Even if you’ve never set foot in California, chances are you’ve experienced the fruits of its vibrant culture: Hollywood blockbusters, Silicon Valley invention, the mythical Laurel Canyon of the 70s, West Coast hip-hop, tacos, avo toast, California rolls and a glass of legendary Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon.
The forces shaping California’s vibe are many. It’s the sunshine, the endless beaches, lush redwood groves, snowcapped peaks and epic vistas across the never-ending Pacific Ocean. Mother Nature shapes the California spirit.
But the people do too. The pioneer spirit that drove settlers out west lives on in California’s dynamic, ambitious and diverse culture; the people just as hopeful and determined, just as set on forging their own path.
Living your best life is a mission that Californians take very seriously – here, five Californians offer their approach for a life well lived …
The optimism of California
Lexy Bouras, Los Angeles
While I grew up all over southern and Baja California, the formative years of my childhood were spent in Los Angeles. I spent my early years walking around Chinatown and downtown LA with my mom, cheering on the home team at LA Galaxy games, and driving over with my parents to the dairy at Montebello every Christmas for fresh bottles of Broguiere’s eggnog and chocolate milk. These were things I perceived as great adventures, and I got to experience them regularly.
To me, California feels like the greatest place on Earth. I’ve travelled quite a bit, and while I adore exploring other places, there’s just no place like home. The California mentality is breezy, chill, and most importantly: hopeful. There’s so much beauty here that’s real. People who are from California just have a more friendly and laid-back type of personality than those from other states. We’re lucky enough to have this crazy, amazing place be our baseline.
If people want to emulate the California philosophy, they need to learn to chill. I feel like even though Californians hustle and dream big, we take it very easy here, but everyone can adopt a California mindset of positivity, hope, wonder and “it is what it is”.
Multiculturalism and coexistence
Shelby Chen, San Francisco
I am a first generation Chinese-American. My parents immigrated to San Francisco in the 80s, and I grew up in a neighbourhood dotted with Russian bakeries and synagogues, dim-sum parlours, Filipino barbers and Indian-Mexican taquerias. People of all backgrounds connect through a shared existence in this small city rooted in multiculturalism. Nowadays, the progressive mindset is a California cliche, and for many, I imagine it’s a cute metaphor, but growing up in San Francisco it was just the reality of our day to day. Coexistence was never simply tolerated, it’s essential.
The world today feels so fractured. We are driven apart due to perceived differences, and the idea of harmonious living seems like a far-fetched dream. However, it’s not some naive vision or foreign concept. Growing up in California taught me how different cultures contribute to a stronger and better community. The dream of a chicken tikka masala burrito lives on in California.
People can enjoy a little bit of the Californian mindset by being open to trying new things. Being open-minded and witnessing different cultures wasn’t a conscious effort when I was younger, it was the reality of the place I grew up in. Just try new things and keep an open mind.
Being grounded spiritually
Aimi Duval, Sacramento
As a Brit who was raised in Brighton and then spent about 10 years living in London before moving to California, I always found myself feeling a little suffocated in such a big, busy city. I wouldn’t trade my experience of that for the world but I’ve lived in California for more than five years now and the connection I’ve made to nature has changed me mentally and spiritually.
California has introduced me to new ways of grounding myself and I have learned how to shut out all the noise of day-to-day life. I spend most of my free time hiking, camping and exploring different areas of California versus how I would spend my time just in different bars in London. Don’t get me wrong, I do that here too, but having the ability to step in any direction and feel like I’m in a different world I can explore whenever I want, is truly something I’ll never take for granted.
If you want to adopt that approach to life, get out of your comfort zone and switch up your habits a little. There’s also plenty of incredible nature to explore in the UK. I wish I had been more adventurous and escaped to different areas when I lived there. It does wonders to switch off, and from my experience living in California, so many people are able to do that a lot easier than most Londoners I know.
Connecting with nature
Eric Bruno-Arimura, Ventura
One of the best parts about living in California is how I only have to travel a couple of hours at most and I can get to so many different biomes. If I want to escape to the woods, I can go explore the Redwood or Yosemite national parks. If I want to go see weird art in the desert and look up at space at night, I go to Joshua Tree. Being able to choose where I want to go based on my mental state really can do a lot for my mental health.
During a turbulent time a few years ago, my friend and I ran away to Big Sur and then Yosemite for a week because I had never been to either. It was my first time camping in California, so it was very exciting and I was wildly unprepared for the two different climates. Big Sur was 27C (80F) every day, and we sat by the ocean and went to the Henry Miller Memorial Library and sat outside all day reading and writing. Then we got to Yosemite and it was snowing and 1.7C (35F) and all I had was shorts and T-shirts. It just shows how diverse the landscape really is. It was a surreal and amazing experience.
If you want to adopt the California mindset, try and expand your worldview. That could mean getting outside into nature in your local area, no matter the weather.
Culture and community
Huxley Rockett, Los Angeles
Every song about California is different and every song about California is true. Anyone who grows up here will consider themselves lucky, but I fancy myself especially fortunate to have grown up in California’s music scene. Against the backdrop of cultural diversity, all-ages venues, and a dozen resounding subgenres, it was here I found the true meaning of community. Connection through heartfelt songs and favourite bands in the crowded lowlight of local venues is what gave me a sense of belonging.
And that’s something that took root in me, and has since blossomed in my 31 years of being a Californian: a passion for building community, a curious excitement for creating connection with others, a truly romantic appreciation of the people who make this place what it is.
When people talk about visiting California, they often marvel about how, geographically speaking, we have everything – snowy mountains, lush forests, warm beaches, and beautiful sunsets – but the magic of variety stretches beyond our landscapes. There really is something for everyone here, always something to be a part of, no one is ever an outsider.
You can adopt our approach to life by romanticising your own life in the smallest everyday ways. Find the pleasures of tourism, such as good food, good wine, date nights, art walks and museums in your own city. Discover a new place, try a new restaurant, or wear your best outfit on a Tuesday night.
To learn more about sharing California wine with friends, visit wineconnects.us
