[center][size=15pt]Nairalanders, I present to you the city I've been residing in for almost 4 years now[/size]
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Los Angeles has over 4,000,000 inhabitants, and is sprawled out in over 450 square miles.  Los Angeles is also extremely diverse, with nearly all ethnic groups  being well represented, and over 225 languages spoken here. Going by race, Los Angeles is approximately 42% Hispanic, 28% White, 12% Black, 10% Asian, 08% Other. The city is one of the world's centers of culture, technology, media, business, and international trade.

It is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. Los Angeles leads the world in producing popular entertainment — such as motion picture, television, and recorded music — which forms the base of its international fame and global status. The city also boasts some of the finest institutions in the world, including: University of Southern California, University of California - Los Angeles, California State University Northridge, Loyola Marymount Univeristy,  and many others. 

Weather-Wise, Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate or Dry-Summer subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification Csb on the coast, Csa inland). Los Angeles receives plenty of sunshine, with 325 sunny days and only 27 rainy days on average every year. The summers are pretty mild in LA, but outside of the city it can get HOT!

The area has lots of vegetation in many parts, and in other parts it can get kind of "grey" if you know what I mean. The city is well-known for its Beach culture, which is fine because many Beaches here are fun to visit, but as a resident I can tell you many Beached here can be dirty especially after it rains. but any other time they're great.

As far as the Black population here in Los Angeles, we're pretty well represented with most Blacks living in the LA Basin area. The areas that have the largest Black populations are Mid-City, Southwest Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles, Watts, Harbor City, and the Wilshire District. Outside of the city limits, there are far more Blacks scattered out in immediate areas, and other outer suburbs including: Inglewood, Compton, Carson, Long Beach, Pasadena, Altadena, Lancaster, Palmdale, Moreno Valley, San Bernardino, Rialto, Riverside, and many more.

The African population here is rapidly growing, with Ethiopians making up the largest segment. The Ethiopians are so numerous here, they even have a district named after them in the Westisde region called "Little Ethiopia". Even though Ethiopians make up a large segment of African here, Nigerians, Congolese, Sudanese, and Ghanaians are considered the fastest growing segments of the African population. Most Africans can be found in traditionally African-American communities, and others can be found sprinkled around in the valley, and other various parts of the city.

If any Nigerians are thinking of moving to this wonderful city, temporarily or permanently, don't hesitate to ask questions concerning anything about this city, or where you wish to stay. Now, lets get to some pictures!

[center]Lovely Skyline Shot


Santa Monica Beach. It's a great Beach, and recommend for anyone who wants to have a great time on a sunny day!


View from the ritzy Palos Verdes Peninsula area.


Venice Beach, and newly renovated buildings overlooking this beach. This is another great Beach for people looking for a good time.


View of the Hollywood sign from the Los Feliz district.


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[center]Lovely Los Angeles vegetation in the Santa Monica Mountains State Park (In the city limits)



View of the Downtown Skyline from the Pico District


Northern View of the Glendora Hills from Hollywood (Notice the studios)


The Los Angeles Skyline from the 1st Street Bridge coming from East LA


Lovely Skyline Shot taken from the Hollywood Hills


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[center]Skyline Shot on a rare gloomy day in LA


Picture taken from a rooftop in Hollywod, on Hollywood Boulevard.


Nighttime Skyline shot taken from rooftop in the Old Bank district of Downtown


The Ever so Ionic Hollywood Sign


The vast Urban imprint of this amazing city called Los Angeles
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[center]Skyline at Night taken in South Los Angeles


The Harbor area, in the district of San Pedro. This are is very nice, with many great seaside restaurants.


View of Santa Monica, and the Venice districts from an airplane


Picture taken in Downtown Los Angeles looking Westerly towards the Pacific Ocean


This is Dockweiler Beach, in the Marina Del Rey district. It's a nice, and more quiet beach in the city, but it can get rowdy on the weekends.
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[center]Pic of the Century City, Westwood, and Palms districts from an Airplane


Santa Monica Beach, turning into Will Rogers Beach, nearing another ritzy part of the city!


Skyline pic looking north towards Pasadena


The ionic Hollywood Sign


Looking towards the Century City district from the Getty Museum. (If you like art, and all its works, I recommend this museum)
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[center]View from the Hollywood Hills


Picture from the theater District in Downtown (It's been re-done as of now, and many of the Mexican shops are gone )


People crossing the Street in the Theater district


Streetscene in Hollywood, near the monumental Chinese Theater


Cars driving out of Downtown, heading West towards the Beach cities
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[center]Vehicles rolling down 3rd Street in Santa Monica


Third Street Shopping District in Santa Monica, with shoppers shopping


Beach Houses in Santa Monica, overlooking the Ocean


Santa Monica Beach, with Pacific Amusement Park in the background


The main branch of the Los Angeles Public Library
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[center]The Walt Disney Concert Hall


Tons of Upper Class Apartment Buildings in the Fairfax District


Entering Downtown from East LA


The Pike in Long Beach (Another great area that's extremely diverse)


Los Angeles Skyline from the 405, in the Sepulveda Pass
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[center]Strip Mall in the Encino District


Construction going on in Downtown


Street Scene on Hollywood Boulevard


In the Subway Station at Hollywood/Highland


Staples Center Arena, home court of Kobe Bryant, and the Los Angeles Lakers Basketball team!
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[center]Bunker Hill are of Downtown


Night Skyline from East Los Angeles (I live this pic!)


More Apartments near Downtown


Cosmopolitan Los Angeles


The Walk of Fame in front of the Kodak Theater
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nice topic man.it is very educative and narrative. One can know much about city you have never visited before. i would like to visit there one day in the nearset future.i will want to have your personal contact because i will want to have a private discussion with you about LA.MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS oyewolejose@yahoo.com hope to hear from you.

oyewolejos:

nice topic man.it is very educative and narrative. One can know much about city you have never visited before. i would like to visit there one day in the nearset future.i will want to have your personal contact because i will want to have a private discussion with you about LA.MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS oyewolejose@yahoo.com hope to hear from you.

Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the thread. I will contact you soon, and give you some more information about the city.

[center]Walking down Fifth Street in Downtown (Notice the historic Art-Deco Architecture)


Looking down Eight Street in Downtown's Bank District


Historic Building in the Banking District of Downtown


On Fifth Street, near the Macy's Plaza Shopping Center


Looking Down 9th Street in the Jewelry District of Downtown
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[center]In the Jewelry District of Downtown


Historic buildings in the Banking District of Downtown


On Eighth Street in the Historic District


Looking on Fifth Street, near the U.S. Bank Tower


Looking Down Eighth Street near the Library
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[center]New Apartments being constructed in the Marina Del Rey District


View of some Apartments in the new Playa Vista development near Loyola Marymount University


In Hollywood Traffic, on Hollywood Boulveard


More Hollywood Traffic


Winston Street in Downtown's Toy District
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[center]Pic taken from Loyola Marymount University looking towards the Santa Monica Mountains


The Blue Line trains of the Metro, looking towards the Downtown Skyline


The Playa Vista development, looking towards the Marina Del Rey Skyline


More pics of the Playa Vista development Under Construction (Nice Homes)


The Blue Line train heading towards Downtown
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[center]The Skyline of Downtown taken from Pasadena


Driving Down Wilshire in the Century City District


In the Westwood District on Wilshire


More Westwood District, in traffic


In the Lafayette Park District, nearing Downtown
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[center]Looking Down Fifth Street in Downtown


View of the Cenury City Skyline


Driving Down on Wilshire viewing the Westwood/Brentwood Skyline


Buildings in Century City


Wilshire Boulevard, in the Westwood District

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I was in LA yesterday. Beautiful city! It was my third time there and I have now decided that it is my favourite city in the US. The magic in the city is simply irresistible! Till next time LA!

EloSela:

I was in LA yesterday. Beautiful city! It was my third time there and I have now decided that it is my favourite city in the US. The magic in the city is simply irresistible! Till next time LA!

Which Area did You visit?

Well this last trip was just a short one. We flew in from New Zealand , stopped over for just two days and stayed at an airport hotel before catching a flight home to London.

We hired a car but only got as far as Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive to be exact before my friend fell ill and had to be driven back to the hotel. After that I spent the short time there shopping for bargains at TJmaxx, Marshalls and Ross. I am a self confessed shopoholic so don't hold that against me.lol! ,

On previous trips to LA though, I have been all over LA and it's surrounding areas, my sister used to live in Redondo Beach which was handy. Been to Hollywood, drove all the way up to the hills, saw the beautiful houses in Beverley hills, had light lunch at the Beverley Hills Hotel, Century city, Compton, Church and Soul Food in Crenshaw, Orange County, Glendale,Venice Beach , Disneyland and universal city etc. I have also been to San Diego where we drove into Mexico.

It is always fun in LA. People always seem to be so friendly, helpful, respectful and pleasant in that part of the country and it is hard at times to believe that crime ever takes place over there.

EloSela:

Well this last trip was just a short one. We flew in from New Zealand , stopped over for just two days and stayed at an airport hotel before catching a flight home to London.

We hired a car but only got as far as Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive to be exact before my friend fell ill and had to be driven back to the hotel. After that I spent the short time there shopping for bargains at TJmaxx, Marshalls and Ross. I am a self confessed shopoholic so don't hold that against me.lol! ,

On previous trips to LA though, I have been all over LA and it's surrounding areas, my sister used to live in Redondo Beach which was handy. Been to Hollywood, drove all the way up to the hills, saw the beautiful houses in Beverley hills, had light lunch at the Beverley Hills Hotel, Century city, Compton, Church and Soul Food in Crenshaw, Orange County, Glendale,Venice Beach , Disneyland and universal city etc. I have also been to San Diego where we drove into Mexico.

It is always fun in LA. People always seem to be so friendly, helpful, respectful and pleasant in that part of the country and it is hard at times to believe that crime ever takes place over there.

Thats Good. Its always good to travel and see places. I plan on traveling the US in my 20s. Everywhere from New York to The Grand Canyons.

EloSela:

Well this last trip was just a short one. We flew in from New Zealand , stopped over for just two days and stayed at an airport hotel before catching a flight home to London.

We hired a car but only got as far as Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive to be exact before my friend fell ill and had to be driven back to the hotel. After that I spent the short time there shopping for bargains at TJmaxx, Marshalls and Ross. I am a self confessed shopoholic so don't hold that against me.lol! ,

On previous trips to LA though, I have been all over LA and it's surrounding areas, my sister used to live in Redondo Beach which was handy. Been to Hollywood, drove all the way up to the hills, saw the beautiful houses in Beverley hills, had light lunch at the Beverley Hills Hotel, Century city, Compton, Church and Soul Food in Crenshaw, Orange County, Glendale,Venice Beach , Disneyland and universal city etc. I have also been to San Diego where we drove into Mexico.

It is always fun in LA. People always seem to be so friendly, helpful, respectful and pleasant in that part of the country and it is hard at times to believe that crime ever takes place over there.

I'm glad you liked the city! I love Soul Food too, especially M&M's and Flossies. But on a side note, Crime never takes over L.A. at any time. There is a serious gang problem here, but it's nowhere as near bad as it was in the late 1980s or Early 1990s. Crime here has been on a constant decrease thanks to our outstanding police chief. Los Angeles went from 1,082 murders in 1992 to 382 murders in 2007, and this year we're on track to have an even lower murder rate.

Crime here has been on a constant decrease thanks to our outstanding police chief. Los Angeles went from 1,082 murders in 1992 to 382 murders in 2007, and this year we're on track to have an even lower murder rate

Good Pictures.

what about those deaths not classified as murder, when Police shoot and kill blacks/hispanics?

landis:

Good Pictures.

what about those deaths not classified as murder, when Police shoot and kill blacks/hispanics?

All homicides in Los Angeles are counted. The homicides of individuals by police are usually classified as "justified murder", and other times the office gets sentenced, and taken to jail or fired. But, citizens killed by police in Los Angeles rarely happens, and when it does there's outrage! That's a big reason why our police department has came up with new tactic to deal with criminals, such as using non-lethal ammunition such as rubber pellets to stop criminals.

[center]California Pacific Bank Building in the Banking District of Downtown


Theater undergoing renovation in Downtown


Los Angeles City Hall emerging from the tree-line


Looking towards Downtown from the Chinatown Gold Line Station


The 777 Figueroa Office Building in Downtown
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[center]The Emerging Skyline from the I-110 Freeway


The Bonaventura Hotel in Downtown (Really, Really, Really, Nice Hotel!)


Newly built Apartments in the University of Southern California (U.S.C.) Area


Building undergoing Loft conversion in Downtown


The Hotel Figueroa Building adjacent to Staples Center in Downtown
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[center]Nigeria Independence Day Parade ~ Los Angeles


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ1Qoh52TWo[/center]

[center]Looking Down Figueroa Street near Staples Center


Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown


Second Street in the Bunker Hill area of Downtown


Nice Looking Graffiti in the Artist District in Downtown


Street scene on Seventh Street in the Historic Core area of Downtown
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# Blackspade

I will be going to a university in new York when I graduate from Community College. My Mom recommended I look at California, How are the universities over there for someone majoring in Education.

SeanT21:

# Blackspade

I will be going to a university in new York when I graduate from Community College. My Mom recommended I look at California, How are the universities over there for someone majoring in Education.

For one, I highly suggest you look towards California when thinking about higher education. I may sound a bit biased here, but I am sure we have the highest concentration of quality universities in the nation. There are so many great Universities, but the best in my opinion are: California State University - Northridge (C.S.U.N.), University of California - Berkeley U.C.B.), University of California - Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.), University of Southern California (US.C.), Stanford University, University of California - San Francsico (U.C.S.F.), California State University - Chico (C.S.U.C), University of California - Irvine (U.C.I.), and University of California - Davis (U.C.D.).

All these schools have excellent courses that fit your major, and I hope this information helps you narrow your selection down. It'll be nice to have some more Africans here in California!