By Basab Dasgupta
On President's Day, February 16, I was thinking of all the presidents who governed the country during my life in the US. When I first came to the US, Richard Nixon was president. Even though most people I knew disliked him, I felt a connection with him. I do not know if it was his conservative values or grumpy mood or sneaky ways of doing things that I identified with. Perhaps he reminded me of my father - similar age, similar seriousness and dry sense of humor. The world did not give Nixon enough credit for his contributions in ending the Vietnam conflict and cold war and starting the era of global trade.
He was a family man. I fondly remember his wife Pat, daughters Julie and Tricia. I felt sad when Nixon resigned in disgrace after the Watergate scandal. I thought that his impeachment accusations (obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress) pale in comparison to more recent abuses by Clinton and Biden.
Nixon had a home in San Clemente, a coastal town halfway between San Diego and LA. His home was affectionately known as the “Western White House” because he lived and conducted official business there during winter months away from the hustle and bustle of Washington DC. Nixon reportedly met with Russian president Brezhnev among other dignitaries in this house. He was even deposed in this house during the Watergate investigation.
I moved to San Diego, California in 1989 with a job at Sony. I drove past San Clemente numerous times on my way to Los Angeles without any reason to stop there. A visit to a potential supplier of parts to Sony brought me there for the first time.
As soon as I took the "Avenida Pico" exit from Interstate 5, I fell in love with the town. The mossy green rolling hills, palm trees and a laid-back atmosphere captivated me. No maddening traffic or densely populated buildings like those in San Diego or LA. One could stop anywhere, inhale the ocean breeze and soak in some sun.
I had visited the town numerous times since then. It is tucked away between the Pacific Ocean and hills with abundant natural beauty. Its nickname is "The Spanish Village by the Sea"; the architectural style of most residential and commercial buildings are Spanish or Mediterranean. The hills are rolling hills with majestic canyons between them.
The prettiest spot is the cozy San Clemente pier. There is no commercialization here. The shoreline is lined with palm trees. The area across the pier is hilly. There is only one restaurant at the entrance to the pier. Trails on the sand extend for miles on both sides of the pier. "Avenida Del Mar" that leads to the pier is lined on both sides with quaint little shops and restaurants and constitutes the "downtown". In addition to the beach trails, miles of mountain trails offer views of the ocean, neighboring hills and a panorama of the whole city.
Almost everything in town has an aesthetically pleasing look; the Wal-Mart store with red tile roof and a line of Palm trees at the storefront, the Target store on top of a small hill with nice views of the other surrounding hills and the public library with red tile turret roof and a large clock tower.
The town itself is small but almost everything one needs is within half an hour's drive including the John Wayne Airport, Disneyland, yacht marinas, resort hotels, golf courses, skating rinks, horse-riding ranches and shopping districts. The cities of Irvine to the north and Carlsbad to the south are major employment centers. The area has great medical facilities and schools like University of California-Irvine and Chapman University. Interstate 5 runs right through the heart of town. A train track parallels the shoreline where both Amtrak as well as the local "Metrolink" trains run. One can hop on the freeway or Amtrak and go anywhere in the country.
The laid-back feeling of the town is relaxing. There is no heavy industry, no college, no major shopping mall, no high-rise office complex, no highway interchange; no motorcycle gang, no hustle and bustle of traffic congestion. It is a combination of vacation resort and retirement community.
Complimenting the relaxed atmosphere are racially diverse and friendly people who are simple and down to earth. There are community events like fireworks on the fourth of July and street fairs during summer which bring people together.
The final draw is the perfect climate. Air-conditioners are not needed; cool ocean breeze is enough for comfort. During the hottest days a window fan solves the problem. Winter temperature almost never goes below 45 F. There is no smog or pollution in the atmosphere. The air is crisp and clean! San Clemente is relaxing, secluded, inspiring, peaceful, naturally beautiful with a perfect climate. Now I understand what made the most powerful leader in the free world spend a significant period of his tenure here.
I do not know how much Nixon’s love for San Clemente influenced my decision but I ended up buying a home there. I moved to San Clemente in 2000 and have been living there ever since. Whenever I go somewhere whether for a day or weeks, I feel like coming back to my hometown when I return. It is a strange feeling because I was not born nor raised here, did not go to school nor work here, I have no relatives or close friends here – but still it feels like MY town. I have reached my creative high and the most peaceful period of my life in this town. Perhaps subconsciously I feel that if Nixon loved to live here, it is perfect for channeling my inner Nixon.
There is no statue nor other memorial of Nixon in town. There were talks about establishing the Nixon library on a vacant bluff-front land. That never happened, reportedly because of some ecological and geological issues raised by the coastal commission. The library was eventually built in Yorba Linda, where Nixon was born. More than one old restaurant in San Clemente claims to be Nixon’s favorite restaurant; one even has a framed photo of him inside the place.
I cannot access the area where he lived because I must offer a valid reason for my visit at two gates with guards. The house is no longer owned by the Nixon estate. It is a one-story Spanish style mansion, known as the “La Casa Pacifica” on sprawling acres right on a bluff top overlooking the ocean. Nixon retired to this home with his wife after his resignation.
Trestles beach, just south of Casa Pacifica has been recently chosen as the surfing venue for the 2028 LA Olympics. I hope that more people will learn about Nixon’s love for the area during the Olympics and remember his legacy. In his farewell speech, Nixon infamously said, “I am not a crook”. I feel like shouting, “Of course, he was not a crook. How can a person who loves an idyllic place like San Clemente be a crook?”
(California-based Basab Dasgupta has a doctorate in Physics from the University of Wisconsin and has worked with Sony as Vice President of an operating division.)
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The views expressed are personal and not necessarily those of The South Asian Times
