Antioch the Beautiful

As I gear up to boast my hometown in unbridled bias, let me first share that there are mountain lion, humpback whale and cow tipping stories just up the road.

So, buckle up. Gather ‘round. Grab your cameras.

Welcome to Antioch, California- A big little town on the delta with wineries and farms minutes from boat docks and a supremely racially diverse population for your cultural pleasure. It’s one of the oldest cities in California and so rich with multi-culture that C-F list celebrities and former pro athletes move here to retire and raise their families.

So, how did you get here? You probably arrived by BART, Amtrak, car or a boat. It’s a fair question- You can easily make your way here from the Pacific by way of the San Juaquin River like Humphrey the Whale did in 1985. You read that correct. A Humpback Whale on it’s way to Alaska from Mexico took a detour up the river to Antioch where he hung out for a bit. In fact, It took the Navy Coast guard two full days to convince the 45 ton whale that it was time to leave. Imagine what drew him here.

So, while you’re here- which part of Antioch are you staying? You can stay in one of the newer hotels off highway 4 but I recommend the historic hotel downtown near the El Campanil Theater where Debbie Reynolds and The Three Stooges performed.

Just kidding! That place hasn’t been open for decades.

The Theater, however, continues to host headliners and the auditorium still has its original ornate painting, Moorish chandeliers and wall sconces. I will say, after having lived in New York and attended a few Broadway shows, I can promise that you will feel some of the same historical allure when you enjoy a production at the El Campanil Theater- est. 1928.

My personal favorite part of Antioch? The back country.

Farms and Ranches line the backroads and provide locals with much needed fruits and veggies grown from local soil. If you buy your produce and honey from one of the farmers a couple scenic miles up the road, you’ll likely be more tolerant of the allergens around here. And let me tell you- Antioch has no shortage of trees or treelined streets. When I moved away, I realized “Tree lined” was considered a neighborhood amenity. Not to throw shade, but the trees are so plentiful, they’re merely standard in Antioch.

Now, about those cows.

Having farm lined roads that blend seamlessly into the residential streets means off-roading before school, feeding the cows when they approach the fence in your cul de sac or, (not my favorite) cow tipping late at night when your friends dare you. These are only a few examples of knuckle-heading in Antioch. I will say, though- There’s something exciting about having the adventures of a country singer while living forty-five minutes from San Francisco.

Antioch is a place where you can fish off the pier, jet ski or wakeboard in the morning, pick cherries or wine taste in the afternoon and hit the downtown area for live music or a comedy show at night. Proximity is the word of the century when boasting my hometown. I’ve lived in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles and nothing comes close to having this kind of variety accessible in one town that feels small but isn’t.

I initially mentioned lions, didn't I?

I know- lions in California? Yea…and they look like the ones in Africa, only smaller.

With foothills and Mt Diablo- an extinct volcano (super cool) nearby, mountain lion sightings were commonplace before increased commercial development. In fact, I can remember my elementary, middle and high school going on lock down at some point during the year because a mountain lion was spotted nearby or more shockingly, on campus. One afternoon, at a busy intersection (Lone Tree and Hillcrest) there was a mountain lion resting in the crossing, flipping her tail like it was tied up in a scrunchy. I remember thinking she was dying but she was just lolling on what use to be a two-way street with a Ranch on one side that was now a major four-way intersection with tract homes and a Walmart on either side. This was her way of saying “I was here, first”. I remember being sad when the mountain lions stopped coming around.

Ten years ago, I moved away from Antioch. It was a departure I’ll never forget because to this day, I’ve never lived anywhere else as long as I lived here. It seems I had trouble leaving the nest and so town by town, I inched my way to San Francisco- where I ended up living for only one summer before I moved to New York.

This may read odd, but living in San Francisco, New York and LA was no culture shock for me because I grew up in Antioch. I grew up in a growing town that was becoming a city and hardworking people of all colors and creeds were coming in droves to be the first owner of a new tract home near the delta. For this, I was always among an exceptionally diverse group of peers and they were from all over the country. The benefits of gentrification in a small town (when it’s not oppressive to low income people) are that my neighbors were white, Asian, Mexican, middle eastern and black. I think there is certainly something grand to be said about a town when you can have racial diversity, life on the water, life in the sticks and wine country all in one town.

I sit here and share with you so proudly because this place made me who I am. No matter where I’ve moved, I always felt like I fit in. I’ve always felt like there is no limit to what I can do because in Antioch, you can do it all.