Matador Network's Blog, page 1404

51 photos proving love is everywhere

Whether it is politics, crazy news headlines, coming down off the high of the new year, or being “alone” on an overmarketed, underwhelming Valentine’s Day, this time of year can feel a little bit low for some of us. If so, this piece is for you. Love is everywhere, on every corner of the planet, with a million (or rather, 7 billion) different faces; we just have to remember to watch for it, and celebrate it when we find it (or when it finds us).




1

Love is an adventure (USA)

Photo: Ian Schneider

2

And a journey (UK)

Photo: Annie Spratt

3

It is found in jumping for joy (Indonesia)

Photo: Robert Collins

Intermission












Culture Guides

13 memories you have if you grew up in Michigan

Cathy Brown
Jan 31, 2018













Sponsored

8 amazing winter adventures in Colorado that don’t require a lift ticket

Tim Wenger
Jan 24, 2018













Galleries

17 jaw-dropping images that will have us all eloping in Europe

Kate Siobhan Mulligan
Feb 9, 2018












4

And in holding hands

Photo: Anete Lusina

5

Or splashing toes (Peru)

Photo: David Núñez

6

There is really young love

Photo: Annie Spratt

7

And pretty young love (USA)

Photo: Nathaniel Kohfield

8

And mid-life love (Greece)

Photo: Toa Heftiba

9

And love that lasts a lifetime (Netherlands)

Photo: Lotte Meijer

Intermission












Infographics

Mapped: The most distinctive causes of death in each state

Henry Miller
Jan 17, 2018













Sponsored

12 short road trip routes that take in the best of America

Jacqueline Kehoe
Jan 8, 2018













Galleries

11 photographs from an incredible impromptu trip through Montenegro

Andrew Thompson
Dec 28, 2017












10

It can be found over cups of coffee

Photo: Nathan Walker

11

In hushed prayers

Photo: Kevin Bluer

12

And in loyal companions

Photo: Patrick Hendry

13

It is found when we carry each other (Sierra Leone)

Photo: Annie Spratt

14

And hold each other close

Photo: Mélody P

15

When in protecting one another

Photo: Gary Bending

16

Caring for one another (Bangladesh)

Photo: Adrien Taylor

17

And in learning to love ourselves, too (Egypt)

Photo: Leo Abdelnaby

18

It’s found at family picnics (Morocco)

Photo: Dimitry B.

19

Or at family reunions

Photo: joel herzog

20

Or on family road trips (Kenya)

Photo: Larry Li

21

Love is making out on the road (Spain)

Photo: Diaricritico de Venezuela

22

And kissing on a riverbank (Turkey)

Photo: Stròlic Furlàn

23

Love is leaning on one another (South Africa)

Photo: Vincent van Zalinge

24

And leaning in to each other (Paris)

Photo:
Fabrizio Verrecchia

25

And in helping each other along (Idaho)

Photo: Kevin Gent

26

Love is sharing a meal together (Myanmar)

Photo: Abel Chuklanov

27

And nourishing one another (USA)

Photo: Leandro Cesar Santana

28

And in sharing belly laughs too

Photo: Sharina Mae Agellon

29

It is making music together (Indonesia)

Photo: Robert Collins

30

And shedding tears together

Photo: Ben White

31

It's whispering secrets (France)

Photo: Caroline Hernandez

32

And being utterly silly (Montreal)

Photo: London Scout

33

Love is when we embark on journeys together

Photo: Rene Bernal

34

Get lost together (USA)

Photo: Lionello DelPiccolo

35

And when we find each other along the way (UK)

Photo: Stanley Dan

36

It's in waiting for one another

Photo: Tanja Heffner

37

And welcoming each other home (Canada)

Photo by the author

38

Love is found between a grandmother and granddaughter

Photo: Sue Zeng

39

Between grandfather and granddaughter (USA)

Photo: roya ann miller

40

Between uncle and niece

Photo: O. C. Gonzalez

41

Between father and son

Photo: Sebastián León Prado

42

Between mother and baby

Photo: Lewis Roberts

43

Between old friends (Romania)

Photo: Val Vesa

44

Or between siblings (Hong Kong)

Photo: Dan Gold

45

Love is found in each embrace

Photo: Eye for Ebony

46

And every hug

Photo: Dimitar Belchev

47

It's found when we hold on (India)

Photo: Pablo Heimplatz

48

When we accept one another (UK)

Photo: Toa Heftiba

49

When we find light in the darkness together

Photo: Alex Iby

50

It's found in those quiet moments

Photo: Toa Heftiba

51

That seem to last a lifetime (Italy)

Photo:
eberhard grossgasteiger

More like this: Mapped: the best US cities to go to for Valentine’s Day

Know before moving NYC

I moved to New York from Los Angeles about 8 months ago on a whim, not knowing much about the city besides the things I’ve seen from Sex and the City and Christmas movies.

Nine months later, I’ve found out the hard way that living in the New York is wildly different than visiting New York. As much as I love this city, here are 10 things I wish people would have told me about before moving here:

1. You will gain the New York 15.

You’ve heard that New York has the best pizza and bagels in the world. That, my friend, is no joke. What you don’t hear about is where all those pizzas and bagels go. I consider myself to be a pretty healthy person. I work out 3 times a week and have been a vegetarian for 8 years. But even with all the walking you do in the city, you can’t escape a good dollar slice on a night out or a bagel in the morning at least once in a while. Not to mention the fact that there are Halal carts on every corner and boy, sometimes you just need a good gyro after a long night out.

2. You’ll end up using delivery apps for basically everything.

If you’re used to transporting your household goods and groceries in your nice and spacious car, then you’ll discover just how heavy 2 or 3 bags of detergent, milk, and eggs becomes after walking a mile back to your apartment and up 4 flights of stairs, not to mention having to squeeze it into the subway without annoying everyone around you. Luckily for New Yorkers, you can get anything and everything delivered straight to your door though apps like Postmates, Seamless, Fresh Direct, Instacart, and of course, Amazon.

3. You can’t make right turns on red lights.

This one caught me by surprise since it’s perfectly legal to make right turns on red lights in California. It’s definitely NOT legal to do so in New York, and doing so will the result in a penalty of a $238 ticket (if you get caught).

4. Doing laundry is ridiculously expensive in this city.

It is genuinely a luxury to have a washer and dryer in your building, let alone inside your apartment here. I got lucky and found an apartment with a washer and dryer in our building (which still cost me $5 per load to wash and dry), but I had a friend who wasn’t quite as lucky and had to haul her laundry across the street to a place that charged her $7 to wash and dry one load! She eventually switched to a laundry service that she pays $20 per month to wash, dry, fold and deliver her clothes.

5. You’ll probably move at least 3 times while living here.

You’ll think you like one area like Brooklyn, but then decide to move into the city (or vice versa). And even when you think you’ve nabbed an amazing apartment, sometimes you’ll find out that the walls are really thin, the heating isn’t great, or maybe stairs really aren’t your thing. My first apartment was 20 minutes away from the nearest subway line, which I too soon discovered was 15 minutes too long.

6. And it will be anxiety-attack inducing every time.

Moving to New York is aggressive. Finding housing in New York is more than aggressive, it is an absolute nightmare. With rent so high, and the fact that you will be competing with literally hundreds of other transplants, sublets, and locals looking for a great deal on a room, it’s a jungle. Don’t be afraid to AirB&B or sublet a place because, often times, you’ll be searching listings on Craigslist and Facebook every day for months, and when you finally get a chance to view your potential new home, you better come ready with your papers in hand like credit history and income. You could, of course, hire a broker, but just be prepared to pay broker fees in addition to your deposit.

7. There are opening and closing times for the beach.

Back when we first moved to New York the summer, we foolish Californians went down to Rockaway Beach in the afternoon. Well, we left at 3 pm, got there at 4 pm, and by the time we actually got settled ON the beach, we lay down for only an hour an half before all the lifeguards started whistling and telling people to get out of the water. At first, I thought it was a bizarre East Coast shark attack, but as people calmly gathered their things and started leaving, I knew that wasn’t the case. Turns out the beaches have curfews, and that day, Rockaway beach closed at 6 PM and the lifeguards were giving the swimmers a 30-minute warning to get out. In the winters, beaches are closed down completely.

8. If you have a car, you have to pay tolls to use the “freeways.”

I guess I never really understood the term “freeway” until moving to the east coast where those don’t exist. Here, we have pikes, bridge tolls, tunnel tolls, expressways, and parkways. It can cost you anywhere from $1.75 to $20.00 to use a freeway to get basically anywhere out of New York City. If you’re making the decision to bring your car to the east coast, invest in an E-Z Pass. You’re gonna need it! And the bigger the car, the higher the toll. For example, going from New Jersey to Manhattan, it costs $15 to cross the Holland tunnel in a sedan. However, in a bigger vehicle, it can cost up to $45 one way!

9. You’ll still have a commute to get to get practically anywhere.

As amazing at the New York Metro is, you’ll still have a commute, 15 minutes on the subway to meet a friend or 30 minutes uptown to get to work. Be prepared to keep yourself busy with a book or pre-downloaded music and podcasts, because you won’t have service underground.

10. You will drink… a lot.

New Yorkers work hard. This is true. But I’ve never known people who play just as hard as they work, and that’s one of the many reasons I love this city. There is no shortage of bars in New York, and almost every bar will have some kind of Happy Hour. Since there’s no need to drive home, drinking with co-workers and friends is a ritual — it’s a borderline religion. I have a friend who calls Sunday Brunch/day-drinking “church.” There are always drinks to be had at lunches, dinners, happy hours, weekend brunches, post-social league drinks, meet-and-greet drinks, date night drinks, trivia night drinks, $1 shots, free pizza with a purchase of a drink (@crocodilelounge FTW), and with no DUI to worry about, a drink won’t hurt you much!


More like this: 40 struggles of living in NYC

16 facts about winter in Arizona

1. The struggle to find a new swimsuit for a December pool party is real.

2. Where are AC service technicians when your unit breaks down in February?

3. On the flip side, finding an RV repair shop is as easy as picking up a rock from the front lawn and throwing it. And if you need a new one, motorhomes are on Sale! Sale! Sale! (There’s nowhere to park it, though — all the RV park spots have been booked solid since 2008.)

4. No matter where you are within the state, skiing on fake snow is a relatively nearby option. So is canoeing on a fake lake.

5. No winter precipitation means:

No spring wildflower displays
The summer fires will be terrible next year
The desiccated reservoirs won’t provide water to put them out.

Apocalypse, anyone?

6. That one singular frost that annihilates your vegetable garden.

7. That one singular frost that makes you have you YouTube “how to scrape windshield with cactus.” Because who has one of those scrapey things in AZ?

8. Ancient snowbirds driving souped-up golf carts racing down the sidewalks, dentures and sun visors flapping in the breeze.

9. Ancient snowbirds driving a mile an hour in their K-cars with out-of-state plates.

10. Having to shave your legs and get pedicures year-round, ladies.

11. Something about this thing called “a white Christmas”?

12. Bikers everywhere.

13. Snake-free hikes! (Mostly.)

14. Scorpion-free bedding! (Mostly.)

15. Walmart and chain restaurants — all hiring!

16. Just another 76° cloudless day in heaven.


More like this: 24 things Arizonans don't blink an eye at

new train from London to Amsterdam

High-speed rail operator Eurostar announced that it will launch a new service direct from London to Amsterdam on April 4th.

The UK company will operate two trains a day departing London’s St. Pancras station at 8:31am and 5:31pm. Tickets will be available for purchase on February 20th and one-way fares will start from £35 GPB ($49 USD).

It is already possible to travel between the European capitals by train, but the new service will be non-stop, cutting the travel time to 3 hours and 41 minutes from just under 6 hours.

Until the Dutch and British governments create new procedures in Amsterdam, the return trip will still require a stop in Brussels for passport checks before crossing the channel. This is expected to change.

Photo: fotofan1

Eurostar is famous for running the popular service between London and Paris via the Channel Tunnel, but the company also offers service to Rotterdam, Marseille, Lyon, and other parts of southern France.

“The launch of our service to the Netherlands represents an exciting advance in cross-Channel travel and heralds a new era in international high-speed rail” said Eurostar CEO Nicolas Petrovic. “With direct services from the UK to the Netherlands, France and Belgium, we are transforming the links between the UK and three of Europe’s top trading nations.”

More like this: Spain announces new “low-cost” high speed rail between Madrid and Barcelona

How to plan a trip to the Catskills

I am single, nearing 30, and in love with Webster, my overweight basset hound. Until recently, I had become resigned to the fact that our slobbery relationship would always be in direct opposition to the next biggest obsession in my life: travel. Fortunately, there are The Catskills, an easily accessible and enjoyable trip for outdoorsy travelers — especially those with a dog in tow.

The small towns that make up The Catskills are a place where farm-to-table isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a way of life. A land where you remember that driving can actually be an enjoyable experience. The area bursts with history, homesteads, and a whole lot of hippies. Here’s how to plan a drool-proof trip to upstate New York.

How to get there

Driving puts all of the picturesque towns of the Catskills and Hudson Valley within reach and ultimately gives you the most flexibility. If you don’t have your own vehicle, schedule a rental from your starting location or take the train to a town along the Hudson River and grab a rental from there.

Both Amtrak and Metro-North train lines can bring you to towns along the Hudson River, with the Adirondack Amtrak line bringing you straight into the town of Hudson (from $38 one-way).

If you’ve decided against renting a car, pick one town as your home base and plan to do most of your exploring around that area. Woodstock and Hudson are both teeming with shops, restaurants and outdoor activities.

Trailways and Shortline bus services get you closer to the Catskills’ more remote towns, but may require you to transfer buses along the route (from $29 one-way).

Where to stay

Photo by the author

There’s nothing like a great Airbnb to make you feel a part of the community. For those with pets, the website’s filters make searching for pet-friendly spots ridiculously easy. Just be sure to thoroughly read the listing’s description as some have restrictions on size or type of animal.
If you’re traveling with a group or with a dog, try the Clum House ($275/night, sleeps 5) in Catskill (the actual town), conveniently located between Woodstock, Saugerties, and Hudson. At night, I rested in front of a roaring fire — all I needed to do was strike a match. Side note: the full property used to be a girls’ summer camp and can also be rented out for the upstate wedding of your dreams!
Arbor Bed & Breakfast (from $135/night) to sleep in a renovated 1890 farmhouse which allows small dogs and kids.
The Catskills offers numerous outdoor camping sites, including the lakeside Bear Spring Mountain ($18/night) campground.
New Paltz’s Mohonk Mountain Lodge ($440/night) is epic in proportions and rumored to be the influence for Stephen King’s The Shining.

Where to eat

Photos by the author

For breakfast and lunch, hunt out spots with outdoor seating, preferably with direct exposure to the warm winter sunshine. While Hudson may technically be in Hudson Valley, I am counting it within this itinerary if only so I can sing from the rooftops about the best dining experience I have had in years.

One step inside Lil Deb’s Oasis (mains $10-24) and you understand the inspiration for the name. This small restaurant, a beacon of neon-streaked personality, stands in stark contrast from most other upstate hotspots which tend to lean towards a streamlined minimalist or rustic hipster aesthetic. The self-proclaimed tropical comfort food is fresh and inventive. The staff are so welcoming and genuinely themselves that you may have the startling realization that you’ve never actually felt at ease in a restaurant before.
Cold Springs: In winter, not much opens before 11am in Cold Springs. But a great breakfast can be found at Cupoccino Cafe(mains under $10).
Woodstock: For those who prefer a flaky buttermilk biscuit sandwiching egg, ham and melted cheddar, head to Shindig (breakfast $4-11). ) Sunfrost Farms. Is an option for those wishing to grab a quick meal or peruse organic foods in a market setting.
Kingston: Vegetarian coffeeshop meets antique store at [outdated] (mains $5-12), where everything (including the chairs you sit on) is for sale. While you’re in Kingston, don’t forget to stop by the Kingston Candy Bar. On top of the store’s very impressive roster of sweetened nostalgia, the owner, Diane, makes a limited batch of uniquely designed (and pop culturally on point) donuts every day and bakes dog treats from scratch. )

Or just cook yourself! Grab some fresh fruit and vegetables from a local market (like Sunfrost Farms in Woodstock) and meat from the Smokehouse of the Catskills for a delicious upstate meal.

What to do

Photos by the author

Hunt for vintage. Strike a bargain or find a hidden gem at one of the many antique stores upstate. Each town has its own offerings of vintage clothing, furniture and knick-knack stores.
Shop small. Peruse the local stores lining the main streets in these small towns. My wallet goes into hiding whenever I pass a bookstore, so it’s not surprising I came home with quite a few new additions to my library. As with many small store owners, the bookstore employees are a goldmine for local information and recommendations. At The Golden Notebook in Woodstock, we were enthusiastically received by Delta the bookstore dog — and I couldn’t help but pick up a $1 Judy Blume classic at Half Moon Booksin Kingston.
Enjoy nature. Go for a hike! Ride a bike! Hug a tree! The Catskills have trails for every skill level and thrill-seeker. At the Comeau Trail in Woodstock, enjoy a peaceful riverside stroll through the woods. The park is free to the public and open to dogs off-leash and feels secluded despite its convenient location minutes from downtown Woodstock. The path is a loop that can be done in under 20 minutes (or an hour if you’re walking a hound).



More like this: 12 things you’ll only understand if you’ve been to the Adirondacks

How to visit Nauyaca Falls

With 157 inches of annual rainfall, Dominical, Costa Rica has no shortage of waterfalls. Costa Rica, as a whole, is practically overrun with cascades, but there are a few that are more worthy of mentioning than others. Nauyaca Falls is one of them.

Located in the Central/South Pacific coast of Costa Rica, 10 km from the coastal town of Dominical, and just 45 minutes south of the more popular areas of Manuel Antonio and Quepos, is a 200 foot, two-tiered waterfall that’s straight out of a dream book.

There are a couple ways to visit this natural wonder: you can hike, take a truck, or ride a horse. Either way, you’ll be paying to visit as the waterfall itself is on private land. The actual trail to the falls is the same for hiking and riding. The round trip is just shy of 5 miles and the hike will take about 1-1.5 hours each way,

The falls are divided into two sections, the upper falls and the lower. The upper falls are a 45m drop and aren’t accessible for swimming, but they’re worth a visit. The 20m lower falls are where people spend most of their time as there’s a 6m deep swimming pool at the bottom and it’s possible to climb the lower section to dive in.

How to get there

Nauyaca Waterfalls are located 10km from Playa Dominical towards San Isidro. The falls are on private property owned by a family, Don Lulo. Take Route 243 and just before the town of Platanillo the small office of Don Lulo is on the right. The GPS coordinates are 9.280789 , -83.822594.

What to consider

Since the falls are on private property there’s an entrance fee of $8/person to hike and $70/person for the horseback tour.
The round trip hike is 5 miles; make sure you bring adequate water and food.
If you’re going to hike, wear comfortable shoes as the ground is uneven—it’s the jungle afterall.
During the rainy season, December – April, the trail can be extremely muddy. But, as is to be expected, the rainy season is the lushest time and the falls will be at their fullest.
The trail is easy in most places, but has some steep and rocky sections.
The entire experience is good for the whole family.
If you have good gripping water shoes (and feel like doing some bouldering) bring them, the rocks, especially at the lower falls, can be slippery.



More like this: 10 unforgettable moments you'll have on a trip to Costa Rica

Best winter festivals in Europe

Winter festivals in Europe are extremely vibrant, lively, historic, and varied. In spite of the cold weather, people look forward to the celebrations and are little deterred by rain. Here are a few to check out if you’re in Europe in the winter time.

1. Amsterdam Light Festival — December & January

A post shared by Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport (@hyattplaceams) on Jan 5, 2018 at 7:41am PST

The boat approaches the passage under the bridge, but this time the bright white lights in strings make it feel like entering a space tunnel. The lights continue inside and, once on the other side, the boat is met with what looks like chandeliers hanging across the canal.

Amsterdam is known for its canals. There are 165 canals totaling 31 miles (or 50 kilometers), overpassed by 1281 bridges. Most of the canals are flanked by streets and sidewalks, many of them tree-lined. During the Light Festival (which this year featured famed artist Ai Weiwei among others) the canals and the bridges were decorated with light displays of every kind, shape, and form. Some of the 2500 houseboats of Amsterdam are also all decorated, making for movable displays directly on the water.

There are organized tours for walking, cycling, or boating, but the displays are created especially for the canals and some are specifically done for the boats, so experiencing the Festival from the water is the most authentic experience.

2. Winter Solstice, UK

A post shared by elainajanes (@elainajanes) on Feb 10, 2018 at 6:01am PST

The crowd can be loud during the evening, but in the quiet morning, witnessing the sun rising over the 5,000-year-old megalithic structure of

Is solo travel compatible with love?

On January 4th, I met someone.

It had been a long day. I’d checked out of my hostel in Phuket Town, power walked to the bus station in 30-degree heat, and arrived in Kata Beach hot, disgruntled, and in desperate need of a shower. Being shown to a tiny dorm room with no air con didn’t help my mood, but my roommate saw to that.

Ten minutes into our first conversation, we decided to go to the beach and ended up spending the rest of the day together. One thing led to another, and six days later I found myself fighting back tears as he left for Phi Phi before flying back home to the UK. Meanwhile, I was due to fly to New Zealand the next day.

As a solo traveler, I invest much of my time making friends with people I’ll never see again. While I wouldn’t hesitate to contact them if I ever found myself in their hometowns, the majority of these relationships are inexorably reduced to Facebook likes and Instagram follows.

Unfortunately, the fleeting nature of these friendships is tacked onto the solo travel deal. You make friends with people out of necessity. Because you’re in the same place at the same time. Because you’re about to spend a week together on tour. Because you’re in the travel bubble, where alliances are built so quickly there’s no time to lay down foundations. Inevitably, they crumble as soon as you go your separate ways.

When so many of the connections you make on the road fizzle into nothing, it’s easy to become disillusioned. What’s real and what isn’t? Would he and I have connected the same way if we’d met back in our home county? Do I like him for the right reasons? Or have I been on my own for too long? And when the chance for love does come along, do you take it? Do you change your plans to pursue a different path?

A good friend of mine says that sometimes, plans are made to be changed. It’s something I’ve been practicing for years: make plans, but make them flexible. So that you can stay somewhere an extra night. Leave somewhere earlier than planned. Visit a place you’d never heard of. Make room for someone special in your life.

“Come back with me,” he said the day before he left.

I thought about my very expensive flight to Auckland, the hostels I’d booked, and the interview I had set up for the following week. I thought about the trip I wanted to take to Japan on the way home and my plans to travel around Central America in the future. It all boiled down to what I wanted more: my life of travel or the value of shared experience.

I’m painfully aware of how absurd, how reckless it sounds. We’d only known each other for six days! I’ve spent more time trying to upload a picture in Laos!

My friends are stunned I’d even consider changing my travel plans. “Would you really come all the way back from the other side of the world for someone you’ve just met?” they ask cautiously. Which sounds irresponsible when you phrase it like that.

But while I would undeniably be flying home for him, I’d also be doing it for me. After all the temporary homes, jobs, and friendships, maybe it’s time for something lasting; something real. Something to come back to after a long weekend in Prague, or that six-week trip to Central America. Because maybe it is possible to have both. Maybe solo travel and shared experience aren’t entirely incompatible after all.


More like this: Travelers share their love stories from the road

how famous people wrote love letters

If there is one skill that has withered in the age of social media, it is letter writing. No joke, people used to take classes on the subject (in between drinking whiskey to cure tuberculosis and wearing leeches to reduce blood pressure). Despite a decline in popularity, nothing says “I love you” on Valentine’s Day like a handwritten love letter.

Telling your partner that you worship the “velvet nights” you spend together, that they give you grace, that their “red rose-leaf lips” should “be made no less for the madness of music and song than for the madness of kissing” gets an extra oomph when it is etched into cardstock. Fancy cardstock and a good ink pen you can buy. For advice on how to best express your love for someone in writing, check out Invaluable’s examples of excellent love letters.

Photo: Invaluable

More like this: Mapped: the best US cities to go to for Valentine’s Day

Date a California girl

You probably already know that the stereotype of a tanned, blond, beach babe doesn’t exactly equate to all California girls. California is a diverse place and being a girl from this state is more of a mentality than a personality. You’ve heard all the songs about California girls, but how do you actually date a girl from California? Here are some tips.

1. Get in touch with your feminist side.

California girls expect their men to be feminists. This doesn’t mean you have to go to a women’s march (although she’ll probably appreciate it) but it does mean you have to listen to her views and avoid mansplaining at all costs. Being a feminist doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you to pay for dinner. But keep in mind if you take her out for an expensive meal, she’ll probably feel obligated to reciprocate.

2. Adventure outdoors.

Once you’ve been on a few dates, plan an outdoor activity, like a hike, a bike ride, or a picnic in a park. She’s in her element outside, and she’ll appreciate your creativity.

3. Know the difference between SoCal and NorCal.

There’s a historical rivalry between the north and the south. It’s not just the temperature that’s different; it’s also the slang and attitudes, so don’t expect your fleece-wearing NorCal gal to dress up or wear heels.

4. Ace your dating profile.

Californian girls are tech-savvy, so try out different dating apps like Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel, and Bumble. Don’t give them an easy excuse to swipe left — make sure you have a suitable number of fun, high-quality photos and a complete bio. (Tip: the dating app Zoosk just revealed that mentioning guacamole in your profile greatly improves your odds in the state.)

5. You are what you eat.

At least that’s what she thinks. Sure, she might like an In-N-Out, but her food philosophy probably only permits a dirty burger once in a blue moon. Find out what she eats before you take her out (a vegan will not be impressed with your favorite steak joint) and NEVER order for her.

6. Project positive energy.

Negativity is a total buzzkill for a California girl. Respect her yoga or meditation time, and don’t judge her if she needs to give her crystals a full moon bath.

7. Keep an open mind.

While the summer of love has technically come and gone, rules around romantic relationships are still fluid. Don’t come with any preconceived notion of what type of relationship a California girl is looking for. Being GGG — good, giving, and game — will set you in a good stead.

8. Know your drinks.

If you thought you might meet up at Starbucks, then think again. She drinks artisanal coffee and will be able to tell you if the brew tastes hay-like, brothy, or skunky. She drinks craft beers, although you might be able to get away with ordering Coronas if you’re eating tacos. And she knows her wine too — ever heard of a Zinfandel?

9. Let her complain about the cold.

She thinks anything below 50 degrees Fahrenheit is actually freezing, and there’s no point in telling her otherwise. Wintry weather is for weekend skiing trips to Tahoe and Mammoth, and that’s about all the cold a California girl is willing to put up with.

10. Care for the environment.

The way to a California girl’s heart is through sound environmental practices. Make sure you know how to compost, buy a reusable water bottle, and for goodness’ sake don’t let the water run.

11. Be Pro-California.

Nobody likes people hating on their home state, but Californians will find this particularly distasteful. After all, it doesn’t get any better than California, right?


More like this: 10 commandments for dating a girl from California