LOS ANGELES: We Expected A Homeless Wasteland, But It Was Beautiful (Traffic SUCKS, Though)

We visited Los Angeles, California, not sure what to expect. News sites continually report about the rampant homelessness and general dirty condition of the city. We didn't see any of that. The city was beautiful, although the horrid traffic ruins visiting. It's simply near impossible to get anywhere. That said, we read that most of the homeless population had been cleared out for the Super Bowl game right before the Super Bowl game between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. Which would explain why we hardly saw any. And in all fairness, we did not go downtown.
We stayed at the Courtyard By Marriott Orange County.
4.4 out of 5
Nicole's Instagram: / nicole_from. .
Joey's Instagram: lordspoda?...
USA By Road Instagram: / usa_by_road. .
Joey's Facebook: / joey.evans.790
Lord Spoda Facebook: / joey.evans.790
Travel Vlog #51

[@davidgonzales2274]

Should go to the griffith park observattory and stand where james dean did in the fifties filming rebel without a cause.

[@oprahwinfrey2967]

I was born and raised in the Valley. I grew up skating the empty pools of Encino, Tarzana and Sherman Oaks. I surfed the breaks at Zeros, Leo Carrillo and Latigo Beach. I went to Nestle Ave, Portola, and Reseda High. I got my undergraduate degree at USC in South Central, got wasted in the many bars and nightclubs on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, and got laid on a blind date at Tail O’ the Pup on Santa Monica Blvd. California was paradise at one point in time. Regrettably, that California is now gone. It’s a raging dumpster fire these days. Florida is now what California used to be. That’s why everyone is moving there. This video brought back some memories, but also reminded me of why we left. Thank you for the upload.

[@dopeMike_]

"Florida is now what California used to be. " I dont think itll capture the essence of what your talking about. I experienced the tail end of that period of California.

[@Junk65]

Florida is a Dump

[@oprahwinfrey2967]

@@Junk65 A dump is what the old man took on your chest in exchange for enough loose change to feed your fix. Florida is the place you dream about moving to once you get out of jail and scrounge up enough bus fare.

[@bawbtherevelator6445]

I've lived in LA 77 of my nearly 84 years as a hopeless optimist. OTOH homelessnes is a bipartisn national disgrace. I was lucky to be bon in FDR's fibal terms. Since then it's a long, slow decline. WWII Vets had the GI Bill. After that NADA but lip service. I'm stupefyingly lucky to live in the house my dad bought in 1954. with daughter, husband, and Grandson..Your USA tour is brilliant and depressing. Thanks

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you. For the record, for me, LA wasn’t the horrible place so many people try to paint it. Aside from the horrendous traffic, I found the city quite beautiful.

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I guess that depends on what Faux News stories you listen to.

[@dopeMike_]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip The homeless or I guess the new 1984 term is "people experiencing homelessness" don't usually go down to the beach until about 530 6pm. You'll notice the change as the suns about to set. But like you said LA and California in general is a naturally beautiful state. The west coast in general has natural beauty from Bellingham to San Diego.

[@Chris-sm3um]

Salute man

[@Psychodermia]

13:00 - ME! 😂 I got to play at the Whisky, the Roxy and other cool bars back in the 90s! 👽✌️

[@bradleylove8606]

Caddyshack is one of my all time favorites too.

[@dennisromero4757]

Welcome to SoCal, Typical Weather @ that time year, u did great by starting off early on a weekday. There is so much to see, so spread out , and traffic that it is imposable to see it all. But you picked great spots. Great Job Guys!

[@bertspeggly4428]

If you're homeless, what better place to be? Beautiful warm weather, and mostly kind and sympathetic people.

[@Calizen]

@@user-di3nw8gv9oI think what they meant by that is just normal everyday people won’t just come up and bother a homeless a person. Even though ironically LA is full of influencers and people trying to be famous they still won’t go as far as to harass homeless people

[@path1400]

I moved from Brooklyn, New York to San Diego 43 years ago. Now I live in 15 mile from Temecula ,CA in my own home. California has been good to me and mine.

[@shorebaby8959]

You were probably there after the massive clean-up of Venice Beach. German in Venice has kept good records on the homelessness issue in L.A. I am a New Yorker and loved my visits to L.A. The last visit in 2013, I saw a noticeable change in the city. So this has been happening over a period of time.

[@lauraslanesvanlifetravels]

The homelessness problem isn't on Venice Beach, it's along skid row and it is getting worse...we have the same issue in phoenix,az but you don't see it unless you go down south below the main part of the city along interstate 60 and some other spots south of the main downtown and of course, downtown has it too...grown exponentially in the last year due to rent increases and other reasons.

[@rafaeltorre1643]

There’s homeless everywhere in Venice. I go for a week every 3 months. You walk over people in downtown everywhere. It’s literally everywhere.

[@josephalfonsoamantia7028]

@@rafaeltorre1643 Homelessness is all over this country, not just Los Angeles. I was just there a few weeks ago. It's not as bad as you make it sound. If you hate it so much, then move. Laura' Lanes is correct stating that most of the homeless are on skid row. For being a city with over 12 million in the metropolitan area, I think the city is very clean.

[@Chris-sm3um]

Yes it’s bad

[@Jeymez]

Skid Row was always bad

[@brklynz_finest6383]

LMAO 🤣 his wife is hysterical. Her dust !

[@haruspex54]

I got a kick out of that one, too. Nicole is adorable!

[@TypicallyWhat]

Long Beach is the 3rd largest city in Southern California. With almost 500,000 people… it would be the largest city in a lot of states. You need to visit Long Beach someday. It’s absolutely beautiful. The hidden gem of SoCal. Everyone thinks it’s ghetto like the 90’s still but it is not.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I will visit. Sounds awesome.

[@allsloppynojoe4011]

I left socal 2 years ago. Always avoided the LBC whenever possible. Whenever I passed thru it was a dump just like all the surrounding cities.

[@TypicallyWhat]

@@allsloppynojoe4011 As most large cities Long Beach has a rough area but it’s only a small part up near Compton… the remaining city is gorgeous. Downtown, east village, alamitos beach, bixby knolls, Belmont shore, Belmont heights, bluff park, rose park, zafaria, the circle, the marina, Belmont park, Alamitos heights, north and south Los Altos, el dorado park… etc.. are many of the nice areas in Long Beach. But sure.. judge the city by the small area you drove thru. And btw… the surrounding cities are not all bad either. Lakewood, Seal Beach, Signal Hill, Rossmoor, Hawaiian Gardens.. etc are all very nice cities surrounding Long Beach. So step off. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about like most residents of LA and OC proper. 🙄

[@napndash]

Lots of shootings in LB!

[@elbowdown1420]

I used to hang out in lb back in the 90s. The areas around shoreline drive was ok. Belmont shore was nice. Thats about it.

[@sadielampduo3762]

Thanks for this video 🎥

[@computron5824]

It's either a wasteland or paradise depending on who you listen to, but there is truth to both of those statements. CA economy is burning extremely hot at the very top, but the state has neglected housing and created this cost of living crisis. In Los Angeles, the median household income is $65k but the most recent median listing pushed $1million. You need an income of $200k+ for 30 years to afford that. This isn't going to end well.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

You're right.

[@Chris-sm3um]

You camputured it right.

[@MrDEWaters]

I grew up in Los Angeles (the Valley) but I moved away to St. Louis in the eighties. My dad grew up on the same street as Marilyn Monroe in the 1940s (Archwood St. in Van Nuys). He said she used to do little dances on a raised area in the high school cafeteria and she hung around the football team a lot. My dad was friends with her first husband, Jim Dougherty, and he was told some things about her that have never been made public. (regarding her relationship with her foster family). My aunt showed me her high school yearbook with Marilyn's picture (Norma Jean Baker).

[@mikemiller4726]

I’m from Orange county. Just came across your videos. Said you were leaving LA to stay there. Just curious if you spent any time there. Real estate background if you research you will see many people from LA and SF with money have been moving to Orange county. They have some of the best beach’s in SoCal. Newport Beach actually has a couple of the wealthiest neighborhoods in all Southern California.

[@robinrussell7965]

I parked in Venice once and walked to Santa Monica and back with my brother. Just gone all day long and didn't pay a penny for parking. It took me 10 minutes to find a spot though. You can survive without a car in LA with a bike and a bus or train. Not for the meek but neither is LA -- a beautiful city, once you park your car.

[@davidgonzales2274]

In 1980 i use to work in hollywood a couple times a week and i drove up to the old "hollywood sign", it was 1/4 inch plywood, had termite damage and held up by 2/4's. I cohuld push it around, it had an old night light system and i took some ans sold them at the swap meet.

[@johnchiujr.3587]

Hello Joe! I love your videos and how you talk about the positives and negatives of each city. Is there any way to let us know the month and year you went to each place? Thanks and I look forward to more of your videos!

[@Jeymez]

last year in 2022

[@keyup2626]

Dang that was really cool seeing you visit Marilyn Monroe’s Mausoleum, it sounds like we grew up idolizing a lot of the same people. Rodney Dangerfield has to been one of the funniest men to ever lived, he was absolutely one of my favorite comedians. Had a massive crush on Farrah Fawcett she was a lovely lady, I remember watching a series of videos on her last remaining months and the treatments she was taking. It was heartbreaking watching he go through such tough times. She handled herself with such grace. Kinda sad seeing so many people interned in one place, I grew up with and admired so much. You’ve got me yearning to go out to California this year, I have family just outside of LA and miss them so dearly. Loved seeing the Brady house, I’ve been out to LA so many times and never bothered checking those places out, I need to. I’d love to go to the Whiskey A GoGo some day.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

There is still more that I would like to see in LA. The city was beautiful, and not the horrible place you read about in the news. The weather was incredible. If it wasn’t so crowded, and the traffic so bad, it would be the perfect place.

[@keyup2626]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I agree so much with you that Cali is a wonderful place but the traffic just sucks lol. I find it a very friendly place to visit and enjoy every trip I take there.

[@doogalloonni]

Nothing BUT respect, Rodney! RIP- Thanks for a million laughs.

[@WhittyPics]

I would think there would be more crowds even the day or few days before the Super Bowl

[@scottmaytham3578]

I often wonder what would the monthly mortgage payment's would be on a million dollar house.And property taxes, utilities,maintainence cost etc.And I sure don't miss Orlando traffic either.Sure miss the fine food in Orlando

[@scottmaytham3578]

Do you remember that TV program, What's My Line? Just guessing I would have to say like a shop teacher or a vocational training instructor.Milatary trainer or some type profession like that prior to Lord Spoda!

[@tplugnickel]

There used to be a walking trail right up to the sign

[@sundinfamforlife4129]

Venice Beach was bad last year with homelessness. If you're curious there's another KZbinr germaninvince I think he documented it. They cleaned it up though and it's not too bad anymore.

[@michellec.9852]

LA traffic is RIDICULOUS! I hope to never go back there. How people deal with that is beyond my comprehension. When I saw where the Oscars were held I was amazed. It’s in a mall. 😂. When we saw the Brady house there was a security vehicle in front watching the house.

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

Great to see Ray Bradbury's grave. I especially admire his early horror stories - "The Emissary", "Skeleton", "And the Rock Cried Out", "The Veld", "Zero Hour" etc. etc. 🕷

[@davidholmes9643]

Venice and Sunset Boulevard was just the same when I visited 21 years ago . Hollywood was a dump 35 years ago with broken down cars on the road looks a lot better now.

[@BigGator5]

Ray Bradbury and Rodney Dangerfield are the two graves I might be interested in visiting. However I am not the kind of person to visit anyone's grave that I didn't personally know.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I'm too big a fan of Marilyn Monroe and Farrah Fawcett to not visit their graves. These two women, along with Dawn Wells (she's buried in Reno, Nevada, and I will be visiting hers as well) were the most influential to me, ah, in "discovering" myself as a young man, lol.

[@BigGator5]

That's cool. You do what you gotta do.

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

🤣😂 oh the lights, yeah they will keep you sitting, sf they are faster, but there is just too many ppl on that island

[@donjuanseville3039]

I'VE BEEN 2 LOS ANGELES 1 TIME. STAYED 3 HOURS N RODE AROUND HOLLYWOOD N SOUTH CENTRAL LA.......THEN DROVE BACK 2 PHOENIX ARIZONA 2 FINISH MY VACATION 💯💯💯

[@wojapi7538]

🤡

[@alwaysoutafterdark6136]

There are parts of LA and Orange County that are homeless wastelands. Go hit up Hollywood and Van Nuys at night. Look under freeway underpasses and for the parking lots that turn into campsites in the late night.

[@tamedshrew235]

City did a clean out of homeless encampments prior to Super Bowl tourism.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Yeah, that's what I read afterwards. The city looked great while I was there!

[@CaptainHowdy1969]

L.A. is just 1 place I have no desire to see and experience the horrid traffic,congestion etc...the only part of Cali I care to see is northern Cali,the redwoods,lake Tahoe,susanville,Truckee,etc...

[@colelinsley2135]

I grew up in California and I tell you what Venice Beach the Santa Monica Promenade used to be where everyone went everyday. I have not been back since but from what I seen it has nor changed much, There is a lot of Homeless in LA was when I was growing up as well. I just dont want to go back though i left that place behind and politically its noy my cup of tea either.

[@prophetmargin7497]

I heard that the city of LA was giving away free one way bus tickets to the homeless during super bowl week, so the tourists coming in for the SB wouldn't encounter them. That's why you may not have been seeing many homeless in the Venice area, the week you were there!

[@elperinasoswa6772]

I been up in that hollywood sign. There some caves back there.

[@jeaneallen4969]

Born and raised here, I have traveled to many states in the USA. I never want to live in any other place than Calif. I don't care if everybody left Cali I love L.A.

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Pretty sure they filmed Get Shorty at the Rainbow.

[@jnf1270]

You can't see LA in only a day. However I can assure you it's a lot nicer than Jackson, MS 🤣

[@julianwahly3372]

What is so great about that view? When you were in billings I thougt that view you had there on that ridge was a 100 times more impressive than this. Hollywood is way overhyped IMHO.

[@JJJBRICE]

The fellow you tuber Action Kid did a vid where he walked up the narrow and unpaved road to the hill just above the Hollywood sign where the commincation tower was . There were other people there . Those people could give mountain goats a run for their money .

[@davidharris7235]

You guys have a tough life...lol. Did you miss Natalie Wood, Dean Martin and Heather O'Rourke at the cemetery?

[@LesMorrisracing]

Marilyn Monroe , you can blame the Kennedy's on that. Terrible

[@aaronunsfe]

Some of those bldgs were probably songle family homes back in the 60s and 70s.

[@siansaksaajalampaanlatinaa]

These streets are like my own pockets. I live in Finland🇫🇮, but i have played GTA so many years😄😄😄

[@stevemartin6792]

Her dust? Lol now that was good.

[@nancyparker9986]

Oh Lord Spoda…..hope you are not too disappointed when the truth about Hollywood comes out !!!

[@WalkingVibes4K]

Looks clean for now..nice tour

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Homelessness is a national problem and pretty much all large cities have a ghetto. But let's face it, would you want to be Homeless in Duluth or ice fishing in Bismarck? Or would you rather hang out on a beach on a nice sunny day?

[@lillysf1819]

You can hike closer to the Hollywood sign.

[@dopeMike_]

yea i was wondering why they were so far away from it. You can literally park down the hill from the sign.

[@Joe-li2nk]

Never mind, Marilyn. Your own wife is quite lovely.

[@clarkgriswold5903]

What GPS do you guys use?

[@dopeMike_]

The Michigan hand

[@carloseduardoaguilar5099]

aw man you missed Natalie Wood at that cemetery, too.

[@warrenscarlett9302]

👍

[@pattieharris517]

Appreciate all the effort taken to show us the Hollywood sign!🫵🏽💪🏽😍

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

🤣😂😅 I took the hike, half way!!! 🤣😂😅😂🤣 then to the zoo

[@nyanilius8008]

It seems like you were actually away from the encampment areas. I don't know what to tell you about LA other than it's where a massive number of people end up. Lots of people means probably every possible viewpoint and everything that comes with. I and pretty much every driver in California agree LA traffic is ridiculous. That place really did NOT adopt adequate public transportation and much of the land is actually for streets, roads, and parking lots instead of buildings and parks. If all you want to do is drive all day then LA is great? I'm biased I know. I hope you got to visit little Tokyo, it's one of only 3 japantown centers left in America after WWII. The other two are in the bay area

[@jamaldavis7795]

i remember being a kid back in the 80s living in diamond bar California when los Angeles was pretty much a very beautiful live and awesome city to live in.. but now a days, it's nothing like that!!..i mean there is homeless bums just about everywhere you go, and let's not talk about downtown l.a, that's just a big shit hole 🕳️..I'm born and raised in l.a, but I will never go back to live there, visit?!, yes..

[@Kenna198]

Yes, it’s sad, I’d rather not say how I feel about the “homeless” You Tube would ban me

[@triciab7750]

be careful

[@dr.chingus7258]

Not to disparage ,but all that is just for tourists , locals don't bother,but I do enjoy your videos

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

Yeah the best way is to get a hotel, then walk LA, or scooter LA

[@tasossaros8375]

🆗️👍

[@Jeymez]

every house in California is over 500k these days, the homes along Hollywood Blvd and Malibu are $5 million. they used to be lower, but that was 10 years ago when Obama was President. houses were $350k, and that was for a good one.

[@elperinasoswa6772]

I miss Venice beach

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

No homeless ppl are in downtown by the capital. Some in hollywood

[@americanenglishcourse4076]

you can marilyn

[@keithhyttinen8275]

Is that the road where James Dean and Sam Kinison were killed?

[@mariaarroyos2925]

Really...it's dirty, graffitti all over, and homeless epidemic is depressing.

[@michaelhoran407]

Apalling place. Zero rail transportation. They need to be confined to it.

[@Thuggysmurf]

You visited Venice Beach at a good time, shortly after they cleared the homeless encampments off the beach. I was there around the same time you were. If you traveled a few blocks up from the beach to Centennial Park (along Venice Blvd), that's where the major homeless encampment was at that time. Absolute filth. There is a KZbin channel called German in Venice who documented how bad the homeless situation was on the beach. LA was my hometown. Sad what happened there and how it scattered people who grew up together all over the country. Skid Row and lots of other areas are still a mess, but at least Santa Monica/Venice has cleaned up significantly over the past 18 months.

[@jameslaumand3686]

JAMES GARNER

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Seriously, why would you expect a homeless wasteland? SoCal is HUGE! Vastly populated but also very wealthy. All kinds of people there from billionaires to poverty.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Because Los Angeles has more homeless than any other city in the United States.

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Although unverified, the word is that Chicago has the highest per capita. In all fairness, we all have bias and expectations so I shouldn'tbe so harsh. I apologize. Glad you were pleasantly surprised. I am enjoying your videos. Thank you for highlighting blight in this country. Your documentation helps everyone understand poverty throughout the country and hopefully inspires compassion. Best wishes.

[@triciab7750]

Venice Beach is not beautiful...go to Cystal Cove...south newport

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Now you tell me, Tricia! I'm in San Francisco now. I liked Venice Beach. It has a delightful tackiness to it that is beautiful in it's own way. :)

[@pstan5899]

you have to drive downtown to see homeless,,,

[@JJJBRICE]

i am suprised from my limited knowledge of women that LS wifey would allow him to have those female icons posters on the wall anywhere , unless he has them in a special room that is locked . I think even Ms. Monroe and Ms. Fawcett would feel the same way if they were still living , even if the poster had an image of a plain jane type lady .

[@bobmanfre5083]

18:30. I had a thing for Alice.

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

I’m a big fan of Bettie Paige. Classic pinup.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Me too!

[@xKarma_411]

homelessness & traffic is a problem no question about it but neither is ghost towns and dead cities that many governors are responsible for while simultaneously portraying california as being a “wasteland state”. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@elperinasoswa6772]

Not as nice as it use to be

[@vbboyd]

You don't like living in traffic all of the time, then try living in Austin, Texas you will see first hand what living in traffic is all about.

[@shorebaby8959]

Or, NYC.

[@davidgonzales2274]

Actually the most fussy people in la are the ones who are new to the area, people who been here a long time can hang here, get a little dirty, and not exspect someone to catter to them.

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

🤣😂 SF 2 million ppl on a small island

[@americanenglishcourse4076]

go downtown then you will see the homelssssssss!!!!

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

Ppl go there for stereotypes

[@rwdriver300]

Hit Skid Row then report back… you guys were in Hollywood lol

[@BigGator5]

Los Angeles isn't the epicenter of California's rot. You'll have to go to San Francisco for that. Portland, Oregon is even worse. Seattle, Washington is just as bad, but they just elected GOP leadership. They haven't been there long enough to have made an impact yet, so we're giving them a break. I would personally advise NOT going to any of these cities. If you insist, please listen to me. The stores are almost picked clean, so braking into vehicles has becoming a bigger deal these days. Don't leave anything in your car that you don't want to lose.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Lol, you just listed the order of places we are visiting next. We’re in San Francisco right now. Portland is next, then Seattle. And yes, I’m going to all the hellish places in those cities. 😬

[@BigGator5]

Just be careful and super vigilant. Be praying for you two.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

@@BigGator5 We will. We’re actually going to stay out in the suburbs of these 3 cities. To be honest, I’m more nervous about visiting St Louis and Baltimore next month.

[@james8884]

Lol you have no clue what you're talking about.

[@BigGator5]

James 888 ...Tell that to Chesa Boudin.

[@davidgonzales2274]

I guess your wife was not excited about you oggiling abovee betty pages tomestone, you wife could really go-go at the whisky.

[@MELONenSURPRISE]

Hahaha 😂dude spare your woman of all the girls you had crush on ...

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

You can’t swim in the ocean, but you can surf, so ppl only go to the ca beaches to sight see or bbq

[@jk47500]

Yes you can. The water is colder out here but you can definitely swim in it, especially during the summer months. I did it about a month ago at the Pacific Palisades.

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

🤣😂😅 thank god you got your wife, girls will ask for money in exchange for money randomly

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

Shouldn’t of gone there, & do not go to sf Turk st

[@Biteme17x]

You won’t worship or idolize those pinups and actresses after you find out the truth of who and what they actually are, so 3D man

[@abcderghijk]

Ha, ha, ha, ha,ha,ha,ha,haha,ha,ha,ha,ha.. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!! That's what think?? It's a waste land...I lived there 25 years.. Although in Orange County...

[@parttimehuman]

You seem stable.

[@ChildOfTheAlmightyGod1974]

Hey Joe with all that money you blow on alcohol and other things your next project should be to😊😊😊😊😊😊 see how many homeless shelters you can build nationwide you should get millions of subscribers for that project the Holy Bible clearly states poor people we will have with us always so help do something about homelessness I'm sure alot of your subscribers will help you out with that project😊😊😊😊😊

[@robertmerrick2389]

You keep talking about them women & your wife will bury you next!

[@JohnGotts]

From Michigan homelessness looks like a cost of living issue, plaguing states run by Democrats and Republicans equally. The reason why we don't have homeless encampments here is that means death due to the cold. It used to be if you fell on hard times you could at least rent a room for a few hundred bucks a month anywhere in the US. But I see rents in places like Idaho, Texas, Florida, and Utah in the multiple thousands of dollars per month for a basic place. Similar story in Democratic run states near the coast. When the most basic accomodation cannot be had for less than $1,000 people of poor means have nowhere to go but the street. And they live in places where they won't actually die in the cold of winter or the heat of summer. In the US that means California, Oregon, and Washington. All the other 47 states' homeless problem has to be borne by these three states with year round temperate climates.

[@cheesyrichard]

I'm glad you had a good experience, but LA is still the epitome of our country's decline.

[@parttimehuman]

I think you mean epicenter, and no, it isn't.

[@cheesyrichard]

@@parttimehuman Epitome: "a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type". I stand by what I say. Extreme progressive politics, corruption, drugged up hobos allowed to sleep on the sidewalk, not enough water, high cost of living, an increase in wildfires, generally rude people, BLM riots, more illegal immigrants than any other city, unhealthy air, and the Hollywood culture. From one of the best cities to THAT?

[@johnchiujr.3587]

I think you meant the state. I left my home state 20+ years and I never looked back. High taxes, bad traffic, racial tensions, too many people, etc., etc.!