# Ask the Los Angeles Native **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856 "2008-09-23T16:40:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/61 "2008-09-24T18:51:37Z")
I lived in LA (West Hollywood mostly) for about 12 years and loved it…but the old joke that LA is 27 suburbs in search of a city is pretty accurate. I loved West Hollywood - not only because I am Gay, but it is a “walkable” city. You can park your car after work on Friday and walk everywhere all weekend - to movie theaters, bars, restaurants, parks, shopping…very nice. A tad expensive, yes, but very nice. Buy my question about LA to current residents: **Do people there still always say things are “only 15 minutes away”, no matter how far it is?** Used to drive me nuts…“Oh, let’s got to [fill in the blank establishment], it is only 15 minutes from here!” And in reality, it was closer to 45 minutes to an hour’s drive away. (I lived in West Hollywood and worked in Santa Monica - about 7 miles away - and it would take me 45 minutes to get to work in the morning, and that was on a good day! Godforbid it was raining or there was minor traffic accident - then all bets were off.) ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/62 "2008-09-24T19:00:12Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I lived in LA (West Hollywood mostly) for about 12 years and loved it… And they had the best damn Halloweens! ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/63 "2008-09-24T19:49:05Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I lived in LA (West Hollywood mostly) for about 12 years and loved it…but the old joke that LA is 27 suburbs in search of a city is pretty accurate. I loved West Hollywood - not only because I am Gay, but it is a “walkable” city. You can park your car after work on Friday and walk everywhere all weekend - to movie theaters, bars, restaurants, parks, shopping…very nice. A tad expensive, yes, but very nice. > > Buy my question about LA to current residents: > > **Do people there still always say things are “only 15 minutes away”, no matter how far it is?** > > Used to drive me nuts…“Oh, let’s got to [fill in the blank establishment], it is only 15 minutes from here!” And in reality, it was closer to 45 minutes to an hour’s drive away. > > (I lived in West Hollywood and worked in Santa Monica - about 7 miles away - and it would take me 45 minutes to get to work in the morning, and that was on a good day! Godforbid it was raining or there was minor traffic accident - then all bets were off.) Now it’s 20 minutes. We recognize that traffic has gotten worse.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/64 "2008-09-24T20:04:34Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Buy my question about LA to current residents: > > **Do people there still always say things are “only 15 minutes away”, no matter how far it is?** I’m pretty sure that only the writers for the television show “24” still do that. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/65 "2008-09-24T21:54:39Z")
**DMark** , I grew up in L.A. (1st 18 years of my life) and have lived in San Diego ever since, and I still refer to distances in terms of time. Frankly, I don’t always know the actual mileage between two points. But I sure know the average time it takes me to get between the two. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/66 "2008-09-24T21:58:52Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > **DMark** , I grew up in L.A. (1st 18 years of my life) and have lived in San Diego ever since, and I still refer to distances in terms of time. > > Frankly, I don’t always know the actual mileage between two points. But I sure know the average time it takes me to get between the two. You know, I do this too and am really surprised that it is considered an LA thing. I only want to know how long it will take me to get from my house to point A or B. I really couldn’t care less if point A is 10 miles away and point B is 35 miles away. If it regularly takes me 30 minutes to get to each of them they are the same distance away as far as I am concerned. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/67 "2008-09-25T00:44:04Z")
Thought of a couple more questions. 1. Do you own a Thomas guide? Not sure they’re still popular in a GPS world. 2. Do you use ‘the’ when talking about a freeway? I took the 5 to the 10. 3. Do you know the names of all the freeways? Santa Monica Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State Freeway…for example. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/68 "2008-09-25T00:53:30Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Thought of a couple more questions. > > 1. Do you own a Thomas guide? Not sure they’re still popular in a GPS world. > > 2. Do you use ‘the’ when talking about a freeway? I took the 5 to the 10. > > 3. Do you know the names of all the freeways? Santa Monica Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State Freeway..for example. My GPS is crap for large overviews, so I still like a map. The 10, the 405 and the 5. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/69 "2008-09-25T01:19:39Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Not only have I not been, I don’t actually know what it is? Tell me more about this Frogtown. Frogtown is a little residential stretch of land in the Silver Lake/Atwater Village area located in between the 2 and 110 freeway, with the 5 freeway to the west and the L.A. river to the east. It gets its name from its close proximity to the L.A. river., with all the frogs and such in there. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/70 "2008-09-25T01:27:26Z")
> [@vandal](#): > > Frogtown is a little residential stretch of land in the Silver Lake/Atwater Village area located in between the 2 and 110 freeway, with the 5 freeway to the west and the L.A. river to the east. It gets its name from its close proximity to the L.A. river., with all the frogs and such in there. Neat. In that case I am sure I have been and didn’t know it. At least driven though. > [@dalej42](#): > > Thought of a couple more questions. > > 1. Do you own a Thomas guide? Not sure they’re still popular in a GPS world. > > 2. Do you use ‘the’ when talking about a freeway? I took the 5 to the 10. > > 3. Do you know the names of all the freeways? Santa Monica Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State Freeway..for example. 1.I do not. I used to, but not I use the net on my phone when I get lost. 1. See answer 3 2. I know the names of a bunch, but they aren’t super useful anymore. The 110 east is the Harbor Freeway, but the 110 west is the Pasadena Freeway, until it gets to the 210 which then becomes the Pasadena Freeway (I think). The Santa Monica Freeway is the 10, but I think only the 10 between LAX and PCH. The Golden State Freeway is the 5 and The San Diego Freeway is the 405. Things get weirder with stuff like the Glendale Freeway (the 134 and the 2) and Imperial Highway which I think is partially the 60 but covers a couple of other freeways. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/71 "2008-09-25T01:35:28Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > **DMark** , I grew up in L.A. (1st 18 years of my life) and have lived in San Diego ever since, and I still refer to distances in terms of time. > > Frankly, I don’t always know the actual mileage between two points. But I sure know the average time it takes me to get between the two. I’m the exact opposite; I always answer in a measure of distance, not time. I don’t know the actual mileage either, I just ballpark it. It actually kind of irks me when I ask someone how far a city/place is and they answer in a measure of time, not distance, because more often than not, they underestimate the time. If I knew the distance, on the other hand, I pretty much know how long it’s going to take to get there, depending on the time of day. For instance, I know how long it’ll take to travel 30 miles on a Wednesday afternoon as opposed to 30 miles on a Sunday morning. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/72 "2008-09-25T01:37:39Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > The Santa Monica Freeway is the 10, but I think only the 10 between LAX and PCH. Ar? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/73 "2008-09-25T02:14:18Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > **DMark** , I grew up in L.A. (1st 18 years of my life) and have lived in San Diego ever since, and I still refer to distances in terms of time. And I wouldn’t have had a problem with that if it were ever even _slightly_ true…“Come on, we can drive from West Hollywood to that new cafe in Pasadena…it is just 15 minutes from here, over Laurel Canyon and bam, we are almost there…” 50 minutes later, while still tied up in traffic on Laurel Canyon… ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/74 "2008-09-25T02:29:56Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > And I wouldn’t have had a problem with that if it were ever even _slightly_ true…“Come on, we can drive from West Hollywood to that new cafe in Pasadena…it is just 15 minutes from here, over Laurel Canyon and bam, we are almost there…” > 50 minutes later, while still tied up in traffic on Laurel Canyon… Yeah, but the whole 15 minutes thing isn’t real (I hope). In the first place 20 minutes is the minimum amount of time it will take you to get anywhere. 15 minutes from Pasadena to West Hollywood is also clearly insane, but I am guessing that was a hypothetical. I average 35 min through most canyons and 1 hour at rush hour. I have made itt through Laurel in 15 but I was so surpised that I still remeber the day vividly. I think I can judge distance in terms of time fairly accuratly too. At least for areas I know well. But if I am not sure I usually default to either 20 or 45 minutes depending. ---
**Author:** ![SomeBodyUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SomeBodyUK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeBodyUK)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/75 "2008-09-25T03:53:05Z")
Actually one of the worst things about living in LA is that it ruins movies and TV shows for you cos one has visited many of the places appearing in the movie/TV show… Yesterday on Heroes Hiro is supposed to be in a Japanese skyscraper - I can see the US Bank Tower out of his window. On Knight Rider today, the LA Metro doubled as a DC underground train system. Downtown LA is made to look like a bustling city in Hollywood films, when in fact it’s a graveyard after 7pm on most days. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/76 "2008-09-25T05:39:16Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I disagree. I find our public transit system to be pretty good. Not perfect, but it’s nearly always suited my needs. Another Angeleno here. Public transit quality depends on where you are and where you want to go; it’s obviously best along the one subway line that goes from North Hollywood to downtown and takes in Hollywood and Koreatown; almost as good where the three light rail lines and one dedicated busway go, and generally terrible elsewhere. However, the buses are fairly good for short trips, especially between UCLA and the beach where Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus system rules. Remember we shouldn’t ask too much of urban transit buses, they are not meant for long trips and great distances. We should also remember that even when we do get more subways, they will not provide instantaneous transit from East L.A. to Santa Monica. Some New Yorkers living in the boroughs have to spend an hour riding the train into Manhattan every day, each way. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/77 "2008-09-25T05:45:09Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > The Santa Monica Freeway is the 10, but I think only the 10 between LAX and PCH. It’s actually between downtown LA (the 110) and its western terminus. ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/78 "2008-09-25T06:38:23Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > There have been a lot of location based Ask The… threads recently, and I figure I wanted to get on the bandwagon. 😉 > > This was actually inspired primarily by Boyo Jim’s silly Ask The American thread and a response from WormTheRead saying he had hoped for a few serious answers. Also, I figure I am a rare breed; many people live in Southern California for years without meeting someone who was actually born and raised here. > > So, a little about me: > > I am 26 and except for a year I spent in Houston I have lived here my whole life. I have lived all over the city and feel like I know it fairly well, but there are still sections that I know I have never been to. I currently work in what I consider a day job, and it is sort of involved with the film industry. I do not want to be an actor or have anything to do with directly working in the film industry though. My “real” job is working in theatre (not as an actor), which is not something you can really make a living off of in Los Angeles, hence the day job. > > I really love my city, it’s my home and I know it better than any place else in the world. And yet, I am hoping to move away in the next 2-3 years since I would like to have kids and don’t want to raise them in Los Angeles if at all possible. > > So, questions? What’s a “Fish Taco”? I’m familiar w/TexMex, and I know a little about fish, but this kind of fast food/street fare I don’t know. Love, Phil ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/79 "2008-09-25T10:43:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > 1. Do you know the names of all the freeways? Santa Monica Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State Freeway..for example. And the Marina Freeway, formerly the Richard Nixon Freeway. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856/80 "2008-09-25T11:27:42Z")
Don’t forget the Foothill Freeway! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-los-angeles-native/464856.md?page=5)