Pardon My Gushing

How do I love thee, Alameda? Let me count the ways, in no particular order:

1) The weather right now is splendiferous. Sunny with clear skies. High 60s to high 70s, depending on the day. Most of the time a lovely, cool breeze. I want to be outside all the time.

2) The water! I'm a mile from a freaking BEACH! Real sand. Small waves. Even a little pier. Sun glistening on the bay...pinch me!

3) It is so quiet here! Glenn thinks it has something to do with all the trees...they seem to absorb the traffic noise even on busier streets. Speaking of which...

4) The trees! The lush lawns! My eyes are still adjusting to all of this green. I hope I never take it for granted.

5) Soooo many beautiful and/or charming homes of various kinds -- Victorians, Dutch Farmhouses, Craftsmen, California Bungalows, even some Cape Cods and Colonials.

6) Hydrangeas!! So many of the aforementioned homes have lovely front yards/gardens; hydrangeas, which are my favorite, abound! And I'm talking big, mature bushes with lots and lots of those big, colorful flower balls.

7) It feels like I'm not in California, but in a small midwestern town. Why?

a) The 25mph speed limit on the Island = slower pace. (90+% of the drivers obey this law.)

b) There are corner markets in every neighborhood.

c) Everyone is friendly; passersby actually make eye contact and smile or say hello.

d) The entire town celebrates the 4th of July in a way I've never seen. Flags are de rigeur, even in CA, but BUNTING? Seeing Victorian homes with bunting carefully draped on porches and under windows...it's something I've only seen in movies/television shows/pictures of the midwest. And the parade here is famous. Which leads me to...

e) This year, one of the groups in the parade, the Hot Pink Feathers, caused quite a stir with their skimpy outfits. You'd think living so close to SF would make everyone jaded, but not here! As the online Alameda Patch newspaper reported, "It was a Mayberry meets Mardi Gras moment" and the town was abuzz, which delights me to no end. It seems there's really a place in CA where underwear is still considered private. (Victoria's Secret be damned!)

8) It's a very dog-loving place. Huge dog park. Dogs are allowed in some stores and on patios of restaurants (what is this, Paris?). And I see people walking their dogs everywhere. Can't wait to join them!

9) The view of the San Francisco skyline across the bay still makes me gasp; it's so beautiful on a clear day. (Today I could see the fog rolling in!) Nighttime brings the city lights and a sparkling Bay Bridge.

10) Speaking of the city...it's so close! 15 minutes by BART, 20 minutes by ferry, 30 minutes by car (or even less when there's no traffic).

11) It's foodie heaven with lots of restaurants of all ethnicities and price ranges. Of course, I want to try them all!

12) There are a couple of "downtown" areas which look like Main Street, USA; even the one that's more upscale.

13) South Shore Center -- a sprawling outdoor mall across the street from, yup, the shore! Includes Trader Joe's, a huge Safeway, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ross, Kohl's, Petco, and lots of restaurants and smaller stores. It's well-landscaped and there are benches under the shady trees for when one needs a rest from shopping.

14) Pagano's Hardware Store! I cannot say enough about this place which is just two blocks from our house. The kitchen section alone is worth a visit.

15) The movie theater..stunning! An old art deco movie palace which was renovated a few years ago at a price tag of over $15 million. Just beautiful. There are eight screens total, but the main cinema is in the big theater.

I'm sure I'll think of more.

A friend said to me today, "You're where you're supposed to be; you're home." Yeah...I really think so.