Lapides on L.A. and NYC

Manhattan's 92nd Street Y is hosting a night this week with three L.A. literary types who happen to be ex-New Yorkers. In advance of Thursday's event, artist/writer/standup Beth Lapides answers some questions for the Y's blog comparing the two cities. Selected parts:

How many years, apartments and what neighborhoods have you lived in NY/LA?

NY: Ten years. Two apartments. One loft. Three neighborhoods. Little Italy. East Village. Williamsburg. Married a man who grew up in NY so consider Central Park West and the Lower East Side to be my neighborhood-in-laws.
LA: 4 apartments, Hollywood, Los Feliz, Hancock Park. But now that I go back and forth between LA and Palm Springs I stay in West Hollywood, Beachwood, Marina Del Rey. And feel I live in more of the city even though I don’t actually reside there.

What era, day or event in NY/LA’s history would you like to re-live?

NY: The Algonquin Room.
LA: Founding of United Artists.

Describe that low, low moment when you thought you just might have to leave NY/LA for good.

NY: You never leave New York for good.
LA: You never leave LA for good.

If you could change one thing about NY/LA, what would it be?

NY: Squeezing out of artists.
LA: The distance it is from Palm Springs.

"Firings, Haikus and Microthrills: Dispatches from the L.A. Literati" will feature Lapides along with Annabelle Gurwitch and Wendy Spero.