terra non firma

NYC vs. the city of angels

finally back in LA after 10 hazy hot and humid days in new york. as my two years in LA anniversary approaches, and I got to spend some quality time in new york without the flu, a few observations on how LA has changed my perspective on NY:

• LA has screwed with my sense of personal space. in ny, I was always able to deftly weave through crowds, and I was never in anyone's way. my awareness was 360 degrees - I knew what was going on in front of me, behind me, and to each side. now I have a hard time navigating the crowds and I was always in someone's way. am I just getting old or is this because car culture has now shaped my sense of personal space?
• I will never again complain about LA drivers after driving in ny again. LA drivers are kind and non-aggressive and don't speed up to hit pedestrians. seriously, you don't know how good you have it.
• ny has become a giant mall. actually, manhattan has. I know this isn't a new observation, and has been happening since the 80s in soho and the upper west side but it seems to have spread like wildfire - union square now boasts a forever 21, a filene's and a discount shoe warehouse. there are even jamba juices now all over ny and chipotle's. I even saw a baja fresh in queens. so I will no longer tolerate any pseudo-new york supremacy when the city is looking more and more like the rest of the country.
  
• brooklyn still rocks.
• and I will allow ny supremacists to brag about their pizza. but that's it. LA's sushi and mexican food kick ny's ass.
  
• there is such a thing as too much density.
• gehry's brooklyn project frightens me. but the high line project makes me feel all tingly down there. and I love foster's new hearst tower. the same way I love the gherkin and city hall in london. a lot.
• and tivo is my friend. I love it. its the most reliable relationship in my life.
  

posted by marissa @ 11:34 AM