california dreamin'

I took this picture at the intersection of Normandie Avenue and the 10 Freeway. It reminds me of being at home in L.A. every single time I look at it. I can almost feel the warmth from the sun on my skin and I want to squint from the brightness of it in my eye.

There is nothing like growing up in Southern California. All sunshine all the time and 85 degrees on Christmas are the things that sun-filled dreams are made of. I am truly a California native.

I used to hear people make disparaging remarks about Californians and Los Angelenos in particular and it would bother me. I’m very defensive of my hometown and my home state. California is in my blood.

There is such a diverse mix of culture and it’s waiting for you around every single corner.

When I think of growing up in Southern California I think of:

The ice cream man never coming down our street and me thinking it was because we didn’t live in a “black” neighborhood.

Drop drills in school in preparation for the “big one”. When the “big one” finally hit, it was at 4am in the morning, everyone was in bed and nothing could have prepared our city for the devastation that followed.

LA County school teachers went on strike at least three times when I was in high school. We would go periods of three weeks with substitute teachers and no one learning anything.

My dad taking us for rides up PCH.

Playing in the waves at Santa Monica beach, Lifeguard Station 25.

Sundays spent walking around Venice Beach during the day and traveling down Crenshaw at night.

Getting chili fries from The Brolly Hut or Fabulous.

When Friday’s in the Marina used to be the spot.

When Westwood used to be the hang out spot of all hang out spots.

The dollar movie at the Hawthorne Mall with my cousins and sister.

Riding the Santa Monica Bus Lines to school.

When MTA was called RTD and we said it stood for the “rough, tough and dirty” - an homage to the conditions on the buses.

Sometimes I’m really homesick for Los Angeles. Then I will go and spend just one day in that traffic and become suddenly grateful that I don’t live there anymore. Still, I love L.A.