Earlier this month, Jess from I’ve Bean Travelling did a photo challenge in which she shared her favorite photos of her hometown, Toronto. Inspired by this simple, yet poignant idea of showcasing one’s home city, I’ve decided to go ahead and do one of my own, Los Angeles.

I was born and raised in the “City of Angels” and, despite its overpopulation, traffic and pollution, and myriad of problems in recent years, Los Angeles remains a hot-spot for Hollywood, good beach weather year-round, and my home at heart. There’s so much diversity in history, culture, and people…probably none more than here than anywhere else in the world, and it’s important to look beneath the surface of the local’s characters and beyond the touristy parts of the Westside and Hollywood to find the “true” Angeleno: hard-working, a bit rough around the edges, but also fiercely-loyal to those close to them.

Without further ado, here are my selections:

1. “Urban Light” exhibition at LACMA.

LACMA 3 8-21-15

2. Bradbury Building (filming location for Blade Runner and (500) Days of Summer).

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3. The Getty Villa.

Getty Villa view from balcony 7-18-15

4. In N’ Out burgers.

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5. Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro.

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6. Poppies in Antelope Valley (blooming season between March and May).

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7. Naples Canal in Long Beach.

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8. Santa Monica Beach and Pier.

Santa Monica BLP 2 5-15

9. Best tacos in Culver City (others will disagree with me, but I don’t care).

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10. City views from Griffith Observatory.

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I’d like to see photos of your hometown, so feel free to share! Thanks for reading. 🙂

— Rebecca

Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, food lover, part-time penguin. Welcome!

45 thoughts on “Hometown Challenge: My Favorite Photos of Los Angeles”

  2. I love your hometown, Rebecca. California is a dream destination for many and with endless sunshine, and beautiful beaches it is certainly on my radar, too. One of my favourite franchises is Fast & Furious – the story of undercover police officer Brian O’Conner (played by Paul Walker) taking on Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew of hijackers – so I would be keen on tracking down the filming locations, Torreto House and Dodger Stadium including 🙂 The would love to photograph Santa Monica pier at night time and visit the California Science Museum. Thanks for sharing and have a good day. Aiva 🙂 xxx

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    1. Sounds like you got your itinerary planned should you visit LA some day! I actually have never been to Dodger Stadium, but it would be neat to check out a baseball game there…post-COVID allowing, that is! Thanks for stopping by, and have a good day. 😊

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  3. When I was in LA I really liked all the street art! There were such beautiful murals all over the place. The Korean Bell of Friendship is amazing – I wish I’d seen it. Next trip! I hope you’re doing well and the, you know, raging pandemic isn’t affecting you and yours too badly.

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    1. I’ve yet to check out more of LA’s street art; that’s one aspect that I haven’t really explored yet! The pandemic isn’t the greatest time to be in, but I’m doing the best I can and am blessed with what I have every day. Take care of yourself, too!

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  6. You are right to be proud of LA, it’s a big city where a lot is happening. There are so many places to go, thank you for showing some of them. During my stays in LA I have always felt the frustration of having trouble getting organised, the city is so fragmented, there doesn’t really seem to be a city centre, but multiple centres.

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    1. It boggles my mind whenever I look at the map of Los Angeles; the city (let alone county) is ENORMOUS. There doesn’t appear to be a beginning or end to the place, but I guess the upside is that one could spend a lifetime exploring all that it has to offer. 🙂

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      2. I had to look it up. Valentine’s Day wasn’t filmed at Long Beach’s canals, but rather at the canals in Venice Beach (also a beautiful location).

        PS Given that Valentine’s Day is around the corner (and the fact I haven’t seen the film in YEARS), I just might have to watch it again! Thanks for giving me the idea, Véro. 😉

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      3. A classic! We do mother & daughter girly nights on Fridays and watch romantic (preferably vintage!) comedies. We rewatched Valentine’s Day this autumn I think… These days we’re on Dawson Creek season 1 ( ouch, this hasn’t aged very well!!).

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  11. I love the idea behind your post and photos are glorious. LA is a must for any cinema lover, so I am quite keen on visiting the city as a tourist. Add to that vineyards, San Francisco, San Diego – California is a dream destination.

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    1. Definitely! Although I’m far-removed from the “Hollywood aspect” of LA-living, I can understand its appeal for others, especially outsiders. I hope you can dedicate some time to visit LA, along with the rest of the California state!

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    1. I have a love-hate relationship with cars, especially in LA where they do offer you the freedom to go wherever and whenever, but then the traffic jams are horrible. But it is true there’s so much diversity in LA, and it’d take ages to explore all that it has to offer!

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    1. Hey, thank you so much! I’ll go ahead and accept my nomination. Granted, my posts are backlogged by about two to three months, but the Outstanding Blogger Award post will be up soon! 🙂

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    1. Thank you! I think that COVID-19 has allowed us to step back and realize the beauty of where we live, instead of looking out to the world for beauty. It’s the simple pleasures right in front of us which make us happy, that’s for sure. Looking forward to your post on Saturday!

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  18. These are beautiful photos of your home town Los Angeles. They showcase what the city has to offer underneath all the pollution, traffic, homelessness and taxes it has come to be known for. It has some diverse architecture, nature escapades and great food (though not always the most healthy, but tastes good 🙂 ).

    I’ve always wanted to visit and maybe someday I will make it over there. As you said in your comment to Mari, the pandemic is probably not the best time to be there. I’ve heard people are leaving Los Angeles and California and moving elsewhere, such as Las Vegas/Nevada, North Carolina, Charlotte or really a state where the traffic isn’t as bad, taxes aren’t as high, lower crime and to be a part of a community where people are more down-to-earth. Not saying all people in California are like that but many see it as a place of opportunity to further their goals which leads to inflated egos. As and when I get to come over, I am looking forward to many walks hikes around the region 🙂

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    1. Thanks for commenting, Mabel! It is true that LA is home to diverse cuisine (and some are unhealthy), but at the same time, it’s a massive hub for vegan “healthy” culture, especially among the younger crowd.

      You also make a good point about people leaving LA; the phenomenon’s been marked the “LA exodus.” I don’t blame people who want to leave, as it’s virtually impossible to live comfortably in the city due to soaring rent, minimum wages, and the city’s inept ability to contain the current COVID situation. But it is still my home, and I hope to stay here in the long-term…at least until another city entices me to move out!

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