Part A
I chose The last little beach town by Edward Humes. I have spent most of my life split living in Northern California and Southern California. During the years I spent in Southern California I lived in a small beach town outside of San Diego with that same small town quaint feeling described by Humes. I can relate to that untouched feeling of Seal Beach. Seal beach boasts the second largest wooden pier in Ca with Oceanside having the largest. Seal beach is also the training grounds for the US Olympic Water polo team. Located on the US Military Joint Forces Training Base at the USA Water Polo National Aquatic Center. Seal beach has also had it's share of fame in many movies, it was the "red Sea" that was parted by Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's version of the 10 commandments. There are not to many of these quaint small beach communities left. After reading this story I decided to make it a stop on my next trip to Southern California.
Part B
When I think of California the place that speaks to my heart and mirrors my soul is San Francisco. I spent my childhood years growing up in very small towns and I can remember my First trip to San Francisco. The movement and daily hustle and bustle of the city was so exciting to me. Every year my Mother would take me to see the Nutcracker at the San Francisco Ballet or to the Opera house. If you have ever been lucky enough to spend time here during the Christmas season, it is amazing. As a little girl I would wear a fabulous dress and stare at the beautiful Christmas trees that lined the halls of the Opera house and I would get lost for a moment in a make believe world. My Mother has always been active in the gay/lesbian communities so I also spent a great deal of time as a child and a teenager in the Castro. I think I have been to more gay pride parades than any other type of parade in my life. My most fond memories were Easter Bonnet parties in the Castro. As a young girl I was ultra feminine and girly and loved everything that was. I loved this holiday more than Halloween as I never liked the scary costumes as a child and the costumes for this party on Easter were glorious. They had to be hand made and they were amazing, feathers, flowers and lots of glitter. Everything a little girl like me loved.
But It was not until the later years of my life that San Francisco became such a part of who I am. I was far beyond my years at a very early age and was emancipated and living on my own by the age of 15. My godmother was the Vice President for I. Magnin & Company in Union Square. At this time I was 17 and had graduated cosmetology school and wanted to move to the City. I was working as a make-up artist in Santa Rosa but was longing to be working in the city. So I called her and asked her if I could talk to her about a job and she told me she would not help me get the job, but would submit an application for an interview. I had never even been inside this store, as you had to be some one of great wealth to afford the beautiful things this store contained. She set up the interview and told me it was on me to sell myself, she would however help me prepare for the interview. She took me shopping and by days end, I was clad in a pair of shoes I was afraid to walk in as they cost around $1,000.00, a dress from a designer I couldn't even pronounce and a Prada handbag she took out of her closet as she said it made me look important and powerful. I was ready for my interview which she called a " dunk in the shark tank" I had no idea what that meant at the time. I did after. I was out of my element completely. All the time I had spent in my make believe world in the City was nothing compared to the women who actually lived it. I did get the job however and can say that at 17 I began to live the life of a 30 year old socialite. After work I would be sipping Martini's at the Fairmont or in some ritzy jazz club. Or having dinner in restaurants and I couldn't pronounce anything on the menu. After a period of time I was well versed in the ways of the very rich and pampered. Although, I did it on a small country girls budget. My monthly paycheck was used to buy an outfit, and if I was lucky enough a pair of shoes to go with it. I would spend my lunch hour walking through Tiffany & Co. gazing at the sparkling bobbles that someday my prince charming would adorn me with. Or, if I was feeling playful I would spend an hour or maybe two in FAO Schwarz playing with the life size Barbies and all the designer clothes or even the gigantic lego floor playing with Lego's. I would spend my nights in the city in amazing clubs dancing the night away or sharing fondue next to a fire with good friends in a quaint Swiss restaurant. I loved long walks at night down the city streets. I was never afraid of even the worst neighborhoods. I loved the culture and would venture in to other areas of the city to experience it. I would sit in coffee shops for hours and just watch the people in the streets. I have worked in the city every year since I was 17. There is nothing that makes me feel more alive than the air that hits me as I cross over the Golden Gate Bridge. I feel at home. Today, I wouldn't waste my money on such frivolous things as 1,000 shoes but I can go to Union square to Louis Vuitton where I. Magnin once stood and window shop. I can still go and look at all the pretty glamourus things I love and feel just like I did as a young girl. San Francisco was Disneyland to me. The glamour, excitement and culture. I have been to many cities in California and nothing ever makes my heart beat the way it does here.
