The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
The latest edition of The Hollywood Reporter advertises itself on its cover as "The New York Issue" and, in an article, addresses a topic that I've always found fascinating: the cultural differences between the East Coast and the West Coast--or, to be more specific, the cultural differences between their respective capitals, New York and Los Angeles.
I've visited LA a couple of times and live in New York, so I have a vague sense of the similarities and differences between them. LA is more clean, beautiful, and open than the Big Apple; New York is dirtier, more charismatic, and claustrophobic than the City of Angels. Everything in LA seems new and radiant against the glow of the sun, while everything in New York is a little grittier, older, and more worn. People in LA are more laid back and they more dress casually. People in New York are more uptight. LA is centered around the entertainment industry; New York, around finance and media. Both cities are populated by workaholics and the young and ambitious. Etcetera.
Here's THR on the character of each city:
Los Angeles: It's New York with palm trees, as they say. Or the opposite: New York is L.A. with subways. And lousy weather. And cigarettes. The comparisons between America's polar-opposite biggest cities have shrunk over the years because of similarities in professions, constant work travel, the Internet and people relocating between the two -- or giving up and going bi (coastal). The old (Big) apples and oranges (citrus country, get it?) adages don't apply much anymore, least of all in the entertainment/media business, where lifestyles are built around work, work and more work. Yes, it's no secret that people in New York exercise, practice yoga, get Botox and have moments of superficiality. And people in L.A. are always on the move and in a bad mood, with their therapists on speed dial. They even get drunk sometimes -- if the calorie count is low enough. Still, there are a few palpable differences between the industry types. (We've noticed New Yorkers are less likely to include cell phone numbers in their e-mail signatures; Angelenos, always in their cars, do so more often.) THR decided they were worth nitpicking about with a handful of insiders who meet, play, eat, drink and exercise away their stress on the Left and Right coasts.
The rest of the piece is not available online, but it goes on to list the thirteen ways that the cities are culturally different. Here's an abbreviated rundown from the mag:
1) Do you hit the gym in the morning?
NY: No, too hungover.
LA: Yes, go everyday (wake up at 5.30am to make it there, no less!).
2) What time do you arrive at the office?
NY: 10 a.m.
LA: 9 a.m.
3) Who eats the breakfast of champions?
NY: First meal is a must.
LA: Sorry, no time. "In LA, everyone's hiking or working out" says TV personality Brad Goreski.
4) What's your drink of choice?
NY: Diet coke.
LA: Water (room temp, no ice cubes) and iced tea.
5) What's the worst area code to call from?
NY: 646 (212 and 917 are ideal; 646 and 718 not so much).
LA: 818.
6) What time is dinner?
NY: Never before 8:30 p.m.
LA: 7 p.m. "At 8p.m., I get nervous because I won't make the gym the next morning" says Goreski.
7) Is it OK to keep canceling appointments?
NY: No. You'll make enemies (time is a premium).
LA: Acceptable, though not ideal.
8) What do you wear to work or out at night?
NY: Keep it classy and tailored.
LA: Casual-chic.
9) It's party time. Where do you go?
NY: Space at the top of the Standard hotel.
LA: Soho house. "Anything gritty and urban in downtown" according to party planner Jeffrey Best.
10) Who is on your ultimate party guest list?
NY: Woody Allen.
LA: Brangelina.
11) How many cocktails will you enjoy before heading home?
NY: There is no limit (subway and cab culture helps).
LA: More than one raises eyebrows. "Drunk is not as amusing in LA as in New York," says Best.
12) How many miniburgers and pieces of tuna tartare will you enjoy?
NY: We're food lovers.
LA: Eat? Never after 8 p.m.
13) Is smoking a joint an acceptable party activity?
NY: Too uptight.
LA: It's all good man.
What's most striking to me about this list is that, for the most part, the image of each city is quite different from the reality (the reality as presented by this article, at least). New Yorkers have a reputation of being more intense and uptight. In certain senses, they are, like in how they dress and the no-pot-at-parties rule. But in others, their lifestyle is far looser and laid back than their colleagues on the Pacific coast. New Yorkers show up to work later, drink more booze, eat more decadent foods, and bypass the gym for sex ("If you're trying to get laid," says writer-director Mark Duplass, "You'll pay the price and be too tired to work out"). By contrast, people in LA follow very rigid and controlled schedules that are, in part, that way because they want to maintain an image of effortless glamour and elegance. That's why "casual chic" is their fashion aesthetic.
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Jul '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
First of all, those women are anorexic. Feed them now. Secondly, there is no comparison in happiness between the cities. LA folks are generally happy as are most west coasters. Life moves insanely fast for true happiness in NYC and the lack of exercise endorphins contributes.
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I grew up in California but live on the East Coast now. I feel rather Californian at heart. One thing that I learned as I became an adult was that the "chill" look of how Southern Californians do business, is mostly a charade. They are very serious about their work. Compare, for instance, how quickly the Santa Monica Freeway was rebuilt after Northridge with the regulatory morass that plagued the rebuild after the San Francisco quake. Those Southern Californians put that incentive system into place and they had their freeway back in record time. (Although maybe much of that was due to federal decision-making?)
On the other hand, I do love how in California, it is totally acceptable to explain why something didn't happen by saying "I'm sorry. I flaked." If you tried that out East, you'd get very confused looks. They prefer elaborate stories where you come up with excuses.
May '10
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Huh?
I'll stick to flyover country.
Mar '12
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
In my experience, East Coasters are more anxious, striving and uptight.
And we like it that way.
Jul '10
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Fred Dryer, who played for the NY Giants and LA Rams, once compared the cities as NY being vertical and LA being horizontal.
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I forget who I read saying this but someone described LA as 3-4 of the world's best cities surrounded by 10-12 of the worst.
Mar '12
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
i grew up in neither and have lived in both. on the balance my preference is new york. it's one of the two real cities in north america (san francisco being the other). fred dryer is right as far as vertical/horizontal is concerned; the mass transit system adds something to the culture of new york that los angeles misses, while the beach is a clear contributor to the LA culture. my sense of where the two cities really come down is around general ambiance. la is clearly more laid back whereas in new york everyone seems to be "on a mission".
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Chicago ain't a real city?
May '10
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
On the other hand, I do love how in California, it is totally acceptable to explain why something didn't happen by saying "I'm sorry. I flaked." If you tried that out East, you'd get very confused looks. They prefer elaborate stories where you come up with excuses. · 52 minutes ago
My friend did that to me yesterday, skipping my birthday. "sorry i'm lame; turns out i'm becoming quite the flake these days..."
Oct '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
California loyalists tend to have a better sense of of humor about themselves. Movies like L.A. Story and Clueless poke lovingly at their hometowns. While Woody Allen, Spike Lee et al, make a seemingly endless supply of "love letters" to old Gotham.
I haven't been able to make it to New York City yet, but I have been to L.A. and my sentiments about the town can be summed up by Joe from Joe Vs. The Volcano "It looks fake... I like it."
May '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I find it hard to take such "surveys" seriously. Who are the people being asked these questions and why are they considered typical?
Dec '10
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I'd like to see a comparison that shows Chicago, DC, Miami, Dallas, and San Diego. These sort of cultural differences always interest me.
Edit: Is it just me, or does it seem like the article is just talking about the elite movers and shakers of each city? I would be interested to see how the lives of people who aren't power players compare in each city.
Edited on April 16, 2012 at 6:27pmRe: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I hate to say it, but this seems right.
Which is another reason I should move to New York!
Apr '12
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I used to think I was strongly pro East Coast in this distinction, but this article has made me realize that both lifestyles have their advantages.
I'm with Michael Horn - I'm curious how other large cities compare - is each city unique or are they "derivatives" of these two "templates"?
Dallas in particular I'm curious about. Texans always pride themselves on being unique, it seems.
Edited on April 16, 2012 at 7:06pmApr '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Is LA even a city? How can you be a real City if you're all spread out and meandering...Maybe it is different once you go and live there, but in my mind I can't really picture what LA looks like. All I picture are the equivalent of suburbs all clustered together...New York at least feels like a real city to me, like Chicago.
Mar '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Confirmed.
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Credit for the freeway rebuild goes to Pete Wilson, the governor at the time. He used the emergency circumstances to waive the burdensome environmental impact study requirements that usually retard growth in California (the legacy of the California Environmental Quality Act -- the bete noir of every developer in the state), as well as to implement the performance incentives which paid out huge bonuses for getting the project done ahead of schedule and would have levied huge penalties for being late. The result: it took 66 days to complete a project that was originally scheduled to take 26 months. Similar incentives were in place during last summer's "Carmaggedon" -- and that project got finished in nearly half the estimated time.
Alas, it takes nothing short of an emergency to get California's public sector to function that effectively.
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.: Compare, for instance, how quickly the Santa Monica Freeway was rebuilt after Northridge with the regulatory morass that plagued the rebuild after the San Francisco quake. Those Southern Californians put that incentive system into place and they had their freeway back in record time. (Although maybe much of that was due to federal decision-making?)
2 hours ago
Mar '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
Nov '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
"What's the worst area code to call from?" What does that even mean?
Apr '11
Re: The Real Culture War: NYC vs LA
I think Chicago ought to take that #2 spot of yours, it's much more of a 'real city' than San Francisco. I say that as a San Franciscan-- I love it dearly, but we're more parochial here than we like to admit:-)