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Los Angeles has a laid back lifestyle, imo. People tell me otherwise, but from my experience people were cool and actually kind of nice.
Miami is more fast paced, not nice upfront more like the mid-Atlantic region.
Demographics are completely different. Los Angeles has mainly Mexican, some Central American groups, and Asian cultures that dominate. Miami has more of a Caribbean population, plus the transplants from NY and NJ which includes the types of Jewish people and Italians from that mid-Atlantic region.
While Los Angeles does have some good urbanity and I would consider it medium density all around, Miami is known more for having an urban look that is similar to the mid-Atlantic region.
Also, just differences in general.
Miami has a Caribbean, tropical look while Los Angeles has a mix between desert and temperate pacific look(which gives it that unique L.A. look).
Miami is flat, has the more stunning beaches while Los Angeles has the mountains and hills.
Sorry to hijack the OP's thread here, but those are just some reasons as to why I find L.A. and Miami different. And I like that they're different.
I see it like this
Architecturally, Miami and NY/NJ have almost nothing in common, while SoCal and SoFla have MUCH in common architecturally. PLENTY PLENTY of neighborhoods in SoFla are filled with Spanish-Style and Spanish-Revival Houses much like CA, and the wealthier areas of SoFla with California Contemporary.
Miami/SoFla has a beach culture more similar to LA(Miami Beach=Santa Monica), than it does NY/NJ. There are no places to shops/dines/party on the beach up there.
While the climate and topography of LA and Miami are different, the climate of Miami and NY are different also, ESPECIALLY in the winter time.
SoFla and SoCal, are both HIGH density areas made up of high density suburban sprawl, while NYC/NJ are a completely different urbanization than the other 2.
Outside of the beach areas of SoFla, SoFla is mostly suburban, just like most of SoCal.
Along Wilshire Blvd is the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits where excavation continues to this day. Part of the reason the "subway to the sea" plan along Wilshire has been held up is due to underground pockets of methane gas.
To call LA anything but very urban is ridiculous, since it's one of the largest, most sprawling urban areas in the country. It's size makes Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas look like Mayberry.
Architecturally, Miami and NY/NJ have almost nothing in common.
Not exactly like L.A. either. Miami has a ton of art deco. Miami skyline known for having more modern buildings as well.
Miami/SoFla has a beach culture more similar to LA(Miami Beach=Santa Monica), than it does NY/NJ. There are no places to shops/dines/party on the beach up there.
Completely different beach cultures imo. L.A. has more of a laid back, surfer image, while Miami has tropical...Miami vibe.
While the climate and topography of LA and Miami are different, the climate of Miami and NY are different also, ESPECIALLY in the winter time.
No way, but when I compare Miami to NY/NJ, it moves like those cities more than L.A.
SoFla and SoCal, are both HIGH density areas made up of high density suburban sprawl, while NYC/NJ are a completely different urbanization than the other 2.
Suburban sprawl in the sunbelt cities will be more similar to each other. When you compare Miami city style, it reminds me of mid-Atlantic area.
Outside of the beach areas of SoFla, SoFla is mostly suburban, just like most of SoCal.
Again, sunbelt city sprawl will be similar to each other, but it does help that a lot of NE transplants are there.
Well we are just going to have to agree to disagree because just like you find Miami almost nothing like NY/NJ, I find very little in common with Los Angeles!
To call LA anything but very urban is ridiculous, since it's one of the largest, most sprawling urban areas in the country. It's size makes Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas look like Mayberry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by grapico
one of the pics you posted is in an american sprawl directory...
looks like suburban sprawl to me...
Notice how we used the same word?? I did in fact say it was sprawl but the sprawl you see in that photo is part of the LA urbanized area right??? Look past the airplane wing by those mountains, that's a "downtown" aka city on City-Data.
Last edited by OrlFlaUsa; 07-23-2010 at 09:00 PM..
Reason: typo
Well we are just going to have to agree to disagree because just like you find Miami almost nothing like NY/NJ, I find very little in common with Los Angeles!
I guess we will agree to disagree. BUT one more thing I may add, Miami's city style outside of Downtown(outside of all the skyscrapers and highrises), is pretty much a tropical version of LA. Especially in the urban districts surrounding Miami, like Coral Gables, Kendall, Coconut Grove, and South Beach. Most of these areas have low-rise business districts, and apartments, similar to what you would find in areas of LA outside of downtown like Westwood, Hollywood, Sunset, etc. But I agree to disagree.
Oh yeah, how could I forget the MOST common similarity between Miami and LA. PALM TREES!! Palm Trees EVERYWHERE!!!
That may be sprawl, but it's not typical suburban sprawl -- LA's suburbs are far more dense than most suburbs. The houses are on small lots and are packed tight. And, of course, there's far more to LA than just the suburbs or the suburbanized areas. I have no idea how it compares to Miami, but yes, definitely LA is far more urban than many people realize.
And if we're talking sprawl: cities like NYC sprawl, too, but no one in their right mind would ever say that NYC isn't urban. LA definitely has sprawl, but it's densely packed sprawl. (and of course it also has densely packed more traditional urban areas)
one of the pics you posted is in an american sprawl directory...
looks like suburban sprawl to me...
Dense, low-rise, and walkable sprawl.
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