I was 19 and on a train for my first California trip. It would be one lovely summer to care for my cousin’s small son and fix breakfasts on weekdays. Evenings and weekends were mine to do as I pleased and I had use of their car if needed.
Whoopee! How could I refuse. It took 2 or 3 days of travel from Ohio. I don’t remember much of the railroad travel. I do remember my first meal in California however! I was picked up at the LA Union station and taken to my cousin’s house in San Fernando Valley. There I found a dining room table set with a tablecloth, cloth napkins, wine glasses, and candles. I had never seen that in a home before!
The food was even more amazing to me. She had made a salad which we ate first, then out came a prime rib, whole baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, tender crisp green beans, and wine. This was all new to me! I never experienced any of this at home and neither had my cousin before she moved here some 8 years before.
At home, we used tablecloths only when there was a really big event. And no occasion seemed good enough to warrant taking out the silver! Wine was the homemade Italian variety to which we kids could have a watered down version. Baked potatoes? Nope, we had cut potatoes roasted with olive oil and rosemary and all green vegetables were cooked to limp states. This was different!
I was a goner and I hadn’t been here for one full day yet! Then each week I experienced a different restaurant. Dinner in Los Angeles gives you many choices: Polynesian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, French, Seafood, Mexican, Lawry’s Prime Rib, too many firsts to remember them all. Then the trips to Disneyland, the beaches and parties with my cousin-in-law’s nieces.
I saw Man of La Mancha with Jose Ferrer at the Ahmanson, Camelot at the Valley’s Theater in the Round with Robert Goulet and the LA Philharmonic at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. First we had an extremely elegant dinner in the Grand Ballroom on the 5th floor restaurant with more silver in the formal place setting than I’ve ever seen.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center in Los Angeles
I watched my cousins closely to learn what to use when. I can still see that room in my mind’s eye: our table covered with glassware and silver next to huge high windows with gold drapes over sheer curtains, magnificent views of LA, waiters in tuxes, beautiful dishes, everyone dressed in elegant dresses, men in suits. The food was fine eating although I was so overwhelmed I don’t remember what we ate.
After dinner, we went down to the concert after passing those magnificent chandeliers, the marble, the mirrored staircases and all those elegantly dressed people. Back then, there were fur stoles and coats.
My fate was sealed by the end of summer. There was only one place for me to live after I graduated from college. That was California. I earned my airfare to fly my first flight ever back to Ohio, crying the whole way back. Fears about flying running rampant, my only regret should the plane crash, would be that I couldn’t come back to California again. At that point, I had had the most wonderful time of my life ever.
Has that ever happened to you? You visit some place and realize this is where you want to live? Where was that for you? What was that like for you?
Hello Julieanne, What a great story… I loves how you described your trip and gave details about how beautiful that restaurant was… It’s funny because I felt the same way my first time in California. I lived in Sherman Oaks for one year and I can still remember the sound of the waves in Laguana Beach…Thank you so much for sharing this story with us 😉
So glad you enjoyed. And so nice to hear my descriptions give you a feel for the place. It was the most elegant place. It’s sad that it is gone now.
I can just imagine your awe at the tablecloths! I would have been mesmerized as well.
I did not have any experience like this when I was younger. But when I visited Seattle for the first time (in anticipation of wanting to go to graduate school there), I was quite taken and felt immediately at home. I just decided it was the place for me–luckily the university accepted me! When I moved, my feelings were affirmed. I have always felt very at home here and very connected to Mount Rainer and the local environment. I ended up staying–that was over 30 years ago. It’s hard for me to believe I grew up on the East Coast now that the West Coast is so clearly home.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter.com
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
I could have sworn I replied to this but maybe it didn’t take. You still found the area that spoke to you. I loved the diversity of California. You have the beaches, the mountains and the desert (my least favorite! LOL). Rich farm land, panoramic views, wild seascapes, towering mountains, Yosemite is exquisite! I’d love to come visit you and see your part of the world. I think I changed plans in SEattle once. Love you!
Such a wonderful story of how you came to California, Julieanne! When I was a kid, the big table settings were usually reserved only for company or holidays. When I became “a grown up” I decided that any day is good enough for the nice linens, china and silver!
I was fortunate to grow up in a place that truly was “home”… truly me! The SF bay area is home to entrepreneurs, free-thinkers, artists, liberals, inventors, great music and beautiful scenery — what more could I want??
I’m happy you’ve found your perfect home, Julieanne 🙂
Heidi & Atticus
http://www.atticusuncensored.com
“commentary to give you paws…”
I too felt silver didn’t need to be reserved for special occasions. I think my mother used her wonderful silverplate once when dad bought it for her. Then there was never an occasion good enough to use it. She asked me what I wanted for Christmas one year and I told her I have something it mind. It will only cost you shipping! I have the silverplate set now and I use it. I also needed to own my own sterling silver set and I did get that as well. Now I rarely use it because I rarely have people over. Things change and that’s okay too. How fortunate for you that you love where you were born. I do love SF. It is one of my favorite cities!
What a wonderful summer, Julieanne. I feel “at home” anywhere near the ocean which always surprises me because I grew up in Nebraska and didn’t see the ocean until I was 17 years old (when my family moved out to CA). Even though I didn’t choose to live in California, I am very happy to live here. Since I’m in Sacramento, I need to scoot a little more westward to be completely “at home.” Wonderful story!
Trish
http://www.robertssister.com
caregiving. family. advocacy.
Yes, the ocean somehow is my grounder. Before I started on my path, the ocean would somehow put things into a perspective for me. I spent 15 months living in San Fernando Valley and I don’t look on that fondly. I need to see, hear or smell the ocean. Thank you for the compliments! I appreciate you spending some time with me here!
Great story Julieanne! You describe your experience so naturally that I felt I was there with you! I love living by the ocean too, only on the East side. California is a favorite place too. For now I live here and like your experience, I had come to visit a few years back and loved the area, only to be transfered here after living overseas for 6 years. . . . Great post with a lot of meaning and application to my life. Look forward to visiting you again.
Thank you , Delmy. I’m so glad you enjoyed my post. It’s fun to hear that others had similar reactions to where they ended up living.