Leaving Los Angeles

Because people dream about moving to LA. For some people leaving is giving up on your earlier dreams.

But leaving LA is the best decision qe made fwiw

Well mostly because they are attention seeking nitwits (I've seen multiple of these videos on Youtube in the past few months).

That said though ... their reasons are usually pretty solid. Insane cost of living, insane traffic, the impact of homelessness on their quality of living, and for the richer ones, insane taxes. Why not move to Nevada which has 0% income tax, and have a "summer" home in L.A. still?

Because OP those people are giving up on dreams of show biz careers! They did not move to LA with dreams of comfortable but bland careers at KPMG or Ernst.

I'm shocked (shocked!) that people who moved to LA to make videos are instead making videos about leaving LA. You'd almost think the leading qualification for living in LA would be attention-whoredom.

Oh Lord. Look at his channel's videos.

"Why I made an OnlyFans".

I rest my case.

It's always a good idea to mount an argument by linking to a video of a barely articulate disfigured wack job.

I didn't even make it 5 seconds. If you are on a budget move to the Central Valley or Palm Springs.

It's no biggie.

R5 Where are his nudes? Somewhat curious but not enough to subscribe.

And here I thought this was going to be a thread about a possible Leaving Las Vegas sequel.

Oh dear. Not great tattoos. Is Boston the gateway to Paris?

So he's moving to Boston to work on a video for his cover of a My Chemical Romance song? Aug. 10. Said video Aug 17. "Why I Made an Onlyfans." Oct. 3.

This is the 10,000th video this week about leaving LA.

At one point LA made sense. But now that prices there are totally crazy, it doesn’t. $2,000+ for a crappy stucco apartment with cheap metal windows and wallboard in a sketchy neighborhood - plus having to pay for a car - is not worth it. When it was much cheaper and you could get a lot more space for money compared to SF and NY, it was attractive. Now it has lost all appeal.

At one point I thought the Metro expansion would solve the car requirement. But it hasn’t. Still need a car - which is a major expense that people seem to discount when comparing rents.

I agree r12. I thought I’d retire in LA. Lots to do, close to the desert, SF, day trips, the beach. But even a crummy apartment is sky high $, in town traffic is miserable and there seems to be an air of desperation.

Boo hoo! What on earth will a narcissistic histrionic attention seeking annoying as fuck person do if they leave LA? Most likely work in sales or real estate in some second-tier city.

The prices do seem high in LA especially to buy.

The prices “seem” high? Are YOU high? Of course prices are high in L.A.!

Don’t people realize that you don’t have to move to LA anymore to “” make it” People make YouTube videos from all over the country… all over the world.They film a ton of movies now in Vancouver, Toronto, Atlanta and many other cities.

What’s the lure of living in an apartment that looks like a motel for $2500 a month?

[quote] The prices “seem” high? Are YOU high? Of course prices are high in L.A.!

LOL I was soft-stepping it. Not in the market, I'm pretending I haven't looked.

I give you Elle Mills R17.

A Canadian YouTuber who left Ottawa, and literally rented out a billboard to basically give Ottawa the middle finger on her way out.

Some people are just too stupid to live.

R17, living a normal life as a respected actor who lives in Atlanta doesn’t get you the same likes that living a “fabulous” life as a struggling actor. Lots of these narcissists don’t want stability, they want fame. And usually an unstable life is more likely to get you that.

These I’m leaving LA videos basically announce that they failed at becoming the next Brad Pitt, so they’re moving on finally.

It’s basically them saying: what?! You can’t dump me! I dump you Alist lifestyle I imagined would come easily to me but instead I ended up with an Onlyfans. But I still dump you first!

The people making these videos about leaving LA are terrified about going back to normal life because of the enormous lies they’ve made up about themselves after moving to LA. They change their names, they speak in vocal fry etc..

LA's heyday ended somewhere in the early 80s. Traffic, cost of living, much of it being dull suburban sprawlburgs that take hours to escape because of the traffic. Anti-immigrant bigotry and Anglo-flight to ever more dreadful places in the Inland Empire or Antelope Valley.

The idea that you have to explain living LA might have been novel in 1975, but now, it's not novel or interesting at all.

[quote] LA's heyday ended somewhere in the early 80s

When did smog peak?

This gurl's leavin' L.A. video got [bold]3,468,700 views[/bold]

she moved to NYC

R26, I'm sure they're thrilled to have her.

I think the last time [R23] was in L.A. was the early 80s. She probably still talks about Spago.

LA is a dream for people, even for those who don't want to be actors. I grew up with "good" weather, but for some, LA is the first place where they saw the ocean, had a mild winter, etc.

There really are a lot of everyday good-looking people on the streets. That's part of the problem if you're trying to "make it" there. Everybody is better-looking than you.

As mentioned above, a car is pretty much a necessity, which adds a lot to your cost of living.

Leaving LA is giving up on a dream, for some.

JUST FUCKING LEAVE ALREADY !!!

R25 Again no surprise. She probably got tired of waiting in the line at in n out behind 471 cars

Who are these no-talent nobodies?

Life begins again once you leave LA. You realize there’s 1 million other things you want to do with your life besides being the biggest mouth in the room.

[quote]Who are these no-talent nobodies?

They're VLOGGERS. They're the rock stars of this era. They often make enough money to live well from their videos. That gurl @ R26 has 3.6 MiLLION followers...and that video has almost 5 MILLION views. she's a big deal.

I use to love visiting LA. In the 80s I was there 20 plus times and always had a blast. By the 90s the fun was diminishing returns and I stopped going completely by 2006. Don't miss it at all. Stiil get to SF from time to time and enjoy the city. Cali is no longer a must go to place for many. Much rather spend my money travelling to other places where gays can have fun. LA was the place back in the day, but there are now so many other places to choose to go.

Just looking at her apartment hunting video - she says she can afford an expensive place and "I know it's thanks to you guys"

Sneer all you like, but these people are just rolling along with their times and making a good living out of it.

R28: Have been there a few dozen times since the 80s for periods as long as 3 months. LA has been "over" for a long time.

She’s still ugly though, looks like money doesn’t solve all of her problems.

If you’re an Architect, you still go to L.A. frequently. It’s where the world’s most progressive architecture originates.

A lot of those IG-ers/Youtubers are broke! They just look like they're living the good life for their 'fans.' A lot of them probably do some whoring on the side...

I live in LA, I don’t spend so much on rent and live in the hills (on the east side but still). I’ve tonnes of outdoor space, I bought a cheaper car outright so I don’t have to deal with payments. The house I live in is really great, large for a one bed, with on site laundry, separate garage, oak trees outside my bedroom windows etc. it’s objectively the most beautiful living situation of any of my gay friends (mostly NY or London based). I have total privacy from neighbours and start every day with a coffee out the patio. It’s a 8min drive to downtown, 25 to the beach (hardly any traffic anywhere these days). It’s gonna be 75 degrees today. I know the horrible units that people are describing here - but that’s a first place situation. Start looking soon after you arrive and then when it comes time to move you really graduate up.

[quote]She’s still ugly though, looks like money doesn’t solve all of her problems.

Probably a lot of people think she's cute. Her success is phenomenal.

Has Blaire White left yet? He’s been saying that he was for a while now.

^^ above was obv meant for a diff thread sorreeeee

[R41] How are you getting downtown and to the beach that quickly? I live in West Hollywood, so know the area well. Assuming you live in Los Feliz, since you said “East” and “in the hills”.

The woman at R25 lost me when she claimed that at age 18 she "packed two suitcases" and took herself to LA... and left out the part where she was actually going there to be a student at UCLA. (That got slipped in later.)

She's a YouTube influencer who spends a lot of time with other YouTube influencers and so of course she's going to be surrounded by shallow people.

[quote] It’s a 8min drive to downtown, 25 to the beach (hardly any traffic anywhere these days).

That must be great.

I was in LA once at Xmas time and it was so good to be able to drive all over the place.

Then the cars returned and it was a nightmare.

R41 has a point. I do know people who gets outhouses on estates in the hills for $2,000. Great settings and often nice views. Still completely car reliant - which even if you own outright is an expense for repairs, etc. It’s possible to find - but increasingly less so. Many people I know who found those deals were forced to leave when the people who owned the property sold. Buying now in LA is impossible for the average person - unless it’s a mediocre apartment in a sketchy neighborhood.

[quote]She's a YouTube influencer who spends a lot of time with other YouTube influencers and so of course she's going to be surrounded by shallow people.

I'm sure her fanbase/target audience, isn't middle-aged gay men.

Outhouses? Are you referring to guest houses or ADUs? An outhouse used to be where the toilet was located.

Probably means "outbuildings" but then from LA, so who knows how bright she is.

There was a while, like right when I got out of school in the mid-00s till maybe the dawn of Trump, where a lot of people I knew from the East Coast were moving to LA.

The math was pretty simple: for around $1000/month each (back then) you and a friend could split a two-bedroom apartment on the newly hip East Side (Silver Lake, Echo Park, Koreatown) and have lots of space, a back yard, perfect weather and a whole neighborhood full of people just like you, many of whom you knew from school or their friends went to school with your friends kind of thing.

Versus a cramped apartment in Bushwick Brooklyn with several roommates and a long subway commute every day.

Friends with better jobs/more money moved to Brentwood and Santa Monica for the same reasons.

There were lots of tech/entertainment type jobs springing up in Silicon Beach and elsewhere and they paid pretty well, let people be creative and pretend that they were still working on their novel/screenplay/sculpture and all that.

But it was a very different culture from the usual Hollywood wannabe actor scene, more almost East Coast in its way.

But there aren't very many cheap apartments left on the East Side, the school/suburb thing is much trickier than in NYC area and Gen Zs seem to be going elsewhere.

Not sure it's "over", just that it doesn't have the buzz it did ten years ago. That seems to have been taken over by Nashville, Denver and Austin

Narcissists rule the world now.

YMF once again perfectly summarizes the reality. Know a ton of NYers who moved there pre-Trump for the space , possibility of of public transit options and diversity of creative types and lifestyles that seemed to disappear from NYC. Now prices have eliminated many of the benefits of the trade off. Now many are aging and moving or considering moving to more affordable, non-traditional cities (well, and Palm Springs)

I just noticed, looking at Zillow to see what rents are, "Skid Row" actually shows up on Google Maps as an "neighborhood".

Was it always like that?

R55, I'm surprised developers haven't successfully lobbied to officially change the name of Skid Row to "The Historic Warehouse District" or some such thing.

R45 not Los Feliz. Silverlake / Echo park / Elysian valley hills. I just checked google maps and it’s currently 26mins to Will Rogers beach and 9mins to Pershing sq. WeHo is such a nightmare to get in or out of it probably distorts your idea of timing.

R34 - “She’s a big deal.”

Not to me or anyone I know.

Oh.

I would like to live in California for the weather, slower pace of life (I'm from the Northeast) and the natural beauty. There are cheaper areas too especially farther from the coast and bay. I think people who pack up to move to LA to follow their dreams are the same as the people who pack up to move to NYC. They end up disillusioned that these cities are not what they expected them to be. But often times these people are usually entitled twats who and think they should be successful just because they are pretty or think they are these great artistic talents. If people lowered their expectations and enjoyed the natural beauty and environment around them they would be much more content. Yes, LA, SF and NYC are very expensive which is due to a myriad of reasons but there are also so many smaller cities that are cheaper. And also nowadays, you don't even need to move to a big city to make it big. Social media has made it easier than ever for people to build a following and portfolio and get booked.

[quote][R34] - “She’s a big deal.” Not to me or anyone I know.

because you don't mix with fifteen year old gurls.

They move to LA with no savings and no plans. Then they rent one bedroom apartments in WeHo and wonder why they're broke in 60 days. Moving to a big city is hard. I have a younger cousin who asked me about moving to NYC after high school. I responded...try Philly first.

Lived and worked in LA for 35 years. Fun when young. No place to retire. Miss it? Nope.

Usually when someone refers to “the Hills”, they’re not taking about Silverlake and the surrounding area. Makes much more sense though. It’s not THAT bad getting in and out of WeHo. I actually like to ride my bike if I go to the beach, parking is easy and I get an extra workout.

[quote] Then they rent one bedroom apartments in WeHo and wonder why they're broke in 60 days.

More DL posts from the year 1983

R64 see what you mean re ‘hills’.

Didn’t mean it in a negative sense re Weho, it’s just there’s no direct freeway access so you don’t get those super quick times like you do elsewhere that has a freeway handy.

FWIW I love Weho it’s always a good day out.

Young people move to big cities and then away from them all the time. Somehow there's this need to explain why. It no longer fits your life - fine. MOVE.

I will say that girl in the video are her discussion of LA's lack of urban planning is spot on. It's terrible - and it is an ugly city surrounded by beauty.

YES. DO. WE GOT TOOO MANY PEOPLE HERE IN LA AND IN FRISCO AND IN MANY CALIF CITYS....GO GO GO NOW!!!

well, find the dick pic.

It left for 3 months and decided to move back to LA?

Don't forget to buy a clock on Hollywood Blvd. the day you leave.

R39, No. Please stop. LA is not a hotbed of architectural innovation by any means. Phoenix is actually where things are being done that are blowing people's minds. LA is just a few signature buildings and Frank's huge ego.

[quote] Phoenix is actually where things are being done that are blowing people's minds.

😂😂😂😂😂

Like what???

Not sure which is the bigger basic-bitch move: moving out of LA because of minor inconveniences and a deep-seated human need for a 4000 sq. ft. 4BR/5BA house on half an acre (for two people); or loudly proclaiming one's intention to do so.

No one cares. Least of all people in LA.

Yeah - I'd like to see some supporting evidence for r72's bold statement.

It's idiots like this....

Choice tidbits: "They arrived last spring in possession of a promise, $800, two backpacks and two duffel bags."

Loxk and his girlfriend, Bri Meilbeck, who just turned 24, suddenly had only each other. They were novice travelers. They’d been together just one month. In a giant city, they had no one else whose support they knew they could count on.

I'm sure the native Angelenos don't care either way when wannabes come in, complain about everything and then pack up and move. The working class and middle class population which has been there for generations probably doesn't even care or think about these transplant influencers who want to be stars.

There are so many people trying to get on the VLOG ladder. There are other "leaving LA" vlogs, even.

I remember when VLOGS were a new thing. I remember early gay VLOGS. They'd be linked on the DL and of course be torn apart savagely. There was one guy who was convinced no one knew he was gay - you can imagine the DL response to him.

Thank you R54

I can’t help but think of the scene in Annie Hall R54. Where ... what’s his name pleads with Woody Allen’s character to move to L.A. and NYC what a dump (and perhaps it kind of was in the 70’s) and “everyone” was doing it.

Anyone else convinced the red states are busing their homeless here? The homeless population in LA has increased like ten fold. It’s disgusting.

Just in case anyone was confused about what L.A. is about in terms of architecture, here’s a fascinating article. Maybe we’ll get to see one about Phoenix. Although, I think Tucson has some really nice works, particularly by Rick Joy.

Yes, R81

A gentleman by the name of Gavin Newsom has made similar claims.

That does happen R81, and it isn’t just red states.

What will I do if I leave Los Angeles? Who will I sit with in hipster diners every day talking about my ‘projects’

Use FaceTime or Zoom.

R81 what’s disgusting? The cynicism of the weaponization / politicization of homeless populations?

R81 - ive been advocating sending out homeless pop to LA county for years.

The funny thing about Leaving LA videos is all the complaints are the same as they've been for decades: traffic, population, smog, rent, housing.

None of it is new and no one notices when anyone leaves.

Reminds me of that saying (paraphrasing) R89, people are not talking about you because they are more interested in themselves.

oh mary,,,,phoenix is pitiful.....git real.

Phoenix is where poor people go to die.

And yet R91 & R92, you aren’t saying why people should stay in L.A.

Don’t die on a hill on this one because you won’t win.

As a person who doesn’t like Phoenix or LA, LA is much more interesting and beautiful.

I lived in Phoenix for 10+ years R94, and I don’t disagree that LA is, on the whole, better.

LA is also, at least 5X more expensive (if not more).

It all comes down to priorities but I’d rather live in a decent place that I could afford, rather than a dump in a bad neighborhood, and tell people “I live in LA!”

I think a lot of it comes down to your living situation. From my experience (not speaking for others) one spends more time on average at your own home than you would do in a more dense city (as a function of things like traffic / driving etc.) so it is important to be comfortable and happy in your house. It’s also wise to choose a neighbourhood where you can walk for certain functions and to be near where some friends live - so that you can circumvent some of those problems. That’s why people that complain about it always complain about ‘I hate my gross apartment’ because the apartment is representative of their not understanding that your living situation will govern your general experience to a higher degree that usual. It’s the most common symptom of someone that doesn’t like it here, but it also has causation.

TL;DR don’t be lazy about your choice of abode and you’ll have a much better life here.

Also some people just won’t like it, in the way that that can happen in any city.

No one is “sending” homeless to LA. They all are going on their own volition because of the weather and permissiveness. Why would a homeless person live in Wisconsin or New Hampshire when LA beckons?

Phoenix is very relaxing and noticeably clean after spending a lot of time in LA.

Money may not bring you happiness, but it does give you choices. You are limited to neighborhoods by how much you can spend on a house or apartment.

In my Texas city (I’ll keep it anonymous) our law enforcement offers homeless and homeless criminals a bus ticket to LA and $100 in cash, or time in state prison. Almost all of them take the Greyhound ride.

[quote] Why would a homeless person live in Wisconsin or New Hampshire

For those delicious bratwurst and maple syrup.

Google is your friend R97

Lol R99 what a new way of thinking ;)

You know that you DON'T have to watch these videos OP. Nobody is putting a gun to your head.

You're obviously not in Austin, r100, so you must be in one of those Texas cities where people brag about what "good christians" they are.

How nice for you.

LA is an ugly dump.

In L.A. people post videos about leaving the city. In New York they write articles about the same thing. It's the difference between 40-50 collective IQ points.

R107 So true! It’s because most people that go to LA are fucking retards from Indiana and Missouri that wanted to ‘make it’ Those same people would never survive in New York.

Hey! We went to college, thank you!

I'm not sure why anyone would feel upset about these sort of people leaving LA -- this place could use at least a million fewer people -- and having them gravitate to NY seems rather appropriate as it speaks to the sort of identity crisis they've seemed suspended in since the turn of the century.

People go to L.A. first, realize they can’t compete, then go to N.Y., realize that it’s a big expensive dumpster, and everyone is ugly, and then go back to L.A., try again, fail, and THEN go back to the Midwest.

R111 right now they’re going to Nashville. That seems to be the trajectory.

[quote] right now they’re going to Nashville.

I can't imagine anything sadder than Nashville, except maybe Memphis.

One of my best friends lived in LA. She *loved* it. Would always talk about how much she loved living there.

But a few months ago she told me, "I'm leaving. I don't feel safe here anymore. I can't walk on the sidewalk without homeless people harassing me. The air is dirty. It's a nightmare."

I could never live in LA or California. I don’t like the beach, hot weather or sun. Give me a rain, snow, and cabin by the lake.

Sounds like your friend lives in the wrong neighborhood. I’m still leaving, I agree about the air quality.

R115, California has all of the things listed in your last sentence.

In theory CA is nice. But you end up living in your drab little neighborhood and never going to the beach because it’s such a hassle. Maybe drive somewhere for a hike - but lately everything is brown and burned out. Assuming the fires have gone out and you can actually breathe the air.

My best friend used to live in LA until this summer.

They said, "It turned."

The idea of living in parts of LA is nice but in practice it actually isn’t all that wonderful. I relocated from SF to LA in 2005, lived in Pasadena but worked at Cedars Sinai 3 days a week. I chose Pasadena because I liked the town and I didn’t want to live right next to work.

My apartment in Pasadena was a dream. An updated, spacious 1-BR with high ceilings in a well-maintained 1940s building. It came with parking and monthly rent was only $1450. The commute out of and into Pasadena was horrendous on some days and barely tolerable on most days. I ended up venturing out around neighboring areas instead of exploring the rest of LA. I found myself weighing the pros and cons of heading out for activities because I knew the amount of time I’d have to spend in my car fighting traffic.

But the traffic wasn’t the dealbreaker, it was the air quality that did me in. I remember one day on my way to a medical appointment I was sitting in my car parked on W. Olympic Blvd, trying to catch my breath as it was a typical smoggy LA day. I wiped my nose only to notice black soot on the tissue paper. That was the day when I decided that LA wasn’t in my longterm plans. I like the city and visit frequently to this day but the air quality is the dealbreaker against settling down in LA.

[quote]Why is it such a big deal for people that they have to make videos to justify their decision?

Because narcissists think everything they do is a big deal. Everything they do is *special* and must be photographed or filmed, then broadcast to the world. Everyone else should feel lucky to have such bright and brilliant people sharing themselves with the world.

OTOH, if you are well off enough to afford a house in Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, the Palisades or Santa Monica north of Montana, and you work on the West Side as well, life is pretty sweet. Your commute is short, the beach is close by as are dozens of really good restaurants and other shops.

In any other metro area you'd need to move to the burbs to get a big house with a pool and then have to deal with a long commute every day.

R108 who wants to survive in New York?

R120 I've never blown black soot from my nose in LA, only New York

I sorta love the name Black Soot now. Someone should name a marijuana dispensary after it.

When I look around at the people that have invaded LA in the last 8+ years it's all the shlumpy boring types that creative, interesting and adventurous people in the Midwest move to get away from.

They look like the American equivalent of the "Japanese" tourist sticking out like a sore thumb, while actually looking LIKE a sore thumb.

LA's problems are common with every big city now. It's still cheaper than San Francisco and NYC. Philly, Houston and Dallas are relatively cheap too but they don't offer what LA or NYC has to offer. It seems it's easier to settle in LA if you are willing to drive everywhere and share an apartment because I know a few people out there in the arts field and they say it's doable. Unlike NYC which has a lot of old money and an establishment attitude that can be read as snobby. LA has more of a DIY and free spirit attitude that appeals to a lot of people especially those who don't have any connections. If you are into the tech and computer industry, LA is more appealing too because it's cheaper than SF. Of course, if you want to be an actor or model then it's going to be tough because you are competing with everyone who is hot in that regard.

But if you have actual talent and a marketable skill then LA probably is better than NYC.

I dream of moving to Palm Springs.

Having worked in both cities, LA and NYC, I’ve noticed that people in LA use looks as a crutch, while people use their family or education as a crutch in NYC. By crutch, I mean using something in lieu of experience or skills.

Moving to LA has a greater meaning in society than moving to most cities. It says someone is trying to achieve their goals in a very big and visible way. This has been ingrained though decades of media. Moving away carries a perception (legitimate or not) of a public admission of failure as a consequence. No one questions leaving Minneapolis or Denver after a few years because things didn’t work out and there are better opportunities elsewhere. No explanation needed. People often stay in LA (or NYC, London or their alpha city ilk) too long whilst being miserable because it’s hard to admit defeat to family and friends. People are cunty, and enjoy a bit of schadenfreude. ‘We knew it wouldn’t work’!

San Diego sounds like a cheaper and less congested version of LA. It looks beautiful and so does it nearby cites like Oceanside.

Now I’m waiting for the nasty queens that will say that Oceanside is ghetto. “Too many Mexicans, too many military people!” That’s why Oceanside is great, I get the best chips and salsa when I’m down there, and the eye candy is bonkers.

Such an interesting and relevant video. I'm going to post one about why I decided to wear gray socks today instead of blue.

These are the same idiots who makes videos about unboxing DVD sets and everything else. Everything needs to be broadcast. People live for the comments to validate what they're doing.

R133, let me know when you post it.

San Diego is lovely but my only problem there is you have to get on a freeway/highway to go anywhere like a grocery store? San Jose is the same in that regard. I hate it! I just want some apples.

R136 - I live in Hillcrest and walk to Trader Joe’s every day or every other day. But luckily I don’t need a big yard and I hate the suburbs.

Well, you will need a car in any place you live outside of a few cities in the USA. I was forced out of my rent controlled apartment in San Francsico and moved to Phoenix. The rents are much lower but the car does cost a lot each month. Plus, I am in Phoenix. The only thing good about it is the rent.

R132 I can never understand this weird kind of comment where you use the potential but not actual comments of others as an opportunity to get your own dig in. I don’t know what ‘nasty queens’ you’re referring to because they’re not here. The only nastiness re San Diego seems to be coming from you.

There’s certainly a lot of “trash” in San Diego. Luckily, I’m attracted to dumb, straight, military men and poor Mexican studs. I’m a kid in a candy store.

[R139] needs a hug, poor baby.

San Jose is a dump. I did see one of the cute historic neighborhoods but it seemed like it had no cultural heart. Sacramento looked Parisian in contrast.

apartment bldgs. are emptying out; mostly in the big ones that have all the amenities; mommy and daddy pay $2500-$4K a month for a studio or 1-2 BR so Johnny and Mary can try to live the dream.

Elder gay here; mom passed away earlier this year so , LA is home now.

Praying and working hard for a post COVID great Act III

[R143] are you transitioning from porn to real estate? Or attorney to porn star?

attorney?

things were never THAT bad!

These video remind me of a video I saw yesterday by a really stupid American couple living in Mexico. Their video was called something like "why you SHOULDN'T move to Mexico" and one of their reasons was "you will really have to know Spanish if you want to live in the country". Is that not commonsense?! Only a bunch of self-absorbed dimwits would make a video like that.

If one million left LA and one million left SF a lot of Cali's problems would be over.

If the ones leaving could be the ones living off Mommy and Daddy, that would be GREAT.

R38 She's not ugly, you freak. Are you blind?

Father John Misty - "Leaving LA" [Official Music Video]

New to LA from NY and glad to be here. For all the obvious reasons. Space, light, natural beauty (really), etc. New York can rough if you don't feel like you're getting ahead. Super glad to be back on the West Coast. I'll go back East in some form or another, but LA is new life for me in 2020 especially. Even in a shutdown.

I lived in LA for over 15 years and have been in NYC for more than 10. We're ready for a change. I don't necessarily want to be back in LA. It's actually more expensive than NYC now. The rents are much higher, you need a car, gas, etc. And we can' even think of buying a house. I put a 1m into Zillow and his search and there was NOTHING in a decent area of the westside. The upside is it is close to friends and family - but my husband thinks it is going to be like old times. It's not. Our friends are in their mid to late 40s. A lot has changed in the twelve years we've been gone.

R147, if 1 million people left SF, the City’s population would be minus 130,000.

R153, that's the point. And lots of people here call it Cali but no one under 65.

SF Bay Area has almost 8 million.

These shirts became famous because although it ostensibly simply spells out California, some took it literally, NIA meaning Nortenos in Action.

Everything is relative R152. If you want to live in a decent neighborhood you may sacrifice square footage and space. If square footage and space is important you might live in a neighborhood that is iffy.

Fuck the Nortenos !

LA's golden era was roughly from the end of WWII to somewhere in the 70s. People who grew-up with that will never see it again. Golden eras for any place are like that.

I came to LA in the late 1980s.

There was this fun tourist book -- it had all the landmarks; many of them were gone; now, 30 years later, even more are gone.

Changes happened here gradually, but if I were ever to see them all in a sped up video I'd fall over.

It's the little things I miss: there was this great little diner called Jan's that had a parking lot, great diner food, and waitresses out of Central Casting, fun characters.

I came to LA and had an IBM selectric typewriter and an answering machine that clicked and whirled so loudly it woke me up. I got a VCR about four months after moving here.

Now we're in a digital world -- iPhones, iTunes, DVRs and laptops.

[quote]I didn't even make it 5 seconds. If you are on a budget move to the Central Valley or Palm Springs. It's no biggie.

It's no biggie except it's hot as fuck for half the year.

[quote]If the ones leaving could be the ones living off Mommy and Daddy, that would be GREAT

R148 I don't get what this has to do with you or why that would bother anyone.

R152, LA's rents have certainly increased but NYC is still more expensive. And you get much less in terms of square footage and amenities.

LA is a dump

LA has plenty of natural beauty and nice areas.

I lived in LA in the 90s, and while it was a pivotal time, I could never go back. It really has changed. I love going to visit friends and basking in the chill vibe (relative time NYC)...but I need 4 seasons. And as others have mentioned, rent ain’t cheap out there anymore.

Natural areas"? LA is basically a desert. If it was left more that way, water would be such a big issue.

r164 - Rosa Moline weighs in.

r160 - ....

R167 Beaches, lots of places to hike, Runyon Canyon, Mount Hollywood and Griffith Park, which is huge compared to Central Park (for ex). Topanga Canyon, The Strand - the coastal bike path from Santa Monica to Redondo. Santa Monica Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Big Bear plus Palm Springs and the desert aren't far.

I moved to LA with six of my gay pals in 1985. Arrived in WeHo the day Rock died. We "did" it and El Lay" did" us. Glad I had a reckless youth. Soul survivor. Fabulous memories.

Le Dome, Jimmy’s, Spago, Chasens.

Where do you live now r171?

Los Angeles was once a magical place to launch a thousand dreams. Now it’s a shithole full of homeless tent camps and pedophiles.

I grew up in LA, between Pasadena and the Los Feliz hills. It was wonderful. I graduated HS in 1984, BTW.

Summers at the beach, camping in Yosemite/Sequoia, visiting Big Sur/Monterey. Skiing in winter at Big Bear.

Hiking in Los Aneles Forest (never was lucky enough to find human remains), Griffith Park and Eaton Canyon. Horseback riding in Burbank.

Basically, if your family has money, LA will always be great. I did need a change and moved to NYC and eventually the Hudson Valley. I really am not interested in moving to LA, but it is a great city.

My mother moved many years ago to a beautiful beach community in South Bay, very nice to visit. Dad is still in Los Feliz.

I did my medical training in LA and met people from all walks of life. I decided to simplify my life and work less. I would never move back to LA unless I was making more money. It's hard to enjoy living in LA without being able to afford a great neighborhood, eating out, etc.

BTW, smog was horrible in the 70's. Air is clean now in LA and is nothing like my childhood, where we had "smog days" at school and could not go outside to play.

People make these big announcements when they leave LA as if they recently detected a decline and are moving away to a better place.

They spend the rest of their lives insufferably talking about how things were "...when I lived in LA."

R173 Clicked my heals and washed up in a pink flat by the sea where it's always 1983.

R176: they've always been insufferable about that. Much worse than New Yorkers, although people who leave the Bay area often discover that there is a whole world out there....who knew?

"Clicked my heals and washed up in a pink flat by the sea where it's always 1983."

Oh, I see - Fort Lauderdale!

I visited LA 5 years ago and I ended up loving it. It really is NOT a great city to be a tourist in. You need someone who has some famliarity with it to show you around. If you go to stupid places like the Hollywood sign, Hollywood walk of fame, of course you will HATE the city. Why would anyone with a brain do those things though!? LA probably has the best Asian food in the country---Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, etc. Whereas in other cities, you'll find generic versions of dishes from these countries, LA has many restaurants from smaller ethniciites from these countries. I think there is even a restaurant that serves Uhyghur food? The "American" food in LA kind of sucks and I found Chicago has way better breakfast places. But the vibe in Los Angles is amazing and can't be beat.

R180 Sounds great if all you like to do is eat.

R81, Vegas was sued because their solution to the homeless problem was to copy Blue State NYC. However the one way bus ticket offered was only to CA. Of course there was no one to help the mentally ill indigent when they were carried off the Greyhound bus.

Nowhere is perfect. All you self righteous queens going off about LA and NY - it’s ridiculous. I’ve lived in NY for years, I have friends in LA and I visit them often (pre covid). Both places have issues and both places also have reasons to stay. Like anywhere (now cue the screaming MARYS lecturing me about how I could have more space for less money in a smaller city and I’m an asshole for acting like New York is fine blah blah blah). It all depends on your personal situation. Gurls on DL who have left New York and/or LA get rock hard attacking both places and accusing anyone who stays of being shallow and stupid (LA) or being mentally ill and having Stockholm syndrome (NY). Why do you care? Live wherever the fuck you want. Move if you want to. People have different priorities and that’s fine. The judgment is out of control. Not surprising for datalounge but so over the top. Extra AF.

R183 - we don’t use phrases like “extra AF” here.

R184 go fuck yourself

[quote]we don’t use phrases like “extra AF” here.

I don't mind the "AF" part. It's just an abbreviation. "Extra"? I don't even know what it means. And I have never wanted, nor bothered, to find out. Does this mean I'm "extra" or "unextra"?

No just annoying

R183 has stated her boundaries! "Gurl" is telling you NOW so she doesn't have to tell you THEN, etc.

People might take you more seriously if you could string a coherent sentence together. This isn't TikTok, love.

R188 yikes. That’s a sure way to show your age.

No one needs to justify leaving Buffalo.

From 82 link may I present "Chemosphere."

[quote]No one needs to justify leaving Buffalo.

But they need to justify leaving LA?

It's been decades since anyone has had to justify leaving LA. The traffic and sprawl alone, not to mention the cost of housing. And the bigots have been whining about immigrants for ages.

R193 - there are definitely lots of Mexicans everywhere. But I don’t mind them. They are hardworking and very polite to me.

R136 - um - what are you talking about? You don't have to go on a freeway to go to a grocery store!

Personally, I find the abundance of freeways in San Diego to be a great bonus - the traffic is never really that bad for a major city and you can get everywhere very quickly.

Here’s one of the hard working Mexicans in Los Angeles. He was procured outside of a Home Depot.

R115, you would love Minnesota.

Hey R71. I used to see X at the Whiskey when I was a teen - became friends with Exene. Good times.

[quote] Personally, I find the abundance of freeways in San Diego to be a great bonus - the traffic is never really that bad for a major city and you can get everywhere very quickly.

The last time I was in SD, the freeway traffic was horrible. It was a week day, 10:00 a.m., not rush hour. Stuck, bumper-to-bumper crawl.

R41 you are obviously British — are the brits still seeing LA as the place to be? Why not London? What do you do?

R200 how accusatory. Typically BG I tend to almost always agree with your comments but to be accused of being British is the ultimate insult. Maybe I will have to rethink ;) I am Irish, London is fine, but next door. The visual language of the west coast always appealed to me, like a different world. Which it is in a way. However the world feels much smaller to me now that it used to. When I return to Europe it won’t be to London, especially with their rather insular turn.

LA really has changed and it isnt the panacea it once was for people weary of the east coast and looking for a change. My brother moved out there after college in 1995. He's a BIG surfer and swore he'd never return. Over the years, he built up a great career in photography, bought a nice little arts and crafts cottage in Silver Lake, etc.

Cut to this summer when he and his wife moved out in the middle of the night, practically screaming. All of his work disappeared. His taxes were sky-rocketing. And at least once a month he'd have to chase away a homeless person shitting on his lawn.

They are in Chicago now of all places, rented the house out in LA and now they're thinking of moving to the Hudson Valley.

Unless you're from there or really make it big, these big cities will grind you into the ground. It's all about knowing when to get the fuck out.

R202 your brother sounds like your typical Silverlake self involved drama queen.

I’d skip Silverlake. Pro tip: you can avoid these problems west of La Brea.

Ok I am an LA native and, outside of a very few tiny pockets, most people are obese and as ugly as anywhere else. Also, there is no glamour....only in these poor lost young peoples' heads. It's pretty much freeway, suburbs, a few pockets of flashy and wealthy Persians and all kinds of other ethnic communities. Yeah, you see a few surfers at Malibu if you pay a fortune to park on a cloudy beach with ice cold water...warning, said surfers may be homophobic, old, unwashed (for days), and right wing.

Diverse food is all.

R204 - Pro-tip: only the one percenters can afford to live west of La Brea.

Since when do 1%ers live in Culver City?

R204 - the fuck? You can't even move on those streets. One block = one hour in traffic. Mainly Persian infested except a few elderly Jewish people and R207 Culver City is not a desirable location but still half expensive half ghetto with a miserable mall and hellish traffic. Also, it smells west of La Brea due to smog....nastier than parts of the valley.

R202, tell your brother welcome to the beautiful Hudson Valley! ❤️

Although he shouldn’t be traveling during a pandemic! ☝🏾

R202 Tell your brother home prices and rents are rising rapidly here in the mid Hudson Valley, due to the massive number of city people moving in.

R205: You remind me---on my first trip to LA, I was expecting people to be more fit and glamorous than in the Midwest. They weren't. On later trips, I'd find myself with time on my hands while my sister was working and my nephew was going to school. I would go to various places to see what was there (sometimes touristy-ish places like Santa Monica, sometimes more mundane places like Pasadena), try out interesting sounding restaurants for lunch and often had time to just people watch. It was on those occasions that I saw how sad so many people were (including those W of LaBrea!). Lots of people who frankly looked clinically depressed, usually middle aged or older but sometimes rather young, alone and looking lonely. I imagined that they came to LA for the sun, annoyed family back home about the weather, didn't realize how surprisingly dreary the inters could be and never fully grasped that being miserable in a place that was supposed to be magical simple made them more depressed. Something they could never admit to the people back in Detroit , Long Island, or wherever. I've also been to NYC dozens of times, and there are unhappy looking people there, but it never seems profoundly the same as in LA. I always like arriving LA, picking up the rental car and driving off, but discovered later that I was rarely sad to leave. To me, it's unsurprising that anyone leaves LA and the whole idea that you were supposed to go there and achieve some dream seems like something that past a long time ago.

LA isn't for everyone, especially if you're not in the entertainment industry, but there is plenty to do and some beautiful scenery. There was one Sunday where I started the day snowboarding in Big Bear and later had a drink watching the sun set at Paradise Cove. It's the ability to do things like that that make it difficult to leave. And sorry, Pasadena is not mundane.

[quote]You don’t see people making videos about leaving Buffalo, NY.

Because they left a long time ago.

R199 - you must have been behind an accident or something. I can assure you - traffic is not backed up at 10am anywhere in SD.

Now, you can get stuck in surprising locations when military shifts happen (7am to 3pm).

Otherwise, one instance is not indicative of general traffic patterns. Interestingly, 2019 LA traffic is ranked 6th in behind Boston, Chicago, Phil, NYC, and DC, which is hard to believe.

I wish someone would be real in these videos - "I failed. I've come to realize I don't posses the talent I was led to believe I have. For the millions of others from podunk towns who are goodlooking but lack talent and are seeking this career where you do very little for many rewards, this business is tough. Don't throw away that Kohl's application."

R216: It's probably obvious, but also soul crushing to make that admission.

And many of them aren't from podunk, but from well-off suburbs of medium to large cities, with lots of advantages. Some people leave LA because mommy and daddy are no longer willing to subsidize it. And its not that people are necessarily w/o talent. They may simply lack the right talent at the right time. I had a friend whose sister pursued a singing career in LA. She had a pleasant voice and original material, but she didn't have the kind of style, charisma perhaps or material to succeed in her time. Her parents were well-off, but not rich so their subsidies were limited, still they were part of her margin for being able to stay in LA. Her career peaked as a backup singer for people like DL fave Linda Ronstadt and after a few years she came back to her cushy suburb and pursued a different profession.

There also are people who can't give no matter how hopelessly untalented they are. I remember having lunch at Canter's once and having no trouble overhearing a conversation with a guy who appeared to be an older lower echelon agent and some desperate middle aged woman who was having trouble getting booked as a singer on the nursing home circuit. He was trying to be polite and she clearly thought she was still destined for the Hollywood Bowl and probably hoped he was picking up the tab.

R217 - that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.

It was very sad, but I'd imagine a lot of people are in her situation.

Even for people who are "successful", things can look grim. A college friend of mine found "success" in LA--he is a concert trained pianist but he makes most of his living booking packages of entertainers (including himself)for various events. His musical taste was a little , shall we say "old" (he once was part of some Lawrence Welk touring group) which may be an advantage for this, but it seems like a sad way of staying in show business---I can just imagine having to cajole wedding singers and would be opera singers to do an anniversary party in some middling suburb that is inconvenient for all parties concerned. He still records and composes but its just stuff he sells on his website, so he's really just playing for the wedding, bar mitvah, brithday, and retirement party crowds that want something familiar rather than something new.

Most people, who I know, usually go on the real estate agent, therapist, HR professional or porn star, after a failed career in the entertainment industry.

If you fail and go back to leading a normal life, it's easier in your hometown than in LA. You're constantly reminded of your failed dreams and often run into your contemporaries. Years and years back, we knew this actor named Kevin Brophy who was the star of a show called Wolf Boy, or something like that. It didn't last long and a few months after that, we saw him parking cars at the Hotel Bel Air. He got the last laugh as some stranger bequeathed half of his estate to him for no other reason than he was a fan.

The TV show was Lucan R221. He worked fairly steadily after that. He was a working actor that didn't become a breakout star. The chances of becoming the next big star are slim. Some of it is just damn good luck. I wonder where everyone from Friends would be if there never was a Friends.

R217, there are PLENTY from podunk. In the 9 years I lived there, I met a number of backwoods beauties from the bayous of Louisiana to the cornfields of Nebraska to the mountains of Vermont. And they were walking cliches: beat up cars, crappy studio apartments and a job waiting tables. No one was bankrolling them. Though that probably happen more now with millenials and gen z who can't do a fucking thing without their parents.

I never knew an actor who didn't start out poor, and not bankrolled by their parents. But that was then, this is now now, I guess. I notice a lot of young actors who live in way better places and drive good cars, but some of them have Instagram now, and brand endorsements, and there are a lot more short films, there's more voice work, but mainly, there are a LOT more shows that have young casts.

There are so many who come from fucked up families and don't have that support. At least several that I've met. That's why they ran away to LA to take a gamble and try and become rich and famous. Many dealt drugs and escorted to get by. For the few with an actual moral backbone, it was said to see them resort to that and slowly chip away at their conscience. It haunted one friend so bad, he ended up taking his own life. It even haunts actors who make it, which is why so many of them are addicts and alcoholics.

R217 How good was her voice? Like Mariah Carey or more like Britney?

The talented one or the nursing home circuit one?

The talented one sounded like neither (thankfully less annoying). She really didn't fit the mold of her time and certainly not the breathy/reedy stuff that's been around since then---she sounded more like Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, which already was an outdated style when the film was made (which was well before I knew her). Her own stuff was more "middle of the road" than the confessional/elliptical stuff that singer songwriters did and that genre was pretty much exhausted by then. So, again, old fashioned.

Who knows what Miss Bedpan sounded like---probably and offkey of Florence Henderson or worse, Merman.

See, I'm not here for the entertainment industry, I'm into the weather! I'm amused by the movie history but glad I'm not on that treadmill.

Doesn't it cost a fortune to Live in the nice(er) parts of L.A.?

[quote] Doesn't it cost a fortune to Live in the nice(er) parts of L.A.?

To buy? Most certainly.

[italic] Got on board a westbound 747

Didn't think before deciding what to do

Oh, that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies

Rang true, sure rang true

Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?

Had offers but didn't know which one to take

Please don't tell 'em how you found me

Don't tell 'em how you found me

Gimme a break, give me a break

Seems it never rains in southern California

Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before

It never rains in California

But girl, don't they warn ya?

It pours, man, it pours

A big of the problem is that most of these people have absolutely no talent, and other than their looks, have nothing to offer. Most were raised believing they were "special" and believed it. Think American Idol where the most tone deaf people try to be singers and are devastated when reality smacks them and someone is honest with them . I know several who moved to LA to become "stars", but either crashed and burned, or went into porn. The thing they all had in common ? Not one took it seriously and were only looking for the adoration, money and stardom. No classes, no making connections, etc...They just expected it to fall into their laps because of their looks. Funny thing about it, I had several connections at the time and tried to set one of them up with an agent, photographer, etc....he never followed through and couldnt understand why he had to resort to porn.

Brains - San Francisco. Ambition - Los Angeles. Brains and ambition - NYC.

Narcissistic disorder - NYC and Los Angeles

Age 56 in a depressingly small apartment - NYC

This is fun. Dodging bags of trash and freezing your ass off - NYC

Sad, pathetic 45 year old living a “fabulous” life on Instagram - Los Angeles

Sad pathetic 45 year old who thinks Broadway shows are relevant and knots a scarf around his neck - NYC

With Instagram, YouTube, influence, is success easier? I see some of the younger people can get a bit of a following going on TikTok as well. You could be making money with devoting yourself 24/7 to a youtube channel or doing self-porn on OnlyFans these days. I guess we think of it as sub-fame but some of the YouTubers are millionaires. Where's it all going? Is it all fleeting?

Living the best life ever: 48 year old who owns his own lakefront condo, is an A-gay and big part of the community, and a partner in a thriving insurance business - Toledo

You said A-gay and Toledo. That's not possible.

What’s an “A-gay”? Sounds like someone needs to stop watching Biktarvy commercials.

R240 - Toledo killed that post. I have to live in a world class city. (Just not LA or NYC)

[quote] What's an "A-Gay"?

Dunno R242

Something I've seen on Datalounge. Flyoverstanis seem to be particularly concerned with this so I thought it made sense in my mythical Toledoite's post. I have not idea if Toledo is even near a lake, lol

With the low cost of living, R243, you'd have enough money to spend one weekend a month in the "World Class City" of your choosing, actually enjoying the restaurants, theaters and nightlife.

I'm glad I work behind the scenes. It's stressful, but a lot less stressful and a different stress than being an actor/singer/etc. I've been successful and the people who know me in my field like and respect me. I have a working actor friend who has a decent part in Tenet. It could've been their big break...but Rona.

I also have a friend who just moved here, never worked in the industry before, and got a studio gig at 100K/year. I'm...slightly jealous.

People who NEED to be in a “world class city” aren’t creative. They rely on others to make their lives interesting.

Was R240's post a joke or serious?

Toledo, Spain or Ohio?

Satire R248

Though I have seen similar posts many times on DL that were not intended as satire

R247 - We live in a “world class city” because we grow and thrive off of others’ creativity. They inspire us and we inspire them.

So much DRAMA!

Cultural elites, like Donald Judd, leave the city because they don’t need it.

[quote] Cultural elites, like Donald Judd

Good point. But with the term 'a-gay' we're talking about some semblance of society. Big in Ohio maybe.

Good--everybody should move out so I can move back.

But not until they rake the forests properly!

Some cultural elites love 'the city'. There's actors and artists alike who you couldn't pry out of NY or LA.

People in LA are also less educated than those in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Boston, DC, San Diego, etc. LA has a lower % of people with college degrees than all these cities.

R122 is correct. The key to happiness is to live, work, and play in the same area that also has some walkability to grab coffee, a bite, etc. Or be rich enough to own a home where you have everything you need to enjoy life at home - pool, views, space, easy commute. WeHo heading to the westside is ideal setup for this. Commuting will kill your experience. A non-local/amateur mistake would be to find a neighborhood you love and not factor in your commute time in the decision making process, like living in Pasadena b/c you like the area and then commenting to Cedars which is BH Adj. If you want Pasadena, you should set your whole life up there. LA is a city that you have to know the rules of the game. I've had so many boyfriends in my twink years have moved here to be stars b/c they literally were the hottest person in their no name midwestern town and then lose all their confidence when they come here. LA is probably more enjoyable when you have a tangential relationship to Hollywood. I have friends, families, and have had partners in the industry, but I am a civilian and am not in entertainment. I've travelled and experienced other cities, but I don't know of a better place to live for me. Some cities like you and others do not. I used to joke with friends that if LA likes you, life can be pretty sweet. This is one of the few cities where anything can happen and your life can literally change for the better overnight in a number of industries. On the flip side, LA hates some people and they just can't seem to catch a break.

Please influencers, leave the city. My friend was telling me that he was working with TikTok influencers who rent 50K/month BH mansions and all live together in a TikTok frat house. It will be interesting to see where social media influencers end up. Like many industries here, save your money if you make some.

If you speak of living in a "world class city", then you don't. It's the kind of description people use in Atlanta and places of its ilk.

Bullshit r258

There’s a lower percentage of people with college degrees in L.A. because of the number of maids, landscapers, painters, etc. needed to maintain houses West of La Brea. In New York, very few people require maids, most people can’t even afford it.

In L.A. you wake up the sound of lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners and leaf blowers. In New York, you just hear people yelling, horns honking, or silence because you live in a coffin-like apartment in the sky.

People in LA are NOT shallow!

These threads will always devolve into queens who live in flyover states claiming their lives are amazing and attacking people who live in NY and LA.

You don’t see New Yorkers or Angelenos (is that the word?) starting threads asking why anyone stays in Toledo, Ohio or wherever the fuck you all live.

You marys doth protest too much. Focus on your incredible lives in your small cities or towns or wherever you exist. I’m quite happy in New York - CRAZY I know considering I live in a coffin surrounded by pounds of garbage and hoards of violent homeless people. I must be such a delusional liar blah blah blah.

So tiresome.

When you hit middle age and your situation has not improved, get back to us r263. Reality will eventually sink in.

Thank you, R262, but no thank you for the face.

R265 - he’s what we call here in Texas a “butter face.”

“Damn that’s a hot body, ‘but her’ face 😱”

This NY vs LA stuff is funny.

Thank you R257

That really is the biggest thing LA has going for it in terms of quality of life

[quote] TikTok influencers who rent 50K/month BH mansions and all live together in a TikTok frat house.

When does it go away? Does TikTok even have ads? I guess so. Are they going to hit us with weak hoodie merch like all of YouTube?

I thought the influencing trend was dying down because they don't influence enough people.

Another prominent YouTuber leaving L.A.

This does seem to be a trend.

R41, you're right on all points. I lived in L.A. many decades and it was great--beautiful weather, dozens of places to go on weekends, lots of work, interesting people, many great apartments if you look. I lived in a lovely courtyard apartment in Hollywood that had been built in the 30s. But my first apartment was a roach palace.

R272 - sounds like an absolutely wonderful time in your life. I had the same, but in Austin, Texas. I’ve long moved on, but keep the memories.

When moving from a big city, people need to explain: "No, L.A. did *not* chew me up and spit me out."

It's like Midnight Train to Georgia: "L.A. ... proved too much for the man." You don't want to be that man.

Hi, guys! I just posted a video to my Youtube channel. It's all about ME! I'M leaving for the grocery store in a few minutes! And... and... guess what else? I'M gonna post a birthday card in the lobby of MY building on the way out! `;[

It's been exactly one month since we settled into our retreat in the mountains; we had a mini-blizzard one night, but now a glorious spring has arrived with warm beautiful weather & we can actually hear songbirds! It IS different here, but the people are kind and we love our new home. The views are stunning; the main thoroughfare is usually DEVOID of traffic! Four-way stops, the best German bakery, farmer's markets, . . . after 42 years in LA we're just taking it all in. There IS life beyond the 405!

You can track the progress of these self-entitled drama-seeking twits as they move east, destroying everything in their wake like locusts. Somehow wherever they settle for a season turns into a wasteland and they have to move on because it’s been ruined. But you can’t hide from yourself. Wherever you go, there you are.

The type of people who are attracted to LA tend to be wanna be actors/actresses. Narcissism is to be expected.

Ironically- once you all leave- there WILL be more space and cleaner air.

Early on in the flood of migration to LA in one of the many articles about it it was mentioned that the increased numbers might be due to social media. Along with LA and New York many other places saw huge upticks in interested crowds, places like Mt. Everest and the blooming poppy fields were seeing huge numbers of people flocking there to get their photo op to post on social media.

As stupid as it sounds people looking to one up their friends and family, people desperate to show how cool and great their lives are with photographic evidence, were planning their lives around what gives them the best look on social media.

Los Angeles and New York have always been around. Everest, the poppies and other popular attractions aren’t new either. What is new is that people are more than ever before making choices based on how things look to others. It’s like so many people are living the reality show versions of their lives in their heads and making choices based on that.

These Gen Z Youtubers thrive on being victims, so it is LA's fault and infrastructure as to why they couldn't make it. They need to explain the extraneous reasons as to why they suck. Real stars who make it real Hollywood suck the high power cock of some fat old slug, live in their cars, relentlessly gift, and would eat a youtuber for breakfast.

For better or worse, there really is no other place to be than LA and NYC if you are gay, want a totally open, free lifestyle, and the opportunity to make a lot of money. Coming in second are SF/DC, being the LA/NYC for unattractive nerds. Atlanta is not on even on the map, although it seems to be a good place for POC to thrive and be open.

[quote]Real stars who make it real Hollywood suck the high power cock of some fat old slug, live in their cars, relentlessly g[R]ift, and would eat a youtuber for breakfast.

Such cynicism! Some of us got to the A List purely on raw talent and innocent love.

Whatever Meghan at R282! We are the same age and we both grew up here. You may not have sucked cock, but you went under the knife for those ridiculous titties in your Deal or No Deal days and actually were the blowjob girl in 90210. But you snagged a Prince, so you do did something right,

You're right, R280, but what will stop the juggernaut of social media/narcissism? We're just monkeys who love to grin at our reflection in the water. We can't get rid of that urge, just try to deflect it into more constructive pursuits. How, I'm not sure.