The Bay vs. LA

I can hardly believe that my stint in the Bay is over! No sooner did I arrive, I found myself leaving! Over the course of six weeks, I had an awesome time of urban exploration and hanging out with friends.

Throughout the summer, people asked me a common question: What’s the difference between the Bay and LA? Ah, what a loaded topic! Since it’s hard to make one general statement, I’ll divide my response into the following categories:

Food – I had some pretty phenomenal meals over the summer. The Bay, along with Napa and Sonoma, is known for leading the country in organic, sustainable, and locally grown produce. And believe me, I could taste the difference. This movement has also led to the growth of a pretentious population subset: the foodie.

Along with foodies comes snobbery. On one occasion, I went to a hipster bakery in Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood. My GPS directed me to the correct intersection, but once I parked, I couldn’t find the store. There was no sign, street number, or any indication of “bakery”. I later found the shop, but only after I tentatively stuck my head in the door and asked a clerk. The clerk, while polite, expressed surprise that I had never been to their bakery before. I proved further appalling when she learned that I’D NEVER SAMPLED THEIR TREATS, EITHER! Eventually, I won her over with my immeasurable charms, and she provided me with two additional treats – for free. Still, I had the distinct impression that if I didn’t know where the shop was, then I didn’t belong!

Racial and Ethnic Diversity – LA wins this category, hands down. Even though I sublet on the Peninsula, I trekked to San Francisco and the East Bay fairly often. All the time, I kept wondering, “Where are the Latinos hiding?” In some communities, I also found myself wondering, “Heck, are my Asians?”

The other day, when I visited my ninety-six year old grandmother, she specifically asked me if the Bay was diverse, and I shared my observations. “That’s too bad,” she replied. “When I go to the Yorba Linda supermarket with your mother, I only see white people.” Grandma, I love you – at ninety-six, you are more thoughtful and observant than so many others I know!

Friendliness – One afternoon, I met a former roommate and his wife for boba. As we were comparing the Bay to LA, his wife noted, “Don’t you love how people here are friendlier?” And she was right.

I especially noticed this courtesy on the road. Yes, people rushed from place to place, but cars didn’t speed as often, and I when I merged into a lane, drivers would always grant me entry. If anyone’s ever been on the 405 in rush hour, they’ll appreciate my experience EVEN MORE!

Materialism – This is definitely a tie. Both the Bay and LA are materialistic, but the focus on money takes different forms. With the Peninsula, for example, friends were always talking about the up-and-coming start-up that was courting venture capitalists and preparing for its impending IPO. In addition, folks frequently boasted about their high-tech contacts at Google/Apple/Facebook.

LA’s materialism is about the ostentatious display of money. For women, it’s about carrying a designer handbag or wearing expensive sunglasses. For men, it’s about driving an expensive car. Yes, I observed these tendencies on the Peninsula, but Los Angeles is all about flaunting wealth.

Appearance – Yes, it’s a no-brainer, LA has more attractive residents. This is, after all, the center of the entertainment industry, and we’ve all been duly influenced. The Peninsula, by contrast, is mainly comprised of engineers and computer programmers, who don’t stereotypically go for plastic surgery or personal trainers.

That said, I did not notice any obese Bay Area residents, while I DO see overweight Angelenos. In general, the Silicon Valley appeared fit and in-shape. Countless uniformed cyclists rode down my street on a daily basis, and on the weekends, their numbers only increased. When I mentioned this to an SF biker, he wryly noted, “Well, it’s because LA’s air quality is so bad!” Thanks a lot, buddy.

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Despite all the categories I’ve mentioned, the best contrast between the Bay and LA is captured in this anecdote:

This morning, I went to Ralphs in South Pasadena. I only had to pick-up one item, and I was at the check-out line within a few minutes. After greeting the clerk, she boldly asked me: “Are you an actor?”

And that, Gentle Readers, is the most significant contrast between the Bay and LA: obsession with celebrity!

For a split second, I thought of telling her that the pilot was going well, but I smiled and said “Sorry, I don’t act. But I do want to buy these paper napkins!”

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Thanks to everyone for reading! It’s been fun to read your comments and receive your phone calls and e-mails. ‘Til next summer, my friends…