of colder climes get to meet only in their stunted greenhouse or conservatory incarnations. And above all wafts that marvelous aroma of eucalyptus. Which does not, of course, compare to the heavenly scent of orange trees in bloom! I am fortunate to have friends who let me pluck avocadoes, figs, and oranges right off their tree. . . . I still fondly remember the taste of my first cactus fruit. <BR>I still remember the excitement I felt when I discovered my first California laurel in a shady canyon of Old Saddleback, when I saw my first cougar—sunning itself on a ledge above a housing development, and when I found my first cowrie shell at Dana Point. I love watching the hummingbirds buzz from flower to flower—at the height of winter. <BR>I used to walk the rocky shore at night to marvel at a fluorescent surf breaking into myriad points of light—and stay to the dawn to watch the pelicans catch their breakfast. <BR>I could go on for ever. Even now, when I think I know it all, I still discover something new every time I visit. There’s so much to do here, so many nooks and crannies to explore, one lifetime is not enough (and NOT just because the traffic slows you down). <BR> <BR> <BR>

John, <BR> <BR>I am truly glad you love LA, and I like your description. I assume millions of people do (or at least tolerate it), or they would move. <BR> <BR>Yes, I have lived there, vacationed there, and taken too many business trips there. And sorry, I just don't like it at all. The traffic, coupled with the dependency on cars, is a real horror show. I live in the close-in Washington, D.C. suburbs now, and I like it fine. Traffic is horrid sometimes, and rush hour is a chore. But you know what? You don't have to drive. You can take the Metro subway. And I frequently walk to my local market and shops. My husband bikes to work downtown. In LA, I just couldn't handle the stress of doing everything I had to do to live, but also knowing I would probably encounter traffic jams in every direction so severe that it would be a better use of time to pull over and watch a movie. <BR> <BR>But most important, LA just lacks character. When was the last time you walked down a street in LA and rested your eyes on different homes and quaint shops and marveled at the architecture, or even at how the buildings were different? Let's face it: too much of LA is strip malls, and I'm just not a fan. <BR> <BR>I'm pleased, even envious, that you have such nice memories of LA. My most vivid memory was the summer air in 1984. My office was on about the 30th floor. Most days, I was actually above the smog. Yep, there was a brown blanket of brown gunk hanging in the air below me. My throat burned a lot, and my eyes were red. Not pleasant.

Cindy: <BR> <BR>I can think of a dozen areas where I've stopped to admire the architecture: e.g. Larchmont, Westwood, Fairfax, Wilshire Boulevard, downtown (City Hall/Music Center/Union Station), Pasadena/Orange Grove and South Pasadena, Old Town Pasadena, Griffith Park/observatory/Greek Theatre, the Hollywood Bowl, the Colliseum/rose garden/Natural History Museum. <BR> <BR>AND, as I mentioned on the other post, the smog is MUCH less a problem than it used to be--and if that's all we have to worry about, I'll take it. <BR> <BR>Did you actually venture outside when you failed at living here?

John, <BR>I love your post. <BR> <BR>Cindy, Los Angeles boasts some of the finest art deco architecture anywhere and is home to many Schindler, Nuetra, Greene and other modernists. It is a unique city, not for everybody , but I NEVER regret moving here from the East twenty years ago. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

I live in DC and love it here, but I visited LA last summer for the first time and really enjoyed it, much more than I thought I would. I expected vapid-urban-arid-silicone-fake-overpriced-wasteland. But what I found was different. Maybe it has to do with expectations. I thought Griffith Park was really cool. I loved wandering through the funky shops along LaBrea -- little stores that specialize only in one thing but they do it with attitude (we don't have that so much here in DC). I love the cultural diversity (yes, we have good Asian restaurants here, but until I went to LA I never knew how good a meal at a taco stand could be). I got a kick out of the way the geography of the area plays with the city and its residents -- like the way the weather might be totally different 20 minutes away -- it was so cool at the beach and hot in the Valley. We stayed with friends who live in Manhattan Beach, and I could see why they enjoy the Hermosa Beach-Manhattan Beach area so much. The weather was beautiful, the beaches were huge and wide and lovely and uncrowded and displayed every manner of humanity imaginable, I liked the little "beach bungalow" architecture of the homes, I loved all the colorful foliage in the yards that was so different from what we have on the east coast, there were lots of great shops and restaurants within walking distance. That part of LA felt kind of like a small town to me. Would I ever want to live there? Probably not. But I really enjoyed visiting!

I respect everyone's opinion here and am happy that you enjoy L.A., but I just can't share your enthusiasm. Let me just say though, that the L.A. of 30 years ago bears no resemblance whatsoever to the L.A. of today. <BR> <BR>I have lived and worked there, and what struck me most was the economic polarization -- filthy rich and dirt poor, and nothing in between. L.A. is a city of enclaves, where the wealthy put up gates and guards to keep the rest of the population out. <BR> <BR>The rents are outrageous, the smog is terrible, the crime is out of control. Yes, 30 years ago it was lovely. Not today.

Gee whiz, Gary. Now you've wounded me. I didn't "fail" at living in LA. I was quite successful at sitting in traffic. In fact, my stop-n-go skills are quite well honed. I just didn't like it for the reasons I describe. Why do you have to take it so personally and attack me personally? And yes, I got outside. That's when my eyes burned. <BR> <BR>Anyway, these things really are a matter of perspective and experience. I grew up in the Phoenix area. Visiting LA was high living for us, so I thought I would move there as an adult. I realized my mistake, moved to San Francisco, and then on to D.C. So I liked LA when, um, I just didn't know any better. Once I saw San Francisco, my opinion changed in a hurry. <BR> <BR>It's funny that LA folks are so defensive about this. You could try to trash DC all you want, and I wouldn't care that much. Anyway, I enjoyed the debate, and maybe I'll see you in Westwood or Venice Beach someday.

the metropolitan LA area (maybe even including Orange County) is a collection of scores (if not hundreds) of neighborhoods, towns, and communities of incredible breadth & diversity...there is no single "LA community". <BR> <BR>It's not unlike the old tale of 3 old blind men groping an elephant..the 1st man thinks it's a snake (he grabbed the tail). The 2nd thinks it's a tree (he grabbed the leg). I forget what the 3rd man thought. But you get the idea. <BR> <BR>There are definitely parts I don't like, and would feel unsafe in. But there are also wonderful regions like Pasadena & So. Pas. <BR> <BR>Lisa referred to her experiences in the Manhattan-Hermosa area. I've lived in that area for the 20-some years, and I happen to think it's one of the darn best area to live in the country. Townspeople & neighbors know one another. Shops, restaurants, markets within walking distance. Beautiful, temperate weather year round. Great public schools with involved parents. Very little crime. And No, we don't have gates & guards at the city limits. <BR> <BR>I will concede that rents & house prices are expensive, but there are many parts of the country that are far worse. I also wish the lots were bigger sized, but I guess that's the tradeoff. If you want 100 acre lots with 5 miles to the nearest neighbor, one is free to go live in a plywood shack in Wyoming like Ted Kacinski (sp?) did. <BR> <BR>So...shoo!.. stay away...pretend you didn't read this, and that I'm making it all up. Go on believing that all of LA Metro is exactly like the drab, gray, dreary urban stretch of Century Blvd from LAX to the 405 Fwy.

I agree that if you live by the LA rules you can really love it here. When driving on the freeway, besides bringing cds, tapes and War and Peace, make sure the glass in your car is bulletproof. NEVER carry money on you in case you will get mugged. Always carry that trusty gas mask to protect from the brown air. Don't forget that suntan lotion to protect from the cancer. You don't need any walking shoes, but be sure them tires are in good shape. Don't forget that celebrity mask to get that table in that overpriced restaurant where EVERYBODY wants to be seen. Always carry that smile and the big hello, but remember - keep it simple. We don't like those brainy types here. <BR> <BR>Get the picture? <BR>

Dear Tommy: <BR>I think your getting your cities mixed up. You're talking about Miami, not L.A.

Dearest Cindy: <BR> <BR>I did not take your posting "personally." It is simply that your description of the city is incorrect. You convinced me you don't like it, but why spoil it for those contemplating a visit? This is a travel forum. If somone wants to see L.A., why not point out the positive aspects, so they might enjoy the experience? <BR> <BR>By the way, I wouldn't think of bashing your city, or any other for that matter. Even the steel-mill redneck Eastern town I grew up in had its positives.

All of this bashing is nothing more than sheer stupidity. If you do not like Los Angeles, then don't got there. However it does have a lot to offer the visitor and resident and some people like Los Angeles. I don't particularly like it or dislike it but it does have some neat places to see. However, we all have our own opinions based on our preferences. No opinion, regarding the merits of a particular location, is any more valid than another. <BR> <BR>Having said all of that, I believe that Los Angeles does indeed offer many more positive things to do and see than the majority of other areas.

Lookout, guys, I'm a 4th Generation LA Native and I don't live there anymore. Sometimes, I miss it because of memories of fun times when the LA basin didn't have much smog. When I grew up there, I could stand on my front lawn and look up at the Hollywood sign (and see it without smog). I lived on a wide, 1940's - developed cookie cutter house street that I loved. We all knew eachother and it was safe to walk from home, up a mile, to get an ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins and no one was shooting at you. By the time we sold mom's house, there were helicopters overhead most nights looking for druggies. With time, neighborhoods shift, ethnic groups diversify blocks, and the world grows up....you know what they say, you can't go home again. I live up near Yosemite, now. We used to go here every year on vacations when I was a little kid in LA. Strange....when I went to Yosemite, the tents in the Housekeeping Camp were BIG. See what I mean about perspective? LA was different then, too. There were lots of neighborhoods that we used to walk through (or my dad delivered milk in) that today represent a threat. But in those days, LA was smaller and we used to walk around and admire what each nieghborhood's charm was. East Side-West Side-Beach Towns-Foothills....theres lots there, its just harder to get to....and don't be surprised if you old favorite spot in thrown down and rebuilt as a Mall. Yikes.

Here's a theory about why LA seems to draw more than its fair share of negative comments. Clearly, LA has some nice things going for it, as evidenced by the previous posts. Clearly, there are many more horrible places to live in the US than LA. Many, many more. So why all the LA bashing? <BR> <BR>Well, I have read that the most expensive US city is Honolulu. The second most expensive is San Francisco. Obviously, these two places are magical. Most of us rave about them, and we love to visit there. They really seem to have a very special mix. As a result, prices (particularly for housing) are through the roof, but you get to live in paradise, so it's a tradeoff many feel is worth making. <BR> <BR>I have read that LA is the third most expensive city. I think most people who like LA wouldn't necessarily describe it as "magical" or "paradise" like SF or Honolulu, although apparently some folks do. So maybe LA gets bashed because it is very expensive, and some might feel that the experience doesn't justify the high price. <BR> <BR>Please don't bristle. This was just an attempt to be thought-provoking.

But parts of L.A. are very INEXPENSIVE--and not less beautiful for that!

So John, tell me the NAMES of these inexpensive but beautiful areas?!?

"Positive aspects" about LA. My God, you must be straight out of Camarillo. <BR>You just take one ugly concrete mini mall and duplicate it by say 500,000 and you have LA's building style. Add 10 million plus cars driving the 1 block to their nearby mini mall to scarf down Mrs Fields cookies and you go LA culture.

If Los Angeles is so great then why is it rated BELOW such wonderful spots as Milwaukee, Houston, St Louis and Pittsburgh on the Deja news poll for travelers? This was a poll done for travel and tens of thousands of people have answered it. See http://www.deja.com/channels/channel.xp?CID=11672

It sounds to me that all those folks bitching about L.A. have NEVER visited that splendid city.

John, if L.A. is so fabulous why don't you explain to everyone exactly why you left it?

Because I have not yet figured out how to clone myself, so I can live in more than one beautiful place at the same time.

L.A. isn't for everyone...even sometimes for the millions of people who live here. You really have to know your way around to appreciate the city...that's probably why tourists hate the city (although sometimes I think we've done this on purpose.) <BR><BR>I'm happy to be a local in this town, so I can be in tourist in so many other groovy places. I'd probably hate L.A. if I visited too. But a word to the tourists...take a lesson from all the other tourists who hated L.A. and avoid what they insisted on doing...those lame tours of stars homes and running around Hollywood Boulevard with billion other Japanese tourists. Instead, take roads less traveled...I think that's where L.A. excels. Go visit Manhattan Beach (where I grew up as well) instead of Santa Monica or Venice. You won't be trampled by tourists, and the locals are friendly. The beach is less crowded, and the bodies around make for good eye candy. :)<BR><BR>Take a drive up Palos Verdes, or visit Pasadena. Eat some Mexican food at a small stand (we have the best in the country). <BR><BR>Yes, people hate L.A. Yet they still insist on coming here. And they insist on doing all the wrong things. But I'll admit, if you're a tourist in the city, you'll do best if you know someone here. As far as being a great city to visit...I don't think it's as great as London or NYC or Sydney. But again, that's why I live here and go visit as a tourist to other places!

My first visit to LA (for 3 days) was last winter and I was surprised that I did not hate it. Coming from the East, I almost expected a Damian ("The Omen")-outside-the-church like reaction upon touching down at LAX. Much to my surprise, this never materialized.<BR><BR>I found LA surprisingly easy to navigate in my "auto deluxe" (rented Ford Focus), and I surprised myself by thinking that I'd like to go back some day and stay in the Beverly Hills part of town (I was there on business and stayed in Culver City). It was great to be able to wear a light jacket and see flowers in bloom in late February.<BR><BR>One thing I will say about LA, though, is that it is too spread out. There is a lot to see and do in the greater LA but, unlike East Coast and European cities, the lack of a cohesive city center really dilutes the impact that LA could have on visitors. LA is a city designed for car usage, which is its greatest flaw.

I think one of Cindy's comments is especially incisive and bears further consideration: why are people from LA so defensive about their city?<BR><BR>If you criticize my city, I'm more than willing to acknowledge its shortcomings as best as I can objectively see them.<BR>There is no perfect city. And LA has its share of shortcomings like everyplace else. But Angelinos sure seem to get whiny and bent out of shape when LA's weaknesses are brought out into the light of day. <BR>Why so sensitive?

Brent,<BR><BR>Most of the people defending LA don't even live there. They live in Santa Monica, Manhatten Beach, Inglewood, Torrance, etc. There really is no "Los Angeles". That is part(and only part)of it's problem....no city identity. It is more an area than a city.<BR><BR>Several years ago I was told that there are only 2 REAL cities on the West Coast of the United States; Seattle and San Francisco. Having lived all up and down the West Coast, it is true.<BR><BR>Of Course I have met very few people who actually live IN San Francisco. Anyone who lives in Millbrae, So. City (So. San Francisco), etc., tell you they live in San Francisco. We all do it.<BR><BR>Native

I don't know how this old-ish thread came to be resurrected, but since it is: I just came back to Manhattan from a long Thanksgiving week-end in LA, where my brother lives, and I really like it a lot on this visit!!<BR><BR> I saw many pretty buildings in a California style of the 20s and 30s, and I went on two different nights to events in very small theatres which were interesting, lively, and warm. I liked the look of Silver Lake though I didn't spend much time there. I found amazing places for vintage dress shopping.<BR><BR> And I loved a restaurant called Philippe's near Union Station, which was worth the price of the plane ticket, it seems to be unchaged since 1950 or 1930, everyone in it looked like a character in a film noir to me, and it reminded me of going "downtown" to visit my Dad's office in the 50s.<BR><BR> And then--the sunshine, the ocean, and no WTC--all so welcome.

Native - You might be surprised to find out that a great many people actually do reside in Los Angeles. Downtown LA has actually become a popular residential area, with a number of lofts popping up all the time. And have you driven up the 110 freeway lately and seen the new Medici luxury apartment complex? The first 300 units were so successful that they're currently building another 300 units. The rents are going from $1,300 to close to $8,000 for the penthouse model. With prices like this, LA is no longer just missions and homeless shelters.

L.A. is tough on poor people because you absolutely have to have a car and you have to put a lot of miles on it every year. <BR><BR>L.A. will be a lot more cohesive, livable, and breathable as we expand our passenger rail system and tie the community centers together.

"When was the last time you walked down a street in LA and rested your eyes on different homes and quaint shops and marveled at the architecture, or even at how the buildings were different?" <BR> <BR>I think the last time I was in Angeleno Heights, which, incidentally, IS in Los Angeles and IS a residential neighborhood. <BR> <BR>I won't tell you were safe, affordable neighborhoods in LA because I'd rather people continue to move out, to Arizona or Oregon or where ever they go. Buh bye!<BR> <BR>And finally, NO NATIVE ANGELENO gets stuck in traffic, ever. We know all the shortcuts through residential neighborhoods.

If "no native Angeleno EVER gets stuck in traffic", then your metro area is 90% transplants (which is much higher than the demographic data indicates).<BR>Don't you think you're overstating things just a WEE BIT, there, senor angeleno??

Pleeezzze! No native Angeleno get stuck in traffic. What a fantasy world you must live in. I, as well as a number of my co-workers, are natives and we seem to get stuck in a lot of traffic trying to get into our downtown office. It just can't be avoided. However despite the traffic, I can't imagine living elsewhere. I've tried living on the East Coast, as well as the South and San Francisco and came crawling back boasting all of the advantages of the LA lifestyle.

I have lived in California all my life. Was born in San Fran and then lived in So cal the rest of the time. It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there sums it up for me.<BR>I want OUT!!!! I want space and houses that do't all look the same. But I live here and probably always will.

As an LA native, who has lived in NY an SF for periods, I am sticking to LA. It has everything other big cities do, but in a livable way.<BR><BR>Had to respond to two things: <BR><BR>First, "Sorry's" comment that LA is filthy rich and dirt poor is really stupid. True that there are some very rich from the entertainment and other areas, but the very comfortable middle class is huge. The valley, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, and other areas too numerous to mention are filled with thousands of nice homes on street after street after street that are inhabited by "normal" people. I drive around many areas like Compton, Inglewood, East LA, South Central that "Sorry" would put in the "dirt poor" class. Again, there are thousands of houses on street after street that would be the envy of city dwellers anywhere else. <BR><BR>Second: Smog is way down. In the old days we used to have smog alerts in 3 stages. They still have the program in place, but it is rare that there is an alert for the lowest stage. I don't think we had one this summer, which is the season.<BR><BR>Wouldn't live anywhere else.

Just because YOU guys don't know shortcuts, doesn't mean it's a 'dream world' or that it doesn't exist. It just means you don't know.<BR> <BR>I, in 15 years of licensed driving, have never been stuck in traffic. I've lived in the Valley, in South Central, in downtown and in Pasadena and as a temp, have been sent alllll over the LA basin for jobs, and it never takes me more than 30 minutes door-to-door. <BR> <BR>I should be glad, I guess, otherwise you'd all be clogging up Magnolia and Flower too.

to quote John: "L.A. is not a city like, say, Orlando" - uhhh, yes it is. One long strip mall-lined freeway after another, acre after acre of mediocre housing developments, pollution, crowds, wasted real estate, Applebees everywhere, and to top it all off, Mickey Mouse. What is different?<BR><BR>But seriously, I am happy you like LA, only you must recognize that LA (and other car-dependent cities) is really just an oversized suburb.<BR><BR>Also, LA's freeway "culture" is very isolating. Having lived in LA, I found it very easy to not feel any affinity toward my fellow citizens if all I saw of them was the rear bumper of their cars. Give me a city like Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Boston any day. At least in those places, you see people walking around, you hear the chatter of friends as they meet on the sidewalk, you can walk down the block to a local haunt or grocer's market.<BR><BR>Compare an outing to the museum with friends in two cities - NYC and LA<BR><BR>NYC - ride subway, surrounded by fellow NYers and tourists<BR><BR>LA - back own car out of driveway, get on the 101, sit in traffic and, because you practically live in your car, listen to the same GooGoo Dolls song for the gazillionth time<BR><BR>NYC - wait for friends near fountains, people watch for a while until friends arrive<BR><BR>LA - ride tram up hill to Getty, wait for friends (who arrive in separate car because they live 45 minutes away in other direction)<BR><BR>NYC - tour museum for a while, extend time with friends by heading around the corner for lunch or a drink<BR><BR>LA - tour museum for a while, "bond" with friends as you share tram ride down hillside<BR><BR>NYC - walk around the neighborhood, stop at subway station, bid friends goodbye<BR><BR>LA - "kiss kiss," get in separate cars, drive off in separate directions, listen to GooGoo Dolls song for zillionth time + 1 as you go back to your housing development. Naturally, though, if you drive a car that is less impressive than your friends', you would never let them see it or let them know you drive it, so you would probably air-kiss your goodbyes in front of their Lexus SUV instead of your Chevy Cavalier.<BR><BR>LA? no way

I agree with the LA native who says you don't have to be stuck in traffic. Buy a Thomas guide and learn to nagivate the streets, it's a huge timesaver. Personally I prefer public transportation.

I would leave So Cal in a heart beat if my husband would give up the job he has sought for years to get at a pay level he worked really hard to attain.<BR>He works in an industry that gives the best jobs to people based on word of mouth and reputation not on resume and degree. Kinda hard to up and move to a different part of the country where no one knows you and take a high paying job from someone who is known well.<BR><BR>So we stay. And I continue to envy people with changes of season, less smog, traffic and nifty houses.<BR><BR>I do say come and visit it has some neat things to see but as far as raising a family here it isn't my first choice.

The worst year for smog in LA was 1957. Since then things have been getting significantly better. Check LA against your local smog report and you might be surprized. LA is a wonderful city which is so easy to bash. We would move back there in a minute from Northern CA.

So, natives advise getting off the freeway and speeding through residential neighborhoods just to further their selfish desire to get where they want when they want? How pleasant.<BR><BR>Back to the topic - LA is a great place to visit, but after doing so, most people are left with a "is that all there is?" feeling. If you are interested in simply enjoying the weather, I would recommend LA for a vacation, but if you are looking for a vacation where you feel somewhat enriched afterward, I would avoid LA like the plague.

I have lived in a Los Angeles suburb all of my life. I probably would not feel the same about it if I were doing the regular tourist things. But, really, there is no other place I would rather live in the USA. We have the mountains, the deserts, the beach, the foothills, and small communities all in a drivable radius. There are many little towns, say, in the foothills of the local mountains and in the canyons where you are tucked away from noise and traffic, but you can still drive into town. Notice I say drive because our public transit is not the best, but like a previous poster stated, most locals with a Thomas Guide know the surface streets to dodge traffic on the freeways. I have traveled the world and most of the USA, and still "I Love LA".