Few people have experienced the true luxury and privilege of living in both New York City and Los Angeles during their lifetime.
Despite the fact that both of these major cities share all of the obvious similarities, they're actually very different and unique in their own ways.
While NYC holds an earned reputation for being fast-paced, overcrowded and incredibly diverse, Los Angeles offers up a few signature traits of its own.
Here are 13 things you'll notice about Los Angeles after living in New York City:
13. People are friendly to you simply because they want to be.
In New York City, you're lucky if you can get someone to hold the door open for you without whispering unwarranted insults under their breath immediately following the good deed.
Selflessness doesn't get you anywhere in New York City when the same person that was decent enough to let you know you dropped your empty Metro Card on the ground is the same person who will steal your cab at two in the morning.
As far as decency in Los Angeles goes, the same sketch-ball in the back alley that makes you fear for your life is also the first person to greet you with "good morning" and a warm smile.
It must be the serotonin boosted by the endless sunshine and winding palm trees.
12. Dating is nearly impossible.
Sure, everyone "dates" here but is it really considered a date when you've handed out your business card during a night out more times than you've had sex in your entire life?
You have to remember, everyone in Los Angeles is trying to be Michael Jackson-level famous when they grow up. It's one big, everlasting networking mixer.
Dating? Insert the 2012 "Ain't Nobody Got Time For That" meme here, please.
Next time you contemplate asking someone out on a date in LA, just know they'd rather be at their pilates and cross-fit classes.
11. It's pretty easy to get lost even if you've lived here forever.
In New York, as long as you stay in Manhattan, it's damn near impossible to get lost thanks to the easy-going street grid.
If I had a dollar for every time I've gotten into a car with a Lyft or Uber driver that claims they've lived in Los Angeles for decades and still got lost, I'd make Donald Trump look like the face of poverty.
10. Cars are life.
LA is the place where your neighbor has a 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, but lives in a studio apartment.
Car culture, in general, is huge on the West Coast for obvious reasons.
In New York, having a car is pointless with all of the other easily accessible forms of transportation and parking in the Big Apple is utterly impossible.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, forces you to drive unless you plan on trapping yourself in your neighborhood. The sidewalks are empty, the roads are packed and the traffic can get brutal.
Not to mention, for once, New York City loses a battle in offering overpriced necessities needed to survive. Gas prices are up by a couple of dollars per gallon in LA.
According to the Los Angeles Times, gas prices are set to jump up by 30 more than cents to close out February.
9. Everyone drives like a psychopath.
You think NYC cab drivers are crazy behind the wheel?
Driving anywhere in LA is the literal equivalent of playing Grand Theft Auto V with a virtual reality headset mounted onto your head.
I saw more car accidents in LA in 24 hours than I've seen in NYC over the course of 10 years.
Now, what is the craziest part about all of this? Well, since everyone's super nice to each other in the land of make believe, none of it matters.
Fender benders are happening left and right in LA, but people just hop out of their cars and hug each other.
Where am I?
8. There are virtually no pedestrians on the sidewalks - anywhere.
Everyone drives in Los Angeles which leaves a tremendous amount of empty space on the sidewalks.
The only sidewalk I'd consider to be moderately crowded in LA is the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
If you've ever lived in New York City, you know the sidewalks are rarely ever empty.
The only time a New Yorker can ensure a clear sidewalk for more than two blocks is right after the one brutal snowstorm of the year takes place.
Other than that, it's pedestrian city - even in residential neighborhoods like the Upper East Side, Kips Bay, Harlem and Murray Hill.
In Los Angeles, if you're on the sidewalk, you'll notice that it's more like a runway at a fashion show.
All of the people around you are sitting front row (in their cars) judging the sh*t out of you as you stroll on by...car-less.
7. The weather's great, obviously.
Learn to deal with passive aggressive behavior from your close peers and family members - especially if your small-talk consists of how great the weather is in LA.
They'll be livid to hear that the weather is never an issue for you.
A high of 80 and a low of 62 minus the humidity sounds far too good to be true!
6. Mornings start a lot later.
You'll notice that everyone's pretty laid back in Los Angeles whereas, in New York, if you're not at your desk by 9 am sharp, you're an absolute loser and you can't be trusted with anything.
Due to the chill-laxness of LA, work hours tend to start later in the day at most LA-based businesses.
If you've ever emailed someone residing within the pacific time zone, you've noticed they won't reply until way after 9am pacific time because they're dedicating the early hours to their health and fitness.
5. Nights end a lot earlier.
Clubs in NYC are a whole lot darker, louder and messier.
A night out in Los Angeles means you're most likely standing around in a well-lit bar that calls itself a club.
Everyone around you is mingling, "networking" and trying to figure out how they can use each other during normal business hours.
To top it off, no one ever really gets ridiculously wasted because nights in LA end at 2 am. If you've gone out in NYC, you know that the night typically ends a bit after 4 am.
It's a gift and a curse.
4. Foodies here are obsessed with all-organic EVERYTHING (and yoga).
Asking if the bacon in your breakfast platter is real bacon or not is something you'll eventually find yourself doing in the City of Angels.
Just about any restaurant you stroll into offers a wide variety of organic dishes, as well as an extensive vegan menu.
If you thought your local Whole Foods in NYC was packed with organic food obsessors, you haven't seen sh*t yet. Hooray for good health!
3. Quick bites are cheaper and taste better here.
In New York, you're either eating at a flawless five-star restaurant or a mediocre fast-casual restaurant.
As for LA, well, I was able to walk into over 10 different locations I've never heard of before and be completely blown away by the food.
Keep in mind, these weren't the fanciest restaurants in the world - just conveniently located ones.
Anytime I've ever aimlessly ventured into a random food spot in New York with little time to spare, I've always regretted it.
2. Mobile apps are your best friend.
Believe it or not, New York City offers a bit more freedom, if you're visiting without a car, than Los Angeles does.
In the Big Apple, hopping on the subway, biking or speed-walking crosstown is usually the first course of action. If you want a snack, it's pretty easy to run down to your local deli or pharmacy which is never farther than three city blocks.
In Los Angeles, your phone is your personal key to the city.
From ordering food to ordering a new toothbrush and a can of Lysol, it's all there. You can even have rental cars delivered straight to your doorstep.
You'll learn to love your mobile apps.
1. People here work because they're actually passionate about what they're doing.
This is the most apparent takeaway:
In New York City, everyone's trying to figure out how they're going to pay for their $3,500 studio apartment conveniently located in what used to be considered a bad neighborhood.
That, my friends, is why everyone's feverishly grinding their asses off every second of the day. In other words, New Yorkers are motivated to maintain but never to break the mold of what it means to be successful.
In Los Angeles, despite equally ridiculous rent rates and price gouging, people are either dedicating themselves to what they're actually passionate about, or they're trying to figure out how to get paid to do what they already love.
Los Angeles is where you go when you're ready to be great - even if it means becoming an Uber driver between auditions and casting calls.
