Immediately ostentatious and fabulous, Los Angeles is a place of contrasts.
From the gloss of West Hollywood to the urban grit of Silverlake, from the faded glamour of Hollywood to the vast suburban sprawl of the Valley, Los Angeles has much to offer.
Los Angeles is not one city: really, it’s more like a collection of eighty small cities or neighborhoods, each with its own distinct feel.
Early on, I met a friend while at a club, and at one point he said, "If you are bored in LA, then you really are a boring person because you can do whatever you want here."
I think he is right.
Do you want to get caught up in the celebrity lifestyle?
You can do that here.
Would you like to study spirituality?
You can do that here. Every world religion and culture is represented.
What about free yoga?
That is offered three times a day in nearby Runyon Canyon.
Los Angelenos are more health-conscious than most. I don’t know where to get ice cream in LA, but within a few blocks of my house there are three yogurt shops, several juice bars, many private and public gyms, an organic burger shop, as well as several tanning salons. Everyone works out, and in a way it makes sense – there is no getting ready for summer here, because it is always summer. The weather really is as good as they say it is – in the month that I have lived in LA, it has been sunny with clear blue skies every single day.
Los Angeles is class
ified as subtropical desert, but when in the city, you don't feel like you are in a desert. In fact, many parts of LA feel more like an airbrushed Eden. Beverly Hills has tree-lined streets and large expanses of grassy lawn. West Hollywood has clean streets and planted palms, and in the Valley, you are sure to find on nearly every corner a nice midcentury house with a lawn. It is only when you get outside of the city, or go for a hike in one of the many canyons, that you realize: this is a city that should not have any water. Water is a major issue here, and we are actually in the middle of a drought – but you would never know it. Los Angeles is a place of illusions, where appearances are more important than realities.
When I first visited LA, a short weekend trip to look for an apartment, I was struck by this apparent disconnect with the natural environment. Even palm trees, an iconic symbol of LA, are not actually native to the city. They have been planted, and the native environment has been changed so much that little of it remains in the city. I found myself questioning what is natural. If an environment has been changed for so long, does the new environment become “natural”? And also – what is beauty?
There is much
beauty here. A short hike in Hollywood’s Runyon Canyon reveals planted palms, native vegetation and sweeping views of Los Angeles. The ocean is truly beautiful, with rocky cliffs and palm trees and expansive silky beaches. The puffy pink clouds of the sunsets against palm trees are breathtaking.
All of these elements are informing and inspiring my new body of work, titled “Natural Beauty.”
I felt the need to escape my apartment last night because I had been inside painting all day, so I decided to go for a drive on Mulholland Drive, made famous by the Hollywood elite, and in popular culture by the David Lynch movie of the same name. Mulholland Drive basically follows the ridgeline of the Hollywood Hills, and offers great views of both the Valley on one side, and the Los Angeles basin on the other. It is also surprisingly accessible - I discovered that there is a charming dog park off Mulholland, and many vista points where you can pull over and take in the views. Watching the sun set over the Valley was absolutely stunning.
