13 Culture Shocks East Coasters Will Have in LA

3. LA will kick your ass.

Not that we aren’t health-conscious up here, but let’s be real — once winter hits we go for the comfort of pizza, clam chowder and barbecue to help us forget the nightmare that is outside. LA will have you paying way more attention to your fitness and diet, waiting in a 20-minute line for breakfast at Eggslut and juice at Press Brothers and perhaps hiring a buff trainer.

4. Where’d you get those pants, the 70s?

Black Ann Taylor cardigans, green Hunter boots, black Northface jackets and brown Coach purses galore in Boston and DC. In LA, street style goes above and beyond in color, detail and creativity. Chanel purses paired up with faux fur, thrift store jackets and bellbottoms, and green and pink highlights? No big deal. Personal expression rules in LA.

5. Art is around every corner.

Gorgeous graffiti of women and elephants gracing street walls at the Arts District is nothing unusual here. Meanwhile in Boston, we’re still fighting over the big dispute: is JR’s man on a platform making the Hancock Tower too flashy?

6. Music is a real job.

Telling people I’m pursuing music in Providence: “Right…so what’s your real job then?” vs. Los Angeles: “Cool, what are you working on?”

7. Where’s Dunks?

Don’t cry for me, Dunkin’ Donuts…The pearl of the Northeast will forever remain in my memory with its slightly diluted iced coffee and BEC sandwiches. There’s a Starbucks every 2 blocks to give you a quick caffeine fix, but it just isn’t the same.

8. Time to buy a car, I suppose.

If you’ve got a pair of legs and motivation, you can walk anywhere up East. Hell, most New Yorkers I know never even got a license. You’ll think twice before making the trek from LACMA to Philippe’s the Original only because you wanted some cake doughnuts.

9. Holy sh*t, I can hike right in the city.

Ditch the car at the parking lot after work and lace up — just in time to watch for the pink sunset descending upon the city from Runyon Canyon’s trails.

10. Mexican food is ridiculously-good in LA.

Sure, Providence has Tallulah’s and NYC has Rosie’s, but let me drop a fact of life: the closer you get to the actual Mexico, the better your tacos get. LA’s Calle Tacos will have you begging for more and chasing down their truck all over Hollywood Boulevard.

11. Where did the suits go?

As long as I’ve got my suit and tie… I’m most likely in New York because in LA business is done in casual shirts, jeans and trendy outfits. And guess what else – we don’t only wear black!

12. Nature galore.

Hit up the slopes at Bear Lake and Snow Summit. Ride those waves at Hermosa Beach, Santa Monica, Venice, Huntington or one of the other dozen gorgeous beaches around. Start a bonfire and break out the Scheherazade tales in the Mojave Desert. Not even the whole tri-state area combined could beat that.

13. What are they even saying?

New England: “This lobstah is wicked good, but I’m all set.”

LA: “Dude, let’s take PCH to Santa Monica and catch some gnarly waves this weekend.”