As long as I have lived just outside Los Angeles, it has remained a vastly mysterious place that is multi-faceted in every aspect. The city is a fragmented landscape with wonderfully distinct geographical areas that range from the posh to the harsh, the pretentious to the desolate, all within reach of a car. It is a place unique in that the ebb and flow of automobiles on the vein-like highways create the pulse of Los Angeles at all times. Everything can be seen from the vantage point of a dashboard, making the vehicle an integral component of the L.A. experience.
The city is really the juxtaposition of the glamorous and the gritty. This dichotomy creates a fascinating environment when two elements co-exist and interact with one another. One can trek through the city and find all the elements of an urban, smog infested metropolitan area, poised next to mountain ranges and serene oceans. And the public that inhabits all of the distinct neighborhoods is as diverse as the structure of the city itself. The collective fragmentation is what defines this unique section of California.
- Claire Webb