Whether looking to make it big, meet the most famous
celebrities or vacation on the beautiful West Coast beaches, Los Angeles has
been a prime destination for young faces to find a home for a week or for life.
For over a hundred years LA has been known as the hometown of the rich and
famous, where big dreams come true and life is unlike anywhere else. However,
this dreamy idea of a fantasy-like world ends as you walk off your plane at
LAX.
Recently, I took a trip to California to explore a new and
unfamiliar place, in hopes of finding a place I might want to call home in my post-grad
years. I would not say that I was surprised, but rather disappointed at how different the city is compared to what is portrayed
in the news and media. Most of Los Angeles is made up of smaller towns, many of
which are not much better than the surrounding areas of our beloved Temple
University. The “LA” that we know and admire through the media makes up a very
small percentage of the entire city, hidden away in the hills, trying to stay away
from the average lifestyle of the real Los Angeles.
There’s a lot that PR professionals can learn from the
media’s depiction of LA. By bringing forth the assets of a city, tourists from
all around the world come to visit the city that offers them fame, fortune and
a chance to fulfill their dreams. However, as a consumer, it is important to
understand all of LA, not just the glamourized Hollywood and Beverly Hills area.
By researching ahead of time and making a plan, I was able to see the
highlights of LA in one day. Had I planned the whole vacation in LA, I would
have been incredibly disappointed in the lack of activities the city offered
aside from the cliché celebrity tours and bus rides. So the next time you’re
planning a vacation to an esteemed city, remember to find out what the city
actually has to offer, not just what the media taught you.
This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Hiya Ray.
