I moved from Kansas City to Los Angeles this summer. Even though both are considered cities, the two are very different.
My transition from KC to LA has been both an adventure and a learning curve. Here are the top ten most important things I have learned (the hard way) about living in LA.
1. You must plan ahead for traffic. I do not advise leaving Malibu at 4:00 p.m. to try to make your 6:30 p.m. dinner reservation in LA. Rookie mistake.
2. The LACMA is closed on Wednesdays. My mom, a museum enthusiast, dragged my sister and me out of bed on a Wednesday morning and took us to the LACMA. When we arrived, we sadly found out that the LACMA was closed. We instead went to the La Brea Tar Pits and have not found ourselves back at the LACMA since.
3. Do research before your hike; the trailheads are hidden. I have tried to join the active lifestyle, but since I am not a huge fan of hardcore cardio, I tried hiking. However, I have not yet successfully found a trailhead. I can see the trails, but I can’t see where they start. Guess my active lifestyle will have to wait until my geography skills improve.
4. Pizza is not a thing in LA.The first thing on my list when I moved here was to scout out a good pizza place, and, so far, nothing has made my stomach sing. Now I know why LA people are in such good shape––the pizza stinks.
5. When driving in Beverly Hills, watch out for tourists doing photoshoots in the middle of the road.Driving in LA is hard enough without the tourists. So, when you are turning the corner in Beverly Hills, watch out for people in the middle of the road taking photos with the palm trees.
6. Angelenos love their avocados. Angelenos are always excited to see avocado toast on the menu. I personally do not enjoy avocados and can tell that is an unpopular opinion, especially by the look I get when I ask my waiter for no avocados.
7. If you didn’t have road rage before, you will now. Before LA, I considered myself a bad driver. However, I have quickly realized that the streets of LA are full of drivers who are much worse than me. These drivers have slowly driven me to road rage. I now constantly find myself talking to myself in my car about the cars around me and how incompetent they are, with their texting, swerving, timidness or simply the fact that they can’t go over 25 mph.
8. The word is “freeways,” not “highways.” Not going to lie, I don’t know the difference between the two, but I do know that Angelenos do not acknowledge highways––only freeways. For example, an Angeleno would call the 405 a freeway, while others would call it a highway.
9. Celebrities are everywhere. I thought I would never be accustomed to seeing people who I am used to seeing on-screen in real life, but I now know better than to take out my phone and ask for a picture. Such a tourist move. I was especially proud of myself when I ran into Eric Dane, my 13-year-old crush from Grey’s Anatomy, and did not ask for a picture.
10. Sushi is a food group. It is hard enough to find a good place to eat out, but even harder when you are not a fan of sushi and you are living in LA. Nearly impossible. However, I have a few restaurants where I can enjoy a seafood-free meal: Ysabel’s, Toscana and The Rooftop at the Peninsula.
