Jo Rosenthal explores what really changes when artists change coasts.
For years, maybe even centuries, creative people everywhere have faced the question: should I live in New York or LA? This often seems like an unsolvable issue, although some argue there’s a clear winner between the two metropolitan cities. In reality, the answer is more nuanced, which is why people often go bi-coastal. There’s appeal in having your cake, eating it too, and living 30 minutes from the beach.
One consensus is that Los Angeles is where you go to find out who you are, while New York is where you go to realise who you’re meant to be. LA keeps you on your toes, immersing you in scenic views. New York is different because the pace is faster, and maybe the expectations are higher right now. But eventually, you have to decide what you’re actually there to do. That’s the first step to deciding which place is for you. Maybe reading this will inspire you to change it up, if you dare. To see how that leap plays out in real life, we asked a few creatives we admire to share their journeys.
I moved to LA in January 2017, “for my career.” LA was definitely a good place to work. Good clients, good weather, good people, but I never really felt comfortable there. I’m very close to my family, and part of me stayed in New York while another part of me moved across the country. Maybe I never fully gave myself to the city. If that’s the case, that’s my fault. LA probably shaped my career more than any other place, but I felt like a fish out of water for seven straight years. West coasters seem to view New Yorkers as this wild bunch of rowdy, dirty, crazy people — which, to be fair, we kind of are. In whatever circle I was in, I was always “the New Yorker.” Even my accent confused people. In my first improv class at UCB, other students were trying to guess if I was British or Irish. Some of them had never even met someone from New York before. You’d be surprised how many people living in LA have never actually been to New York. I’ll always appreciate my time in Los Angeles. I made lifelong friends there and still work with some of the amazing clients I met while living there. If you’re from the East Coast, I’d absolutely recommend living out west for a while — and vice versa. The cities have more in common than people think, but bridging that gap socially and emotionally ain’t easy. – Danny Lane, photographer
Like most people who grow up in LA, there’s always this idea that you should spend a few solid years in New York — to gain a bit of grit you probably didn’t get growing up here. I always knew I’d live there, and doing it in my 20s with that eagerness and energy was truly the perfect time. I really grew up in New York and figured out my passions there. It teaches you a kind of street smarts and curiosity that you don’t get elsewhere. For me — and for most of my friends who moved to New York from LA — there was always a bit of an expiration date. I moved back once I felt like I had accomplished what I set out to do there and gathered the tools, life skills, inspiration, and drive I wanted to bring back to LA for a more breathable life. – Madelyn Somers, designer of MADE SOME
I always had aspirations of being a journalist—a fashion editor in New York to be precise. I wanted to make a difference in the industry by uplifting the voices and stories of independent designers—the unsung talents who deserve to have a seat at the table. Returning back to Los Angeles made sense for my post-NY recovery. My lifelong love of swimming and reconnecting with nature has shown me the importance of healing and being liberated in one’s skin. I moved back to LA because I wanted to discover my identity and self outside of what I do for work, and outside of an industry that expects you to fit into a “mold.” Despite no longer operating in NY, I hope to bring a new wave of creative change in journalism and the arts—a movement that is more defiant, authentic, and welcomes all. – Danielle Combs, creative director
I stand firmly in my belief that LA is an extremely magical place if you allow yourself to live it the right way; reject the supposed glam. I didn’t have a car and took Bird scooters mostly everywhere. I worked at a couple of shitty thrift stores, most notably Iguana on the Walk of Fame. I barely went out at night because I was in an odd place with my confidence. Moving back to the East Coast was a group decision. It’s obvious I’m supposed to live here. New York is my home. I’ve always said that Los Angeles is an internal city, and New York is its external sister. It’s great to take a nap in LA, and being exhausted in New York feels like something to celebrate. Both places are very dear to me. They’re just different tools that serve different purposes. And for now, I’m happy to be a New York girl. I fantasise about LA, but I don’t think I’ll be packing my stuff up again anytime soon. – Mackenzie Thomas, artist
While living in California, New York was talked about as this expensive playground for the rich and I always thought it was out of reach for me. While that sentiment is somewhat true, there are plenty of ways to cut corners and find your spot in the ecosystem. The initial push that brought me here was to pursue one of my jobs as an esthetician. I have had 23 different addresses as an adult. The mystic in me likes to believe that New York’s density creates an energy vortex that can help expedite the delivery of our desires, so long we are open to what the end result of those could look like (you can take the girl out of LA.. alas). Being around so many people while traveling from point A to B in the city had exhausted me during the first month living here, but once my nervous system got accustomed to sensory gating the excess stimuli, I was able to find inspiration in the little moments I witnessed. Once I knew where to go, finding likeminded people was simpler than it had ever been. Maybe this is just the wisdom that comes with knowing myself after a certain age, but it feels more like a benefit of being planted in a place that feels as tightly contained as my interests, passions, and inspirations feel to me. – Emily Pierce, photographer
As a native New Yorker I’ve always had an LA fantasy. For my first 18 months in LA, I was on cloud 9. I could not believe this way of life had been kept from me for so long. I loved my job, I had reconnected with old friends and made really fun new ones. I was traveling back to NY frequently, so I still felt connected to my home, my family and friends. In November of 2022, I got laid off. I soon realized that nice weather and convenience were only going to get me so far. By late 2024 an exit ramp presented itself: should I continue here for a while longer or was it time to go home? We’ve been settled in Brooklyn for a year now and I think about my life in LA everyday (more in the winter, obviously). I miss the palm trees, the food scene, the beach, the friends I made there. My time in LA taught me the most important lesson of all: life is in fact easier when it’s nice out everyday but there is no place like home – as imperfect as that home may be. – Madeleine Cohen, designer of NELLE ATELIER
I was born and raised in New York, so I had trouble imagining myself living anywhere else permanently. It’s no secret that New York and Los Angeles have a sort of Betty and Veronica relationship: antagonistic, and mutually obsessed. Naturally, when you’re with one you start wanting the other. New York was beginning to feel a little too familiar to me. I had this strange sense of inevitability about eventually ending up in LA. I shifted my dream of being a painter into stop motion and filmmaking in general, which was probably what I wanted all along. For me, the number one factor is space. In LA you can be as busy as you want, but you can also disappear into the bushes for weeks and work. There’s a misconception that you can’t walk in LA, you absolutely can. For these reasons and many others, I love living here. But the specter of moving back to New York looms large. It’s always a trade-off: going out, dating, snowballs, theater, shopping, museums, and the general exposure to people and ideas still belong very handily to New York. And one of the hardest things for me is being a Yankee fan out here. Try hating the Dodgers and living in LA, it’s not easy. Still, there’s a magic and a lifestyle to this place that’s hard to give up. I think I’d like to move back to New York someday, but not until I’m rich enough to do it differently. – Oliver Levine, animator
