All we hear nowadays about the future of Southern California is doom and gloom: drought this, Big One that, class warfare to come, and how no one can afford to live in this damn place unless they're crammed 17 to a garage somewhere in SanTana. So what can the average OCer do to alleviate such existential angst? Remember OC's past futures.

Remember when we thought the future was endless, that we’d all end up like The Jetsons (although don't forget that in THAT future, traffic never stopped and bosses remained assholes)? When the fashions would be outta sight and the living never stopped being easy? That future is now in Orange County, not just in the few remaining examples of Googie not part of a decrepit Beach Boulevard motel, but in the wonderful restaurants, clothing stores, people, places and bars where we can forget about the present and still dream of a couple of years from now, when scientists learn how to make it rain and all of our electricity will come from a Spirit Bomb. . . . Oh, wait: Was that Dragon Ball Z? Well, shit. Remember, folks: The future is now, so love it or leave for Texas like so many other quitters.

Enjoy!

Photography by Rickett & Sones. Art direction and rendering by Dustin Ames.

See Also

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