US News Metro Long Island Politics

Sports NFL MLB Olympics NBA NHL College Football College Basketball WNBA

Entertainment TV Movies Music Celebrities Awards Theater

Lifestyle Weird But True Sex & Relationships Viral Trends Human Interest Parenting Fashion & Beauty Food & Drink Travel

Health Wellness Fitness Health Care Medicine Men’s Health Women’s Health Mental Health Nutrition

Science Space Environment Wildlife Archaeology

Today’s Paper Covers Columnists Horoscopes Crosswords & Games Sports Odds Podcasts Careers

Email Newsletters Official Store Home Delivery Tips

Switch between CA and NY editions here.

I go to parts of LA that are ‘not my scene’ — here’s why

See more of our coverage in your search results.

On a Friday night in Los Angeles, I ask my friend who lives in Silver Lake to come to a bar in West Hollywood. Except I know what she is going to say.

“That’s not really my scene.”

Los Angeles has a way of turning neighborhoods into identities. But when we only go places that reflect ours back at us, we reduce this richly layered city into something much smaller.

And we do the same thing to ourselves. 

We all know the drill. Silver Lake says hipster intellectual. Santa Monica says corporate wellness. West Hollywood says something involving a reservation and very good lighting.

We sort ourselves into Eastsiders and Westsiders, then regard crossing La Brea as an invitation to be lobotomized.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!

To be fair, some of this resistance is logistical. In a city with minimal public transit, straying too far from your neighborhood can be an activity in itself. 

But traffic is not the only thing keeping us in our lanes. We like places that confirm our idea of ourselves.

I should know. I’m a central LA girl with a long Eastside past. A former English teacher who goes to gallery openings for fun and........

© New York Post