Hi guys.We’ve been here a week and I like it so far.
LA is more like New York than people give it credit for, in that no one here gives a crap what you do/dress like either. In New York people are too aloof/cool to notice, and in LA they are too self-absorbed to care. Either way it makes for a nice “anything goes!” vibe that I appreciate very much.
I realized this when I wore jeans to a party on Friday night. Upon arrival it became clear that I was woefully under-dressed, but no one blinked an eye. Mostly because no one looked in my direction. This was nice.
There seem to be a lot of women here who look like they’re 10 years away from being the next Real Housewife of [Insert Location Here].
But most of the women in LA look like normal, cool women.
There is an infestation of dude-brahs driving around in zippy Mercedes blasting house music here. They seem to be everywhere but are completely harmless - like pigeons in New York City.
You know how no one dresses like surfer-skaters on the east coast? Well, they do here. I kind of like it.
Also, LA hipsters are different than NYC hipsters, in a way that is difficult to verbalize but is evident to the eye.
THE WEATHER, YOU GUYS. Look, obviously you know LA is sunny and dry and generally glorious, but you can’t really appreciate it until you exist in it. It is spectacular. Cool, brisk mornings, warm, welcoming afternoons and crisp, refreshing nights. The air smells clean and floral and fresh. It’s like Groundhog Day of the most perfect NYC fall day, and I am INTO IT.
Did you know cars have magical bluetooth powers where they can detect your phone and sync up with it and can play your music and answer your calls from the steering wheel?! I didn’t, but now I do.
On Sunday morning I went out for a run around 8:30 AM. As I was warming up our friend Joe jogged by me wearing a sweatband around his head. He shouted “Spencer!” and then ran up a hill. When I finished my run I ran into our friend (bonus: and neighbor!) Kula at the Coffee Bean, who was on his over to Atwater to meet Anthony and Joe for a round of golf. At 9:30 in the morning. On a Sunday. I like this side of LA. The ‘go to bed early, do things in the morning, we’re all 30ish and getting old’ side.
We have a pool. Eleanor loves the pool. I love the pool. Pool pool pool pool POOL.
Everything, except riding the subway, is easier here.
Winner of the Thing I Want To Hate But Desperately Love Award: Costco.
We joined Costco.
When I was talking about things being easier here in LA, I was specifically referring to obtaining vats of edamame hummus, available at Costco.
People are also friendlier in LA. It’s okay, I don’t mind the stand-offish bitchiness of New York. But people in our building have gone out of their way to meet us, whereas in my experience, every NY neighbor I’ve ever had has made it their life mission to avoid me. I assume it’s because human interaction is so constant in NYC it is only natural to avoid it when possible. I mean, you touch at least on stranger’s butt in NYC a day. Here, I have yet to touch an unknown butt (but I look forward to it).
The other night I got homesick for a very specific NYC experience. That ‘walking down the street on a weekend at night in the fall and it’s a little chilly and there’s that intangible energy that is exists only in New York and you have your headphones on and you’re the star of a movie in your head and you feel like you could walk the city for hours, just like this’ thing. You know the one, I’m sure. I miss that.
But life is good so far in Los Angeles. There are hiking trails everywhere. There’s not as much bitchface in LA. Everything is slowed down a beat or two and people look you in the eye when they pass you. Plus the Coffee Bean near my house makes decent Americanos and I’m currently spooning salsa into my mouth from a jar roughly the size of my child, so really what more could I ask for?
Actually there is one thing I could ask for: tacos. They are delicious and plentiful here. As the saying goes: “Tacos are the bagels of Los Angeles!” Actually no one says this, I just made it up right now. But it seems true, right? I’m a genius.
