There are two Southern Californias—the one made of freeways, stripmalls, and endless tract homes, and the better one. The better, deeper, counterculture dream Southern California. Dusty, sun-flared 70’s Polaroids, Graham Nash strumming a guitar with Joni Mitchell at home in Laurel Canyon, the Beach Boys driving up Hwy 1 through Big Sur. Sun. Wildflowers. Ocean.
Flowerchild fantasy Southern California still exists, if you know where to find it. These are my love songs to hippie dream Southern California; to the smell of wildflowers bursting in the air and the scent of the hills just before the grass dries to gold.
So, hop in the car with me and turn on the radio. We’re heading out to the Santa Monica mountains. Let’s hike all day and wind up at a buddy’s house party in the canyon—good music, amazing food, great company. Let’s partake in all the beautiful, hippie dream California things.