Los Angeles to me is that one friend who you love and appreciate but can’t spend too much time with. She’s super outgoing, energetic, that sort of “crazy in a good way”, but you can only stand her for so long until you want to go home and relax. I never really want to spend more than a day in L.A. The last time I went up was to shop at the Melrose trading post and have lunch, then I was ready to go home. I was born and raised my entire life until college in the same home in Newport Beach, CA – about a little over an hour out from Los Angeles. I couldn’t love where I live more. I’m truly so grateful to call Newport home everyday. You can submit yourself into the crazy hustle and bustle of the city of L.A., but you come home to a beautiful clean city near the beach that is always well kept and aesthetically pleasing everywhere.
Los Angeles does hold a lot of meaning for my family. It’s where my mom was born and grew up, also in the same one home her whole life until college. She was raised on a beautiful property in Bel Air and her mother was the epitome of extravagance. She would host and throw lavish parties, often times for no specific reason. The workers of Neiman Marcus knew her by first and last name. This sort of lifestyle sounds dreamy, but it really wasn’t, it was actually quite sad. My grandmother was a shopaholic, not a shopaholic for just anything, some of the most expensive purses, handbags, jewelry, etc. My brother and I were always excited for our L.A. visit to our grandma because we knew we were getting any toys or clothing we wanted. Looking back, it makes me quite upset and I wish I could have bonded with my grandmother on a more real level while she was still around, because she truly was a strong, generous, and kind woman who just wanted everyone to be happy, whether they were loved ones or strangers.
My thoughts on the class so far are very positive. It’s truly so interesting to me learning the history and sort of “behind the scenes” of L.A. The thing about L.A. is that you could live there your entire life and you still wouldn’t know everything there is to know about the city. It is so complex and therefore offers endless exploration of knowledge. I’m really looking forward to watching Mulholland Drive because it’s a classic that I haven’t seen yet. I’m actually excited to possibly learn more about the negative and corrupt sides and secrets of Los Angeles. Sure I know how to get around, what’s good to eat, and what the good shops are, but as weird or negative as it sounds, I want to know about the dark scandals of L.A.
Ava Ganz 
I 100% agree with your point of view on how Los Angeles is only a day trip. Being there for too long can truly be too much and very overwhelming. It was super interesting how you would go up there to see your grandma and how the lavish lifestyle there was a lot. It is not all glamor and perfection, but yes Los Angeles can be a fun, exciting city.
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Hi Ava,
I really like your take on Los Angeles being that “crazy in a good way” friend. I too agree that LA is not all what it seems and is more just Hollywood trying to portray a place that it really isn’t. We are lucky to live in a place where we can explore LA to our heart’s content but also come back to quiet OC without the hustle and bustle.
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