The Very Best of a Place

Goodness, I am homesick for California today. I don't know why particularly--maybe it's because my friends are going through some heavy stuff and I wish I was there physically. Maybe it's because when you think of mortality, you think in terms of the VERY BASICS of what you'd want to have around you and for me, that would include all my favorite people (and maybe a good movie or two or three). Don't get me wrong--springtime in New York is nothing short of MAGIC, but today I wish I could see the Pacific and eat a really good, cheap burrito, and maybe visit the San Gregorio General Store and try on hats.

When you visit a place you see the VERY BEST of it. I know when I lived in the Bay Area and the South Bay I was FILLED with complaints: you have to drive everywhere, it' so spread out, no urgency, people don't seem motivated to do stuff, etc. etc. Of course, as I look from the East Coast I see Highway One, cypress trees, beautiful, clean San Francisco, Kirstin and Tom's house at dinnertime, Paul and Todd's house in the morning, & Sara and Brian's apartment anytime. I see my brother and sister in Golden Gate Park, I see sour dough bread, I see Artichoke soup at Duarte's! I see Mint Chocolate Chip shakes at the Peninsula Creamery! DANG! I know if and when we move from Brooklyn, there will be A ZILLION things I will miss about living here, so I best just ROLL IN the pleasures while I can.

As it happens I am flying to a different California tomorrow. I am flying to Southern California to be at my cousin Jessica's wedding (yay Jess!), which also has some wonderful parts to it, but it isn't the part that I'm missing. Still, I'll take what I can get!