“My love waits there in San Francisco, above the blue and windy sea,
When I come home to you, San Francisco, your golden sun will shine for me.” – Frank Sinatra
I’ve always had a ‘thing’ for California. It’s so far away which gives it this allure that makes me sigh longingly when thinking of its vastness and all that it has to offer. Which is why, several years ago, I had the grand idea to go to graduate school at Berkeley, because the Bay area seemed so inviting with it’s rolling hilly streets and the water, oh, the water.
All weekend, California has been giving me this come hither look. Even when it was 102 degrees in Sacramento and I thought my face would melt off and sweat seeped through every item of clothing I had on. Even when BART took 479 hours and I fell on slippery west coast streets, I was at ease. There’s just something about this place that makes me want to wrap my arms around it and say “Ok, whatever you want, baby”. Possibly because of it’s unfamiliarity and the distance from anything I’ve ever known. For I am a straight up East coast, latte-drinking, liberal who likes the Cape and wears argyle and Ralph Lauren. Not a dot-com, meta working from home on my MacBook pro, creative type. But oh, the Bay area just has ‘It’. I’m not sure what ‘it’ is, but if the Bay area were to tell me to sit naked in a hot tub, I totally would do it.
I’m growing ever more acceptable to the notion of change and adapting to new surroundings and perhaps moving across the country would give me a new perspective on life or at least a good lesson in geography. And San Francisco, well now that you’ve made the first move, with your rampant kamikaze shots and fresh mint mojitos and wonderfully, pretty people, I suppose the ball is in my court. And it probably doesn’t help when I continue to hear Stacy’s voice saying, “Move here, you know you want to do it. Do it.” Alas there I still time and California, I am surely not done with you yet, but if you keep having the Bay area wink and smile slyly at me (surely not fooling anyone), then it is so on.
13 Comments
Just beautiful. So glad it was a fabu trip – can’t wait to hear the stories you couldn’t post to the Internets.
Glad you had a great time. Next time you’re on this coast, I’ll take you around to sample mojitos in Berkeley.
California is like a beautiful woman. The Northern part is the face. It is pretty and everyone compliments it. The Southern part is everything below the belt — unruly and brash, but that’s where the SEXY is!
Waiting for your visit to Southern California.
I lived there 6 years. I too say do it.
And Bizerkeley has a beautiful campus!
You’re making me glad I fly out there first thing tomorrow morning
Could you have posted a more unflattering photo of me? Ugh.
Aww, is that a tiki torch? Love those!
California stays with you.
it was the awesome to get to spend a little time with you. you have an amazing, calming presence. thanks for coming out with us!
(and yes, move here please…)
Oh, I am living vicariously through your San Francisco trip! I have a girl’s weekend planned for November and have it in my head that I will fall in love with the City and move there! Dang that Mr. Maupin for making me fall in love with a city I haven’t even visited as an adult…
Apparently, that’s me representin’ for the West Coast. Yikes.
It was great to meet you…and congrats on tackling BART.
SO jealous! Glad you had a good trip, pretty lady.
I’m moving to the Bay Area after Christmas, so this makes me happy because I haven’t spent a lot of time out there since I was young and it is definitely a change from the East Coast…but you should move there, too! Come on, all the cool kids are doing it!