Would I Ever Move To LA?

Did you know I kind of lived in LA a few years ago? I did a test run after graduating college and spent two months living with my friend in West Hollywood. When the two months were up I knew I was ready to head back to New York, it felt like the place I needed to be at that time. You can find some super old blog posts about that time if you dig around the Kayla in the City archives 😂

Every time I go to L.A. (which has been ~2 times a year since my friend moved there 8 years ago) I inevitably ask myself the question would I ever move to LA?

There’s so much I love about LA:

• my best friend lives there.
• a number of my friends from childhood, blogging, etc. live there now
• the weather. Ugh, it was PERFECT every single day during my trip
• so much good food (gimme ALL the sushi and delicious vegan eats)
• the wellness vibes
• proximity to Disneyland 🙂

But I also feel like there are a few things that make me feel like LA is not the place for me. At least not this time.

The biggie for me: The driving situation

In LA you have to drive. It’s pretty hard to avoid. I don’t mind driving in general but driving in LA is a whole other beast. And don’t even get me started on the parking situation here. Parallel parking is not my strongest suit.

In NYC there’s this sense of ease that I can walk around my neighborhood for all my errands. After 10 years of living here it’s what I’ve grown used to. Sure, it sucks to carry a heavy haul back from Whole Foods, but I love that I can just casually walk to Whole Foods without thinking twice about parking. Walking is my main mode of transportation and I like it that way. For starters you never have to worry about traffic…

Also, I like knowing that I can get [almost] anywhere in the city via subway in New York. Sure, the subway can totally suck. Especially lately when I have to deal with the L train. But it’s still better than sitting in insane traffic or circling around and around trying to find a parking spot.

My network is in NYC

Even though a number of my friends have moved to LA, I still feel like the majority of my network is in NYC. Which makes sense, I grew up close to the city, went to college + grad school in the city, and most of my childhood friends have now moved to the city. I totally suck at networking in a traditional sense (it gives me so. much. anxiety) but I’ve done a pretty good job building my network of people in the wellness + marketing world over the past few years. While I wouldn’t be starting over from square one in LA, it definitely would feel like taking a few steps back and I’d have to really put in an effort to put myself out there.

My family (and boyfriend) are in New York

I’m super close with my family and love that I get to see my parents all the time. I’d miss that a lot if I lived further away from them, although I have a feeling they’d enjoy visiting me on the West Coast every chance they could.

And then of course there’s Jeremy. We did the coast-to-coast long distance thing briefly while I was in LA after college. We made it work but of course it’s not the ideal situation. I think it goes without saying that I’d miss him a lot if I moved to LA.

New York is in my blood

There’s something about the vibe of New York that feels like me. There’s something about the grit and the realness that I like. People have no problem telling you exactly how they are feeling. And I’m okay with that.

I have this theory that if New York was a person she’d be an introvert whereas LA would be an extrovert. While NYC is this super stimulating city, don’t get me wrong, it’s also a beautifully anonymous city. It’s easy to spend the day alone but not feel an ounce of loneliness in the process.

Something about LA feels more extroverted to me. Maybe it’s the focus on networking with most people being in the entertainment business. Maybe some people would actually even say LA is a friendlier city. It’s just a different vibe. And I think the vibe of NYC is more suited to my personality. Which maybe isn’t saying good things about me 😂

I am happy in New York right now

Do I love everything about NYC? Nah.

I wish the weather were nicer and that the L train didn’t suck so much. But every day I still get hit with this wave of holy moly, I live here! and I think back to my middle school self and how badly she wanted to call NYC home.

I’ve gone through phases where I feel this weird pull for change and to live somewhere that’s not NYC and this small radius that I’ve known my entire life. But at this very second I feel in my heart and gut that NYC is the place I’m meant to be, for now at least. I’ve found my rhythm and home here. My people. I would know when to find the right long distance movers near me, bid adieu to my peeps here and tear myself away from here – if I do need to move somewhere away from my city. But I don’t think the time is now.

Honestly though, I have no idea what the future holds, but for now I’m happy where I’m at. And I also feel grateful that I have the chance to escape LA every few months for some sunshine and California vibes.