| What a Day: Where and what is Placentia? |
(c) 2009 Gayle Carline. No part of this webpage may be used without the written permission of the copyright holder.
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First of all, contrary to my brother's opinion, it is not
"Afterbirth, California." Rumor has it that it is a
Spanish word, meaning "pleasant place." People of
Hispanic heritage pronounce it in a very lilting,
seductive way. We Gringos just say, "Pluh-SEN-cha."
That being said, Placentia is one of those little cities
in the big Orange County that is just to the south of
Los Angeles. If you've ever driven down one of our
freeways, such as the I-5, it will appear that there are
no small towns in southern California, only one big,
sprawling megalopolis. It is true that there is no break
in the sidewalk that ends at Whittier and begins again
at Norwalk.
And yet, if you live in one of these little burgs for
awhile, you begin to notice what is unique about it. It's
slightly amazing to me that, amid all of the corporate
sameness of Starbucks and Home Depot and Old
Navy stores that are on every off-ramp, I can still pick
Placentia out of a lineup. I recognize its coziness, its
quiet, its Hispanic flavor. I've called it home for over
20 years and don’t see any reason to move.
Of course, when non-Californians ask me where I'm
from, they don't recognize my answer of "Placentia."
So most of the time, I add, "near Disneyland."
It's true enough.
"Afterbirth, California." Rumor has it that it is a
Spanish word, meaning "pleasant place." People of
Hispanic heritage pronounce it in a very lilting,
seductive way. We Gringos just say, "Pluh-SEN-cha."
That being said, Placentia is one of those little cities
in the big Orange County that is just to the south of
Los Angeles. If you've ever driven down one of our
freeways, such as the I-5, it will appear that there are
no small towns in southern California, only one big,
sprawling megalopolis. It is true that there is no break
in the sidewalk that ends at Whittier and begins again
at Norwalk.
And yet, if you live in one of these little burgs for
awhile, you begin to notice what is unique about it. It's
slightly amazing to me that, amid all of the corporate
sameness of Starbucks and Home Depot and Old
Navy stores that are on every off-ramp, I can still pick
Placentia out of a lineup. I recognize its coziness, its
quiet, its Hispanic flavor. I've called it home for over
20 years and don’t see any reason to move.
Of course, when non-Californians ask me where I'm
from, they don't recognize my answer of "Placentia."
So most of the time, I add, "near Disneyland."
It's true enough.
I've been writing for my local paper, the Placentia
News-Times since March 2005, and I'm loving every
minute of it. Thanks to my bosses, John Dunphy and
Heather McRea, I get to entertain my fellow
Placentians every week with the exploits of a typical
semi-professional juggler of home, family, work, and
life (and maybe a 1000-lb horse). In other words, it's
all about me.
News-Times since March 2005, and I'm loving every
minute of it. Thanks to my bosses, John Dunphy and
Heather McRea, I get to entertain my fellow
Placentians every week with the exploits of a typical
semi-professional juggler of home, family, work, and
life (and maybe a 1000-lb horse). In other words, it's
all about me.
This Week's Link:
Dangerous when wet
Last Week's Link:
Compatibility of any kind is what matters
Favorite Columns from the Past:
What a Day
Dangerous when wet
Last Week's Link:
Compatibility of any kind is what matters
Favorite Columns from the Past:
What a Day
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| Gayle |
| Carline |
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