Suburban Bliss

So, as I mentioned earlier, I have moved back to the land I grew up: the San Francisco Bay Area. And while I'm looking for a job (a super fun enterprise during this, the worst recession in 70 odd years) I'm living in the burbs.

I haven't lived in the suburbs since college, and even then I lived in a suburb that was, in essentials, not a suburb but an extension of the city. So while I was prepared for the obvious annoying things about suburbs, such as having to drive everywhere, I had forgotten some of the more covert annoying things about suburbs.

For instance, leaf blowers.

Can someone please explain leaf blowers to me? I don't really get their point since they just seem to blow leaves around and make a lot of noise, but every gardener in the burbs uses one. Including my mom's gardener. Ahem.

Front lawns.

I love lawns, really. I understand that grass wastes a lot of precious water, blah, blah, blah, but grass is also so nice to lounge on. Or play on. Except, when was the last time you ever saw someone lounging or playing on their front lawn. That's right. Never. What's the point of wasting all that precious resource on an ornamental front lawn?

Speaking of wasting water, the other day I was going for a jog and I noticed a hose that was turned on and spilling water straight into the gutter. I assumed that there COULDN'T be an Earthly reason why a person would do that on PURPOSE. I mean what possible reason would someone have for that? So naturally I assumed that the hose must have been left on accidentally, and as a good Samaritan, I should inform the owner of the house as such.

So I knocked on the door, and a man came to the door, and I politely informed him that his garden hose was turned on.

"Oh, yes. I'm going to turn that off soon. Thank you for your concern," he said before shutting the door.

I still have no explanation.

It's a weird, weird world out here in the burbs.

I Have a Home!

And it is ...

drumroll please

The same place I was born, grew up in, and lived for 18 years of my life.

Yes, I am officially declaring that I now live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

It took some soul searching, traveling, and living in New York for two months, but I'm ready to come home. I loved London but I missed my friends and family more than I realized.

Plus, the Bay Area also has amazing weather and Rainbow Grocery! Plus a whole host of awesome sauce bloggers like her, her, and her. What's not to love?

So, yes, I have a home. Now to find the right job.

Bay Area: Heaven On Earth?

In case you can't tell from the title, I had a wonderful trip. I got to see my mom, various relatives, childhood friends, family friends, high school friends, college friends, post-college friends, and blogger friends!

The wedding was beautiful and untraditional. San Francisco was as gorgeous and foggy as always, though I got lucky and it did warm up the afternoon I was there.

It was a great time, though, I admit not particularly relaxing as we seemed to constantly be running from one event to the next. As such, I didn't have a ton of time to just sit back and reflect, but I couldn't help but notice how sustainable the Bay Area seems to be.

See, I grew up in a small town 40 miles south of San Francisco. Now let me tell you, suburbs 40 miles outside of Los Angeles aren't particularly erm ... crunchy or diverse. There are very few non-chain restaurants, and the suburbs are one housing development after another after another after a strip mall. There doesn't tend to be much in the way of public transport, and while there is often one farmers' market nearby, there's usually only the one within 10 miles. So, essentially, they are similar to the suburbs that have been much maligned (unfairly or no) by various environmentalists.

My little home town is entirely different. Because while it's 40 miles south of San Francisco, it's only 10 minutes from San Jose. So there are still plenty of small, independent restaurants, and stores. The city is fairly diverse, there are multiple farmers' markets that operate in a 10 mile radius, and the Cal Train that travels to San Francisco isn't particularly far away. The public transit situation could be better, but altogether, it's fairly sustainable for a suburb.

So while it is technically "the suburbs" its very different in character from what we normally view as the suburbs. And because the Bay Area consists of THREE satellite cities (instead of one) every suburb in the ring between San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose still tends to be fairly diverse, with lots of small shops, restaurants, and somewhat reasonable access to public transit. And the public schools are almost all excellent. In fact, if they ever get BART to San Jose, and find a good way to connect San Jose and Oakland, the Bay Area might be the most perfect place in the world. Did I mention that my mom is there? And that she cooks for me so I don't have to eat the pitiful meals that I otherwise make?

I wasn't in town for very long, but I did manage to see Michael Shellenberger of the Breakthrough Institute, and I got to meet the Breakthrough Generation fellows, who are an awesome group of intelligent, committed college students. And on Tuesday, I had breakfast with the lovely Cindy W, and the great Green Bean. Although none of us had ever met in person, it was funny because all three of us felt we knew each other so well! The conversation was easy, and frankly, I could have gabbed the day away, but alas, we all had various family obligations to attend to. The only bum note was when our waiter informed us that the restaurant had neither syrup nor oatmeal which meant that we were unable to order about half of the menu. But menu selection aside, it was a pretty great breakfast. 

And that's the story of my mini-vacation. How have you all been doing?