The world is full of people who will go their whole lives and not actually live one day.
She did not intend on being one of them.
Three months in. I still can't believe it. Time flies.Since moving I've been back to Massachusetts three times. Once for our goddaughter's baptism and twice for work meetings. I think it's helped make my transition more seamless, and it's also given me an opportunity to really compare and contrast both places.
I'm comparing San Diego County to the state of Massachusetts. Maybe it's not completely fair to compare a county and a state, but they are closer in size than any of the MA towns I've lived in. Based on the 2010 consensus, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a population of 6,587,536. San Diego County is close to half that at 3,095,313. Waltham is just over 60K and Stoughton has about 27K. See what I mean.
Weather:
Show me a person who comes to San Diego and does not love the weather. Continuously sunny-mid 70 days with no humidity is hard to beat. Definitely can't in the continental USA. Joey likes to say the thermostat is set to where the average person prefers it. I am loving it.
The only thing we are missing is some rain. I miss MA thunderstorms. (But not the mosquitos! I forgot Deet perfume is a must have up there. I was visiting Jenn & fam last month in the Berkshires and was eaten alive. 15+ bites. Stupid bugs.) The other day the San Diego news seriously reported on 1/10" of rainfall. That's big time when you live in the semi-arid climate, basically in between the desert and humid climates.
Plus summer in San Diego goes throughout September. It's a nice, new feeling to be enjoying LDW and not feel like summer is over and done. Fall won't be the same though. I love the fall foliage, the change of colors on the trees and enjoying the cooler weather after a humid August. Now I realize why "leaf peeping" tourism is a thing.
Activities:
With "perfect" weather and 70 miles of coastline, there is always a fun outdoor activity - usually involving the ocean. Joey and I have gone biking, hiking, jetskiing and snorkeling. Paddleboarding and surfing is next on the list. And I know what you're thinking - biking and hiking doesn't involve the ocean...directly. True, but it serves as a gorgeous backdrop.
I like to think it's because I'm a Pisces, but for whatever the reason, I am an uber beachbum and San Diego satisfies that need to be near the water at any desired time. Just take this LDW, Friday and Sunday I was at the beach. Two different days, two different beaches.
Food:
Come to San Diego for some FISH TACOS, the best ahi tuna at Pacific Coast Grill (with an oceanview), and various types of burritos. My fav is California style burritos - they have french fries and guacamole.
Joey is infatuated with South Beach fish tacos. As I just opened the website, Joey said "That place is amazing. Such good food at ridiculously afforadable prices." ... and now he's trying to talk me into going for lunch. We already go every Wednesday for dinner. :)
Other than those big hits, the food in MA is more diverse. We're still on the lookout for Haitain (or even just Caribbean) food that meets Joey's standards. So far the three places we've tried just aren't cutting it.
People:
Everyone is friendly here. Just like the stereotype, people are slower-paced and overall seem more happy. It makes sense when you think about it:
Serotonin levels increase when you're exposed to bright light -- a major reason why moods tend to be more elevated during the summer. This hormone is the basis of today's most popular and successful antidepressant drugs, called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs work by helping naturally produced serotonin stay in the bloodstream longer, keeping your mood and energy levels higher.[1]Twice we've experienced something that would just never happen back home: We're out to dinner (one of the time actually at South Beach) and looking for a hard-to-find open table. South Beach is a seat-yourself restaurant and always crowded. I catch eyes with girl who asks if I'm looking for a table. I assumed she was finishing up and we'd have the table soon after she's done eating, but no. She is offering to share the table between her and the guy she is with and Joey, our friend Marc and I. Crazy, right? I just think that is cool...and unexpected for sure. In MA, people that know you probably wouldn't even extend their table to you. We aren't called MAssholes for nothing. But I can say this - you know a MAsshole when you meet them. They are who they are, which is somewhat comforting. Here, everyone is friendly on the surface. Not saying they truly aren't that way, but I've heard from some people that the friendliness can be a facade. Interesting.
That said, a quarter of the year in and we're having fun. Speaking of friends, we cannot wait for our friends and fam to visit. In the next 3 months we have five different groups of visitors!! BRING IT ON!
xoxo,
Amy
