It created a nation that spanned from “sea to shining sea,” and enlarged the American dream. It  stretched the United States, embracing land further west and delivering a vast vision of  unlimited possibilities that would propel the country to momentous greatness. When California became the prize of the Mexican-American War, it allowed Americans to think beyond any boundaries in ways previously not thought possible. And expand it did!  If California were a country, it would be the world’s 8^th largest economy with residents that hail from virtually every nation on earth. Over the centuries, people have continued to arrive from the farthest corners of the planet to pursue their dreams, cast their net, ply their trade and plot their course. The El Camino Real brought priests and missioners to carve out new settlements from the harsh land. The Gold Rush brought prospectors seeking riches from all continents. The state welcomed the many young men who traveled from the Midwest in the fifties to find themselves under the bright lights, and families plagued by the dustbowl who trekked to California to start new lives. Gracefully, the state has absorbed all the unique cultures and perspectives, creating a place where diversity is commonplace and new ideas are welcome. You’ll find the California of today an exciting and intriguing place, filled with wonders, sights and sounds in a culture that has blended the heritage of all who arrived. It’s a place where you can again connect with your inner true north and relax, refresh, rejuvenate and renew. It’s California – find yourself here, like so many before you!