The Land of “Nothing for Free”

“On the map, Liguna Niguel looks like a beautiful Pacific
coastal area south of Los Angeles, a little like one of my favorite
spots, Monterey, south of San Francisco. But I forgot; this is Los
Angeles, where the brown haze of the air lies like a thick blanket
over the insane sprawl of ‘Generica.’

“It’s an endless landscape of McDonalds, strip-malls and gas
stations familiar to anyone who has seen the movie ‘Ghost World.’
Nothing is free here. You pay for parking (nothing but valet
available), driving on toll roads, access to much of the beach
(private). If they could figure out how to charge for the air I’m
sure there’d be meters every block or so. It’s a fitting home for
the entertainment industry…”

Complete Story