When I first moved to Hermosa Beach — a small coastal town in Los Angeles County's South Bay —  from the Upper West Side of Manhattan, certain things were easier to adjust to than others. Blue skies, dazzling sunsets, an ever-present ocean breeze, and all the tacos I could ever want? Easy.

But while a sense of community wasn't lacking in Hermosa, I wasn't yet a part of it, and I was missing the network I had made for myself in New York City: the barista who knew just how to make my coffee; the staff at my local market who always filled my plate with a little more than what I'd ordered; the optimistic owner of my nearest bodega and his endearingly glum cat.