LA Auto Show. Or, More Reasons to Love California.

I used to live in California. I love California. Every quirky bit of it.
You know the way I keep trying to love Florida? I am the same way trying to unlove California.

I spent the best years of my life in that state, felt like two or three lives by the time I left, and maybe the only reason I still love it so much is that when I left the sunny, happy, pretty people of CA, I moved to NewfuckingHampshire. To a small little nothing town where we had four seasons: Winter, Mud, Bug and Humid, where WE were the pretty people. Where, yeah, we lived like kings in a big ass house with our own stone wall and creek and forest, but the only retail store within an hours drive was- getreadyfor it- WalMart.
*sigh*
So, yes. California loomed large in my memory, with the beauty of its beaches, its non- existant bugs and humidity, its skinny white teethed people, abundance of organic food, yoga studios, starlets and decaf nonfat cappuccinos, before anyone else was doing it. California had it all.
And every year, they have this: THE LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW.
Just another reason for me to miss CA.

Ths new electric Mini Cooper will be there. THE MINI E.
A car ONLY people in California will be able to lease for a mere $850/ month. (gas powered Mini's lease for about $350/mo on a 2 year lease)
There are a few particulars in the lease though:
Restrictions on the locations where the Mini E can be kept and charged will also be included in the leases, reports Luxevelocity. Mini policy will allow "only lockable garages or similar buildings" to serve as home bases or power stations for the car. Special maintenance requirements and fees will also apply, but are only revealed upon agreement to the lease terms. But of course, after all, this is California.

And if I still lived in California? You can bet your ass I'd be driving one of these:
As it is, I'll have to wait until March of 2009 for the concept cars and the North American debut cars to make their way to another place I am trying to love: Hotlanta, GA.