Sunday, January 18, 2009

My Los Angeles Debut: Executive Summary

Awesome!I finally have a little time to write something about my recent trip to L.A. To summarize my impressions:

  • The weather was relatively cool for L.A., but it was much better than Michigan's recent subzero temps (file under: duh)
  • People for the most part were surprisingly friendly.
  • The place is the very definition of "sprawl" -- mile after mile after mile of "stuff."
  • The geography was confusing (to me, anyway) and I didn't understand the political distinctions between neighborhoods, suburbs, and city, or if there are any.
  • On the surface, it doesn't appear to be a big beer town.
  • There is more "living history" than I imagined there would be, in terms of beautiful old architecture, established institutions, etc.
  • Palm trees are cool.
  • Lots of traffic.
  • Angelenos seemed fond of Christmas lights and decorations.
  • Angelenos also love them some psychics, as evidenced by the "Psychic" stand on damn near every corner.
  • L.A. must account for roughly half of the electricity used in this country.
  • Of the areas I went to, I think I most liked Old Town Pasadena (and its Ashley's-esque bar Lucky Baldwin's) and Silver Lake, which reminded me a little of Ann Arbor.
Of course, the day I returned home it got very cold in Michigan and the temperature out there went from highs in the mid-60s to highs in the 80s. The weather always sucks (again relatively speaking) every time I go to California. Well, except for when I went to San Francisco.

More to come...