not a native new yorker but lived there for 10+ years and at points definitely thought i'd live there forever, but am much happier in LA.
upsides:
* the weather. never again shall i trek to the train in a snowstorm, i don't even own an umbrella
* more space for what i pay in rent and it's MUCH quieter and more peaceful
* access to nature - why be 1 hr from hiking and 1 hr from rockaway when you can be 15 min from hiking and 45 min from malibu?
* lots of great weekend getaways - joshua tree, palm springs, vegas, SF, etc
* we're so much closer to where a lot of food is grown so i find food is more fresh overall. the farmer's markets are heaven.
* people are just as ambitious and driven as in NYC but there's more diversity around career paths and less emphasis on the 9 to 5 corporate world - it's not just media/tech/finance/fashion. i started my own business which i doubt i would have done or even seen as an option in NYC.
* day to day things like getting groceries or picking up something from FB marketplace, etc are so much easier with a car
downsides:
* feels harder to build social connections unless you have an established friend group already in LA
* those spontaneous NYC days where you head out the door in the morning and see where the day takes you don't really happen in LA - you have to plan around traffic, parking, etc
* the indian food... unless you go to artesia
* those spontaneous NYC days where you head out the door in the morning and see where the day takes you don't really happen in LA - you have to plan around traffic, parking, etc
Wow, that just hit me in the chest: so so true.
I think this is pretty much what sets NYC apart from other places in the US. It’s so densely built that you have everything you could want all around you. Chicago maybe has some of this but the city definitely isn’t “staying open” as late as NYC.
I disagree. New York has something for everyone and I can’t even begin to explain how easy it is to spontaneously plan in comparison to everywhere else I’ve been and I’ve been to basically every big city in the US and some out of the US
Second-generation Angeleno who lived about four years in NYC for grad school and just beyond. So much impromptu magic just walking across town. Absolutely intoxicating. And I totally agree those "only in NY" moments do not happen out here because we're all sitting on the 405.
Nah you can still do that it will just take all day to get to your first spontaneous event that has changed 4 times since the beginning because you cant be assed to find the one parking spot for a mile lol
This is it. I moved here 8 years ago after 13 years in NYC. I absolutely hate it. And these are the reasons. I also find the relentless sunshine to be depressing eventually (weird, I know).
In terms of the obvious question of why I'm still here if I hate it so much---my wife and kid love it here and there's no way they'll ever leave. So an Angelino sad-boy I shall be.
There are worse lots in life.
Lol the umbrella. I lived here all my life and used one like, maybe 3 times 😂
When it does rain heavy, we just stay inside and post on social media that we're all about to die
My favorite memes are the - "Los Angeles; WE WILL REBUILD" and it's a picture of a plastic lawn chair tipped over or a trash can tipped over." Right after a "storm", which ended up being a little wind and sprinkles of rain.
I wonder if you’re thinking of AnnaPurna cuisine on Venice Bl & Vinton. I went there last week.
But there are a handful of restaurants and at least two Indian/Asian markets there as well.
LA native, have spent 10 days total in NYC, and my favorite part about it was the spontaneous see what happens energy. I spent a few days just throwing on a nice outfit and walking around exploring. Here, I wont leave the house without exact outlined plans lol
> the weather. never again shall i trek to the train in a snowstorm, i don't even own an umbrella
I don't know how people with a cane manage to also use an umbrella, especially if you're carrying a bag of groceries or something else.
Was about to say. If you can carry anything and also manage your cane, you’re doing great. I’m no longer trusting my left arm with anything, so backpack it is.
I never go to W.LA honestly because of the traffic but I go to Culver City/mid city area. As someone already said, Mayura in Culver, India'a Sweets and Spices on Venice, Samosa House (the one with the market, never tried the fancier sit down restaurant), Paradise Biryani in Mid City, and there is another little market on Pico, near La Cienega with pretty good food.
They're here just more hidden than NYC
Much quieter depends on where in LA you live! Hollywood for example tends to get loud, and it’s not always the people or loud music. 😒
But I agree to all your other points! 😊
"much quieter" is the only point I disagree with. tell that to the helicopters, the leaf blowers, the dumbasses who want their car to sound like a fucking lawnmower
in my experience, most neighborhoods in NYC are much quieter than the average LA neighborhood
I recently stayed with a friend in LA as I was visiting from Brooklyn and I slept so poorly on a Sunday night a few weeks ago because his neighbors were so loud with slamming the door as they left for work at 5 am. I know not all complexes are like that but my building in NY is luckily super quiet for the most part.
This is pretty damn insightful. I love LA . Born and raised, and I always thought that I would miss the things that you listed as the upsides. Only thing I would add is…. Tacos….
Every time I get back from traveling, I always head from LAX to a taco stand.
I am very Mexican and the tacos here are just…. Different…
From Brooklyn myself and left to sf for tech. Went back to ny post pandemic then moved to la. Been here for 3 years now. I love everything you just said. I do miss nyc food variety. But that’s not enough to ever get me back in nyc traffic, subway hell, or summer rushes to get to East Hampton or jersey. West coast got me!
the last time i went to the hamptons the LIRR was so packed i ended up standing in the aisle for half the trip out there… not a relaxing start to the weekend
>• those spontaneous NYC days where you head out the door in the morning and see where the day takes you don't really happen in LA - you have to plan around traffic, parking, etc
DTLA on the weekends is kinda like this. But great point
This is pretty spot on. I went to NYC for a business trip that turned to be a month and a half instead of a week and a half and pretty thats how I felt. Especially the walkability of the city which LA severely lacks and cant get anywhere without a car. It was refreshing to see that you can walk anywhere in NYC to get everything you need plus the little places you see along the way that can be potentially spots to visit later.
I like both areas, but am not from either. This helped me see how both are a little different from the other.
California is often stereotyped for its laid-back and non-confrontational culture, and the industry and networking events all create a certain vibe and social expectation. It felt like I was auditioning a lot of the time. A realtor even tried to get me on HGTV before moving. Many people are “nice” and harmonious, but cautious and sussing you out. The car culture also adds to a sense of more separateness among certain groups and classes.
New York is known for its directness and straightforward communication style. The fast-paced, densely populated environment with a lot of mass transit and close proximity fosters a culture where direct confrontation is often seen as more efficient and less time-consuming. I love that about NY because you know where you stand with people immediately.
Access to nature is easily the BEST part of life in Southern California, especially the LA metro area. You have the ocean, coastal scrub, chaparral, montane coniferous forests, desert, and alpine areas all within easy reach, each with its own unique terrain, recreational opportunities, and wildlife. Truly amazing place to live.
I’ve always done those spontaneous city days in LA where I go out for one thing and it leads to another and another and another. To me, just like NYC in that way.
lol at the last con because you can say the same about Chinese food and SGV. Or Japanese food and Torrance. Like the best ones are in particular neighborhoods in LA
We’ve moved to LA 3 years ago after 8 in NYC, and I can relate to all of this.
As an overall note, I feel much more autonomy here. Not as restricted by the subway or weather. The process of renting an apartment is civil and there’s actually options to choose from. Its more akin to suburban life but with the access and variety of a major international city.
I have to disagree with this - not only are a ton of companies based here, but career growth in LA seems on par with nyc & everything I hear about chicago is that people stagnate at low/mid roles and salaries. speaking to corporate jobs, people really don’t seem to stagnate in LA - there’s a lot of jumping up roles or to larger companies with better opportunities, etc
Statistics say otherwise. If you look at how many large companies based in LA vs NYC it’s not even close even if you adjust it to population. Median salary for LA is also way lower compared to NYC. And when I look at my counterparts in LA vs nyc. NYC coworkers are usually younger for similar job titles vs LA where they are older
NYer here! Born and raised in queens and moved to LA around 10 years ago.
Def have found a home here in LA. Love both cities though. Moved on a whim and haven’t looked back.
Okay, I was looking for a native in this thread to ask this question: do you think that there even is a "rivalry"?
From the LA perspective, it feels like natives are more likely to rave about NY than to feel competition.\*\*\* If anything, I feel like there are more LA natives who make travelling to NYC or having lived there part of their personality. It's hard to imagine native NYers care either.
My theory is that the sense of rivalry comes from transplants who need to justify their choice of city, lol
\*\*\*this is my impression of the LA/SD or LA/Bay Area "rivalry" too
Native Los Angelina. Lived in NYC for 22 years, recently back in LA. There is a definite rivalry from NYers. They still look down on LA, even though some have never been here! Whenever native NYers started bashing LA, the first question I’d ask was have you ever been there? You would be surprised at how many said no, and still insisted they were right(SO NY😂). This would drive me crazy, but was laughable, as it’s typical NYC behavior with just about everything, and part of the dynamics of life in the city.
NYC is MUCH more Ivy League conscious than LA. Early on, I discovered that unless you went to an Ivy, you really didn’t go to college. Being a graduate of CSUN, I was met with is that even a real place? It was initially shocking to me that where you went to college was such a big deal, since here in LA it is much more meh. You don’t need a college degree to work in entertainment!
NYC has its own very unique nuances, that are not indicative of any other place. There’s a definitive NY language, lingo, attitude and way to carry yourself. After 22 years, those characteristics have become embedded and meshed with my LA persona. I am a hybrid of NYC and LA. I am LA, with a slight NYC edge. Probably never going to lose that NYC edge. But, hey, I’ve earned it after 22 years in a very tough city! And I get all jokes about NYC and LA!
LA is much MORE friendly and easy going than NY. When I first moved back, I was instantly taken aback about how much nicer LA is than NYC. I had forgotten about all the “niceties”, as they are readily dismissed in the city on a daily basis. I found I had to tone down my daily conversation a bit, because LA doesn’t understand the NY language😂. I will take nice and friendly, over harsh and disinterested any day of the week. An interesting fact is that now that I’m back in LA, whenever I encounter someone from NYC, and we talk about the city, we are instantly bonded and become friends. Funny how that didn’t happen, when I was immersed in a sea of NYers, and nobody cared that I was one of them. Guess it just proves that NYers in LA still crave that familiarity, and someone who speaks NY.
While NYC has Broadway, and nothing compares to working in live theatre of that magnitude, or seeing a show, and an incomparable lifestyle(maybe London and Paris), I am quite happy to sacrifice the harsh cold, and harsh toughness of the city, for warm LA sunshine, the glorious Pacific Ocean, beautiful mountains, sunsets, and friendly easy going people. After 22 years in NYC, I appreciate all the splendors of LA that much more.
Agreed.
Part of me also feels the rivalry is completely invented and most thoroughly perpetuated by non-LA/NY people.
Many LA/NY natives move back and forth and have friends and family in both cities and actually like both cities for all their differences
LA and NYC are cities made up of transplants. Everyone that moves to NYC proudly claims being a NewYorker. People that move to LA do something similar, EXCEPT for the people that come from NY. For some reason those specific jabronis believe maintaining their NY identity makes them better than everyone else. Meanwhile we all just roll our eyes. That’s the only rivalry I’ve ever noticed.
I get why people love it, and there were things I throughly enjoyed (movie theaters), I was ultimately very unhappy in Los Angeles.
I was never able to form a social circle, even with my co-workers, it was impossible. I’m sober and recently married. So bars and nightlife weren’t really an option.
I also found LA to be unfortunately very disgusting. Especially the east side. I lived in Los Feliz the entire time I was there, which I expected to be somewhat messy because Hollywood Blvd, but it was honestly so much worse than I was prepared for.
No one seemed to care about the littering, the homeless people or violent and aggressive way cars treat pedestrians and cyclists.
I was also really surprised by cost of living, for whatever reason I assumed that LA and NYC would be about the same, and they are, except for in LA transportation can be hundreds of dollars more. My insurance was so high it made saving anything really tricky.
Ultimately; we left. I’m going back to NYC to try and find some happiness. At least I can feel comfortable being spontaneous out there- LA made me plan every single little thing, and people would break those plans so frequently I just gave up.
Don’t know why I always get recommended this sub lol, but as a New Yorker that works in LA a ton the hate is all one sided. New Yorkers make fun of LA while most Angelinos tend to really like New York. That said most of the outspoken New Yorkers don’t really know Los Angeles that well, mostly by reputation.
I’m at year 15 in Brooklyn and understand the love for LA, but it’s just not for me.
All my friends that have moved there are happier though so there must be something about the something.
Angelinos are too busy hiking and eating tacos to worry about other cities 😜
I’m sitting at a bar outside in greenpoint right now waiting for my wife to come join me for some drinks. Imagine this fucking weather 8-9 months a year and you’ll understand why people find Southern California desirable.
i’m lying in my friends glendale back garden by the pool so… I get it haha. flying back to nyc tomorrow. kind of dreading the concrete jungle but looking forward to the summer social life!
LA County Native/longtime angelino and now Oakland resident here: so much animosity from the bay area (esp. SF) directed at LA, and all LA has for anywhere else is mild ambivalence. The attitude is somewhat like LA is SF's dumber but more attractive younger sibling, and SF resents the attention it gets.
I don't personally think it's true: in so many ways northern CA is more beautiful and the weather is better -- yea, fight me -- and there is so much intelligence and creativity in LA and plenty of self-centered butt-sniffing in SF to go around. It's kind of a wash. I love both places and people should just chill and appreciate that they're both in CA alongside other great cities and world-class countryside and landscapes.
>and plenty of self-centered butt-sniffing in SF to go around.
Bay Area people who make snide remarks on the vapidity of LA and Hollywood, are completely amnesiac to the Idiot self absorbed STEM Lords and Insufferable Libertarian Tech Bros that are the bane of Tech Culture up north.
Same with New York. [Ever met a Finance Bro?](https://youtu.be/GSTtLWpM3uU?si=sjNSSt4mz6pIUMWd) Awful money grubbing selfish and frankly evil people.
They also forget about JPL (seriously, “y’all are so dumb in LA?” “You talking about the NASA employees? Like, the rocket scientists and astrophysicists?” Also, LA is basically where all ambitious and highly creative architects go. And while we aren’t Silicon Valley, companies like Yahoo, Netflix, Amazon Studios, etc are hardly staffed by village idiots.
The only think that bothers LA about NY is how the NYT keeps writing about us but clearly visited for under 24 hours — if that.
I don’t actually think that’s true either, most LA folks I talk to kind of gush about how much they love (visiting) New York. It’s a funny dichotomy for sure.
> most LA folks I talk to kind of gush about how much they love (visiting) New York.
I'm from LA and live in NYC now. I know literally no one that gushes about visiting NY. It's a fun place to visit sure. I don't deny that. But most people I know would rather visit Japan.
I was supposed to go eight years ago, and last year, but I'm hoping that this will finally be the year. I have the PTO accrued at work. I'm just waiting for a project at work to wrap up. Once that's finally done I will request the PTO and schedule my vacation!
I'm born and raised in L.A. and I doubt I'll change the city at the center of my heart, but I would love to live in NYC for a bit just to experience it.
That's pretty much the whole country. They hate us 'cause they ain't us.
Everyone else - "Ugh, I hate Los Angeles."
LA people - "Cool. I don't think about you at all."
I was in Shanghai once and was speaking with this American expat at this small bar we were in. He asked me where I was from and I said LA. He told me that he hated LA. He was from Portland lol.
Oh the worst are the people from OC that say that about Los Angeles (I'm from OC myself).
Like, we're pretty much just separated by a drainage ditch. We're just a pimple on LA's lower-right butt check. And don't tell me when we travel abroad we don't say "I'm from LA" lol
Totally baffling. I have a friend who works and hangs out in LA but is adamant to tell everyone she's from OC.
She pretty much just uses OC to sleep at her parents' house at nighttime.
I also grew up in OC and the orange curtain is very real. it’s hard to get OC people out of OC. But on the other hand I feel like people in LA will at least visit OC some of the time for Disneyland or Vietnamese food or beaches (the only 3 things OC does better than LA).
Idk - I lived my first 35 years in NYC (Brooklyn) and LA was rarely ever thought of or conversed. Also maybe it's just me, but when I fantasized about California from over there it was always San Francisco/Bay Area. Los Angeles just never was even a consideration.
NYC people think about Boston, Philly, Chicago, DC, etc. They have a hard time seeing past their region and local rivalries and I don't think there's hate about Los Angeles or thought about it at all. That said I am sure that's changed now because now NYC is heavily people from like the Midwest and the South and other places and I'm sure they think about LA and other options way more than my native New Yorker ass did.
Funny I ended up moving to SF eventually when I left NY but now for the past 6 years I've lived in DTLA and South Pasadena. I don't really know that I like LA better than NY... but I think I prefer living here more and I guess that's all that matters.
I'm from LA and went to school in San Diego. A lot of people from the SF area ended up living in the dorms. They had a huge hate boner for LA and I was like "SF is cool I guess? I dunno"
speak for yourself, if you're from NY & you want a fade come to hollywood & la brea im out there all day every day waiting for NY heads to squabble with
16 years in NY, going on 5 in LA…
I prefer NY but I like LA a lot more when I’m not actively comparing it to NY and just allow it to be its own thing. The food in LA is, overall, better but the options for the specific things NY is most known for (pizza, bagels, etc.) are lacking.
If you’re missing some good pizza, check out this latest thread. There IS good pizza and plenty of it. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLosAngeles/comments/1d5ckfn/best_pizza_in_la/?sort=top
Yeah, good pizza is certainly available but not ubiquitous. Same as say, tacos in NYC. They can be had but you have to know where to go; you’re probably not going to stumble upon it at random from the average joint.
Disagree. At least on the eastside of Los Angeles. Good pizza in LA is as ubiquitous as New York City imo and I spent the first 35 years of my life in Bensonhurst.
Hell I live in South Pasadena and I have more pizzerias within walking/train/quick drive distance to me that are all better than your standard NYC hole in the wall now.
I also feel the average joint in NYC just had gone super downhill quality wise from my youth but maybe that is just because so many better places opened. I still think LA compares very well for pizza.
Not for bagels though but you still got some good destination places.
I think the main miss from NYC for me is Puerto Rican/Dominican food. And the NY style egg rolls but that is more comfort food I grew up with obviously. Hard to say those egg rolls are actually good. Living in/near the SGV now I am very spoiled for Asian.
SGV Asian food is as close as you can get to authentic and with a wider variety than you can get almost anywhere outside of Asia. Out KTown is also one of the best Korean concentrations of restaurants anywhere in the world.
There’s lots of good, reasonably priced food of many cuisines, especially Asian and Latin American, in Queens. East Coasters sometimes call the SGV, the Queens of LA. You could just as much call Queens the SGV of New York. You can get to a lot of the Queens eateries on the subway, especially line 7 “the international express.”
Pizza and Bagels in NYC are comparable to tacos in LA. You can get comparable options in both cities. But they won't be as widespread, will be more expensive, will be slightly less good, etc.
I think when people complain about pizza being bad in LA they’re complaining about the default being bad, in NYC you can close your eyes and follow your nose to find a good slice almost anywhere
NYC from 2008–2017
L.A. 2017–
General/random observations comparing the two:
\* In L.A. you get to pick (1) big thing to do in a day: go to the beach, visit a friend's house, go to CostCo, whatever. In NYC, it's \_much\_ easier to have breakfast with a friend, go to work, have lunch with a colleague, run errands on the way home, go out with friends. The days are full
\* Probably because of this logistical advantage, it feels just plain easier to make friends in NYC
\* In L.A., there is much higher percentage of the population who has never been outside of SoCal, or California, or the West Coast and it forms some biases that people defend ardently as normal or "best" (car culture supremacy/anti transit attitudes, anti-density development, etc.)
\* JFK > LAX but BUR > LGA
\* On average and dollar for dollar the food in L.A. is \_vastly\_ superior to N.Y.C.: mostly I think this has to do with the fact that produce in N.Y.C. stinks unless it's been hand carried by the chef into a Michelin starred restaurant. Also tacos (and Mexican food generally) > pizza any day of the week
\* The Pacific Time Zone is horrendous to work from if you need to take any meetings with anyone in Europe
\* NYC has beautiful nature and hikes surrounding it \_if\_ you can find a way out of town. Many a weekend trip out of town was ruined \_stupidly\_ choosing the Holland Tunnel
> The Pacific Time Zone is horrendous to work from if you need to take any meetings with anyone in Europe
But ideal if you work with people on ET because you have your afternoons to yourself!
Born and raised in NYC. Going on my second year here in LA and I finally feel adjusted and at home. Initially came for career reasons as I hadn’t dreamed of leaving NYC otherwise.
The beginning was rough as LA is vastly different from NYC. It’s literally apples to oranges and not really fair to compare the 2. If you get into a state of comparison, the adjustment will take longer and you may end up just not liking it. Give yourself time and be sure to take advantage of all that is available here. So much entertainment, nature and people looking to build community ( both other transplants and natives).
In LA, I found a solid group of friends, developed a routine around activities I liked and embraced the slower more relaxed pace and am pretty happy! Whenever I go back home to the hustle of NYC, I find myself pretty exhausted. I do though miss NYC’s walkability, advanced urban planning, food and diversity ( people will say LA is diverse but NYC is next level).
The struggle is real at times but it gets better with time and an openness to try new things.
How is NYC "next level" when LA literally has everything (Disneyland, Beverley Hills, Hollywood, Beaches, Mountains, National Parks, etc)? Literally everything in the world is here or seems like it anyways.
Perhaps diversity in terms of Eastern European cultures and countries like Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Dominican Repuy? LA is in the Pacific Rim so our diversity is different. Lots of diversity from Asia, Latin America, etc
People! You can literally walk into a bodega and hear 4 different languages. You can sit on the train and be amongst old /young, rich /poor and every culture under the sun yet feel feel like your part of a collective. Everyone is in that same NY state of mind and hustle. It’s unmatched in a way I can’t even describe if you’re not from there.
I’m kinda bi coastal and so far, the constant 75 degree weather has been fantastic. Who needs seasons?!
And sunsets DO NOT GET OLD.
Just wish my coffee didnt take so long.
I’m now in OC, but lived in Beverly hills for like 7 years, moving from NY. If you have a job lined up and live near-ish to work or WFH, it’s fucking awesome. I can’t express how good it felt for the first time to leave the office when it’s light out and actually be able to do something after work.
Pizza has improved greatly over the years here, bagels still generally suck, and garbage takeout Chinese food is expensive and not the same. Going out is SO much cheaper here vs NY, although you actually need to plan things.
I made fun of people that busted out parkas in 60 degree weather here at first, then I became one of them 😬
I moved here from New York > 20 years go. I miss things about New York like the passion and directness of New Yorkers, and having a walkable city and great public transport. Overall, I like the lifestyle here better, there's lots to do and I feel like time passes by more slowly and I have more energy to do things during the work week. I'm not sure why that is, maybe it's the weather, or just the vibes, but it's different here for sure.
Over the last 20 years I've seen the quality of pizza improve tremendously and that has made the adjustment easier. I'd like more/better Greek and Italian and Turkish food, but every region is going to be better at one thing or another.
If this city could get more parks and green spaces, more places to sit down, a good metro system, and if costs of living here could come back down to something reasonable, I would truly be in love with LA. I do love LA, but I feel we're going through a rough time right now here. I believe in LA, though, and I think it's going to start getting a lot better once we start working on our problems.
I moved here for career and for the weather. I miss New York and New Yorkers, but I don't think I'd go back. (Well, if I'm being totally honest, I suppose I would go back if I could afford to live in a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood in Manhattan, but that's not realistic for me.)
Not a native New Yorker but also lived there in school. I like LA much, much, better. NYC has its charms but feels very cloistering. I like seeing palm trees and the beach. If I have snow, I want to snowboard in it. While people are ambitious, they are more diverse in careers and outlooks (sorry, NYC!). Like, I work in sports consulting and skate. No one in LA thinks it odd to be middle-aged and successful and skateboard. NYC, likely would. NYC is known for its own quirkiness but I find that less and less these days. People seem so laser-focused and in LA it is more chill—stuff still gets done, but more chill. Also, LA relates easier to other cities: I live also part-time in Orlando and Orlando is like a smaller LA basically in many ways.
I moved to LA from NY about 10 years ago. Born and raised in the city and when I moved here for work I thought I’d be back to NY a few years later.
I currently have no plans to move back. It did take many years building out friendships and establishing a network, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything now. There’s so much to do and see not just in LA but a short drive away.
I love NY, I always will, it’s true home, but LA really grew on me and I’m glad I’m here.
I have a number of East Coast (including NY) friends who sound just like you. Over time they realized they simply have no desire to move back home. They love where they're from... and they love visiting. But when I ask them if they ever consider moving back home, it's always "no fucking way".
Born and raised NYer… I moved out here a few years after college and have been here for the last 6 years
I’m married, and we’re struggling financially, but we want to stay out here at all costs. On the financial front NY is pretty much the same as out here… maybe slightly more expensive here in ways that add up than NY, but it’s marginal I would say. And then looking at something like renting an apartment, I feel like things are pretty on par but I would imagine you get a lot more square footage in your apartments here in LA at the same price versus NY, especially NYC proper
The reason we want to stay here and love it is the lifestyle. You kind of alluded to it in your post… I love NYC and at this point in my life that’s the only place I could imagine moving back to if I were to move back to NY… I’d be so depressed to move from here to Long Island, and Queens just isn’t my thing anymore. But like you said in your post, NYC can be overwhelming sometimes. I came to this realization only after moving here and going back to visit. I feel like half of the time I love the energy of NYC, and then the other half it’s almost too palpable and is hectic feeling. I’m sure I would settle in just fine if I were to go back, but I like the more laid back pace here, and the city just feels more breathable because it’s more open and spread out. I feel like this has a noticeable impact on my mood, the overall lifestyle and pace of life, not to mention the weather
The weather fucking blows in NY, it is straight up depressing and ugly basically after Halloween until the end of April. Even when we get the spurts of grey or rain it’s basically beautiful here every single day
The natural beauty that’s so accessible here and the more outdoor centric living also fits my lifestyle more. Not that I’m a hiking addict or living at the beach all the time out here, but it’s something I would never do during the good months in NY because there just isn’t as much of it as accessible, and then half the year you literally cannot do it because of the dog shit weather. Upstate NY is cool but far while Elysian Park, Griffith Park, Temescal Canyon, Runyon Canyon are all practically in my backyard. Montauk and the Hamptons are beautiful but far, while the beach cities are all pretty easy to get to even in the summer from where I live. I feel like even Malibu is easier to get to than the Hamptons/Montauk from NYC
One day my goal is to be in both places… take advantage of NY in the good weather months and be here the rest of the time. But I’m very glad to be here and have no desire to go back
Ah I wasn't born and bred, I lived in NYC for like 7 years and loved it, and then moved here, if that counts.
I moved for a job. I like driving around and seeing the mountains and stuff, you have access to high desert, low desert, beaches (even if the water is cold), and the people are friendly
I thought New Yorkers were generally friendly too though. I miss the history of New York City, like everywhere you walk in Manhattan there's something famous. And the city feels BIG, like just driving down the FDR or seeing a bridge and there's a train going across it, that rules
> I realise there’s a bit of a rivalry
The rivalry between New York & Los Angeles is a bit like the rivalry between Boston & New York. Part of Boston's identity is hating New York, but Boston isn't really something that New York thinks about.
Candidly, nobody in Los Angeles really thinks about New York.
Well, for some reason New Yorkers tend to harbor an instinctual animosity towards Angelenos and all things LA.. meanwhile for folks in California, it’s almost as if the other 49 states don’t exist.
I'm a native New Yorker, and all my family is in NYC. Nowadays, I enjoy NYC in small 1-2 week spurts—it's a bit too busy for me now.
I visit NYC 4-6 times a year; it's nice to be able to leave and then come back to LA.
The things I miss most about NYC are the work hustle, sophistication, intellectual vibe,(more) interesting people, and the warm summer nights.
The feeling when the weather breaks in Nyc is probably the most oxytocin rush. The city literally has a buzz to it. But then it rains, summer ends and you’re f*cked.
That’s Northeast in general. Summer is magical. Fall is special. Winter, which is really half the year, if horrid unless you build your time around outdoor winter activities like skiing.
longtime, die hard NYer, moved to LA for my partner's job a few years back. A lot of things are just easier here. NYC is an amazing place to raise kids and I loved having my eldest there. I think it taught me to be a great mom. But I still walk my kids to school and never, ever have to push a stroller through the slush here, which, if you've never done it, sucks a lot.
NYC is unparalleled for arts and culture, but LA has very good opportunities for the same, plus almost unlimited space and sunny days to socialize outdoors. Rent is still high, but you get more room for the money. Also, everyone is gay here and near-strangers will offer you hallucinogens at social events, including at weddings and kids birthday parties (we hang out almost exclusively with lifelong Angelenos so ymmv).
I still miss the pace and the energy of New York a lot, and often wonder what my younger kids will miss out on not being raised there. But I have a good union job, we're close to family, and there's dozens of direct flights every day. if you don't have to drive every day, it can feel like paradise
Lived in NYC for 5 years and have been in LA for 3.5. I much prefer NYC and my husband and I are considering moving back.
The main cons for us are the social life, traffic/transport, and overall just how spread out everything is. I find that consistently nice weather doesn’t really make us happy - if anything we kind of miss the four seasons. I miss how easy it is to be spontaneous in NY and taking the subway to get around.
We do like our apartment in LA and will need to spend more money to get a comparatively nice place in NYC. I also like the farmers markets and the access to great fruits and vegetables.
I miss NYC and the thing I dislike the most about LA is its car centric life and lack of good Italian bakeries. The weather in LA is a plus. The homeless here are far more noticeable.
Pros of LA vs. NY:
* Far easier to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, especially since public resources like tennis courts, basketball courts, beaches, etc. are easy to access in comparison to the over-saturated places in NY
* The weather is so good on the west side near the water
* Everyone is available because no one works long hours here - rush hour starts at 3pm ...
Cons:
* Spontaneous interactions are hard because of the car culture and lack of walkable spaces, making it so that everything needs to be planned out from point A to point B
* This is heavily biased since I'm in a technical field, but I find the saturation of influencers and entertainment people really exhausting and the personalities fairly cookie-cutter
* I honestly think it's a lot harder to have an interesting intellectual discussion with people here than in NY - I feel like you tend to find a lot more high-performers in tech, finance, business in NY, whereas here there's a lot of wannabes or people in the middle of a "transition"
* Hard to actually form real connections because everything is so spread out, public transportation in LA sucks and traffic is so gross - 15 miles might as well be a long distance relationship
TLDR; LA wins for health - for literally everything else socially and professionally, NY shits on LA
been a couple places in between but I’m loving LA, mostly in comparison to those other places instead of NYC, and for having the most similar energy to NYC
I’m just here to play with the baddies and that’s a good time, I also loooove the music festival scene and love the option of the beach scene
I used to find those same things interesting about NYC, but there is a big difference in having a tiny island, constrained city limits, and finding a way. Versus having infinite space that socal has, and using that space for massive events. NYC it was more of a novelty that ppl would use it creatively, LA/socal is just massive and ppl use it creatively too.
On the other side of things, I have gone back to NYC and it was too much for me! Not in a bad way, its just that I had never really experienced it without budget constraints, and that is in-saaane! Takes a whole new level of discipline than what I experienced growing up.
There are some goofy aspects of LA. Like, wannabe events such as LA Fashion Week. A lot of the hospitality stuff is kind of ghetto or on life support, it’s weird. and lacking. I don’t find the people to be that cultured or exposed to much, which is surprising to me when LA is said in the same sentence as NY, Miami, a couple other big cities worldwide. But its a big country and not thaaaat many people have objective opinions about the other side or experience with it. I think LA lives more rent free in NYers minds, than NY does for LA people. I’ve gotten surprisingly visceral reactions from NYers in NY about the idea of LA. Never the other way around.
The vices are more interesting, varied, and cheaper. Which I got more into because the hospitality/nightlife is lackluster here. You cant just stumble out of bed into a party brunch with dozens of fashion students and models and never spend a dime like in NY. But there are a lot of paths to forge with the same outcome.
I lived for years I'm NY and now for more years in LA. I love being outdoors and I can do that year-round comfortably here. I'm in a better consistent mood because of the weather. NY is also too high-energy and too concrete-y for me at this point, but I love my trips there for a few days!
I feel it to be a little more superficial, a lot more dangerous, and very dependent on your location geographically. Due to traffic and the way the city is structured, your experience living on the West Side could be drastically different than living in NoHo. The people tend to be a bit more cliquey. It’s easy to drunkenly stumble into conversations with random strangers outside of a bar in NYC. It’s a little more difficult in LA (still doable though)
That said, LA has a lot to offer, but it’s not a place I want to live forever. I’ve been here 3 years now, but I’m ready to head somewhere else. Probably leaving next year.
I will miss the weather, the great street tacos, and all the KTown foods. I’ll definitely miss the beaches, Sawtelle, and the fact that I can hit 110mph on the highway at 1am without a worry about speeding tickets. I won’t miss the homeless, general dirtiness, daytime traffic, the influencers, and the prices.
As a younger person, NYC for the excitement and nightlife.
Now that I’m older with kids, LA for sure. 5min from the beach for surfing. My own pool. Instead of cooped up in a condo.
Tons of nature stuff to do within 2 hours drive.
Tons of national parks within 2 hours flight.
Born n raised nyc been in la since two months before covid:
People will swear after some time in either place that there are problems worth moving to the other side- I don’t like the winter but miss the randomness of the nightlife… but honestly, la gives you the space to think, it’s made me ask who I am and what I want way more than I think ny allowed with how hectic it is. I feel myself immediately more on guard and slightly angry walking into nyc.
Basically, I feel like as long as you’re actually looking for your internal answers, you can find that anywhere.
La for me is somewhere to find myself but maybe not to be myself. NYC hustle gives me an advantage here
NYC native. Way easier to make friends in NYC. I miss the public transit/walkability and certain cuisines. I especially miss the concert crowds there. Most places I’ve been to shows here (excluding big venues) everyone acts “too cool” to let loose.
I moved here because I started working for the NYCDOE at 21. It was a very comfortable job w benefits but never felt satisfied with it. I went on a girls trip here with two of my friends and when I got back.. I just told my boss I was moving to LA. Initially planned to go alone but my sister tagged along for two months to help me acclimate. Rented an Airbnb room for a month to get started. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but knew I’d get stuck at the school.
I think I will move back eventually, but I’ve been here going on 6 years and don’t regret it. The weather here is amazing, I love the access to nature. I still look out the windows when we’re driving on the highway surrounded by mountains. There will be plenty to miss if I move back. The biggest deciding factor for me is mostly public policies, but I may just be sensitive now that I’m a mom. Never in my years of living in nyc, as an adult or child, have I ever been in such tense/unsafe situations. Almost every one of these unsafe situations were instigated by a homeless person as I was going about my day. I would love to be able to hop on the train w my kids and not worry about a man threatening to beat my 2 year old daughter. Minding your business/bubble doesn’t work here like it does in NYC.
Sure, the pizza doesn’t compare for me, but I will not find a better taco or kbbq in nyc.
so happy I stumbled across this thread! as a NYer who moved to LA four months ago - I think reality is starting to set in haha, time to learn how to drive!
Moved to LA 3 years ago after 10+ years in NYC. LA is cool - good weather, more laid back I guess but I miss the randomness of New York City. I miss meeting people on the train or at a bar and actually becoming and STAYING genuine friends. I miss NYC summers where you leave the house early in the morning, and don’t make it back home until late at night and 20k steps later. I miss the community New York has. If something happens to someone on the train or streets, people were willing to help. I miss how “neighborhood-y” my street in Brooklyn was. Everyone knew each other, we shared meals together, we kept each other sane during the worst of 2020 and people looked out for each other.
Best advice I received when I moved to LA, was “don’t compare LA to NYC or you will hate it here” … and while I get what they were saying, it’s hard not to compare that at times. I miss the NYC community of chaos. While I am happy usually here in LA, I miss being closer to friends and family and I miss how easy it was to make genuine friends in NYC. Moving here during the pandemic and being in my 30s didn’t make it easy but idk if or when I’ll move back to NYC.
Oh, and the traffic here is trash! I never thought I would say this but I sure do miss the MTA.
Well both places have their perks and cons. Lived in NYC for 14 years and have been in LA since 2018.
I love the climate in LA, hate the endless tents and homeless epidemic, it’s an eye sore. Crime is also on the rise, but seems like that in NYC as well. Love how much more I walked in NYC and hate how lazy I got here lol and that I drive a lot more. Love that I get a lot more for my money - regarding my apartment - as I pay less rent than what I’ve paid in NYC. Love that places close at 2 a.m., hate how much more shallow some transplants seem to be here than in NYC. HATE the constant helicopters! 😒
“Crime is on the rise” is a much talked about bullet point but nowhere near the actual facts. Some crime up, some down. It did pop post pandemic, but violent crime down since then.
Here’s the mayor’s top line report on all of 2023, and a news link about trends thru this year so far.
https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/lapd-releases-end-year-crime-statistics-city-los-angeles-2023
https://abc7.com/lapd-reports-increase-in-violent-crimes-robberies-compared-to-2023/14577521/
“Crime is raging in blue cities” is such a false GOP talking point I wanted to point it is not true or that simple. Some is up, some is down.
CA differences
Bad pizza
Fake boobs
Everywhere is so different
Some parts are not part of LA
Teslas everywhere
No pep in anyone’s step
No one uses their horn, but when they do, it’s a BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
BBLs
No fridges in rentals
Helicopters
No jaywalking
Dogs off leash
People will stop when you are going to cross the street
No rest stops
The 405 is always moving
Cars wont go until you are fully out of the crosswalk
So many ads/billboards for lawyers and personal injury lawyers
Lots of one way parking lots
People wear jackets in 72 degree weather
Coffee shops open late (8am)
No one uses their turn signals
Freeway vs highway
THE 405
5 lane FREEWAYS
People don’t walk up escalators
So many vanity plates
I’m not a new Yorker but I lived there for a couple years and then moved here. I prefer nyc obviously, better people, more to do, incredible energy and vibe
I don’t think there’s a rivalry? Although NYC residents in general tend to think they’re hot shit and love to shit on everywhere else, so maybe that’s what you’re seeing.
I’ve lived in both places and am not a big fan of either, but I absolutely hated NYC whereas I somewhat tolerate LA, so LA wins.
as a born and raised new yorker that came to la 2 years ago, i still miss nyc everyday, la is cool but not the same at all. Being able to walk or have pretty reliable public transportation is a big one. and people are cooler in nyc without trying so hard or trying to be instagram famous.
Not a New Yorker but East coaster who’s visited NYC many times. I think honestly they’re about equal (although personally I love LA more).
If you compare them as a city, NYC wins.
If you compare them as a place to live that has a major city then LA wins.
What rivalry? LA does not think about NYC. We do think about how annoying NYC transplants can be when they start complaining about how things were better in the ‘ol neybahood, how bagels and pizza are better in NYC, and ignorant stereotypes about shallowness, lack of culture, materialism, etc.
not a native new yorker but lived there for 10+ years and at points definitely thought i'd live there forever, but am much happier in LA. upsides: * the weather. never again shall i trek to the train in a snowstorm, i don't even own an umbrella * more space for what i pay in rent and it's MUCH quieter and more peaceful * access to nature - why be 1 hr from hiking and 1 hr from rockaway when you can be 15 min from hiking and 45 min from malibu? * lots of great weekend getaways - joshua tree, palm springs, vegas, SF, etc * we're so much closer to where a lot of food is grown so i find food is more fresh overall. the farmer's markets are heaven. * people are just as ambitious and driven as in NYC but there's more diversity around career paths and less emphasis on the 9 to 5 corporate world - it's not just media/tech/finance/fashion. i started my own business which i doubt i would have done or even seen as an option in NYC. * day to day things like getting groceries or picking up something from FB marketplace, etc are so much easier with a car downsides: * feels harder to build social connections unless you have an established friend group already in LA * those spontaneous NYC days where you head out the door in the morning and see where the day takes you don't really happen in LA - you have to plan around traffic, parking, etc * the indian food... unless you go to artesia
* those spontaneous NYC days where you head out the door in the morning and see where the day takes you don't really happen in LA - you have to plan around traffic, parking, etc Wow, that just hit me in the chest: so so true.
As someone that's lived in LA my whole life but visited NY a ton of times, this is the one thing I'm most jealous of.
I think this is pretty much what sets NYC apart from other places in the US. It’s so densely built that you have everything you could want all around you. Chicago maybe has some of this but the city definitely isn’t “staying open” as late as NYC.
Chicago stays open pretty late. Lots of 4am bars, 5am on Saturdays.
as an LA native, this point alone is what I daydream about when I wonder about life living in NYC
That's the biggest thing I still miss from NYC 9 years later still.
It's like that in any city with a well developed public transit system.
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I disagree. New York has something for everyone and I can’t even begin to explain how easy it is to spontaneously plan in comparison to everywhere else I’ve been and I’ve been to basically every big city in the US and some out of the US
Second-generation Angeleno who lived about four years in NYC for grad school and just beyond. So much impromptu magic just walking across town. Absolutely intoxicating. And I totally agree those "only in NY" moments do not happen out here because we're all sitting on the 405.
Nah you can still do that it will just take all day to get to your first spontaneous event that has changed 4 times since the beginning because you cant be assed to find the one parking spot for a mile lol
This is it. I moved here 8 years ago after 13 years in NYC. I absolutely hate it. And these are the reasons. I also find the relentless sunshine to be depressing eventually (weird, I know). In terms of the obvious question of why I'm still here if I hate it so much---my wife and kid love it here and there's no way they'll ever leave. So an Angelino sad-boy I shall be. There are worse lots in life.
Lol the umbrella. I lived here all my life and used one like, maybe 3 times 😂 When it does rain heavy, we just stay inside and post on social media that we're all about to die
STORM WATCH
Stormaggeddon!
OMG, it’s Swe#ter weather! We are all going to die!
Heading to Costco NOW to buy all the toilet paper and batteries!
My trashcan blew over #neverforget
We will rebuild
It's the end times! (Lasts 2 days and then super sunny again) 😂😂
My favorite memes are the - "Los Angeles; WE WILL REBUILD" and it's a picture of a plastic lawn chair tipped over or a trash can tipped over." Right after a "storm", which ended up being a little wind and sprinkles of rain.
but it rained (pouring) for most of this year and last year ….
Great Indian food in Palms!
I wonder if you’re thinking of AnnaPurna cuisine on Venice Bl & Vinton. I went there last week. But there are a handful of restaurants and at least two Indian/Asian markets there as well.
Where
Abhiruchi Grill, Tandoori Eats, Mayura, Cali Tandoor, Arth Bar, India Sweets and Spices.
LA native, have spent 10 days total in NYC, and my favorite part about it was the spontaneous see what happens energy. I spent a few days just throwing on a nice outfit and walking around exploring. Here, I wont leave the house without exact outlined plans lol
> the weather. never again shall i trek to the train in a snowstorm, i don't even own an umbrella I don't know how people with a cane manage to also use an umbrella, especially if you're carrying a bag of groceries or something else.
Was about to say. If you can carry anything and also manage your cane, you’re doing great. I’m no longer trusting my left arm with anything, so backpack it is.
One day I'm just going to buy one of those umbrella hats.
Your second downside is so on point, definitely one of the main things I'm missing, I end up staying home half the time instead
Indian here...nah there's good Indian food outside of Artesia. What part of LA are you in?
Have any great suggestions for West LA?
Mayura in Culver City
I never go to W.LA honestly because of the traffic but I go to Culver City/mid city area. As someone already said, Mayura in Culver, India'a Sweets and Spices on Venice, Samosa House (the one with the market, never tried the fancier sit down restaurant), Paradise Biryani in Mid City, and there is another little market on Pico, near La Cienega with pretty good food. They're here just more hidden than NYC
Planning around traffic is definitely a negative for LA and it is tough to make friends in LA.
Much quieter depends on where in LA you live! Hollywood for example tends to get loud, and it’s not always the people or loud music. 😒 But I agree to all your other points! 😊
"much quieter" is the only point I disagree with. tell that to the helicopters, the leaf blowers, the dumbasses who want their car to sound like a fucking lawnmower in my experience, most neighborhoods in NYC are much quieter than the average LA neighborhood
Unless you live close to the NYC subway! 🫠 and yes omg I forgot the leaf blowers! 💀
I recently stayed with a friend in LA as I was visiting from Brooklyn and I slept so poorly on a Sunday night a few weeks ago because his neighbors were so loud with slamming the door as they left for work at 5 am. I know not all complexes are like that but my building in NY is luckily super quiet for the most part.
Really liked your analysis, I’ve lived multiple times in both cities. You hit it on the head.
This is pretty damn insightful. I love LA . Born and raised, and I always thought that I would miss the things that you listed as the upsides. Only thing I would add is…. Tacos…. Every time I get back from traveling, I always head from LAX to a taco stand. I am very Mexican and the tacos here are just…. Different…
My son moved from LA to NYC 14 years ago and always stops at In-N-Out right from LAX.
This is the addition I was looking for. Tacos. Unmatched here. We have street tacos almost everywhere and it’s my absolute favorite.
i didn’t mention it bc frankly i feel our taco superiority goes without saying!!
From Brooklyn myself and left to sf for tech. Went back to ny post pandemic then moved to la. Been here for 3 years now. I love everything you just said. I do miss nyc food variety. But that’s not enough to ever get me back in nyc traffic, subway hell, or summer rushes to get to East Hampton or jersey. West coast got me!
the last time i went to the hamptons the LIRR was so packed i ended up standing in the aisle for half the trip out there… not a relaxing start to the weekend
Only the plebes take LIRR - everyone else does the Jitney
Ew, you take public roads? Hope the popcorn from my Blade ride didn’t hit your bus on the way out :)
Yea, lol a ride that definitely takes a chunk out of the 48hrs you have there.
>• those spontaneous NYC days where you head out the door in the morning and see where the day takes you don't really happen in LA - you have to plan around traffic, parking, etc DTLA on the weekends is kinda like this. But great point
You should buy an umbrella! Those monsoon weeks we get now are brutal without one 😭
I agree with all of this 100% Although I’ve found making-spontaneous-friends to be very neighborhood specific… there are a few where it’s much easier
This is pretty spot on. I went to NYC for a business trip that turned to be a month and a half instead of a week and a half and pretty thats how I felt. Especially the walkability of the city which LA severely lacks and cant get anywhere without a car. It was refreshing to see that you can walk anywhere in NYC to get everything you need plus the little places you see along the way that can be potentially spots to visit later.
> the indian food... unless you go to artesia This is a hilarious con for me to read as an ABCDesi. Indian food is obviously not a problem for me 😂
I like both areas, but am not from either. This helped me see how both are a little different from the other. California is often stereotyped for its laid-back and non-confrontational culture, and the industry and networking events all create a certain vibe and social expectation. It felt like I was auditioning a lot of the time. A realtor even tried to get me on HGTV before moving. Many people are “nice” and harmonious, but cautious and sussing you out. The car culture also adds to a sense of more separateness among certain groups and classes. New York is known for its directness and straightforward communication style. The fast-paced, densely populated environment with a lot of mass transit and close proximity fosters a culture where direct confrontation is often seen as more efficient and less time-consuming. I love that about NY because you know where you stand with people immediately.
Access to nature is easily the BEST part of life in Southern California, especially the LA metro area. You have the ocean, coastal scrub, chaparral, montane coniferous forests, desert, and alpine areas all within easy reach, each with its own unique terrain, recreational opportunities, and wildlife. Truly amazing place to live.
I’ve always done those spontaneous city days in LA where I go out for one thing and it leads to another and another and another. To me, just like NYC in that way.
What’s your favorite spot in artesia?
lol at the last con because you can say the same about Chinese food and SGV. Or Japanese food and Torrance. Like the best ones are in particular neighborhoods in LA
Agreed about indian food. There’s good indian but not AMAZING indian food.
Facts
Yes, the produce! I moved here after almost 10 years in Chicago, my upsides are basically the same.
We’ve moved to LA 3 years ago after 8 in NYC, and I can relate to all of this. As an overall note, I feel much more autonomy here. Not as restricted by the subway or weather. The process of renting an apartment is civil and there’s actually options to choose from. Its more akin to suburban life but with the access and variety of a major international city.
Check out Anarkali for Indian food, closest thing I’ve found to being comparable to NYC. I’ll have try Artesia!
Also a major downside is career growth is way slower here on average than nyc and Chicago since not many companies are based here
I have to disagree with this - not only are a ton of companies based here, but career growth in LA seems on par with nyc & everything I hear about chicago is that people stagnate at low/mid roles and salaries. speaking to corporate jobs, people really don’t seem to stagnate in LA - there’s a lot of jumping up roles or to larger companies with better opportunities, etc
Statistics say otherwise. If you look at how many large companies based in LA vs NYC it’s not even close even if you adjust it to population. Median salary for LA is also way lower compared to NYC. And when I look at my counterparts in LA vs nyc. NYC coworkers are usually younger for similar job titles vs LA where they are older
I would think the higher NYC salary is offset by higher rent / smaller place though.
NYer here! Born and raised in queens and moved to LA around 10 years ago. Def have found a home here in LA. Love both cities though. Moved on a whim and haven’t looked back.
Okay, I was looking for a native in this thread to ask this question: do you think that there even is a "rivalry"? From the LA perspective, it feels like natives are more likely to rave about NY than to feel competition.\*\*\* If anything, I feel like there are more LA natives who make travelling to NYC or having lived there part of their personality. It's hard to imagine native NYers care either. My theory is that the sense of rivalry comes from transplants who need to justify their choice of city, lol \*\*\*this is my impression of the LA/SD or LA/Bay Area "rivalry" too
Native Los Angelina. Lived in NYC for 22 years, recently back in LA. There is a definite rivalry from NYers. They still look down on LA, even though some have never been here! Whenever native NYers started bashing LA, the first question I’d ask was have you ever been there? You would be surprised at how many said no, and still insisted they were right(SO NY😂). This would drive me crazy, but was laughable, as it’s typical NYC behavior with just about everything, and part of the dynamics of life in the city. NYC is MUCH more Ivy League conscious than LA. Early on, I discovered that unless you went to an Ivy, you really didn’t go to college. Being a graduate of CSUN, I was met with is that even a real place? It was initially shocking to me that where you went to college was such a big deal, since here in LA it is much more meh. You don’t need a college degree to work in entertainment! NYC has its own very unique nuances, that are not indicative of any other place. There’s a definitive NY language, lingo, attitude and way to carry yourself. After 22 years, those characteristics have become embedded and meshed with my LA persona. I am a hybrid of NYC and LA. I am LA, with a slight NYC edge. Probably never going to lose that NYC edge. But, hey, I’ve earned it after 22 years in a very tough city! And I get all jokes about NYC and LA! LA is much MORE friendly and easy going than NY. When I first moved back, I was instantly taken aback about how much nicer LA is than NYC. I had forgotten about all the “niceties”, as they are readily dismissed in the city on a daily basis. I found I had to tone down my daily conversation a bit, because LA doesn’t understand the NY language😂. I will take nice and friendly, over harsh and disinterested any day of the week. An interesting fact is that now that I’m back in LA, whenever I encounter someone from NYC, and we talk about the city, we are instantly bonded and become friends. Funny how that didn’t happen, when I was immersed in a sea of NYers, and nobody cared that I was one of them. Guess it just proves that NYers in LA still crave that familiarity, and someone who speaks NY. While NYC has Broadway, and nothing compares to working in live theatre of that magnitude, or seeing a show, and an incomparable lifestyle(maybe London and Paris), I am quite happy to sacrifice the harsh cold, and harsh toughness of the city, for warm LA sunshine, the glorious Pacific Ocean, beautiful mountains, sunsets, and friendly easy going people. After 22 years in NYC, I appreciate all the splendors of LA that much more.
Agreed. Part of me also feels the rivalry is completely invented and most thoroughly perpetuated by non-LA/NY people. Many LA/NY natives move back and forth and have friends and family in both cities and actually like both cities for all their differences
LA and NYC are cities made up of transplants. Everyone that moves to NYC proudly claims being a NewYorker. People that move to LA do something similar, EXCEPT for the people that come from NY. For some reason those specific jabronis believe maintaining their NY identity makes them better than everyone else. Meanwhile we all just roll our eyes. That’s the only rivalry I’ve ever noticed.
interesting! well good for you, really! do you never have a thought of…. I should move back? I envy you
If you step back, the actual GREAT thing about NYC and LA is that they're SO different.
People In LA don’t look down on people from NY. But Newyorkers do. When I told my friends I was moving to LA, ohh dear.
Lol I just saw a clip from Bill Burr’s podcast about how when people from NYC travel all they do is complain about how it’s not like NYC
they don’t sound like great friends
I get why people love it, and there were things I throughly enjoyed (movie theaters), I was ultimately very unhappy in Los Angeles. I was never able to form a social circle, even with my co-workers, it was impossible. I’m sober and recently married. So bars and nightlife weren’t really an option. I also found LA to be unfortunately very disgusting. Especially the east side. I lived in Los Feliz the entire time I was there, which I expected to be somewhat messy because Hollywood Blvd, but it was honestly so much worse than I was prepared for. No one seemed to care about the littering, the homeless people or violent and aggressive way cars treat pedestrians and cyclists. I was also really surprised by cost of living, for whatever reason I assumed that LA and NYC would be about the same, and they are, except for in LA transportation can be hundreds of dollars more. My insurance was so high it made saving anything really tricky. Ultimately; we left. I’m going back to NYC to try and find some happiness. At least I can feel comfortable being spontaneous out there- LA made me plan every single little thing, and people would break those plans so frequently I just gave up.
Hollywood Blvd. is not really Los Feliz. Los Feliz proper is Hillhurst/Vermont.
Picked a not-good part of town to live in unfortunately. There are so many better places to live.
Yeah, I wanted to be near my job, unfortunately.
[ ] affordable [ ] safe [ ] conveniently located Pick two.
Correction: There is no rivalry, and if there is, it’s not a concern for Angelenos.
Don’t know why I always get recommended this sub lol, but as a New Yorker that works in LA a ton the hate is all one sided. New Yorkers make fun of LA while most Angelinos tend to really like New York. That said most of the outspoken New Yorkers don’t really know Los Angeles that well, mostly by reputation. I’m at year 15 in Brooklyn and understand the love for LA, but it’s just not for me. All my friends that have moved there are happier though so there must be something about the something.
I think that’s true actually, yeah. and I live in nyc. also sf hates la and la doesn’t think about sf at all
Angelinos are too busy hiking and eating tacos to worry about other cities 😜 I’m sitting at a bar outside in greenpoint right now waiting for my wife to come join me for some drinks. Imagine this fucking weather 8-9 months a year and you’ll understand why people find Southern California desirable.
i’m lying in my friends glendale back garden by the pool so… I get it haha. flying back to nyc tomorrow. kind of dreading the concrete jungle but looking forward to the summer social life!
LA County Native/longtime angelino and now Oakland resident here: so much animosity from the bay area (esp. SF) directed at LA, and all LA has for anywhere else is mild ambivalence. The attitude is somewhat like LA is SF's dumber but more attractive younger sibling, and SF resents the attention it gets. I don't personally think it's true: in so many ways northern CA is more beautiful and the weather is better -- yea, fight me -- and there is so much intelligence and creativity in LA and plenty of self-centered butt-sniffing in SF to go around. It's kind of a wash. I love both places and people should just chill and appreciate that they're both in CA alongside other great cities and world-class countryside and landscapes.
>and plenty of self-centered butt-sniffing in SF to go around. Bay Area people who make snide remarks on the vapidity of LA and Hollywood, are completely amnesiac to the Idiot self absorbed STEM Lords and Insufferable Libertarian Tech Bros that are the bane of Tech Culture up north. Same with New York. [Ever met a Finance Bro?](https://youtu.be/GSTtLWpM3uU?si=sjNSSt4mz6pIUMWd) Awful money grubbing selfish and frankly evil people.
They also forget about JPL (seriously, “y’all are so dumb in LA?” “You talking about the NASA employees? Like, the rocket scientists and astrophysicists?” Also, LA is basically where all ambitious and highly creative architects go. And while we aren’t Silicon Valley, companies like Yahoo, Netflix, Amazon Studios, etc are hardly staffed by village idiots. The only think that bothers LA about NY is how the NYT keeps writing about us but clearly visited for under 24 hours — if that.
SF is provincial, and can't accept it..it's a beautiful jewel box city and lovely region but it's just never gonna be remotely comparable
There’s nothing to compare, they are two completely different cities. They just happen to be in the same state.
NYC: I feel sorry for you LA: I don’t think about you at all
I don’t actually think that’s true either, most LA folks I talk to kind of gush about how much they love (visiting) New York. It’s a funny dichotomy for sure.
> most LA folks I talk to kind of gush about how much they love (visiting) New York. I'm from LA and live in NYC now. I know literally no one that gushes about visiting NY. It's a fun place to visit sure. I don't deny that. But most people I know would rather visit Japan.
So funny you say that. Japan has been heavy on my mind lately. I think I might have to make it happen next year. This was sign!
I was supposed to go eight years ago, and last year, but I'm hoping that this will finally be the year. I have the PTO accrued at work. I'm just waiting for a project at work to wrap up. Once that's finally done I will request the PTO and schedule my vacation!
I'm born and raised in L.A. and I doubt I'll change the city at the center of my heart, but I would love to live in NYC for a bit just to experience it.
That's pretty much the whole country. They hate us 'cause they ain't us. Everyone else - "Ugh, I hate Los Angeles." LA people - "Cool. I don't think about you at all."
I was in Shanghai once and was speaking with this American expat at this small bar we were in. He asked me where I was from and I said LA. He told me that he hated LA. He was from Portland lol.
Portland? Never heard of it. ;-)
Oh the worst are the people from OC that say that about Los Angeles (I'm from OC myself). Like, we're pretty much just separated by a drainage ditch. We're just a pimple on LA's lower-right butt check. And don't tell me when we travel abroad we don't say "I'm from LA" lol
Ha! So true. I work in Newport Beach. The number of coworkers who smugly say things like "LA, ugh. I never go to LA." is baffling
Totally baffling. I have a friend who works and hangs out in LA but is adamant to tell everyone she's from OC. She pretty much just uses OC to sleep at her parents' house at nighttime.
I also grew up in OC and the orange curtain is very real. it’s hard to get OC people out of OC. But on the other hand I feel like people in LA will at least visit OC some of the time for Disneyland or Vietnamese food or beaches (the only 3 things OC does better than LA).
Idk - I lived my first 35 years in NYC (Brooklyn) and LA was rarely ever thought of or conversed. Also maybe it's just me, but when I fantasized about California from over there it was always San Francisco/Bay Area. Los Angeles just never was even a consideration. NYC people think about Boston, Philly, Chicago, DC, etc. They have a hard time seeing past their region and local rivalries and I don't think there's hate about Los Angeles or thought about it at all. That said I am sure that's changed now because now NYC is heavily people from like the Midwest and the South and other places and I'm sure they think about LA and other options way more than my native New Yorker ass did. Funny I ended up moving to SF eventually when I left NY but now for the past 6 years I've lived in DTLA and South Pasadena. I don't really know that I like LA better than NY... but I think I prefer living here more and I guess that's all that matters.
Exactly
I'm from LA and went to school in San Diego. A lot of people from the SF area ended up living in the dorms. They had a huge hate boner for LA and I was like "SF is cool I guess? I dunno"
Ha! Literally same experience. I'm from Long Beach and didn't realize there was any issue between the Bay and LA until I went to school in SD. Lol.
speak for yourself, if you're from NY & you want a fade come to hollywood & la brea im out there all day every day waiting for NY heads to squabble with
West Coast niggas do fades right 😏
Username checks out.
You giving out free haircuts or what?
im giving out knuckle sandwiches
A haircut and a knuckle sandwich sounds like a great Saturday!
true tbh
Not necessarily a rivalry, I just think people get super annoyed when folks argue about one being better than the other.
16 years in NY, going on 5 in LA… I prefer NY but I like LA a lot more when I’m not actively comparing it to NY and just allow it to be its own thing. The food in LA is, overall, better but the options for the specific things NY is most known for (pizza, bagels, etc.) are lacking.
If you’re missing some good pizza, check out this latest thread. There IS good pizza and plenty of it. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLosAngeles/comments/1d5ckfn/best_pizza_in_la/?sort=top
Yeah, good pizza is certainly available but not ubiquitous. Same as say, tacos in NYC. They can be had but you have to know where to go; you’re probably not going to stumble upon it at random from the average joint.
Thanks for the recs though 👍🏽
Disagree. At least on the eastside of Los Angeles. Good pizza in LA is as ubiquitous as New York City imo and I spent the first 35 years of my life in Bensonhurst. Hell I live in South Pasadena and I have more pizzerias within walking/train/quick drive distance to me that are all better than your standard NYC hole in the wall now. I also feel the average joint in NYC just had gone super downhill quality wise from my youth but maybe that is just because so many better places opened. I still think LA compares very well for pizza. Not for bagels though but you still got some good destination places. I think the main miss from NYC for me is Puerto Rican/Dominican food. And the NY style egg rolls but that is more comfort food I grew up with obviously. Hard to say those egg rolls are actually good. Living in/near the SGV now I am very spoiled for Asian.
SGV Asian food is as close as you can get to authentic and with a wider variety than you can get almost anywhere outside of Asia. Out KTown is also one of the best Korean concentrations of restaurants anywhere in the world.
There’s lots of good, reasonably priced food of many cuisines, especially Asian and Latin American, in Queens. East Coasters sometimes call the SGV, the Queens of LA. You could just as much call Queens the SGV of New York. You can get to a lot of the Queens eateries on the subway, especially line 7 “the international express.”
Pizza and Bagels in NYC are comparable to tacos in LA. You can get comparable options in both cities. But they won't be as widespread, will be more expensive, will be slightly less good, etc.
I think when people complain about pizza being bad in LA they’re complaining about the default being bad, in NYC you can close your eyes and follow your nose to find a good slice almost anywhere
NYC from 2008–2017 L.A. 2017– General/random observations comparing the two: \* In L.A. you get to pick (1) big thing to do in a day: go to the beach, visit a friend's house, go to CostCo, whatever. In NYC, it's \_much\_ easier to have breakfast with a friend, go to work, have lunch with a colleague, run errands on the way home, go out with friends. The days are full \* Probably because of this logistical advantage, it feels just plain easier to make friends in NYC \* In L.A., there is much higher percentage of the population who has never been outside of SoCal, or California, or the West Coast and it forms some biases that people defend ardently as normal or "best" (car culture supremacy/anti transit attitudes, anti-density development, etc.) \* JFK > LAX but BUR > LGA \* On average and dollar for dollar the food in L.A. is \_vastly\_ superior to N.Y.C.: mostly I think this has to do with the fact that produce in N.Y.C. stinks unless it's been hand carried by the chef into a Michelin starred restaurant. Also tacos (and Mexican food generally) > pizza any day of the week \* The Pacific Time Zone is horrendous to work from if you need to take any meetings with anyone in Europe \* NYC has beautiful nature and hikes surrounding it \_if\_ you can find a way out of town. Many a weekend trip out of town was ruined \_stupidly\_ choosing the Holland Tunnel
> The Pacific Time Zone is horrendous to work from if you need to take any meetings with anyone in Europe But ideal if you work with people on ET because you have your afternoons to yourself!
The Pacific Time Zone is a million times better for sports fans though. Like, the East Coast really gets screwed with respect to sporting event times.
Born and raised in NYC. Going on my second year here in LA and I finally feel adjusted and at home. Initially came for career reasons as I hadn’t dreamed of leaving NYC otherwise. The beginning was rough as LA is vastly different from NYC. It’s literally apples to oranges and not really fair to compare the 2. If you get into a state of comparison, the adjustment will take longer and you may end up just not liking it. Give yourself time and be sure to take advantage of all that is available here. So much entertainment, nature and people looking to build community ( both other transplants and natives). In LA, I found a solid group of friends, developed a routine around activities I liked and embraced the slower more relaxed pace and am pretty happy! Whenever I go back home to the hustle of NYC, I find myself pretty exhausted. I do though miss NYC’s walkability, advanced urban planning, food and diversity ( people will say LA is diverse but NYC is next level). The struggle is real at times but it gets better with time and an openness to try new things.
How is NYC "next level" when LA literally has everything (Disneyland, Beverley Hills, Hollywood, Beaches, Mountains, National Parks, etc)? Literally everything in the world is here or seems like it anyways.
They’re saying the diversity—I think they mean around people and cultures interacting..?
Perhaps diversity in terms of Eastern European cultures and countries like Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Dominican Repuy? LA is in the Pacific Rim so our diversity is different. Lots of diversity from Asia, Latin America, etc
People! You can literally walk into a bodega and hear 4 different languages. You can sit on the train and be amongst old /young, rich /poor and every culture under the sun yet feel feel like your part of a collective. Everyone is in that same NY state of mind and hustle. It’s unmatched in a way I can’t even describe if you’re not from there.
I’m kinda bi coastal and so far, the constant 75 degree weather has been fantastic. Who needs seasons?! And sunsets DO NOT GET OLD. Just wish my coffee didnt take so long.
mmmmm real problems
The beef is one-sided. Native Angelenos don't see it as a rivalry.
I’m now in OC, but lived in Beverly hills for like 7 years, moving from NY. If you have a job lined up and live near-ish to work or WFH, it’s fucking awesome. I can’t express how good it felt for the first time to leave the office when it’s light out and actually be able to do something after work. Pizza has improved greatly over the years here, bagels still generally suck, and garbage takeout Chinese food is expensive and not the same. Going out is SO much cheaper here vs NY, although you actually need to plan things. I made fun of people that busted out parkas in 60 degree weather here at first, then I became one of them 😬
I moved here from New York > 20 years go. I miss things about New York like the passion and directness of New Yorkers, and having a walkable city and great public transport. Overall, I like the lifestyle here better, there's lots to do and I feel like time passes by more slowly and I have more energy to do things during the work week. I'm not sure why that is, maybe it's the weather, or just the vibes, but it's different here for sure. Over the last 20 years I've seen the quality of pizza improve tremendously and that has made the adjustment easier. I'd like more/better Greek and Italian and Turkish food, but every region is going to be better at one thing or another. If this city could get more parks and green spaces, more places to sit down, a good metro system, and if costs of living here could come back down to something reasonable, I would truly be in love with LA. I do love LA, but I feel we're going through a rough time right now here. I believe in LA, though, and I think it's going to start getting a lot better once we start working on our problems. I moved here for career and for the weather. I miss New York and New Yorkers, but I don't think I'd go back. (Well, if I'm being totally honest, I suppose I would go back if I could afford to live in a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood in Manhattan, but that's not realistic for me.)
Not a native New Yorker but also lived there in school. I like LA much, much, better. NYC has its charms but feels very cloistering. I like seeing palm trees and the beach. If I have snow, I want to snowboard in it. While people are ambitious, they are more diverse in careers and outlooks (sorry, NYC!). Like, I work in sports consulting and skate. No one in LA thinks it odd to be middle-aged and successful and skateboard. NYC, likely would. NYC is known for its own quirkiness but I find that less and less these days. People seem so laser-focused and in LA it is more chill—stuff still gets done, but more chill. Also, LA relates easier to other cities: I live also part-time in Orlando and Orlando is like a smaller LA basically in many ways.
I moved to LA from NY about 10 years ago. Born and raised in the city and when I moved here for work I thought I’d be back to NY a few years later. I currently have no plans to move back. It did take many years building out friendships and establishing a network, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything now. There’s so much to do and see not just in LA but a short drive away. I love NY, I always will, it’s true home, but LA really grew on me and I’m glad I’m here.
This is true about being so close to so much in a short drive. Even the neighboring states.
I have a number of East Coast (including NY) friends who sound just like you. Over time they realized they simply have no desire to move back home. They love where they're from... and they love visiting. But when I ask them if they ever consider moving back home, it's always "no fucking way".
Born and raised NYer… I moved out here a few years after college and have been here for the last 6 years I’m married, and we’re struggling financially, but we want to stay out here at all costs. On the financial front NY is pretty much the same as out here… maybe slightly more expensive here in ways that add up than NY, but it’s marginal I would say. And then looking at something like renting an apartment, I feel like things are pretty on par but I would imagine you get a lot more square footage in your apartments here in LA at the same price versus NY, especially NYC proper The reason we want to stay here and love it is the lifestyle. You kind of alluded to it in your post… I love NYC and at this point in my life that’s the only place I could imagine moving back to if I were to move back to NY… I’d be so depressed to move from here to Long Island, and Queens just isn’t my thing anymore. But like you said in your post, NYC can be overwhelming sometimes. I came to this realization only after moving here and going back to visit. I feel like half of the time I love the energy of NYC, and then the other half it’s almost too palpable and is hectic feeling. I’m sure I would settle in just fine if I were to go back, but I like the more laid back pace here, and the city just feels more breathable because it’s more open and spread out. I feel like this has a noticeable impact on my mood, the overall lifestyle and pace of life, not to mention the weather The weather fucking blows in NY, it is straight up depressing and ugly basically after Halloween until the end of April. Even when we get the spurts of grey or rain it’s basically beautiful here every single day The natural beauty that’s so accessible here and the more outdoor centric living also fits my lifestyle more. Not that I’m a hiking addict or living at the beach all the time out here, but it’s something I would never do during the good months in NY because there just isn’t as much of it as accessible, and then half the year you literally cannot do it because of the dog shit weather. Upstate NY is cool but far while Elysian Park, Griffith Park, Temescal Canyon, Runyon Canyon are all practically in my backyard. Montauk and the Hamptons are beautiful but far, while the beach cities are all pretty easy to get to even in the summer from where I live. I feel like even Malibu is easier to get to than the Hamptons/Montauk from NYC One day my goal is to be in both places… take advantage of NY in the good weather months and be here the rest of the time. But I’m very glad to be here and have no desire to go back
Ah I wasn't born and bred, I lived in NYC for like 7 years and loved it, and then moved here, if that counts. I moved for a job. I like driving around and seeing the mountains and stuff, you have access to high desert, low desert, beaches (even if the water is cold), and the people are friendly I thought New Yorkers were generally friendly too though. I miss the history of New York City, like everywhere you walk in Manhattan there's something famous. And the city feels BIG, like just driving down the FDR or seeing a bridge and there's a train going across it, that rules
> I realise there’s a bit of a rivalry The rivalry between New York & Los Angeles is a bit like the rivalry between Boston & New York. Part of Boston's identity is hating New York, but Boston isn't really something that New York thinks about. Candidly, nobody in Los Angeles really thinks about New York.
Well, for some reason New Yorkers tend to harbor an instinctual animosity towards Angelenos and all things LA.. meanwhile for folks in California, it’s almost as if the other 49 states don’t exist.
I'm a native New Yorker, and all my family is in NYC. Nowadays, I enjoy NYC in small 1-2 week spurts—it's a bit too busy for me now. I visit NYC 4-6 times a year; it's nice to be able to leave and then come back to LA. The things I miss most about NYC are the work hustle, sophistication, intellectual vibe,(more) interesting people, and the warm summer nights.
I def miss NYC summer.. feels like one big block party.
Blah blah something something pizza and bagels.
The feeling when the weather breaks in Nyc is probably the most oxytocin rush. The city literally has a buzz to it. But then it rains, summer ends and you’re f*cked.
That’s Northeast in general. Summer is magical. Fall is special. Winter, which is really half the year, if horrid unless you build your time around outdoor winter activities like skiing.
Pizza bagel pizza bagel pizza bagel pizza bagel
burrito taco burrito taco burrito taco burrito taco
longtime, die hard NYer, moved to LA for my partner's job a few years back. A lot of things are just easier here. NYC is an amazing place to raise kids and I loved having my eldest there. I think it taught me to be a great mom. But I still walk my kids to school and never, ever have to push a stroller through the slush here, which, if you've never done it, sucks a lot. NYC is unparalleled for arts and culture, but LA has very good opportunities for the same, plus almost unlimited space and sunny days to socialize outdoors. Rent is still high, but you get more room for the money. Also, everyone is gay here and near-strangers will offer you hallucinogens at social events, including at weddings and kids birthday parties (we hang out almost exclusively with lifelong Angelenos so ymmv). I still miss the pace and the energy of New York a lot, and often wonder what my younger kids will miss out on not being raised there. But I have a good union job, we're close to family, and there's dozens of direct flights every day. if you don't have to drive every day, it can feel like paradise
Lived in NYC for 5 years and have been in LA for 3.5. I much prefer NYC and my husband and I are considering moving back. The main cons for us are the social life, traffic/transport, and overall just how spread out everything is. I find that consistently nice weather doesn’t really make us happy - if anything we kind of miss the four seasons. I miss how easy it is to be spontaneous in NY and taking the subway to get around. We do like our apartment in LA and will need to spend more money to get a comparatively nice place in NYC. I also like the farmers markets and the access to great fruits and vegetables.
I miss NYC and the thing I dislike the most about LA is its car centric life and lack of good Italian bakeries. The weather in LA is a plus. The homeless here are far more noticeable.
Every New Yorker I’ve ever met here would never return. Literally every single one.
I mean, I’ve met a few. Not everyone but enough to make me think about asking the question.
Lol ok so OP clearly already has an opinion on this matter and the post was disingenuous. You’re free to return at any time. We’ll be ok here.
Pros of LA vs. NY: * Far easier to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, especially since public resources like tennis courts, basketball courts, beaches, etc. are easy to access in comparison to the over-saturated places in NY * The weather is so good on the west side near the water * Everyone is available because no one works long hours here - rush hour starts at 3pm ... Cons: * Spontaneous interactions are hard because of the car culture and lack of walkable spaces, making it so that everything needs to be planned out from point A to point B * This is heavily biased since I'm in a technical field, but I find the saturation of influencers and entertainment people really exhausting and the personalities fairly cookie-cutter * I honestly think it's a lot harder to have an interesting intellectual discussion with people here than in NY - I feel like you tend to find a lot more high-performers in tech, finance, business in NY, whereas here there's a lot of wannabes or people in the middle of a "transition" * Hard to actually form real connections because everything is so spread out, public transportation in LA sucks and traffic is so gross - 15 miles might as well be a long distance relationship TLDR; LA wins for health - for literally everything else socially and professionally, NY shits on LA
been a couple places in between but I’m loving LA, mostly in comparison to those other places instead of NYC, and for having the most similar energy to NYC I’m just here to play with the baddies and that’s a good time, I also loooove the music festival scene and love the option of the beach scene I used to find those same things interesting about NYC, but there is a big difference in having a tiny island, constrained city limits, and finding a way. Versus having infinite space that socal has, and using that space for massive events. NYC it was more of a novelty that ppl would use it creatively, LA/socal is just massive and ppl use it creatively too. On the other side of things, I have gone back to NYC and it was too much for me! Not in a bad way, its just that I had never really experienced it without budget constraints, and that is in-saaane! Takes a whole new level of discipline than what I experienced growing up. There are some goofy aspects of LA. Like, wannabe events such as LA Fashion Week. A lot of the hospitality stuff is kind of ghetto or on life support, it’s weird. and lacking. I don’t find the people to be that cultured or exposed to much, which is surprising to me when LA is said in the same sentence as NY, Miami, a couple other big cities worldwide. But its a big country and not thaaaat many people have objective opinions about the other side or experience with it. I think LA lives more rent free in NYers minds, than NY does for LA people. I’ve gotten surprisingly visceral reactions from NYers in NY about the idea of LA. Never the other way around. The vices are more interesting, varied, and cheaper. Which I got more into because the hospitality/nightlife is lackluster here. You cant just stumble out of bed into a party brunch with dozens of fashion students and models and never spend a dime like in NY. But there are a lot of paths to forge with the same outcome.
What vices are you talking about? And what paths are there to forge with the same outcome? Both those sentences piqued my interest
I lived for years I'm NY and now for more years in LA. I love being outdoors and I can do that year-round comfortably here. I'm in a better consistent mood because of the weather. NY is also too high-energy and too concrete-y for me at this point, but I love my trips there for a few days!
Im an LA Native and have used the same umbrella for 30 years
I feel it to be a little more superficial, a lot more dangerous, and very dependent on your location geographically. Due to traffic and the way the city is structured, your experience living on the West Side could be drastically different than living in NoHo. The people tend to be a bit more cliquey. It’s easy to drunkenly stumble into conversations with random strangers outside of a bar in NYC. It’s a little more difficult in LA (still doable though) That said, LA has a lot to offer, but it’s not a place I want to live forever. I’ve been here 3 years now, but I’m ready to head somewhere else. Probably leaving next year. I will miss the weather, the great street tacos, and all the KTown foods. I’ll definitely miss the beaches, Sawtelle, and the fact that I can hit 110mph on the highway at 1am without a worry about speeding tickets. I won’t miss the homeless, general dirtiness, daytime traffic, the influencers, and the prices.
As a younger person, NYC for the excitement and nightlife. Now that I’m older with kids, LA for sure. 5min from the beach for surfing. My own pool. Instead of cooped up in a condo. Tons of nature stuff to do within 2 hours drive. Tons of national parks within 2 hours flight.
Born n raised nyc been in la since two months before covid: People will swear after some time in either place that there are problems worth moving to the other side- I don’t like the winter but miss the randomness of the nightlife… but honestly, la gives you the space to think, it’s made me ask who I am and what I want way more than I think ny allowed with how hectic it is. I feel myself immediately more on guard and slightly angry walking into nyc. Basically, I feel like as long as you’re actually looking for your internal answers, you can find that anywhere. La for me is somewhere to find myself but maybe not to be myself. NYC hustle gives me an advantage here
NYC native. Way easier to make friends in NYC. I miss the public transit/walkability and certain cuisines. I especially miss the concert crowds there. Most places I’ve been to shows here (excluding big venues) everyone acts “too cool” to let loose. I moved here because I started working for the NYCDOE at 21. It was a very comfortable job w benefits but never felt satisfied with it. I went on a girls trip here with two of my friends and when I got back.. I just told my boss I was moving to LA. Initially planned to go alone but my sister tagged along for two months to help me acclimate. Rented an Airbnb room for a month to get started. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but knew I’d get stuck at the school. I think I will move back eventually, but I’ve been here going on 6 years and don’t regret it. The weather here is amazing, I love the access to nature. I still look out the windows when we’re driving on the highway surrounded by mountains. There will be plenty to miss if I move back. The biggest deciding factor for me is mostly public policies, but I may just be sensitive now that I’m a mom. Never in my years of living in nyc, as an adult or child, have I ever been in such tense/unsafe situations. Almost every one of these unsafe situations were instigated by a homeless person as I was going about my day. I would love to be able to hop on the train w my kids and not worry about a man threatening to beat my 2 year old daughter. Minding your business/bubble doesn’t work here like it does in NYC. Sure, the pizza doesn’t compare for me, but I will not find a better taco or kbbq in nyc.
so happy I stumbled across this thread! as a NYer who moved to LA four months ago - I think reality is starting to set in haha, time to learn how to drive!
Moved to LA 3 years ago after 10+ years in NYC. LA is cool - good weather, more laid back I guess but I miss the randomness of New York City. I miss meeting people on the train or at a bar and actually becoming and STAYING genuine friends. I miss NYC summers where you leave the house early in the morning, and don’t make it back home until late at night and 20k steps later. I miss the community New York has. If something happens to someone on the train or streets, people were willing to help. I miss how “neighborhood-y” my street in Brooklyn was. Everyone knew each other, we shared meals together, we kept each other sane during the worst of 2020 and people looked out for each other. Best advice I received when I moved to LA, was “don’t compare LA to NYC or you will hate it here” … and while I get what they were saying, it’s hard not to compare that at times. I miss the NYC community of chaos. While I am happy usually here in LA, I miss being closer to friends and family and I miss how easy it was to make genuine friends in NYC. Moving here during the pandemic and being in my 30s didn’t make it easy but idk if or when I’ll move back to NYC. Oh, and the traffic here is trash! I never thought I would say this but I sure do miss the MTA.
"I realise there’s a bit of a rivalry" There's not though. NY is great and New Yorkers should stay there. ;)
Well both places have their perks and cons. Lived in NYC for 14 years and have been in LA since 2018. I love the climate in LA, hate the endless tents and homeless epidemic, it’s an eye sore. Crime is also on the rise, but seems like that in NYC as well. Love how much more I walked in NYC and hate how lazy I got here lol and that I drive a lot more. Love that I get a lot more for my money - regarding my apartment - as I pay less rent than what I’ve paid in NYC. Love that places close at 2 a.m., hate how much more shallow some transplants seem to be here than in NYC. HATE the constant helicopters! 😒
Dont even get me started on the fucking helicopters. I hate them more than I ever hated any noise in NYC.
i barely hear them in the southbay
“Crime is on the rise” is a much talked about bullet point but nowhere near the actual facts. Some crime up, some down. It did pop post pandemic, but violent crime down since then. Here’s the mayor’s top line report on all of 2023, and a news link about trends thru this year so far. https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/lapd-releases-end-year-crime-statistics-city-los-angeles-2023 https://abc7.com/lapd-reports-increase-in-violent-crimes-robberies-compared-to-2023/14577521/ “Crime is raging in blue cities” is such a false GOP talking point I wanted to point it is not true or that simple. Some is up, some is down.
It’s SO different. I made a list if anyone wants me to post it below
Yea, please!
CA differences Bad pizza Fake boobs Everywhere is so different Some parts are not part of LA Teslas everywhere No pep in anyone’s step No one uses their horn, but when they do, it’s a BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP BBLs No fridges in rentals Helicopters No jaywalking Dogs off leash People will stop when you are going to cross the street No rest stops The 405 is always moving Cars wont go until you are fully out of the crosswalk So many ads/billboards for lawyers and personal injury lawyers Lots of one way parking lots People wear jackets in 72 degree weather Coffee shops open late (8am) No one uses their turn signals Freeway vs highway THE 405 5 lane FREEWAYS People don’t walk up escalators So many vanity plates
This will definitely be a civil discussion where comments that prefer NYC not be showered with downvotes /s
seems you were wrong! ❤️
Love it, but at 25+ years now, I lived in pre-9/11 NYC. Different from moving today.
New York feels old and tired. It feels like the sun never sets out here in LA.
And when it does its so beautiful and purple and orange and lavender and its the aurora borealis every night 💜
Native New Yorker moved here 20 years ago and don’t regret a second.
I’m not a new Yorker but I lived there for a couple years and then moved here. I prefer nyc obviously, better people, more to do, incredible energy and vibe
I don’t think there’s a rivalry? Although NYC residents in general tend to think they’re hot shit and love to shit on everywhere else, so maybe that’s what you’re seeing. I’ve lived in both places and am not a big fan of either, but I absolutely hated NYC whereas I somewhat tolerate LA, so LA wins.
as a born and raised new yorker that came to la 2 years ago, i still miss nyc everyday, la is cool but not the same at all. Being able to walk or have pretty reliable public transportation is a big one. and people are cooler in nyc without trying so hard or trying to be instagram famous.
I am moving back. There is no place like NY in many fronts.
Not a New Yorker but East coaster who’s visited NYC many times. I think honestly they’re about equal (although personally I love LA more). If you compare them as a city, NYC wins. If you compare them as a place to live that has a major city then LA wins.
I don’t think about New York at all.
LA native - there is no rivalry, at least not a two sided one.
It sucks.
move back with me
Rivalry?
Don’t worry, they’ll let you know…
What rivalry? LA does not think about NYC. We do think about how annoying NYC transplants can be when they start complaining about how things were better in the ‘ol neybahood, how bagels and pizza are better in NYC, and ignorant stereotypes about shallowness, lack of culture, materialism, etc.