California Dreamin'

California is still here, no earthquake having plunged it into the Pacific. The weather is a not too hot, not too cool 75 degrees Farenheit (or about 22-23 Celcius for all you weird metric people). The foggy marine layer that comes from being only 15 minutes from the ocean has burned off by noon every day, like clockwork, revealing beautiful, sunny blue skies for the afternoon and into the the early evening. Yes, I am trying to make you jealous. Truth be told though, this kind of weather is pretty boring when it's all you've got all year round. I wouldn't appreciate it nearly as much if I weren't coming from still-cold Tokyo and looking ahead to two months of rain. I much prefer having seasons where leaves change color in the fall, snow falls in the winter (usually), trees and flowers bloom in the spring, and where you want shave your head and shower twice a day because it's sooo hot in the summer.

I have been reveling in all things Americana since landing Friday morning: freshly baked cookies from tube dough bought at the supermarket (yes!), rice krispy treats based on my own recipe (it's a secret), catching up on good TV (especially my Law & Order and The Daily Show fixes), buying things that are not a total rip-off in price, walking on carpet (instead of flooring), getting a mani-pedi for only 30 bucks (you can be sure that I'll be getting another one before I leave), driving a car... fast!, and riding bikes with my dad and shopping with my mom. As a wise man at McDonald's once said, "I'm lovin' it!"

If you're still not sure what a mani-pedi is, here's an idea of how a typical visit goes: