Security Check: Leslie is a micro-developer of Westside bungalows, an anti-aging skin care consultant, and Fortune 500 Executive Coach.

What’s your historical Los Angeles and New York connection?
My grandfathers! When I came to LA for the first time, I got off the plane from Chicago, I said, “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this place?!” My first trip to NYC was when I was five to visit my grandfather who lived there. Then, I went to NYC and LA more when I was working in advertising early on in the 70s and 80s, shooting commercials on both the West and East Coast.

Describe your experience in LA.
LA felt like “home” from the start. Something about being able to see mountains and water from the same vantage point. Very grounding.

Describe your experience in NYC.
NY is all about the ramped up energy and pace. You get caught up in the drive of the city. But, it’s funny because no one wants to start a meeting before 9:30!

What was the biggest challenge of moving from LA to NYC?The biggest challenge is the time it takes to travel from one to the other. You “lose” an entire day heading East from LA. Then the next morning, your meeting starts at 9:30am which is really 6:30am. The good news, it’s easy to fly back West.

How can NYC and LA best engage with each other?
The two cities have such different energies. It’s wonderful to spend time in both places and respect the differences. LA needs a little NY and vic versa.

Favorite LA secret spot
Kenneth Hahn and Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. After you hike up, you can see a more than 180 view from LAX to the ocean towards The Valley and all the way past downtown.

Favorite NYC secret spot
S’Mac–the best do it yourself, piping hot, cast iron skillet mac n’ cheese.

If you were not doing what you were doing right now, you would be…
I’ve had the good fortune to re-invent my career so many times. Each time, something happened serendipitously that took me in a new but adjunct direction. So, I’d be waiting for that to show up again.

What’s on your playlist right now?
Henry V (with Laurence Olivier) to get up to speed on history ‘across the pond’, early episodes of The Good Wife (my hometown Chicago connection, although I am aware that it is shot in Brooklyn), and anything Jason Bentley plays on Morning Becomes Eclecticon KCRW in LA.

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