This month, September 2013, marks the 5-year anniversary of me moving to Los Angeles! So I thought it’d be fun to write the top 15 things I have learned about this city, and about myself, since the morning I nervously packed up my car and made the fateful drive out here. Who knows, maybe this can even help some of you about to make the same life-changing leap!
#15: I Need Coffee
Not sure if it’s been from living here or from growing older, but in the past five years I’ve become much more of a coffee drinker than I used to be. Most people here seem to enjoy it, so maybe I just fell into the crowd. But now I pretty much can’t have a normal day without stopping at a coffeeshop or hitting the breakroom at work and getting some joe.
#14: Use The Buddy System
There’s a LOT of cool folks here in LA, but there are also a lot of fucking maniacs. So no matter how physically large you are in size or how agile you are at self-defense, I’ve learned that it is NOT a good idea to walk alone after dark — no matter what area of town you’re in. In 2011, I got mugged in a quiet Atwater Village neighborhood by five guys with guns. I had no cash on me, so they took my iPhone. I was really, really lucky. Please, when you leave that party and your car is parked even a couple blocks away, have a buddy with you.
#13: Driving: On The Road
I’m splitting this topic into two separate points, because honestly, driving is one of the biggest parts about living here. To confirm a major belief about LA, yes, driving here can be awful. From extremely aggressive drivers who are late for work, to utterly stupid drivers who don’t realize they’re taking up two lanes at once. You are going to hear a lot of car honking, so get ready to develop tinnitus. Pedestrians are everywhere, and the name of my favorite game is “Don’t Hit the People”. Drivers from behind will sometimes even honk at you to run those pedestrians over, so all your cars can get back to moving fast again. But along with the other drivers on the road, another pain in the ass can be finding your way around. To someone just getting to know the area, this place is like the hedge maze in The Shining, and maybe even more dangerous. I still get lost to this day sometimes, but thanks to Google Maps on my phone those occurrences are getting rarer and rarer. And on top of all of that, even if you know where you’re going, traffic is pretty much just as bad as everyone says it is. However! I’ve found that this simple rule really helps: no matter where you’re going, leave at least 30-45 minutes sooner than your instincts tell you. This is a good rule of thumb. Congrats, you’ve made it to your destination on time and in one piece! But wait a minute, there’s still one more challenge…
#12: Driving: Parking
Parking your car in LA can sometimes be just as challenging as driving your car. If you’re going grocery shopping at Ralph’s, that’s one thing. But there are many, many places in this city that you’re gonna go to that don’t have their own parking lots. Once you finally reach your destination, more often than not you will be searching for an available parking meter, a golden spot on the 4th floor of a parking structure multiple blocks away, or even a valet. And even when you find a spot, be mindful of how long your car can stay there. I’ve gotten a parking ticket by being 15 seconds late in returning to my car after the meter expired. Another time some friends of mine who were visiting from out of town parked in a public garage and didn’t realize that it closed at 10pm, and their car was locked inside until the next morning. These penalties can really suck. Be careful!
#11: The Best Places Are Where You Least Expect Them
Lots of people believe the best things to do in Los Angeles are all at these huge, fancy, popular places that everybody in the city knows about and goes to. For some places, sure. But most places I’ve found that make this city so special are the tiny hole in the walls, the little places that only a select few know about. Little theaters that play weird old movies and cult classics. Great food found in the smallest of restaurants, wedged inside strip malls. One of my favorite restaurants is a Peruvian place in between a Radio Shack and a nail salon. My favorite sushi bar is in the same parking lot as an Albertson’s. The point is, this place is filled with hidden treasures literally everywhere; you just gotta keep your eyes open!
#10: The Lamest Places Are Where You Pretty Much Expect Them
What have I learned about the opposite side of this fence? Well, when people not from LA think of LA, what are some of the first places that come to mind? Graumann’s Chinese Theatre. The Hollywood Star Walk of Fame. That… really awful Wax Museum. These infamous Hollywood staples are the places to go in Los Angeles if you’re looking for fun. But truth be told, nobody who lives here EVER hangs out on Hollywood Blvd. The only time I’ll ever go to that side of town is when I have guests visiting and they really want to see Don Knott’s sidewalk star or something like that. The people occupying this entire area of town are mostly tourists, under the common assumption that the street they’re walking on is where all that “Hollywood magic” happens. Well, maybe 70 years ago when places like the Brown Derby still existed, sure. But these days, it’s mostly where you go if you wanna shop for overpriced “Best Dad Award” Oscar statues and take photos of creepy homeless guys taking a poop. Take it from me; if you’re moving to (or even visiting) Hollywood, skip the “Hollywood” part.
#9: Generally Speaking, People In LA Take Their Health Pretty Seriously
Sure, joggers and people walking their dogs are on every street corner here, and half the people you’ll meet most likely have a gym membership or take a yoga class. But LA is even pretty into healthy eating. Growing up in Arizona, I could count on my hand the number of people I knew who didn’t eat meat. Here in LA, I’d say 75% of the people I know are vegetarian or vegan. Maybe it’s because being vegan here is really easy, since there are tons of restaurants, markets, and delis that are vegan-friendly. Many places also boast that they carry gluten-free products, home grown and farm raised items, etc. Which is all really cool, to be honest. I am not vegetarian (yet, at least) but I can definitely respect and admire how health-nutty lots of folks here seem to be.
#8: People Freak Out Over Any Weather Other Than Sunshine
People in LA are very used to the sun shining and all-around nice weather. But once every month or two, something will happen: a rainy day. People here FREAK OUT if it’s raining. For some, rain can even ruin a whole day’s agenda. I’ve seen friends cancel entire plans because they don’t own an umbrella. And people on the road drive even worse than usual. Why, I can’t even imagine what would happen if it snowed here one day…
#7: No Room for Insensitivity
You don’t really realize how insensitive, hateful, and ass-backwards a lot of other parts of America are until you live in a place like Los Angeles. Growing up in Arizona, I would hear words like “faggot”, “retard” and many others like running water. There is NO place for that stuff here, because if you try it, people will let you know what a dick you are. Since moving here, I’ve found myself increasingly caring of women’s rights, gay rights, and basically the rights of anyone other than straight white dudes. Why not until now? Because it’s MUCH more in the news (and on everyone’s lips) here about how many other people and places of this country treat these subjects so terribly. How women, gays, transgenders, and more are really treated in this places and by these people. After making some of the friends I’ve made out here, and getting to know these cool people that are PEOPLE just like anyone else, I’m starting to suspect more and more that the powerful bigots out there have never actually met a gay or trans person in their lives.
#6: Unusual Work Holidays
Last year on a Friday, during Comic Con week, I was working in a rather empty studio when suddenly my executive director walks past and says, “Nico? What are you doing here, it’s Comic Con!” I mentioned I had a couple things to finish up, and I wasn’t heading there until the weekend. He replied, “Ahh, worry about that next week. Get down to San Diego!” Since then, I’ve noticed that if you work in the industry, the conventions like SDCC, E3, and Anime Expo are pretty much regarded as work holidays.
#5: Good Bar / Bad Bar
This one’s super easy. There’s a lot of really cool bars here, but how can you differentiate between the good ones and the bad ones without having to find out the hard way? This simple rule has worked for me 95% of the time: If you can walk right into the bar, it’s probably pretty cool. If you have to wait in an hour-long line outside before entering, giving the illusion that whatever is inside is totally worth waiting for, chances are that it’s not. Basically: NEVER wait in a line to go into a bar. It’s a waste. Do not bother.
#4: Apparently, I’m A Hipster
People from around the country leave lots of comments on me and my friends’ videos, but there’s one kind in particular that we get a lot of. “Wow, these guys are such hipsters.” So apparently in the eyes of the rest of the country: If you live in LA, are artistic in some way, and wear glasses, you are a hipster.
#3: Nearly Everyone Here Has A Disneyland Annual Pass
And nearly no one goes to Universal Studios.
#2: You Really Are Going to Start at the Bottom
Five years ago, I moved here with $2000 bucks and as many things I owned that would fit in my car without exploding. I didn’t really have a plan besides showing up in LA and figuring out the rest once I got there. What ended up happening was I spent my first two years here working between bankrupt bookstore retailers and serving at Italian restaurants. I worked my ass off at these crummy places, having little to no social life. All the while, I’d try to make my own cartoons and videos, and put myself out there at parties and social gatherings as much as possible in hopes of meeting as many people as possible. And thanks to that, I would finally get my first industry job at the start of my third year living here. Since then, I’ve moved on to even bigger and better jobs, and have had the pleasure of working with more and more great people each time. So, when friends ask me how I got to the position I’m in now, or if I see someone who has just moved here having trouble getting started, I don’t really know what to suggest besides the old “it’s okay to start at the bottom” cliche. But it’s just true. Unless you’re really lucky, your first couple gigs here aren’t going to be a slice of heaven. Start low, work hard, and just be your cool self. Don’t be cynical or negative, instead transmit a kind, positive aura around yourself. Be a pleasure to be around. People will notice you, people will remember you. After five years, I have some great friends, I work at a creatively stimulating job that I love, and that job pays me enough to live comfortably. Does this make me a success? Maybe, I suppose. But it definitely did not happen overnight, and without a lot of hard work.
#1: I Love It Here
So what’s the number one thing I’ve learned since I was a scared kid moving to Los Angeles? It turns out that Los Angeles is a pretty fantastic place, and I absolutely love living here. Los Angeles is a place of experience, culture, fun times and some truly amazing folks. It’s a place that I love to call my home. Sometimes I’ve seen an outsider come along who hates on LA because they don’t understand it, or they don’t give it a fair enough chance, or it’s too scary and they’re afraid to embrace it, or they moved here for two weeks and didn’t succeed right away. Tune those people out. Because the friends I’ve made, the opportunities I’ve had, and the experiences that this city has given me have made mine a life that I wouldn’t trade for any other. Here’s to five more years here, and many more.
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