Los Angeles, where else?

“Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

Oh, LA.

So many things about LA that I could write about. People love to complain (rightfully) about the traffic, the fake people, the “industry,” and how the city is growing and changing for the worst. Native Angelenos complain about too many transplants here (I’m one of them!). People have very strong opinions about the hipsters on the Eastside, the changing face of Venice from cool and easy-going to an expensive tech hub full of trustafarians. Then the South Bay folks are a different breed, full of USC spirit. San Fernando Valley kids want to get into the city as quickly as possible, while young parents decide to move there and raise their families in a more affordable place. Monterey Park, East LA, Commerce, Malibu, Beverly Hills, WLA, Hancock Park, K-Town… so many neighborhoods with excellent food and distinct personalities. How can you hate this whole place?

I’ve considered leaving LA for years…and consistently get roped back in.

I thought about moving back to New Mexico, but it’s way too cold. Then, I’ve briefly flirted with the East Coast (Philly, specifically), but the lifestyle and weather are too different. I love Hawaii, but haven’t had the guts to go there alone (yet!). Granted, I love San Diego and San Luis Obispo, but haven’t been ready to commit to the 100+ mile distance from my friends. So, as of now, I’m “stuck” in LA.

You know, I haven’t ever hated LA. Instead, I’ve been frustrated driving during rush hour, and now avoid it because of my flexible schedule. What about the “fake people?” I get asked about them all the time, and I’m never really sure to whom they’re referring. People who are trying to get ahead in the entertainment industry? People who’ve had lots of plastic surgery? All the transplanted people from all over the world end up in LA. It’s a beautiful, pink, sunset-laden melting pot of people trying to make it. People here are often trying to clean up old memories while simultaneously making new ventures. Los Angeles is full of everyone, and many of the people here are not tethered to a larger world. My reality is that I have lovely, smart, driven people in my life. Well, what about the growth in LA? The city is expanding, and it’s really different from even a decade ago. Yet the expansion is also causing rents to increase and the cost of living is not catching up, unfortunately. Even still, I love LA.

 Los Angeles is the city I’ve called home for FOURTEEN years. I can’t hate it that much if I continue renewing leases and moving around to different parts of the city and county. I tried on Long Beach for size last year, but due to lots of unforeseen circumstances, I moved back. It just wasn’t LA enough for me! Like other large cities, LA is diverse and can be wonderful. I like that it’s my city, as much as it’s his or hers or yours. Ask all of us living here and we’d all have millions of opinions on what we love (and hate) about it. For me, LA has provided me with love and friendship in the form of the beach, the bright sun, and exceptional people with whom I spend time. I went to grad school here, had some significant relationships here, and have explored every inch of many of the local beaches.

My perfect LA day now includes waking up to the sound of wild peacocks chirping and walking outside in my home in Topanga Canyon (a part of LA where I’m very new), then heading to a donation-based yoga class in Santa Monica, followed by a beach picnic at Will Rogers State Beach with a bounty of shared food. Dinner, undoubtedly, is heading to Monterey Park for a Chinese feast. I’ve had many days like this and can’t imagine trading them for something else.

So for now, I’m staying. I definitely don’t want to leave while I’m building something great, like my popup brunch (shameless plug alert: it’s on Sunday, May 1st at fundamentalLA), my blog, my coaching practice, and my relationships. My time here doesn’t feel finished. Rather, this new era of my life feels fresh and new. I’ve recently moved to a more rural area and my new LA is exciting, healthy, and creative. I like it here.

Fourteen years later, and I don’t want this relationship to end. Los Angeles, there’s no where else I’d rather be.

What do you love and hate about LA?

Yesterday’s blog post was all about Keeping Up, which is so LA. 

Please visit my coaching website, Coaching By Nina Rubin.

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