Transport
The 405 / the 10
thuh four-oh-five
Californians put 'the' in front of motorway numbers, unlike the rest of America. Getting this wrong marks you instantly.
Sig alert
sig uh-LERT
An unplanned incident closing a lane for 30 minutes or more, named after Loyd Sigmon. You will hear it on the radio and you will learn to care.
Daily life
The Westside
thuh WEST-syde
Santa Monica, Venice, Brentwood, Culver City — the coastal half. 'I don't go east of the 405' is a real and mockable attitude.
The Valley
thuh VAL-ee
The San Fernando Valley, over the hills to the north. Hotter, cheaper, bigger houses, and the butt of a long-running LA joke.
June Gloom
joon gloom
The marine layer that greys out early summer mornings near the coast. It burns off by afternoon, and it surprises everyone who moved here for the sun.
Marine layer
muh-REEN LAY-er
The cool coastal cloud that makes Santa Monica fifteen degrees cooler than Burbank on the same afternoon. LA has genuinely distinct microclimates.
The Eastside
thee EAST-syde
Silver Lake, Echo Park, Highland Park and beyond — and a term genuinely contested, since East LA proper is further east and much older.
Culture
The Industry
thee IN-duss-tree
Film and television, spoken of as though there were only one. 'She's in the industry' needs no further explanation here.
Food
Al pastor
al pas-TOR
Pork off a vertical spit with pineapple, and the taco you order to judge a place by. LA has the best Mexican food outside Mexico and it isn't close.
Emergency
Santa Anas
SAN-tuh AN-uhz
Hot, bone-dry offshore winds from the desert, usually autumn. They are the reason fire season is dangerous and the reason the air feels electric.
911 / 311
nine-one-one / three-one-one
911 for emergencies; 311 for City of Los Angeles services. Note that 'LA' spans 88 separate cities, and which one you live in decides who you call.
Social
Hike
hyke
In LA this is also a social format. 'Let's go on a hike' is the local equivalent of getting a coffee, and Runyon Canyon is where it happens.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.