Is West really best?

I've now lived briefly on both the so-called Left Coast, and the East Coast. And have heard plenty of generalizations about both.

Katy Perry sums it up well I think, 'California girls, we're unforgettable. Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top. Sun-kissed skin so hot we'll melt your Popsicle... We don't mind sand in our Stilettos, we freak in my Jeep.' 

My observations, like Ms Perry's, are all about appearances. I'm superficial like that, you see.

So I'm comparing the beautifully groomed green spaces of New England, giving on to those grassy dunes of the Hamptons and that fine white sand... with the beaches of Los Angeles, with their volley ball nets, big rocks, and the urban sprawl and untamed mountains behind.

And the fake boobs and Pilates-toned stomach of the Malibu barbie... with the rock hard thighs of the New York alpha female who runs for 10 miles before cranking out a 14 hour day building her impressive career

So far, in a couple of weekends in New England, my expectations are being met and the stereotypes confirmed.

There's one more stereotype which I hesitate to repeat since I have many good, smart friends in LA. But it is a commonly made assumption that, well, East Coasters are a little bit smarter. More likely to work in a job involving large numbers, slightly less likely to have undergone surgery for the same of their appearance. They read the NY Times rather than Entertainment Weekly, and prefer chess to beach volleyball. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. You can read more sweeping generalisations about Southern California on this earlier post.

I was surprised, therefore, to see this road sign at the end of a road in Westhampton this weekend:

Is it for visiting Los Angelenos? Or - whisper it - is it possible the East Coasters are not as smart as they want us all to believe?