L.A. as seen by Distinction

Los Angeles has just two spheres, according to the latest Distinction magazine: West of the 405 and East of the 405. Here's how the Tribune Company glossy compares the two, pegged to the weighty topic of leaving town for a winter holiday.

	West of the 405	East of the 405
Reason for flight:	Quality time with family and friends	Quality social time
For snow:	Sun Valley	Aspen
When in Mexico:	Esperanza	Palmilla
Day tripping:	Second home in Santa Barbara	Second home in Palm Springs
For sport:	Surf/ski	Golf
Transport:	Friend's Gulfstream G-IV	Boeing Biz Jet
Tag-along:	Kids	Dogs

In this issue, the top names on the masthead are Executive Editor Emili Vesilind and Creative Director Joseph Shuldiner. But the Letter from the Editor at the front is signed by Consulting Editor Gary Walther. He has been the editor-in-chief at Departures and Expedia Travels and the editorial creative director at Worth. He has also been writing for Joe Sent Me, a website for business travelers. (Founding editor Laurie Pike now edits LA.com.)

Distinction, remember, is the magazine launched last summer by Angeles Publications, an arm of the Los Angeles Times advertising department. The magazine is based on the sixth floor of the Times building, but apparently is shunned by Times editors who view Distinction purely as an ad vehicle (the mag's "contributing editors" include local fashionistas Tracee Ellis Ross and Cameron Silver and decorator Kelly Wearstler).

Freelance writers who take assignments from Distinction have been considered tainted by the paper and its own Sunday magazine - a tough choice for some writers, since the last I heard Distinction actually paid better for pieces.

Earlier: The Times of 'Distinction', 'Distinction' starts landing

Update: Publisher Jane Dalea-Kahn replies.