[jyl]

After living in West LA and West Hollywood in years, I moved to Glendale, CA, which is part of greater LA. In 45 minutes I could be in a stream casting to wild trout, or hiking in some of the most rugged mountains around. 1.5 hours to skiing and more trout. 2 hours to fantastic high desert peaks. 1 hour to any number of beaches. 3 hours to Baja for ocean kayaking, fishing, drinking. 1.5 hours to backcountry remote enough that they released wild condors there, and more wild trout. 4 hours (paddling) to beautiful coastal islands. For more urban activities, almost any kind of music, shopping, nightlife, can be found in LA. If you have the energy, it is a good place to live. Not my favorite now that I am older and more sluggish, but great for a certain time in life.