Three years ago when I was moving to LA I was reluctant to accepting it as a place I could like living in. I bought into the haterade between the Bay and LA. I felt like I would be cheating on the Bay some how if I allowed myself to like LA. I also didn't expect to stay very long in LA, thinking I would be leaving after 2 years to return to the Bay. This affair has been an extended one. The city has been persistent and patient, letting me learn about its complexities and intricacies at my own pace... letting me just discover things that make me feel like I'm the only one to know certain things. Secrets between me and my 5th city.
After relationships, both good and bad, with 4 cities before it, it's not that easy to impress me. Things just never seem to really last before I'm forced to move on to a next city for whatever reason. Becoming attached to a place seemed to just be a futile attempt at setting roots. Plus, I'm no good at long distance relationships.
My affair with LA all started with food - Korean, Mexican, Japanese... yum. I guess the way to the door to my heart is through good food at good prices. Then it was about the weather. Nice temperate sunny weather didn't hurt. Definitely got to me a bit. Beach bonfires tugged at the heart strings some more. Donation-based yoga helping me work out and open my heart.
But now... I'm falling head over heals. Summer time love, I guess. It's a different kind of love though. I don't feel attachment like I felt with my past relationships with different cities. When I left Boston I knew it was time, but it was hard. I was constantly trying to get back. I fell hard for Wash., DC, and when I had to leave it was one of the hardest things to do. Maybe what I feel for LA is how I should always approach relationships. It's complex, complicated, sometimes pretty twisted. I appreciate it in totality. I'm just enjoying the present. I don't know what will happen tomorrow. So I'll just appreciate the dancing, good food, beach bonfires, hiking, karaoke, cultural festivals, yoga, Tuesday Night Cafe under the stars complete with ghetto birds, house parties under the stars with couches in the front yard, live band, and grilled carne asada and spam musubi, weekend brunches and strolling through vintage stores with girlfriends, Rock Band, the Hollywood Bowl, free live music on the beach, .... I've even seen fish porn. this past Saturday at Glow in Santa Monica the mythical grunion run happened and thousands of fish had sex on the beach. Magical.
Unlike a man, I know the city will be here for me, and it will always have something for me and whatever I'm feeling at any given moment. If I must leave, I know that it has empowered me to be open to and appreciate what life brings me.
Now... if only I could find a man whom I can bring up to Griffith Observatory at sunset, a genius romantical move I learned from DC.
