What's it like to live where you live

I live in a small city within the city of Los Angeles. LA is probably one of the most loved and disliked cities in the world. A lot of people can tell you how much they dislike So Cal, but I have to tell you that I love it, and the more I travel the more I love it. What I love is the diversity and the access to so much, there is no where else I have been to, that I can go to, al grant you a very long day, the beach, Contemporary Art Museum, mountain snow, opera, desert, tar pits and a concert under the stars. On the other hand it is also one of the few major cities in the world that you can completely turn off if you want.
The vast human diversity of LA adds so much to life in this city. The city is host to very large populations of immigrants from all over the world, making the availability of ethnic food, products, music, theater not only extensive but also absolutely authentic and amazing.
You also have the added bonus, if the local natural wonders are not enough, there is the rest of California in close proximity with its own amazing deserts, incredible mountains and beautiful coastline, or with just a few days vacation the whole Northwest or Southwest is just a couple days away, by car.
I have to admit to being one of the people who pretty much can't stand LA and environs despite its many charms (and there are MANY!). I look at LA as probably the nicest possible place on earth to live until everyone and their dog figured that out and went there. It was the first major (and we're talking big-time major!) city to grow up almost completely in the age of the automobile so not only do you have sprawling suburbs (like most American and many other western cities have), but you actually have a sprawling CITY too. You just can't walk anywhere in LA, except within the particular subsection you happen to be in. To me, that's just not how a city is supposed to work. In San Francisco, New York, Philly, Seattle, etc, you can pretty much walk EVERYWHERE and actually enjoy the walk - I've never been able to do that in LA, although being able to walk along the beach almost makes up for it! I grew up in Tucson which is largely the same but smaller and Phoenix is worse but LA is the grandpappy of 'em all. As an urban planner and urban lover, I detest such places - I've lived in 'em, I try to like 'em, but I can't. But I have had more than a couple of good times in LA over the years, to be sure!

OTOH, if I could live ANYwhere without concern for family preferences, cost of living, etc, it would be somewhere in the Bay Area, probably San Francisco proper. There's just something unique about the place, starting with the air - honest to Pete - the air in the Bay Area is like no place else I've ever been. It sounds crazy, but there's something about how the mix of warm and cool and damp and dry all come together to form that climate, but I've never experienced it anywhere else. Love SF, and love Oakland and Berkeley and Palo Alto and Marin too. Just love the area - all the way down to Monterey really. Not sure I could live with the earthquake risk, but I lived in Seattle for many years and its primed for an even bigger one, so I guess I could get over that.

-Ray
 
I'm sorry I hadn't found this thread earlier, well done Bill it's great to see where everyone comes from.
I hail from Tasmania, Australia's south Island. It gets fairly cold here in winter (now) and warm-hot in summer which suits me as my work is predominantly manual and is easier in the cold than the heat. I live in the same house I grew up in, only now I have my wife and two sons as company instead of my parents and sister. Tassie residents are often the butt of the nation's jokes due to the small size and population and relative "closeness" of breeding lines. I have been quite amazed to see many of the people I grew up with disappear to the big cities of the "north island" only to return recently to their native state with family in tow. It really is a good place to live with a moderate cost of living.

Geographically we are located just to the north of the state's centre with our farm running into some higher ground leading up to a mountain range. Most of the populated areas of the state are accessible within a 3-4 hour drive from our home. World class highland trout fly fishing is about 45 minutes drive from our door which is unfortunately lost on me. I do, however, enjoy most of the other natural wonders our state offers as I am a keen hiker and skiier. We could do with an extra 1000 metres on our mountains to sure up the ski season though.

Looking forward to seeing some more images from where you all come from,
Sam
 
It's like seeing a pizza being prepared.

There is a plain, not very wide, and you can see its borders in every direction but one, when you look to its center. And the borders are not so high, you can gather there's more on the other side. I can understand those old folks thinking the world was just flat, with some crust around it to contain it.

But that idea wasn't invented here, this is actually new country for them, settled in recorded time - and you can play with satellite imaged exploring the roman centuriation lines - so static that there are people who have numerical surnames, inherited from their home place.

And around you, wherever you look you can see spaces being slowly but surely filled, still following ancient partitions, and know in your life it's going to be full.
It's really like being on pizza level while it's being covered.

And every summer it gets properly burnt! As you imagine, it's difficult but the result is delicious.


More or less, for me it's like this.

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EPL19781.jpg di alfrjw, su Flickr

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EPL18249.jpg di alfrjw, su Flickr
 
You just can't walk anywhere in LA, except within the particular subsection you happen to be in. To me, that's just not how a city is supposed to work. In San Francisco, New York, Philly, Seattle, etc, you can pretty much walk EVERYWHERE and actually enjoy the walk - I've never been able to do that in LA, although being able to walk along the beach almost makes up for it!

-Ray

Sorry I have to disagree with these old stereotypes of these cities, Nobody I know in NY walks more than the few blocks in their subsection, I walk far more in NY than anybody I know when I am there, for me it is fascinating for them it is way to get to the market, bar, subway or taxi, same with SF or Seattle people do not walk from one side to the other. If you are talking about the central downtown yes they all are far more alive than the still trying to find its way LA downtown scene.
People do walk here, they also run, bike, swim, and hike. This city not only has 10,000 ft. tall Mountain Range half an hour from downtown it also has one of the largest city parks in the world. I will grant you the concept of city planning was never applied to this city, and we certainly pay a large price for it but amazingly this city thrives with all its faults.:rolleyes:
I will give you that Marin, Monterey, Big Sur, and even Santa Cruz would wonderful places to live, but I could never do SF, Oakland, or Palo Alto, without discount the all the alternative cultural groups up north their actual numbers are small compared to the to east coast formals I feel whenever I am up there. There are also like the east not enough good sushi bars.;)
Other than the weather, I find the Northwest, Seattle, and Vancouver far more enticing
At the end of the day to each his own
 
I live in Tbilisi though I'm originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Tbilisi is a typical post-Soviet, post-Communist city with a mixture of old crumbling buildings (mostly Ottoman in this part of the world), Soviet era crumbling buildings (mostly concrete apartment blocks) and modern crumbling buildings (though building standards have improved over the last few years.). Following 12 years of civil conflict, political instability and war, the city was a mess. Over the last eight years things have improved rapidly but from a very low base.

We now have drinkable water most of the time, relatively reliable power supplies and a increasing number of decent restaurants serving the internationals and Tbilisi's expanding middle classes (and gangsters aka 'businessmen'). Mild winters, hot summers, chaotic drivers, hospitable people, incomprehensible language, good wine. Welcome to Tbilisi.
 
As it a has been said before I live in Nova Scotia. That is not saying a lot because as small as Nova Scotia is it is a very diverse place. You only have to drive a few mile and everything changes.

I live Martins Brook on the outskirts of Lunenburg and we officially classes as living in Lunenburg (Population 2307). Lunenburg has been Designated at a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to being the best example of planned British colonial settlement in North America. It is also a designated as a Canadian government historical site.

Lunenburg has it roots in agriculture, fishing and ship building. The farms range from dairy to vineyards. Fishing includes scallops, lobster, and muscles. Some of the famous ships built in town are The Bounty (Mutiny on the Bounty), Rose (Master and Commander), Bluenose and Bluenose II, Because to the beauty and history the town has become one of Canada’s majour tourist destinations. This had spawned a vibrant community filled with art and culture of all types ranging from majour festivals to small fun events and more art galleries and restaurants than a town this size would normally have.

Because of this the opportunity for me to photograph change from day. One day I may have the chance to capture the arrival of a tall ship and the next day the fog will bank in create beautiful atmospheric shots of fish stores. You just never know!

If anyone comes to Lunenburg let me know as I am always happy to squire my photographic friends around.

Lunenburg

Hey Grant

On Apple's site they have a video showing off the geotagging in Aperture. The video features the photographer Jim Richardson: and the photos are of Lunenburg. Thought you might be interested.
Apple - Aperture - In Action - Jim Richardson
 
That is a very cool option, I have to say - the GPS/Places thing with Aperture. Thanks for that link to Lunenberg - though I was hoping to see Grant in this clip! Grant, I promise I am coming one of these days! If I can become a citizen, I bet I can even get healthcare, too.;)
 
I live on the edge of a forest in South East England. What's it like to live here?...well I see the seasons and watch the wildlife,...I note when the grass snakes are numerous and when the tadpoles fill the ponds like black tar. I see the herons drying their wings and watch the mandaring ducks hatching their eggs. I observe the wood ants and admire the dragonflies........

......Just me and my dog alone in the forest.

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Here on my daily round along this path I try to see everything and sometimes remember it's ghosts,.....a few yards into this picture is where a famous highwayman had a hideout and a few hundred yards behind a royal mistress was banished. Along this path jeeps were driven to test in the pond after waterproofing for D-Day.......

...Who lives in a forest like this?
 
BBW,...I know you love dogs because I've looked at your flickr pages and seen Johnnie (and Trotter) and noted how you photograph him. My boy is on that dogs page you linked to ,......he's second from last pic
 
Thanks, Bugleone - yes, I saw your boy was in there but wanted to plug that thread.:D I grew up with a Welsh Terrier, our next family dog was a Westie...but since I was in my 20s I've had Shetland Sheepdogs, but any good dog is a good dog to have with you.
 
Ive always lived with bull-terrier breeds,....but for me, dogs are a little like women; they need to have some intelligence and a good helping of character otherwise it's better not to get involved with them! ;)
 
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