The City of Angels
I know it’s been some time since I wrote a little refection, but I feel it’s time.
You may have seen on Instagram that Joe, Michael, and I were in Los Angeles on Sunday before the fires broke out. I was the most surprised of anyone to learn how much I loved being in that city. I had always thought that Los Angeles was a place where New Yorkers move to when they can’t cut it in the real city, but I now know that I was wrong. I found it to be absolutely stunning, and the vibe, if you will, was one that made me long for more.
As we walked down Sunset Boulevard, I felt a sense of legend and icon status swirling around me, but I also felt like it was so simple in a way. These teeny, tiny houses with their Spanish roofs and lovely landscaping were just that—lovely. It didn’t feel big or glitzy or out of reach. It felt like a community of (mostly artists, I assume) who were just making their work and their lives every day, like the rest of us do. Of course, the difference is that their work is on display for the masses to see, whether they succeed or fail, and that’s got to be agonizing. At least they don’t have bad weather to contend with—or so I thought.
That’s what I was thinking about on Sunday. And then, of course, the most devastating thing I can imagine happened. I know that you all know what those people are going through is indescribable, absolutely insane, and just so fucking sad. I feel helpless. Sure, we can send them money, but it just feels so, so bad.
When we were hiking to the Griffith Observatory, our friends who live in LA remarked about things like, “Oh, this is the clearest day—you can rarely see the ocean from here,” or, “We love it here because it never rains.” Really shocking statements in the context of what happened two days later. Everything burnt to the ground. They won’t see the ocean through the smoke for a very long time, and the fact that it never rains is, quite literally, killing people and ruining everything they built.
I don’t really have anything uplifting to say in this moment. I fell in love with that city real fast and real hard, and I’m real sad.
I’m going to post some links here in case you feel the desire to help with funds—I hope you will do so. And if not, and you believe in sending your prayers and good thoughts, you must do that at least.
Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
xoxo,
Scott
