New York vs. LA

Living in New York City is not for the faint of heart. It is a hard city, a busy city, a wonderful and stressful city. It's the city that taught me so much about what I want out of life, who I am, what I like and don't like. It taught me to be more assertive and to advocate for myself. I'm glad I had the opportunity to live there, and am sad that I left, but I know that it was the right decision at the time, given the circumstances.  

From my apartment in Brooklyn, I could walk to shops, restaurants, nail salons, grocery stores, at least 3 bus stops and several subway stations, all within about 30 minutes. If I were feeling particularly ambitious, I could walk to DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) (about 1.5 miles) or into Manhattan, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, something I did several times. One of the things I used to do when I lived in Brooklyn, was to hop on the subway and getting off at Washington Square Park or the Financial District or another neighborhood and walk around, just seeing what there is to see. Sometimes, I would just walk around my immediate neighborhood and I would always see something new. During the COVID lockdowns, I found an old brick wall with a wrought iron fence attached to the top. Along with this was an old magnolia tree. The combination against a blue sky made my afternoon. 

I've come to realize that living somewhere like Los Angeles, with it's mild climate and nearly constant sunny skies is not for me. I miss things like thunder storms, changing seasons (that are more noticeable). I miss the changing of the seasons, winter becoming spring, spring becoming summer, summer to autumn and autumn to winter. January starts out bitter cold, then February see more snow. Towards the end of February, as the sun starts to warm the days to above freezing, the maple sap starts to run and sugar makers start to boil the sap into syrup and other yummy treats. Once the nights start to stay above freezing and the sap stops running, other signs of spring start to emerge, like snow drops and crocuses. There really isn't much of a noticeable change in the seasons here in Los Angeles. Yes, there are seasonal flowers that bloom like the Magnolias, cherry trees, wisteria, but there aren't the ones I'm used to and I miss that. The most noticeable changing of the seasons is when the rains turn the chapparal on the hills green and then as the rains dissipate and spring becomes summer, the hills go back to brown until the next rainy season. 

I loved spring in New York, especially in Central Park and the one time I accidentally visited Greenwood Cemetery (I was trying to get to Prospect Park, but took a wrong turn). Seeing the snowdrops blooming, often surrounded by snow or the crocuses bringing the first touch or color against an otherwise brown landscape. Then, as it gets warmer, the yellow and white daffodils bloom, followed by the tulips, forsythia, magnolias, and other spring flowers. It's so pretty when you visit the city at this time of year. It gives one a feeling of hope. Before the Loeb Boathouse closed (it looks like it reopened after undergoing renovations in 2024), at this time, there would be lots of people renting boats and enjoying the spring weather. 

There are places within Central Park that are so isolated and unique that it makes you feel like you're alone in the world and somewhere NOT in the middle of the biggest city in the country. I would often walk through the lower end of the park after work, just to relax a little before going home. I worked just a few blocks from there, so it made it easier to enjoy the park before going home or to see a movie. Even in the winter, I would walk in the snow or rain just because I could. It was one of the best ways I could get out of my head.

While life in Brooklyn was expensive and challenging, there were also many free and discounted things to do and volunteer opportunities available. My first year there, I attended the Pride March (it will not be considered a parade until everyone is equal) which was so much fun. The following year, I was able to march as a volunteer with Gods Love, We Deliver (https://www.glwd.org/).  Through Barefoot Wine & Bubbly and the Surfrider Foundation (https://www.surfrider.org/), I participated in several beach clean ups in the Rockaways that culminated at a local restaurant for food and once, a concert featuring Vanessa Carlton. I was able to attending one of the Mostly Mozart events at Lincoln Center, a concert at Carnegie Hall and other events at very discounted rates, either through websites, social media or my NYC Id. When the Obergefell decision came down from the Supreme Court, I was able to volunteer with at the Freedom to Marry party celebrating the rights of gays and lesbians to legally marry nationwide. At this party, I got to hear then Vice President Joe Biden speak and see Carly Rae Jepson perform. By purchasing their new book, I was able to meet Martha Stewart, Tim McGraw and Ricky Martin. 

I loved being close to many other major cities, like Boston or Washington and being a few hours bus ride from my parent's house in Vermont. I could hop on a flight and be in Bangor, Maine in under 2 hours, be in Cancun in 6 or Paris. There were so many more options for mass and public transportation, from the buses and subway to Metro North to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Getting around the area was so much easier (even WITH all of the issues with the MTA) than it was in LA.

That's not to say that life in either city is easy or not complicated. It is, often far more than necessary. In Brooklyn, we had great roommates, until we didn't and then we had this issue and that issue until we finally had to move out. Our second apartment was always cold. The colder the winter day, the colder the apartment, even with the heat on and a space heater in our bedroom. My first room after leaving a shared apartment with a good friend was a bust. I moved in in October, but by December had to move already (through no fault of my own). I hated the neighborhood, but liked my room well enough. The last place I was in Brooklyn before leaving the city was in a great neighborhood, but was a run down apartment with many issues. I hated how crappy it was, but loved how accessible it was to everything I needed.

My only place in LA was awful. I didn't have kitchen access really and had to share a dorm sized fridge with 2 other roommates. I couldn't control the heat or air conditioning, they had several more dogs than they admitted to and didn't clean up after them. I was not at all sorry to finally leave there.

Would I ever go back to either NYC or LA? To visit, I would absolutely go back to both. To live, I'd consider NYC if it weren't so expensive.

One Year in Florida

 I moved to Saint Petersburg, Florida a year ago from Los Angeles. There are a great many things that I miss about California, and many that I do not miss. How do these two places compare? I'll tell you my experiences.

Florida is hot! Like almost all year hot. It isn't even summer yet and it is 85 degrees at 11pm and the humidity hits you like a brick wall. In Los Angeles, 100 degrees is 100 degrees. It is a dry heat which makes a world of difference. I did not realize just how great their weather was until I left. I hated the June Gloom and May Gray when I lived there, but would happily have it back because it often burns off in the afternoon leading to a nice day. Early mornings in the winter can be very cold, damp and foggy which was quite surprising. Most days, by 3pm, it was sunny and in the 70s if not 80s. You would often need a jacket in the morning and evening (especially if out and about or using the Metro), but not during the day unless it was raining which it rarely did. I have not needed more than a hoodie for the entire winter I was here because while it may have been cold to the locals, to me it was quite pleasant. Summer could be and was hot, but it was also nice because of a lack of humidity. The disadvantage to a lack of humidity is dry hair and skin, but the nearly perfect weather otherwise was a trade off.

The beaches in Florida may have white sand that is powder fine, but there is a serious lack of life guards, at least in Saint Petersburg and other Pinellas County beaches that I have visited. There are also zero amenities like bathrooms while Southern California has many (at least in Santa Monica and Venice Beach). They may close at dusk, but they are open and plentiful. I loved watching the waves crashing on the sand and the surfers, but prefer my quieter beaches that I was used to in Brooklyn and Maine. I did not find a beach that I truly loved until I took a trip to San Diego and spent time in La Jolla. Now THAT is a beach! Here in Florida, the water is warm all year, and in the summer the water is almost the same temperature as the air and it is not at all refreshing. I will say that the Florida beaches are better for shelling than California. Also almost the entire California coast is protected.

Downtown LA is full of a mix of old and new, good and bad. There are some really old buildings from the early 20th century mixed in with some new skyscrapers on the same block. Old Pasadena was really pretty and super walkable with lots of shops and restaurants. City Hall is gorgeous and has been used in many television shows and movies from Charmed and Beverly Hills 90210 to Beverly Hills Cop II and other notable films. Every time I was there (which was pretty often as it was on my way home from work), there were people strolling around the grounds and many times there were photo shoots. In the back, across the street is a really nice park that has fountains and colorful tiles. It almost feels like you are in the South of France. Downtown Saint Petersburg is really not nearly as nice as LA is. Yes, it is right on the water and yes, there is a fair bit of history there, but both LA and Pasadena are far more walkable and have more to offer all year.

One thing I have to deal with in Florida that I didn't in California is rain and hurricanes (not that we had one last summer). California does get rain, but not as much as Florida does. California also has to deal with wildfires throughout most if not all of the state. In fact, in January of 2025 there were several massive wildfires in LA County that destroyed almost all of Pacific Palisades and much of Altadena in the Eaton fire. It is very disconcerting when you see power lines sparking and turn around to take a video of the wind and see fire on the mountain a few miles away. The Eaton Fire was my first and hopefully last experience with wildfire. While my home was not at all impacted, my entire city was filled with noxious smoke for days and you could not see the San Gabriel Mountains that would normally be visible from my front porch.

All in all, both states have something for everyone, but neither is right for me. I haven't yet found the place that IS right for me long term, but it could very well be NYC.

Making decisions the right or wrong way

 As some of you know, I recently moved from Vermont where I had been staying with my parents (thanks COVID!) to California for a job that didn't happen.  I had dreamed of living in California for years and only now that I am here, do I realize what those "dreams" are actually based on and it's not facts.

I have a pretty wide variety of music preferences; everything from country (mostly 90s country), pop, 90's r&b, opera, rock, classic and southern rock, etc.. I love listening to bands like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Eagles, John Denver, America, The Beach Boys and am realizing that it is through their music that I fell in love with the IDEA of living in California. These bands and the songs that they sing are still at the top of my playlist, but now that I'm IN California, things aren't as good as the music makes it out to be and it's not the fault of the artists, their song writers or even California. It is on me for not doing my research first and really digging into WHY I want to move to California and what would be different being here than on the East Coast.

Is the cost of living less than in NYC? Yes, but you still need roommates or to live far away from the city center or in a much less than desirable neighborhood. Are food costs less or more? I find the cost of everything to be more than it was when I lived in Brooklyn and part of that is the taxes (10% in LA County on many things). Are there a lot of jobs here? Sort of. Many of them are through staffing agencies and pay well under $40,000 which is unsustainable and utterly ridiculous. Jobs in DC (even entry level type positions [in the Admin field at least]) pay more and require less plus they actually prefer their employees to use public transportation versus requiring a vehicle, license and proof of insurance to be a receptionist (yes, there are many, many jobs with this requirement out here). Is the weather here better than back east? Depends on who you ask. Yes, the sun shines most of the time, but frankly that is extremely boring. Today, November 21, it is sunny and 78 degrees. It does cool off at night (this week we are in the 50's and even the 40's overnight which makes for chilly rooms when the heat isn't on). I have been here around 6 weeks or so and in that time, we have had MAYBE 4 days of no sunshine in the morning, but by afternoon, the sun is back out. It makes me really miss the changing seasons I always had growing up. Even in Charleston, there are seasons that change. Maybe not to the same extent that they do in Vermont, NYC or DC, but the leaves change, the air gets crisp and cool and it can even snow in the winter (although this is rare).  Do I have beach access here that I didn't elsewhere? Sort of. I can get to many of the beaches in Los Angeles County, but it takes an average of 2.5 hours each way on public transportation. Do I have access to public transportation? Technically yes, but the buses in my city run only every 30 minutes and the transit system itself stops running at 11pm which means that if I wanted to see a movie after work (assuming I didn't work in the same city in which I live), I would likely have to take a taxi home because I couldn't guarantee that I would make the last train or bus. In NYC, the subways and buses run 24/7 and in DC their hours are as follows :Monday through Thursday, 5:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m.

Friday, 5:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.

Saturday: 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.

Sunday: 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m.

Technically, the weekday hours are the same amount time as LA, but start later and end later. The hours in LA don't change according to the day of the week or whether it is a holiday. Intellectually I knew that Southern California was extremely car centric, but I didn't realize until moving here just HOW focused on automobiles this region was. Yes, I can get places using the transit system and yes, they are working on expanding and improving is (in large part due to the 2028 Olympic Games), but it takes two to three times longer to get places using public transportation than it does driving, even factoring in traffic. 

I have been to some pretty iconic places, yes and they were worth the trip. I'll attach some photos of Long Beach, the Venice Boardwalk and Santa Monica here. There are many more places I'd love to see, but getting there via public transportation is very challenging and frankly almost not worth having to take 2 trains and 2 buses.

I had much more freedom of movement in NYC not only with their public transportation system, but walking. From my apartment, I could walk to at least 3 different parks, lots of independent shops and restaurants and to several bus and subway stops. 

My current city is about the size (population wise) of Saratoga Springs, NY or about 35,000 people. They have no independent police or fire department, only one very small park and most of the shops cater to the very large Asian population and many of the signs on stores and restaurants are in Asian languages and not English making it seem unfriendly to those who may not speak Chinese, Korean or other language.

Venice Boardwalk 

Long Beach and Shoreline Village 

Santa Monica

There is a lot to see and do in LA County, but so much of it requires a vehicle to get there. While I'm glad I made this move, even just for the experience and to say that I gave it a shot, I miss so much of the things that the East Coast has to offer to the point that I don't know that I will stay here.