Blogging Social Differences in L.A. Week 10: North Hollywood: A slum next to a suburb

North Hollywood: A slum next to a suburb

For my final blog I was partially inspired by one of my very first blogs regarding my hometown, Burbank. The responses I received were the main reason I decided to follow up on that post. In my blog for Burbank, it seems like I glorified the town a bit, which may be true. But it was one response that someone posted to it that asked if there was a big difference between Burbank and its neighboring cities. With that in mind, I decided to answer that question with this week's blog.
North Hollywood is Burbank's neighboring city and yes, you can tell the difference between it and Burbank. I decided to walk into that part of town to experience the differences. Walking from what is considered Burbank into what is North Hollywood, you can already see the changes. Once you pass that sign that says, "Welcome to Burbank" and step into North Hollywood, the streets completely change. The streets that the people drive on immediately get bumpier and have a ton of pot holes in them whereas Burbank is always up to par on keeping their roads clean and free of any imperfections such as pot holes. Walking down the sidewalk in North Hollywood, the shops are run down and old, and some are pretty sketchy looking. If this were at night, I would have definitely felt a little more uneasy and completely unsafe walking these streets. The funny thing is, well probably not funny but more on the sad side, is that my mom tells me that north Hollywood has improved so much more over the years compared to what it used to be. (Which I do admit, there is one area of North Hollywood that has updated a bit with a new "luxury apartment" complex and some eateries which is by the train station.) But besides the minor improvements, North Hollywood has remained a slum compared to its neighboring city, Burbank. As I walk along and see the various run-down shops, I run into a liquor store that I'm sure many people have seen in the movie Clueless. It is the scene where Cher is left alone in the valley after a party and gets robbed at gunpoint in front of the Circus Liquor Store. Well, this is the same liquor store I am speaking of. While I may seem like I am exaggerating the dangerousness of North Hollywood due to a scene in a movie, if you "google" North Hollywood, you can find that it is no stranger to guns with one of the top searches being "North Hollywood shoot out".
Now, walking along Burbank Blvd. in North Hollywood, I not only take in the looks of the streets and the shops that surround them, but the people who also walk the streets. The majority of the people I see along the streets are Hispanic. I occasionally see a Black or White person, but for the most part I see Hispanics of all ages. There are some kids, probably high school age, roaming the streets probably looking for something to do since they aren't at school and there are people sitting outside their shops. I'm thinking that they may be standing outside their shops since the shops are run down and not in the best condition. Who wants to be sitting in an old run-down shop, when they don't have any customers, that probably doesn't have any source of air or heat system. So, my overall view of North Hollywood, compared to its neighboring city, Burbank, is dirty, run-down, and not as safe.
With these thoughts in mind, it reminds me of what we learned about neoliberalism. If we continued at the rate of that system, no wonder North Hollywood remains in the condition that it is in. Being full with low-income minorities, North Hollywood has a very low chance of improving if the state of the city counted on these individuals. By the looks of the city of what I saw, these people in North Hollywood are making just enough to afford a run down apartment for themselves and their family and can't afford for a little more expensive place in a much cleaner, safer location. If the people and town was given help from the government such as welfare or even green up the place by cleaning and fixing up the streets or adding a local park, North Hollywood and its residents would be in a much better place.

Blogging Social Differences in L.A.Week 9 (Response)

Response to: http://sashageschwind.blogspot.com/2012/11/blogging-social-differences-week-7.html

I enjoyed reading your post because you clearly and descriptively described your bus trip down sunset. The different types of people that were passengers on the bus that you described certainly shed a light on the status of the people who use public transit. The variety of people upon the bus such as students, Hispanics, and what appeared to be a crazy or homeless man showed that the people on the bus were most likely not from this area that you left from. Then, your description of the surroundings along your ride showed a great difference in the cities going down sunset. There was clearly a difference in class and society going from Beverly Hills then farther east into L.A. I think this shows a great deal of how diverse Los Angeles really is. Although you did not mention the people that you saw outside of the bus, I'm sure you noticed a great difference in them as well as you looked out the window onto sunset. In the area where you noticed lavish restaurants and shops, I would assume that the majority of the public was white and that as you went further east into L.A., I'm sure the race and ethnicity got a bit more diverse. With the cities getting worse and more dirty, I would expect the race and class statistic to be represented by more Hispanics and blacks. With this in mind, it reminds me of one of the readings we read regarding toxic wastes locations. It would be no surprise to me if there was a toxic waste location close to the cities that you saw towards the end of your trip (east L.A.). The reading expressed how the lower class and minorities' homes were much more likely to be in closer proximity to a toxic waste location compared to that of a higher class/white society. Overall, great post. I think it really showed how different places are and how you can even tell how much the lifestyles are different just along a quick bus trip.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 8 (LA Times Article "Thanksgiving")

A Feast on Skid Row

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mission-thanks-20121123,0,6870970.story

From many previous experiences in visiting places throughout Los Angeles, one can notice that all over, Los Angeles is segregated whether you admit it or not. People are segregated not only by race, but economically as well. While the two might feed off of each other, we are still able to find great differences in areas throughout Los Angeles and it is expressed in different areas such as in the Los Angeles Times.
While most articles regarding segregation is usually seen as a negative aspect, this article shines a bright light on the people who are segregated and offer others support. This article in the LA Times speaks of a Thanksgiving feast held for those in skid row. Skid Row contains one of the largest homeless populations in the United States. Killing two birds with one stone, according to the 2000 census, Skid Row's population was 17,740 and 2,410 households residing in the neighborhood. The estimate for homeless people within Skid Row for 2011, was 4,316 people. What I did find a bit interesting in the census was the race breakdown. According to the 2000 census, the racial makeup of the neighborhood was: 25.5% White, 16.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 5.7% Asian, 40.7% from other races, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.4% of the population. The part that stuck out to me most was the percentage of whites represented in the neighborhood. I did expect to see a high percentage of African American and even Hispanics, but the White population was  definitely a bit of a surprise to me.
With 41.8% of the population under the poverty line, the average view upon Skid Row involves camping tents and cardboard boxes along the sidewalks. Men and women align the streets in their "homes" or simply in their sleeping bags. With this view of the neighborhood one can only imagine the segregation that is involved in the surrounding cities. But although there may be a strong segregation level represented in this area, the holidays is definitely a time for that segregation line to be uplifted.
This Los Angeles Times article showed that even though a strong segregation line may divide the cities, the people on Skid Row had something to be thankful for this week. Helpful volunteers put in their time to create a Thanksgiving dinner for about 4,000 people on Skid Row, most of them homeless. One comment from someone who was receiving the meal was, "The atmosphere, the people, the way they treat you, the music — you don't always get this,". This represents the segregation and difference in treatment to those who are of different race and/or class. It showed me that people can see past the differences and are willing to help others regardless of their race and relations. Even people with a strong economic and cultural background such as Dick Van Dyke were there to volunteer their duties. 

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 7 - Response to Laguna Beach

Response to: Laguna Beach
http://xxyoungblood.blogspot.com/2012/11/this-past-weekend-was-parents-weekend.html

Hey Alexandra,
I really enjoyed this post. You were very descriptive and seemed to be dead on with your descriptions and observations of the city as a whole. Although I am not from Laguna, or Orange County for that matter, I have visited Laguna Beach on numerous occasions, so I feel that I have a great sense of its surroundings and the feel of the city.
You first mentioned that Laguna became quite a popular place to visit due to its popular reality show Laguna Beach on MTV. I do think this is very true because I admit that I watched the show and began to visit Laguna Beach due to the show. On the show Laguna appeared to be a great place to visit and can appeal to many people of all ages due to the various activities along the beach that can attract anyone of any age. What was funny/interesting to me is that one time I stayed in one of the hotels that was located right on the beach and one of the members of the cast of Laguna Beach, Dieder, worked there. I found this a little funny/interesting because I had been watching him on the show just enjoying his life in Laguna, hanging out with his friends, etc. and seeing him in a work environment was an absolute different experience. It sort of shed a different light on the show and Laguna itself. The show seemed to represent a care-free environment where the teens just spent all their time together, and seeing Dieder working showed that they have responsibilities just as anyone else may from somewhere else. It sort of humanized the show for me and made Laguna less of an oasis for people who actually lived there. (But then again, one cast member out of the whole cast, that may be an exception).
Your observations at the restaurant were pretty interesting to me, although not surprising one bit. The fact that the hispanic worker was very quick to help and the young, "cute" waitress was a bit slow just shines the light on the segregation there is among the city. Odds are, the young, white, waitress just has this as her part time job because her parents want her to learn responsibility and it is a way to earn a little extra cash for some extra shopping. Whereas, on the other hand, the hispanic bus boy uses this job to earn a living and maybe has a family back home (in another city) to support. The bus boy probably takes a bus to work everyday and the young waitress probably drives herself a few minutes from home just up the road. That's the way the system generally works in Laguna.
As you mentioned, Laguna Beach is generally all white residents and it seems to  have stayed that way for awhile. They keep their town clean and inviting by the plethora of shops and restaurants along the sidewalk. With the fact that they want their streets to remain clean, safe, and inviting, I liked how you mentioned the benches and how they have a divider in the center preventing from homeless to sleep on them. I think the benches and impacted white race citizens reflect right onto the safety that you also mentioned in your post while seeing the young kids at Starbucks at night. Parents probably feel at ease in Laguna regarding their kids' safety due to the fact that they don't have many homeless around and are generally a one-race city. They should be able to feel at ease there because they certainly pay for it with the cost of living there.
Well done, Laguna!

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 6 Carpenteria)

Relaxing in Carpenteria

For this blog post I took a trip to Carpinteria which is just southeast of Santa Barbara. I was a little unsure if anyone would consider this part of Los Angeles, but it's not too far to where I would consider it to not be part of L.A. I knew I had never been to Carpinteria prior to this trip, but knew that I had been to many places very close to it such as Ventura and Santa Barbara. Therefore, visiting the actual town of Carpinteria was a new experience for me. Of course I had expectations going into the town since I knew it was a beach town.
The drive itself took about an hour and a half, which wasn't too bad given the traffic and the time we left at for a Friday afternoon. Once we hit the 101-N, it was just a straight shot to the town. I got off an exit towards Downtown Carpinteria which led us to a street that contained many shops and restaurants. It seemed like a very close and homey atmosphere the way the streets were lined up. Upon driving down the street I decided to turn and park on Linden Ave. which appeared to be Carpinteria's main strip that led down to the beach. Linden Ave. had many restaurants to choose upon. I walked along the street with my two friends deciding which restaurant to go into for dinner. Walking through the town, I took in everything that I saw. There were small "mom and pop" type of shops and I noticed that the average race I saw along the sidewalk were white. As we walked down the street I could tell this place seemed like a very nice, family-oriented, town. An old couple was walking their dog and the woman smiled and said "hello" to us, proving my observations of this town to be even more precise.

My friends and I finally made a decision to stop at a little Mexican restaurant called Senor Frog's. It was a pretty small restaurant with little decor throughout. Once we sat down at our table I noticed that this place must have been a restaurant that families visit on a regular basis. Everyone (customers) seemed to know each other as they said hello to one another as they walked in and out. That made me truly realize what kind of town it was. Carpinteria appeared to be a small, quaint, beach-town where everyone knows everyone. It seemed like a great and fun place to raise a family there. I would definitely visit this town again for another trip and recommend it to anyone who wants to have a relaxing weekend at the beach.

Blogging Social Difference in LA: Week 5: Response to Brentwood

This is a response to http://patricksoulagesblog2.blogspot.com/2012/10/week-2-brentwood.html 

I enjoyed reading this post as you gave great descriptions as you traveled throughout the town of Brentwood. As I read each section of your post I could easily picture what you were explaining (especially your description of your experience at the market). I could just picture the people sitting down at lunch on their iPhone's and basking in the sun with their expensive sunglasses on. The description of their high-class lifestyle seemed on point since I have visited Brentwood on several occasions. 
But what I am curious to know, what you did not mention in your post, is what the general person looked like as in race/ethnicity. This seemed to be a reoccurring theme brought up in lecture and the readings in regards to class and ethnicity. Did you notice if the general race in Brentwood was white? Or was it more mixed? 
Also, since you did bring up the fact that in 2009 the median income for Brentwood was $112,927, it would be interesting to see and compare what it was even earlier in history to see if Brentwood was always a high-class settlement from the start. 
Overall this was a great post to read and I loved the descriptions of what you experienced at the market with the high-class apparel people sported, their expensive cars, and the high-priced meal.

Blogging Social Difference in LA: Week 4 (Response to The Grove)

Response to: http://walkinginmycity.blogspot.com/ "The Social Organism of The Grove"

I found your post quite interesting the way you related The Grove and the way it functions to Durkheim's analogy of a city to a body. Since I have visited The Grove on several occasions, I was able to picture in my head what you were speaking of and grasp the ideas and points you were making regarding The Grove. Your reference to the cells in our body and the people working within The Grove was right on key, because just like our cells and organs work within our body to function, the people within The Grove, (workers, store managers, customers, security, etc.), make The Grove function as the retail/entertainment site that it is. With that said, since I have visited this place numerous times and I also have a certain family tie within The Grove since my aunt is a manager at one of the stores located within The Grove, I feel that there was a lot more that could have been mentioned regarding what goes on inside The Grove and the various places that you can visit while being there.

It is funny to me that the day you visited you mentioned it was pretty quiet, considering there is always something going on inside The Grove. For one, I know that stuff is constantly being filmed there, especially Extra with Mario Lopez as host, because The Grove is their actual set and prime location while filming. With Extra being filmed there, as well as other random things, you can mention that The Grove is a very popular spot for tourists to visit while in Los Angeles. (You did cover that a bit with the Jonas Brothers segment mentioned in your post.) Another thing, is that you did mention that there are various restaurants to visit, but you could also have mentioned the Grove's Farmers Market that is also very popular. 

Overall, good post. Makes me want to visit there again soon!

Week 3; Hollywood

Hollywood
This week I visited Hollywood, CA. It was a drastic change from last week's visit to Burbank. There is a whole different lifestyle that they live by. The streets are packed with quite a variety of people. The faces you see on the streets range from the average Asian tourist with their cameras to your favorite superhero such as Superman or the Hulk. This is just the usual scene that any visitor of Hollywood would see. The streets are not the cleanest as trash surrounds the side walks, not to mention the numerous amount of homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk. One may wonder why Hollywood is so popular with my descriptions of the streets. But, it is filled with historic places to visit which is why Hollywood is such a tourist attraction and is one of the most photographed places in California.
I visited those historic places myself on this trip to see them for myself. One of the most visited and famous places is the walk of fame with gold stars and celebrities' names aligning the street. This is quite a sight to see as many celebrities have claimed the star and taken their pictures on this very street. Another sight that many people visit is the Kodak Theater. This is home to many awards shows such as the Oscars. The theater is a large building that has beautiful architecture and is such a popular site to visit and take pictures of, especially if there is an awards show near. Another theater that is very popular in Hollywood is the Chinese Theater that is one of the most famous theaters in California. I remember seeing my very first famous musical play, Wicked, in this theater. The architecture and design inside and out is top notch and decorated very nicely. Places like these is why Hollywood is such a popular place due to it being home to the films and stars. Clearly the sights aren't so bad if you look past the dirty streets and homeless along the streets.
It is definitely a place to visit if you have never been there before with these iconic places that have been photographed, recorded and spread around the world. The nightlife is also another lifestyle with bars and night clubs lighting up the streets. Hollywood is obviously not a suburb like Burbank where families can live safely nor is it a major city with skyscrapers lining the streets but it is a fast paced and busy city that attracts thousands of tourists.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 2 (Burbank, Home Sweet Home))

BURBANK

Home Sweet Home

(Week 2)

This past week I took a car ride over to Burbank, CA which is approximately eighteen miles away from UCLA. I decided to start off my first trip around L.A. in Burbank because it is where I was born and raised. Considering the fact that I grew up in Burbank, one could say that I know the ins and outs of the city, which may be true. But truth of the matter is, even though I grew up in Burbank, it doesn't necessarily mean that I know every statistic there is about it. 

I like the fact that I chose to visit my hometown for the first trip outside of Westwood because every place I visit after this week I will be comparing the differences between that place and Burbank. 

This time around, visiting home was a different experience because I usually don't pay attention to every detail around the neighborhood since I am just so used to seeing everything that is going around in the neighborhood. 

Driving around Burbank, which is approximately 17 square miles, there is quite a variety of things to see. From first view, it seems like a typical suburb with the streets aligned with house after house and cars parked along the streets. There is a variety of cars from the expensive to less expensive that result to Burbank seeming like the typical middle to upper-middle class suburbia. What makes it even more like a suburb is the way the neighborhood is set up. First off, Burbank has its own public services. Where other neighborhoods or cities share public transportation, police stations, and one school district (for example, L.A. school district), Burbank has all of these services to itself. Burbank has its own school district, police stations, fire departments, and own public transportation. While driving around I see a blue bus/van that transports people around Burbank (mostly kids or elders) for a small fee. 

There are the public schools that expand from the bottom to the top of the hill (which includes the two rival high schools, one on the hill and the other on the bottom of the hill). On the flatlands of the neighborhood, there is a running/bike path that runs along Chandler Blvd. Driving along and past the pathway, I see people walking along the pathway, talking with their friends, people jogging, and people riding their bike. This picture seems like a typical scene from any suburb, as people meet up on the pathway for their exercise as a daily routine. As I drive up the hill over Burbank Blvd. I head into what we call "Downtown Burbank", which consists of the mall, movie theaters, shops, and restaurants. This appears to be the hangout spot for the weekends. A little further up there are the town's golf courses De Bell 18-hole and Par 3 courses as well as the driving range and clubhouse. At the very, very top I drive up to the Castaway which is a popular restaurant and venue for big events such as weddings. This offers one of the greatest views in Burbank of the sunset and the city lights down below. Or, if you're not up for a formal affair, there's also a place to hike up the mountain and visit the nature center which also offers some gorgeous views. (On a clear day you can even see the ocean miles away.)

While Burbank appears to be a neighborhood of a close-knit group, there is much more than the homes and the downtown area. Burbank has its own airport, the Bob Hope Airport, which transports all the visitors in and out of the city if LAX is just too big of a trip for them. Since the airport is named after Bob Hope there has to be a reason why Bob Hope is associated with Burbank. Yes, Bob Hope, himself, worked and lived in Burbank (Toluca Lake which is a smaller community inside of Burbank, which is/has been also home to many other celebrities such as George Lopez, Steve Carell, and Miley Cyrus). Burbank is home to many studios such as ABC/Disney, NBC, and WB. Burbank is right in the center of the entertainment industry with shows constantly being taped such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno or The Ellen Degeneres Show. Burbank natives are used to seeing film crews working on the streets filming movie after movie on the streets or on the studio lots within the city. With Burbank being home to the studios, this makes that part of Burbank seem less like a suburb and more of a city-like landscape, but nowhere near the style of Downtown L.A. 

Driving back home, I realize the things I have been offered in Burbank and how sheltered I may have been growing up compared to other cities that I will face in the future. Burbank is very structured and built for the needs and/or luxuries of its residents and visitors. The streets, schools, and parks are all clean and there is a great sense of community that you can feel when you enter the neighborhood. From the places I visited in Burbank, it appears that there's a little something for everyone to enjoy from entertainment to relaxation. With that, Burbank will always be my home and hold the memories of growing up. So, in the words of Bob Hope, "Thanks for the memories."

Downtown Burbank

....Oh look, there's Jay Leno driving one of his many cars down Magnolia Blvd. (Something very common I see on the weekends since his car garage is located in Burbank.)

Blogging Social Difference in L.A. Week 1

This blog that I am forming is for Geography 151: Cities and Social Difference. Throughout this blog I plan to explore the different cities in Los Angeles and compare the social forms of each city within L.A. The reason I am particularly interested in taking this class and writing this blog is for various reasons. One is because during spring quarter, I had taken Metropolitan L.A. with Professor Wilford and truly enjoyed the class and got to know more about the metropolitan areas in Los Angeles particularly. Another reason I am interested in this class and writing this blog is because I was born and raised in Los Angeles. Being a Los Angeles native makes me think that I should know it inside and out, but having studied in the class, Metropolitan Los Angeles, it made me realize that there is so much more out there that I had not known, considered, or even bothered to pay attention to. I know that growing up in a particular town, a suburb for that matter, I have been a bit sheltered. With that, I feel that taking this class and keeping a blog will let me explore Los Angeles and see what is out there in the urban fabrics of Los Angeles outside of my little hometown within such a large mass of land. Join me on my trip through Los Angeles and see what it has to offer.