I seriously think it does. Here's why...


Only major metropolitan area in the world that has mountains, beaches, deserts, and islands. That diverse topography is well integrated into the local lifestyle. For instance, there are a host of beautiful 5-star resorts along the coast like Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes, the Montage in Laguna Beach, and the St. Regis in Monarch Beach. Winter getaways like Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, and Wrightwood offer skiing and snowboarding. The Coachella Valley is a popular desert getaway where one can go golfing, hiking, horseback riding, and gambling. Catalina Island is just an hour off the coast and is somewhat reminiscent of Capri.

Just a few hours away are Santa Barbara (the American Riviera), San Diego (America's Finest City), San Francisco (America's Favorite City), and Las Vegas (America's Playground). Not to mention wonderful destinations like Pismo Beach, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Wine Country, Big Sur, Mammoth, Yosemite, etc.

Almost exactly equidistant between London (the gateway to Europe) and Tokyo (the gateway to Asia).

In the continental United States, the closest to Hawaii, French Polynesia, and Australia/New Zealand.

Nearly perfect weather year-round with over 300 days of sunshine.

Though you say that but they also suffer severe drought.

Is it that perfect? There are also bushfires... So no it dosn't have the greatest location.

^ I never said it was perfect. There is no perfect location.

I thought San Diego also had "mountains, beaches, deserts, and islands."

Although, I think you meant snow-covered mountains, right?

I thought San Diego also had "mountains, beaches, deserts, and islands."

San Diego does not have islands. None of the Channel Islands belong to San Diego County. As for deserts, part of the Colorado Desert runs through San Diego County, but it's almost completely barren. There's nothing like the Coachella Valley.

Here are the videos that inspired me to create this thread, though this topic has been on my mind for quite some time now...

Big Bear
bTUmVM99qow

Lake Arrowhead
-ojJoTriuXg

Catalina Island
ZzTuZOtI0Fg

Wrightwood
95Cb_adRCs4

Palm Springs
aWDTG3iQPIY

Newport Beach
MQrmNN13NJ4

Laguna Beach
_4quHcjgECk

Montage Laguna Beach
zs3Fhv63eAU

I was just discussing that in Latinscrapers about our city, how blessed it is that we have the beaches, forests, deserts, snow, and mountains at hands reach....ah, and almost perfect weather year round. That makes it one of the most ideal places in the world, but its not the the only place.

Though you say that but they also suffer severe drought.
Is it that perfect? There are also bushfires... So no it dosn't have the greatest location.

Anyone suffering? (nevermind, I E!) Name a place better, pop!

well the question is really subjective (and biased - post it in the urban discussion forum haha)

i think the answer is yes (everything i love about life i can find in & around LA)
and for many many ppl, LA would probably be near the top

There was a thread a while back on City-Data (I lurk there from time to time...) about which city was best to vacation in. Many posters pointed out that L.A. arguably had the most versatile environment to accommodate individuals who had different interests.

If you wanted to do a beach vacation, you could do that.

If you wanted to do the outdoors/hiking/mountain skiing thing, you could do that.

If you wanted to explore L.A. and it's urban amenities (museums, nightclubs, shopping, sports... etc.), you could do that.

If you wanted to do the theme park thing, you could do that.

What makes it possible for L.A. to offer all of these things to people is it's weather and location. A lot of cities simply can't compete with that.

Is L.A. the only city to offer those things? No... but there aren't a lot of cities in the world that can't do them all the same time with perfect weather. That's what sets L.A. above and beyond the pack and we are truly fortunate to have such amenities here.

Although no location is 'truly' perfect (we have water shortages and earthquakes, let's keep it real)... we kind of come close.

Every visit to LA I make it a point to go to biking or the beach, to the opera or theater or art gallery, and to a pro or college sport. I really don't believe there is anywhere you can do those sorts of things at the same level of quality, during most of the year.

Again, just to clarify, I'm not saying LA's geographic location is perfect or the most ideal; earthquakes and wildfires certainly make it unappealing to some people. I know there are plenty of other cities in the world that are surrounded by some amazing natural beauty (San Francisco, Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, etc.). But when you're talking about the diverse topography and the recreational activities they provide along with the fact that they are all located within a few hours of one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, I really don't think there is another city that can say the same thing.

Distance from Los Angeles to London: 5,448 miles
Distance from Los Angeles to Tokyo: 5,478 miles

That's a 30-mile discrepancy! And besides, you're still within the boundaries of Greater Tokyo if you travel 30 miles less.

I didn't even know Palm Springs had an aerial tramway, let alone the largest in the world! LA never ceases to impress/surprise me. This is really one of the greatest places on Earth. Forgive me, I'm having a moment...

its all good, we all have these moments! after all, we live in the best place in the world.

all that i would say has already been said. for someone like me that loves the mountains, the beaches, the city lifestyle, LA is perfection.

^ To some people, LA is hell. To others, it's heaven. It can be the worst place on Earth, or it can be the most amazing thrill you've ever experienced. That's really what LA is all about. It's what YOU make of it. This is a city that epitomizes what it means to have no boundaries/limits. You can be whoever/whatever you want to be. Some people will never understand it and that's okay. It is not meant to be fully understood, not even by those who are blessed to call it home.

The oil, cars, and freeways are the things that prevent southern California from offering the best quality of life on the planet.

I would have loved to see the place when my grandparents came in the '40's. Just imagine what it would be like if we had kept the trains and the Pacific Electric Red Cars.

LA is in a great geographical location. The city itself is quite unfortunate though.

^ To some people, LA is hell. To others, it's heaven. It can be the worst place on Earth, or it can be the most amazing thrill you've ever experienced. That's really what LA is all about. It's what YOU make of it. This is a city that epitomizes what it means to have no boundaries/limits. You can be whoever/whatever you want to be. Some people will never understand it and that's okay. It is not meant to be fully understood, not even by those who are blessed to call it home.

i like what you wrote

The oil, cars, and freeways are the things that prevent southern California from offering the best quality of life on the planet.

Of course, oil, cars, and freeways are not inherently detractors of quality of life. Every city has oil, every city has cars, and every city has freeways. Not having those things would actually worsen quality of life. It has more to do with the degree to which those three resources exist. San Diego certainly has an abundance of those things, but San Diego is also known for its high quality of life. The difference is that San Diego is five and a half times smaller than Los Angeles.

I would have loved to see the place when my grandparents came in the '40's. Just imagine what it would be like if we had kept the trains and the Pacific Electric Red Cars.

Well, parts of the Pacific Electric Railway have been/are being brought back to life (Blue Line, Expo Line, etc.). Besides, it would have no use today. We would have eventually upgraded it through increased capacity and grade separation (Red Line through Cahuenga Pass).

Of course, oil, cars, and freeways are not inherently detractors of quality of life. Every city has oil, every city has cars, and every city has freeways. Not having those things would actually worsen quality of life. It has more to do with the degree to which those three resources exist. San Diego certainly has an abundance of those things, but San Diego is also known for its high quality of life. The difference is that San Diego is five and a half times smaller than Los Angeles.The criticisms of greater Los Angeles seem to always involve: smog; lack of a sense of community; socioeconomic balkanization with resultant crime; traffic congestion; disinvestment in existing communities and older real estate; housing unaffordability; significant socioeconomic disparities in educational achievement; substandard and mediocre new construction; loss of historic and heritage buildings; loss of open space and natural resources; etc.

All of these problems are due in whole or in part to the freeway system and to private cars, especially those that operate on fossil fuels.

Southern California needs more high-quality transit, transit-oriented development, and clean-energy car sharing.

^ You're right. The private automobile is responsible for all of that. And once we have high-quality mass transit in place, everything will correct itself. Mass transit is the closest thing there is to a panacea.

Actually, that's true. I hear that in heaven there is lots of drug use, crime, disease, racial hatred, homophobia, fear and mistrust, but the subways are so good than nobody cares.

^ You're right. The private automobile is responsible for all of that. And once we have high-quality mass transit in place, everything will correct itself. Mass transit is the closest thing there is to a panacea.
:cheers:

London, New York, Tokyo are the greatest cities in the world and one thing they have in common is having high-quality mass transit.

Los Angeles is just one big suburb. Sorry.

Trolling behavior will not be tolerated. If you are trying to incite a war here, you will be given an infraction. back up what you say with facts or dont say it at all.

The criticisms of greater Los Angeles seem to always involve:

smog--caused by the ports and trucking (not the personal auto)

lack of a sense of community--somewhat related to personal auto use but also related to the high diversity (of all kinds) of residents.

socioeconomic balkanization with resultant crime--LA is the second safest city in US, and the 10 most segregated US cities are all in the Midwest and Northeast

traffic congestion--Los Angeles has fewer freeway miles per capita than most cities.. this is why we have such bad congestion.

disinvestment in existing communities and older real estate--maybe a problem, but not caused by cars.

housing unaffordability--Bay Area?? NYC??

significant socioeconomic disparities in educational achievement--true, a problem, but not caused by cars.

substandard and mediocre new construction--I'll give you this one, since parking requirements make new construction more expensive and shittier

loss of historic and heritage buildings--somewhat in some cases related to cars.

loss of open space and natural resources--you mean parks? because open space and natural resources abound outside the city. Within the city, parks are indeed a problem. But due to cars? I don't know. Plenty of other car cities have parks. We just fucked up.

Los Angeles is just one big suburb. Sorry.

Uh, are you sure about that?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4232102793_93ca82cd0b_o.jpg
From Flickr, by STERLINGDAVISPHOTO

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/3727675611_3a55108007_b.jpg
From Flickr, by randyman

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2174/2443445719_c476f11878_b.jpg
From Flickr, by jeremy!

Trolling behavior will not be tolerated. If you are trying to incite a war here, you will be given an infraction. back up what you say with facts or dont say it at all.

Or how about just deleting comments? ;)

This discussion is about the siting of Los Angeles as a human settlement. The geographical location is absolutely ideal, and the Los Angeles of the '20's, '30's, and '40's I'm sure was close to perfection. We started mucking things up when airlines and automobiles replaced trains and trolleys.

Deficient land-use and transportation planning during the second half of the 20th Century keeps the Los Angeles of today from being that perfect place the city, by all rights, should be.

Agreed. But this is less of an Southern California problem and more of a national issue. Most of our metro areas in the US are:

1) less dense than Southern California
2) have more freeway miles than SoCal
3) have far less bus and rail miles and/or ridership than LA or SoCal

To stereotype LA or SoCal as the place of traffic, displaced communities and an under-achieved educational system is either painfully naive or boldly biased.

Agreed. But this is less of an Southern California problem and more of a national issue. Most of our metro areas in the US are:

1) less dense than Southern California
2) have more freeway miles than SoCal
3) have far less bus and rail miles and/or ridership than LA or SoCal

To stereotype LA or SoCal as the place of traffic, displaced communities and an under-achieved educational system is either painfully naive or boldly biased.Let me just say that I love L.A. And, it's precisely because the natural environment in southern California is so perfect that the problems in the built environment disturb me more than they would in a place like Detroit, Chicago, or Cleveland. We had paradise here. We even had the largest electric railway in the world, but we allowed the oil, the automobiles, and the freeways to pave that paradise over for parking lots.

See what happens when you're not building? We descend to City-Data depths! West? You are having a moment. Now we appear desperate and will have to run around defending ourselves to every toothless British or Australian gomer across the planet! . Brush those teeth, mates, then come see us.

The red cars really weren't paradise. They broke down all the time, had erratic schedules (even compared to today's buses) only went where the developers wanted them to, and ran almost entirely at-grade, often in the same lanes as auto traffic (especially in downtown). What was paradise was simply that there weren't that many people in L.A. and that land was cheap.

Having a car in 1920 was still much better than not having one.

This discussion has really gotten off topic. :lol:

Some of my favorite places in southern California today were built along the streetcar, interurban, and other rail lines during the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th. Much of the character of that traditional development still exists in those places.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2642/4198706317_65faf7fbf7_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2685/4215587010_b76e05a6c8_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4214876675_6316002b0b_o.jpg

[quote]Now we appear desperate and will have to run around defending ourselves to every toothless British or Australian gomer across the planet! Brush those teeth, mates, then come see us.[quote/

:lol::lol:

WSL: great pictures of LA; just the kinds of scenes I love. LA is surprisingly urban it's just that most people tend to see the OC and other suburban areas, while in NY no one ever leaves Manhattan. The new DT, the westside filling-in and the subway helps change this.

You have to wonder about someone who goes to NY, London and Tokyo and the only thing he sees in common is that they have subways AND decides that this is what defines them as great cities.

As noted, we shouldn't romanticize the Red Car or mass transit in general. LA needs more transit but in many cities (including great ones) it is crowded, dirty, unreliable and occasionally dangerous. Plus it can't go everywhere a car can. And if you have ever been in Paris when they decide to strike, but only on some lines....

I've never been to Big Bear before! It looks amazing! Canoeing in Big Bear Lake...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4485134139_c7bced8328_b.jpg
From Flickr, by SBNFA

I never knew places like this even existed in/near L.A.:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4439921226_8e6c2688b7_b.jpg
Flickr, by driftor32

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4514776537_74eeda3ec8_b.jpg
Flickr, by rheaganmartin

^ Where?

I love LA, but I don't think it has the greatest location of any/every city in the world. Quite a few cities are similar to LA in what they have to offer. Even though my city is more often compared to Miami, from my house I can drive 30 minutes west and be in subtropical mountain rain forest, if I continue driving for another 30 minutes west and I would be in a desert terrain. I can walk 30 seconds east and be in the Pacific Ocean with the same 300 days of sunshine each year. Only thing we don't get is the snow.

I suppose it all comes down to what you like, but I would live in New York any day of Los Angeles and could happily never see another beach or mountain in my entire life. :)

^ Where?

The first picture is Eaton Canyon in Altadena, and the second one is the Los Angeles Poppy Reserve.

Fern Dell, right off Los Feliz, is another remarkably beautiful area right in the city.

Hiking to the ice house (above Pomona) can take you from desert heat to mountain snow through lovely green canyons. I don't believe any other major city is even close to this kind of diversity and beauty plus the weather to enjoy them.

Ever been to the French riviera? Now there's one of the greatest locations in the world!

^ Yes I have and indeed it is.

I think you do. Not as good as Christchurch (so awesome in NZ), although a couple of hundered km's further north wouldn't kill.

LA is good in terms of location. great, actually.

even if other cities in the world had our awesome climate, i can't say i would live anywhere else. i need the laugh factory, toi thai restaurant, club avalon, rage, level 3 (all of hollywood and sunset basically), griffith, universal studios, disneyland, knotts, santee alley, grand central market, westwood, getty center (and other museums), carls jr, in-n-out, and to be surrounded by people ranging in colors from pink to white to yellow to brown to black... an angelino could go crazy trying to adapt anywhere else. plus we have pizza and alley-dogs and kogi trucks!!

as for fires in LA, they're almost always where people have put up mansions on dry hillsides on the edges of the metropolis (fail). even if we let the hill burn up, it wouldn't threaten the city or any consistently gridded developed areas ((only exceptions is a riot that occurs naturally every 30 to 50 years (lakers championship doesn't count)).

Plusses and minuses like everything else...

On the plus side, very pleasant climate and proximity to natural beauty of the coast and mountains...

On the down side, very depedent on external water that could conceivably run dry some day, plus also vulnerable to earthwquakes, fires, and mudslides. Also, the shape of the basin is very conducive to accumulation of smog.

A great city regardless of whether it has the best location...

I would say LA has one of the best locations you can have, with one exception:

It's naturally in a desert. Therefore, it must artificially obtain its water.

Other than that, party on!

I would say LA has one of the best locations you can have, with one exception:

It's naturally in a desert. Therefore, it must artificially obtain its water.

Other than that, party on!


This is not true. The LA basin is not a desert. Downtown LA gets 15 inches of rain a year on average, the foothills get more than 20 and the mountains get 35 inches plus below the snow line. The mountains above the snow line get between 150 - 300 inches of snow.

This is not true. The LA basin is not a desert. Downtown LA gets 15 inches of rain a year on average, the foothills get more than 20 and the mountains get 35 inches plus below the snow line. The mountains above the snow line get between 150 - 300 inches of snow.

Still, the rainfall is quite inadequate for the needs of the population...and will be increasingly more so over the course of this century. SoCal is highly dependent on imported water. There's a big National Geographic article this month on water, with a large section on LA...check it out.

Yeah, I do wish we got more rainfall here in LA for several reasons:

1) I like the sound and smell of rain.
2) It would help our smog problem.
3) More rain would mean less wildfires, which would mean less mudslides.
4) I like everything to be green, lush, and fresh.

And as much as I love the rain, I wouldn't want to be Seattle (though I love Seattle).

Hey heyyyy, you guys have earthquakes killin' everybody and smoggy solar radiation to go along with your mountains you can't even see until the rainy floods come and clear the sky out for a few seconds before the mud covers your entire neighborhoods and erases your childhood memories of a simpler time when you guys didn't have any culture to speak of whatsoever relative to any other location on the planet annnnndddd a desert is what you really are and you need your water flown in to make your stupid mocha chimichanga latte's you sip by the empty pools because you can't fill them because you're in a drought all the fuckin' time HOW CAN YOU STAND IT? Don't you wish you had seasons like the rest of the normal kids? How can you go without leaves changin' colors in a world that's so boringly temperate you don't even know what time of the year it is? How can you not have oil trucks pull up to your house while your stickin' a carrot in a snowman's face? Your mountains suck and your beaches are ....... sucky and they're polluted all the time and the greatest thing you guys have are the car chases that interrupt our news about how you're going to drop off into the Pacific one day! Other than that, losers, ROCK ON!

Mostly Marine Layer

Marine Layer

A marine layer is an air mass which develops over the surface of a large body of water such as the ocean or large lake in the presence of a temperature inversion. The inversion itself is usually initiated by the cooling effect of the water on the surface layer of an otherwise warm air mass. As it cools, the surface air becomes denser than the warmer air above it, and thus becomes trapped below it. The layer may thicken through turbulence generated within the developing marine layer itself. It may also thicken if the warmer air above it is lifted by an approaching area of low pressure. The layer will also gradually increase its humidity by evaporation of the ocean or lake surface, as well as by the effect of cooling itself. Fog will form within a marine layer where the humidity is high enough and cooling sufficient to produce condensation. Stratus and stratocumulus will also form at the top of a marine layer in the presence of the same conditions there.

In the case of coastal California, the offshore marine layer is typically propelled inland by a pressure gradient which develops as a result of intense heating inland, blanketing coastal communities in cooler air which, if saturated, also contains fog. The fog can last until midday when the heat of the sun is frequently strong enough to evaporate it. This phenomenon is especially common in the late spring and early summer, where it is locally referred to as "May gray" or "June gloom." An approaching frontal system or trough can also drive the marine layer onshore.

A marine layer will disperse and break up in the presence of instability such as may be caused by the passage of frontal system or trough, or any upper air turbulence which reaches the surface. A marine layer can also be driven away by sufficiently strong winds.

It is not unusual to hear media weather reporters discuss the marine layer as synonymous with the fog or stratus it may contain, but this is erroneous. In fact, a marine layer can exist with virtually no cloudiness of any kind, although it usually does contain some. The marine layer is a medium within which clouds may form under the right conditions, not the layers of clouds themselves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_layer

Here's Terranea Resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Where do I check in?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2489/3921482886_1d84fc2b6d_b.jpg
From Flickr, by TravelBlogger.com

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4283490025_1a7f79e3f6_b.jpg
From Flickr, by Amin Bandeali

Still, the rainfall is quite inadequate for the needs of the population...and will be increasingly more so over the course of this century. SoCal is highly dependent on imported water. There's a big National Geographic article this month on water, with a large section on LA...check it out.


i read the article, it was a good one. my response was to the reference that LA is a desert. it is not, at least not most of it. Definitely agree that we are highly dependent on imported water. the LA region needs to develop ways to capture our rain and snow and use it.

^^ Good luck getting that past The Sierra Club!

The urbanized areas of southern California mostly have the extremely-rare Mediterranean climate, which can occur only on the West side of a land mass.

Not all of southern California is dependent on external water sources. The clouds from the Pacific travel inland and hit the mountains dumping water into the valleys and recharging groundwater basins as part of the orographic effect.

The San Bernardino Valley, in particular, is capable of sustainably supporting much of southern California's future growth since the City of San Bernardino was sited in 1810 atop an underground aquifer that is estimated to be the size of Lake Tahoe. In the future, this water will have to be extracted and held in control reservoirs in order to mitigate the dangers of liquefaction in an earthquake, which, incidentally, is, by far, the most survivable of all the world's natural disasters.

Additionally, San Diego County has begun using desalination of seawater. And, over time, the coastal regions will increasingly rely on these more expensive techniques to obtain water, whereas desert cities, like Phoenix and Las Vegas, won't have the same options.

Southern California's sustainability issues mostly concern pollution. We just need to summon the political will to fix the problem and end our dependence on oil, once and for all. The solutions are relatively simple, but they require changes in behavior and the overcoming of moneyed interests.

yeah!

Great comment!

The urbanized areas of southern California mostly have the extremely-rare Mediterranean climate, which can occur only on the West side of a land mass.

Not all of southern California is dependent on external water sources. The clouds from the Pacific travel inland and hit the mountains dumping water into the valleys and recharging groundwater basins as part of the orographic effect.

The San Bernardino Valley, in particular, is capable of sustainably supporting much of southern California's future growth since the City of San Bernardino was sited in 1810 atop an underground aquifer that is estimated to be the size of Lake Tahoe. In the future, this water will have to be extracted and held in control reservoirs in order to mitigate the dangers of liquefaction in an earthquake, which, incidentally, is, by far, the most survivable of all the world's natural disasters.

Additionally, San Diego County has begun using desalination of seawater. And, over time, the coastal regions will increasingly rely on these more expensive techniques to obtain water, whereas desert cities, like Phoenix and Las Vegas, won't have the same options.

Southern California's sustainability issues mostly concern pollution. We just need to summon the political will to fix the problem and end our dependence on oil, once and for all. The solutions are relatively simple, but they require changes in behavior and the overcoming of moneyed interests.

C/S, +1

I always think of coastal SoCal weather as better than Mediterranean. Mediterranean summers are sweltering hot and humid, even at the coast. SoCal normally has a cool breeze near the coast and tolerable temperatures even 10-15 miles in-land.

Mediterranean evenings are often mild or warm, where SoCal tends to cool off. I think this is the reason we tend to have less outdoor dining in the evening than much of Italy or Spain. The African side of the Mediterranean is just deadly.

Still, the rainfall is quite inadequate for the needs of the population...and will be increasingly more so over the course of this century. SoCal is highly dependent on imported water. There's a big National Geographic article this month on water, with a large section on LA...check it out.

Hmm, but isn't that the truth for all major metropolis? Doesn't New York import their water from upstate? San Francisco, Tokyo etc?


I would say LA has one of the best locations you can have, with one exception:

It's naturally in a desert. Therefore, it must artificially obtain its water.



Other than that, party on!

Typical assumption. The desert is miles over the mountain range.

WOW! look at all that green!

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/Fullscreencapture49201033538AM-1.jpg

Yeah, I do wish we got more rainfall here in LA for several reasons:

1) I like the sound and smell of rain.
2) It would help our smog problem.
3) More rain would mean less wildfires, which would mean less mudslides.
4) I like everything to be green, lush, and fresh.

And as much as I love the rain, I wouldn't want to be Seattle (though I love Seattle).

Errr. Actually, in SoCal, more rain during the winter equals more fires during the summer.

Errr. Actually, in SoCal, more rain during the winter equals more fires during the summer.

yes, i was going to point that out. What we need is more rain, but in May and June

^ That's what I meant.

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Great video eventhough it's sort of propaganda-ish. I've been reading up on the progress of SB 375 and I think it's exactly the guide that we need for growth now and in the future. But for these great ideas to work in a place that defined the American Dream at one point which was largely centered around the idea of personal freedom and which included the ownership of an automobile and the detached single family home, their is going to have to be some real teeth put into this bill if their isn't already.

Do we have the best location uhhh, yes we do!STATE OF THE ART DON'T HATE US BECAUSE WE ARE BE-A-UTIFUHLS ... http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin33333-1.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin33333.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin5.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin221.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin2.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin32222.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin1177777.jpg ... AND, SCENE! MARCH/APRIL 2010 LUCAS JANIN FLICKR

.[/COLOR][/RIGHT] http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin5.jpg [RIGHT][COLOR="white"] .

This shot is not at all flattering.^^

This shot says it all...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4540847327_ef86b567f4_o.jpg
Source: Unknown

I'm not a fan of that one either.

^ Really? That's too bad.

^^ Where was that one taken?

^ Somewhere on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin33333-1.jpg

Where was this one taken?

I heard LA got some new mountains!

http://poponthepop.com/images/gallery/breast-augmentation-after-surgery.jpg
http://gossiponthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/heidi-montag.jpg

Where was this one taken?

Lucas Janin, for whatever reason, states this is the course just north of the actual picture (Chevy Chase) but this is actually Scholl Canyon. You can see the curved road under construction in the satellite pic that leads to the roundabout in Lucas' picture. . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/Fullscreencapture4212010113138PM.jpghttp://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/LucasJanin33333-2.jpg

Where was this one taken?

that might be from scholl canyon golf course in glendale.

appreciate

dimeth: and new towers are going up all over.

Saddle Peak, Topanga Canyon...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3646/3486516739_76f515b99c_b.jpg
From Flickr, by nategrossman

It depends on what one finds desirable. The negatives for me would be climate and natural disasters. Ideally, I want a city to have 4 distinct seasons. I look forward to the change of seasons, and California just doesn't offer all 4 in one place. Los Angeles is prone to earthquakes, mudslides, and forest fires. This area is really a desert so lack of water is a major issue as well.

Apart from these drawbacks, it's a stunningly beautiful area of the world. Great beach setting with mountains and valleys. I'd say that Vancouver has the best location of any city in the world. Despite the climate and natural disasters, LA's is still one of the better locales though.

This area is really a desert so lack of water is a major issue as well.

Only the eastern Inland Empire is a desert...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/Mojave-sonoran_deserts.png
From Wikipedia

Apart from these drawbacks, it's a stunningly beautiful area of the world. Great beach setting with mountains and valleys. I'd say that Vancouver has the best location of any city in the world. Despite the climate and natural disasters, LA's is still one of the better locales though.

You say Vancouver has the best location of any city in the world, yet it doesn't have 4 distinct seasons, either. ;)

Yeah, I've always been blown away by Vancouver's stunning natural beauty, especially after the Winter Olympics. Vancouver has much better access to winter sports; I'm sure skiing/snowboarding in Whistler is much better than it is in Big Bear.

Vancouver's geography does have a few drawbacks (IMO). It's not known at all for its beach culture, although there are some beautiful beaches. But my biggest complaint, and it's a general one, is that it and other cities are too isolated. Cities like Sydney and Cape Town, especially, are located in the most remote corners of the earth. A large part of the reason why I think LA has the greatest location is because of the numerous world class destinations that are just a stone's throw away. There's the outrageous fantasyland known as Las Vegas, the incredibly urban and sophisticated San Francisco, the relaxing resort getaway of Santa Barbara, and LA's more family-friendly sister named San Diego, among others. If none of those amazing destinations do it for you, well, heck, there are amazing destinations within Greater LA itself!

Only the eastern Inland Empire is a desert...

the incredibly urban and sophisticated San Francisco
:puke:^^ wtf does that mean?

Ideally, I want a city to have 4 distinct seasons. I look forward to the change of seasons, and California just doesn't offer all 4 in one place. Los Angeles is prone to earthquakes, mudslides, and forest fires. This area is really a desert so lack of water is a major issue as well.



LA has 4 seasons as well......I guess "distinct" would be subjective and admittedly they are milder. Though I used to live in a "distinct" 4 season locale and that shit is overrated. I wouldn't mind ultimately living in Colombia or Panama.......seasons are just so unnecessary.

How many times do we have to repeat that "LA is not in a desert". If LA is in a desert conclusively because of the lack of fresh water then I guess Atlanta is too.

Most people, incidentally, do not consider the low desert or the high desert to be part of the Inland Empire, which is more defined by the coastal-facing sides of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains and the inland-facing sides of Kellogg Hill, the Chino Hills, the Puente Hills, and the Santa Ana Mountains.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2246/1720364895_8173c0760b.jpg

This is Autumn in Oak Glen, which lies a little more than an hour away from Los Angeles.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4018179287_52b0eedcd4.jpg

This is Winter in San Bernardino, also about an hour away from downtown L.A.

Southern California even has a distinct Springtime.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3333949281_05b68579db.jpg

when was the last time anyone died in an earthquake around here? probably 1994.
mudslides? probably 2004 or 05 aand it was in laguna.
forest fires "in" LA? not really.

if you live anywhere in hollywood, downtown, koreatown, long beach, santa monica, east la, or anywhere else "in" LA, you're immune from all natural disasters except earthquakes. but even then, the san andreas fault only borders the outer metropolitan area. the last quake we had was so insignificant (to us) that the news actually broadcasted san diego's pool water making mini-waves.

seriously, have we had a death in the last 16 years from earthquakes?

Most major metropolitan areas in the United States, in fact, are just as susceptible to the Big One as Los Angeles is, even though they have fewer small earthquakes. And, frankly, I'd prefer to be in a place that has designed buildings to withstand these forces.

Native Californians always find this preoccupation transplants and visitors have with earthquakes amusing. I know I do.

Forest fires and mudslides are just another part of nature. They only cause problems for people who build in areas prone to such events, unless, of course, George W. Bush happens to be President and he de-funds the removal of National Forest trees that happen to be infested with bark beetles. Then, the smoke can impact populations in the Los Angeles basin.

No one has mentioned tsunamis, yet. But, people who build in low-lying coastal areas also endanger themselves and their property.

People build near flood zones, too. But, all of this questionable development is just a reflection of people not respecting the natural environment. So, we should get smart and start instituting urban-growth boundaries.

I'll mention tsunamis! In April 2029, on Friday the 13th, 2004 MNH, an asteroid 300 meters across, will travel between man made satellites and the Earth's surface. If it passes close enough to travel through a gravity field 1 half mile wide at a certain distance from the surface, it will swing around instead of fly away and in 7 years will strike between Hawaii and California. These are the "NEOS" that really worry scientists because they're more frequent than the dinosaur killers that are miles across, and since they're much smaller they tend to explode in the atmosphere- this one able to take out an area the size of Texas. Here, I've traveled into the future to accompany I E and Ash 3 on the beach. Here is the transcript (last words) when the wave approaches: . Ash 3: Yip! . I E: Oh, this sucks! Ooohh dude ......... this really ...... ASH NUMBER THREE COME HERE! Don't ..... (8 seconds) ... why did I come here? I have a life, I do! Why is it getting so big, oh that's just overkill now! Why do I insist on not going into San Bernardino? Come onnnnnn ........ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE (transcript ends)

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/Fullscreencapture424201011731AMbmp.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/Fullscreencapture424201011633AM.jpg

Fantastic thread, Westsidelife! I like how all these people from other places are calling Los Angeles a desert. :ohno:



Eaton Canyon Falls...only a 10 minute hike from Altadena.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zfile-Eaton-Canyon-Waterfall-wat-1.jpg
From www-scf-usc.edu


Abalone Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zfile-Abalone-Cove-Tidepoolshigh-1.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/600_10541191-1.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/600_10541175-1.jpg
From www.meetup.com

Malibu, California...up along the Pacific Coast Highway
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc207/krisztilevi/California/5e63.jpg
By Kristztilevi, from photobucket

More of Malibu
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v377/portunus/California/DSC00385.jpg
By portunus, from photobucket

Avalon, Catalina Island
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zfiles-wikipedia-791px-Beach_Ava-1.jpg
From wikipedia

But, all of this questionable development is just a reflection of people not respecting the natural environment. So, we should get smart and start instituting urban-growth boundaries.

I like what you're talking about!

Skin cancer is a challenge in southern California, particularly among people of northern European descent. I, myself, have to be very careful. My father, aunt, and cousin have all had melanoma, but the latter two spent their lives in Manhattan, New York; Stamford, Connecticut; and, Wyckoff, New Jersey. So, there's only so much a person can do.

I, personally, would prefer a little more moisture, myself. I absolutely love rainy days, and we really don't get as many as I'd like here. The West coast, in general, appeals to me in that regard, though. San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver all have interesting siting.

Only the eastern Inland Empire is a desert...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/Mojave-sonoran_deserts.png
From Wikipedia

Thank you for the information. So the area between this and the sea doesn't have water supply issues or is it just less pronounced than points further east?


You say Vancouver has the best location of any city in the world, yet it doesn't have 4 distinct seasons, either. ;)

Yeah, I've always been blown away by Vancouver's stunning natural beauty, especially after the Winter Olympics. Vancouver has much better access to winter sports; I'm sure skiing/snowboarding in Whistler is much better than it is in Big Bear.

Vancouver's geography does have a few drawbacks (IMO). It's not known at all for its beach culture, although there are some beautiful beaches. But my biggest complaint, and it's a general one, is that it and other cities are too isolated. Cities like Sydney and Cape Town, especially, are located in the most remote corners of the earth. A large part of the reason why I think LA has the greatest location is because of the numerous world class destinations that are just a stone's throw away. There's the outrageous fantasyland known as Las Vegas, the incredibly urban and sophisticated San Francisco, the relaxing resort getaway of Santa Barbara, and LA's more family-friendly sister named San Diego, among others. If none of those amazing destinations do it for you, well, heck, there are amazing destinations within Greater LA itself!

You're somewhat right about Vancouver not having 4 proper seasons, but you can ski and sail there the same day. Do Angelinos (do I have that right?) consider Cascadia isolated? I've never thought of it that way. I suppose it has far fewer people than southern California, but at 15 million people it's not that isolated. (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, BC)

I agree with you that Los Angeles has many more cultural delights, if you will. It's a common complaint in central Canada that Vancouver may be beautiful, but it just doesn't have that big city feel yet. Having said that, Van is developing so quickly. I doubt easterners will be singing the same tune 20 years from now.

Side question: Am I correct in saying that Los Angeles and San Diego aren't growing very fast any more and that population growth is far higher in San Bernardino-Ontario? Is that mainly due to real estate prices or is it far more complex than that?

Thank you for the information. So the area between this and the sea doesn't have water supply issues or is it just less pronounced than points further east?

Side question: Am I correct in saying that Los Angeles and San Diego aren't growing very fast any more and that population growth is far higher in San Bernardino-Ontario? Is that mainly due to real estate prices or is it far more complex than that?

Southern California has wet winters in every place but the low desert (Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, etc.) and the high desert (Palmdale, Victorville, etc.). So, the mountains largely determine rainfall and groundwater supplies.

As to your side question, it's more complex. Population has been growing throughout southern California, and demand for housing kept pushing people into greenfield areas because of a lack of interest on the part of developers to do infill and to actually fix established cities with older housing stock. That process is almost entirely due to our damnable freeway system and to a relative lack of transit options, but, thankfully, the Obama Administration, the State government, and local leaders seem to understand the errors of the past and have jumped on the smart-growth bandwagon.

Can you guys follow this link and leave some comments for the pictures? Thank you very much.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1052601

You're somewhat right about Vancouver not having 4 proper seasons, but you can ski and sail there the same day. Do Angelinos (do I have that right?)

yes. you can ski, surf and sail in the same day here in L.A.. and see a hollywood movie premiere, then stop by a little tokyo arcade, pick up some chinese or mexican food in chinatown or olvera street after the laker or dodger game... then top it all off by getting shot at jack-in-the-box under the 110/105 interchange... all in a day.

Side question: Am I correct in saying that Los Angeles and San Diego aren't growing very fast any more and that population growth is far higher in San Bernardino-Ontario? Is that mainly due to real estate prices or is it far more complex than that?


The estimates are coming in that the LA MSA grew by 4.12%. That's actually pretty healthy growth with a metro this large. And that's the population that is above ground. We probably really grew by 7-8%% if you'd really want to be honest.

1n 2008, SCAG actually projected that illegal immigration to California would plateau by 2010, even though such activity was predicted to increase in other states.

Yeah I've read that data as well but I still think that they are missing a significant underground population that is already here.

Skin cancer is a challenge in southern California, particularly among people of northern European descent. I, myself, have to be very careful. My father, aunt, and cousin have all had melanoma, but the latter two spent their lives in Manhattan, New York; Stamford, Connecticut; and, Wyckoff, New Jersey. So, there's only so much a person can do.

I, personally, would prefer a little more moisture, myself. I absolutely love rainy days, and we really don't get as many as I'd like here. The West coast, in general, appeals to me in that regard, though. San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver all have interesting siting.

I've never really heard that skin cancer is a challenge in Southern California, hum, I think in general where ever you live if you are northern european you have to take precautions, as you detailed, all those family members of yours have had melanoma and look where they live.

I've never really heard that skin cancer is a challenge in Southern California, hum, I think in general where ever you live if you are northern european you have to take precautions, as you detailed, all those family members of yours have had melanoma and look where they live.

SoCal probably has more intensely sunny days than let's say Seattle, so yeah it would be more of a challenge in this locale as opposed to some others that we could think of. Interestingly enough a friend of mine who is Ethiopian was adopted by a Swiss family and he had to supplement his skin's need for more Vitamin D because of the lack of sunlight.

The location is, indeed, awsome, but not the most beautiful or best...I think the best and beautiful are that of Rio, Cape Town and Sidney. They are more "dramatic"...

^ It's not a question of whether or not LA's location is the most beautiful, because there are admittedly many locales with far more beautiful natural settings. And the best location, if there is any, isn't necessarily the most beautiful.

I always love me a good 'mocha chimichanga latte'

I've noticed this thread is attracting more than its fair share of "outsider attention!" All with their own special brand of assumptions and such. Kuddos to whoever came up with this. (Ooooo, Westy. Oh well, kudos to you, Westerfield! )

Even the trolls seem to be somewhat respectful on this thread. The seem to know they don't have a leg to stand on when criticizing LA for its combination of geography, climate and breadth and depth of cultural offerrings.

In the same spirit, I won't criticize any cities offerred as "better" or "just as good" although it is puzzling on what theory some of them are mentioned.

YES!! And anyone who thought otherwise is just jealous :D

Fishing in Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2375/3533722574_c09713a2c3_o.jpg
From Flickr, by Mike Cohn

LA's location offers a uniquely diverse array of climates and landscapes within a couple of hours drive.
Wonderful location.

Point Vicente Lighthouse with Catalina Island in the distance...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/3782447197_5a1633a30a_b.jpg
From Flickr, by jandmfoto

The view from Angels Gate Park...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4239652548_cfc9cc2314_b.jpg
From Flickr, by ChrisVill

Beautiful Westie! Great thread.

View of Santa Monica Beach with the Santa Monica Mountains in the backround...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-SantaMonica-SM-MTNbackdro-1.jpg
From flickr by zenzenpup

View of Santa Monica before the approaching storm...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-SantaMonica-flickr-StewartJa.jpg
From flickr by StewartJames

Malibu Canyon fog, Santa Monica Mountains..
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Malib-Canyon-fog-flickr-Diga.jpg
From flickr by Digammon

Springtime in the Santa Monica Mountains...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-SantMonica-Mtns-Springtime-f.jpg
From flickr by lhg 11

View of Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Bay. Many visitors don't know about this. But YES, Los Angeles does have a harbor...

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-SanPedroHarbor-VincentThomas.jpg
From flickr by (nz)dave

Cruise Ship at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-PortOfLosAngeles-SanPedro-fl.jpg
From flickr by Chris&Steve

Cliffs of Point Fermin in San Pedro...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-PointFermin-SanPedro-flickr-.jpg
From flickr by paul-rogue

Angel's Gate Lighthouse with San Pedro in the background...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-AngelsGatelighthouse-PortofL.jpg
From flickr by Chris&Steve

Balboa Island near New Port Beach...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Balboa-Island-flickr-Guwashi.jpg
From flickr by Guwashi999

More of Balboa Island...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Balboa-Island-flickr-Nazeem_.jpg
From flickr by Nazeem Sheik

Redrock Canyon, Santa Monica Mtns....
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-RedRockCanyon-SantaMonicaMTN.jpg
From flickr by cephyn

Point Mugu...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Point_Mugu-flickr-mzellma-1.jpg
From flickr by mzellman

View of The "Mugu Rock" at Point Mugu...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-MuguRock-Point_MUGU-flick-1.jpg
From flickr by Te55

Sunset at Malibu...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Malibu-Steve_Sieren-flick-2.jpg
From flickr by Steve Sieren

^ Red Rock Canyon looks surreal in that photo. It's really amazing to believe that scenes like those are less than 10 miles from the city.

Greater Los Angeles is halfway between Hawaii and NYC, literally and figuratively. Another reason why it is the greatest location on Earth.

The Beautiful Desert Oasis of Palms Springs...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Airballoon-PalmSprings-flick.jpg
From flickr by ga clicker

Andreas Canyon Towers, Palm Springs...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-AndreasCanyonTowers-PalmSpri.jpg
From flickr by moonjazz

Palm Springs golf course...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-PalmSpringsGolfCourse-flickr.jpg
From flicky by Dave The Haligonian

A serene view of Big Bear Lake...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-BigBearLake-flickr-MikeJo-1.jpg
From flickr by MikeJonesPhoto

Temecula Wine Country...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-Temecula-Wine-country-flickr.jpg
From flickr by SDG-Pictures

Hot Air Balloon over Temecula vineyards...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-TemeculaWinecountry-flickr-S.jpg
From flickr by salivationorg

^ Red Rock Canyon looks surreal in that photo. It's really amazing to believe that scenes like those are less than 10 miles from the city.

Greater Los Angeles is halfway between Hawaii and NYC, literally and figuratively. Another reason why it is the greatest location on Earth.

I agree 100%! I don't understand how anyone living in the LA/Greater LA area could ever be bored. There's always something different around the corner waiting to be explored.

Great thread WSL! :cheers:

Angel's Gate Lighthouse with San Pedro in the background...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/future_trance011/zzfile-AngelsGatelighthouse-PortofL.jpg
From flickr by Chris&Steve

^^
BTW..I hiked out to that lighthouse two summers ago with a group of friends armed with a flashlight; a back pack; bottles of water; two granola bars...at around 10 p.m. at night. The waves were crashing in on one side (which was quite unsettling) and then you had this sense of calmness on the harbor side of the breakwater. One of the scariest and at the same time fun experiences I've had.

I would NOT recommend going out there on a stormy day or when it's high tide. Also, I'd make sure to wear bright clothing and a life preserver vest next time just in case I slip on a wet spot and fall in...:nuts:

You may already be dead and just don't know it yet.

Mediterranean weather............

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Macchia_mediterranea_map.jpg/800px-Macchia_mediterranea_map.jpg

^ Exclusive club LA's a part of. :cheers:

Probably one of the best locations in the world yes but it's all screwed up now because of the immense pollution and over crowding population. imo.

^ Air quality is mendable. Mountains, beaches, and deserts are firmly fixed in place.

Overcrowding? What?

^^ That's a very exclusive club!

We are truly fortunate. :cheers:

Probably one of the best locations in the world yes but it's all screwed up now because of the immense pollution and over crowding population. imo.

Immense pollution? Last time I checked LA was not the most polluted city in the country, pollution went way down.

Overcrowding? That one just flew over my head.

LA is way overcrowded if you're from kelowna.
Also, FYI LA has severe overcrowding issues in it's lower-income neighborhoods. Garage conversions are one well-known example of this.

LA definitely has the worst air in the country:
http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2010/04/28/los-angeles-has-worst-air-quality-in-america/

Point Dume
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4474774806_e10a8b247b_b.jpg
From Flickr, by featherwurm

Parker Mesa Overlook
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3317918796_7894defee1_o.jpg
From Flickr, by yikai1

LA is way overcrowded if you're from kelowna.
Also, FYI LA has severe overcrowding issues in it's lower-income neighborhoods. Garage conversions are one well-known example of this.

LA definitely has the worst air in the country:
http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2010/04/28/los-angeles-has-worst-air-quality-in-america/

We're talking about location, not the people or pollution.

Yes, I think Los Angeles has the greatest location in the world.

^ Exactly. How does traffic, pollution, or (supposed) overcrowding change the fact that we're the only one with mountains, beaches, deserts, and islands? Those three things are a result of human irresponsibility and they exist anywhere with mass population. Earthquakes and wildfires, on the other hand, are legit arguments.

This is the reason why we are pushing for the high speed rail. And, hybrid cars, electric vehicles.

We're talking about location, not the people or pollution.

Yes, I think Los Angeles has the greatest location in the world.

Agreed. I was just setting some facts straight.

Pollution is definitely related to location, however. Any city in the LA basin would have bad air pollution--the topography is a major contributing factor, just like in Mexico city.

We wouldn't have the worst air in the country, however, if it weren't for the port (which, btw, is the country's largest due to our location :) )

The port doesn't have to pollute, and, if we had a better-educated populace, we wouldn't need to rely on the logistics sector for blue-collar jobs. Moreover, if our trade deficit wasn't as high as it has been, we wouldn't need to ship into the country common goods made by cheap Chinese labor.

If carbon and air pollution were priced according to their impacts on southern California, we wouldn't have this ridiculously-inefficient system.

if we had a better-educated populace, we wouldn't need to rely on the logistics sector for blue-collar jobs.
What are you saying here?^^

We should not need to worry about the air problem in 5 to 10 years. After hybrid cars and electric vehicles become popular.

What are you saying here?^^

We have too many people living here who have never completed high school or sought any higher education. So, we are often caught having to choose between industries that support blue-collar jobs and industries that want the well-educated people who insist on living in a high-quality environment without pollution.

That situation is our main struggle. The inland regions have effectively decided to pursue a strategy that seeks high-end talent by offering exceptional livability, but the numbers of poorly-educated residents still living in California are going to make transforming the economy in order to sustain our historic job growth exceedingly difficult, especially as the State government defunds education.

Personally, I liked this thread because it was about the things that make LA the best place in the world.

Discussing things like education policy, energy policy, transportation policy are not only highly controversial, but have relatively little to do with location; that is, every city has these issues.

They are interesting issues, but I would suggest moving them to different threads and go back to pictures of the mountains and ocean.

L.A location really is unique but dont you think it can compare to mexico city. They almost look alike in terms of land.

L.A location really is unique but dont you think it can compare to mexico city. They almost look alike in terms of land.

Last time I checked, Mexico City wasn't coastal.

^ It's not a question of whether or not LA's location is the most beautiful, because there are admittedly many locales with far more beautiful natural settings. And the best location, if there is any, isn't necessarily the most beautiful.

...So...what's the point then...?

L.A location really is unique but dont you think it can compare to mexico city. They almost look alike in terms of land.

You're way off. Can you go skiing in Mexico City in a 2 1/2 hour drive? surfing in 20 minutes? Mexico City sits on a dry lake bed, LA on n alluvial coastal basin.

...So...what's the point then...?

It's about the *diversity* of the geographic landscape and the subsequent *diversity* of recreational opportunities combined with the geographic location itself.

Personally, I liked this thread because it was about the things that make LA the best place in the world.

Discussing things like education policy, energy policy, transportation policy are not only highly controversial, but have relatively little to do with location; that is, every city has these issues.

They are interesting issues, but I would suggest moving them to different threads and go back to pictures of the mountains and ocean.

The decisions that elected officials are currently making, though, revolve around the question of whether or not southern California has the best geographic location on the planet.

If the region does, then we should be able to compete for the best talent in the world by offering an environment that isn't polluted. Does sacrificing growth in one industrial sector, though, allow for enough growth in another?

Could we, as southern Californians, eliminate the pollution, if we set our minds to doing so? Or, is our broken education system and immigration policy even capable of allowing us to do so? Like it or not, the gorgeous mountains, perfect weather, and desirable maritime ports can also be very bad things.

We have too many people living here who have never completed high school or sought any higher education. So, we are often caught between choosing between industries that support blue-collar jobs and industries that want the well-educated people who insist on living in a high-quality environment without pollution.

That situation is our main struggle. The inland regions have effectively decided to pursue a strategy that seeks high-end talent by offering exceptional livability, but the numbers of poorly-educated residents still living in California are going to make transforming the economy in order to sustain our historic job growth exceedingly difficult, especially as the State government defunds education.

Let me not take your words out of context but we all know having a healthy sized educated white collar class is very important for the region but is this in lieu of a healthy blue collar though less educated class? Especially one where they are unionized and are being paid enough to qualify as middle class?

Let me not take your words out of context but we all know having a healthy sized educated white collar class is very important for the region but is this in lieu of a healthy blue collar though less educated class? Especially one where they are unionized and are being paid enough to qualify as middle class?
I'm really thinking about the industries southern California is best able to support, instead of the desirability of blue-collar versus white-collar workers.

According to SCAG, we're facing very slow job growth over the next 25 years, unless we make some drastic changes.

I'm really thinking about the industries southern California is best able to support

What does that mean? What industries does Southern California support the best?

What does that mean? What industries does Southern California support the best?If southern California has a truly rare and desirable geographic location, then we should probably be looking to grow tourism and those industries that require high-end talent, instead of logistics and heavy manufacturing that are likely to pollute the environment.

The high-end talent is usually more able to choose where in the world they prefer to live, and the employers seeking these employees then follow.

We can still have logistics and heavy manufacturing, but we had better make sure that we control the pollution in smart ways that respect the viability of the core industries.

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the fulcrum of this logistics industry, which creates lots of jobs.

That's what I was thinking. I'd much rather have half a million people employed at the ports which is the blood and guts of the LA economy rather than the tourism industry. IMO tourism is a great asset for the area to have but if it left tomorrow we'd feel it but nationally another city would just pick up our former patrons. OTOH if the ports shut down I think that LA would become a sort of seaside Detroit and in addition nationally it would be just devastating for the nation.

That's what I was thinking. I'd much rather have half a million people employed at the ports which is the blood and guts of the LA economy rather than the tourism industry. IMO tourism is a great asset for the area to have but if it left tomorrow we'd feel it but nationally another city would just pick up our former patrons. OTOH if the ports shut down I think that LA would become a sort of seaside Detroit and in addition nationally it would be just devastating for the nation.

^^ This, although L.A. must continue to further diversify it's economy.

That's what I was thinking. I'd much rather have half a million people employed at the ports which is the blood and guts of the LA economy rather than the tourism industry. IMO tourism is a great asset for the area to have but if it left tomorrow we'd feel it but nationally another city would just pick up our former patrons. OTOH if the ports shut down I think that LA would become a sort of seaside Detroit and in addition nationally it would be just devastating for the nation.Think of Pittsburgh. Removing heavy industry from that economy has actually been very good for the city.

I'm not saying that the ports should be closed, but we are essentially caught between being a commodity company and being a differentiated-service company, to use business terms. Do we want to be Wal-Mart, forever competing on price? Or, do we want to be Apple or Rolex, premium brands based on product differentiation? Strategic planning is my specialty, so I'm looking at southern California's competitive advantages and seeing where our core competencies actually lie.

Frankly, in attracting new residents and new businesses, we're not doing a very good job competing on price or on offering a premium experience.

What would the "premium experience" be? Are we talking about wage competitiveness or quality of live issues i.e. transit, walkability of neighborhoods?

Dammit! you people from the States are so arrogant, it never ceases to surprise me. You cannot be talking seriously when saying that Los Angeles is the best city in the world. Have you ever been abroad from your country? Have you ever visited Europe? I would prefer to live in any european city than in LA. Do you need som reasons? I'll give you some. We do have plenty of cities in Europe where beaches and mountains are only a few miles abroad. For instance Barcelona, Torino, Venice, Bilbao, Marselle and many others. The quality of life in these cities is much higher than in LA. We do not have afraiding criminal rates, we do not have huge highways dividing neighbourhoods like ghettos and we do not need the car to go to the cinema or the supermarket because our cities have thousands of years and have been done for people and not for inefficient cars. In addition we are proud of our culture, our old and beautiful buildings, our traditions and not of our five star hotels, our posh society and our teenagers Hollywood films.

^^ The title of the thread is a question, not an affirmation, it's open for debate.

Tone down it down fella.

What would the "premium experience" be? Are we talking about wage competitiveness or quality of live issues i.e. transit, walkability of neighborhoods?Quality of life....

As deckard_6 observes, lately, we haven't been doing a very good job competing in that arena, even though I believe we are fully capable of doing so.

Southern California, particularly the Inland Empire and particularly San Bernardino, needs to reposition itself so that it competes in a different category. And, that effort requires fixing the problems created by cars, oil, and freeways and by blue-collar industries. Southern California has a global allure that is unmatched, but we really haven't been delivering on that promise in the way that we once did.

Does anyone happen to know which urban agglomeration in the world has the most expensive aggregate real-estate prices?

I love this thread because it makes me realize I still have tons of things to visit and enjoy in this AMAZING city.


Dammit! you people from the States are so arrogant, it never ceases to surprise me. You cannot be talking seriously when saying that Los Angeles is the best city in the world.

READ THREAD TITLE:Does Los Angeles have the greatest location in the world?

And thanks for the insult jerkoff.

Have you ever been abroad from your country? Have you ever visited Europe?
I have been to Austria, Germany, France, and Japan. All of those countries were amazing and beautiful.

I would prefer to live in any european city than in LA. Do you need som reasons?
Good for you! I'm sure Europe loves you!

I'll give you some.
Your reasons are fucking lame.

We do have plenty of cities in Europe where beaches and mountains are only a few miles abroad. For instance Barcelona, Torino, Venice, Bilbao, Marselle and many others.
All of these cities are Mediterranean cities, just like Los Angeles! [not actual location, but similar in weather] Care to provide some other cities in your can-do-nothing-wrong Europe like say in uhhh...Sweden? How about some in the Czech Republic? Inform me!

The quality of life in these cities is much higher than in LA.
Just because you say it doesn't make it a fact. Where is this "quality of life" chart where it shows LA at the bottom? My quality of life in Los Angeles is awesome! I love it here, always a great time!

We do not have afraiding criminal rates
Ehhhhhh...not so sure about that. Our crime has gone down.

we do not have huge highways dividing neighbourhoods like ghettos
Since when is Cheviot Hills, Palms, Hollywood, Pasadena, etc a ghetto? Oh shit, I forgot, it was GERMANY that had those top-rate ghettos! Such a posh way of living.

and we do not need the car to go to the cinema or the supermarket
I don't either...I take t he bus or walk! Wow, just like in EUROPE!

...because our cities have thousands of years and have been done for people and not for inefficient cars.
and with old age comes ignorance and insanity. This is one of the dumbest examples as to why "LA sux!" Its not like it built itself and said, "I'm going to be born in the 1800s and not have history and this and that blah blah blah."

In addition we are proud of our culture, our old and beautiful buildings, our traditions and not of our five star hotels, our posh society and our teenagers Hollywood films.
We are as well. Come through my South Central hood and see how proud they are of their old homes!

Your rant was boring and unnecessary.

p.s. I know, I know, don't feed the troll, but I had to provide some input.

Think of Pittsburgh. Removing heavy industry from that economy has actually been very good for the city.

I'm not saying that the ports should be closed, but we are essentially caught between being a commodity company and being a differentiated-service company, to use business terms. Do we want to be Wal-Mart, forever competing on price? Or, do we want to be Apple or Rolex, premium brands based on product differentiation? Strategic planning is my specialty, so I'm looking at southern California's competitive advantages and seeing where our core competencies actually lie.

Frankly, in attracting new residents and new businesses, we're not doing a very good job competing on price or on offering a premium experience.

The logistics industry will always be with LA because of its great location.

.. our posh society and our teenagers Hollywood films.

I assume, when you use "posh", you are from Britain. . The thread is not about discussing the greatest city in the world (Tokyo) but the fact we like to think of ourselves as a city in a perfect location to take advantage of the possibilities because of it. . In real ways, though, we are the center of the known universe ............. off you go. http://www.easyfreesmileys.com/smileys/free-hello-kitty-smileys-666.gif (http://www.easyfreesmileys.com/Free-Music-Smileys/) . (BTW, we used to be a great country deserving of our arrogance. Didn't we save your ass too?)

List of world's busiest container ports
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_world%27s_busiest_container_ports

Dammit! you people from the States are so arrogant, it never ceases to surprise me. You cannot be talking seriously when saying that Los Angeles is the best city in the world. Have you ever been abroad from your country? Have you ever visited Europe? I would prefer to live in any european city than in LA. Do you need som reasons? I'll give you some. We do have plenty of cities in Europe where beaches and mountains are only a few miles abroad. For instance Barcelona, Torino, Venice, Bilbao, Marselle and many others. The quality of life in these cities is much higher than in LA. We do not have afraiding criminal rates, we do not have huge highways dividing neighbourhoods like ghettos and we do not need the car to go to the cinema or the supermarket because our cities have thousands of years and have been done for people and not for inefficient cars. In addition we are proud of our culture, our old and beautiful buildings, our traditions and not of our five star hotels, our posh society and our teenagers Hollywood films.

Err, congratulations?

Dammit! you people from the States are so arrogant, it never ceases to surprise me. You cannot be talking seriously when saying that Los Angeles is the best city in the world. Have you ever been abroad from your country? Have you ever visited Europe? I would prefer to live in any european city than in LA. Do you need som reasons? I'll give you some. We do have plenty of cities in Europe where beaches and mountains are only a few miles abroad. For instance Barcelona, Torino, Venice, Bilbao, Marselle and many others. The quality of life in these cities is much higher than in LA. We do not have afraiding criminal rates, we do not have huge highways dividing neighbourhoods like ghettos and we do not need the car to go to the cinema or the supermarket because our cities have thousands of years and have been done for people and not for inefficient cars. In addition we are proud of our culture, our old and beautiful buildings, our traditions and not of our five star hotels, our posh society and our teenagers Hollywood films.

Thats your opinion and you are entitled to it, but it has nothing to do with this thread. it is about the location of the city.

Ok, I accept I was a little bit rude, I am sorry about it. But I continue thinking that just by choosing a different title for the thread you could avoid to give the impression of being ignorant cowboys from the far west. Why don't you try with: Does Los Angeles has a great location due to the different environments surrounding the city? or even: Does Los Angeles has one of the greatest locations in the world?
All of these cities are Mediterranean cities, just like Los Angeles!
Well, not all of them are mediterranean cities. You better check a map.

Wow i see so many similarities between La and the city i live in albeit on a slightly smaller scale. Similar climate, hot dry summers with wild fires or bushfires as we call them here, our winters maybe be a bit harsher however. Manufacturing and freight drives our economy mind u finance is important too here. We seem to have a love affair with freeways and far away suburbs not to mention our crumbling transport and we have the biggest port in the country. Now onto the scenery, our metro area is built around a bay instead with the most expensive houses facing west towards the beach with the hills to the east of the city. The only problem facing cali in the future is probably "the big one" other then that it's located in a pretty lucky part of the world climatically for people who like warm sunny weather and california girls LOL. The best location? That's debatable as there are many that lay claim to that. And LA is not a desert for all the people who think that. It's on the border of mediterranean and semi arid climate

Ok, I accept I was a little bit rude, I am sorry about it. But I continue thinking that just by choosing a different title for the thread you could avoid to give the impression of being ignorant cowboys from the far west. Why don't you try with: Does Los Angeles has a great location due to the different environments surrounding the city? or even: Does Los Angeles has one of the greatest locations in the world?

:lol:

Dekard is so far off-base that it's not worth discussing. The cities he cites (Torino, Venice, etc.) are in general, quite decayed and polluted, have much colder winters than LA and sweltering, humid summers.

Venice is the most beautiful city in the world (IMO) but its location is in fact one of the worst in the world, all things considered. He needs to read more carefully.

Dammit! you people from the States are so arrogant, it never ceases to surprise me. You cannot be talking seriously when saying that Los Angeles is the best city in the world. Have you ever been abroad from your country? Have you ever visited Europe? I would prefer to live in any european city than in LA. Do you need som reasons? I'll give you some. We do have plenty of cities in Europe where beaches and mountains are only a few miles abroad. For instance Barcelona, Torino, Venice, Bilbao, Marselle and many others. The quality of life in these cities is much higher than in LA. We do not have afraiding criminal rates, we do not have huge highways dividing neighbourhoods like ghettos and we do not need the car to go to the cinema or the supermarket because our cities have thousands of years and have been done for people and not for inefficient cars. In addition we are proud of our culture, our old and beautiful buildings, our traditions and not of our five star hotels, our posh society and our teenagers Hollywood films.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v677/ecko-man/coleman_wtf.gif

Ok, I accept I was a little bit rude, I am sorry about it. But I continue thinking that just by choosing a different title for the thread you could avoid to give the impression of being ignorant cowboys from the far west. Why don't you try with: Does Los Angeles has a great location due to the different environments surrounding the city? or even: Does Los Angeles has one of the greatest locations in the world?

Well, not all of them are mediterranean cities. You better check a map.

Guess who got the wrong impression for not reading?

Deckard, the only reason I'm giving you a lesson is because you're named after one of my favorite L. A. cops. The lesson is this: ACCEPT IT! We're the greatest ............... you're not. Which begs to confirm here that you are an example of one who is far away from Los Angeles and yet tied to it completely- RIGHT DOWN TO YOUR USERNAME! . Thanks for being a fan :) (Are you a replicant?)

(BTW, we used to be a great country deserving of our arrogance. Didn't we save your ass too?)
Yes, you saved our ass. Thank you so much! How many times do we have to tell you how thankful we are about it? You look like these Spanish or Portuguese people missing their empires...always talking about past glories. Enjoy our gratefulness because I don't think you'll get some from other countries in the future.
ACCEPT IT!
We're the greatest ............... you're not.
You have the greatest economy, we don't. That's it. You continue surprising me with your behaviour. As I said before I was a little bit rude in my first post, maybe that's the reason why you didn't get my point of view. I know you are a great country, no doubts about it. Your problem come's with arrogance. You are too used to think that the US is the centre of the world, and it is not. For any of us it would be unthinkable to start a thread with a title as the one we are discussin of. I remember now another thread started by an american girl, she was looking for the best beaches in the world. Within the first ten options five or six were from the States and the others from Puerto Rico, Mexico and so on. One of the pictures, from San Diego I think it was, even had an aircraft carrier from the navy on the background. For her the world is made of the States and the few places she has been in holydays. She could have said: best beaches from America (America is a continent, not a country), but for her and for most of you, saying the US is the same as saying the world.
(Are you a replicant?)
I'll never tell you, I just went north.

You have the greatest economy, we don't. That's it. You continue surprising me with your behaviour. As I said before I was a little bit rude in my first post, maybe that's the reason why you didn't get my point of view. I know you are a great country, no doubts about it. Your problem come's with arrogance. You are too used to think that the US is the centre of the world, and it is not. For any of us it would be unthinkable to start a thread with a title as the one we are discussin of. I remember now another thread started by an american girl, she was looking for the best beaches in the world. Within the first ten options five or six were from the States and the others from Puerto Rico, Mexico and so on. One of the pictures, from San Diego I think it was, even had an aircraft carrier from the navy on the background. For her the world is made of the States and the few places she has been in holydays. She could have said: best beaches from America (America is a continent, not a country), but for her and for most of you, saying the US is the same as saying the world.

Every place has good points and bad points. And, I think the spirit of the original posting in this thread is to remind southern Californians of the good points so that they appreciate those features and preserve them.

The rarity of southern California's natural environment, as well as the region's built environment, should inspire more of us to do better than we have over the last half century to keep this place unique and desirable. So, I look at this discussion as a call to better stewardship.

Unless one has actually lived here and lived elsewhere, one really can't hold an informed opinion. But, there are objective measures, like real-estate prices. And, I'd venture to guess that the market valuation of the southern California megalopolis is the highest in the world.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v677/ecko-man/coleman_wtf.gif

^^:lol::lol::lol::lol: "What you talkin' about Willis?"

I'll never tell you, I just went north.

Uh oh! Well, I'm just saying- we're the greatest. Not by birth, by location. Location location location! And individual quality! And we don't care what other countries think. :)

The following places are about an hour's drive from downtown Los Angeles, and they reflect some of the diversity of southern California's amazing geography.

Redlands
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2767/4503926241_4421daa9bb_b.jpg
(El Kite Pics)

Cajon Pass
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3481210829_770a79e723_o.jpg
(Dave Toussaint)

Moreno Valley
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4397123076_8002dfb32f_o.jpg
(Dave Touissaint)

Wrightwood
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4341965989_4158107cab_o.jpg
(Dave Toussaint)

Riverside
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4577319126_59de45338d_o.jpg
(Josh LeClair)

Mill Creek Canyon
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2745/4145804096_d1f4b7f440_b.jpg
(Guy McCarthy)

Corona
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4529246948_5e2271e592_b.jpg
(miheco)

Redlands
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4357398331_66bf29ed14_o.jpg
(cyclotourist)

San Bernardino
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/4299416828_4588b25f25_b.jpg
(Chris Diersen)

San Bernardino
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/4573505676_d7ee8a35b1_o.jpg
(Dave Toussaint)

Lake Arrowhead
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3656/3561876090_e4c8db5996_o.jpg
(Mike Jones)

Big Bear Lake
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3367864435_ac434d660e_b.jpg
(J. Philipson)

Lake Silverwood
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3613/3494708639_89e9fd1770_b.jpg
(Muzzlehatch)

Riverside
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2604/3957597014_9cdb9faced_o.jpg
(Muzzlehatch)

Riverside
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/4173761811_9e7c4d35a4_b.jpg
(Muzzlehatch)

Riverside
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2719/4166729778_5be5d5cf10_o.jpg
(Muzzlehatch)

Riverside
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4577319126_59de45338d_o.jpg
(Josh LeClair)


Where is this place?

Where is this place?
That is the Peace Tower and the Testimonial Bridge atop Mount Rubidoux.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/326167830_fc6cb7f6e7.jpg
(J. Rupert)

Riverside has a very definite Old World personality that is the result of all the examples of Spanish Renaissance, Moorish, and Mission Revival architecture in the city.

TOOLING AROUND MT. LEE .. IMAGES HOSTED ON FLICKR (http://www.flickr.com) http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/MarkLuethi5574738.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/MarkLuethi44t.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/MarkLuethi335266.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/MarkLuethi4445566677.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/MarkLuethi2.jpg . MARK LUETHI

Westie, great collection of pics. :)

Where's Westy's pics?

oops, I was so focused on the pics,........ sorry, not Westie, it's PragmaticIdealist kudos to him/her.


:cheers:

So, you're playing favorites with Westy and you assuuuuuuume that Prag is a hermaphrodite?

So, you're playing favorites with Westy and you assuuuuuuume that Prag is a hermaphrodite?

:lol: Milque, you're terrible. You know you're my fav!

wonderful pics the last ones!.

Somewhere in the Santa Monica Mountains...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4625496245_c556390b2d_o.jpg
cjcam

Is this forum sick? Or is it dying? Where have all of the passionate debates and discussions gone?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4737379318_1149cd1f54_b.jpg
dedalus1947

LA would be nice as a small city, not like this.

Miami on the other hand...! ;)

Westie: great picture.

Hard to believe that on a hot summer weekend SoCal beaches get 3-4M people. A great urban city with a resort on the door step.

^ Yep. I really like what you said over at SSP about how LA is both a cultural center (like NYC and London) and a resort destination (like Miami and Honolulu). I love it here.

We have the best of all worlds.

^ Yep. I really like what you said over at SSP about how LA is both a cultural center (like NYC and London) and a resort destination (like Miami and Honolulu). I love it here.

Not only does LA offer culture, and a beach resort destination. Heck, from January thru April we have our own winter wonderland in the mountains for skiing, snowboarding, etc. We have our own little Whistler or Vail, Colorado in our backyard. LOL

The wealth of alternatives that LA/Greater LA offers is what makes it such a great location.

Malibu wetlands...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1400/4733770719_ff25b46cc6_b.jpg
ellenm1

Castaic Lake...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4342197783_21791a9c7a_b.jpg
ArielImages

Parasailing in Catalina Island...

IRh8zOYGCDQ

I'll be nit-picky. I think Santa Monica has the better location. ;) It's actually on the water unlike LA (other than the Port of Los Angeles). And because of that, it has a cooler climate that I personally find more comfortable. Give me the coastal pleasantries of 60s & 70s any day over the warmer summertime 80s & 90s in downtown LA.

Having said that, if you're just "consolidating" all areas in the Greater Los Angeles region into your question, "Does Los Angeles have the greatest location of any city in the world?", then I would agree it has one of the best. Of course there are other fabulous areas as well, some of which have already been noted in this thread (SF Bay area, San Diego, Vancouver, Rio, as well as other cities like Nice, France and even Seattle), so I don't think I could name one area as being greater than the others. But certainly LA has a special setting!

^^ venice beach is also LA

I'll be nit-picky. I think Santa Monica has the better location. ;) It's actually on the water unlike LA (other than the Port of Los Angeles). And because of that, it has a cooler climate that I personally find more comfortable. Give me the coastal pleasantries of 60s & 70s any day over the warmer summertime 80s & 90s in downtown LA.

Having said that, if you're just "consolidating" all areas in the Greater Los Angeles region into your question, "Does Los Angeles have the greatest location of any city in the world?", then I would agree it has one of the best. Of course there are other fabulous areas as well, some of which have already been noted in this thread (SF Bay area, San Diego, Vancouver, Rio, as well as other cities like Nice, France and even Seattle), so I don't think I could name one area as being greater than the others. But certainly LA has a special setting!

I'll be nit-picky. ;)

Venice, Westchester, San Pedro, Wilmington, Terminal Island, Pacific Palisades, Playa del Rey are all coastal communities of the City of Los Angeles.

And before Santa Monica acquired autonomy from the City of Los Angeles, the original Port of Los Angeles was located there on a pier location (now non-existent) that is now a State historical landmark.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/83/SantaMonica-portadvert-1875.jpg

Port of Los Angeles (Long Wharf in the distance), Santa Monica Community, City of Los Angeles.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/SantaMonica-1893.jpg

It's interesting how you found Santa Monica having a "better location" and "climate" than Los Angeles when Pacific Palisades is twice as big as Santa Monica, and three times as beautiful being it is the "City of Los Angeles". But then again, you only focused on "Downtown LA".

http://losangelesvendingmachineservices.com/images/map_los_angeles.jpg

Lake Mission Viejo...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Snow_at_Lake_Mission_Viejo_005.jpg/800px-Snow_at_Lake_Mission_Viejo_005.jpg
From Wikipedia

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4822915078_47c66d897c_b.jpg
saltandonion

One of the few complaints I have about LA's waterfront is that it doesn't embrace the marina. I want to see car-oriented Marina del Rey transformed into Miami Beach West (well, sort of). It's hard to beat high-rise living next to the water.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3298/3193990571_74b5ef9b67_b.jpg
szeke

I also posted this shot of Hermosa Beach in the "Incredible" thread. A touch of the Mediterranean in the South Bay. :cheers:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4807318994_60036e4e54_b.jpg
Jason 101

It's summer in LA. My obsession with the water continues...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2751/4421855290_d750d4e8a0_b.jpg
juliaclark42

I posted this photo in the "Incredible" thread a few months ago. It is one of my favorite LA panos ever. This shot captures the density of the Westside with the mountains, ocean, and palm trees thrown in for good measure.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4490590344_910b6db3f7_o.jpg
LuvenRN

Two points: "Lake Balboa" is not a real district; this is really Van Nuys and Reseda. I also have a few other issues with LA districts, but this is the worst.

In WSL's superb pano, what are the two high-rises barely visisble in the far distance way to the right of DT at the edge of the picture?

^ Those are the Miracle Mile high-rises.

thanks; you're right; I was disoriented.

Oh my goodness- it's hard to recover from a mistake like that. :ohno:

One of the few complaints I have about LA's waterfront is that it doesn't embrace the marina. I want to see car-oriented Marina del Rey transformed into Miami Beach West (well, sort of). It's hard to beat high-rise living next to the water.



Really it has nothing to do with cars or car-oriented development. Those Miami highrises all have tonnes of subterranean parking underneath them. The problem is zoning and height restrictions. Some don't see this as a problem at all preferring less of a Cancun feel to our beaches and more of a small beach town feel to them. I agree that MDR and south of there would be ripe and appropriate for highrise condo development but I think I like the feel of Venice and Santa Monica's low rise relaxed feel.

I don't think the Marina Peninsula (south of Washington) should be developed. Along the coast it is just an extension of Venice, with very lovely 2-3 story houses on the canals and the usual beach bungalows and apartments right at the beach. High-rises would be completely inappropriate. Leave the high-rises for Lincoln and within the Marina proper, not at the coast.

South of Ballona Creek is basically the airport area, where development is limited and beyond that is a small bit of El Segundo. After that is Manhattan Beach, which should remain as is, so I don't see any areas on the coast that I would think are appropriate for high-rises.

Klam: I'm not suggesting anything major. Nothing over 15 stories. There are already a few high-rises in MDR that are of that height. The Miami Beach comparison was obviously an exaggeration.

Pesto: Agreed. But when I referred to MDR as car-oriented, I was speaking of the numerous parking lots and Irvine-esque condo subdivisions. I'd like to see those replaced with developments like the new Latitude 33.

...

Here's a new development called Esprit. I like how it has a ped-only promenade. If all the other piers were developed like this and had retail and dining, it would create for a nice ambiance.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3156/3078180862_c9beda5116.jpg
cmprogers

This is a stretch of Lake Mission Viejo along Bartolome Street, looking East into The Cleveland National Forest. . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/untitledfff.jpg . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/Fullscreencapture728201035158AM.jpg

great picture. The snow doesn't get that low very often and the lack of Mission-style architecture gives it a non-LA look.

LA...big city!

great picture. The snow doesn't get that low very often and the lack of Mission-style architecture gives it a non-LA look.

Well, I have one more taken by me in December 2008. Taken at my backyard very early in the morning. We rarely see this lower levels of snow in OC.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t212/Kreicherisch/t1-2.jpg

Same snow! ( You seem to be a little farther south)

Same snow! ( You seem to be a little farther south)

I figured both of the two photos had been taken from Mission Viejo. Mine was taken, as I said, from Mission Viejo, south of the Lake.. Yeah, you're right, farther south.

Any snow on the hills this week?

I like my home city (Milan) for the same reasons. Here, in the radius of 150 miles (1 to 3 hours by car), we have Cinque Terre and Liguria in general (the Riviera), Como Lake, Garda Lake and Maggiore Lake, the Alps (with parks like Gran Paradiso) and the Dolomites, beautiful cities like Torino, Mantova, Verona, Venezia, Padova, Treviso and so on.
Yes, the traffic is extreme and pollution is really a problem, but one can never be bored... :D
I know this is not L.A. and I hope one day to come visit your places! :)

(P.S.: sorry for my english)

I think not being near any reliable source of freshwater would prevent LA from being considered as having a perfect location.

^ Who ever said LA's location was perfect? All I asked was if LA had the greatest location. That's different.

There is no perfect location, BTW.

One person's idea of perfect would be a place with all types of landscapes, from coasts to mountains to deserts, and another's idea of perfect will be with no hot hell-hole of deserts. So perfection is relative to one's own likes and dislikes, and as a result, is really irrelevant.

And that is coming from a perfectionist, if perfection was a real thing. I think coming to the conclusion that it does not exists helps me not be so perfectionist. Although maybe trying to define perfection is in itself perfectionist?

:gaah:

DOES L. A. HAVE THE GREATEST LOCATION OF ANY CITY IN THE WORLD? APPARENTLY THE VILLAGE VOICE THINKS SO ... This is a major gaffe ... . http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%202/Fullscreencapture1023201025721AM.jpg . IT BOGGLES THE MIND! LA WEEKLY

Yes, this is a great shot, probably my favorite. I've even been near this vantage point when I lived in Los Angeles, but in response to your question, the two cities that first came to my mind were Rio and Hong Kong.

This shot says it all...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4540847327_ef86b567f4_o.jpg
Source: Unknown

^ Hong Kong could certainly stake the claim to having the greatest location. Its geographic features (mountains and islands) ensure that any mega city built there would have crazy density, and in HK's case, a stunningly beautiful skyline to boot. It is situated in the dead center of Asia/Oceania, roughly equidistant between Tokyo and New Delhi, and Beijing and Singapore. And it is a lot closer to Australia than LA. Hong Kong's location is indeed amazing.

xxx

^ Hong Kong could certainly stake the claim to having the greatest location. Its geographic features (mountains and islands) ensure that any mega city built there would have crazy density, and in HK's case, a stunningly beautiful skyline to boot. It is situated in the dead center of Asia/Oceania, roughly equidistant between Tokyo and New Delhi, and Beijing and Singapore. And it is a lot closer to Australia than LA. Hong Kong's location is indeed amazing.

But few people who have not actually lived in Los Angeles can appreciate how beautiful the city can be after a winter storm comes through and leaves the San Gabriels capped with snow and the hillsides as green as Ireland. The drive along Mulholland Drive at that point is absolutely phenomenal with what you can see all around you. As I looked out over San Fernando Valley from there with a friend once, I told him nothing in the world compares to this except Hong Kong harbor with the natural scenery combined with the urbanity. And then to have this skyline against snow-capped mountains? Nothing in the world comes quite close to it.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1177/5111533946_f0725675d2_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/5146428676_888910a7b0_b.jpg
From Flickr, by maveric2003

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4822915078_47c66d897c_b.jpg
saltandonion

Where is this place?

Where is this place?

The Flickr user didn't really say. I'm guessing either Hermosa or Manhattan Beach.

Thanks.

Gorgeous!

Definitely!

The Palos Verdes Peninsula with Catalina Island in the distance...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5259572809_587b898e16_b.jpg
From Flickr, by millerm217

The clarity of that last photo is fantastic.

without a doubt

The light blue to the right of Catalina: is that another Channell Is. or part of Catalina or just fog and light interplay?

I got a real nice one for you guys...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5210358973_9a2f1a94ca_o.jpg
From Flickr, by homeispalosverdes

THAT is amazing! my new desktop. thanks Westsidelife

Palos Verdes