Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 10

Hello Stephanie!

I was just at Sawtelle yesterday with my roommate, grabbing a bite to eat at SushiStop. I've heard a lot of people referring to this area as Little Osaka. The name is suitable as Osaka is known for being one of the best food places in Japan, and although small, there's always a great selection of food to choose from on Sawtelle.

I found interest in your observations of Little Osaka being a much more commercial area and lacking the historical and cultural aspects that Little Tokyo holds.This made me reflect back to my own experiences in both places. I think there are several factors that might contribute to the differences of these two geographic locations.

At first thought I assumed that perhaps, Little Tokyo simply has a denser Japanese population than Little Osaka which allows it to be more expansive. Using SimplyMaps, I mapped out the % the population in the area that had a Japanese ancestry by block group within their zip codes.

Look at the maps, Little Osaka (the top map) actually has a greater percentage of those who came from a Japanese ancestry than Little Tokyo (the bottom map) who's Japanese descendent population varied greatly within the region.

This could be because of the size itself. Little Osaka is a lot smaller than Little Tokyo, which limits the space they have to expand to include more cultural aspects. Also, Little Osaka started out as a few small shops to serve food for Japanese workers in the area. It's historical function is reflected now as a commercial area for locals to buy groceries, or get a haircut by Japanese stylist. Little Tokyo, however, started out as large industrial companies from Japan decided to move themselves to the states. With them, they brought their culture which they hoped to share and be accepted.

Reflecting back on the idea of ancestral density--perhaps because Little Osaka is so dense with Japanese people, they are already familiar with their own culture and do not feel the need to have public cultural structures to remind them. Little tokyo caters to a more diverse population, where they may feel a stronger need to use cultural symbols to signify Japan's distinctive culture in attracting the attention and understanding of outsiders (tourists).

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This week I decided to write my blog about Sawtelle, which is fairly close to UCLA.
When I got there the first thing mainly because I wanted to compare it to an earlier blog that I has done on Little Tokyo.

The first thing I notice was that though Japanese stores and restaurants make up the majority of Sawtelle, there is definitely more East Asian variety here: Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants were also present.

Here we see a Japanese restaurant, and Chinese restaurant and a Korean restaurant (Not visible in the picture)

In the Picture above we see a little plaza, many of the businesses found here can also be found in Little Tokyo.

There is also a Japanese supermarket, though perhaps with less variety than the one found in Little Tokyo.

Interestingly enough, though the street of Sawtelle, which is where all these businesses are located, is extremely busy. The surrounding streets also include Santa Monica and Olympic which are always in use and the 405 freeway is about 2 blocks down in Santa Monica Blv. However, the houses and apartments surrounding Sawtelle are really quiet and peaceful looking. There are no signs of social disturbance.

They were not as fancy looking as the ones found in the suburbs of South Pasadena, but they were certainly not surrounded by chaos, like the ones found in other Inglewood. Some had gates others did not and some had lawn while other did not care much for the aesthetics. There was a lot more diversity in the living quarters than South Pasadena, where most houses look exactly the same. Population was definitely more diverse.

I was interested in this particular place because it had been presented to me as a second Little Tokyo, and since I had done a blog on LT before I wanted to compare. However, unlike Little Tokyo, this place seems to be a lot more corporate, in the sense that it is mostly business related and shows little to nothing about their history or culture. At first I thought it was because this area was more recent and thus was led in such as way while Little Tokyo was more historic. My reasoning for this was the the sort of people I saw in each location. Little Tokyo seemed to be more diverse in age groups while Sawtelle tends to be a lot more youth oriented. 

After doing some research of the area though, they both appear to have been shaped during similar times. I could not find much on why the places turned out so much different despite their connection with each other (as stated earlier, many businesses are found in both places). The only thing that could possibly explain this is the history of the incorporated part of the city, which is greatly devoted to veterans. Perhaps it was too much to have too much history concentrated in one place?

Overall it was a good experience.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 9

Hello Laiza!

I enjoyed reading about journey on the 720 bus down Wilshire blvd. I've ridden that bus several times myself. Although the bus follows one straight path, the transitions from one neighborhood to the next juxtapose such contrasts from one another. 

Your post allowed me to further reflect on the idea of how our background, race, and gender can shape our perspective of a geographic region. I grew up in a primarily caucasian, suburban town. Although there were times I admit there were many times where I always felt "different" from everyone, it was an area that I grew to be quite comfortable with. 

I traveled to Monterey Park this past Monday night on a spontaneous mini road trip and foodie adventure with my group mates, after meeting up to work on our class project. We went to San Gabriel Square to eat at one of the Taiwanese cafes there. Going to Monterey Park was an interesting experience for me, I was delighted at the expansive selection of asian cuisines but at the same overwhelmed by it all. I almost felt as if I've become lost amongst everyone else there. It's ironic because you would think I would feel like I fit in there more than I would ever have at the suburban town I grew up in, since the majority of the people at Monterey shared a similar cultural background to me. The thing was, even though I always felt a little "different" before, I always felt I had an easy way to distinguish myself and set myself apart from the crowd. At Monterey Park, standing amongst the many other asians,  could not feel like just another number in the crowd. However, the familiar dishes and waft of oolong tea brought me back to my family dinners and I found myself feeling a bit more at ease.

This uncomfortableness that was mentioned in your post extends beyond fear, and encompasses feelings of uneasiness of being out of our comfort zone and not knowing what exactly to expect. I like how you discussed Sophie Watson's piece"City A/Genders" in regards to how our perspective on a city is not soley dependent on a singular factor such as race or gender but our individual experiences. 

Everyone has built their own comfort zone over the years  to cover certain areas, but as we are growing and moving around, the "zone" continues to expand and contract to new perspectives presented. 

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This week I traveled from UCLA to the San Gabriel Valley by bus. On this occasion I took the 720 Metro Rapid Bus from Westwood to Downtown Los Angeles. This particular line is always crowded, as you can see form the picture below. I've taken this line to downtown Los Angeles at various times of day and I can honestly say that during the week, this bus is so crowded that I have yet to find a seat for at least the first 20 minutes of my ride. The 720 takes you down Wilshire Blvd, picking up people who mostly look like they have just gotten out of work, and some students along the way. The first half hour of this trip down Wilshire is very different from most of the second half of my trip on the 720 and on the bus that I transfer to afterwards. On Wilshire, the bus passes luxury hotels, Ferrari dealerships and beautiful buildings that tower over the streets. Even at night, Wilshire Blvd is decently lit and because the surrounding area is quite beautiful, it is a comfortable atmosphere to travel in, by bus or even by foot.The second half of my bus ride on the 720 goes through the less glamorous side of the city. There are no Ferrari dealerships on 7th and Olive, there is mostly pigeons, parking structures, and homeless people, although a few nice shops are scattered here and there. At night, these streets are poorly lit, despite being located in a pretty busy area. The brightest thing, around this intersection anyway, is the neon 7-11 sign from across the street. Walking on in this area to my next bus always makes me feel much different than I do when walking on Wilshire Blvd before catching the 720. Even at night, I feel relatively safe on Wilshire, but near 7th and Olive, I always clutch my pepper spray a little bit tighter, and walk at a pace that some may consider a borderline jog. I can relate my experience to Sophie Watson's piece"City A/Genders" which states that cities are experienced in different ways b people based on their individual backgrounds and experienced. Watson goes on to say that gender, race and even income can affect the way we experience a city or parts of a city in different ways. While I may feel safe on Wilshire and uncomfortable on 7th and Olive, someone who is familiar with the area or who may have grown up in the area may not experience the same fear that I do. Likewise, someone who does not share the same connections as I do with Wilshire, may feel uncomfortable or intimidated by this area. It is all really a matter of perspective and not necessarily based on one singular factor like gender or race.

Posted 1 week ago by Laiza Rodriguez

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 8

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/23/local/la-me-San-Gabriel-float-20121123

I have scoped out The Los Angeles Times news site in the past few weeks, hoping to come across a recent news article regarding social and ethnic difference in Los Angeles. However, all of them seemed to be really outdated. Fortunately, I came across this interesting article just released today. It discusses San Gabriel's attempt to preserve its culture in in the midst of a rapidly changing society.

The article caused me to reflect back on what we learned in lecture regarding race as a cultural symbol. With race, there is a genetic foundation--the genes embedded in each individual. However, it also exudes a superficial and contextual expression--the phenotype. Race serves as a cultural symbol which signifies meaning about the particular race. In a sense race is a story that individuals, groups and societies tell each other. My relatives often tells me stories about my asian heritage. They tie in the features on my face, the food that we eat, the way we interact with one another to our "asian-ness." Cultural signifiers are not limited to race but extend to the hairstyle, clothes, as well as the make-up that people chose to wear.

The San Gabriel float serves to continue to tell the city's story to revive cultural and historical awareness. The float will serve as a signifier that holds meaning for the people who created it and hope to embed this meaning into the minds of its residents. The float will be reminiscent of the San Gabriel mission--what is believed to be the birthplace of the L.A. region. This story must continue to be told in order to hold meaning in people's minds. If it ceases to be remembered, then that part of the city's culture will be lost.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 7

This past weekend I drove to Koreantown with a group of friends to pursuit of some delicious pork belly. One of our friends is Korean and recommended we try this place that is very famous among his other Korean friends. The place featured gourmet pork belly drenched in 8 different sauces. This may either sound really awesome to some, or rather unappealing to others. To me, it sounded really awesome.

We drove in two cars. While other streets have dimmed down and closed their storefronts, the streets of Koreantown remain bustling and vibrant. Finding parking proves to be difficult as we circled around the blocks of cars lined up against the side of the street. We finally decided to pay the valet fee and park in the parking lot.

Our group was split between two cars. My group arrived there first, and we walked up to reserve a table for the 8 of us. The waiter greeted us in Korean, but none of us in the first car knew the language. He had us wait to the side as he assisted other regular guests who conversed with him in Korean. The other car arrived approximately 15 minutes later. Our Korean friend was in that car and he came out to speak with the host in regards to our table. After he exchanged a few friendly words with the host, we were promptly seated.

I looked at the tables around us. And walking by the tables, I felt everyone's attention turn to us as our group seemed to stick out from the rest. Everyone had a very similar look. Not only were they from the same ethnic background, but their clothing style and labels everyone sported seemed to be of a similar class stature. Also, they all seemed very comfortable with the set up of the restaurant. Each table had a grill where we could cook our own food. Those seated around us looked as if they were sitting at their family tables, familiar with the placing of the various kitchen utensils and side dishes that surrounded them.

I had trouble figuring out why there seemed to be no napkins available. Turns out they were in the drawer behind our table.

Our friend who frequented the place, sensed that we may have felt out of place. He explained to us that the cuisine presented at the restaurant was so distinct that only a certain group of regulars were familiar with the place. These regulars came from the same ethnic background where this time of delicacy was enjoyed. Also, because of the quality of pork belly offered and the prices it was offered at, the restaurant catered to a more affluent population. He further discussed how these segmented group of people that ate at the restaurant really took pride in what they believed to be their distinct cultural background as well as their affluence within that group.

This reflects on idea of object relations theory mentioned in David Sibley's Mapping of the Pure and Defiled. The object relations theory "posits that individuals as well as groups form positive identities of themselves through a process of excluding other individuals and groups thought to be deviant." Perhaps by entering this restaurant, as those who were unfamiliar with the culture and did not hold the same level of affluence, caused the regulars to feel as if this delicacy of theirs did not hold as much value as it has built up to be for them.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 6

Hello Amanda!

I have never been to Redlands, CA, however, the picture you posted of Citrus Plaza is reflective of many other suburban shopping centers I have been to. I've noticed that many suburbs are subject to developments of large shopping centers. It displays the idea of how post-suburbia has become highly consumerist society.

Do you think this is because individuals are no longer confined within their social classes but are able to interact with various classes that influence their behavior? Perhaps consumerism offers a way for individuals to purchase items, such as clothing, to make them feel like they belong within a certain group or instead, some may utilize consumerism as a means to distinguish themselves and their social status.

Something I thought was interesting about what you mentioned in your blog was that many of the people who shopped at Citrus plaza was with all or part of their families. When I walk around shopping centers such as Century City or Sherman Oaks Mall, I hardly see whole families all together. I'll see parts of the family such as the mom and kids, older men walking alone, or friends walking together. I think this draws on the idea by Olin, Kling, and Poster:

 "These broad social changes in work, consumption, and community life have had devastating effects on the traditional nuclear family that characterized industrial society from about 1820 to 1920. Mark Poster in Chapter 7 defines the characteristics of an emerging postnuclear family type... This new, segmented family type is much less unified and concentrated than its predecessor. Each individual within it has a particular cultural sphere of reference and pursues that significant relation by means of new communication technologies." 

However, it's great to hear that there are still families who come together during the week from their separate activities to bond collectively.

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This week, I visited my hometown of Redlands, CA  Redlands is about eighty miles away from Los Angeles, but is connected by the stretch of industrial and suburban areas that spread out from LA via the freeways. In the article, “The Emergence of Postsuburbia,” Olin, Kling, and Poster write that “since World War II, North American suburbs have become socially varied because they increasingly house the working class as well as the middle class, racial minorities as well as whites, and single people as well as traditional families. But they are still characterized by a land-use pattern that is dominantly residential and a transportation pattern that is dominantly one in which people commute to work outside the area.” This description of a typical suburb of today also happens to exactly describe Redlands. 

In Redlands, there is a very popular (and quite large) outdoor shopping center called Citrus Plaza. Olin, Kling, and Poster would call it a “regional [center] anchored by several large department stores” (such as Target, Kohl’s, and JC Penney) that was “designed for efficient shopping.” An interesting thing to note is that Citrus Plaza sort of a place with restricted social access on the basis of class. When compared to other shopping centers, the people who shop at Citrus Plaza are middle-class, mostly white, and often with all or part of their families. The architecture and design of the center attract these people. Citrus Plaza is a shopping center that is commonly a place where people shop for items that aren't necessities (like groceries would be). My friends and I even go there just to hang out and walk around sometimes. Overall, it has a "going out" kind of atmosphere while also allowing us to feel close to home.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 5

I enjoy riding the bus around Los Angeles very much.

This is perhaps because I dislike driving in Los Angeles just as much. Riding on the bus allows me the freedom to let my eyes wander. I like to observe the streets I pass. In Los Angeles, every street can offer an exciting new perspective of the city. It's interesting to observe the transitions in demographics and store fronts as you move from one block to the next.

I rode the big blue bus with my friend to go thrifting in Santa Monica.We did our research beforehand and settled on this small boutique thrift store called "Cherry Picked." To get there we took two different buses. We first rode on the 8 down Westwood Blvd. We passed by a slew of commercial business that ranged from Persian cuisine, Thai massages, an Italian cafe, big chain stores, and other stores that composed an eclectic assortment.

Westwood Blvd serves to counter Robert Park's claim that the city is a "mosaic of little social worlds which touch but do not interpenetrate." Riding down Westwood blvd from UCLA to Westside Pavillion, one can see how these worlds not only touch but intertwine. I see individuals walk out from the Thai cafe and head over to get Saffron and Rose Ice cream at the Persian ice cream parlor next door. The Japanese workers at the ramen shop I frequent visit on blvd tell me that they love to get macaroons at the Paris Bakery a couple of blocks down. Together, these businesses have built a community of differences appealing to the diverse student base that surrounds the area. There seems to something there for everyone.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 4

This past sunday I took a stroll through the affluent streets of Beverly Hills. Everything was so pristine: the flower baskets hanging from the lamp posts, polished tile walkways, European inspired architectural buildings donned with fancy gold script above its doors. I passed several young women in their mid-twenties sporting thousand dollar designer handbags and men who showcased swiss luxury watches on their wrists. There were times where I felt out of place, almost as if they knew that I was an outsider--wandering in their space reserved for the privileged. "The Carceral Archipelago" we learned about in class discusses how postmetropolis areas have sold out to corporations and private investments, locking themselves up from outsiders. Urban design now serves to "coordinate a larger environment hostile to a undifferentiated public."

Every corner I turned, unlike in many other areas of Los Angeles, there were no homeless to be seen. I later realized that the area around me did not feature any benches to rest on, and that this eliminates an public commodity for homeless to sleep on. Each store front had its own doorman waiting by the entrance, carefully observing those who walk in, restricting those deemed "inappropriate" from entering. Although I took the bus to the area, I noticed that the parking rates were pretty high--$2.00 for either every hour or even half an hour. The high parking rates did not just act to raise revenue but prevent lingering in the area. Beverly Hills reflects a space is that now policed and organized in a way that ensures order for their own corporations and private investments. The design of the city makes access and use of the city difficult to outsiders. Although, I enjoyed exploring the area and fine features it displayed, I definitely felt a disconnect.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 3

Hello Shmuel!

I was reading Shmuel's post from last week (featured below) and was interested in the British specialty store mentioned. I had never heard of Oh, Fancy That! nor of Tarzana district. What was even more surprising to me was that the place was only 13 miles from UCLA. It's interesting how, although how we may live in such close proximity to a place, but still be completely unaware of its existance. This reflects on the idea of social difference and how cultural hubs within LA are such that like mosaic tiles which touch but do not overlap. 

Your addiction to imported PG Tips and Nougat Bars from the British specialty store remind me of my own mini-splurges on imported teas from Lupicia. I always liked that drinking their oolong teas made me feel like somehow linked back to my chinese heritage. However, I know nothing about the tea's history or why it became a staple in China. 

It's also interesting how this specialty store was established in the district of Tarzana, where the median income of the people living there is around $73,000. This supports the idea that mostly the richer have adapted this idea of new cosmopolitan consumerism in place of actually immersing themselves in another culture. Perhaps, this is because persons the "cost" of their time that would be spent reading about or traveling to different cultural districts would be more costly than to just buy items imported from that region. Thus, rather than integrating a new perspective culture into their current culture, it seems they are are simply "sampling" the culture. I realize I am guilty of this to at times. 

When time is more abundant, I hope to immerse myself in the various cultural districts present in Los Angeles. There, I can better interact with their culture and people that embody it.

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Hello, everyone.
I would like to describe my trip to a British specialty store in the Suburb of Tarzana.
This wonderful store is located thirteen miles from UCLA.
Here is a map to navigate to this location: Directions to Oh, Fancy That!
I frequent this store numerous times throughout the year, and have become
quite attached to the owner, Jeanne, and her aging dog, Buster.
Jeanne promoted her store via YouTube a few years ago: Oh Fancy That 
I have consequently developed an addiction to PG Tips and Nougat Bars.
PG Tips is a delicious black tea that has merited the approval of the Queen.
Meanwhile, Nougat bars are a sweet treat from South Africa.
In this week's reading, The Emergence of Postsuburbia, the authors explain
how the population of Orange County have (in large part) substituted consumerism as
the primal means of culture attainment.
They believe that the consumption of foreign goods may enrich their lives with culture.
They do this instead of learning a foreign language or immersing themselves in
foreign cultures and theologies (to a certain extent).
I think that I am not too different from Orange County's post-suburbanites,
for instead of immersing myself in British culture and learning the history of
this great country (second to the USA, of course!), I am spending my hard-earned
money on imported tea and treats.
Finally, I would like to make a note on the location of this shop, and its surroundings.
The shop is located in the Tarzana Plaza.  Blockbuster and Cocoas Restaurant
dominate the scene, and are located at either end of the entrance.
Jeanne's shop is situated in the back of this plaza, adjacent to an optometry clinic.
The sheer size of the Blockbuster sign reflect the consumer-driven values of the
surrounding suburbanites.
These individuals would rather consume mass-marketed goods for entertainment
rather than imported specialties, although both do not provide the culture that
is sorely lacking in this suburban location.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 2

Hello again,

This past weekend I was able to go for a stroll through one of the most popular shopping destinations in Southern California--Downtown Santa Monica and Third Street Promenade.

The ambience was very relaxed. The buildings were youthful with colorful awnings and quirky details to them. Dinosaur bushes loomed near the entrance to the walkway. There were many people walking about, eating, conversing with one another, pining for a cute outfit to purchase, or just people watching. The crowd is pretty diverse, probably due to the many tourists that come from various areas. There were people of all ages, some in groups, some by themselves, and many were with their families. However, I did notice the larger population to consist of caucasians and asians ranging from the ages of 20-30.

We went to eat at Johnny Rockets. I loved the old-school vibe of the restaurant in contrast with the hip surrounding environment. The interior was reminiscent of diners in the 1950s with their red cushions seats and art deco inspired posters.

Sitting at the restaurant, I reflected on Durkheim's division of labour. Durkheim defines the division of labor as "any stable organization, co-ordinating individuals, or groups carrying out different, but integrated activities." Everyone in the restaurant had their own task whether it be washing dishes, cooking the patties, taking food orders, or working at the register. Each person handled a task that they were most experienced at. Collectively, they were able to run a successful restaurant. Although people specialized in their specific assignments, they shared a common goal--to serve customers an enjoyable dining experience. Durkheim also supports this idea that "traditional societies are integrated by so-called mechanic solidarity, in which the emphasis is placed on the values and cognitive symbols common to the clan or tribe." The employees at Johnny Rockets all worked under the same company values and towards the same goals to maintain the Johnny Rockets brand that consumers have come to know.

One can take a step outside of Johnny Rocket and apply this same idea of division of labor to Third Street Promenade as its own entity with separate functioning components. Each shop on the strip provides products the store specializes in whether it be denim or shoes. However, they all work to create a dynamic shopping experience for people to come or return to.

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 1

Hello world,

It's been great getting to know you better.

Yours truly,
From Los Angeles.

Moving to Los Angeles has definitely allow me to encounter more diverse interactions with people on a daily basis, expanded my stomach to try out new culinary cuisines, opened my eyes to architectural detail and eclectic fashions, as well as other wonders that I'm still exploring!

I am an explorer at heart and consider myself a tourist in my own city. I like to take photos of all the places that I have been so I can reflect back on my adventures later. I am currently enrolled in a geography class that encourages me to blog my experiences in different parts of Los Angeles. I'm excited to be a part of this movement to learn more about the city and the people within it.

It's apparent that the social differences in Los Angeles are vast and can be observed throughout different parts of the city. One can drive two blocks down the road and notice a huge disparity between the people there in contrast with those two blocks before. Wilshire Blvd, one of the major roads in Los Angeles, is a prime example of this. I often like to take Wilshire when heading somewhere as it is just one long, straight road. The long stretch of pavement actually spans across several different parts of the city. In less than a 20 minute drive, I am able to go from admiring the row of luxury shops at Beverly Hill and cafes with macarons selling at $3 a piece to developing a craving for mass amounts of all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ for as low as $9.99 at Koreantown. It's true, you really can find all sorts of things here.

I plan to document my future trips within the city on blogger, and provide insight into its social differences using written word and photography. Looking forward to an interesting next few months!