The only thing I can say in regards to this is that Sacramento, CA is very different New York City. We can't even stop Target, In-N-Out etc sprawling everywhere. It's very disheartening.<<<
It was uncanny reading this after conversing with my wife upon my arrival home from work. I was telling her how depressing it was driving from Camarillo to Ventura CA in snarled traffic, past what used to be fields and orchards - and is now mall after mall after mall. Between my office and my house, two enormous shopping complexes are being built, one on the site of a former old fashioned drive-in theater. From a drive-in to a Pier 1/Barnes & Noble/Home Base/Appleby's does not signal an advance in culture. A friend and I produce concerts in downtown Ventura and are lucky to get 30 people to come see the likes of Han Bennink, Jon Butcher, Gerry Hemmingway, Vinnie Golia, Nels Cline, etc etc. Some generalizations may not fit my friend and me, but they sure as hell fit the county in which we live. Disheartening indeed.