6.03.2010

californianniversary

picture this:

june 3, 1998

after a three day cross-country journey from ohio with a tiny car full of my belongings...

aka "tommy the tempo"


...and a pocket full of meager just-out-of-college savings, i arrived in los angeles.

my best friend was waiting for me with open arms, a place to live, and a job.  

i moved into park la brea...

aka "the compound"


and started working at the stinking rose the very next day...

a beverly hills garlic restaurant


i was a midwest girl with a dream; a lifelong performer and theater major who had carefully considered both coasts but ultimately chose the west.  

my logic was this: if i have to be a starving artist for awhile, in california i can go to the mountains or the beach or even roller skate in the sunshine even when i am broke as a joke.  i am an outdoorsy girl at my core and this was an essential piece of the life puzzle for me.

i had visited california for the first time the summer before and fallen completely, totally in love.  i remember cruising around los angeles in my best friend's convertible and soaking in the vibe.  

the beach captured me immediately...


as did shopping on melrose...


and drinking "ice blendeds" from the coffee bean...

but what sealed the deal was this: i went on a dance date during that trip.  my friends dressed me up as a retro pinup girl and i went swing dancing at the brown derby alllll night long.  big bad voodoo daddy and the movie swingers were a big deal at the time...



...and i was smitten with the whole shebang.  i thought, if this is life in the golden state, then i want it.  all of it.

so, i fell hard for california.  and twelve years ago today, our official relationship began.  

i love you so much, california!  like all relationships, we've had our share of ups and downs, amazement and despair, light and dark, beauty and disaster, good and bad.  but i wouldn't change a thing.  you are my true home and i will always love you.  

happy anniversary!

6 comments:

Amy T Schubert said...

oh goodness, I love love love love love CA

Heidi pumpkin pie said...

I hope to visit in someday; let me tell you the east coast is a thumbs down mostly.

alyssa said...

Aw this was sweet! I've always lived in CA and I am kind of over it. BLAH! ;)

diane said...

@amy...so much to love!

@heidi...you are officially invited to visit me.

@alyssa...i'm a sentimental gal. is there another spot on the map where you dream of living?

jessie b said...

im a mid-western girl myself living out west now. i am being more nomadic though, most of my possessions are back in KS. i only wish i could convince my family to move with me. do you have any advise/words-of-wisdom for someone considering the same kind of life change and for similar reasons (nature, etc)?

diane said...

jessie, my only words of advice are to follow your bliss and live where you are truly-deeply-soulfully happy. whatever the reasons may be for loving that place, i think that's where you'll flourish.

i was determined to search until i found this for myself, and i finally found it!

i will note that it is emotionally challenging being far away from my family. but we all live in our happy places so we just visit each other as often as possible.