LA, a love letter.
There are 3 views of the city that are my absolute favorite.
The first is on a corner across from LA Historic Park off of Spring Street. It also happens to be outside of our favorite place to drink beer on Friday nights. But the view of the Gold Line stop and the cityscape in the background is the best. It's just far enough away from DTLA to hear the slight hum of the city but close enough to feel the energy of late night commuters coming and going.
The second view is in the neighborhood behind Kenneth Hahn State Park. It's a view I didn't know existed until a few years ago but even when it's a little hazy, it never disappoints. On a clear day you can see the entirety of all the neighborhoods I love, you can see the lights from Dodger Stadium all the way to fireworks after events at the Rosebowl. You can hear the echo of children playing and softer booms from fireworks...
The third view is a specific part of the 10 freeway. When you are driving east on the 10 through East LA, there is a part where the 101 and the 5 and the 60 all cross over and under and on top of each other in a huge web of concrete that only makes sense if you've driven it a million times. As you pass Santee Alley in the distance and just before the bright lights of The Staples Center, there is a short window of the best view of the city. And when the summer sunset turns the sky that perfect pale pink sherbet color, I can guarantee you will fall in love too. Next time you pass by - take a safe peek to your right - you won't regret it. Even after I've been sitting in an hour of traffic just to get to that point, I always make sure I say hi to the city I love so much.
I wasn't raised in the heart of downtown. But being an LA County kid you become familiar driving all the freeways from the minute you get your driver's license. The commute is just part of the deal when you live there. You commute for work. You commute for the best clubs. You commute to the beach. You commute to visit...
I know, I know. This is also the reason why a lot of people say they hate LA. Yes, Angelenos spend what could be a lifetime in their cars. But, as an LA kid, I can tell you some of my best memories were driving in my car. It started with driving all my friends to the beach for bon fires and weekend nights at the clubs in Chinatown, singing and dancing at the top of our lungs. More recent years it was driving a van full of dogs and cats to a better life, driving home to my partner after a long tiring day of work, or driving to our favorite spot to eat on a random Thursday for late night ramen in K-Town. I've eaten a ton of last minute meals on those freeways, cried on those freeways, screamed and laughed out of pure joy on those freeways...
This city isn't always the easiest. People have issues with the politics and the speed and the amount of people and the cost of living - and definitely all the driving on the freeways - but you know what? None of that really matters when it's the place you call home. None of it matters when you surround yourself with a community that is supportive and loving and encouraging.
Our circle of people in this city is small but it's a pretty great one. We have friends and family within a phone call away that is willing to drop everything to help. They encouraged us to strive for greater, They inspired us to be better humans, they helped us through some of our most challenging times and also experienced some of the best with us...
...and last weekend was my last riding in my car as a resident of the city that I love.
My entire last month was filled with driving the freeways more than I have in over a year. It was filled with drives to get to friends and family and food and fun. We ate tacos and drank wine, we played beer pong and took shots of tequila like we were in college, we ate tacos, and menudo, and homemade tortillas, and drank micheladas... and did I mention we ate tacos? We laughed until our bellies hurt and I cried a whole lot. After a year of not hugging anyone, I gave a whole lot of (fully vaccinated) bear hugs and then got right back in the car to cry some more because even though this isn't a goodbye forever, next time won't be the same. Next time I won't be able to decide at 5PM after my last meeting that we are going to meet for beer by 5:30. Next time there won't be a "I'll be there in 20 minutes." Next time there won't be a patio for beers and a bonfire.
I know I will be back but it won't be home in the same way. It will be the place I visit. To give hugs and see friends (and definitely eat tacos) but at the end of visiting, I'll hop on a plane and head home.
We may have moved to another place with absolutely no freeways and definitely less options for tacos. This big move wasn't out of spite or hate for the traffic, or the politics. In the most simplest way to explain it, it was a move for change. We wanted change, we needed change. So we did it. But there is no doubt that LA will always have my heart. We will find a close circle of humans to support us and encourage us and make more laugh-until-your-belly-hurts memories here in Hawaii but it'll just mean that our circle of humans is growing. Our world is now as big as an ocean... and that my friends is something that will make anyone feel the most #blessed.
Comments
Post a Comment