What on earth is so appealing about LA?? (Los Angeles: hotel, live)

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by carminesnow

It seems so filthy to me, polluted, busy as hell and extremely expensive. I’m lost why people want to live there. Ok, maybe if you’re super wealthy but even then. Hmm

The only outstanding thing about LA is its restaurant scene. Besides that it's mostly a really ugly sprawl.

[Tall Traveler]

On the plus side:
- Amazing climate
- So many things to do with beaches and mountains nearby and everything a big city offers
- It has the entertainment industry if you're into that

The negs for me:
- I hate driving in LA
- It's expensive

I would only want to live there if I had enough money to live anywhere I wanted and didn't have to drive long to work.

[chiluvr1228]

California seems to have just about every weather disaster you can think of except maybe tornados. They have earthquakes, droughts, floods, mudslides, fires, atmospheric rivers and freak, massive waves. No thank you. You couldn't pay me to live somewhere with all that.

[Taiko]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

California seems to have just about every weather disaster you can think of except maybe tornados. They have earthquakes, droughts, floods, mudslides, fires, atmospheric rivers and freak, massive waves. No thank you. You couldn't pay me to live somewhere with all that.

In the "we are important so tune in weather reports" came a reminder of a small tornedo that touched down in Carson when the last atmospheric river conditions hit.

I have lived through two earthquakes, two riots and while vacationing a typhoon which took about 50 lives each. My father's childhood home flooded because of Katrina. I used to be among those who thought we would have a moon colony by now. I guess in an undersea Atlantis bubble might also shield me from acts of God.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

California seems to have just about every weather disaster you can think of except maybe tornados. They have earthquakes, droughts, floods, mudslides, fires, atmospheric rivers and freak, massive waves. No thank you. You couldn't pay me to live somewhere with all that.

Come on now. You're one of those nervous Nellies who believes that everything reported in the news is a genuine widespread disaster, aren't you? If weather disasters in California were that common and widespread, millions of people wouldn't have happily lived here for decades without being wiped out by them.

Earthquakes? Yeah, here and there, once in a while. Most are tiny. One earthquake did very minor damage to my house (a cracked window and some broken dishes) back in 1987.

Droughts? Do not affect the vast majority of people in any significant way. I have never turned the faucet handle and found that water did not come out.

Floods? Don't live in a flood zone.

Fires? Don't live in a wildfire zone.

Mudslides? Don't live in a house perched on a hill.

Freak, massive waves? Don't go in the water on the rare occasions when there is a massive swell. AKA common sense.

Atmospheric river? This is an overwrought term for rain that lasts more than a day or two. Florida gets this much rain every month of the year.

The one thing on this list that is annoying to me is fires, only because when smoke drifts over, the air quality is bad for a few days. But this is common to most of the Western states and western Canada as well, and California is actually not the worst.

But I will tell you what we definitely don't have: huge hail, hurricanes, and actual tornadoes. What the news reports as "a tornado" in California would make Midwesterners fall down laughing.

Ask most Californians what they like about where they live and a common thread will be "the weather." The weather is great. Our weather is almost always so pleasant that when once a blue moon we have a whole week of rain, people can't stop talking about it. Here in SoCal we have a terrific climate, despite people who don't live here, people who live in the most goshawful climates, going around trying to tell us and others how unlivable it is.

[Losfrisco]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

California seems to have just about every weather disaster you can think of except maybe tornados. They have earthquakes, droughts, floods, mudslides, fires, atmospheric rivers and freak, massive waves. No thank you. You couldn't pay me to live somewhere with all that.

We had a tornado warning in San Diego county a few days ago.

[BGS91762]

Originally Posted by saibot

Come on now. You're one of those nervous Nellies who believes that everything reported in the news is a genuine widespread disaster, aren't you? If weather disasters in California were that common and widespread, millions of people wouldn't have happily lived here for decades without being wiped out by them.

Earthquakes? Yeah, here and there, once in a while. Most are tiny. One earthquake did very minor damage to my house (a cracked window and some broken dishes) back in 1987.

Droughts? Do not affect the vast majority of people in any significant way. I have never turned the faucet handle and found that water did not come out.

Floods? Don't live in a flood zone.

Fires? Don't live in a wildfire zone.

Mudslides? Don't live in a house perched on a hill.

Freak, massive waves? Don't go in the water on the rare occasions when there is a massive swell. AKA common sense.

Atmospheric river? This is an overwrought term for rain that lasts more than a day or two. Florida gets this much rain every month of the year.

The one thing on this list that is annoying to me is fires, only because when smoke drifts over, the air quality is bad for a few days. But this is common to most of the Western states and western Canada as well, and California is actually not the worst.

But I will tell you what we definitely don't have: huge hail, hurricanes, and actual tornadoes. What the news reports as "a tornado" in California would make Midwesterners fall down laughing.

Ask most Californians what they like about where they live and a common thread will be "the weather." The weather is great. Our weather is almost always so pleasant that when once a blue moon we have a whole week of rain, people can't stop talking about it. Here in SoCal we have a terrific climate, despite people who don't live here, people who live in the most goshawful climates, going around trying to tell us and others how unlivable it is.

This is so true. I’ve lived in the Midwest and the south and would take living in CA anyday. I’ve never been affected by any natural disaster in the 36 years I’ve lived here.

[Californiaguy2007]

I forgot to add Scenery and Desirability to the list of things that are appealing about L.A,but also throughout many parts of this Beautiful State we all call home

Originally Posted by Californiaguy2007

Here's just a few points of L.A,and in my opinion there are more Positives than Negatives to living in L.A.
And just like in every other place, L.A does have it's issues and so does California,but if your happy living here,then that's what matters most importantly

Location:
From L.A you've got the Beaches(The Coast),Mountains,Deserts,National Parks,etc.
Your also not too far away from San Diego,Las Vegas or Mexico,and The Bay area and Hawaii is closer as well by plane.

Weather:
Most of L.A has mild year-round weather.

Opportunities:
It's America's 2nd Largest City in the state with the largest economy in the country,and one of the largest in the world.

Variety:
You've got Outdoor Recreation,Shopping,Dining,Amusement Parks,Museums,Shows,Attractions,Special Events,Parades...You basically got practically everything to enjoy for all Ages and Types.

[Simpleton1989]

Weather, everything is here, close enough to different types of landscapes, public transportation not too bad, biking not too bad, not too many bugs.

The unappealing things FOR ME are lack of law enforcement (too many people misbehaving in public spaces, for example. It is absolutely miserable going home from work with the train/bus full of smelly homeless loons, people smoking weed, people blasting "music", people yelling and screaming and acting intimidating, the train/bus full of garbage and puke). It looks absolutely trashy because its a desert, and there's lots of trash, filth and graffiti. Even the nice areas are visually unappealing (McDonalds, followed by a Starbucks, followed by another McDonalds, followed by Burger King followed by a Dunkin' Donuts). It attracts unappealing people. Too expensive. Too busy.

If it wasn't for the weather I'd leave. I have a chronic condition that requires me to be in warm weather; even California winter feels too much for me at times.

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by dcfas

I also found the geography to be odd, with these little hills everywhere with houses built precariously upon them. Very odd looking to me, but almost tropical at the same time.

This is particularly appealing, as the varying topography, if chosen wisely, allows for comparative privacy, despite small house-lots and close proximity to neighbors or amenities. In a pancake-flat locale, even with large separation between houses, there is feeling of being too close to neighbors, too visible. The hills also provide a good view - both something at which to look, and from which to do the looking.

Originally Posted by curiousgeorge5

Inherently pretty or pretty because they take care of themselves.

Both. There is something about urbanized wealth that attracts a particular kind of person. There is also an enduring tension that promotes attention to one's physical appearance. I am delighted by the contrast between LA and the small-town Midwest, where unfortunately I'd spent far too much time. In LA, a 45-year-old looks 35... whereas in Ohio, it was the other way around. A similar thing could be said about DC or NYC. It's not specific to LA or California, though the balmy weather contributes to fashion choices that, ahem, have a tendency of accentuating the human form.

Originally Posted by Simpleton1989

...It is absolutely miserable going home from work with the train/bus full of smelly homeless loons, people smoking weed, people blasting "music", people yelling and screaming and acting intimidating, the train/bus full of garbage and puke). ..

Such is the nature of most public transportation in most American cities. The solution is to drive! Which is another reason that I like LA: the car culture.