Living in San Diego, California for a majority of my life, I usually took the great food, the central location and the scenery for granted. After moving away to Europe for a year, here’s a list of things that I missed the most about living in California:
1. In-N-Out
Believe the hype, because everything you’ve ever heard about In-N-Out is true – the cheap prices, the impeccable customer service (is everyone in California this happy?), the simplistic yet delicious menu, the quick service, and now, last but not least, the secret menu (order animal style fries, you wont’ regret it!). While East Coast people might indulge in the expensive tastes of Five Guys, In-N-Out is the West Coast’s worst kept secret.
2. Beaches
Working your way from the beaches in Santa Barbara, down to Laguna Beach and Santa Monica to San Diego’s La Jolla Shores and Coronado Beach – Southern California beaches may not be the cleanest, but they sure are a sight. With fall, winter and spring averaging around a perfect 70 degrees every day, it’s no wonder that you’ll always see people crowding the beaches in Southern California.
3. Mexican Food
Forget everything your Nor Cal friends have said about Taco Bell and Chipotle being the best Mexican food ever. Trust me when I say that you have not lived until you’ve had Mexican food from Southern California, and I’m talking about the taco shops. You know – with carne asada fries (seasoned steak, guacamole, melted cheese, sour cream, onions), rolled tacos, California burritos, the fish tacos and the tastiest hot sauces known to man! If I could have a personal chef from Lolita’s or Taco’s El Gordo, I would be set for life wherever I go.
4. The Weather
One of the things that I missed the most about California after I left was the warm weather. Although we may not get the typical 4 seasons, we do get the different 4 variations of heat – moderately warm (60° weather where girls whip out their sweaters), perfect weather (70-85° where everyone is prancing around in shorts and tanks), uncomfortable hot (85-100° where you go outside only to go to the pool and beach) and unbearable summer weather (100° and above – turn up the AC and avoid going outside at all costs). Other than the month or two of unbearable heat, who wouldn’t want to live in paradise every day of the year?
5. Vacations Everywhere
When you’ve lived in California your entire life, you can forget how big and diverse the state is (over 160,000 square miles!). It’s true, California has it all – snow at Big Bear Mountain or Mammoth, desert terrain in the Sahara Desert, beaches all along the coastline and nature at Yosemite National Park. If you’re trying to get away for a vacation, try somewhere in California, there’s always plenty to do.
