True Californian

~People ask me why I still consider myself a Californian, even though I've lived in Michigan for about equal the amount of years. Simply put, California is deep in my soul. Not only as my home State, but as my piece of paradise.

Let me tell you a little story.....
About six years ago I helped a good friend move to California. We drove a U-haul from Michigan. When we arrived in Los Angeles where she would be living, we were caught in bumper to bumper traffic on the 405 highway. That is an experience in itself. To some it would seem like every car from California converges on this highway at times. So there we were stuck in traffic with my friend blurting out obscenities, and me having this huge grin on my face. She asked, "How the hell can you be smiling in all this traffic"? I responded by saying, "Do you realize that the Pacific Ocean(One of the greatest and most beautiful Oceans) is only twenty minutes West of us"? It's something as simple as seeing the Pacific Ocean that made me grin and remember how great it was to live in that State. Sure here in Michigan we have the Great Lakes, but can they even compare?

I love that in California you can find many climates. In Michigan, we just have cold, really cold, or hot and humid in the summer. In California you can find dry temps., humid areas, snow in places only hours away from the Ocean, rainy places , and mountain scapes as far as the eye can see.

I truly love California for the great cities(i.e. San Francisco, San Diego, Lake Tahoe, Pebble Beach, Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Monterey, and Santa Monica), for places like Catalina Island , or Hearst Castle. For Yosemite Valley and Redwood Forests.

I enjoy great wine. For a great experience, visiting Napa, Sonoma and all the wine regions in California can't be beat. My favorite is Peju winery. Just drop in and experience a wine-tasting. I'm sure you will leave with their Merlot or Provence wine. That's what I left with. I love the hospitable service there and the knowledgeable staff. You come out feeling like a wine aficionado.

I love California for being able to ski one day in Tahoe, and wind surf the next day in Malibu. I love California's mix of food, and cultures. I love that there are so many industries and that Silicon Valley is so well known for innovation and technology. The sports teams(Go USC!) are great, even pro with the history of the 49er's and Lakers.
From prestigious race tracks like Laguna Seca, to great golf resorts. A place for bird watchers, and whale watchers, for monarch butterfly migrations , and stunning sunset watchers.

There is the great agriculture and all the great food festivals throughout the year. Not to mention my home city's Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California.

Of course there is Hollywood, and places where actors chase their dreams for us to see them on the big screen or on stage.

I can almost smell the salty ocean air as I'm writing this, or the smell of fresh crab legs at Fisherman's Wharf.

There is one other jewel that captures my heart, The Golden Gate Bridge . An amazing piece of engineering, but also more than a bridge. While other bridges seem to blend in, the Golden Gate stands there with a grin saying "Look at me".

I could go on, but it's best to experience California first hand. This is only a small portion of all that is California.

All I can say is, "Everbody has the opportunity to be a Californian."

Time to Jet,

George