Los Angeles may always carry for me the aura that was presented in the RHCP video for "Under the Bridge". At times, it can be a frustrating place. Traffic, noise, pollution--they often break most people within a few years. But what has always fascinated me about LA is the diversity. It seems you can always turn over a stone in this city, metaphorically speaking, and find some new dimension to the struggle that is Los Angeles. Vanessa lives and breathes Downtown LA on a daily basis, which gives her a lot of street cred in my book. Sure, the theme parks, celebrities, and beaches are nice, but the real spirit of LA is much uglier and more intriguing.