I am a born and raised New Yorker. I grew up in Queens and, after a four-year stint in Washington, DC for faculty, I moved to Manhattan.
I assumed I used to be going to reside there for the remainder of my life. I did not drive, I liked strolling in all places, and I assumed I would not be capable to reside and not using a grocery retailer, nail salon, dry cleaner, ice cream store, and bar within reach of my entrance door.
Then, I packed up and moved to Los Angeles. I simply felt prefer it was time for a change, and I wished to expertise the “good” California climate that so many rave about.
I knew there could be variations between life on the East Coast and West Coast, however right here are some things which have shocked me most to date.
Individuals appear to deal with automobiles like equipment in LA.
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I knew Los Angeles was a driving metropolis, however I did not notice how frequent it feels for folks right here to deal with their automobiles like massive, costly equipment. It feels just like the norm to spend vital quantities of money and time washing and caring for autos right here.
In my expertise, when somebody has a automobile in NYC (and might truly discover a parking spot for it), they actually solely drive it on weekends to go away town — they usually’re virtually definitely not souping the car up LA-style.
Bar tradition feels extra destination-oriented.
Amanda Pellegrino
On a Saturday evening in New York Metropolis, my buddies and I often casually hopped round and not using a clear plan.
We would have chosen a neighborhood or had a place to begin in thoughts, however we might at all times find yourself strolling a block or two to attempt to discover our subsequent hangout spot.
In distinction, I’ve discovered that Los Angeles bar tradition appears extra destination-oriented. Individuals decide a spot — possibly two — and that is the evening.
There appears to be extra forethought and logistics concerned in night-out plans, maybe as a result of lots of people drive and do not need to depart their automobiles, or they should plan their consuming round sobering as much as drive house.
Mocktails appear to be extra common right here, too.
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In my expertise, consuming alcohol in LA would not appear as common right here because it did in NYC.
In LA, I’ve discovered there is a robust likelihood you or somebody in your good friend group is driving house from the bar, in order that they’ll be consuming much less alcohol or sticking to mocktails.
Comparatively, in NYC, I’ve seen that persons are extra seemingly to make use of public transportation, so they do not have to fret about getting behind the wheel after an evening out.
It additionally feels simpler to make plans that do not contain alcohol in LA for the reason that heat climate lends itself to a variety of different choices for socializing, like mountain climbing, biking, or strolling on the seashore.
For the reason that climate is usually good, I’ve seen persons are extra sad when it isn’t.
Amanda Pellegrino
Since LA’s climate is nice more often than not with a lot of sunshine and heat, folks listed here are fast to be sad when it is something lower than good.
When there is a robust breeze, it is cloudy, it is beneath 60 levels, or it is raining a bit of, I’ve seen that Angelenos appear extra prone to cancel plans or be fast to complain.
The angle feels contagious, too. Simply the opposite week, I made a decision it was too chilly to put in writing in my yard and went inside — it was 65 levels Fahrenheit and sunny with a slight breeze.
I wasn’t at all times this manner, although. Throughout my time in NYC, 65 levels and sunny in March equaled a whole lot of individuals (together with myself) flocking to Central Park with picnic baskets, video games, and cheese boards to bask within the solar all day.
New Yorkers know very effectively what all of the highs and lows of adjusting seasons can seem like, and a bit of rain or wind would not cease them.
It looks like folks in LA have higher boundaries between work and life.
Amanda Pellegrino
For my part, hustle tradition would not really feel as glamorized in LA because it did again house.
The place being busy can translate to trying necessary in NYC — I have been that woman together with her pc on the bar on a Friday evening — folks I’ve encountered in LA appear to set higher boundaries to guard their work-life stability.
I can not assist however suppose the right climate has one thing to do with it.
Certain, this metropolis can be full of individuals chasing their goals, but it surely feels so much simpler to cease and take a break once you’ve bought the California coast at your fingertips.