Photo Essay: Living in Los Angeles

For nearly three years, I had the privilege of living in Los Angeles, and there's no destination that I've traveled to or lived in that made such a mark. Narcissistic, plastic, and crowded as it may seem, there's a grittiness, beauty, and magic to it, but that requires getting below the surface. I feel like I was lucky enough to tap into that gritty, beautiful, magical side of Los Angeles. Ask 100 travelers and locals what L.A. is, and you'll get 100 different answers. To one person, it's Hollywood, while to another it's the beach cities. Yet to someone else it's a food and drink town, and to another person, it's a "do-anything" town. For me, however, it's where all these things converge. Beauty, urban hikes, international cuisine, entertainment, surf culture, and history all converge in Los Angeles like perhaps no other city in the world.

Thus, it only seemed appropriate to share some of my favorite photos from living in Los Angeles the last three years. It ranges from the touristy, like going to Disneyland, to attending world-class events, such as Hollywood Bowl concerts and the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival, to more low-key, local experiences, such as visiting any number of the west side's great craft breweries. So without further ado, I give you a few of my favorite photos from living in Los Angeles.