California friendliness

While sitting at dinner on Sunday afternoon at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, I brought out my knitting.  2 people at 2 separate times came over and admired my knitting.  I don't mean they admired my knitting, I mean they ADMIRED my knitting.  One of them was a knitter and was feeling badly that she did not have hers and the other was a family where the young child was watching me so the Mom started the conversation.

I started to think, WOW, California is more friendly, but these folks were from Florida and Wisconsin(?).  So is it the atmosphere of California that made them more friendly, or is it that they were on vacation that made them more friendly.

I can tell you it did not feel like New England or Boston the way they approached me and the depth of the conversation.  It was not a polite, "Oh, look you are knitting."  It was "Wow, love your knitting, wish I had mine, let's talk for a bit about knitting, and anything else, but mainly lets talk and connect."

Was I more open to it since I am on vacation?  Am I not open to it in Boston?

I am not really sure, I just know if felt very different and I liked it and at the same time was a bit suspicious about them as they approached me.  Typically New Englander I suppose!