State Bliss Blog

15 Things You Will Miss When You Leave California

Californians have got it good. They’ve got it so good in fact, that when they leave, they quickly notice all that the state had to offer. Here are a few things near and dear to Californians hearts that they find unbearable to part with.

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1. The Weather

It’s universally understood that it is pretty much always beautiful in California. The sun shines, the waves crash blissfully on the beaches, and the landscapes, both natural and man-made are always on point. Good luck finding the same raw beauty esthetics elsewhere.

2. Avocado Abundance

Who doesn’t love a good avocado? Californians REALLY love their avocados. Avocado toast? Sure. Avocado smoothies? Even better. Avocado cake? Absolutely! Only in California. Seriously. The rest of the world will give you awkward sideways stares. Avocado lovers, unite – and flock to California, the land of the delicious, creamy green fruit.

3. Landscape Versatility

Whether you want to visit the coast or the city, California delivers. Want to escape to a forest hideout? Yeah, California’s got you covered. Desert oasis? You better believe California has the most beautiful Moroccan spas and resorts – right in the heart of the Mojave Desert. Californians face the cruel reality of the lack of existence of this kind of versatility anywhere else they travel to.

4. REAL Mexican Food

Proudly boasting the largest population of Mexican residents, California boasts the most authentic, fresh, satisfying Mexican cuisine you’ll find north of the border. When Californians travel anywhere else, the “Mexican food” just doesn’t even compare.

5. IN-N-Out

Double-double animal style burger and fries? What, you haven’t heard of it? That is grounds for ending friendships to native Californians! Ok, not really, but In-N-Out is a staple that every carnivorous Californian craves. Withdrawals are real.

6. The Lingo

Dude, it’s hella humid here. If you’ve ever muttered these words in New York, Atlanta, or elsewhere, chances are you got some pretty strange looks of confusion. California lingo is pretty limited to California – it’s part of home - and this becomes abundantly clear when you find yourself in the position of a displaced Californian.


7. Beaches Galore

Sure, there are beaches on both coasts, but California boasts some of the most beautiful pristine beaches along it’s perfectly manicured coasts. Surrounded by nightlife, dining, and tourist attractions, a day at the beach is never more exciting than when you’re in California.

8. Celebrity Encounters

Celebrity sightings are common amongst Californians. While the rest of the country is losing their minds over celebrity sightings, Californians are hanging out with local celebs and ordering coffee alongside them at Starbucks. What’s the big deal anyways, right?

9. Activities for Days

Never a dull moment. How could there be? With literally every activity imaginable, the great state of California offers a multitude of exciting opportunities to make the most of life. Want to learn aerial gymnastics? It’s right around the corner. Need to take a cooking class? No problem. California offers so much to its residents – they will literally never run out of things to do.

10. Diversity

People from all walks of life, all ethnicities, and all genders call California home. What’s even more impressive, is that the state values acceptance and welcomes everyone for who they are. You’ll never find a more inclusive state – a trait that is quickly missed by Californians (and visitors) when it is time to move on.

11. The Lifestyle

Californians live a truly different lifestyle. They live organically, advocate for acceptance, strive for greatness, and they make dreams come true. The sense of community and pride for their lifestyle of wellness is something easily missed by Californians that have relocated.


12. Disneyland

There are several Disney parks worldwide, but there is only ONE Disneyland. Californians are known to purchase season passes and visit regularly. Disneyland is an icon of the Golden State and Californians miss it dearly when they depart.

13. Shopping
Okay, it’s true – you can shop anywhere, but California is home to thousands of different shopping venues. If you dream it, you’ll find it in California. From countless outlet malls to specialty boutiques and shops, California offers a shopping experience unparalleled to anywhere else.

14. Opportunity

Everybody knows that if you want to be rich and famous, you get your big break by packing up your life and moving to California to pursue your dreams. While some success is built on skill, the majority of successful people have attained their positions by networking. California is a networking hot spot. If you have a dream and want to reach for the stars, there is a great chance that you’ll find the right people to rub elbows with in California.

15. Year-Round Farmer’s Markets

Remember how we mentioned the fantastic weather? Well, it also enables local farmers to churn out freshly harvested fruits and veggies all year round – and good thing! Californians love their fresh cuisine.

This 1962 retro Palm Springs flat known as “Walt’s Technicolor Dream House” has recently sold for $865,000.

The 2,444 square foot ranch style house, built for Walt Disney and his wife Lillian as a retreat for their later years, was owned by extended Disney family members and just listed for $899k in November 2016. This gold course home is right off the Indian Canyon fairway and has a 180 degree mountain views.

The four-bedroom residence was being used as a vacation rental, while being marketed as “Walt’s Technicolor Dream House” ... renting between $1,820 to $4,840 a week.

The home has personal Disney touches all throughout — ranging from notable quotes to famous drawings of Walt & Mickey Mouse.

This Southern California home is a classic blend of nostalgia mixed with mid century modern taste, featuring glass walls, backyard swimming pool and outdoor dining and recreation areas.

Original Article oc register HERE

Pictures By Klint Watkins

The Most Unique Foods You Will Find in California

1.) Chinatown Specialties

You may think you have heard of pretty much everything when it comes to food. Especially if you’re a diehard foodie – but have you seen the culinary oddities that can only be found deep in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown? Chinese delicacies like dried lizards on a stick, chocolate covered ants, fried scorpions, and not so strange foods like Vietnamese Pho are all some of the unique foods you can sample in Chinatown. With all of the cultural diversity, Chinatown is an exciting food experience all around – and VERY unique.

2.) Acai Bowls

Most of us have heard of the acai berry and all of the fantastic healthful properties it contains. Antioxidant rich, it’s benefits have created a health food craze throughout the country. So how is this food unique to California you ask? Well you see, California has found a way to take this incredible health food and create a healthy breakfast smoothie bowl packed with nutrient rich foods. Picture this – a layer of tropical acai berry smoothie, topped with oatmeal, fruit, nuts and seeds. Soothe your sweet tooth and enjoy a breakfast that is sure to start your morning off right. Yum!

3.) Green Smoothies

Ahhh…juicing. Sure, this one isn’t uncommon, but where you get viewed as a health freak in other parts of the country, Californians won’t even bat an eyelash. This frosty beverage is refreshing, energizing, and full of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs. Green smoothies are totally cool here. In fact, they may welcome you to the green drink club with open arms.

4.) Cactus Cooler

For those of you sitting here reading this asking, “what the heck is a cactus cooler?”, it’s a soda, soft drink, a pop for you Midwesterners. This orange-pineapple flavored carbonated beverage is a staple to southern Californians.

5.) See’s Candies

Hard to find in most other states, See’s Candies is quite available in Cali. In fact, you are very likely to see a See’s Candies shop in most malls. From gourmet lollipops to delectable chocolates, See’s has something for every sweet tooth.

6.) Boba

Boba, also known as bubble tea, is an Asian tea infused with fruit and topped with tapioca pearls, sometimes mixed with milk to achieve a milkshake consistency – a healthy alternative to the American version. California seems to see the potential in these unique health foods first -and so the trends begin.

7.) Umami Burgers

A fusion of American and Asian style cuisine, Umami Burgers in California creates gourmet burgers with a twist. Beef patties, cheese, and tempura fried veggies take on a diverse multitude of flavors when topped with ingredients like fried eggs, greens, seafood, and special sauces. These burgers are truly a California phenomenon. So. Good.

8.) Matcha Green Tea Latte

While lattes are certainly not unique in their own respect, this matcha green tea latte from Urth Café must be pretty darn good. It was one of the highest-ranking Instagram pictures of tea ever. The baristas at Urth Café not only make a mean cup of tea, they also leave cute little cream birds and leaves frothed on the top of your cup.


9.) The Bambu Special

The Bambu special found at Bambu Desserts and Drinks in San Francisco is made from coconut juice, with longan, basil seed, coconut meat, and pandan jelly. The presentation is layered and super artsy. Very unique and definitely something worth trying if you’re in the area.

10.) Year-Round Farmer’s Markets

Sigh…Sunny California. While the rest of the US is trudging through snow, smothered by cloudy days, and daydreaming of sunshine, California is basking in the glow. Year-round farmer’s markets are plentiful in the great state of California and you’ll be pleased to find seasonal veggies at an affordable cost, ripe and totally satisfying.

"An especially wet winter was largely welcomed across California this season for the relief it brought to a region suffering from severe drought. But for residents of Big Sur along the state’s central coast, an increased number of landslides and road closures have proven particularly problematic. The latest of which, a slide that covered a 1/3 mile stretch of Highway 1, is being called unprecedented. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office posted a video on Facebook of the devastation with the following explanation: 'MCSO airplane Idaho 90 up in the air to put eyes on the recent landslide at Mud Creek in Big Sur. The slide went from bad to worse over the weekend and the video will give you a glimpse at the undertaking needed to open the road again.'" - The Inertia's Dylan Heyden (@hey_dylan) Read more about the Big Sur landslide on theinertia.com/environment☝️Link in our bio. #bigsur #landslide #TheInertiaEnvironment #MTNlife

A post shared by The Inertia — Mountain (@theinertiamtn) on May 24, 2017 at 12:39pm PDT

 

The 6 Best Cities to Put Down Roots if You’re Single in California

When you’re single, you’ve got options - loads of them – and while choosing an exciting place to live may seem like a simple task, the sheer volume of options can be simply overwhelming. In a state like California, there are so many great locations to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites.

La Jolla

La Jolla is gorgeous. If you’ve never visited this coastline gem, you’re missing out. The location comes with a hefty price tag – and rightfully so. The city of La Jolla has a lot to offer for the singleton that has the paycheck to afford the lavish lifestyle of this beach centric town. The homes – gorgeous. The beaches – pristine. Enjoy a relaxing trip to the La Jolla Cove, enjoy the entertainment of a Mariachi Band, and revel in the convenience of San Diego being a hop, skip, and a jump away - you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the museum of contemporary art and exciting date night venues like escape rooms and themed experiences. If you’re not the nervous-type, enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience on a sea cave tour or at the La Jolla Underwater Park.

Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach is situated in the southwestern corner of Los Angeles right alongside the gorgeous California coastline. If you’re into surfing, you’ve found your new home. Known as one of the biggest surfing and watersports “hot spots”, Manhattan Beach will never disappoint when it comes to catching some waves. Not enough? Manhattan Beach has been coined the heart of the city. You’ll never have a difficult time finding something to do or a place to have an exquisite meal – although you may find it difficult to choose just one. As a city with a laundry list of celebrities who call it home, you never know – maybe you’ll catch whatever fame is lurking in the water, too! Proudly flaunting its status as the number one location to meet rich singles, you might even find your long-time love in this beautiful city.

Venice Beach

When you’re in Venice Beach, it feels like spring break all year round. Condos line the boardwalk with the most stunning ocean views, there is never a shortage of fun loving people, and shopping and nightlife is always plentiful. You absolutely will never be bored should you choose to call Venice Beach home. From street performers, to food trucks, to endless rounds of beach volleyball, this location could not be any more like what you would imagine a college town on the beach to be. That being said, Venice Beach is more likely to provide more mature singles as the rising housing market continues to push the limits of young singles budget buffers.

San Francisco

The locals know that San Fran is home to some of the most impressive microbreweries in the state. Perfect for the beer-loving bachelor and delightful to the aspiring chef or those infatuated with good eats, San Fran is brimming with bars, restaurants, culinary experiences, and all of the night life a singleton could dream of. Home to one of the highest populations of singles, you’re guaranteed to find some like-minded, fun-loving friends who are ready to join you in your celebration of the good life.

Hollywood

Hollywood is literally the emblem of California. Everyone has heard of it, visualizes its most iconic symbols, and lists it on their bucket list as it is one of the most sought after locations in the country to visit. Can you really blame them? Hollywood has an incredible amount to offer its single residents – from bars, restaurants, shows, and more, Hollywood is the place to be if you’re single and ready to mingle. We are exceedingly confident in saying that you can discover something different in Hollywood every single day. So why not move there?

Ontario

Ontario? Where’s that? Bear with us – Ontario is nestled between some of the most popular desert towns – Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta - bidding it the gateway to adventure. Hop on the Amtrak, jump on the bus, or grab a flight (for those looking to explore beyond localities). Ontario is the perfect location for the single adventurer. You can’t be tied down – and Ontario will never dull your fire for adventure. Try your hand at the casinos in Palm Springs, ride the tramway, or head to Knott’s Berry Farm for a thrill or two. When you live in Ontario, you can afford to treat yourself while keeping the bustling cities nearby for entertainment and convenience. Who knows – maybe you’ll meet a special adventurer to share in your adventures – if that’s your thing.