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San Diego: Where California Feels Preppiest





San Diego stuns me. The light is clear, everything looks clean, and people are so laid back and friendly that a stay there often has me wondering whether I might be dreaming. If California's three major cities, San Diego, San Francisco, and L.A., were siblings San Diego would be the one to enjoy golf and to succeed in prep school. That's not a bad thing. It's just that, on a day to day basis, I prefer L.A.'s more pluralistic feel.

That said, I do love to go to San Diego for a weekend or so. We have wonderful friends there and we also like to visit the La Jolla Playhouse which ranks as one of the top live theatres in the west and functions as a feeder for Broadway. Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jersey Boys, Memphis... These shows started out at the Playhouse, went on to New York, and won Tony awards.

Last Sunday we had tickets to Little Miss Sunshine, a musical based on the 2006 road movie. Will this one make it east too? I'd be surprised. The production was cute and as always I left the Playhouse  feeling that everyone involved had had a great time putting on the show. But the musical itself, while not showing respect for anyone or anything, lacked substance.

P.S. Back to the three city siblings? What about San Francisco and Los Angeles? The Bay City would be your vegetarian, eco-conscious child. That's obvious. L. A.? Not sure. Anything is possible.

Pictures: view of Mission Bay, San Diego
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Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm always fascinated by the personality of cities. I like that you made the analogy of siblings.

Even here in the Dallas metroplex, suburbs that sit side-by-side (share water and sometimes schools) have similar but distinct personalities. And Dallas is very different from Austin or a border town such as Laredo.

debi
March 9, 2011 at 10:07 AM
Christina Schweighofer said…
Thank you, Debi - especially since you're the pro on personality types!
March 17, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Lorraine Seal said…
I agree that San Francisco now seems like the vegetarian, eco-conscious child but I remember -- oh, how I date myself -- the days when she was the moneyed, socially conscious dowager, never leaving the house without her hat and white gloves, looking down her nose (through her lorgnettes, no doubt) at the ruffians in Los Angeles. All the while ignoring her grandfather's interest in the Barbary Coast.
March 23, 2011 at 1:42 AM
Christina Schweighofer said…
What a great characterization! Did the "looking down her nose at the ruffians in Los Angeles" part ever change?
March 24, 2011 at 6:36 PM
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