California residents...Quick question

[EquipmentJunkie]

I was kidding, EJ... but seriously, you would be surprised. There are TONS of Californians up here - my wife is from LA and her parents moved here from Burbank 5 years ago.

I understand it was a joke but I am sik of the anti-west coast bias that goes on in this country. I guess if you limit your view of Los Angeles and California to the downtown district of LA city then you might be right. That's the opinion most uneducated east-coasters have, no one seems to look at the greater LA county area or the incorporated beach cities in the SoBay, not to mention Ventura county to the North and the OC to the south which had at least 10 zip codes in the forbes list this year. When Oregon gets the sun we have and waves we have to surf on, maybe then I'd look at it...not to mention I wasn't very fond of the women there. If you'll excuse me I'm on my way to work, getting paid to work at the beach....

[Smallville]

Isn't Oregon on the west coast as well?

And good luck Lemay, hope the salary difference is enough for you to make the big move!

[EquipmentJunkie]

Isn't Oregon on the west coast as well?

I didn't say it wasn't.

[Ben]

I understand it was a joke but I am sik of the anti-west coast bias that goes on in this country.

I've always found it amusing that at any sporting event you'll watch where an LA team is playing on the road there are always chants and signs of "beat LA." Particularly Lakers games.

[TheGasman]

I second the vote on moving to LA. It can be somewhat of a culture shock to some mid westerners but that seems to be only in the city. The traffic sucks, but get a sunroof, we dont have very many bad weather days. If your company is based out of Newport and SD, you might be looking for something in more of south Orange County. Which is always nice too.

[TheGasman]

I OD'd on all the warm weather, smog and over-population during the first 25 years of my life.

The smog doesnt seem to be as bad as it used too.

[immts007]

The smog doesnt seem to be as bad as it used too.

I've heard it's gotten better. I'm remember going to Disneyland one time and feeling like I needed goggles to protect my eyes from the pollution-sting.

[TheGasman]

It seems to have all blown to Riverside. Im in the Valley and its usually not bad, but Riverside looks like it has a S cloud hovering over it.

[EquipmentJunkie]

The smog doesnt seem to be as bad as it used too.

True....It is not as bad, we have the highest petroleum standards in the nation (one of the reasons gas is more expensive) and your vehicles must pass a smog test every year when you re register the vehicle. It is unnoticeable in the beach areas, a lot of people confuse a marine layer with smog though.

[Ben]

It seems to have all blown to Riverside. Im in the Valley and its usually not bad, but Riverside looks like it has a S cloud hovering over it.

Or you're in the valley?

I remember when I went to Elementary School at Pinecrest (Devonshire near Balboa) on the smog warning days, you could just barely see the mountains just to the north (2 miles at the most for those not from here). Now there's rarely a day where I can't see from our 14th green, all the way to Universal city if not Downtown. Smog control laws really have made a huge difference in this part of the world.

[TheGasman]

Ya I grew up in Chatsworth and remember how bad it was when I was a kid. I drive down the 118 everyday now from Simi and your right, you can see clear across the valley.

[TheGasman]

we have the highest petroleum standards in the nation (one of the reasons gas is more expensive) and your vehicles must pass a smog test every year when you re register the vehicle.

Some would say too many standards. Im in the distribution end of it and the things we have to go through are ridiculous.

[erwintrace08]

Ya I grew up in Chatsworth and remember how bad it was when I was a kid. I drive down the 118 everyday now from Simi and your right, you can see clear across the valley.

I was born and raised in Santa Monica and have lived here all my life. If you want something close to the water, you'll pay a premium. Anything inland you'll obviously get discounts. My wife and my first house was in Porter Ranch where the fires were. Great neighborhood in the valley (in the hills with tons of golf courses nearby), but I lived right across the house where they had the shooting last week. So sad.

Only thing with the valley and anything inland besides better prices is that you have to be ready for 100-110 heat in the summer. We moved down to South OC near Laguna/Mission Viejo and it's the best place so far. If we have the money, we'll eventually love to move to Newport Coast. I've been all over the country and the world and there is still nothing like California for the MAIN reason you can do anything. It's not a bias towards living here, but where else can you have great weather and go to the beach in the summer. Then in the winter, snowboard or ski in the nearby mountains. The women barely where anything here and golf is all year round (comfortably). Just watch Entourage and you'll understand why. Hope that helps, e

[Lemay427]

I was born and raised in Santa Monica and have lived here all my life. If you want something close to the water, you'll pay a premium. Anything inland you'll obviously get discounts. My wife and my first house was in Porter Ranch where the fires were. Great neighborhood in the valley (in the hills with tons of golf courses nearby), but I lived right across the house where they had the shooting last week. So sad.

Thats the main reason I want to try it out. Get better golf weather AND be able to go skiing a lot easier than living in the MW.

[spaceghost]

Dude! (I can say that because I am a native.)

I hope your move to California works out for you. I think there is a lot more upside for you in California. I am an architect living and working in Los Angeles. Now I've lived here, went to school here and worked here for most of my life so I might have gotten a little to much sun to the brain causing me to see things so rosy, however my network is pretty large and colleagues of mine working in different towns just don't seem to have the opportunities that I have here. The only thing you have to come to grips with here is being a little fish in a big pond. There are so many people who do what you do out here that it becomes very difficult for even the stars to shine. But if you don't care about being a big fish in a little pond then Southern California has a lot to offer...socially, culturally, even economically.

Yeah there is probably a lot of smog, but it isn't as bad as it was in the 80s, and there is a lot of traffic (keeps getting worse as population grows and public transportation struggle (struggle is probably putting it nicely) to adapt. We have other problems as well, but who doesn't.

Just think it is the first week in December and I am going to play golf this weekend in shorts and a t-shirt.

Best of luck!

[flopdarock]

yeah this is a no brainer... im originally from hawaii but lived in SD for awhile and from there drove cross country to my new home here in virginia beach so ive been thru the midwest... id have to say it isnt a very hard decision to move from the midwest to socal... ive been up an down the coast due to my work and i love the OC... but im more inclined to tell you to move to diego... i love that town for alot of reasons... and its not as hectic as LA tho diego traffic is getting almost as bad

[zeg]

I'm originally from the midwest, but lived in Boston (well, Cambridge) for many years, in Silicon Valley for a year, and have now been in the LA area (Pasadena) for about 4.5 years. I gotta say, I cannot wait to get out of LA. The weather is nice, but I actually miss winter and I can't stand endless endless traffic and people and city after city...

I liked Silicon Valley/SF area quite a bit better, but in the end, I think I'll probably be happier somewhere outside of California entirely.

That's just my opinion, obviously...

[SubPar]

Over priced everything, clogged freeways, very high personal income tax, stupid government, a layer of "ash" on every surface in your house... but the weather is good for golf.

SubPar