“the”: the 101, the 5, the 605, the toll road. And yet
you should never ever call PCH “the PCH.”
This changes in Central and Northern California.
People will say “Highway 99” in the San Joaquin
Valley, and somewhere north of Goleta, the 101
becomes simply 101. In the Bay Area, you do not
put a “the” before a freeway number—you’d say, “Go
south on 101, and then take 156 to Highway 1.”
ANIMAL
STYLE
Perhaps the most popular term from
In ‘n Out’s secret menu: an animal-
style burger has mustard-grilled
patties and extra dressing and pickles.
Animal-style fries have Thousand
Island dressing, cheese, and grilled
onions.
I’ll take a
3x3 animal
style.
My husband
wants us
to move to
Portland
before the
Big One
hits.
THE
BIG
ONE
The massive
quake that’s
going to hit
the Bay Area
or Southern
California any
minute now.
11
We’re picking up my
sister in Phoenix and
taking the RV to Cali
for the Rose Parade.
CALI
A word for California that no
Californian will ever use; it’s as
horrible as saying “Frisco” to a
San Franciscan.
DANK
Traditionally, to
inhale marijuana
smoke, but more
frequently used
as an adjective to
describe something
exceptionally good.
Have you
had the paleo
brownies at
Urth?
They’re dank.
13
DUDE
or DUE
A substitute for a person’s name,
and the father of all modern Southern
California slang. “Dude” is rooted in
surf culture but is now used universally.
Originally used just between guys, it
is now gender-neutral. If used with a
period, it means, “I agree.”
Dude, that
new ramen
place in
Truckee is
epic.
That selfie
is fire.
FIRE
Hot (as in hip);
often expressed
with a fire emoji.
15
Can you bring
guac and chips to
the Oscars party?
GUAC
Guacamole,
the state dish
of California.
I’m driving Uber
and dogsitting as
my side hustles.
HUSTLE
Your work.
17
JUNE
GLOOM &
MAY GRAY
The damp marine layer that blankets
Southern California in late spring and
early summer; in San Francisco, June
gloom is heavy fog.
The June gloom
is bumming
me out—
let’s go to the
desert.
Oooh,
you’re
hella
moded.
