Sam Recommends: “L.A.” by Elliott Smith

                                                                 ❤

As much as I’ve always loved Elliott Smith, I could never understand the appreciation he expressed for Los Angeles in his appropriately named song, “L.A.”

I definitely never thought I’d end up here. In fact, I had always been dead set against living in this city.

I’d made the drive in from Riverside for countless concerts, readings, and trips to Amoeba, but the insufferable traffic paired with my nonexistent navigation skills always made it a trip rife with anxiety and frustration.

But when my husband got the job of his dreams in North Hollywood, and I found mine in Santa Monica, it became pretty clear that we were destined for a Los Angeles zip code.

Turns out, I love it here (in spite of the traffic, which remains insufferable, and seems to get worse each day.)

This gorgeously strange place, and the people working hard to make their dreams come true here, are an endless source of inspiration for me to push myself harder, and to do more.

My first year here has been one of my most creatively fulfilling; Memoir Mixtapes probably wouldn’t be a thing if I hadn’t moved here. And that would be a tragedy because Memoir Mixtapes is lyfe.

I’m also really happy that I can finally relate to a song I’ve loved since high school.

Feels good, man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N30isO_BW8(Song recommendation by Samantha Lamph)