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".