London vs. LA pt. 2 -Getting Around

If you're not from Los Angeles then you might not understand the importance of having an automobile. Londoners, be happy that you have the Tube, even if they shut down for maintenance EVERY weekend. Even if it's sometimes delayed due to "signal failure" or "a person under the train." These are only small obstacles, for you can and will eventually reach your destination, and most likely within the hour (if point A to point B are not on opposite sides of Zone 6 or something...)

45 minutes is a long journey in London. 45 minutes in Los Angeles is "not too far." In fact, that might even be CLOSE, especially if you're coming from the San Fernando Valley and going "over the hill," (as we call the hill that separates the Valley from LA proper).

Let's take a look at the travel distances for a moment, shall we:

*A journey from, let's say Lewisham (hello, July), which is quite South, to Camden Town, which is probably the furthest north you'll be going out to on weekends, is about 9 mi. and driving will take 31 minutes according to Google Maps.

*On public transport, the trip is about 37 minutes. Long journey, Londoner.


A similar journey in Los Angeles goes like this:

*from my home in Encino to my university is about 12 miles, and for Los Angeles Google Maps always has two travel times posted:

one for normal conditions (in this case, 16 minutes) and one for IN TRAFFIC CONDITIONS (41 minutes). Yeah, it takes DOUBLE the time, if not more, to get places in crazy Los Angeles traffic. And it seems as though traffic is not bad only during rush hour, but is getting worse round the clock.

And on public transport? Almost an hour. 16 minutes VS. an hour. That's just ridiculous. See why you need a car?

How is it that Greater London has almost 700 square miles, and Los Angeles has only almost 500 square miles, and it still feels WELL more spread out?


Here's the London tube map (click on images to see them larger):


And here's the LA subway map:

I mean, that's just sad...it's like a malnourished flower, wilting from the Sun's neglect...
Of course the subway map of Los Angeles covers almost 40 miles top to bottom, and the London, only about 6. Regardless, the subway system is seriously lacking. A lot of people don't even know LA has a subway...


Because of this traveling situation, one finds it extremely difficult to have a night out in LA without a vehicle or getting a ride from someone. And, of course, you're going to have to drive back, so either you can't drink or you be stupid and drink and drive. Quite a number of people drink and drive in LA because you want to go out and have a good time but you also ALWAYS have to drive. See in London, people drive mostly on roads. Well, in Los Angeles it's FREEWAYS. 6 lane HUGE DEATH TRAPS 70 miles per hour, or more if they're really crazy. Freeways are not toys, my friends.


In LA, if I couldn't find a ride to a friend's gig or something across town, I couldn't go. End of story. In London, sometimes a gig or party, etc. might be a BIT of a distance (45 minutes on the tube), but I can get there.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. There's no greater feeling than cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway, with the ocean by your side, blasting The Doors' "LA Woman." Sometimes driving a car in LA can feel free and GREAT.

Because I didn't have a vehicle I mainly stayed in Westwood, by UCLA. This was great because most of my friends lived in the neighborhood as well. But university lasts only so long, and soon we'll have to go into the real world. And get cars.

And because everyone is in cars, it makes LA a unique city, but also sometimes quite lonely...

So, my third topic will discuss the ways that the two cities feel different...

3. Big City Feel of London vs. A Big City, but sort of lonely and isolated...

I'm not making LA look too great, am i! I guess these are just reasons I needed to get out for a while!

Differences between living in London vs. living in Los Angeles...a personal perspective

A lot of times when I meet someone here, they ask what it's like living in Los Angeles...or how it compares to living in London. I always find myself saying the same things, "LA is much more spread out, you basically need a car to get anywhere..." That is, truly, one of the BIGGEST difference between Los Angeles and any other major city I've ever been to.

Well, here is an attempt to put down some thoughts on my own experiences in living between the two cities. I've decided to divide it up into segments, as I'm unexpectedly writing quite a bit (of course it's not because I have 100 pages of reading to do for my lectures tomorrow...)

1. Age restrictions
In Los Angeles, many of the music venues who host up-and-coming bands are 21+, the bastards. I'm talking about Spaceland, Hotel Cafe, not to mention the countless bars where bands get their start. These places, where so many times there has been either a friend's band or some other gig I wanted to attend but couldn't because - despite my ability to handle my alcohol better than some people well older than myself - they seem to think I am "not of age."

Also, this age restriction, I find in many ways, quite inhibits upcoming musicians. Either you can't play at a venue because you're not 21, or your friends can't come because they're not 21, or you just have to wait ages until you all turn 21 and you can finally play at "proper venues." Well, there are proper venues that aren't 21+, but it seems like the best gigs are always 21+. Furthermore, sometimes venues pay you less if the fans you bring in are under 21.

Oh, and the fact that they try to suck as much money out of you as possible, especially if you're not 21. What do I mean? Take, for example, one incident that really pissed me off...

I was at my friends' gig (a band called Haim Check them out, they're wicked!) at the Troubadour. I was extremely thirsty and asked the bartender for some tap water. She pours the water and says, "2 dollars." I asked why she was charging me for a free resource, and she said, "If you're under 21 tap water costs 2 dollars a cup." THAT'S FUCKING RIDICULOUS. This does NOT happen in London. If someone is dehydrated and needs tap water, unless the business does not have a sink, you give it to them. Los Angeles, especially the Hollywood area, is oftentimes a money-hungry hassle. Thinking about that still gets me heated, it's just absurd...

It's worth noting, though that I moved from Los Angeles about a month after I turned 21, so I can't even say I experienced the real Los Angeles music scene. I've felt that I've met loads of people here in London, and there are constantly gigs to attend. Always meeting musicians, promoters, other musically inclined people. Something that didn't happen QUITE so rapidly in Los Angeles. On top of that, I didn't have a car to get around while I was in LA, which leads me to my next point, which I will post about in the next entry.

2.Geographical Spacing, and Getting Around

Veronica
x

Writing Songs instead of doing work, that will never get you nowhere! ...unless..

A preview of what's been on my mind lately:

I’d rather howl to Allen Ginsberg and pray about saxophones and the shortness of our holy hours
Or turn down the sound on their past and my colors explode this world with all things new
Hollow music, traces brass-like, time’s laugh chases a future I know I’m bound
So their dictions, and predilections, I’ve got no use for them now
In other words, I’m quite the silent type, unless it all spills out in songs

Wrote this song yesterday instead of doing coursework. It's sonically not far off from other songs I've written (and it's really fun to play...), but lyrics wise it's quite a departure.

What's it about? I usually don't like to talk about my songs as any piece of art is open to interpretation, and mine is just as worthy as yours...but my take on it (and I'm probably contradicting it by typing this out, ah the paradox of life!) It's about the fact that I'm bored with examining outdated, irrelevant theories about art and artists from what seems like a million years ago. I want to LIVE art today. Fueled by those in the past who sought new boundaries of consciousness through art: I'm not interested in intellectualizing and sterilizing and objectifying it; and that I would rather--and can't help myself from--being possessed by inspiration and writing a song.

If that's the trade off for not studying, then I think I'm doing just fine!

Veronica
xx