Drive West on Sunset, To the Sea

When I moved from NYC to San Francisco, I didn't really know the differences between NorCal and SoCal or much of anything at all about California. I knew friends had moved to Cali (both North and South) and enjoyed it, I knew it enjoyed an almost mythic place in the American experience and I knew I wanted to find a lifestyle with less urban focus than the one I had in NYC.

And so I ended up San Francisco and really liked it. And I listened to people make fun of LA, its denizens and its vibe and I assumed that LA wasn't for me either. But with each trip to Venice and Santa Monica, I began to wonder. After all, I had spent months of my life traveling around the world looking for warm, beautiful beaches to post up in... why wouldn't I want to LIVE in similar place? And I found the people living on the West side to be extremely warm and friendly, just like I've found in beach towns anywhere.

In December 2011, I made the move. And since people have been asking me "What's it like?" and "Do you like it?", I figured I would put words to blog to lay it all out. One thing is certain: the differences between SF and LA are massive. At times, it's hard to believe they are in the same country, let alone the same state.

As for the title of this first post, thank Steely Dan.  (Which, incidentally, is also a reference to something shiny and grey.)