The California Report: Ten Years of The California Report


		Ten Years of The California Report: The Best of California From its inviting climate and agricultural bounty to its geographic and cultural diversity, California is many things to many people. To celebrate our tenth anniversary, we're asking listeners to share their top ten favorite things about the Golden State. Here are some lists that listeners have shared: Kim Graham, San Jose I love that my tomato plants don't stop producing until well into November. I love that I can enjoy the snow on my own terms - go to the mountains for a day or week - but I don't have to live in it. I love Hicklebee's Bookstore in San Jose. I love the diversity of ethnicity in the state, especially as it means I can get decent ethnic cuisine in some of the smaller towns as well as the big cities. I love that I can start the day on the shore of the Pacific Ocean and end it in the mountainous terrain of the Sierra Nevadas (or vice versa) I love the smoking ban in restaurants, bars, etc. Every time I travel out of state I am reminded that this is one of the things I love about home. I love Yosemite in the fall and early spring, when the weather is a little cooler and the crowds of summer are nowhere to be found. I love the Garlic Festival (Gilroy, of course!) I love the sunny and warm spring days that sometimes occur in February (another thing I didn't realize I missed until I lived in Boston for a year!) I love our state community college, CSU and UC systems - you can still get a good education at a reasonable price. There are many, many more things I love about this state, which is why I'm willing to put up with some of the things I dislike, like poorly planned mass transit and earthquakes. Leslie Wilson, Santa Barbara My bit of heaven on earth is Lassen Volcanic National Park. I was taken there as a toddler, camping at what I suspect was Manzanita Lake. As an adult, I have been camping there off and on (as geographical location permitted) for over 40 years. We camped as a brand new family at Kings Creek, joined by my high school buddy and her family. When Kings Creek was closed to camping, we all moved over to Butte Lake, in my opinion the best campground in the park. Our children grew up together at Butte Lake, and they all have many wonderful memories of those summer trips. I now camp solo and keep returning to Butte Lake and the beauty of Lassen Park. Marc Allen, Novato I just have one thing: the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING about California is that, in this great state, you are encouraged to be an original! There are no strong social forces trying to make you into someone other than who you are. You're encouraged to do your thing, in your own way, and to live the life of your dreams. You can be married or single, straight or gay or something else entirely, living alone or with a family or in a group situation and you have no strong pressure to change your ways. I have lived in several other states in the U.S. (north, south and east), and I have found a freedom here in California like no other. Be yourself! Be an original! This is a wonderful thing to be. Lisa Simmons, Hercules The GOLDEN sun light. The VIEWS and VISTAS. You can't get views from hill and mountain tops like the ones in CA in other parts of the US. No mosquitoes! 75 degrees and sunny - everyday (almost) Diversity! Net Worth - I have a lot more net worth due to housing than my counterparts on the east coast. Green winters and brown summers. I can ride my bike year round. Family loves to come visit me. Did I mention the GOLDEN sunlight? Jeanne Killian, Albany I like the smells of California. Most of my scent memories are from growing up in my hometown, Visalia, in the Central Valley. Smells I remember and love: Walnut and Oak trees all around town. Knowing we were closer to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park because we could smell the pine trees as we drove up the mountains. Raisins drying in the sun. Peaches, Plums, Oranges, Apricots in my father's garden and along the road during our Sunday drives. The smell of deer brush, sage, and manzanita in the chaparral of the foothills. The smell of eucalyptus trees when we went on drives to the coast. The scent of tomato plants as the tomatoes were being harvested. Gilroy garlic. The odor of dairy farms - bad but unforgettable. David White, San Diego I like California for: Beach volleyball: I've recently taken up the sport. I've met some great people. Beach volleyball started here and California is a great place to play it. Open minded people: Californians allow each other to be themselves. Wide variety of places: Beaches, forests, mountains, deserts, cities ... we have everything except a warm ocean to play in. Casual attitudes: Californians comfortably informal. Mild climate: Most of the year is available for outdoor activities. Relative closeness to Hawaii: It's only 5.5 hours to my favorite vacation spot. Ballot initiatives: It's easier to direct the course of our government here. High technology industry jobs: There are many opportunities for engineers here. Culture diversity: We are enriched by variety of immigrants here. Healthy economy: Even when our economy is down, we're better off than most Americans. Jennifer Pease, Daly City My top 10: Sunsets along the Pacific coast, and even sunsets filtered through LA smog San Francisco Los Angeles Venice Beach and all the hangin'-loose people Diversity like no other place in the world Laid-back dudes and dudettes University of California Wine country and sweet, sweet grapes Gorgeous national and state parks "California Republic"! Pedro Rump, Los Altos My 10 favorite things about California are: The cultural diversity The weather The geographic diversity The trend-setting San Francisco San Diego The shoreline The mountains The desert The natural beauty The liberal attitude Valerie Brooks, Venice My top 10: Fruits and Vegetables Metaphysical Understanding Forefront for Change Warmer Climate Ocean Front Community Gardening Culturally Diverse Less Prejudices Spiritual Interested Community Cody was Here Orville Jackson, Menlo Park California's diversity, social, ethnic, environmental, you name it, is what makes it a beautiful place and what makes it home for me. Here's a list, in no particular order, that could go way past 10: The world's finest public university system. GO BEARS! The scenery: Yosemite, Redwoods, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, Big Sur, Death Valley, shall I continue? The wine: Napa Valley/Sonoma Reds, and the central coast Chardonnays. The beaches: Sunset Cliffs, Santa Monica Pier, Trestles, Mavericks, Pismo, Venice, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Stinson, Baker, Black's, there's a beach for everyone :-) The produce: corn so sweet you can eat it raw and strawberries bigger than my nose The cities: Margaritas in Old Town San Diego, Halloween in The Castro in SF, and Chicken and Waffles with my dad in LA. The architecture; bungalows, bridges, timber lodges, Spanish missions The language: My grandfather calls himself "old dude." Q: How many Northern Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: Hella. The politics: The bluest of the blue states, and yet surprisingly, we gave the country Reagan, and now the Governator. We have more women and minority senators and representatives than any other state. The people: growing up I had friends from all races, ethnicities, beliefs and backgrounds. My step-father is Puerto Rican. In high school I hung out with the children of Japanese scientologists, immigrants from Holland, Vietnam, Laos, and the US Mid-West, farm workers, wealthy entrepreneurs, you name it. My extended family includes African-American, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Korean, and Anglo-American. One day my dad was looking out the window watching some of my nieces, nephews, and younger cousins playing in the yard. Chuckling, he turned to me and said, "This is Dr. King's dream." Doug Ewen, Oneida, NY The things I LIKE about the Golden State: Being born in California & proud of it! The great Mexican food I can't find in upstate New York. PSA (Pacific Southwest Airlines) with their famous "smiles" painted on the aircraft. Taking the Bridge or Ferry to Coronado, leaving the hussle & bustle of city life behind! Beautiful sunsets along the shore or in the Sierras. Being able to read THE READER (San Diego's alternative) newspaper. Walking or swimming at the beach. Sorry, it ISN'T the same along the Atlantic. The Mendocino Coast and the beautiful historical town of Mendocino. The Feather River Canyon in Northeastern California. A beautiful area that is still "a secret"! A drive along PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Do I miss California? You bet! Daniel Vasquez, Oakland What I like about California: Sunsets over the Pacific Spirit of Innovation Surfing with Great White Sharks in northern California We are dreamers, in the limitless possibilities sense Cultural diversity Engineers can be poets, some poets are engineers Openness to difference Highway 1 World-class universities There is no line between Hollywood and Politics -- it's all fiction. Dave Fletcher, Cardiff By The Sea My top 10: The Beach The Surf The weather San Francisco (friendliest town) Malibu (grew up there) North County San Diego (live there now) Yosemite Santa Barbara The Sierra Nevada King Palm lined streets (in LA) List only ten? Gosh, there is so much. Carol Lapsley, Visalia, CA My top 10: state parks diverse population- many cultures great cities- my favorite- Berkeley wonderful opportunity for public education beautiful scenery health conscious attitudes beaches climate-what brought me here in 1968 fresh agricultural products fresh attitudes Marti-Rene Alcantara, Larkspur In no particular order: Where the Mountains meet the Sea The fog coming into the bay is the most sensual thing The land where dreams grow like grapes Museums in the City and the Napa Valley Walking the Golden Gate and feeling the movement of the cars on the bridge Sunsets over Mount Tam Strawberry Yogurt muffin at "Eat My Cookies" Running through Mt. Tamalpais and its lakes My friends Friday Night Skating in the City Kevin Deierling, Pescadero Sighting whales and sea lions from the observation deck at Pigeon Point light house. Wandering through the fog of late afternoon, pondering the 19th century buildings, and thinking I'm in a New England fishing village only to be brought back to reality as the Sun breaks through for a golden sunset beyond the estuary of Pescadero Creek and into the Pacific. Getting some warmth back into the body with a steaming bowl of homemade Artichoke soup from Duartes, a speak-easy in the days of prohibition and still the only place in town to buy a bottle of hooch to keep the chill off. Riding through a heavy patch of almost rain like fog, breaking through to the wide open coastal farms, climbing through the Redwoods of the coastal range through La Honda and past the Harley's parked in front of Apple Jacks, and descending into the hot, sunniness of Palo Alto and Venture Capitalists - separate worlds: coastal farms to the most urban of cities; beaches, mountains, giant Redwood trees, Stanford University, and Silicon valley - only an hours bike journey from San Gregorio to Palo Alto and more to see in this journey than most states or even countries have to offer. Samantha Hillaire, Chico The thing I like best about California is how many wild places you can get to that are literally right in your backyard. My top 10 places are (in no particular order)... Brokeoff Mountain, Lassen National Park -- Great views and wildflowers in July. McGee Lake, Thousand Lakes Wilderness, Lassen National Forest -- Absolutely gorgeous in summer. Campbell Creek Falls in Beatson Hollow, Table Mountain, Butte County -- Great views and wildflowers in March. Spanish Peak, Buck's Lake Wilderness, Plumas National Forest -- Great views of the Feather River Canyon from above. Summit Lake, Caribou Wilderness, Lassen National Forest -- Gorgeous little lake in the summer. Fowler Lake, North of Little Grass Valley Reservoir, Plumas National Forest -- This is a great little lake with a cliff behind it - awesome view when you get there. There is also a floating bog of vegetation that floats on top of the lake. Fern Canyon, Humboldt County -- OK, everyone has heard of it, but that many ferns in the redwoods are just plain pretty and deserve mentioning. Black Rock near Mill Creek Campground, Ishi Wilderness, Tehama County -- I have a photo of this taken at sundown in May as the screen saver on my computer. When you are there at sunset, the swallows swoop down above Mill Creek catching all the insects. Sutter Buttes, Glenn County -- Contact Middle Mountain Foundation for a tour in the spring. Valley Creek Special Interest Area, near LaPorte, Plumas County, California This is some old growth mixed conifer forest - the area has never been logged unlike many areas near old gold mining towns in the Sierra Nevada. It took five of us to hug all the way around a single tree. Nick Costa, San Luis Obispo My top 10 -- not in any order. The Cracked Wall at base of Bishop's Peak, in SLO. For the rockclimbing. Windansea Beach, La Jolla. For the whomp (bodysurfing). The summit of Mount Whitney. For the obvious. The Hot Springs in the Long Valley Caldera when it's below freezing and snowing. The summit of Mount Diablo, the most sacred and historic California location, whose name intimately reflects the genocide of the native people by the Europeans, and whose name should not be changed. The bottom of Death Valley. The most massive tree, General Sherman. The tallest tree, The Mendocino Tree. The oldest tree, The Methuselah Tree. The 40ft plunge at Big Falls, Lopez Canyon, SLO County. There are so many wonderful places to go in CA, still, I'd like to mention: The Sargeant Cypress Grove at Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area. Cone Peak in Los Padres National Forest. Owens River Gorge. The San Andreas Fault at The Carrizo Plain National Monument, thank you Bill Clinton. Mount Cuyamaca, San Diego county. Desmond Ortega, Granada Hills California is one of the most unique places in the world. Where else can you go from the beach to snowboarding in just under two hours? We have our own mountain range, the lowest and hottest point in the U.S., the cornucopia of the country with the central valley, and some of the most pristine beaches anywhere. The amazing geography is definitely my favorite part of California, and if you're looking for some great local eats, Roxy's Deli in Westlake can't be beat! Judy Sundquist, Lakeside A rainy day in Arcata A silent walk through Muir Woods A trip up highway 395 from Lone Pine north The diversity of people, cultures and food. A cozy restaurant out of the chill in San Francisco A trip up 101 all the way to the Oregon border Having family and in-law roots here from the 20s and 30s. Receiving a quality college education here when even the poorest of us could still afford it The "green flash" at sunset on a San Diego beach (and, yes, I HAVE seen it!) Coming home from any trip or vacation and knowing that home is here. John Mercurio, Concord In no particular order... Central Contra Costa County climate, particularly how it is not as hot as Sacramento in the summer and not as foggy as the East Bay in the summer. Lake Almanor and all its unspoiled and uncrowded beauty. The California State Capitol Building and its superbly restored interior. The California State Railroad Museum and its amazing collection and incredible volunteers. The drive over the Sierra Nevada Mountains via Donner Pass. The Ryer Island Ferry near Rio Vista (a shortcut from Contra Costa County to Sacramento). The Bizz Johnson Trail (in Lassen County) and its tunnels. California State Parks system and the diversity of its holdings. California poppies along I-5 near Gorman in the spring. The open space and trail system on and around Mt. Diablo. Scott Kelly, Los Angeles The weather The women The golden hills in summer The green hills in winter The glitz The beaches The mountains The deserts The wineries The Bay Area The Grateful Dead... Rachel, Berkeley Pacific Ocean -- particularly Big Sur Mountains -- especially Yosemite Nat'l Park Burritos in the Mission District at Pancho Villas Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco in the fog from Marin Headlands Cheeseboard Pizza in Berkeley Lake Tahoe and camping at the state parks - seeing the stars at night over the lake My school -- Graduate Theological Union -- unique setting for theology studies in an ecumenical and inter religious setting Berkeley Bowl grocery store Passion flowers and tree ferns can grow here! In people's yards! Shun, Castro Valley The diversity of the bay area. I'm 1 hour from beautiful Napa valley I'm 40 minutes from the beach I'm 2 1/2 hours from Lake Tahoe Los Angeles San Francisco Highway 1 Monterey All my favorite restaurants (Too many to name) The liberal lifestyle (liberal without the politics) Lisa Harrington-Bailey, Berkeley Incredibly varied micro-climates - yea! Stinson beach at sunset Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway between Carmel and San Simeon on a bright spring day Yosemite in deep winter Napa's colorful vistas in autumn Remarkable and wonderfully diverse ethnicity of the Bay Area Tule fog at sunrise as viewed from the American River bike path Pinnacles National Monument any time of year Being a 2nd generation Californian!!! Dolores Kincaid, Palo Alto Things I love, as a transplant from the East Coast and the Caribbean: A really blue state Stanford Openness and diversity Marin Headlands Deetjen's Big Sur Inn Picnics at Ridge Winery Dungeness crab Highway 1 San Francisco's hills Giant redwoods ...and the weather, of course!


		The California Report is KQED's statewide radio news program, providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions affecting California and its diverse population.