Valley Reflections (San Fernando)

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.  I have not lived there for more than 33 years now.  However, I do visit my parents and see many changes, some for the positive.

Here is a short list of impressions of “the Valley”:

1.       There are basically no more bookstores in existence.  How very sad that is, fundamentally.

2.      Every block has a Japanese restaurant and a “spa” of some kind.  It gets boring quickly.

3.      There is significant racial integration at work.  Blacks, whites, Hispanics and Orientals seem to get along remarkably well.

4.      People try to be so pleasant.  Curiously, my impression is that people are very lonely.

5.      I didn’t see any old ladies whose hair was dyed red or purple.  Believe me.  This is positive.

6.      Comparing the number of people working low-paid service jobs and the high prices of restaurants, many people must feel very poor there.

7.      The drivers are still mellower than in Israel and the Mediterranean.

8.      There is no place to buy a real French éclair or Italian cannoli.  This is tragic.

9.      The Valley is getting older.  There are many small hospitals.  An alternative explanation may be the number of people doing plastic surgery.

10.   The Valley is still a great place to move to because nobody cares about your past and a terrible place to continue living because almost nobody really cares (in my opinion).

As these are only impressions, they may be totally off track.  I welcome any feedback.