LA vs. Boston

As someone who has lived on both coasts for quite some time, I can understand people’s reflexive prejudices towards both of the cities that I have lived in: Los Angeles and Boston. 

Bostonians tend to think that Los Angeles is an ugly maze of freeways where everyone is a Johnny Depp–look-alike– hipster, whereas Angelinos imagine Boston to be this rough and rugged city where the Mayor is mistakenly Whitey Bulger. That is not true by the way, for neither of these assumptions. 

First off – to get it out of the way – some of these LA/Boston stereotypes are true. Los Angeles does have too many freeways. So much so that we had to start numbering them (i.e. The 101, The 210, The 5, etc.). And Boston loves their sports teams. And when I mean love, I mean like they eat, breathe and dream about their local sports teams. Tom Brady has entered every Bostonian’s dream at least once since he started helping out the Patriots. 

So I get it. I’ve heard all of the clichés and assumptions about both cities. But really, what I like to draw people’s attention to, is the fact that both cities that I have humble connections with are just equally good in their own way. Yes, there are some major differences between the two cities.

There’s the weather . . .

Nope, never mind. That’s the only major difference. 

But besides the weather, both cities have a lot of charm and culture to them. 

Let me break it down for you. 

Los Angeles

Boston

Skyscapers

The U.S. Bank Tower

The Prudential Tower

The U.S. Bank Tower in Downton Los Angeles might be the second tallest building in Los Angeles, but it is the most famous and most recognizable skyscraper in all of Southern California. In 2016, the new owners of the skyscraper opened up an observation deck called the OUE Skyspace on the 69th and 70th floors, including a restaurant named 71Above (on the 71st floor of course) AND included a transparent glass slide affixed to the outside of the building between the 70th and 69th floors. So you can see the entire city of Los Angles and beyond while sliding smoothly. 

The Prudential Tower (otherwise known as The Pru to the locals) stands as the tallest building in Boston thanks to it’s radio mast, rising to 907 feet in height. The building has a total of 52 floors that includes the restaurant Top of the Hub – which occupies all of the 52nd floor. While reserving a table might cost you a $25 cover charge, you can happily sit at the bar at The Top of the Hub free of charge if you order a drink or a light dessert. But then below, on the 50th floor is the Skywalk Observatory, which has been hailed as the highest observation deck in all of New England. Now that’s a one of a kind view.  

Burgers

In-N-Out Burger

Tasty Burger

Listen, I am a native Californian. And personally, whenever I am asked the question, “Is In-N-Out better than Shake Shack?” an angel dies. Because I LOVE In-N-Out. If I had to pick one thing that would encompass the embodiment  of what it means to be a Californian, In-N-Out would be it. This burger is perfection on a bun. The whole In-N-Out experience puts Californians into a special state of mind. When you get off the plane at LAX, do you go straight home or to your hotel? Nope. You go to In-N-Out first, and you go to In-N-Out on the way back to the airport. Besides their Animal Style Fries and their Double Doubles, In-N-Out is not about the burger, but about the community behind the burger. 

So this obviously isn’t In-N-Out. But if you’re living on the East Coast you might as well acclimate to whatever the equivalent to In-N-Out Burger is. In Boston, this would be Tasty Burger. Now Tasty Burger is the official hamburger to the Boston Red Sox and has been serving the public since 2010. And while they don’t serve Animal Style Fries, they do serve beer on tap. Mostly from Boston’s local brews like Harpoon, Sam Adams and Narragansett. The chain further blurs the lines between fast-casual and full-service dining, with takeout ordering, build-your-own burgers and full table service. More so, their onion rings are the chain’s tour de force. Their thinly sliced red-onion strings fried to a golden, greasy crisp will have you licking your fingers. 

Weather

Sunny & Hot

Seasonal Year Round

This is probably the most obvious comparison between these two cities. LA usually is on a scale.  It is either really sunny or really hot. Sunny can be categorized – in LA standards – as having nice, comfortable weather 9 out of 12 months of the year. But the remaining 3 of these 12 months are wild cards, and these months are smack-dab in the middle of summer. Average temperatures this past July were among the hottest ever on recorded in Southern California, according to the National Weather Service. This might be contributed by the strong high pressure systems, and the lower amounts of marine layer. But when it’s not too hot, you have the San Gabriel Mountains to thank you for keeping this city cool even on it’s hottest of days. 

Boston is the type of city that at least displays all four seasons. When it is summer, it is hot. When it is fall, it is crisp and you can witness the leaves changing right before your very eyes. When it is winter, it is snowy – although it can sometimes be a little too snowy. And when it is spring, it rains. There’s a certain beauty that at least comes with viewing all four seasons. But because it is New England after all, the weather can sometimes be bipolar. One minute it will be sunny, and the next it will be a complete downpour. That being said, if you don’t normally get to experience the changing of the seasons, Boston is the city that makes an impact by being distinctive with all four of these seasons. So if you enjoy leafy pathways, building snowmen, warm summers and fresh spring air, Boston is the perfect city to provide all of your seasonal experiences. 

Sports

The Lakers, The Kings, The Rams & The Dodgers

The Red Sox, The Patriots, The Celtics & The Bruins

For as long as I’ve lived in California, I have always considered LA as the seat of power in the entertainment industry instead of a sporty city. That was, of course, before LA decided to be an NFL town again by bringing back The Rams. However, LA is still struggling to become a sports mecca city. Angelinos come to the games late and leave early. They are bandwagon riders. To say that Angelinos‘ care about sports is nothing in comparison to the love and passion East Coasters have to their own sports teams. That being said, the stands do get filled for every Laker and Dodger Game. The best rule of thumb for sussing out someone’s dedication to the home team here in LA is this: the farther away from the action they are, the more important the game is to that person. Plus LA does have some winning sports teams. The Lakers have 16 NBA championships. The Dodgers have won five World Series since moving from Brooklyn. The Kings have two Stanley Cups wins in the last six years. And the Rams . . . well, we shall see what becomes of them. Oh, and we recently got LeBron! 

There’s no question as to why Boston is regarded as one of the greatest sport cities in American. This century alone, Boston has won more championship titles in the big four professional sports (baseball, football, basketball and ice hockey) than any other US city. And each team has at least won one title. It’s no joke when Bostonians say that they “love” their team. The Red Sox recently set a Major League Baseball record with a sellout streak at Fenway Park of 820 games. And if you want to purchase season tickets to the New England Patriots, don’t expect it to happen in this lifetime. The waiting list is said to be more than 50,000 strong. So why is Boston all hyped up with their sports teams? It might have something to do with how Bostonians individually identify themselves with their own sports team. Even when the Rox lose, Tom Brady misses that throw, the buzzer goes off early for the Celtics and its zero points for the Bruins, Bostonians will never give up their love of their sports team. Now, that is dedication. 

Transportation

The LA Metro

The T

In Los Angeles, we have the LA Metro. It is a rail and bus transit system and the third most comprehensive system in the entire US. However, overall LA Metro ridership figures have been waning steadily. And that’s just because LA is a transient city in which you NEED a car to help you get from Point A to Point B. Plus, the fact that the price of motor fuel has been relatively low in recent years has also contributed to Angelinos opting for their cars instead. And if that isn’t enough, LA Metro is fighting against an image problem. Unreliability is partially responsible. Metro Buses are having a hard time staying on time. That’s what happens when you try to push public transportation to a city that has already adapted without it.  

In Boston, we have the T. Boston’s public transportation system is operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. But the locals know it simply as the “T.” It offers, subways, buses, trolly cars and boat services to just about everywhere in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Boston may be “America’s Walking City,” but Boston also features an extensive public transportation system to help anyone new to the city navigate it smoothy from Harvard to the Harbor. Getting around Boston on public transportation can save anyone time, stress and money. Unlike LA, Boston is a very walkable city with much to do. And the city’s compact size means that anyone can walk almost anywhere in less time than retrieving a car from a hotel parking lot. 

People

Celebrities

Politicians

There’s a reason why Los Angeles’s nickname is La-La-Land. Not only is the city famous for it’s weather (and therefore the ideal location for movies and TV shows to be filmed), but Los Angeles is every actor’s rite of passage. LA is understandably the hub to a large number of film and television productions and still holds the world’s largest group of production studios than any other city in the world. Okay, so, yes it’s true that you might run into a celebrity while you’re in LA. But it won’t be while you’re walking down on Hollywood Boulevard. Usually at Laker games you can spot a celebrity or two with court-side seats. But that’s just the appeal if you’re looking to be an actor in LA. 

While LA may be where you will find a network of actors, Boston is the center point for up-and-coming politicians. From Barney Frank to Marty Walsh, Boston has been the center of the socially progressive movements as early as the 19th century. The city has become a stronghold for people who seek to get into politics and become the next Joe Kennedy. Not to mention that a lot of local former Boston politicians still live around the city. John Kerry can be seen walking his dog, Ben in the Boston Commons in the late afternoon. You might just have a chance to ask him his two cents on his stance of the current government.  

History

Spanish History

Colonial History

El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (The Town of the Queen of Angels) was officially founded on September 4, 1781. The settlement was part of Spain’s colonization of California, which began in the 1760’s as a reaction to the Russian advancement into Alaska and Northern California. That’s why whenever you visit Los Angeles you’ll see a couple of adobe missions from the early Spanish explorations. 

Governor Winthrop announced the foundation of the town of Boston on September 7, 1630 with the place named after the town of Boston, in the English country of Lincolnshire, from which several prominent colonists emigrated. Early colonists believed that Boston was a community with a special covenant with God, and made it imperative that colonists legislate morality and church attendance in the World of God. To this day, some of the original colonial buildings are still standing in Boston. 

So between these two cities, they both have their perks. You seriously cannot go wrong living in one of these towns.