Los Angeles, could I live here?

We are at the Urth Caffé (8565 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA; 310-659-0628), which is an organic coffee company offering a wide selection of healthy meals and fresh baked desserts. It is quite an international, European place – you hear a lot of different languages. I look at the surrounding streets and wonder why LA doesn’t feel quite as American as I was expecting it to.
 

Maybe it’s because I’ve been here recently and the stranger no longer seems so strange to me. Or is it because of the cars, which are exactly the same cars we drive at home…?

There are a lot of BMWs, Mercedes, Volkswagens, Toyotas and Hondas as far as I can see – but not a lot of American brands. Sorry for being in the comparison mode, but comparing helps me to categorize and describe my environment. And no matter where I go, I ask myself: "Could I live here?"

Los Angeles is actually a very strange city. With a population of 3 million in the city and 12 million in the surrounding suburbs, it’s the second biggest city in the US after New York and one of the most populous metropolitan areas. A metropolis with virtually no skyscrapers besides downtown. Almost everybody seems to own a house, which makes it a huge oversized village. Nothing seems to be reachable by foot. Everyone drives a car no matter where. Wonderfully, you can park anywhere, but do not forget to pay. The city needs money, and a parking fine can quickly cost you $53. And be careful, urbanists. If you want to explore the city by foot, you can get a ticket of $250 for crossing the street against the light or in the middle of a block – it’s illegal. To find out more about LA traffic laws, check here.

 

After 3 days here I've been thinking about whether we should spend 3 months in LA during the winter. Everything feels very light and manageable. You live in a big city but with all the advantages of rural life – plus, good weather.

I recently heard an interesting theory. An illustrator who designs characters and futuristic vehicles for movie sets (unfortunately I have forgotten his name) said that people in LA feel bigger and more at the center of life because of the small houses. 


Whereas in New York with its huge skyscrapers the man is just a little hamster in a big cage. I also heard once that an unusual number of autistic children are being born in New York. Which brings me to the following idea: an autistic brain doesn't process self-centered information like a normal brain. In dealing with other people, it is important to process information about the ‘I’ and the others in the same way. That would mean that a person who is unimportant as an individual and perceives himself only as a chain in a big wheel lacks self-awareness and hence loses the ability for normal self-reflection.

... just a thought.

So yes, a vote for LA – I could certainly imagine living here.

best Mrs. Trip


A legendary site revisited:

Marcus very special Steven Shore moment

and here is the original by Steven Shore.