Creations & Inspirations: 09/01/2008

This is probably the 5th blog of the same idea. Yet, everytime I go home to San Francisco, I feel the contrast between the two coasts and what an impact my move has made on me.

In five days I celebrate my 2-year anniversary of moving from SF. I can't believe how much water is under the bridge (though I'm still deciding whether it is under the Golden Gate or the Brooklyn Bridge!). Every moment of the past two years has been incredibly enlivening. There has been hardly any sense of routine, and all my experiences have been full of adventure and soul-baring insights into my psyche.

Going back this time, I saw how my sensibilities have become incredibly East Coast. While New Yorkers seem to think I'm very Californian, and "laid-back" (still can't figure that one out!), my iPod is heavily hip hop, R&B and rap, and my outfits revolve less around comfort and second-hand quirkiness, and more around an Harlem-influenced urban street-fashion aesthetic. San Francisco permanently influenced my political views, but even those have expanded a little.

Music
My folks had a few new songs to play me. Acoustic neo-folk, for the most part. A new cover-version of a Leonard Cohen song. I didn't play them my recent downloads of Fifty Cent and Dr. Dre. Don't think they'd understand. I never heard the California-ness of the music there before. My former band sounds so San Francisco to me now. The music on my upcoming album is so different.

Fashion
As I got off the flight at the SF airport with my heels and tight jeans, I was amazed at the amount of shaggy hipsters with yoga-inspired sweatsuits, messenger bags, and Converse sneakers or Vans. Older hippies with their woolen socks, clogs, canvas "eco" bags and a whole lot o' fleece made me feel ultra nostalgic. (Can't remember the last time I saw white hair on a baby boomer! Never once in Philly, that's for sure.) I saw my former self in the girls walking by with their messy ponytails, quirky glasses, multiple sweatshirts and sweaters, and quirky hand-made accessories.

Thrown into the chilly, ocean-soaked, foggy weather, I soon reverted to the San Francisco style because, as usual, I forgot the cardinal rule of dressing in SF ("layers, layers, layers!") and had to borrow my mom's clothes and wrapped myself in blankets around the drafty house.

Politics
My mom and sister picked me up from the airport. First thing they said: "Did you hear? The tree-sitters are coming down!?" Apparently the big news there is that the UC Berkeley students were protesting a new gym that involved the tearing down of a redwood grove. I love trees. A lot. But this story struck me funny after 2 years in dirty, gritty (did I say dirty!) New york - with minimal trees, full of garbage and where some people still have never heard of recycling (eg: my downstairs neighbors!) Let's just say that I see a somewhat different picture of life than I used to.

This story - which never hit New York that I know of - stopped all programs on day-time TV in San Francisco, and was the topic everywhere we went.

That said, I am proud of the impact San Francisco has had on this country with its idealistic approach towards issues like the environment and gay marriage. Its forward thinking has a great positive impact on the world.

My trip ended with a terrific taco at El Balazo, and a trip to The Gold Cane on Haight Street. San Francisco Friends, showed up and we partied the night away.

On either coast, I'm a lucky lady.