Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1)
Pacific Palisades and greater Los Angeles have been my home for the last 13 years. Driving on Pacific Coast Highway has been a daily exercise, starting in the back of my mom’s car to the driver’s seat of my own. Like an old coat, the highway had embraced me day after day, surrendering its beauty to my sleepy eyes. PCH is filed with color: the ocean and sun compete in a never-ending spectacle of change, making me forget why I am on the road. When analyzing this famous highway, I find it to be similar to my community, stressed and elusive. We drive our expensive vehicles from our sheltered haven to the jungle that is Los Angeles. Speeding thru the picturesque sunrise or sunset, we alternate between two perfect destinations, willing participants in a never-ending mirage. Most likely, we are not paying attention to our surroundings, wrapped-up into a constant game of tactics and wit. Our only witness is the sun, hanging onto our cars like a giant melanoma.
Pacific Coast Highway: The 1
When I think pointillism, I think about impressionism and alla prima. At night, Pacific Coast Highway does not have definite lines and strokes. The endless highway stretches into the distance, and the relaxing atmosphere overwhelms drivers. Focus turns from the drive to one’s self. Pacific Coast Highway is an old and cherished companion to our dreams. When stripped of its surroundings, this historic highway, CA-1, transforms into a never-ending road of possibilities and change.
Pacific Coast Highway: California Dreamin’
Charcoal rubs off easily as if it is fading. Much like my community, the Pacific Coast Highway is aging with grace. The road is the embodiment of the complex mixture of old and new in Los Angeles. When driving towards the ultimate destination- the city, PCH gives you the opportunity to decide where you want to be, and most importantly, how you want to get there: looking out in the distance, the old Santa Monica Pier reminds the driver of simple childhood pleasures; the highway itself is the ultimate tool for relaxation, and the sun and the beach are following the road as an open ended invitation. During seven decades of changes and progress, the highway remains untouched, a faithful reminder of the spirit of the “California Dreamin”.