A is for Artichoke Queen…Castroville is known as the ‘Artichoke Capital of the World’. In 1947 a young woman named Norma Jean became the first crowned ‘Artichoke Queen’. Shortly thereafter she headed to Hollywood to become an actress and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.
B is for Beverly Hills Hotel…Since its opening in 1912, the Beverly Hills Hotel has been one of the most famous hotels in the world regularly hosting celebrities, actors and well heeled jetsetters.
C is for Courtside…Courtside seats at Lakers games are a chic local pastime for Angelenos and visitors, frequented by celebrities such as Jack Nicholson, Offset and Cardi B.
D is for Death Valley…Death Valley is recognized as the hottest place in the United States. It is common for temperatures to exceed 115 degrees Farenheit in the summer months.
G is for Golden Gate Bridge…When it opened in 1937 it was both the longest and the tallest bridge ever built. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions in California and even in the United States.
I is for In-N-Out…In-N-Out is an iconic California drive-through eatery serving classic hamburgers. They served their first hamburger in the suburb of Baldwin Park outside of Los Angeles in 1948.
J is for Juice…California’s residents are wildly enthusiastic about their health conscious lifestyle. Juicing and juice cleanses have been popular since the 1970s.
K is for Kush…Kush is a variety of cannabis. It has been legal in the state of California since November 2016, making it the largest and most robust cannabis market in the country.
L is for Summer of Love…Over 100,000 people were reported to have traveled to San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood to peacefully demonstrate in response to the government's contentious involvement in the Vietnam War during the Summer of 1967, coining it ‘The Summer of Love.’
M is for Muscle Beach…This outdoor, seaside gym, stretching along the Santa Monica boardwalk is said to be the birthplace of the physical fitness boom that hit the United States in 1933.
N is for Nature…The redwood is California’s state tree. The largest living tree is in the Sequoia National Park with a trunk measuring 102 feet around. Some are recorded to be over 2,000 years old.
O is for The Oscars…The Academy Awards ceremony happens every February in Los Angeles. Oscars are awarded to the most talented figures behind the top films shown in the previous year.
P is for Plastic…The Barbie doll was created in California in 1959 by the inventor Ruth Handler.
Q is for (earth)Quake…Earthquakes occur due to the horizontal movements of two huge blocks of the Earth’s crust. They move approximately 2 inches every year in opposite directions.
R is for Rolling Stone…Rolling Stone Magazine was founded in San Francisco in 1967. Its coverage of the arts, music, pop culture, and politics has been hugely influential over the decades.
S is for Skateboard…The first skateboard was created in a Los Angeles surf shop for surfers to use during their downtime. Shop owner, Bill Richard, partnered with the Chicago Roller Skate Company to produce skate wheels to be attached to the rectangular shaped, wooden skateboard decks.
T is for Tan Lines…Southern California is known for its beautiful, sunny weather that graces its residents year-round. It is perfect for sports enthusiasts, naturalists, surfers and sun worshipers alike.
U is for Uncorked…California is the largest grape and wine producing state in the United States, and is responsible for producing over 99% of the commercially grown grapes in the country.
V is for Music Venue…Los Angeles is home to one of the most legendary music scenes. Music venues such as the Viper Room and The Roxy are still giving artists their first crack at musical fame.
W is for Walk of Fame…The Walk of Fame is a stretch of sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard where the entertainment success of actors, musicians, film directors and producers are memorialized.
X is for SpaceX…SpaceX is a private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation service company located outside of Los Angeles, founded by Elon Musk.
Y is for Yoga…Yoga is a common piece of the health conscious Californian lifestyle.
Z is for San Diego Zoo…The San Diego Zoo is a non-profit organization working to save distinct animals from across the globe. It is the home to over 3,700 animals from over 650 different species.