Living in L.A., and liking it

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Good morning, and thanks to all those who commented on the post ‘Leaving L.A., Leaving California.’ But on further review, I think I screwed up on that post.

I asked, ‘Why are people moving out of L.A. and California?’ which was a fair question but also leading -- an invitation for L.A.-bashing. I could have asked a more balanced question, something along the lines of, ‘How do you rate the quality of life in L.A.? Is living here worth the price?’

While I’m at it, full disclosure: My wife and I moved here 3 1/2 years ago from New York because we wanted to live here and we thought we’d like it here. We do. We like the parks, the mountains, the beaches, the weather, the farmer’s markets, the professional opportunities, the restaurants, the people, and the constant, sprawling, urban energy of Los Angeles. Our kids play outside almost every day -- we like that.

We haven’t figured out how to make peace with the three-headed beast of schools, housing and traffic, and those are sources of anxiety and even doubt. L.A. turned out to be more expensive than we thought. We study the region and try to figure out whether it is becoming a better place to live or a worse place. We are hoping for better.

Your thoughts?
Photo Credit: ‘Venice Boy Wonders,’ submitted to Your Scene at LATimes.com by Hanif.