GERMAN reacts to EUROPEANS FIRST TIME IN CALIFORNIA

[@BTinSF]

The word "strip" has multiple meanings. "To strip" (verb) means to remove or remove from whereas a "strip" (noun) is a linear arrangement of things or of something. So a "strip mall" is a linear arrangement of stores along a roadway, usually with a parking lot in front between the storefronts and the roadway. Whether it's advisable to drink tap water in the US varies a lot by location. Where I live, in San Francisco, the tap water is melted snow from a reservoir up in the Sierra mountains and very pure and good tasting. I drink it without concern. But I have another house in southern Arizona which is a place where there are copper mines that use toxic chemicals and where the tap water comes from wells (i.e out of the ground). I don't drink the water there. All over the US the water is free of harmful germs so you don't need to worry about food poisoning. But chemical contamination is another matter. The water is always below levels the government says is safe, but what those levels should be is open to debate.

[@joecarcione6636]

Yes, as a fellow San Franciscan, I love of Hetch Hetchy tap water!

[@New_Wave_Nancy]

Here in New York City, we also have very good quality, good tasting water.

[@michael-1680]

Excellent explanation, I would have said just the same.

[@garybarr1045]

Right on! 🙂

[@BriBryBriBry]

A strip of bacon... There.. now you can see the difference.. 🤯😂🤷‍♂️

[@TimNoel2]

I was born and raised in California. I have lived here my whole life (43 years) and I have been to every corner of this state. My favorite part is in the northern part of the state, the Redwood state parks. If you are ever in California and you have time to travel to the very northern part, you cannot miss visiting the Redwood parks. Every summer growing up, my family would spend one month camping in the Redwood parks.

[@PenguinBooHelix]

I agree, NorCal woman here, more people that visit California should come up north and experience the redwoods. But sadly, a lot of the people that visit California believe SoCal is all there is.

[@yvonnezolna1453]

Note: Return of the Jedi was filmed in Redwoods National Parks.

[@TimNoel2]

@@yvonnezolna1453 I've been to the exact location. It's actually fairly close to the campground we stay at.

[@patriciahighton3117]

I’m surprised that they didn’t go see the redwoods. While I love the Bay Area because that’s the only place I’ve been besides San Jose and Napa, nothing compares to the redwoods and I will see them someday.

[@xsty1968]

And yes, we love our ice. As a California born girl it’s ice in the summer and winter! My fridge can’t keep up so I even keep trays of cubes in there in case I run out.

[@Scruffyman81]

Best way to meet celebrities in LA is, go to a concert. I met Tim Roth, Jason Lee and Rose McGowan. Shook hands too, pretty cool.

[@patriciawilliams6844]

I have lived in California for years. I have also lived in other states. I think this country is 😊beautiful. I love living in California. Most people who say bad things about this state have never been here. Also just to clear something up. I walk to stores. My daughter in law walks with my grand daughter to school every day. And walks to pick

[@patriciawilliams6844]

Her up.

[@MasterDanielson]

I live in California all my life. I don’t see myself living anywhere else. California has the best weather in the country

[@sassylassie1992]

I agree. I live in LA, and I walk all of the time. Sadly, there are people who constantly complain about our traffic, yet never consider walking instead of driving.

[@robertstrong6798]

Won’t be a democracy long if Trump gets in

[@BriBryBriBry]

Most people that say bad things about California think that because of the political party most of the people vote for.. And I don't blame them. Also they keep in mind all of the areas that are disgusting from homeless people ruining them.. They don't hate the whole state though They might say that but they don't. Just the wrong people are running it and they're letting it get out of control. The areas where those people are though but most is beautiful because it's freaking massive people forget that too somehow.

[@kenmeacham7025]

Europeans say why Americans say why not

[@marvlessmarvin]

I live in Southern California. The chance of running into a celebrity is actually pretty high. But I live in LA county and not LA itself. Like any place, locals don't go to touristy areas. My favorite celeb I see often is Terry Crews. Great guy. Also, I love living here. West Coast is best coast baby!

[@zgreen9673]

You live near Santa Clarita?

[@HeywoodJahblowme]

Don't shake hands with Terry Crews unless you want a sticky hand 😂😂😂

[@widowerson]

Oregon and Washington are not too shabby either.

[@carrob704]

I prefer OR and WA to CA...outside the major cities of course

[@kristenherrera2691]

As a former Starbucks barista, I can tell you that drive thru moves faster than walk up. We always prioritized drive thru. Some thoughts: 1. The food varies wildly based on where you are. I would say you should try the food grown/caught in the region you are in for the best experience. We have a lot of restaurants and you have a good chance of getting a bad one if you’re just driving around and pick one. Ask a local. 2. Some cities are more walkable, but in general I would say stay in the area where you are planning to do the most things and just take Uber or public transport for things farther away. LA is a big area and very spread out. It looked like they were staying in a suburban area, so not the greatest for walking around. 3. I loved her personality and enthusiasm so I definitely don’t want to be critical, but just keep in mind that LA is just one region of a very large state that is in a very large country. If they drove 550 miles north to Ft. Bragg or went north east through the Sierra Nevadas, they would have different city layouts, food, and cultural activities. 4. I’m a California native and have been all over California and traveled extensively to other parts of the country, coast to coast and lots in between. I’m convinced there is a part of the U.S. for everyone. There’s a vibe for you somewhere!

[@effonstonee]

I live in Houston, Texas and i don't drink any tap water from anywhere, regardless of US state/City anymore unless i have any other choice.

[@WhatsNextwithNora]

Go to The Grove in LA. Where the famous farmers market is. I've been there at least a dozen times and always seen at least 1 "famous" person. Usually not A listers, but I did get to meet John Ritter not long before he died

[@MissKarenvanessa]

Target is an "everything" store, not a clothing store. The clothes there are very inexpensive

[@pamalter]

It’s so dangerous when you live near one. Go in for some Tylenol and come out with $100 worth of stuff lol

[@serenitygilles7064]

@@pamalter I just said something like that and got verbally attacked

[@BriBryBriBry]

She's having the ultimate California experience! All she has done is eat pancakes and drove in a car 😂

[@BTinSF]

She didn't like the vegetables: It was November. Everything in the way of produce she ate was probably imported from Mexico, Chile, Central America or possibly south Florida and very likely picked unripe so it survived long-distance shipping. Vegetables and fruits in America are no different than anywhere else. They are much better in season and produced locally so they can be picked ripe. She needs to try strawberries from the Salinas Valley in late spring or mellons from Colorado River Valley in summer or grapes from California's Central Valley in late summer or apples from the Pacific Northwest in fall and so on. The tomatoes we get in winter often come from Dutch hothouses so if she doesn't like them (and I don't much either), it is European produce she is rejecting.

[@13terapyn]

Haters gonna hate. Those of us from Cali and NY are used to it. Do like us and ignore them. Come, Chris. You'll love it. Very safe here. Extremely dynamic place filled with great people from everywhere on the planet.

[@BTinSF]

And if you eat a tomato in November and don't like it, don't complain about American tomatoes because it may very well have come from a hothouse in the Netherlands.

[@ryateo1]

Yes, well, dudes with AKs robbed a bank and got in a firefight with an entire police station down the street from my middle school... Then the cops beat Rodney King and the whole area was on lockdown,.. So we moved to San Diego and a tank chased my dad and a bunch of other folks down the interstate... In my freshman year at Santana we had the second shooting after Columbine. Yeah, I'ma hate.

[@ryateo1]

Oh and don't forget OJ🤣🤣🤣. I mean..... Jury admitted they let him off for Rodney King..... Lol Cali is so fucjed🤣🤣🤣

[@ryateo1]

And why are taxes so high? With deficit spending... Cali is supposed to have a huge economy... But where is it? Lol. (Silicone valley, tex exempt unlike the plebs 😂). Yeah, I'll hate. FLA isn't AS beautiful as Cali.... But the financial freedom is more than worth it.

[@13terapyn]

@@ryateo1 you're more of a whiner than a hater

[@davidterry6155]

I do see Europeans who come here and always go to the same restaurants and I think that there is so many good other restaurants to try

[@sassylassie1992]

Yeah. Sadly, they tend to eat at chain restaurants.

[@erikschultz7166]

Yes. Like craft beer we have a great verity of foods. LA is great for Mexican and various Oriental foods. Aside from pizza LA is not so great for European ethnic foods. Chicago has everything.

[@BriBryBriBry]

I agree. I hate how most people that come here go to the same places too like New York and Los Angeles.. very very stupid. 🤦‍♂️

[@Uberplacoderm]

A strip mall is just a small shopping center with parking, usually around 6-8 stores, and taking up about a block or two. The "strip" part is that all the stores are connected. Tap water in NYC is fine. Still, it doesn't hurt to have a replaceable filter on the water line.

[@alisonflaxman1566]

No it's not because they're connected it's because they're linear. Strip means linear.

[@patriciahighton3117]

Correct. It’s the aqueducts. New Jersey water can’t compare and certainly not North Carolina where I now live. Ugh.

[@AmandaBarncord]

Water quality depends on your location.

[@wishwise0]

100%

[@BriBryBriBry]

Saying it like that means there could be bad water in tons of places.. Most of the water quality in the United States is pretty damn good. Not like you're going to go to multiple places where the water comes out brown or something. Please don't mention Flint Michigan.. It's not like that anymore that was like 20 years ago too. Because I guarantee you that's what is popping up in people's heads. 😂

[@nunyabizness5391]

California, especially southern California is a great place to visit mostly because of geography - mountains, beaches, and some of the best weather in the world. There's also a lot of good food. Don't waste your time in Targets, IHOPS and Starbucks. Target is just a store, IHOP is just a restaurant for people that need 1000 calorie breakfasts, and Starbucks is just coffee. One in LA will be the same as one in Iowa. Get some good Mexican or Asian food. On the other hand, it's understandable why a lot of people don't want to live there because of high prices for everything, and there are just too many people. Have a good time there for a week and then leave before you run out of money or go insane from the traffic.

[@hbmjr]

Native Californian here. And yes, exactly what you said. It bums me out when folks are thinking that US food is all Mc Donalds or something. Like, don’t go to Taco Bell! Do however, go to the Mexican place that looks questionable and is located in the weirdest shaped not even a strip mall parking lot. That’s where the good stuff is. Also the Indian place in the irregularly shaped parking lot. And the Korean place in the irregularly shaped parking lot. That’s where it’s at. Or the Chinese places in the City (SF) where you don’t even really get to order. They just tell you what you’ll be having not matter what you attempted to order. 🙂

[@sassylassie1992]

The Starbucks order she made was for a Brown Sugar OATMILK Shaken Espresso. It definitely sounded like she said OATMEAL, though.

[@pilsplease7561]

In high school we had a lot of foreign exchange students, and some of them came from EX soviet satellite countries and they were most impressed by walmart of all places dead serious. Seeing that much stuff and clothes and food and etc in one store was like world shattering to them

[@stevenwilgus5422]

Fairerweise muss man sagen, dass die gesamte Westküste wunderschön ist. Die Schönheit setzt sich in British Columbia und Alaska fort.

[@lizz4068]

Target is basically a high end walmart

[@lizz4068]

I'm from LA and I work for a hotel chain. The biggest thing I have to explain to people is how large a footprint LA has. The East coast is walkable and so is San Francisco. But LA is so huge that you absolutely have to have a car. Even with one it's best to stay near the attractions you want to see because it's easy to spend half your day driving.

[@davidterry6155]

Keep in mind there were very few cities that were designed like Europe. We lived rural and had to drive everywhere the cities developed around the rural countryside. As a kid everywhere was a 30 minute or longer drive. Cities like LA were Citrus Trees

[@user-pr3np4cs7u]

In Minnesota that is my experience also!

[@user-pr3np4cs7u]

Except no citrus trees lOL

[@user-pr3np4cs7u]

More like corn fields and apple orchards!

[@user-pr3np4cs7u]

Lol

[@thea5714]

"But... why would you have a mall for strippers?" I'm dying laughing. Your reactions are so cute~! As for the water, yes, in the entire US tap water is drinkable (either the home has a well with treated water or water supplied from city water plant, which is also treated). The bottles are just more convenient for taking water with you. In California you never leave home without water due to the very DRY heat (like an oven). Pampers (the red box she was looking at in Target) are windeln. As for the vegetables tasting flavorless, that's because they are grown on huge corporate farms, sprayed with pesticides, grown with chemical fertilizers, harvested before they are ripe and then shipped all over the US to large grocery stores. This is changing, however, as Americans re-discover small, local family-owned farms and also learn that roasting vegetables with olive oil rather than boiling and steaming them yields better flavor.

[@robertcornette1945]

Eating a crayon, that kid will be a US Marine. They love to eat crayons

[@amypoole30]

Target here now is groceries and health and beauty etc. a more expensive, fewer choices Walmart. But, normally nicer and cleaner stores.

[@darleenmuhly529]

California is not typical of the rest of the US. I live on the east coast. We do have highways with four or five lanes in each direction but they are the interstates. I live in the country. Most of our roads are one lane in each direction. I‘ve never been to Starbucks. I prefer Walmart to Target but they are the same kind of store where you can buy everything from groceries to electronics to garden tools. Finally, strip malls have nothing to do with strippers. They are simply a string of stores in a long „“strip“ or line.

[@KevInfamousYT]

Good evening Chris!

[@glennhinchey832]

I love your videos, Chris! A mall has an enclosed indoor corridor with stores on both sides. You park your car in a large parking lot, and walk around indoors to shop at the stores. A strip mall is a row of stores, side by side, with a parking lot in front, and no indoor corridor. You can park near to a specific business and only have to do minimal walking.

[@patricequinn7733]

If they got out of the strip mall and the parking lots there might be something of California to see!!!!!!!!!!

[@jimbarber9638]

I agree. I rarely wait in drive through lanes. Takes too long. I actually park, go inside, make my purchase, and I'm on my way. Go figure.

[@madelineg2515]

Would love to see a video reacting to those english folks who try food in the American South. I'm from NC & SC and the food is unmatched but DAMN is it unhealthy. Truly an incredible cuisine

[@ramonalfaro3252]

Seeing or meeting famous people is not common, but not unheard of in LA. Go to a Farmer Market in Malibu, Santa Monica, Calabasas, or Studio City for a good chance to bump into a celebrity.

[@meganmbleed]

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, it wasn’t until I left at the age of 30 then I realized just how much I miss the weather, the people, etc. it’s really nice to see some Europeans enjoying what California has to offer and she is so cute

[@sleepnaught]

She went half way around the world to Los Angeles and proceeded to eat at a bunch of chain restaurants you could find just about anywhere else in the world....why??

[@robertsistrunk6631]

Europeans need to realize there's more to the U.S. than Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City.

[@WhatsNextwithNora]

Tap water depends on the area too.

[@sorebluto]

1. Fastest way to get coffee at a Starbucks is to order ahead on your phone and then walk in and pick it up. 2. The famous person she spotted at the end of the video was Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

[@blahblahblahblah6919]

1. Fastest way to get coffee is make it yourself.

[@robertsistrunk6631]

The Kid is defiantly a U.S. Marine

[@sandrawalkerhaliburton1884]

If she was in the South, she would love the food. California is different from the rest of the USA.

[@billholemo2518]

I live in FLORIDA 😊 WE DON'T HAVE WINTER EITHER!!! I DON'T EVEN HAVE A HEATER!!

[@thomasdenney4931]

Visited California many times, LA isn’t on my return list. Love other areas of California though.

[@iamnother5490]

I personally am glad that most places are made more car accessible. I understand the argument about having more walkable towns and cities but in most places in the US the weather doesn't permit for a lot of walking. It's either way too hot or freezing with ice and snow all over the place. The US is also huge. Having a car gives you freedom to go and do and see. I have also seen the same people who complain about things not being walkable turn around and say how great it is that we have so much space and how much nicer the roads are. Being able to go through a drive-thru is great for different reasons. It's a lot easier for people with kids. A strip mall is a collection of stores that are side by side in one large building (or a collection of large buildings depending on the size of the mall) but each store has a front door that leads outside.

[@mjhoeber]

California uses Spanish law (riparian rights) so that the public has access to all water, whether rivers, beaches, the ocean, etc. There are still a few places in the US where English common law prevails and individual people own access to water. But, even there the public can walk along the beaches because there have to be public access sites.

[@robertsistrunk6631]

Targets are like a "Posh" Walmart

[@jooleebilly]

I don't do Starbucks all that often, but when I do I prefer to order in the app and walk in to pick it up.

[@HVSJR-n5q]

Pancakes are as different as the person making them. They can vary widely. From Crepe to Lead. From crepe light to oh so heavy lead. It varies as widely as flavors of syrups. Or types. I worked as a teen at one place that advertised 50 different flavored syrups.

[@ruth2141]

As someone with mobility issues, I like being able to park a reasonable distance from shops and offices. And thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act I know I'll be able to enter shops and restaurants without being blocked by stairs and other barriers, and have restrooms I can use.

[@BriBryBriBry]

You want a warm Coke in the winter? What lol. That is disgusting.

[@randalmayeux8880]

Hi Chris! The best deal I've had for pancakes was at the Knife Edge cafe in Mesa Verde national park. It's all you can eat pancakes and sausage for $4.50. The pancakes are about 12 inches, or 30 centimeters in diameter and your start off with a stack of 4. Needless to say, l found it hard to eat them all.

[@brucec6095]

Hi Chris, I am half German. My mother was born in Wiesbaden in 1921. I've been to Germany multiple times, most recently 1996 & 1998. My relatives now live in Eckersdorf. What I loved about my visits to Eckersdorf was the history. Particularly, Schloss Fantaisie, where I saw graves of Roman soldiers from the ancient Roman Empire's occupation. I enjoy your videos and find that many of my mothers short comings are actually common traits of Germans. I think that history shapes who we are. Of course German and US histories are quite different, and so we are different, (not always in a bad way).

[@AngelGuadalupe-d6n]

When you smile at the baby , it was so cute 💛

[@JocelynJoyThomas]

I'm from San Francisco, I'd be interested to see what you think about it, I've heard it's similar to European cities. It's walkable to a degree (I wish it were more so). You don't have to have a car in San Francisco, but it helps, the public transit is decent and gets you around well. I've lived in other US cities and the public transit is not as thorough. Keep doing these videos they are sehr interessant! I am going to Germany next year and find your insights helpful. Danke!!

[@catlady443]

That is a glass container that pours

[@patricequinn7733]

Some Americans eat the stereotypical "huge American breakfast." Many of us eat eggs and toast,oatmeal or other cereal,yogurt with fruit and nuts or a quick pastry and coffee on the way to work.

[@robertsistrunk6631]

We don't worry about calories in the U.S.

[@ACColorado]

I wish I would have filmed my 2 years living in Germany, with nothing open on the weekends and weird laws about not mowing your grass on Sunday.

[@anthonysalomone3698]

Great videos! I enjoyed your comments.

[@a00141799]

If all of Europe was one country with cities spread out all across it then they might understand how driving cars became the perferred mode of transportation here in the US. Yes, it does make more sense to have excellent public transportation within a city and its suburbs, but since most people already have a car cities end up making infrastructure investments that are car-centric rather than improving public transportation. Also, in order for public transportation to be a good investment it must be well utilized. Nothing worse then seeing buses with 10 passengers on it. What a waste of public money. To most Americans cars represent independence and also give them a sense of self expression. The type of cars we drive and how we personalize them says a lot about us. I've been to Japan and of course our car culture would translate there. Nor would it possibly translate to most of western Europe. But I'll bet you that Australians, Canadians and Russians can relate.

[@jovetj]

Target is the most direct competitor to Walmart. They were both founded around the same time, too.

[@LlamaLlamaMamaJamaac]

I grew up in Germany - I’m American but my dad was in the Air Force… we never lived in on-base housing though. My parents felt like since we had the opportunity to live in Germany, let’s ACTUALLY live in Germany! I loved it so much!! So anyway I was excited to find your channel and watch you learn about the US. California is home to several of our National Parks 🏞️ (in fact, that emoji is inspired by a monolith in Yosemite National Park - on the California-Nevada border)…. which as a hiker is one of my favorite things!

[@catlady443]

Stores that instead of being in a huge mall, it is mostly one level stores in strips of land where the land is collected together. you grow up with a car, you are lost without it.

[@chrisjarvis2287]

Oat Milk is not having oats in your coffee

[@Aussiesuede]

California is more of a country than a state. It has a self sustaining economy and would be the world's 5th richest country behind the US, China, Japan, & Germany. One in 8 Americans live in California, The state has the most diverse ecosystem in the US, so you can pretty much experience every type of environment without leaving the state. Beach, Mountains, Forest, Desert. No other state is that diverse, and few countries outside the US have all 4 within their borders. In the winter you can go skiing in the morning, and surfing at the beach in the afternoon. Snow, sun,& sand & hiking in the forest, in the same day.

[@claranielsen3382]

Texas is the same way. We have deserts, Forrest, mountains, beaches, ect. Plus we could be self sufficient.

[@BriBryBriBry]

Also they try to make out like Americans are all obsessed with ice which is complete BS.. her saying this makes it seem like that and people like Lawrence from England make it seem like that too but trust me it's BS. I don't hear anyone talk about ice.

[@bd4507]

At 23:18 is an example of a GMC Yukon; one of several "Yank Tank" vehicles, also known as a land yacht. 😂

[@timmethy]

Good point about drive--thrus not always being the best way to do it. There is often a big line for the In-n-Out burger drive-through which is why I usually get my burger inside. I like sitting at tables to eat too. California is complicated with a lot of parts to it. You can find everything here including high quality, locally made food at farmers markets and certain grocery stores and a lot of restaurants.

[@zgreen9673]

LA native here, I can tell you there are a lot of restaurants that are considered high end, but serve 💩 food. If you know where to go, you can find some of the best food in the world here, from street vendors to black tie 5 course meals.

[@dking1836]

Note she's walking around in late November without a jacket.. During the summer, temperatures easily reach into the low 90sF/mid 30sC. Which is why we drive air conditioned cars and have drinks with ice. Sunburn is COMMON, especially on "cloudy" days as the UV sunlight goes right through clouds. Your skin feels fine until it's fried. Sunglasses are recommended for the same reason, especially the UV blocking lenses. It's real eye protection, not just a "fashion statement." Here in San Diego, we had temperatures over Halloween into the 80sF/upper 20sC. Now mid December, our forecast is right around 70F/21C all week.

[@samfulford1964]

I live in the middle of the Sacramento metro area and don't need a car to do my business Of course I have cars and a driveway etc...but

[@samfulford1964]

Our tap water is delicious

[@davids6898]

I used to live in Newport Beach, which is the beach she visited. Funny thing is if she went just 10 miles south she would have been in Laguna Beach which has small beaches very similar to the beaches she was describing in Europe.

[@Tarzan91303]

A “strip mall” is nothing more than a basic shopping center with local stores, not like a big beautiful shopping mall with franchise stores, enclosed air conditioning building, and stylish themes.

[@timmccoy4875]

The weather in California is nice, California is very expensive and traffic is horrible in the big cities. If you go there to visit, go north to the Red woods, its much better area in my opinion.

[@jimgreen5788]

Chris, the little container at 4:06 is cream rather than milk. I don't put butter on my pancakes. She put enough syrup on her pancakes to "float a battleship". Yes, the car they rented is a MUSS-tang, rather than a MOO-stang, and is our term for a wild horse. I've been to CA a number of times, and have never seen anyone famous. First of all, I never go to a drive-through to get coffee, paying multiple dollars for a cup, when I can make it at home on a coffeemaker. Also, for my tastes, Starbucks' coffee is too bitter.

[@MsWobbly1]

California is the most beautiful state in the US. From mountains, to desserts, the giant Sequoia trees, the gorgeous Coast, and San Francisco’s hills and cable cars, it is all spectacular. On the seventh day the great Maker looked at California and, “God I’m good!”

[@mgd18972]

Target is a competitor to Walmart, and it sells a wide range of products, from groceries to clothing to housewares to pharmaceuticals and personal hygiene items. Many people express a strong preference for one over the other. Drive-throughs are everywhere and are not limited to fast food. Pharmacies, grocery stores, banks, coffee shops, and even bars and liquor stores have drive-up windows. This is probably due to the car culture in America, where you often spend more time in your car than your home or apartment.

[@kld0096]

Target originated in my home state of Minnesota. It's a nicer version of Wal-Mart. You can buy clothes but also food, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, office supplies, and much more. It's super common to joke about how you went to Target for 2 things and came out having bought way more than you planned on buying. For the record, that's only partially a joke.

[@kdm71291]

We LOVE our cars!

[@xsty1968]

I can think of 3 major chains, let alone independent pancake houses where you can get them 24hrs a day! Spoiled?

[@pnuhn1]

LA is a big spread out city - actually a metropolitan area covering about 500 sq miles(1400km). It was built for cars, and has freeways going all over.. urban cores of a city are usually walkable. Smaller towns/cities are the same. NYC is walkable or you take the subway. Same with many bigger cities. Even LA has a subway/metro/light rail system. But overall in LA the car is king. LA also has 100s of top rated food establishments (not counting any fast food or casual dining. Also not counting 5 star rated restaurants.). And there are food trucks to die for. Many of these places source locally avail foods. So the original poster just didn’t take in everything they could.

[@paulburrell7058]

I drink instant coffee for two dollars and it last me two months same caffeine and I don’t care

[@kdm71291]

The syrup is in a glass pitcher.

[@kdm71291]

Salads vary depending upon what type of salad you get…..you can get just about anything depending on where you go. For many of them, oil and vinegar may be all you need or want.

[@maximumbees]

"the speed limit's 45" honestly dont worry about it here in CA 🤣 i do wish walkability was higher here, or at least public transportation. the only way for me to get to a train station is to drive 30 minutes and at that point it's like no thanks ill just drive the whole way

[@hctaz]

It’s hilarious because the first time I heard “Strip Mall” I thought the same thing as you! LOL What it means is that it’s a long building unit that is like one shop deep but many shops wide. So you effectively have a “mall” (multiple shops in close proximity to each other) that is contained in one “strip” of building. A strip of something is usually like a long, thin piece of it which is used to describe the type of building that all these stores sit in. They all share walls as well it’s like one store could be a hair cut place and the next place over could be a food place and the next place over is a hobby store that sells trading cards and board games. And they all share walls with the next store over- theres no gaps in between them.

[@christopherlupone9941]

From one Chris to another - the USA is a big place and some of these things are not common all over, for example, guns. I grew up in New York and lived a long time in Pennsylvania, and I was seldom around guns. My wife is from rural Pennsylvania, and she grew up with guns; her family hunted for some of their food. (Her father was strict about safety - and drinking around guns would have been unthinkable!) And I can assure you that NOWHERE here is a 20,000 calorie burger common. BTW, I really like your channel. It’s fun to see how people from other countries react to the USA - good and bad, with all its quirks - and you do this in a way that shows genuine interest, not condescendingly. Keep it coming, sir!

[@donnakrazan3028]

Strip Mall, strip is like a strip of paper for instance like a thin long piece of paper. So these malls are played out in a strip or long narrow line

[@antoniahamilton3201]

Compared to the East Coast, Los Angeles is a relatively new city. While it once had a very extensive public transit system (Red Cars), unlike Europe, it grew and developed primarily during the mid 20th Century. The automobile was the major progenitor and catalyst of the city.

[@kate2create738]

Native Californian here, lived in LA for a while, most of my life is in an unknown region of the state. The thing that people outside of the US can’t comprehend is that California is HUGE, I think Italy can fit in it. The issue is that too many people think LA is California and that it’s a representation of the rest of the country when it seems to have lost touch with most of the country at this point, so I avoid encouraging LA as a destination, it’s not the same city. There were parts that are still nice, but honestly the rest of the country has more to offer for good memories. In some ways it’s like a spread out NYC at this point, I found many fascinating cultures there and was a fan of the different cuisine that is offered (papusas, Filipino food, and Korean BBQ were a nice surprise). I think the traffic is a big turn off though, and it can get over crowded with the tourist areas. It seems like a good portion of California has lost the appeal and charm it used to have, so it’s something that I would say to skip and focus on the other regions that at least have a community that brings a hospitality that’s warm and welcoming.

[@archaeologyfornon-archaeol1014]

It has the most National Parks, redwoods, Lake Tahoe, Mojave Desert, mountain ranges....you are kind of negative. I live in LA county, in a vintage town, in a 100 year old home, on a quiet street. Within driving distance of great Mexican food, Thai food, Indian food, etc, etc. Lots of good people and interesting communities if you do the research.

[@kate2create738]

@@archaeologyfornon-archaeol1014 I’m “kind of negative” for a reason. More being realistic, to be frank, no matter how much hype people try to put on the state, we have serious problems that I didn’t bother bringing up because I tried to withhold my “negativity.” Until people in LA get their asses outside of their region and actually look at the consequences of their actions to see how it has affected the rest of the state and region of the US, expect there to be more of a push back till the serious matters are actually addressed. I can say this, the rest of the state has been neglected thanks to the bubble those in LA and San Francisco live in.

[@archaeologyfornon-archaeol1014]

Difficult to reply to, since it is an accusation made without explanation. 60% of California's population lives in Southern California, another large percentage around the San Francisco area, that does not leave many people who have been forgotten. We have an enormous population, and lots of problems (a famous case about homeless people, Boise vs Idaho, created some of those problems) and we are far too expensive for many to buy a home. I don't think this is the place to have a lengthy political discussion however.

[@kate2create738]

@@archaeologyfornon-archaeol1014 That is up to you if you want to direct it to politics, the issue is that most of these problems at the end are started by poor policies being pushed by those who have zero understanding of the big picture. I prefer not to bring in politics if I’m honest which is why I haven’t listed every of my misgivings I could list because I held myself back of the criticism the state deserves. That said, I encourage people to look elsewhere for a better perspective of the US, those who say California is a great place to visit are not looking at the big picture we are not in a good state to be presentable at the moment. We have serious issues that need to be addressed and would rather people visit when these problems are actually fixed. I also think California has been a problem of being too hyped up, especially when the portion region they visit, mainly LA, is severely disconnected from the rest of the country. It is not a fair representation of the US, and everyone (rightly) is getting tired of it. There’s another 49 states (48 if we exclude New York as another over hyped tourist destination) that are more stable and more connected with the rest of the country to be a better accurate American experience. I say this because I have expectations that I know will not be flattering for the rest of the country if anyone outside the country just visits California. For the region of California that refuses to listen and compromise with anyone else, frankly, has low expectations on their own part to deliver.

[@archaeologyfornon-archaeol1014]

I have also lived in Monterey county and San Luis Obispo County. Both have beautiful areas, but are very expensive to live in. I actually enjoy the videos of international tourists visiting other states. A young French woman just did one on Minnesota and she thought it was an underrated state. I am sort of tired of the videos of Walmart, etc...Have been pleasantly surprised after watching vids of visits to Chicago and NYC. Both cleaner and more attractive than I used to think. Visiting California is not or should not be about visiting the cities, but about the redwoods, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, etc. At nearly 83, and disabled from arthritis, I enjoy many of these videos, particularly first visits to the Grand Canyon, etc.

[@markmitchell457]

They are in Southern California. Northern California has the Giant Redwoods, and coastal views you can't see anywhere else.

[@maureen14]

The kid looks like he needs some prozac.

[@Brenda-f9y]

Back home in Kansas as well as Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa where I also have family you can definitely drink the tap water. However when I moved to Arizona and drank it I ended up in the hospital dehydrated from throwing up so much. I will never drink water from the tap in Arizona again not even filtered water! We have drive through Starbucks, drive through fast food restaurants, drive through pharmacies, drive through banks and drive through liquor stores. I'm sure there's a lot more drive through things but that's all I can think of at the moment. With every Starbucks I've ever been through it's ALWAYS been faster to go through the drive through even with mobile ordering in the store they just seem so slow but a little faster in the drive through.

[@brian.westersauce]

The spaciousness (“sprawl”) of how spread-out everything is is a uniquely LA thing. I don’t know of other cities that are quiiite so car-centric. By contrast, in Boston you can get anywhere in the city by bike

[@manxkin]

Yes, absolutely butter and lots of syrup on your pancakes. I prefer good old maple syrup. I don’t understand the fascination with Target and Walmart. I guess it’s just different. A drive thru is just really convenient.

[@oliviawolcott8351]

A strip mall is just a big long building with storefronts that companies or businesses can rent out. you park and then go into the store you want. unlike a regular mall where all the stores are inside one big building and you walk in and its a whole thing.

[@JKG.Photography_]

I grew up in Los Angeles and no it's not really that true that you just see celebrities out and about.

[@sassylassie1992]

It depends on where you live in LA.

[@dking1836]

I live in San Diego and we see TV and movie stars every now and then. One thing is you have to pay attention because most just blend in with other shoppers. William Shatner (Capt Kirk/Star Trek) used to have a horse ranch in San Diego County and I'm sure he was fairly well known in the small communities near the ranch. But not in a uniform or even a suit, if you don't hear his voice, he blends in with "regular folk." And without makeup and just wearing normal street clothes, they disappear in a crowd. A lot of Hollywood stars used to live in La Jolla (which is part of San Diego), etc. They too were escaping the Hollywood crush. But San Diego is now more expensive than Los Angeles.

[@JKG.Photography_]

@@dking1836 actually you're right most of them are low key I probably just never noticed haha

[@TheMaxmurphy1973]

You never eat pancakes without syrup....never! You ALWAYS put syrup on pancakes

[@jovetj]

You can put anything you want on pancakes. Some people like butter. Some people like ghee. Some people like syrup. Some people like peanut butter. Some people like powdered sugar. There are no rules.

[@hctaz]

In the winter, if we’re drinking a Coke, we still want ice for sure. But in really cold times, we typically skip the coke and drink warm drinks like Hot Cocoa with marshmallows or warm apple cider. Depends on if we’re outside or not. Most houses in the US have both air conditioning and heating built in, so our houses here basically always are whatever temperature we want them to be year round. Like if you want your house to be 22 Celsius all year round, you just set your thermostat to 22 and it will cool down to that or heat up to it. 22.22 Celsius is about 72 F which is a pretty standard “room temperature” where I live at least.

[@alisonflaxman1566]

No you have to switch from cool to heat on your thermostat.