Big Bear

In line at the bar on the mountain, a man in psychedelic overalls approaches another man in psychedelic overalls. The former is patterned with the face of Jackie Robinson. The latter is chic-er, and its wearer has paired it with a smart rainbow-and-manila helmet. I find myself impressed at the grayscale of both sets of psychedelics. C grade apres ski on C grade mountains perhaps mandates a bit more fashion, especially so close to town.

White people are here. This is where they are. At Big Bear. Skiing on the last day of the season, one of those days in Southern California where you could surf Malibu then drive two hours east and snowboard naked at 8,000 feet.

Zones like these—ski lodges, golf courses, airport lounges—have great drinking rules. Its strongly recommended at all hours, an artifact from the Greatest Generation WASPs that created these spaces, and a subtle acknowledgement that everyone here knows how to behave. I love these warped realities, and I love drinking before noon, …