California is an earthly paradise, where trees flower while their branches are still heavy with fruit. For me, it is a pleasant purgatory, where I await permission to stay while I am not allowed to leave. I find myself sitting down to write as I haven’t in a long time, measuring my life in food and poems, friends and events, news and stories.

I enjoy the copious sunshine and gorgeous environment from my bike. I get to feast my ears on English spoken by people from all over the world that come to work here. I stop at supermarkets and market stalls to get healthy food for a body that’s rebelled against the grease, sugar and other nastiness. I try to keep my faith and ideals in a place they are not the norm. I meet many interesting people from many places with a wild array of stories. The surrounding area is absolutely filled with interesting events on writing and other subjects.

My name is Arike, I love writing and this is my blog. Welcome.