Three years ago, a Reddit user asked the internet this question: "What is it that makes you stay In Los Angeles? I used to live in L.A., and for me, it was the beautiful scenery and the great people I met. The food was great and the weather was always awesome. What's your reason?"
Down in the comments section, replies ranged from family and friends to bars and beaches — and while many people had overlapping answers for what keeps them in L.A., just below the surface was something personal.
One user, PlantinumElement, writes, "Both my wife and I have jobs that allow us to live comfortably in L.A., and we are thankful for that because we know how rare it is. So we try to make the most of it and enjoy the things L.A. has to offer. My wife enjoys the access to great food, and the large Korean community, and I also like the food and the fact that L.A. is one of the best places in the world for car enthusiast culture."
L.A. can be a difficult place to live.
In the decade since I moved here for graduate school I've considered leaving several times. "And go where?" I ask myself. In the absence of an answer, I usually resort to making a list of things I love about this city. In fact, I made one a few months ago with my friend Michelle, who moved to L.A. two years ago to pursue comedy. Like so many others, she has struggled to find affordable housing, consistent community and steady work. We plopped down on my couch and began as follows:
"I love L.A. because ..."
During AirTalk, LAist 89.3's live daily news program, we asked listeners to share their answers. Here's what they said.
The cultural and culinary richness
“I love that I can get a Korean body scrub and then go to Compton for barbecue," said Danica in Baldwin Vista, who was brought to SoCal for the entertainment industry but has stayed for the cultural diversity.
From Vietnamese to Ethiopian, Japanese to Armenian, people immigrate to L.A. from around the world and create their own ethnic enclaves that keep their rich cultural heritage alive. One in three Angelenos is an immigrant.
“I love that I can get a Korean body scrub and then go to Compton for barbecue.”
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Keena in Sherman Oaks echoes Danica, saying "I love SoCal because of the variety of food, diversity in people and that literally whatever you can think up, you can find in L.A.! There’s a community for everything.”
One of the reasons community might be hard to find here is because there are so many of them. People immigrate here for opportunity, but they also come here with the hope of just being able to express themselves authentically.
For Shawn in Hermosa Beach, L.A.'s embrace of individuality is one of the reasons he stays.
“I just feel like L.A. celebrates individuality and encourages it. I grew up with a lot of pressure to conform. Individuality was frowned upon," he said.
Diane in Gardena said, "One of the best things about Southern California is the rich Latino culture and history. This keeps me here in L.A. because, as a Mexican American who grew up in the South, I was amazed and empowered by the passion and pride of Chicanos. I learned to be proud of my background and to be grateful for my community."
"One of the best things about Southern California is the rich Latino culture and history."
Cathy in South Central found her Oaxacan community here.
“My parents are from Oaxaca and there’s a huge Oaxacan community here, specifically from my own town. Friends and family all reside here," she said.
Nature, wilderness and unbeatable weather
There are tradeoffs to living in SoCal. Great weather for bad traffic or access to nature for a high cost of living. One of the most resounding answers people gave when we asked them "what keeps you in L.A.?" was nature, wilderness and unbeatable weather.
Sarah in Los Feliz said what keeps her in L.A. is "the ability to ski at Big Bear in the morning and go to dinner in Santa Monica in the afternoon.”
“I love the adaptive ski program at Big Bear, the beaches, and the smell of the ocean," said Catherine in Westchester, who moved here from England.
Brian in Torrance stays for “the coast and natural beauty of it all. Plus Death Valley, Big Sur and the Eastern Sierras.”
Lisa in Santa Monica grew up here but moved away for graduate school. One of the things that drew her back? The weather.
“I like to visit the snow, not live in it,” she said.
“I love having beautiful beaches, glorious mountains and the desert nearby.”
The personal
While the people and weather seem to be prevailing reasons keeping people around, it certainly doesn't cover everything.
For example, Annie in Los Feliz works as an art consultant and said, "the culture in Los Angeles is a wonderful place to work in the field of art.”
Others like Giovanna, a college student from from Santa Monica, stays for the in-state tuition and the many choices of great colleges.
Bennett in San Pedro moved here from the east coast and said, “There’s such an entrepreneurial spirit here. So much talent in this one area. It creates more opportunities.”
And then there is my friend Michelle, who has decided to stay in L.A. for the foreseeable future. When the going gets tough and she needs a reminder of why she's here, she can refer to this list.
