I also tend to find the opposite is true in California. I used to order medium-rare, expecting the centers to be between cool and luke-warm, but still deep pink or lighter red. But lately, it's been warm to hot center that is an ash or pale pink...this is what medium is supposed to look like! I worked at a place that prided themselves on their steaks and seafood in the midwest, so I was a little surprised when I came out to California and had to change the way I order steaks. Now I order all my steaks "rare to medium-rare. I like my steaks to be cool to luke-warm in the center."