Authentically Flawed

Dear Cali,
It’s been awhile, and I miss you. I still display my Cali pride in the CA license plate I have hanging in my office, the negative space tattoo I got on my forearm, and in my Peloton leaderboard name: #CaliLexi. Below are a few of the specific things I miss about you; I look forward to our next visit!

The Pacific Ocean
In the 34 years I lived with you, I was never more than an hour from the ocean. Having moved to a land locked part of the country, I now know how much I took that for granted. Whenever I visit the West Coast or Hawaii, I’m reminded not only of the beauty of the Pacific but of the healing power it has. There is nothing quite like looking out at the vast blue sea, hearing the roar of waves crashing and seagulls flying, and smelling the salty air. It makes me feel centered and at peace in a way no other activity does. I’ve spent time on the East Coast and in other parts of the world and the Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico just don’t have the same effect (for me) as the Pacific. I believe when you’re born on a coast there is something in your DNA that craves being near an ocean; I suspect this is why even a quick trip West is always so rejuvenating.

Dimension
While Texas boasts a pretty spectacular sky, especially in a storm, the overall landscape lacks dimension. There’s actually something mind numbing and physically unsettling about driving for hours and seeing nothing but flat, brown land. We took a road trip to Colorado a few years ago and nine hours of the 13-hour journey was nothing but featureless, hot, two-lane Texas highway. I was downright hostile by the time we finally reached the border of New Mexico. Not to mention that in that stretch of highway, there are several sundown towns…still, in the 2020s, but that’s a conversation for a different post. I miss the terrain of your highways, winding through hills, desert, beaches, farmland, wineries, forrests, major cities, small townships, and everything in between (often without leaving I-5).
The only thing I don’t miss is the often-included miles long, several-lane view of brake lights.

Music
I am not here to start a country-wide debate on music; every region of the United States has its bangers and with my electic taste, I enjoy most of it. For my soul though, West Coast rap is the melody I was raised on, ran your streets with, journaled at your beaches to, and is still what I reach for in times of need or reflection. The sounds of the West Coast are both unmistakeable and iconic, as evidenced by the immediate energy rise at any gathering, in any location, when a DJ drops even the opening chords to Feelin’ Myself, Yay Area, Blow the Whistle, The Next Episode, Nothin’ But a G Thang, Not Like Us, It Was a Good Day, I Got 5 On It, or countless other anthems that have become the soundtrack of the culture. And then there are the songs made about you; tracks like California (Tchad Blake Mix) by Phantom Planet, and Going Back to Cali by The Notorious B.I.G., who not only wasn’t from our great state but who had a massive bi-coastal beef with one of our most beloved artists. This alone should tell you how amazing you are.

So. Many. Activities.
Along with the ocean, I took for granted the variety of things to do when I lived there. You really offer something for everyone; mountain lovers: Mount Whitney is the tallest one in the lower 48, beach lovers: take your pick from 840 miles of coastline, desert goers: let’s see – Palm Springs, Mojave Desert, and Joshua Tree come to mind, wine connoisseurs: Napa Valley is your oasis, nature lovers: I mean…Redwood, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Santa Cruz Mountains, the list honestly goes on and on, influencers: oh hello, Hollywood. I have missed many, many other locations and activities, but that’s the point, you are the most versatile of playgrounds and I’m not sure people really understand or appreciate that. In fairness, it can be easy to miss amidst the political issues, devastating wildfires, fear of the odd earthquake, and unmitigated disaster that is your cost of living. These are mostly man made problems though, and they don’t take away from your natural and majestic beauty.

Avocados
I love avocados, and everything you can do with them – guacamole, avocado oil, avocado toast-I’ll take it all! There is no better avocado than your avocados. I don’t even know how to describe the difference. Size, taste, texture…all are lacking in the produce leftovers we get here, and I’ve shopped all the grocery stores and a couple of farmer’s markets in search of my cherished fruit. As you know, whenever I visit, I will seek it out either in your overpriced coffee shop avocado toast, in any taco shop guacamole, or whole, right from my favorite Vons or Safeway depending on which half of you I’m spending time in. Honorable mentions for food that I can’t get in Texas: Peet’s Coffee, Roundtable Pizza, real taco shop carne asada, and King Eggroll (I know my Bay Areans are laughing at me…I don’t care).

I’ll wrap this up by reiterating the message of my tattoo: my star was illuminated in San Jose, part of my heart is still in San Diego, and I feel extremely fortunate to have been born and raised in such an extraordinary part of this nation. I love you Cali, always have, always will.