And then there’s LA

Song:

Keren Ann: My Name is Trouble

 

Quote:

“Sanity and Happiness are an impossible combination.”  -- Mark Twain.

 

Pictures, Stories, and Even a Home Video at the end:

I love LA.  I lived in Hollywood for six years while I was going to UCLA and teaching in South Central.  Many of my friends still live there and I visit a few times a year.  Every single time I go there I think, “Why do I not live here?”

Reason 1 to move to LA:

Alex.  J’adore Alex.  Alex and I met the first day I moved to LA when I was 19.  She and I were single in LA together and even roommates for a while.  We’ve traveled together, gotten in huge fights, had kids around the same times, we went to UCLA together, we are just old good friends.  We bring out the best (and the worst) in each other, but we speak the same language, understand the gospel the same way, and have the same priorities: raising kids.  There are a million ways I could sing the praise of Alex (she is an excellent relationship consultant, 75% of what I know about fashion and art comes from Ms. Alex, she’s a great mom) but mostly she’s just a great human being and dear friend and effortlessly cool. She lives in the OC, but we won’t hold that against her because she’ll make the trek up to Hwood for whatever fun is happening.  Alex is a maven: she knows what’s next with art and fashion and I’m continuously impressed by her.

Reason 2:  Fun things going on All The Time.

I feel alive in LA.  There’s always tons of activities and events and people to meet and places to go.  Every time I go there I run out of time before I run out of things to do.  I’m dying to see the Kubrick exhibit at LACMA, I love going to Santee Alley in the Fashion District Downtown for cheap stuff, there are Art shows, and Japan town, my favorite Doherty Mansion to visit, Wi Spa to be scarred by (that deserves it’s own post), and Runyon Canyon to hike. 

 

Four people I love at the Wi Spa.  Some of my LA LDS crowd.  Not a normal one in the bunch. 

At Doherty Mansion

Doherty Mansion in the Hills above Beverly Hills.  Favorite place with my friend of 12 years Nathan.

Santee Alley buying weapons for my boys.

   

World of Leggings?  Oh, yes.  Down with pants!  I

Reason 3:  The Church might be more true there.  (True-er?  Truer?)

Last time I was in LA I attended a ward where the Relief Society President had purple hair.  Lots of the people who go to church are converts and people who have wandered and comeback.  They’re a band of freaks and I love them.  They wear their issues and their doubts on their sleeves and they are stronger for it.  I fit in.

Sitting in the exact seat where I met my first husband (Houdini – because he can magically make himself and money disappear).

Reason 4:  These people.  Some of the most interesting, kind, hilarious and good people I am fortunate to know live in LA.  I want my kids to know them and be raised around their eccentricities and talents.  Fashion designers, artists, filmmakers, creative types.  Also, my sister Val and Alina who have “real” jobs.

   

 

Reason 5:  It would be great to be raised in LA.  I think my kids would really benefit from being raised in this type of urban environment.  The drawbacks are the quality of schools and the smaller primary.  I’m a firm believer in parental education levels determining children’s ability, regardless of early academic environment.  And as far as a smaller primary and smaller influence of LDS children, that just presents different religious challenges and it doesn’t deter me.  I think my kids would dig that diverse environment.

Rocking out at the tempting Temp.

On one of our LA adventures June 2011 making a music video with Brett.

This was the outcome:  My Punkrock Kids