（本專欄每次介紹一個有趣的城市，讓你以英文暢遊全世界）文/Wendy周


“In Los Angeles, everyone is a star.” Denzel Washington

人因夢想而偉大，是哪樣的夢想把許多懷抱著希望、懷抱著理想的人帶到這塊世界的陽光角落？寬廣的土地並沒有因此令人們疏遠，在洛杉磯，人人心中充滿著南加州的熱情。在這個充滿著陽光的天使之城，以它的安靜祥和吸引著八方遊客，這不是巧合。洛杉磯看似輕易摸透，但當你開始挖掘時會赫然發現，原來在一切外放的外表下，它是神秘的，這種神秘的色彩透露在城市道路兩邊的棕櫚樹上、在鬧市熙攘卻不失寧靜的氣氛中、在蔚藍的海裡、在明星雲集的好萊塢裡。

Everything's so far away from each other yet people have the strong LA spirit, representing the true South Californian spirit. It is a place where you dream. It is a place full of hope. It is a place you come and dream the so-called American dream. It is where a nobody becomes a somebody. People come here for the hopes and dreams. People come for the sun. People come for the passion.

我坐著車經過人群，經過車水馬龍的街道，想著有多少人來這塊土地是為了一圓明星夢，住在破爛的小房間裡，啃著麵包，為的是某年某月某日也許能成為下一個 Brad Pitt。好萊塢的絢麗生活似乎吸引著許多人，它賦予這個城市更大的意義，更大的使命。

這個城市最大的魅力在於它提供人們無限大希望，陽光、沙灘、海只是開啟希望的元素，它為孩子們建造一個快樂天堂Disneyland，裡面的虛幻世界帶領大家進入天真無暇的世界，暫時忘卻外面一切煩惱、一切的現實生活。它為電影人打造一片偌大舞台，無論幕前幕後，這塊土地充足的讓他們發揮到極致，在Universal Studios展現輝煌的一切；它也為音樂人開創通往世界的道路，用音樂這個世界語言發揚城市。

I come for the reason to relax and be inspired. It is the place to do so for the reason that this is the city that reinvents itself every couple of days. There’s always something going on or something about to happen. It is not just another city to sit in the sun and relax. It is truly a city of inspirations.

A nobody的意思是無名小卒
For example: Most Hollywood stars were nobodies before they became famous. 
A somebody的意思是有名人士
For example: After watching Avatar， I want to become a somebody like James Cameron someday. 

LA 不可不吃
In n Out Burger
It is one of the most famous fast food place in California. It started in 1948. Though times have changed, little has changed at In-N-Out. The menu-burgers, fries and drinks are still the same basic menu customers have enjoyed since 1948. Everything is still made fresh to order. There are no microwaves or freezers. Customers may observe french fries being made from hand-diced, fresh, whole potatoes. And the shakes are made from real ice cream. Also, they offer a “secret menu” for people to choose from. But you won’t be able to see them on the regular menu in stores. Here are some examples:
1) Animal style: Burger of your choice but with extra spread and grilled onions.
2) Protein style: Your favorite burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. 

這是一家加州特有的速食店，它最大的特色在於所有食材都是新鮮製成的，他們堅持不用冷凍庫、不用微波爐，薯條是從一顆顆完整的馬鈴薯上削下來的，奶昔是用純冰淇淋打出來的，很多人不知道的是他們有所謂的secret menu，也就是說他們漢堡的做法有許多種，但都只有在行的人知情，因為在一般店裡是看不到的，以下兩種是大家最常點的：
1) Animal style: 跟一般店裡菜單上漢堡的差別在於它的洋蔥是炒熟的，加上特多的醬料，使得整個漢堡特別香濃多汁，不可不試。
2) Protein style: 他們把漢堡皮換成蔬菜，也就是用蔬菜包著肉吃。

本文由世界公民文化中心提供，原刊載於周六工商時報-世界公民weekly。歡迎轉載，請註明出處。