You are so lucky, Sacramento (Simi Valley, Commerce: house, to live, price)

[CityGirl72]

I lived there - I loved it.

I visit often - like this week (just got back today)

It's still warm as I remember and I love that. the driving is so wide spread and easy, the skies are always clear (especially with those Delta Winds)

The mornings still smell the same - I can't describe it. It's like a warm smell of freshness. You can smell the plants with dew on them. You can walk out in the morning and just feel at ease. Same way with the evenings, it could be hot as blue blazes and at 8:30 pm it's 80 degrees. I used to ride my bike (with kid in tow) through McKinely Park. I miss it so much.

I tried really hard not to cry this time I was there. It's so hrd seeing all the things that I used to take for granted. Sometimes just a tree or bush can make me cry now becuase something in me remembers seeing that same tree or bush everyday commuting to work.

The food tastes different - it's more special to me now. The coffee tastes different, like I must go get something at Weatherstone just for the experience and the taste throws me back home...weird huh

**Now I'm crying, but a good cry**

And it seems slower - like I could appreciate life better when I lived there. LIfe is so busy up in Seattle, I never feel like I can take the time to just sit and enjoy a burrito at a sidewalk cafe anymore. It's so wide and flat there I feel like I could spread out and not so clostrophoic (SP). I can breathe there.

I knew I could do anything. No planning needed.

No it's not as green as Seattle - but the green up here comes with a wet cold price - one I don't like to pay.

Appreciate and love your city. Maybe one day I'll be your neighbor again.

[justducky2]

Awww, CityGirl72, I'm so sorry for your pain. When I first left Simi Valley 6 years ago, where I had spent 35 years, I cried every time I went back, for 2 years. And I went back very often, those first 2 years I understand how you're feeling...

What you have, is an attachment to "place", called "Sense of Place" in geographic academia. You have emotions and feelings tied to Sacramento, whether it is visual, through sense of smell, or touch (the feeling of the Delta Breeze). You are now feeling "rootless", because you have no sense of place in Seattle, you have no shared history with it or its people, you have no "insideness" there.

I now have a very strong sense of place for the foothills...and would never go back to Southern California. Not to say that you will never come back to Sacto...each person is different. Hopefully, though, during your time in Seattle, you'll find a bit of sense of place there, before you come "home" to Sacto. Best wishes...

"Sense of place is not only theoretical or moral; sense of place is not only in what we can see; it resides strongly in memories of experiences evoked by what we feel; the warmth of the sun on rocks as we take a break from hiking; scarlet autumn leaves framed against a brilliant blue sky; the smell of oak woodland after a spring rain; or the taste of a picnic enjoyed at a community concert. This concept is described by Ryden (1993, 38), “A knowledge of place is grounded in those aspects of the environment which we appreciate through the senses…color, texture, slope, quality of light, the feel of wind, the sounds and scents carried by that wind.” Tuan’s definition of ‘topophilia’ (1974, 93) goes on to say,
"…The response to environment may be primarily aesthetic… (or be) tactile, a delight in the feel of air, water, and earth. More permanent and less easy to express are feelings that one has towards a place because it is home, the locus of memories, and the means of gaining a livelihood. "

Author: justducky2
For more reading, google "sense of place"

[NewToCA]

Well, it seems you certainly know how you feel about the place. What would prevent you from returning?

[Adamson865]

CityGirl, I can so relate to you. I am planning a move to Sac from Portland in September or October, and am planning my fourth visit to Sac next month. Sacramento has such a great "feel" to me - kind of like Portland without the attitude. Metro Sac is exactly the same population as Metro PDX, so in that way it feels quite the same, but Portland tries so gol-darned hard to be hip every freakin' second, that it's awfully tiring to live here amongst all the pretentious poseurs (and it rains here seven months straight and I have to be on medication to make it through!).

[Roma]

CityGirl72, Thanks for sharing a heart felt post.

I also can relate. I moved away from California almost 3 years ago and I yearn for it everyday.

I never yearned for Ohio. I was born in Ohio but when I moved to California, I felt a new. California is my adopted home state. When people ask me where I am from, I always say California (never Ohio).

I'm in Texas now and boy how I wish I was back home (California). We are working on that, getting back home thing. Hopefully sooner then later.

[cityx]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

I lived there - I loved it.

I visit often - like this week (just got back today)

It's still warm as I remember and I love that. the driving is so wide spread and easy, the skies are always clear (especially with those Delta Winds)

The mornings still smell the same - I can't describe it. It's like a warm smell of freshness. You can smell the plants with dew on them. You can walk out in the morning and just feel at ease. Same way with the evenings, it could be hot as blue blazes and at 8:30 pm it's 80 degrees. I used to ride my bike (with kid in tow) through McKinely Park. I miss it so much.

I tried really hard not to cry this time I was there. It's so hrd seeing all the things that I used to take for granted. Sometimes just a tree or bush can make me cry now becuase something in me remembers seeing that same tree or bush everyday commuting to work.

The food tastes different - it's more special to me now. The coffee tastes different, like I must go get something at Weatherstone just for the experience and the taste throws me back home...weird huh

**Now I'm crying, but a good cry**

And it seems slower - like I could appreciate life better when I lived there. LIfe is so busy up in Seattle, I never feel like I can take the time to just sit and enjoy a burrito at a sidewalk cafe anymore. It's so wide and flat there I feel like I could spread out and not so clostrophoic (SP). I can breathe there.

I knew I could do anything. No planning needed.

No it's not as green as Seattle - but the green up here comes with a wet cold price - one I don't like to pay.

Appreciate and love your city. Maybe one day I'll be your neighbor again.

Moderator cut: comment not necessary
I would take the dreary skies of beautiful, lush Seattle over the hot, smoggy pit of the forsaken town of Sacramento.

[justducky2]

cityx, I happened to enjoy my evening in midtown Sacto a few nights ago...dropped some clients off for dinner, had time to kill, walked along J Street near 23rd, stumbled upon a hip, ambient tea store, "hina's". Next door was an indie coffee house, across the street was the "Dessert Diner", with people sitting outside. Very much reminds me of enjoying Queen Anne's Hill in Seattle.

Some of us like it here...hope you get back here, citygirl72.

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by cityx

Did the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce pay you to write all this nonsense?
I would take the dreary skies of beautiful, lush Seattle over the hot, smoggy pit of the forsaken town of Sacramento.

I love how people think that, then they move to the Pacific NW and go completely berserk after seven or eight straight months of clouds, grayness and drizzle. I've seen it dozens of times. There's a reason this corner of the country has the highest incidences of Seasonal Affective Disorder (aka Winter Depression) - the sun never comes out!

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by cityx

Did the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce pay you to write all this nonsense?
I would take the dreary skies of beautiful, lush Seattle over the hot, smoggy pit of the forsaken town of Sacramento.

"Portland weather vs. Seattle weather
Hello,
I was curious as to any differences between Seattle and Portland weather. I lived in Seattle for a few years and although I loved it, I did find the 8 or 9 months of gloom starting to get me down. I've noticed summers in Portland can be quite a bit warmer than Seattle and sometimes hot - which is fine with me. My issue is with the winters. Is Portland at least a little bit sunnier and less gloomy than Seattle? "(Quote from cityx 7/11/07 @ 8:56 PM on Oregon/Portland forum)

Your statement on the Oregon forum seem to indicate you are in agreement with CityGirl72. I have difficulty understanding the negative comment in this forum. Seems you fully sympathize with her sentiments to me.

[CityGirl72]

Originally Posted by justducky2

cityx, I happened to enjoy my evening in midtown Sacto a few nights ago...dropped some clients off for dinner, had time to kill, walked along J Street near 23rd, stumbled upon a hip, ambient tea store, "hina's". Next door was an indie coffee house, across the street was the "Dessert Diner", with people sitting outside. Very much reminds me of enjoying Queen Anne's Hill in Seattle.

Some of us like it here...hope you get back here, citygirl72.

How you describe it - is exactly the life I had there in Sac, I lived in Midtown and adored it. I would sit on my porch (25th & G) and just watch the cars go by at night (when it's a nice warm 80) with a lemonade or margarita...so peaceful

And I love it hot - which is why I don't like Seattle, and I tell people in Seattle (who can handle when I'm blunt) that I find THIS town "forsaken"...it's dreary and depressing - and if you like being locked up in your house all year long then go ahead.