What is it like where you live?

[starcrossed]

Alright, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I haven't traveled much (just up and down our coast) and I want to learn about the world outside of the City of Angels.

What I want to know is, what is it like where you live?

I'll tell you about MY L.A. It's always busy around here. Almost everyone drives or takes public transportation to go anywhere. Driving is the fastest way to get from point A to B. Although to be honest walking really isn't something you see people doing that often around here, unless it is for recreation (exercise) or your without a car. Even with the high gas prices just about everyone drives.

We could be thought of as an bunch of small cities around one large city. Each unique and filled with interesting people.

There is always something to do, or see, and go to. We have lots of clubs, shows, theme parks and events open to the public. Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Raging Waters, Six Flags, Museums, the Zoo, and most anything in Hollywood are big attractions.

We are within driving distance to the mountains, desert or beach. Although the sewage spills alone or run off after a rain storm is more than enough to keep me out of the waters. Yucky!!!

The weather is nothing to complain about. It is sunny most of the time and if it is "bad weather" then that means it has rained for at least 2 days (which in these parts makes for landslides and bad road conditions). The rain isn't more than a hard down pour or a constant drizzle. Just that some drivers forget that rain brings up oil on the roads and driving fast still makes for big accidents.

Sometimes I think that it would be nice for it to snow around here. Summer like heat in December just seems wrong. Christmas just seems like snow time.... I have only been to the snow once in my 29 years of life.

Work is available, but it is the better paying jobs that are harder to find.Yes, a lot of people are actors out here, but there is more to life around here than acting.

I do work on the side as an extra in television shows. It doesn't pay most of the time, but it is for fun. I was a theater arts major, and just love being around creative people. I'm not the "Hollywood type". To be honest from what I have seen, it is a very hard life being in the public eye.

Personally I prefer to be at home writing. That is my favorite thing to do. I want to be a professional writer some day. I just need to keep working at it.

Being a star is not for this L.A girl.

I have respect for Marty and the Lovehammers. Stardom comes at a price. Even the top stars are moved around like performing dolls, being told what to do, say, and go. They ....it just all seems difficult to take in.

Anyway, life, work, dreams in this city comes down to one thing.

You just have to have the courage to push through all the drama and bull shit that life in a city can throw at you. But , I assume that all places have something to brave through.

The cost of living around here is very high (Rent, gas, food,ect...).Buying a house for me, has been out of reach due to the high cost of purchasing a decent home in a nice area. Being in a nice area, means a safe place to raise a family. That's something that living in a city makes challenging enough - raising a family.

Crime? Well, I guess everyone has that were they live. Just that everything has changed so much, and now everyone sees the news....We're not that bad. There are gangs, drugs and about the same problems that everyone out in the world is facing.

People? In general people are friendly in L.A. Although, it seems as if sometimes everyone is so busy and rushing around, that they forget to look up at other people.

And we are all different!! I have met some people who thought that all Californians were blond with some type of work done (thanks Bay Watch). It's not true! We are all very much a cultural mix. L.A. is very diverse and the people reflect that.

So what is it like were you live??I want to know. And if you have any questions about life around these parts of the state, then feel free to ask. Moreover, I invite another California or L.A Lovehammer fans to add into this topic.

I don't speak for anyone else but myself. And I described what I think my Los Angeles is like. Maybe someone else has a different view.

[christinemarie]

I'm currently living just south of Buffalo, NY and I really can't complain too much where I am. There's alot of good local music, which makes the summer months extremely fun with there always being something fun to do. We're also the home of the chicken wing, frank's red hot sauce, bison chip dip, and we're notorious for snow (even though we don't have much -- yet!). There is also a ton of little art galleries, and the Allbright Knox art gallery which is amazing & I love it there! Robby Takac from the Goo Goo Dolls owns a recording studio here (Chameleon West) and every year holds the Music Is Art Festival on Franklin Street Near Allen street. It's always a blast with tons of local musicians, and artists!, [Can you tell I'm big on Music & Art??]. Two local bands that I'll truly speak highly of are Last Conservative and The Juliet Dagger - but there are more out there! I'm also a big fan of Tim Horton's coffee (there's a Tim Horton's everywhere...), And then there are the Buffalo Sabres - who are truly awesome & bring alot to buffalo [I'm also a huge hockey fan!!]... I dont really know what else to say on that subject (entertainment food etc.) but I can say that there is a fair amount of crime here, and it's truly sad because it is an amazing city and I hate seeing it be destroyed by a few people who chose to use violence. But over - all, I think that this is a great place to live!

[Cheza]

I live in a small town in the corner of Northeast Arkansas (almost in the Missouri bootheel) called Piggott. From my house you can make it to Kennett, MO (where Sheryl Crow is originally from) in about 20 minutes.

Our little town is in a rural area. It's farmland for miles around. The main crops in this area are soybeans, rice, and cotton...along with some corn. There are close to 4,000 people living here now. I remember when the population stood at a standstill at 3,777 for a while...but it's over 3,800 now.

This is my hometown. I grew up here, graduated from the high school I currently teach at, and then left to go to college at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Talk about culture shock - go from a town of 3,777 to a city of over 50,000. I attended A-State for five years to get my Bachelor of Science in Education (Speech Comm/Theatre Arts) and additional hours to be certified in English. My high school graduating class had 63 people in it. My college one had several hundred...how many I'm not sure...I just remember the college band playing the "Can-Can" as we walked out of the auditorium and thought that odd.

The pace of life around here is laid back and easy. This is a place visit to get away from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities. We have a courtsquare that is full of little gift shops, pharmacies, the town newspaper, restaurants, and even two furniture stores and two insurance agencies (a third insurance agency is located off the square)!!!! One of the pharmacies even has a working soda fountain - Seal's Pharmacy...it's been there for YEARS...and it is a fantastic place to go. There's also a bed and breakfast on the square called The Downtown Inn. A motel is located on the outskirts of town.

Our town also has some historic connections. It's a short drive to Chalk Bluff, where a skirmish in the Civil War took place. There is a re-enactment of the battle each spring.

Portions of the film "A Face In The Crowd" were filmed here. The film, which starred Andy Griffith as Lonesome Rhodes, and Patricia Neal...among others...showed our town as "Pickett" instead. The train depot used in the scene where Lonesome leaves is now our Chamber of Commerce office. Sadly, the old jail (where Griffith strummed his guitar) and the old courthouse (where the old men play checkers in one scene) have been demolished and new structures have been built in their place.

Ernest Hemingway's second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer, also brings another connection into the mix. Pauline's folks, Paul and Mary Pfeiffer, moved to our city from St. Louis. Ernest and she would visit them from time to time. The house owned by the Pfeiffers is now the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center. It's hard to imagine Ernest sleeping in a VERY PINK bedroom, but he did. He also wrote in the Barn Studio behind the house - including portions of A Farewell to Arms. It was Pauline's Uncle Gustavus Pfeiffer who financed the initial African Safari, and he bought them a yellow roadster as well as the house in Key West.

A writer's retreat is held at the H-P Museum each summer. They have a website, which can be accessed through the Arkansas State University website...which I think is www.astate.edu.

The home of Pauline's brother, Karl, and his wife, Matilda, has also been turned into a museum as well. The Karl and Matilda Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center is located right behind the first museum. It sits on about 10 or 11 acres of land - woods - which people are free to roam, as long as they are considerate of the wildlife...it is a nature preserve. My avi that looks like a cabin is located at this museum - it's the dynamite shed. Paul Pfeiffer had several farms that he rented to families in the area - the shed held the dynamite for blowing up the tree stumps on his properties. The pond at the museum was once a pool and it - along with the furniture near the patio - were in the aforementioned movie.

Visitors to our town always comment on how friendly everyone is. I believe it to be true and I'm proud to live in such a community .

The annual Clay County Relay for Life is held here. I'm serving as the online chair this year (was publicity the past three), and this year's event is scheduled for May 5 at Heritage Park...if we don't change it between now and then!

If you are a car buff, the third weekend in May is the best time to come to Piggott. That is when the SuperCruise Group holds its annual Heritage Park RodRun and SuperCruise...last year there were around 500 cars here...and some are AMAZING. Plus there is always a 50's costume contest and dance on the square on Saturday night. It's great fun. I won first in the adult ladies' dress division last year .

The teens here complain. There was a movie theatre, but it was torn down - much to my dismay - many years ago. Another historical structure gone..."Face" premiered there, Roy Orbison played there in the 50's...or so I have been told...along with numerous others, but someone bought the building and tore it down to make a PARKING LOT. *sigh* I'm glad the town is waking up to preserving its history.

There was a skating rink when I was a kid, but it burned down and no one built another one. People have tried over the years to put in arcades and various things for the kids, but they never seem to be able to stay in business.

The nearest Wal-Mart is in Kennett...along with the closest movie theatre - although many drive a little longer to go to Poplar Bluff, Jonesboro, or Paragould...which all have newer state-of-the-art facilities...as well as Wal-Marts.

Don't even get me started on concerts. It's about an hour to Jonesboro, which hosts some shows. It's four or so to Little Rock and 2 1/2 to Memphis, TN...when Memphis in May rolled around - I was still working an 8 to 5 job...so I couldn't get to Memphis in time for the LH set .

I've lived in other towns, but my heart has always been in Piggott and I'm glad I've returned here. It's a great place. Many of my classmates have also boomeranged, so it's fantastic. You may just be walking through the grocery store and you know almost everyone you meet. It makes for long trips to the store sometimes, but the "warm fuzzy" feeling of it...well, it just can't be beat.

[starcrossed]

Wow, the world is so different outside L.A. I love it!!! Keep up the posts. I want to hear about more places.

Today in Los Angeles it is in the low 50's and has rained for the better part of the day. The winds have kicked in, which makes it feel worse than it is. We are not cool or cold weather people in these parts, so complain, complain, complain.... I know were big babies, but it's sunny and warm most of the time and the weather is not Merry but rather sad.

[ratdigger]

Hey!
I've been a Jersey girl my whole life. Went to Calif. last year and loved it. The weather was perfect. Flowers in the middle of winter, lots to do. But, Jersey will always be my home.

I live in the Northern part, which is alot of farms and country. Many people when they think of Jersey, they think of the areas by the city(NY).

We bought my dream home 9 years ago. A farm house on 22 acres. The farmer next door has beef cattle, which get out once in awhile and wander over. lol. I dont mind. Its pretty funny looking out the bathroom window and seeing Henrys cows eating my grass. "Oh Henry, the herd got out again". Henrys like 90 yrs old. You can hear him from our house hollering at his sons when they are working out side.
We have black bear, coyote, fox , deer and turkey who wander around also.
Our property is mostly hill and woods, but we subdivided a peice and gave it to my daughter and her husband, who are now in the process of building their home. Life couldn't be better with them next door. I imagine my grandkids running in the back field to our house, when they need some extra spoiling.
We have our own veggy garden and I have alot of perenials. Its funny though. My entire life I've dreamed of having horses. Now that I can, I don't want to. Getting to old to take care of them. I don't relish the thought of going out everday, in the cold, to feed them. So I have my 7 dogs.
The area is growing. Those 1/2 million dollar homes are going up. And you know whos from the city, cause every light is on and their driveway is lit up. Property value has gone up, but I hear theres going to be a slump.
Taxes are high, compared to other states. I think we're second to Calif.
Crime? Its around. The 2 juvenial delinquents that lived next door moved out. Finally. They never bothered us, but they did some stuff around town. I think the crime is bad anywhere these days. This country has gone to shit! Thats another subject...

The area is hilly with alot of little lakes around. Rivers. Lots of leaf bearing trees. Maple, Elms.
Theres things to do, but you have to travel just a bit. NY city is 1hr away. You can ski up in the Poconos in Pa. We havent had real good snow in years. So they usually make it.
A lot of state and county parks, so theirs always hiking.

Sounds boring here, but thats the way I like it. Quite! When I want adventure, I go see Lovehammers in the City.

[starcrossed]

Ratdigger your home is anything but boring. I think that it sounds great!!!

Los Angeles is my home, but your home in Jersey sounds just as wonderful. Never think it's boring...

That is the great thing about this thread. Everyone (not only me) can learn what life is like in places they may have never been to. I only really know life around me. Other cities, at this point in my life I can only dream of visiting someday.

I think it's great that all you have to do is drive into the city to see the Lovehammers. I would have to fly half way across the country. That is hard......and I have never been on a plane in my life. Maybe someday.

Happy Holidays