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Dear Reader,
I have now lived in California for over two months, and to the eyes of this Connecticut gal, there are a few differences between the east and west coast. Granted, I moved from the northeast to the southwest, so the contrast in lifestyles is a bit stronger.
First: THE GRASS
Connecticut is covered in a veritable carpet of green, whether it is trees, bushes, or lush grass. This is due to the 50 inches of rain a coastal town gets every year, whereas San Diego gets 10 inches every year. This results in dried-out brown scrubby grass, *unless* the owners have decided to put in fake grass. Being from New England, I admit I immediately turned my nose up. However, it has grown on me.
Speaking of grass, weed has been legal in California since 1996. In Connecticut, it has been legal since July 1st, 2021. This means that while dispensaries have been popping up all over Connecticut for the last year or so, in California the dispensaries are advertised as funhouses (I saw one painted bright purple). Enormous billboards dot the city proclaiming catching signs like “good weed” to commuters.
Indeed, there was a change in the air to my New England nose as well. No, there isn’t a cloud of cannabis hanging over San Diego, though I do encounter it in random locations much more frequently (ie. the mall, going on walks, restaurants, etc.). There is one place, however, I am guaranteed to always smell the bitter sweat smoke of marijuana: the beach. At the very least, anywhere with a view of the ocean.
San Diego’s coastline is insane. There is a beach for every vibe, depending on what you’re looking for day to day. Parking is always free, and the sandy shore leading up to the water is spacious, with yards and yards of room to set up your chair, umbrella, cooler, and surfboard. (I haven’t measured it, but I think it’s up to a quarter mile wide). As I’ve gone to the beach frequently by myself, I was nervous to leave my towel and bag unwatched while swimming. However, I learned from a local that there is an unspoken courtesy on the beach: no one disturbs unattended bags. To me, especially with the high homeless population, this speaks volumes about how much Californians valued the sanctity of their beaches, and a visitor’s ability to rest and enjoy without fear of being robbed.
There is even a beach devoted to dogs aptly called “Dog Beach,” (in case anyone needed the hint). As you might imagine, this is sheer glorious chaos, true doggie heaven. Pups of all sizes run absolutely everywhere off-leash, releasing their bowels whenever the urge strikes, sniffing other puppy butts like true social butterflies, and running up to all the humans their canine hearts could desire. Owners obviously attempt to keep an eye on their dogs and clean up any mess they might excrete. Yet there is an attitude of “live and let live” when they don’t get there in time. Why? Because it’s a dog beach, and you know what you signed up for when you sat down. Sitting on that beach, knowing it was actually a giant toilette bowel, I questioned if setting aside a beach for dogs was really worth it. Looking out over the low-tied ocean, watching innumerable pups playing in the sand and waves, having the time of their lives, the answer could only be “yes.”
Indeed, California has the outdoor lifestyle dialed in. That is due, I believe, to the extravagant natural wonders of their landscape. For example, the first time I saw the west coast I was drawn up short by their beach grass. I know, I know, enough with the grass, but this was so cool. In Connecticut, the grass along the beach is called “marram:” long narrow green blades that wave in the wind. In California, the predominant growth along the sand is “ice plant,” which is a strange cross between succulents and moss.
The coast also possesses an astonishing rock formation of cliffs. There are many signs warning visitors to keep back from the edge as they might collapse at any time. From Yosemite to Torrey Pines in San Diego, California’s public park system is polished and refined with cultivated trails, map signs, and plenty of parking.
Second: THE PEOPLE
Life runs at a slower rate in San Diego. The “laid back” stereotype of this community is in fact true. New Englanders runs at a much quicker pace, and I must confess it’s been a delight to slow down and relax. After a day of steady work, I head to the breach to reground myself in surf and sand.
The population of San Diego is enormous compared to a small Connecticut town, around 1.4 million. Because of this, there are some necessary changes. Traffic, for example, is much larger. People in Southern California use freeways like New Englanders use main streets. Thankfully the roads are much larger too, and the freeways have an average of four lanes, whereas in Connecticut there are often two or three. Everyone in San Diego complains about the traffic in Los Angeles, but I don’t find it any worse than New York City, Boston, or Chicago. In my humble opinion, Boston has the worse traffic, as the roads are so twisting, narrow, one-way, and often underwater in tunnels, that one inevitably takes the wrong turn (for up to an hour trying to get across the city. *ahem*)
The roads in California manage their excessive traffic very well. There is even a lane or two on the far left devoted to commuters who also want to protect the environment by carpooling. We can see just how serious California is about directing traffic by the use of tire shredders in parking lots. The first time I encountered this, I triple-checked to make sure I was indeed supposed to exit in that direction. On gasoline: yes, it’s more expensive. If I can find regular for $6.00, I’m doing well.
Perhaps thanks to the beaches and the sunshine, there is also a much higher percentage of people in their twenties and thirties living in this area, either working as young professionals or starting their families. With the heat, there is more skin shown day-to-day, and tattoos are as common here as scarves are in New England. There is also a much higher percentage of mixed-race couples here in California than I have seen on the east coast (or anywhere else, actually).
While there are plenty of churches in Connecticut, the Presbyterian denomination does not seem to be prolific, and I wondered if I would be able to find a Presbyterian church on the west coast. (Presbyterian is a denomination of protestant Christianity whose theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures, and the necessity of grace through faith in Christ.) To my surprise, Presbyterian churches abound. An appropriate analogy: it was a little like wondering if there would be a Starbucks available on the west coast.
On personality and behavior: perhaps I have been extremely fortunate in the people I’ve had the pleasure to meet, but across the board, everyone has been extremely welcoming. I’ve been invited to drinks, dinner, a birthday party, and a piano recital. Truly the people in this area are open, hospitable, and incredibly helpful. The second I mention I’m looking to break into the entertainment industry, whoever I’m talking with will mention four or five people they know in that line of work, and offer to connect me with them.
The last contrast I offer to you is the coffee culture. Fear not, New England, your coffee is as good as theirs, though I will say there are many more options for coffee shops. The main contrast comes with this: when you order a latte in Connecticut, the assumption is you want it hot and will specify if you want it iced. In Cali, it’s the opposite. This is how I came to order my first pumpkin spiced latte of the season — a drink which by definition should be drunk hot — and received it iced.
Did it bother me? Not one bit. It hit the spot
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