Thursday, July 10, 2008

Leaving Los Angeles

Sometimes when I think about home, I do think about Los Angeles. There is this stereotype that, most likely based on some truth, Angelenos hate living in their own city, fueled by negative press, events, and traffic. I have spent my entire life here in Los Angeles. At some point in my life, I did resent living in L.A. because I never cared much for the night life, the glamor of Hollywood, the suburbs that fill every crevice here. I was much too cynical to have the desire to go out and party. To this day I still haven't really been to a club, and I prefer dive bars any time over a fancy bar like... well see this is the problem, I don't know any of the fancy bars. But I love the City, despite the awful traffic congestion. I run into former residents who complain about the lack of trails here, the lack of cycling opportunities. Those two complaints can be easily rebuffed.

When I move to San Jose I will miss hiking in the chaparral environment, I will miss the towering San Gabriel Mountains and the close proximity to the beach. It will be strange to move back to suburban America since I have spent the last four years fixated in the West Los Angeles region. I might be closer to the ski slopes, but I will miss the proximity of going to a good hiking trail that will challenge me. I will miss going to the Farmers market in Brentwood and Santa Monica every Sunday. Most of all, I will miss cycling along the Pacific Coast Highway and conquering the Pepperdine hill in Malibu. There will be new and numerous recreational opportunities for me in San Jose. I just wanted it to be known that I don't hate L.A. and that I actually love the sprawling city. I call L.A. home, despite everything I have witnessed first hand, studied, and been affected by. And I've met some of the most wonderful and amazing people in my life because of this city. Those are the most cherished memories for me. Not to mention that I went to the best damn University in California: UCLA ;)

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