On paper, Los Angeles doesn’t always sound as sparkly as its ‘Tinseltown’ moniker, but living there completely changed my perception of the city - and not in a bad way, writes Ben West When my ex-partner, filmmaker Andrea Arnold, decided to direct the second series of HBO blockbuster Big Little Lies , which would take nearly a year of filming in Los Angeles, my enthusiasm for this new chapter was tempered by trepidation. On paper, LA seems horrendous: endless traffic jams, tacky theme parks, pretty expensive, the worst pollution in America . READ MORE: Planning a trip to California, US: What to do in LA for first-timers However, the more time I spent there, the more I appreciated what a hugely diverse city it is: majestic deserted canyons, wonderful beaches and national parks.
And if you want crazy nightlife, swanky lunch venues, hugely different neighbourhoods, star gazing (both at famous Griffith Park Observatory and the Hollywood film variety), it is all there..
