What makes the city so fascinating is that it is constantly alive. People are always creating and taking action in things that are important to them. From the peaceful SAG-AFTRA movements that fill the streets of Hollywood, to the musicians playing their pieces for civilians at Echo Park, Los Angeles motivates everyone to fulfill their dreams and fight for them.

This culture of resilience is embedded in every crevice and activity in LA. Everyone is chasing something, with long-lasting hope and grit. What keeps this city going is this burning desire to constantly improve. It may begin from the drive to self-improve and survive, however, ultimately, this ambition broadly affects the community. While we find our own groove and our own ways, we are willing to help our neighbors do the same. This culture of uplifting fosters a sense of family and community, where support and resource-sharing are embraced.

LA is a melting pot, meaning that the culture is layered and vibrant. It is living proof that people can coexist together, creating rich and historic blends. These blends can be found in music, such as Kendrick’s album in collaboration with a mariachi band, and the French-Asian fusion restaurants downtown. LA knows how to execute genuine collaborations with care and respect, bringing blended cuisines to the dinner table for people to experience.

What often goes underspoken is the resilience of the LA community. LA has endured natural disasters, such as wildfires, earthquakes, and political chaos. This city has seen its fair share of adversity, however, what is impressive is the community’s strength and commitment to bouncing back. After every disaster, the city not only seeks to rebuild quickly, but it remains committed to reinventing itself in innovative ways.

LA is a community of resilience and strength. There is a magic here that you won’t find anywhere else. It doesn’t just survive, but the city is always finding ways to evolve. There is a reason why people come here to achieve their dreams. And those who leave tend to be drawn back. LA offers people freedom to be themselves. The culture is sole proof of that. Amazing things happen here, from art to sights, to great people. In the end, it’s the enduring support you get from your neighbors and friends when you feel like you are struggling to achieve your dream. In every corner of LA, there is inspiration and life. You don’t really see it, until you leave and realize how wonderful and magical the place and people are.

Seeing everyone wake up early to attend their workout classes is quite inspiring for someone who wasn’t always a morning person. These girls who wake up to go on their morning walks or lagree classes are onto something. You really do get a head start to your day; appreciating the time you have makes you spend it more intentionally. Especially with Daylight Savings in effect, working out early before class or work is a great idea. Working out is a huge proponent in maintaining long-term health. It also has other positive effects other than purely physical, such as influencing the health of your mind. Working out personally brings me clarity and allows me to release any tensions I have from the night or days before. In LA, it is common to have workouts embedded in hangouts–genius, right? What better way to spend with your friends working out and bettering yourselves...then obviously grabbing a matcha right after.

The idea of wellness is so instilled everywhere in Los Angeles, especially in fashion. LA is home to so many athleisure brands, such as Alo Yoga, Set Active, and 437. There is no doubt that you will see a girl decked out in a Lululemon workout set at brunch or at the shopping mall. Nearly every girl in LA has a workout set. This marketing served its purpose, because even I have been influenced to acquire a few to workout in. They really do get you excited to work out in the morning.

Their workout attire is usually accompanied by a drink in hand, typically a smoothie. While it is usually nutrient-packed, it can even be as simple as a juice–both of which have health benefits and are better options than soda or soft drinks. Of course, drinks aren’t the only thing the LA residents are indulging in. Many young adults and even families in LA are obsessed with healthy eating. While it is not uncommon to find that there are a number of people with unhealthy relationships with food, I’d claim that LA offers a wide range of healthy food that actually tastes delicious. From cauliflower bowls at Sweetgreen to Chinese chicken salad wraps at Cali Chicken Cafe, LA is home to some of the most enjoyable food with quality, whole food ingredients. If you dine at any restaurant in the city, the menus are usually advertised as being made with whole, organic, or fresh ingredients. Sometimes, they are even farm to table.

Being motivated to maintain a healthy lifestyle is something that I will proudly partake in. Considering that LA makes a large population of the nation, if that culture of wellness is diligently instilled in individuals’ lifestyles at a reasonable and healthy level, it will aid the physical and mental health of many Americans. Ultimately, this shift can be a model for other cities to follow. If wellness culture is more normalized instead of feared upon, we can improve the statistics of Americans’ health significantly.

LA is home to a large Mexican community, so what better to enjoy than Sonoratown-style tacos. There is something about the flour tortillas at Sonoratown that landed them a highlight on Buzzfeed’s Worth It Series and a frequent shoutout on Infatuation’s food blogs. There is a reason why people claim that getting Sonoratown’s tacos and chivichangas are an integral part of their Dodger game ritual.

LA also has some of the best Asian food in the country. Koreatown, Los Angeles, arguably has food comparable to what is served in Korea. In fact, one k-pop band claimed that BCD Tofu House was better than Korea’s tofu soup restaurants. My friends and I have been frequenting this spot since we were in high school after late football games. When we were craving rice and tofu soup in the late hours of the night, we would head to BCD because their locations open till 3 or 4am to share the galbi jim stone pot that the waiters heat up with a hand torch.

The best Thai food can be found at Ruen Pair in Thai Town, Hollywood. Head here for a hearty and authentic family-style meal with friends before a night out for pad thai and their BBQ style pork.

Now, if you want a good matcha latte after a walk at the Silverlake Reservoir, head a few minutes out to Echo Park for the best cafe drinks and great quality lunch options at Laveta Cafe. In my humble opinion, Community Goods is overrated with long lines and way-too-tiny drinks. If you want good quality matcha or coffee for an acceptable size complemented by a healthy chicken salad, Laveta is the place to go.

Larchmont Village is one of the best little parts of LA. Hidden in the back of Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits, and Cheese are three employees that assemble some of the best sandwiches. After you munch on that, walk a few steps to Jeni’s Ice Cream, Levain Bakery, or Salt & Straw while the beautiful fairy lights light up the quiet street.

If you want the best breakfast plate and a casual brunch vibe, head to Cafe Telegrama because their pancakes are known to be the best in the city. But it doesn’t end there. Their Chinese chicken salad is one of the best salads I’ve ever had–and that’s coming from a huge salad connoisseur.

We all know that Los Angeles is not the cheapest place to reside in. However, there are ways to eat well on a budget. At least once a week, I drive 15 minutes to Koreatown to support my favorite sushi marketplace: Yama Sushi Marketplace. There is a location in San Gabriel that I went to growing up for affordable and good-quality sashimi. Thus, I was very happy to find out that there was a more modern location in Koreatown. Yama has the freshest sushi cut rolls that they make hourly. The quality is as good as restaurant sushi quality, but the most appealing part about it is that it is inexpensive for sushi pricing from $8-11 per roll.

If there is one thing for certain, people from all over the world travel to LA for the food. As an LA native, I take advantage of being a neighbor to so many great local food establishments. Truly, the city is blessed in so many areas–but most of all, in the food industry. You can always count on LA’s quality food thanks to the establishments that work relentlessly to offer highly enjoyable experiences while serving great food to food-lovers.

LA Dodger fans from all around the world have stopped whatever they were doing to sit in stadiums, in their living rooms, and even Century City mall to gather and watch the series. I know that I did that plenty of times this week; I’ve cancelled several plans and pulled my phone out during car rides to watch the first few innings (as passenger, of course). Once I saw the 9th inning of Game 6, I knew I had to text my friends the painful text message of cancellation because my team had forced a Game 7. But, my friends understood why; as someone who was born and raised in LA county and has gone to several Dodger games, I would drop everything out of my busy college student schedule to glue my eyes to the TV for hours just for my team. It’s not the case that every franchise can afford such star players–Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, Kike Hernández, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to name some. Watching players take center stage of America’s pastime sport is a unique experience from a fan perspective. From every pitch to every double-play, LA baseball sure knows how to impress their fans and put on a spectacular show. It makes non-Dodger fans want to wear blue the next morning.

Sports culture in LA is unmatched. Despite cultural differences and personal struggles, LA fans show up and show out for our teams. We connect with our sports and players so much that we influence the sport as much as they influence us. The teams write our city’s history as much as the community does. In fact, I remember mourning the trades of Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, and most recently, Walker Buehler. They will always be a part of LA; LA will always love and thank them, because that is what LA is, a family. At the parades, we honor the current team as well as wear the jerseys of past Dodger players. Even LA teams’ jerseys are well-represented at these fan events. Heck, even on an ordinary day where there are no major sports leagues playing a game, you will see a sports fan rocking a Betts jersey at Sonoratown. Our teams have a special connection with fans, arguably in ways that other teams cannot achieve. LA teams have a magic of instilling pride into their fans, ultimately ensuring their loyalty and pride for generations. Being a part of the LA community is almost like a personality trait, one easily earned by being a fan of the city’s sports. This lifelong status of being a part of one big family is a huge reason why the Dodgers is a historically iconic and well-loved franchise.

Arguably, the World Series is one of the most entertaining sports series to date. So, you could say that dropping my plans was well worth it to watch my team fight to win the World Series for the *9th* time. Without a doubt, sports culture is huge in Los Angeles. It is the glue of our city. You could say Hollywood brings the money, but sports is what brings the familial feeling of LA coupled by the love and pure entertainment it fosters.

Once again, the city comes on top. As a fan and local, watching the Dodgers become back-to-back champions of the World Series makes me feel an immense love and pride for the city. Through political turmoil, sports is one of the universal outlets for peace, love, and community. As the entertainment capital of the world, bringing the trophy home feels poetic. Baseball is the most romantic sport there is. And what better place to watch it than my hometown that I’ve never left–the place I never want to fully leave.