West Coast Promises of the Eastern Dream

This is an interesting topic that was brought up by a friend of mine as we discussed different ideas for the blog. To be perfectly honest, it came up originally as "the life of a West Coast Playa." I thought the idea was funny, for sure, but no gripping enough for a story. Then I realized there's more to the West Coast Playa' than meets the eye.

The idea of the West Coast Playa is one much older than you probably think. The West has represented blissful freedom in America since the idea of manifest destiny (our distinctly American idea that we are destined to own the Western territories of the New World). And it seems that not much has changed since then. In the 137 years or so that have passed, Americans have been flocking as far west as possible to find the true paradise our country promises. Today, the ideal culminates as the so-called West Coast Playa': A dude who's chillin' out Cali style, riding waves and dating blonds- living the dream while sporting a flat-brimmed Dodgers hat (in black, of course). He hits the beach by day and the clubs by night. Think Brody Jenner meets the Beach Boys and, I don't know, Snoop Dogg, just for some flavor. He's an image that never dies. Like Hugh Hefner, age is not a factor out west. When you've got it, you've got it and that's the bottom line.

This is what we East Coast people think of when we dream of the land that lies beyond New Jersey. We dream of packing up and roaring down Route 80 until we reach the end, fueled by thoughts of the land of dreams-come-true. And from all the live accounts I've heard in my life time, that's exactly what it is. A fantasy of laid back bros and gorgeous girls. I don't know, maybe it's the perfect weather (ideal marijuana growing conditions) that mellows people out in Cali and creates the closest thing to a Utopian society since More's fabled island in the Atlantic. I don't know, and I don't care. I'm glad it's there for us to dream about. And maybe that's even more fun than actually living it. Maybe it's the East Coasters that have it made. Because no matter how bad things get here, we can always rest assured there's a better place beyond the horizon. What do they have? Japan? I think we win that argument.