I just spent a week in California for work. I stayed away from TV. newspapers, and the Intertrons. Best week I’ve had in a long time. I suggest you all take a break. It does a mind good. Irvine, CA is a great place to run. All flat.
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Zuzu
Hmm, which part?
Up here in the north state it’s been rotten weather all week.
Zuzu
Duh. Irvine.
Never mind.
myiq2xu
Didn’t the smog make it hard to breathe?
LiberalTarian
Shoulda got a bike. Only way to fly my friend.
ThymeZone
As a CA native I am forced to point that the state has both the highest, and lowest, points in the 48 states within its borders. It has several climates, and it is not “all flat”.
LiberalTarian
TZ–been to the people’s republic of davis? heh.
Mike
In general I hate Southern California, but Newport Beach is awesome. If I had a few million lying around I’d buya place on Balboa Island.
ThymeZone
I lived in Newport for a while, a couple blocks from the Newport pier.
Warning: From May to September, on weekends, hordes descend upon the beaches and you are basically stuck on the peninsula or island if you want to use a car. The traffic is worse than you can imagine.
Other than that, a pretty pleasant place to live.
ThymeZone
Sure. On my way to Colusa, a favorite spot on the river.
LiberalTarian
If you come by again soon, come by and I’ll take you to coffee at Delta of Venus. Best hippy breakfast for miles. :)
Dreggas
Right in my backyard and I didn’t even get to take you for a beer…
myIQ, believe it or not OC is not that smoggy. However inland is another story, same with L.A.
LiberalTarian
Dang. Cali is awful big. It’d be fun to get together and have some beer. :) Well, someday we can go out and conservatively drink liberally. :D
ThymeZone
You guys are up in those parts? I really like that area.
Is it true that Colusa is getting built out? I haven’t been up there for years. Those tree-shaded streets just made my blood pressure go right down.
LiberalTarian
Well, recently McMansions have been built everywhere. Kinda crazy how they are building on the best agricultural soils in the world (takes the planet 30,000 to create, and developers 5 years to destroy). But, with the whole housing crash, well, looks like new housing starts are in decline, no?
I moved to the area in 1988, and used to be if you drove by Davis fast on 80 you’d miss it if you blinked. But, in the last 15 years its tripled in size. Still home to doctors and lawyers and such though. The other day I looked up CalcRisk’s foreclosure site and no one is foreclosing in Davis. I guess that’s good? Still, drive by Woodland or Williams, and you’ll be amazed at the houses and houses and houses. Of course, we’ll see how that goes.
And the Palms is in Winters now … still has awesome shows though, and Dave is still bringing in the blues, alt country and folk. Good times.
ThymeZone
Wow, Williams. Who is moving out there? Sacramento commuters?
LiberalTarian
People moving up to Cache Creek mostly. Naw, probably not that many more in Williams than used to be. But still, too many people.
Of course, I’m from a state with 800,000 people total, so I get claustrophobic easily.
LiberalTarian
Sorry, I am officially a little drunk.
TheFountainHead
Lucky. I haven’t been home (Los Angeles) since October. I gotta say, no better place in the world to grow up than Los Angeles. And you’re right about Irvine, it’s very much the desert out there.
Dreggas
I actually am a member of the local “Drinking liberally group” just don’t get out there that often.
Zuzu
TZ –
I grew up in Newport. Lido Isle as a matter of fact. Couldn’t wait to move up north as an adult, but having to admit going to the beach on Christmas had its appeal.
I now live in the Sacto Valley. Going up to Colusa and beyond along the river roads is a wonderful drive.
Zuzu
having to admit = have to admit
Zuzu
Did that used to be the Blue Mango?
Evilbeard
I’ve lived in California from Oxnard up to Eureka and am currently in Sacramento. The only states that could tempt me from my beloved Cali are Oregon and Washington. I am a Left Coast kinda guy.
Evilbeard
I love taking the 20 through Clear Lake when I am driving up north to Eureka.
Zuzu
Evilbeard –
We’re neighbors, looks like. I too have lived all over No. California and would find it hard to leave.
20 through Clear Lake is amazing. I drive it every year in the springtime. Sometime try cutting off at Woodland and taking 16 up through Guinda, etc. A little slower, but an exceptional drive.
Evilbeard
w00t a BJ neighbor!
My wife and I have taken the 16 before but not in the past 5 or 6 years. I think we might get a nice hotel out on the water and check out the restaurants and such in the area.
I grew up in the Oxnard/Port Hueneme/Ventura area north of Los Angeles but consider home to be the rugged North Coast. Eureka and Arcata are where I want to move back to someday.
Zuzu
Yep, looks like.
Since I was 18 I’ve lived in, well, let’s see, Santa Cruz and environs, Mendocino County (coast and inland), Eureka area, Smartville, Marysville, Yuba City, Davis, Berkeley, and Sacto.
I found Davis far too earnest. Sacto much better for the down-to-earth attitude, tree-lined streets, and really divey bars. Not that I frequent them these days.
I confess I don’t usually drive through Clear Lake. I turn off a little after Williams and go up to the hot springs for my spring soak.
If you really want to get off the beaten path, take 16 to 20 and dogleg over to 162 through Leesville, etc. Lots of old abandoned mining claims, beautiful scenery, great walking in the springtime especially. Stonyford Reservoir…most excellent, especially if the cranes and herons are still around.
If you get up to Butte County in the next month or so,
Gray Lodge is definitely worth a visit. That’s when a lot of the migrating waterfowl are still visiting.
Ninerdave
LA sucks…except for Hunington.
Ninerdave
…and TZ Bay Area folk are (well…were buying) in Stockton, Tracy, Sac and all over. A lot of people couldn’t afford to buy in the immediate Bay Area.
Unfortunately these are the areas that are getting hit hard by the housing meltdown.
myiq2xu
If you were try to locate the geographic center of California is would be east and slightly south od San Francisco.
What’s where I live, in the middle of nowhere.
On the plus side, I’m about 2 hours from Yosemite or the coast.
Zuzu
I’m guessin’ farm country, myiq.
myiq2xu
More like “meth lab” country. The San Joaquin Valley produces lots of agricultural stuff but it doesn’t look like what most people think of as farm country.
It looks like the bastard love-child of Los Angeles and Kansas. Farms and freeways, smog and tractors.
Dennis - SGMM
Small town, Southern California, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Hilly, tree lined streets, walk to the grocery store. I walk to work. National Forest begins three blocks north of where I am writing.
The other morning a coyote was belatedly loping up our main street (“Downtown” is one block long), everyone just stopped where they were and enjoyed.
Los Angeles is only thirty miles away but it could be ten thousand miles for all the effect that it has here – other than the roaring river of metal a few miles south.
Car Ramrod
Do you want to increase your penis size?
Well, if you figure out how, let me know.
Dude, my comments suck.
RSA
You all are in Kevin Drum’s neighborhood, and he sometimes organizes a lunch at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, a bit of a haul, but for what it’s worth. . .
Ned R.
IRVINE, Michael. Of all places. (I work there, you see, down at UCI.) Anyway, you should have come before the fires. (And you also should have mentioned where you were going since I could recommend a slew of local places to eat and drink that are not Dave and Buster’s or the like, but perhaps you were fortunate there already.)
Bob In Pacifica
I grew up on the Jersey Shore (Springsteentonia) and have spent more than half my life in and around S.F. It’s great. With the exception of an occasional whale washed up on the shore and rotting it’s a nice place.
Dreggas
Best place I have been in California is Kings Canyon.
LiberalTarian
Wow. ZuZu, Evilbeard and MyIQ all within easy driving distance. That rocks. I don’t know where the Blue Mango used to be … before my time here I suppose.
Yeah, the town of Davis is awfully rigid for its supposed tolerance. It’s supposed to be great for raising kids, but my kids found a lot of trustafarians to get in trouble with. All’s well that ends well though.
When I finish grad school I’ll probably move to midtown in Sacto. Aside from getting screamed at by homeless and/or crazy and/or meth addicts from time to time it’s pretty nice. Marilyns has some nice folky and Americana shows sometimes–for instance, Todd Snider was there a while back.
My daughter lives near Lake Merritt in Oakland–hanging out with her is very cool too. Gotcher Freight and Salvage, Filmore, etc. for shows, and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and Power to the Peaceful for festivals. All good.
Kevin Drum is quite a long ride down the beach from me. Cali is a big, big place.
Mike
My daughter lives near Lake Merritt in Oakland
A stone’s throw from where I work. It’s a small world after all.
The Disgruntled Chemist
If you were try to locate the geographic center of California is would be east and slightly south od San Francisco.
I think it’s actually Fresno, right? Close to it, anyway.
I’m in Irvine right now (I’ve actually spent my whole life between Santa Barbara and San Diego), but in 6 months I’m moving to Baltimore.
I’m not totally sure what I’m thinking. Well, besides “I need a job”.
Zuzu
I know whereof you speak, myiq … didn’t mean the term in the uh, picturesque sense.
Zuzu
LT –
Blue Mango used to be in that little cluster near the Sal. Army store. Crunchy atmosphere, pretty good food.
I lived there in the ’80s when I was an undergrad. Great school system, and for a college town it was surprisingly family oriented. I was a single mom, so it was a good balance.
Trustifarians … I know what you mean. There’s always been a certain homogeneity (sp?) about the place, and in high school the pressure for an SUV of his own was intense.
Even then it was a smaller town. I can’t believe the amount of building that’s gone on in the past 15-20 years. I guess the slow-growthers lost.
Midtown is a nice choice, especially if you’re without kids. Lots of stuff within walking distance. And light rail is pretty efficient.
When my friend from NYC came to visit I took him home by way of Garden Hwy, with a stop for lunch on the river at the Virgin Sturgeon. A very nice way to enter town.
He was smitten by the place. The wide neighborhood streets, trees, bungalows, friendly neighbors …
I moved here from Berkeley for work. Bay Area folks look down their noses at the area, but I’ve come to appreciate the easy livin’, the ecology of the area, and the people. I can do Berkeley in a day now, and see and do everything I want.
If it weren’t for the damn summer heat and lousy air quality, it’d be perfect.
Zuzu
LT –
I have a theory about kids in Davis.
I actually lived there twice in the ’80s…first as an undergrad, and then later when I was working in Sacto. I’d returned so my son could be in high school with his friends from grade school.
I think there are more younger kids whose parents are starving students or underpaid TAs of one sort or another. Not so in high school…parents are usually employed by then, and there are plenty of rich kids to set the social tone. Hence the pressure for your own SUV.
Fortunately, my son’s best friends from grade school weren’t in the rich kid category…’course there were plenty of ways to screw up anyway. As you say, all’s well that ends well … one of them was his best man at his wedding last year.
MNPundit
I think it would be best if you took a vacation then and stayed away from the blog for another week. Imagine how good you’d feel then!
Evilbeard
I haven’t spent much time in midtown or downtown sacto. Mostly I’ve confined myself to the eastern side of this mini metropolis, Carmichael and Citrus Heights to be specific.
Really my favorite parts of this area are the trees and the twin rivers. My least favorite are the six month long summers. I much prefer the 70 degree summers of Eureka to the 115 degrees we got last year here in Sac.
LiberalTarian
Oh dang. I spent most of the day working on email and class website stuff. Sorry I didn’t come back ZuZu and Evilbeard.
Well, I am a transplanted granola from Montana working in environmental chemistry in NorCal. I go for the small-town feel even though there are a ton of people here. Can’t do any kind of camping in Cali, cuz there are just too many people. Only time I can go out in the woods here and feel like it is not too damn weird is when the weather is seasonally bad.
Then again, the drive up 40 to Yosemite is amazing in March, when the lupines and redbuds are blooming amidst the granite …
Cali has jobs, and don’t we all need one? So, there you go.
Kynn
Ah, so this explains why the blog suddenly got good for a week or so.