I moved to Los Angeles when I was 18 and in the seven years that I lived there I went through a transformative soul changing period. Although I was raised in the Midwest, LA feels like home. The thing I like best about Los Angeles is that nearly everybody is creative.
I returned to the Midwest for a summer after living in LA for some time. I was wearing tie dye, blowing bubbles and keen to explore the cornfields, after so much time in a concrete jungle. While pretending like I was a hobbit running from the farmer, an old friend from high school felt afraid to let down his walls and “play”. It was then that I realized how much LA had liberated me and helped me become a creative childlike free soul. In the Midwest I was judged for being a hippie but in LA we all were. After that summer I returned to LA knowing that it was home. The things that made me looked down upon in the Midwest, made me an artist in Los Angeles. I would do sidewalk chalk collages and people would stop and appreciate my work. People smiled at me and gave me approving nods as I walked on Sunset Blvd in my tie dye.
Marijuana is legal in California but even before it was legal it was common, making the people there extremely relaxed. I used to wander around with a psychedelic stuffed frog, appropriately named Trip Frog, and if a stranger commented on my frog I would invite them to smoke with me. High discussions about life, energy and happiness commonly ensued.
I felt very safe in Los Angeles. I worked at a bar on Hollywood Blvd and often had to walk home at 3 AM. Sometimes a homeless person would try to chat with me but never was I threatened. I actually made friends with many Hollywood hustlers. If you smiled and had a conversation with them they would easily become your buddies. Any stereotype about Los Angeles being scary and dangerous I never found to be true.
I am intoxicated with the vibe of Los Angeles but I’ll be the first to admit that it is a dirty city. It is great to live there but I have no clue why anyone would take a vacation there. There are a lot of homeless, often leaving the streets smelling like urine. Tourists sit next to the stars on the Walk of Fame and I’m horrified, knowing how filthy it truly is. There are some enjoyable clubs, bars, hikes and beaches which I will highlight in a link below. However, I don’t see the appeal in booking a tour that drives by celebrity homes.
Los Angeles is a hub of creativity. A lovely place to live because everybody there has big dreams and chill vibes. The tourist hype though is completely unnecessary and I can’t recommend visiting it while touring the states. Then again, I also wouldn’t recommend traveling to the states. At least not under the current government.
Chronicles of a Wandering Soul 