Battle of the Coasts: NY vs. LA

There is nothing as impermeable as New York pride. I, myself, was born and raised on Long Island. Now, I attend college in Manhattan. While New York can be a cold-hearted ego bruiser most of the time, I love it nonetheless. I can’t help but notice, however, that flocks of people are heading west to California, my own New York-bred family included. What’s the deal? What does Los Angeles offer that New York can’t? What’s the difference between these two hubs of culture?

1.     Manners…obviously

It may be cliché, but it is so incredibly true. New York and Los Angeles are just different when it comes to the interaction between people. If you aren’t from New York, you might have heard that native New Yorkers are closed-off, rude, even angry. It’s true. If a New Yorker has somewhere to be or someone to see, they don’t have time for small talk. Saying ‘hello’ or ‘thank you’ is too time consuming. There’s money to be made. The constant background noise of honking horns will never let you forget that.

On the other hand, Los Angeles only hears the hum of traffic, never accompanied by horn honking. You want to cut in front of me at the last second? I’m sorry I was in your way. Go right ahead. The sun is shining and we have all the time in the world. Hello, ma’am. Good afternoon, sir. Please and thank you. Who has time to be rude when there’s a palm tree you could be sitting underneath?

2.     Lifestyle

As mentioned above, the sun is shining in Los Angeles and there is all the time in the world. Things go slow here, but they get done with an enthusiastic fervor. In order to power through those hot days, one after the other, the locals emphasize a healthy lifestyle. Among the Benefits of Living in DTLA, it’s easy to survive on a plant-based diet here, and no matter where you live, there’s sure to be a hiking trail no more than 20 minutes away.

New York is a little less internally focused. Each day’s goals stay at the forefront of each New Yorker’s busy minds. Apartment to subway to work to gym. Exercise comes in the form of power-walking all day, every day. Determination and grit keep the wheels moving here, especially as the seasons change from the blistering summer to the brutal winter.

For the record, New York and LA traffic are the same. Seriously.

3.     Food

When it comes to food in New York, the stereotypes ring true. There is no place in America for pizza, bagels, and Chinese food like New York. They know what they are doing, and those foods are no-brainer staples in every New Yorkers life. Need some more variety? Don’t worry because New York has literally everything. Indian, Jamaican, Thai, Greek, Latin, and so much more, ranging from the super authentic to the American franchised. You will never run out of places to eat or things to try. And the best part- you can step right outside and have your pick of the liter, or order anything you want straight to your door since every place you could think of delivers.

The vibe for food is different in Los Angeles. Residents are health conscious and restaurants take notice. Following a vegan or other specialty diet is not only easy here, but also unrestricted. There are plenty of options pretty much anywhere you go. The go-to cuisine in LA is Mexican. Finding tacos and margaritas is a breeze any day of the week. Even fast food in LA is healthier. Check out any In N Out and read about their fresh ingredients on the wrappers.