My recent trip to Southern California, which occurred a full five years after my first visit to the lower portion of the Golden State, has done nothing but strengthen my desire to uproot and replant where the air is warm and the sun never dies. Until August of 2011 , all I had seen of California had been in the movies – the eternal sunshine, the palm trees, the celebrities, the incredible beaches – and I always knew it was a place I would have to see up close one day. When I finally got my chance, I was awestruck. Like a true tourist, I took pictures of everything. I didn’t seem to have enough eyes in my head to take in all that such a magical place had to offer. Continue reading →