LA. Historical. Overdone. Over-promoted. Maybe the most well known city in the world. I wasn't sure what to expect. At one end is the Hollywood-side perception (films, beauty, plastic surgery, fake). Another perception is of a crime-riddled, riot prone danger zone. Yet, one more, is the laid back beach scene -- surfing, volleyball, sunning, leisure. And I could see those aspects in LA. But it seems like any mega-city -- it cannot be easily described or stereotyped. ---- Around 6:30 AM I left cold Michigan for the 80 degree LA -- just missing a massive snowstorm that cancelled, I think, hundreds of flights at Chicago O'Hare (it dropped 10 inches around where I live). I landed in Santa Ana (John Wayne Airport). I quickly got my car, rolled the windows down, cranked up some Latin music,
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