LA is a Dump

No offense to all my friends who have to live there but LA really is the world's largest dump. As I rode through it on the Airport Bus from Bakersfield to LAX, and then spent a wonderful three hours trying to find someplace to hookup my laptop besides right outside the mens' bathroom at the American Airlines terminal, all my old feelings about the city of concrete and box builders came back to me. No wonder people move to Bakersfield, and remember Bakersfield is no garden of Eden, to get away from the dump. If I was in LA , and had the money, I'd move to San Diego, a city with some character. No wonder the LA studios are all drying up of creativity. How can anything good come out of that place?

Oh I did find one table next to the Wall at the Burger King area with a normal outlet. But people kept looking at me like they were going to have me for lunch so they could have the table for their cell phones. So I went back to the hallway outside the mens' room and joined all the other college students sitting on the floor using their devices. And In and Out burgers can't hold a candle to Five Guys burgers. And yes I didn't get much sleep on the red eye chicken cage AA flight last night.

Falling Down, part 2: the preacher who just wants to go home and write a script.

So... you couldn't plug in your laptop, thus LA is a dump.

No wonder people move to Bakersfield? Uh... nope.

Seriously, dude, there are dumpy areas of every city. But it sounds like you rode the bus, then got mad because you spent 3 hours in the airport looking for a free place to plug in your laptop.

(I love how electronic devices make us feel entitled to wifi and spots to plug in.) :)

Not really a fair sample of LA, was it?

WWJD?

I enjoyed mt first stay in L.A. 3 weeks ago. Dumpiness and all.

I couldn't find a plug-in at the airport either.

And Bakersfield is the armpit of cali

The only good thing about Calvin's post is that he made only one typo (although twice the same one). The spelling seems to be improving. But the content is absurd.

I'm from the Palisades and Calvin, you have no idea what you're talking about.

I liked the farmer's market in LA. Thought it was very unique.

I am from EU. We have sockets all over the place. You can't even sit in a Burger king without sitting on a couple of them sockets. The good thing is - they are CEE 7/4 "Schuko", so very few people get electrocuted at Burger King.

But I think of LA as this magic, heavenly place with no dangerous outlets all over the place, where one can sit without a constant fear for his manhood. I imagine pens and papers floating around and ideas as abundant as Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, just waiting to be snatched, written and then filmed by the thousands eager studios, who are waiting for writers with red carpets and cold drinks.

Tony, it was exactly like that for me. But the carpet was blue.

You are my hero... What champagne did they serve?
I'd stay away from dumps that serve Roderer's Crystall or pink Dom. Go for a place that offers Krug 1988.
Don't settle for anything less than Hemingway sipped on.

Like I said Bakersfield isn't Paradise Lost, but I would rather live there than LA any day. The city's growth has indeed happened partially because folks would rather live in Bakersfield and make the two hour drive commute to LA and back every day to work than live in the concrete city.

California has many beautiful places to live, LA isn't one of them.

Judging one of the biggest cities in the world by its airport and a couple of cheap burger joints is perfectly normal and fair.

;-0

Calvin, Calvin, Calvin...

You really must get out of Bakersfield more often ;-)

Jamster

I'm posting from my home in Gainesville Fl. How far do you want me to go? I have been in LA off and one many times over the last 40 years. I have relatives who live there. And I have lived in most parts of the country at one time or the other. All I'm saying is you folks could do better.

@ Calvin
Seriously, Calvin, Bakersfield? Your post says more about you than LA.

Celebrated Father's day at Dodger stadium this afternoon along with 53,500 others. 74 degress, not a cloud in the sky, zero humidity. Dodgers won an extra inning thriller, 2 to 1 to maintain the best record in baseball. Afterward threw the ball around with my son and my 2 grandsons on the outfield grass, along with a 1000 other fathers and sons, even a few moms. Got home in time to do laps in the pool. You can swim all year in LA.

But you're right, Calvin, LA isn't for everybody. With the highest priced real estate in the world you'd best have some game. But the good thing about LA real estate is that it always goes up.

Been to Florida a few times, despite the humidity, I like South beach very much. But seriously, Calvin, Gainesville?

I'm definitely getting a home on Mulholland Drive when I move out of my parent's.

I have a love/hate relationship with LA myself. Lived there for 8 years, made some wonderful lifelong friends...also met a lot of fake, shallow people, but that wasn't unexpected. As for the natural beauty...you have the gorgeous beaches, the mountains...you can literally surf and snow ski in a single day if the season is right. As others have pointed out, there are beautiful museums, parks, places to view great works of art (LACMA, Getty, Huntington Gardens, etc.). The studios are awe-inspiring. Now, traffic is a nightmare and I couldn't stand having my life dictated by the rush hours (yes, that's a plural). Smog wasn't especially pleasant, but the climate was mostly cool and windy....ideal to exercise in, especially along places like the Boardwalk. I hope to earn enough money to afford a place there again, even though Austin has been and always shall be my home. LA is, at the very least, a great place to visit...

Tony -
my grandchildren all live here two boys, two baby girls. I'd rather live in Bakersfield. If I had my choice it would be Colorado or San Diego. If you have enough money any place is good to live. People who talk that way about Bakersfield have never lived there. If you can afford to live around the beach LA is great. Had an aunt who had about an 800 square foot house about 15 minutes from the beach. When she died 12 years ago it sold for over a million. Got any idea what kind of house you can buy for a million in Bakersfield? Besides, being an old hillbilly I feel much more at home with the Mexicans of Bakersfield than the pretentious whites of LA. You know, the kind of folks who think anything written without perfect spelling isn't worth reading.

Ever wonder if the reason Jesus never wrote anything is because he was afraid people would get upset about his spelling?

People who talk that way about LA have never lived there.

"No wonder the LA studios are all drying up of creativity. How can anything good come out of that place?"

Yes, the lack of free Wi-fi near the airport Burger King must be the reason for the lack of creativity. Great post. For the record, I love the town and especially love the weather. Of course, I'm one of them pretentious LA whites, lol. BTW, I've been to Gainesville and it's a sweaty swamp hole.