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Sunday, February 10, 2008

Tell Me About the Rabbits...

Ocean Boulevard
Photos by myself in Santa Monica, along Ocean Boulevard.

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This is my fourth day in California, after spending a few days in Aspen for business. It's been wonderful to catch up with family and relax.

Okay, I have to admit, after walking around on the beach and then through the streets of Santa Monica, the warm weather and sunshine has gotten through my hardened exterior. I can see why people love California.

And why not. Life is nice here. This is where, in Of Mice and Men, one 'lives off the fat of the land'. It feels abundant. Palm trees line the streets, looking very surreal. After a long walk down the beach amidst the volleyball games, I now resemble a bright tomato and am loathe to leave.

I talked to a cousin who lived in San Fransisco for several years. He was asking whether I preferred LA, SF or NYC.

'New York, hands down,' I said, without reflection.

'Okay, so between LA and SF?' he asked.

'Hm...I guess San Fransisco.'

He picked up on my hesitation. 'What do you not like about San Fransisco? Is it the weather?'

'No.....'

'Oh, is it because it's too small?'

'No.....'

'Hilly?'

'Well, it's too damned clean'.

All the cute buildings look like they've been painted yesterday, and that arouses my suspicion (for whatever weirdo reason I have). I prefer a place a little more lived in, with some wear and tear. I guess grime to me is a symbol of urban authenticity.

Tonight, I take the red eye back to New York and land around 6 am. I don't mind sleeping on planes, and I can bounce back pretty readily.

We'll see how I am tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure I won't be so chipper!


4 comments:

Spandrel Studios said...

Love the light in your photos -- it really is a kind of blinding-white brightness out there, isn't it?

San Francisco always struck me as a smaller, West Coast version of New York... still busy and bustling, lots of incredible restaurants and interesting neighborhoods, lots of big business and entrepreneurs. And, like you said, cleaner.

But the last time I was in SF a few months ago, it wasn't as clean as I'd remembered it -- there was plenty of grime! We also spent more time in less-touristy areas than I had before, so maybe that makes a difference.

In any case, it sounds like you're having a fantastic vacation -- have a safe trip home!

Ruvym said...

San Fran over LA any day, and NYC over all of them. There was a time in my life when I was all about San Fran. But I kind of got over it. What did it was the last time I was there in March, and while it was really nice, there was just something missing. I realized that I'd be bored out of my mind if I lived there. It was so quiet and abandoned, even on a Saturday night. It's a great place to visit, but to live in as a single guy without any San Fran connections? I'd have to find some sort of ridiculous job out there for that to happen. Either that or go to school. Otherwise, to go it alone for no particular reason, seems unnecessarily scary.

Still, it makes me so happy when people come here from other parts of the country and fall in love with MY city. I once knew this girl who was from Ohio, and she hated NY. So much so that for the summer she moved back to Ohio for work. Well, that summer really straightened her out, because when she was back in the fall, there was nowhere else she would rather be.

Kitty said...

interesting, Ruvym. I had the same feeling, that SF was a little small.

But that was from a couple days of being there. Who knows. I think if I had my neighborhood and my people, it could feel homey.

NY isn't for everyone. It's easy to get the wrong impression here as well. Really depends on your experiences, I'm thinking.

Andi said...

When I was growing up as a little girl in communist Eastern Europe I dreamt of visiting America one day and for some reason SF was my dream American destination. I was lucky enough to visit SF last spring and I absolutely fell in love with it. I have a feeling that NY would be the same, I am sure I would love it and I am so curious to see it, it is the next dream American destination on my list.
LA does not interest me in the slightest. I'm not sure why. I would choose to visit Chicago or Miami over LA any day.

I love your insights into NYC life :-)