8 Things People From Los Angeles Take for Granted

2. Endless nightlife options for any day of the week.

On weeknights, my group chat with girlfriends looks something like this:

“I’m bored, anyone doing anything tonight?”
“Well there’s Motown Mondays at the Short Stop, and I think the Ace Hotel still has their weekly rooftop party, oh and AlunaGeorge is playing a free warehouse party, but otherwise not really.”
“Ugh lame. Guess I’ll just stay home.”

We are essentially crippled by our plethora of nightlife options and this is the reason why I hardly ever go out on Friday’s anymore. It’s hard enough trying to figure out where to eat. Decision fatigue much?

3. Essentially legal marijuana.

Though we’ll soon vote on the issue come November, recreational marijuana isn’t yet legal in California. In LA, that’s merely a technicality, as a citation for marijuana possession is seen as little more than a traffic violation. I’ve grown used to seeing businessmen in Beemers puffing on vape pens as I sit bored in morning traffic and bouncers hardly look twice at patrons who pass joints on bar patios.

4. Celebrity sightings.

Even though most celebrities stick to A-list crowds, you’re bound to bump into one under disappointingly normal circumstances. I once saw Alfonso Ribiero, aka Carlton Banks from Fresh Prince at my local Baja Fresh. Most of us (ahem, real Angelenos) rarely ever ask for photographs because we recognize how weird it is to ask for and keep a picture of you with a stranger.

5. Easy access day trips.

No one in LA should ever claim to be bored. Whenever you need to get away and unwind, paradise is only a short drive away and you can take your pick of the mountains, desert, or beach. Still, locals rarely seize these opportunities and are always somehow surprised when we finally do and afterwards are gushing to friends, “It’s so nice to get out of the city sometimes!” Duh. It should honestly be a monthly prescription.

6. Fresh produce and Farmer’s Markets galore.

Confession: I only found out like two years ago that avocados aren’t in season year-round. Sure, I noticed the increase in price from 99 cents to $1.50 during the cooler months, but I was still shocked when I visited the midwest in December and my favorite taco topping was nowhere to be found. My parents have multiple fruit trees in their backyards and half of my friends bring homegrown salads to potluck parties. Our Farmer’s Markets are comparable to a small town’s annual fair, and you can find them all over the city any day of the week.

7. ALL OF THE TACOS.

This theory is yet to be tested, but I’m pretty sure that you can get a decent taco within any two-block radius in LA. That theory might not even be disrupted by the time of day. There are just as many (if not more) taco trucks open for business at 2am as there are at 2pm.

8. Grocery stores that stay open 24 hours and sell alcohol until 2am every day of the week.

I was aghast when I first visited Texas and was told that I couldn’t purchase alcohol on Sundays. And then I went to Georgia and the same thing happened! New York isn’t much better; sure their bars stay open until 4am, but their drinks are expensive and gentrification is pricing out the neighborhood bodegas. These experiences have taught me to be grateful for the 24-hour CVS across the street that graciously sells alcohol until 2am every day of the week.