What’s your historical Los Angeles and New York connection?
Prior to starting my consultancy THINQACTION and speaking regularly, I worked in the television industry for 10 years as correspondent and host. This was one of those professions that regularly had me flying between NYC and LA ,and rarely anywhere else in between.

Describe your experience in LA.
This is my second stint in LA. The first time I lived in Silverlake. Good eats, people and some edge. This time around I call Santa Monica home. Good eats, people and no edge. Best way to describe my LA experience is that I listen to a lot of audio books, drink smoothies like my life depends on it and take lots of hikes. I’m definitely more contemplative here. Also, I tend to see my friends who live in NYC more than I see people who live east of the 405 in LA.  I’d rather fly to JFK than drive to Echo Park.

Describe your experience in NYC.
I have the cliché story of moving to NYC with $600 in my bank account. I slept on 3 couch cushions pushed together on the floor of a Queens apartment for almost a year. Awesome times. New York city was home for 10 years. Most of that time was spent in Brooklyn. For me NYC was that “relationship” that you learn and grow from. A lot of highs. A lot of lows. Lots of extremes. Lots of effort. You wouldn’t be where you are in your life without that experience. I love that city. NYC always kept me on my toes.
What was the biggest challenge of moving from NYC to LA?
The biggest challenge moving from NYC to LA is that in Los Angeles, you don’t have as much friction like the kind that NYC provides. You don’t have those “collisions” that only New York City can provide. In LA you can spend a lot of time alone, which isn’t a bad thing. When you leave your apartment in NYC, your metaphorical knife is always being sharpened. When you leave the house in LA, you’re already hoping to find a parking spot.

How can NYC and LA best engage with each other?
Meet in Omaha a few times a year? I kid, though Omaha is awesome. The best way to engage is by celebrating the best of what both amazing cities have to offer without asking the other to change.

Favorite LA secret spot
Can’t say it’s a secret but Ye Olde Rustic Inn or equally Skylight Books, both in Los Feliz.

Favorite NYC secret spot
Hibino in Brooklyn.

What’s on your playlist right now?
Gregory Porter’s album, Liquid Spirit.

From the 2462 Miles newsletter: connecting NEW YORK CITY + LOS ANGELES