cultural differences

Don't forget the term double double as it applies to coffee and butter tarts! Yay Canada!

Well, I'm in California, USA, so I know we have a few things that are fairly unique to us, I'm just not sure I know enough about the rest of the world, or even the rest of the country, to answer the question very well. Still, I'll try, with what I do know (or, at least, think I know). In-N-Out is the burger joint that California is most famous for. There are a few In-N-Outs' in Nevada and 1 other state (Arizona I think?), but California was first and we have the most. Their official menu is very simple. There are only 4 food items; hamburger, cheese burger, double-double (double cheeseburger), and fries. In addition to the food, there are the usual drinks (sodas, and three shake flavors; chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, and iced tea). But, they are most well known (out here) for their "secret menu". You can order a "4X4", which is four patties, and four slices of cheese on your burger. Basically, you can get any meat X cheese combination on your burger (8X8, 2X4, etc.). For that matter, you can get any number of meat patties on your hamburger, without the cheese. "Animal style". This one is famous at In-N-Out. It's basically adding cheese, grilled onions, and "special sauce" to your burger (which would additionally come with a smidgen of mustard cooked into the patty, and extra pickles) or fries. "The Flying Dutchman" (which is two all beef patties fused together with two slices of cheese, and that is IT!), and mixing up the drinks (even shakes ~ you can get "neopolitan" or half chocolate, half strawberry, etc.), are all on In-N-Out's secret menu as well. The original Disneyland is in California. Sure, they've made others now (in Florida, and even Europe), but, hey, it's the original, the one Walt Disney actually started by placing his heart and soul into. We also have the original Universal Studios (Hollywood) out here. It started out as just a movie studio, then they added a tour of the studios and back lot. They still have that tour, though it's changed over the years, and continues to change, based on the movies they continue to shoot there, and other themes. The tour was/is very interesting (especially to those who've never been on it, or who aren't used to having movie studios in their back yards). But, they also decided to add on and create an actual theme park. Leading up to that theme park is Universal City Walk. They have many of the best restaurants and shops there, as well as an awesome fountain in the middle of the outdoor mall type place. And, inside the park, they have a number of rides and souvenir shops (and, yes, even restaurants) that are based on many of the movies they have produced. They even have shows based on some of those movies and shows. A little less known, we have Knott's Berry Farm. It was an actual farm at one point (and part of the land may still be, I'm not really sure). They started out making some of the best jams and jellies, opened up a restaurant and shop on the land, and just expanded. It's still probably the cheapest theme park you can go to out here, and still get that wide variety of rides, and attractions. For the most part, it has a very "western" type theme. They have log rides, and "thunder mountain rail road", stuff like that. Some great roller coasters have been built on that land, and they have some great musical acts now and then. Around Halloween, it becomes "Knott's Scary Farm" and is all kinds of fun! Being that we have Hollywood out here, and California really is the best place to be if you're looking into becoming an actor/actress, we have movie studios, casting agencies, and film stages galore out here. "Like" is somewhat infamously associated with California's "valley girls". "Like, Oh My God!" Venice beach and the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica are great places to go soak up some interesting culture. You can go down there, get a hair wrap, listen to street performers, have yourself a tarot card reading, and get some sun (if you're not like me, having a mutual hate relationship with summer). We also have quite a few theaters out here that show the Rocky Horror Picture Show regularly, complete with an on stage performance during the viewing, and audience participation. You can't be easily offended in order to enjoy that one though. I guess a lot of things are rather unique to California. Though, I can't think of too many other examples at the moment (other then specific locations, like the San Diego Zoo, Alcatraz, Hollywood Wax Museum, etc.).