Ah, but you have to remember that there's a variety of terrain all within a 40-50 mile radius. The beach, redwood forest, rocky low 'mountains', pine trees, grass valley, marshlands, lakes & rivers, green city parks, farmland, and of course 'big city.'
But yeah, right where I live, it's bland and hot. The suburb looks like a regular ol suburb, with city planted trees/grass and all that, but the land around us on the hills is all dry and grassy and fire hazzardy. In winter/spring it's very pretty. I'll take a picture next Jan.
The central valley tho...I wouldn't want to live there. Too far from the 'variety'.