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After reading many threads as well as talking to people who've moved from the east coast to San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle; they've all told me that while each of these cities is unique (many had visited several), they say that there a "distinct west coastness", whatever that means.
If such a thing exist, what would any of you say this is?
West coasters tend to be more optimistic, like brighter, showier clothing, and are generally more outdoorsy (though this is partly due to the entire west coast being subtropical while the EC is a continental climate until you hit Georgia or so. Nobody bats an eye at the engineer or businessman who surfs before work in San Diego, but you don't want to talk about it in your office in NYC for fear of being seen as a non-serious person.
East coasters tend to be more serious, job-focused, and dress richly but in a conservative manner. It's difficult to sell clothing on both coasts, because the tastes are so different. What flies in LA is usually too much for New Yorkers, and what is popular in NYC isn't what people in LA, SD, or SF want.
I've lived on both coasts, and the one thing that really stands out to me is the ways in which each coast relates to other countries. The west coast (or at least coastal urban CA) seems far more oriented to Asia (especially China) and to Mexico. To me it's that blend that seems distinctively west coast in feel.
There seems to be a higher level of environmental awareness and concern in the Pacific Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington than most other parts. Also in the Province of British Columbia (except for maybe the logging).
It shows in the way that people in California and Oregon care about their coasts. The battles over salmon in Washington State. The California State Park System. Cities like Portland, San Francisco and Vancouver having view-height restrictions on buildings in order to protect certain views.
Not saying its perfect, there are a few people who would cut down the very last Redwood or Douglas Fir in order to get one more weeks paycheck. But in general, you get the impression that people do not want to repeat the mistakes that were made in other parts of the country.
Surf culture is unique to California where surfing started. Hippy culture also started here. More progressive than the East Coast & people are more relaxed. But, honestly, the difference between California and Oregon\Washington & especially Alaska is pretty significant. No surfing in Alaska!
Surf culture is unique to California where surfing started. Hippy culture also started here. More progressive than the East Coast & people are more relaxed. But, honestly, the difference between California and Oregon\Washington & especially Alaska is pretty significant. No surfing in Alaska!
Didn't surfing start in Hawaii? Correct me if I'm wrong...
Well, if you mean the progression of surfing as we know it today, then yeah, that started here in CA.
Last edited by A.J._in_L.A.; 01-18-2010 at 11:23 PM..
Surf culture isn't unique to the West Coast. East Coasters have an avid surfing culture and have produced many world-class surfers--including Kelly Slater. More than one life was saved on 911 because a solid swell was hitting NJ and LI that day and several surfers were skipping or late for work.
I'd suggest that the stoic nature of northern EC'ers keeps the surf culture more underground, but not south of VB, where the OBX and FLA host a flourishing and open surfing culture.
Oh, and there is surfing in Alaska. It just requires a MANY mils of neoprene and a LOT of dedication.
After reading many threads as well as talking to people who've moved from the east coast to San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle; they've all told me that while each of these cities is unique (many had visited several), they say that there a "distinct west coastness", whatever that means.
If such a thing exist, what would any of you say this is?
I can't personally say, as I've never been to the west coast (only have gotten as far as Vegas) but this thread reminded me of a NY Times story I read once. The author had moved from the NY metro area to California for about fifteen years and then come back. She was in a conversation with friends about people they knew, talking about how well they were doing in their jobs, they'd bought a gorgeous new house, etc., and she said she leaned in and said, "But are they HAPPY?" She said the conversation stopped and everyone just looked at her as if she had two heads, and she became aware that she'd just said something very California.
Don't know how accurate that perception is, but I thought I'd throw it out there...
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Correct me if I'm wrong...
