The Things I Carry…in Los Angeles

Growing up in Phoenix, it was there that I first experimented with my “baggage”, my everyday items that I toted with me at all times.  Moving to Los Angeles, these items changed quite a bit.  After J. Michael Walker tonight stated how sometimes it takes an outsider to see what an insider can’t, I began to ponder on the idea of the difference in everyday items for Angelenos whether they be held in a woman’s purse or a man’s messenger bag (the new briefcase).

Silver Coinage: I vividly remember the first week I was in Los Angeles.  The one thing I told my mom at the end of the week after she asked me how things were going was: “Mom, we have to pay for parking almost everywhere here.”  I had only experienced meters in downtown Phoenix and even then it was always a struggle to dig for quarters.  I now know that the streets of Los Angeles called for those silver coins that I once tossed into my bag without a second thought.  Now, I have a separate coin purse dedicated solely to parking money. It only took one parking ticket for me to realize that to park without paying meant I would be eagerly awaiting my paycheck at the end of the month due to the hefty parking ticket fine, and we all know that is no fun.

Crumpled up post-its: I cleaned out my bag the other day and found almost 10 different neon colored post-its all with scribbled “L’s” and “R’s” on them which at one point last month got me to a point of destination.  I have to Mapquest every location I go to here and that is not just because I am a migrant.  I do this because I know that on any given moment an exit could be closed, a street under construction or, as we are all far too familiar with, the one way we NEED to go is bumper to bumper traffic, leading us to circumnavigate in hopes for a better route.  Though Mapquest has failed one or two times, these crinkled and smeared directions are just a sign that that is exactly what people are looking for here…direction.  Thanks Mapquest, Google maps, or any other GPS system out there helping the thousands of Angelenos get to where they need to be every day. 

An umbrella: No need for explanation here. Los Angeles whether is like a fickle boyfriend or girlfriend, it likes to change its mind. One day its 80 degrees, the next its drizzling, and you’ve caught yourself hopping over puddles in flip flops because silly you thought the weather would be similar to what it was yesterday. Pack an umbrella.

A light snack: A good friend of mine once told me that she has a phobia of going places and suddenly finding herself hungry and without any means of getting food.  Since then, I have found myself throwing a granola bar or apple into my bag anytime I go out the door and am not sure when I will return.  Food in Los Angeles, for a college student, is far too expensive to just stop wherever and feast (unless you disregard health and don’t mind McDonalds dollar menu).  Picture yourself on your way downtown and suddenly you realize that tonight is the big Laker game.  You’re sitting in traffic for an hour or more and the thing inside you, above your legs and below your head, it’s calling out to you. Be prepared, it's happened to me more than once.

Sunglasses: This highly sought after accessory is popular all over the world, but something about sunglasses just screams “L.A. Cool” to me.  Sure we can say that we sport the Ray Bans to prevent our eyes from getting sun damage but when you slip those babies on your face and look into the mirror are you really thinking about your future cataract surgery?  No. You’re thinking, “Oh hey Los Angeles, here I come.”

Your own personal Ipod: I preface the music device with “your own personal” because listening to someone else’s ipod is like wearing some one else’s jeans, it might work but its just not your own.  I feel like my music collection has undergone a transformation since I made the move to Los Angeles.  No longer do I look solely to KIIS FM for songs to sing to in the car.  The past few years I have been scouring music blogs and websites for new and “underground” artists that you won’t here on radio or streaming from the dorm room above you on a Friday night.  Los Angeles drives you to disregard the ordinary, the mainstream.  It makes you want to find that music that fits you, just like the unsettled feeling you find when shopping for a good pair of jeans, the search for a good song or album is sometimes hard but oh so satisfying when found.  My ipod is always in my bag, used for walking around LMU or plugged into the car on a quick trip to the store. 

Men: I hope I haven’t lost you.  Ladies: I hope you know that when I say bag, I mean purse and then you can really relate to everything I’ve just named.  As a migrant to the City of Angels I’ve taken note and indeed adapted to the hustle and bustle that calls for these items.  I could be missing a few key ingredients to a good tote bag so, feel free to comment and add on to the list of “must haves” that I, as an outsider, have compiled.  

--Katie Mollica

(image: Lea Garsh, flickr.com)