Asian Life in Los Angeles | Asian American Poll

ASIAN LIFE IN LOS ANGELES
(Updated Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:39:09 AM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

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WHAT YOU SAY

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to live and die in LA
dub ceez ching boi fo' life jennycraig4xxl@2by2.net Tuesday, February 26, 2002 at 10:57:30 (PST)

Los Angeles is a wonderful town though in a superficial way. All the cute java places along Sunset or Wilshire that have Kansas or Iowa or tired NY transplants going ga-ga and starry-eyed.....we have some of those LA-style java joints in Houston too (such as Dolce & Freddo and Empire Cafe as well as the actual LA chain Diedrich's).

But then we have truly eccentric coffee houses that have downright funky vibes, so anti-trendy (such as the incomparable no-tsu-oh and Agora Ka, you gotta see em to believe em) that I have yet to see in Southern California.

The thing with LA is that proprieters try and outdo each other with trendiness, the SAME UNIFORM trendiness.....the shading illumination, the interior decoration, the lit logos, etc.....

that's why you have 15,000 of the same type, more or less, of cutie SoCal cafes and not much else in design.

In Houston, you see one extreme to another. From the urban Manhattanesque gothic of downtown to the Mayberry feel of Old Town Spring 20 miles north of downtown OR from the contemporary flash of Uptown Galleria to the old small townish 19th Street in the Heights (11 or miles from Uptown), Houston has contrast galore.

Basically, Houston has oddball eccentric character while LA is superficial plastic. (And Houston is a cheaper deal too!) Santa Monica which is like 97 miles north of La Jolla.....is practically the same damn thing as that cute ritzy part of north San Diego! As in touristy and superficially the same type of SoCal trim.

Another example: LA's basic and rather huge Little Saigon along Westminster has Viet shops with the same generic storefront look. Houston has four different Little Saigons with unique setups to themselves (you gotta see it to believe it).

My impression: LA mainstream dismisses the Vietnamese community as just another bulky minority group while Vietnamese in Houston have been allowed to express their funky commercial soul. The Viets in H-town seem to have an influential sway in New Houston culture the way the Tejanos have. How many white businessfolks eat pho in Westminster, CA compared to the ones who eat it in downtown H-town's Little Saigon?

Variety is the spice of life folks.

I'm here making my rounds in SoCal right now. Hopefully I'll experience other things that will change my mind. In other ways, Houston and LA are more similar than they are different.
worldlyman Tuesday, February 26, 2002 at 02:27:21 (PST)

"And to the Toi San Jai dork, who cares about your pathetic little street gangs. Gangs are for kids, and you sound like you need to grow up."

When did I mention anything about glorifying gangs? Besides, there is a major difference between Chinese Triads and street gangs.

"I'm packing my bags and moving to LALA land before this place sinks any lower."

What's wrong? Not making enough money to afford to live here?

"See you at the beach!"

Beachfront property in LA isn't exactly cheap either. The majority of people there don't even live that close to the beach.
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net Tuesday, February 26, 2002 at 00:29:51 (PST)

i have also lived in both the bay and l.a.

l.a.'s quality of life is way better.

June S. Monday, February 25, 2002 at 15:37:54 (PST)

Why is everyone moving from the Bay Area to Los Angeles if LA is so bad? Rent a car, drive out of the little bay, and see the world. In LA we don't even know you twirps exist up there because you are so very insignificant. That's why when politicians campaign they visit So Cal first, not the tiny Bay Area. You have delusions of grandeur little Bay bitches. Too bad you just can't see it. BTW, who cares about spelling, is this a homework assignment or a recreational message board? -hey dork, you dropped your pocket protector uh.. duh.. uh.. duh.. huh!

LA kicks the Bay Area's ass every which way and up. You umemployed tech/.com lemmings need to clean yourselves up and get back to work -get a real freakin' job already aside from posting hateful messages on websites. Move to LA, at least you can buy a house and not have to work around the clock to live in a pathetic condo that rivals only the size of your miserable little cubicles at work. Bay Area...don't make me laugh. LA is far superior than the Bay and you can't stand hearing this -shine my shoes.
The Bay Area is a Ghetto, move to LA and get your life in order Monday, February 25, 2002 at 15:23:38 (PST)

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