Love:
I'm centrally located...I'm less then two hours from snow, San Fransisco, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, etc...And I'm just less then three hours from Tahoe and a little more from Reno.

The hot summer nights.
The mild winters.

Good nightlife.

Hate:
Dust and allergies from the farms.
It's getting to crowded with Bay Area people.

Would I ever leave?
I would leave Modesto, but not California. Unless I'm leaving the country.