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“L.A. Where there’s never weather, and walking is a crime. L.A.: where the streetlights and palm trees go on forever, where darkness never comes, like a deal that never goes down, a meeting that’s never taken. The city of angels where every cockroach has a screenplay and even the winos wear roller skates. It’s that kind of town.” Ian Sholes
I admit to liking LA. I lived there for 35 years, made a career and raised two sons. It was hard to give it up but now 400 miles away, my wife and I love to visit even for a few days and even if LA like the rest of California has been declining. My LA is from the 70′ when I arrived, fleeing from the stifling conventionality of my Midwest home and the pretentious cultural snobbery of the East coast. LA represented freedom; Anything goes; A fantastic freeway system and parking on the street – anywhere and every where. Alas all that is gone now, destroyed by Jerry Brown and his acolytes. His goal was to stop building infrastructure so that people like me would stop coming to California. It took 30 years but he has finally done it. People have stopped coming to California and I am primed to leave as well.
L.A. Is dead and unworkable and all of California is not far behind. LA freeways are impossible. The politicians are out of control. Living in LA means denying the reality that you see on the overcrowded freeways and overpopulated, urine-infused underpasses. Still it is great to get back from time to time and live the fantasy that LA used to be. You can do that when you visit because you can avoid rush hour traffic – to a degree- and enjoy getting from one part of LA to another quickly. You can remember the relaxed and casual feeling of shopping in Beverly Hills on a Saturday afternoon or finding a place to park at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. You can remember the ticket books at Disneyland.
We will be reliving our L.A. History, visiting museums and some of our old haunts as well as spending some time with our older son who still lives in LA. LA isn’t what is used to be; it isn’t what it wants to be; and it isn’t quite dead yet but L.A. Is unique and American to the core. It may be an acquired taste but once you get L.A. In your heart, you never get it out.
LA isn’t alone…the whole damn country is going to hell, with little chance to save it.
I’m deciding now if I think it’s worth staying and fighting to reclaim the country this WAS, or leaving. Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Uraguay, Argentina…hell, I’m even considering the east coast of Africa.
Bob
Bob,
Funny that you are considering Argentina. It just recently occurred to me that our politicians are turning us into Not Socialist Europe but Peronista Argentina. Don’t cry for me California.
Yuck, Down with LA.
Having lived next door (San Diego) for most of the last 20 years. I have to disagree. LA (and San Diego is headed that way too) Is a crime ridden, smog filled, congested freeway nightmare.
I can imagine 30 years ago It might have been a beautiful place. Certain parts STILL have great charm. I would much rather be back in NJ… Truly the Garden State compared to the cesspool of California.
By the way…for those that scoff…get away from the Newark/airport area and New Jersey can really be a beautiful place.
Personally I would love to go to NJ or even (my current dream) move to a beachfront shack in Panama. But I will likely be here forever as a lot of my wifes family lives here
Panama? Possibly, but mountains, not beaches. When I think beaches I think tourists, sand in your shorts and shoes, and tourist-driven pricing.
Mountains…Panama, Belize, Uraguay, Costa Rica, or Argentina.
Requirements…accessable and affordable health care since my Medicare doesn’t cross the border, good internet access, and a dearth of gringos. A mountain village less than a 12 hour donkey ride to a decent hospital that has DSL access and friendly native population. **sigh** Heaven.
Gene,
Those inlaws seem like the perfect reason to move. Make your wife choose!
Inlaws are ALWAYS a good reason to move.
My ex-MIL once asked me, “I know you don’t like me, but how much don’t you like me?”
Me: “You don’t want to know.”
MIL: Yes, I DO want to know.”
Me: “You sure?”
MIL “Yes.”
Me: **sigh** “OK Mary. If you wre laying on the sidewalk on fire, I wouldn’t piss on you to put it out.”
Unfortunately, she lived 5 miles, instead of 5 states or 5 countries, away.