It Just Is

This past weekend I visited family in San Francisco and dear friends in Napa Valley and the Santa Cruz area.  Yes, people, I was in California enjoying the warmth and sunshine. Add to it fabulous food, conversation and an opportunity to cradle my three month old second cousin. Then there was the visit to Coppola Winery, which made me grateful for his transition from film maker to wine maker.

Before taking a red eye flight to return to the East Coast, my friend and I had dinner at a chain restaurant that served terrific sliders and dumplings. Burgers and Chinese-style dumplings in one place - only in California! Even though California Pizza Kitchen in Providence does the same, well, it still has California in its name and is its origin.

Beyond the food, I couldn't help but be struck by the racial and ethnic diversity that surrounded me. It seemed that every other table was Asian or Latino/Hispanic. What I love about San Francisco is that the diversity (and I mean all kinds!) just is. Then again what just it doesn't happen by accident. I'm reminded of the Chinese Exclusion Act and Angel Island and I wonder what San Francisco would be like if history took a different direction.

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