I spent my Fourth of July weekend in California, my dream state.  I am an ex-New Yorker, with a Latina bent, making me the perfect California dreamer.  I live in the Midwest, so when it is hot it is usually humid, whereas in California, the sunshine is usually comfortably dry.

My friend since I was five years old has spent the last 30 years in Ontario, California and even though she grew up in New York, she intends to spend the rest of her life there.  I hope to retire somewhere on the West Coast, it is so breathtakingly beautiful near the coastline.

I went to California to see her and my son who is lucky enough to have landed a job in San Diego.  When we visited my son we went to Pacific Beach on, what else, a gorgeous sunny day.  I got a nice tan but only dipped my feet in the water — it was way too cold for swimming.  That is the only problem with the Pacific Ocean; the Atlantic Ocean is wonderful to swim in during the summers.  My son is learning how to surf, and has had the thrill of riding a wave.  I look at surfers in amazement; it must be such an exhilarating sport.

While in Ontario, we were looking for entertainment and went to the Battle of the Dance in Anaheim. While the stage is alive with dance, you sit comfortably and dine. It was a curious affair, Celtic and Flamenco dancers on the same stage.  According to the brochure, this is based on history.  In 1558, the Irish sided with the Spanish against their then common enemy, England.  At the fake battle, the food was good and surprisingly, so was the dancing.

My girlfriend is learning about Indian medicine and loves the food, the clothes, and all things Indian.  We went to Artesia, “Little India” on Pioneer Boulevard off of State Route 91 in Orange County, where you can get any type of ingredient used in Indian cuisine, beautiful handmade silk saris, and fine jewelry.  We went to Shan, a restaurant that specializes in Southern Indian and Pakistani cuisine, and serves such delicacies as baby goat and a vast array of mutton curries.  It was delicious and very filling.  When we got there at high noon, the place was empty, but it started to fill up quickly and after eating the food and desserts, I could see why.

Now I am back home in the Midwest and we are under a serious weather advisory.  The skies are devoid of sunshine, the wind is blowing, it is raining, and I am still dreaming.