According to LA local and entertainment industry insider Mike, the city's culture can be described as laid back while the locals are very friendly. "One of the points of living here is to not be stressed out, and LA residents pride themselves in the lengths they go to to remain 'chill.' The people here have a reputation for being aloof, but I’ve found just the opposite. Most residents are very friendly and welcoming. I think the great diversity of the city has a lot to do with that," he told Bored Panda.
Mike shared some of the biggest upsides and downsides that Los Angeles has to offer. "The beautiful year-round weather, spectacular scenery, and the endless recreational opportunities," he listed just some of the amazing pluses. "In a single day, you can go skiing in the nearby mountains, and later, bask in the sun at the beach." However, the city is far from cheap to live in.
"There’s only one downside I can think of—it’s expensive! The cost of living here is extremely high, especially when it comes to housing. You get very little for your money," he warned.
In fact, saving money is the biggest piece of advice he'd give anyone who wants to make LA their home. "If you’re planning on moving to LA, my best advice is, have a place to stay at first with friends or relatives until you get established. It’s a massive, sprawling city that’s hard to get around in, and you’re going to need a home base until you find a place to live. Secondly, have a lot of money saved up before you make the move because you’re going to need it," he pointed out that you have to be secure financially to thrive there.
Bored Panda was also interested to get Mike's take on how difficult it is to make it big in showbiz nowadays. According to him, things are becoming far more accessible to everyone. "It’s not as hard to make it in show business here as it used to be. With all the content being produced for television, cable, and now streaming, the entertainment industry is booming, and studios are hiring. Do be willing though to take an entry-level position, make contacts, and work your way up from there," he said.
And you'll know that you've become a true local, a true Angeleno when there's a change in your attitude. "All of a sudden one day, you’ll be at peace, relaxed, and confident that following your dream was the right thing to do."
Meanwhile, media expert Trev, the host of the 'Trev Show,' shared his opinion about the city of angels. "When people think of LA they tend to think of Hollywood and celebrities. It’s true that LA is the entertainment capital of the world. What’s fascinating about it, though, is that it’s also this diverse, working-class city. The majority of the people here are very hard-working and genuinely nice. None of them know how to drive, but they do their best," comedian Trev joked with Bored Panda.
"Not only does the city have incredible diversity due to its large immigrant population, in some cases the generations of immigrants have developed entirely new cultures of their own. Korean Americans, for example, have fused their traditional cuisine with Western dishes to create things like Korean tacos and Korean BBQ (bulgogi) burgers. They are absolutely delicious, and you will have a much harder time finding them anywhere else in the U.S.," he recommended that anyone visiting LA should try out the local cuisine.
According to Trev, the biggest upside of living in LA is the flexibility you have as a local throughout the year. "You can do pretty much anything you could ever want all year round. The weather is always tolerable and you’re within driving distance of great food, beaches, parks, historical landmarks, Hollywood tours, and more. Because it is such a hub for U.S. pop culture, you will find yourself walking some very famous paths without even realizing it," he said.
"It took me almost an entire year of living here before I realized that the street I walk down to get to my gym was the street that Billy Joel started his entire music career on. He even wrote his most famous song, 'Piano Man,' about his experiences performing at a bar on this very same street. I’m from a very small town in the Midwest, so it’s a bit surreal to know that I’m stepping foot in the same places as the artists who wrote the music that has served as the soundtrack to millions of lives around the world," he stressed that the city is full of history if only you know where to look.
However, Trev noted the same thing as celebrity expert Mike: LA is very expensive city to live in. "The downside to all of this is the United States is currently facing an extreme housing crisis. There are very few regulations against private companies buying up all of the property for profit, so even small studio apartments in this city now often cost over $1,000 a month," he said.
"This skyrocketing cost of living has exacerbated homelessness, and I think if most people who aren’t from here were to walk through downtown LA, they’d be shocked at how much it looks like a “third world” country. The difference between the affluent neighborhoods and the struggling ones is really quite striking."
Comedian Trev opened up to Bored Panda about his hopes, dreams, and ambitions. He told us about why he moved to California. "Since I was twelve years old, I knew I wanted to have a career in media. I grew up idolizing many of the television hosts and comedians that also got their start here [in LA]. Aside from New York, there’s really no other city in the world with as many opportunities for that career path as this one," he said.
"There was definitely an adjustment period when I first moved here. I didn’t go out very much and was too nervous to explore. I’m thankful that I lived in the city of Chicago for a few years first, because that helped me adjust to the dramatic difference between big cities and the small town I’m originally from," he added that he's originally from Canton in Illinois.
"LA is much bigger than Chicago, but it’s so spread out that the neighborhoods actually feel similarly sized. Pretty quickly I realized how easy it is to make friends here. A lot of the people here are also artists just doing their best to survive and create good content. They’re pretty much always down to collaborate on projects and show new people around the town. I’m very grateful for the kindness the people of LA have shown me so far."
Meanwhile, Trev's advice for those planning on moving to LA echoes celeb expert Mike's: get your finances in order. "My advice for anyone who’s planning to move to LA is to have a substantial financial safety net. Whether it’s family that can help you out if times get tough, or hefty personal savings, you’re going to need a safety net to enjoy life in this city," Trev told us.
"I’m very working class, but I know that if times ever get too hard I can figure out a Plan B with my family back in Illinois. If I didn’t have that peace of mind, I wouldn’t be able to embark on this journey."
