Wintering in Southern California

This is our fourth winter in southern California and we are settling in.  Last year we made the move up to Los Angeles County and stayed in Manhattan Beach. This year we are staying in Santa Monica and are closer to our grandchildren.

We are staying 3 blocks from the ocean which makes daily walking in the sunshine more convenient and cheaper because we do not need to feed the ubiquitous meters that blanket Manhattan Beach's downtown. (Although it didn't take us long to figure a way around that.) That said, I really must admit that we like Manhattan Beach and the South Bay area more than Santa Monica, Marina del Rey and Venice. The main plus to SM is the proximity to family.

The holiday press of humanity has lessened although there seem to be a great many people with nothing better to do than spend the day at the ocean. (Do Californians actually work?) The Rose Bowl brings in hundreds of people. It must be a tradition with the Badgers fans to congregate on the Santa Monica Pier en mass, hoping to break some esoteric record.  However there were many Might Ducks around too. Mostly they are gone now.

The piers in Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach are very different. Santa Monica has every square inch utilized in money making entertainment. I doubt that those who throng to the poor man's Disneyland even know they are over water.  Manhattan Beach has a lovely pier with a modest aquarium on the far end. The MB pier allows visitors to stroll its length, looking all the while at the sea and the surfers. One can contemplate the relationship between man and the vast waters flowing towards the horizon. In SM it's cheap thrill and masses of people.

The beaches and "boardwalks" differ too. In Manhattan Beach the walking area is known as the Strand. The walking paths and bicycle paths are comfortably apart. Benches that face the ocean dot the full length of the Strand and the people treat one another with respect.  In Santa Monica the two paths are very close and somewhat confusing. I have no idea if they have a special name for them; only when one gets to Venice (which I assiduously avoid) is it known as the boardwalk.  One must step carefully because the path is covered with sand, which can be slippery underfoot. Although cement walls are common, there are few benches upon which to contemplate the waters, for the reason that the throngs of homeless, while very welcome in SM, are not welcome to sleep on the beach--probably because it's bad for business. The bicyclists, rollerblading enthusiasts, and various and sundry "whatever moves you" folks are downright aggressive and nasty.

The actual beaches differ greatly.  Santa Monica has a mania for cleaning its streets, every week without fail and a steep fine to pay if you forget to move your can. However, it does nothing for its sand beaches. In Manhattan Beach the sand is raked, cared for, and inviting; not so in Santa Monica where the beaches are dirty, messy, uninviting, and too far away from the paths to lend the ambiance we look for at the shore.

Santa Monica is an OK visit, especially if you like a lot of action. If contemplation and relaxation are what you are seeking, try Manhattan Beach which, despite the enormous hills, is much nicer. The folks in South Bay seem to have their priorities straight, enjoying their good fortune, welcoming visitors, respecting their precious southern California setting.