The sun finally reappeared today and I decided to play tourist. I've been promising my family pictures of where I live for the past two weeks. I'm from Florida. My parents have never been to California. Only one of my three younger siblings has visited the state.
So, I got on my bicycle and clicked a bunch of pictures of where I live on the Balboa Peninsula of Newport Beach. Only a tiny portion of Southern California, I know, but it got me thinking about quintessential songs about the region: Beach Boys, Weezer, all kinds of stuff.
These are popular songs. Songs that have stirred my imagination for years. Songs about a place that seems strange and exotic and, well, magical if you grow up on the other side of the continent. Here's my SoCal playlist.