![\"Top10\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Top10.jpeg\")
<\/a>A couple of recent \u2018Best Place to Live\u2019<\/strong> surveys reminded me of my business travel days when I crisscrossed the country and would often be asked where I was from. When I responded, \u201cSouthern California, Orange County\u201d<\/strong>, I would hear things like, \u201cOh, a surfer dude\u201d, (I\u2019ve never<\/em> surfed), or \u201cOh, is that why you wear those cool shades?\u201d (I wear sunglasses BECAUSE IT\u2019S SUNNY THERE!), or, \u201cAren\u2019t you afraid that an earthquake is going to cast California<\/strong> into the Pacific Ocean<\/strong>?\u201d (No). If the conversation continues, people feel compelled to remind me that, 1) there are too many people in southern California, 2) the traffic is unbearable, and 3) the air is unbreathable. \u00a0Then, feeling the need to ‘throw me a bone’, they\u2019d say, \u201cBut the weather\u2019s nice\u201d and then they\u2019d remind me of the earthquakes again.<\/p>\nLast week in a California survey done by\u00a0Movato Real Estate<\/strong>, I discovered that my city of residence for the last 38 years, Orange, <\/strong>was selected as California\u2019s best city to live in<\/strong>. \u00a0In fact, Orange County<\/strong> had seven of the top ten cities<\/strong>. \u00a0If you’re interested in seeing the rest of the cities, here\u2019s the link to the survey:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.movoto.com\/ca\/best-places-in-california<\/a>\/<\/span><\/p>\n I hope everyone feels that they live in the \u2018Best Place to Live\u2019, but I wanted to confirm and perhaps help justify this elevated status for Orange County, so last Friday, February 27, I set out to help prove that it is, in fact, one of the very best places to live, in part due to its proximity to such a diversity of environments. Thus my journey began . . .<\/p>\n The Desert<\/span><\/p>\n pre-dawn at Desert Willow Golf Resort<\/p><\/div>\n Sunrise for a perfect day of golf<\/p><\/div>\n I woke up at 3:45 a.m. (The things I do for you readers!) and with an assortment of wardrobes in tow, I\u2019m out the door at 4:05. It takes me 95 minutes to drive the 103 miles from Orange<\/strong> to the beautiful Desert Willows Golf Resor<\/strong>t in Palm Desert<\/strong> \u2013 golf\u2019s winter mecca. It feels like I\u2019m in a whole different world, because I am. It\u2019s 50 degree at 6:18 when the first sliver of sunlight appears over the \u00a0Little San Bernardino Mountain range\u00a0<\/strong>and softly lightens the\u00a0Coachella Valley<\/strong>\u00a0below. \u00a0It will get to 77 degrees<\/strong> here today. I\u2019m envious of the golfers that are teeing off at first light in perfect weather, but I have a full day ahead of me, so I order breakfast, read the paper, write some of this blog and then head to my next destination.<\/p>\n The Mountains<\/span><\/p>\n Photo taken from the sun deck<\/p><\/div>\n The Beach<\/span><\/p>\n Huntington Beach sunset<\/p><\/div>\n Huntington Beach pier<\/p><\/div>\n I drop from 7,000 feet to . . . zero \u2013 sea level, as I drive 87 miles in just under two hours from Lake Arrowhead <\/strong>to Huntington Beach<\/strong>. I could have gone to any number of great beaches in Orange County from Seal Beach<\/strong> to San Clemente<\/strong>, including tony Newport Beach<\/strong> or artsy Laguna Beach,<\/strong> but I wanted to visit my favorite beach restaurant, Dukes<\/strong> at Huntington Beach \u2013 \u2018Surf City\u2019<\/strong>. I find a place at the bar and watch surfers and street entertainers as the sun disappears slowly and beautifully into the Pacific Ocean. \u00a0My day is complete – sunrise to sunset.<\/p>\n I do understand that proximity to the desert, mountains and beach is not everything, but it just adds to all the other factors that make Orange County a ‘best place to live’.<\/p>\n I make the 23-mile trek back home exhausted, but feeling great about completing the \u2018trifecta\u2019<\/strong> \u2013 desert, mountains and ocean all in one day. Next time I\u2019m thinking it should be the \u2018Trifecta Triathlon\u2019<\/strong> \u2013 same venues only I play golf, ski and swim. \u00a0Maybe not.<\/p>\n PS: For those wondering – 312 miles<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow A couple of recent \u2018Best Place to Live\u2019 surveys reminded me of my business travel days when I crisscrossed the country and would often be asked where I was from. When I responded, \u201cSouthern California, Orange County\u201d, … read more<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>I cover the next 85 miles to Big Bear Mountain<\/strong> in 115 minutes and arrive at Snow Valley\u00a0Ski Resort<\/strong> where the cloudless sky is deep azure blue. I\u2019ve gone from an elevation of around 200<\/strong> feet to around 7,000\u00a0<\/strong>feet in less than two hours. It will get down to 21 degrees<\/strong>\u00a0here this evening. \u00a0Bear Big Mountain<\/strong> provides great local skiing and snowboarding in the winter and great hiking trails in the summer. \u00a0There was a storm last week and another one coming in this weekend, but I am fortunate to find a window where chains are not required to negotiate the assent on this winding mountain road. \u00a0Once at Snow Valley<\/strong>,\u00a0I step out of my car and take a deep breath and feel immediately exhilarated by a blast of fresh mountain air – this is air that no one has breathed before! \u00a0I enjoy a cup of coffee as I hang out on the upper sun deck of the lodge watching the skiers on the mountain and wishing I were amongst them. I make a snowball, because I haven’t done that in years, and throw it at a nearby tree . . . and miss. While I’m in the neighborhood, I decide <\/a>to head over to picturesque\u00a0Lake Arrowhead<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 another 25 minutes and 14 miles. Back in ‘the day’, Lake Arrowhead<\/strong> was the<\/em>\u00a0mountain retreat for many Hollywood stars<\/strong> including, Shirley Temple, Tom Selleck, Patrick Swayze<\/strong> and Brian Wilson <\/strong>of the Beach Boys<\/strong> (photo at right is one I took of Wilson’s former lake house) to name a few. Today Arrowhead Village<\/strong> \u00a0it\u2019s fairly quiet; it’s off season \u2013 no boats on the lake, no stars in sight! \u00a0Time to head down off the mountain.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>