southern california

[backbreaker]

I have been doing alot of thinking lately.. I live in little rock, AR. I have been to Southern Cali a couple of times, but not too long.

I am seriously considering moving.. there is nothing down here for me. I will probably keep my house here just because I don't need to sell it but I will probably move out of state, and southern CA seems to be the spot for me for a couple of reasons.

1) as most of you know, I make money playing horses.. down here, there is one track, that's open 3 months a year.. In southern CA, you have Bay Meadows, Del Mar, Hollywood Park and Santa Anita, all MAJOR tracks, one of wich is open all of the year.. that's not including the smaller circuits

2) The weather

3) More stuff to do

So, how many of you are from Southern Ca or have lived there before? What are your pros and cons?

I am thinking of going out there for a week next month, to look around, get a feel of the city, If I move it will be before my Birthday (Fathers day)

Any advice would be appricated

 

[aiforce_juan]

im from san diego

pros:
food
places to visit
WOMEN! wayy too many HBs here

cons:
Cost of living.. avg $900 for one bedroom apartment

traffick (almost like LA traffic)

 

[Xericx]

Best thing is the weather. I hate Hollywood. Absoltuely hate it. The whole scene is just lame.

The hot women thing is totally blown out of proportion. Most major cities have the same talent...some more.

There is more stuff to do. Lots of places to make weekend trips.

A lot of people get sick or have apprehensions about LA. It is shallow...a lot of glitz and glamour covering little substance and the people are ruder than most smaller places, esp. on the freeways.

housing is insanely expensive. Condos (basically apartments) are 300k for a 1 bedroom...and that's in an "ok" area. Crappy houses are 600k...again, in "ok" areas.

Overall, I do like it for the different cultures and things to do. Vegas is a 1/2 hour flight...San Diego isn't too far....orange county is cool.

Basically, if you do go, live within 2-3 miles of the beach.

 

[So Many Ways]

I've lived in Southern California all my life, I was born and spent my childhood years in the Altadena area and moved to Orange County as a teenager, where I still reside and I went to college in Pomona.

Southern California varies widely depending on where you live and the difference includes demographics, weather, scenery and anything else you can think of.

The other posters are right about the cost of housing, be prepared to pay anwhere from $900 - $1500 for a 1 bedroom apartment in a decent area. If you want to live closer to the beach, it will cost more. Houses cost a grip and traffic is off the hook.

How are the women? Well that depends on where you go. I also think the whole hot southern california woman thing is blown completely out of proportion. If you want to hit up nightspots that have a lot of hot women, you better have some kind of hookups or deep pockets. There is plenty of eye candy at the beaches during the summer and at the shopping centers during the winter.

There is plenty to do here, you'll always have something to do around here to keep yourself occupied. Also, Vegas is a 5 hour drive, San Fran is an 7 hour drive (1 hour plane flight) and San Diego is a 1.5 hour drive away. Skiing/snowboarding is a 2 hour drive and the beaches are always close

I'd advise you narrow down the type of area you want to live in so coming out here just to check it out would be a good idea. I would avoid the cookie cutter mcmansion type areas (i. e. Irvine) and move somewhere where there is some culture and flavor, since you'll be paying up the nose regardless of where you'll stay.

Good luck.

 

[Shiftkey]

I've also lived here my entire life.

What's bad about SoCal? Traffic and housing/rent costs.

What's good about SoCal? Everything else.

 

[backbreaker]

i've been there before..thinking about moving to Newport Beach or somewhere around that area

in all honestly, the cost of living isnt' that big of a concern for me, I mean arkansas is dirt cheap.. there are ho uses down here that look like the ones on MTV cribs well under 1 million. Chanel Valley, the most expensive part of arkansas, the houses start out at like 500k


I've heard about the club scene.. is it really that hard to get into a place?

 

[Xericx]

Newport Beach is awesome. There are a LOT of hot women there and a great nightlife/beach scene.

Housing is pretty expensive there...probably one of the most expensive in the nation. Probably won't find a new house for under 1.5 million dollars....and that's under 3000 square feet. And that's being generous.

Clubs aren't too hard to get into. Just have to get on a list...which isn't too hard to do after a while if you know people. Everyone seems to be a promoter nowadays.

 

[Shiftkey]

Originally posted by backbreaker
i've been there before..thinking about moving to Newport Beach or somewhere around that area

in all honestly, the cost of living isnt' that big of a concern for me, I mean arkansas is dirt cheap.. there are ho uses down here that look like the ones on MTV cribs well under 1 million. Chanel Valley, the most expensive part of arkansas, the houses start out at like 500k


I've heard about the club scene.. is it really that hard to get into a place?

LOL good luck finding a place in Newport. You might be able to find a shiity house there for 2mil, or 2k a month rent. Really, anywhere in OC is within 20-30 minutes from the beach, but if you really want to live near one, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, or San Clemente are much more affordable. Laguna Beach is a little more affordable than Newport. Long Beach is technically a part of LA, but OC and LA are so close it's hard to tell. OC is like the subburbs of LA.

I'm not much of a club fan, but I've seen the long lines in some of the LA clubs. There aren't many clubs in OC that I know of compaired to LA. But like I said, LA is so close, many people just drive there for the clubs.

 

[backbreaker]

the money isn't a problem, it really isn't.

I am thinking of renting a house on a monthly basis, and if I really like it down there, just go ahead and buy it.. I can foot the 3-5k a month and not blink, but anything more than that, I don't think it would be worth it.

I'll definatly do some research and take a trip down there and see what it's about

If I MOVE, i'm MOVING.. if I am going to move to a ****ty place in CA, I might as well stay here in little rock.. my house is way to freakin nice here to leave it and go live in a below average apartment.

Down here, 3k a month is about a mortage on an EXTREMELY expensive house.. I lived in one of the if not the nicest apartments in little rock, well not the nicest, but it was definatly up there, and i had a 2 bedroom and it was $689 a month, and I felt that was too high.

The thing is, I just bought a new house, like 3 weeks ago because someone broke in my old house on christmas, and now that I bought it, I just now got the bright idea that I don't want to stay here any longer, at least not just in arkansas.. I need to get out, this place has too small of a mind for me.

 

[Xericx]

OK...that's pretty sweet then.

I recommend the following cities/beach towns. Don't bother anywhere else.

orange country
1. Newport Beach

If you want to stay around LA
2. Manhattan Beach
3. Hermosa Beach
4. Santa Monica

With 3-4k a month, you can probably get a starter home or a pretty nice condo. You can probably rent something a stone's throw to the beach for sure.

I know in Hermosa, 1 bedrooms go for about 1500 bucks....right in the middle of the nightlife/bars/beach.

San Diego is also cool....might wanna think about that.

 

[DrMetallica]

I grew up in the foothills of the mountains northwest of Los Angeles, I have many fond memories of hiking/biking around the area during my childhood.

The city of Los Angeles sucks. Too many dangerous elements.

 

[CGE333]

I moved to San Diego about a year and a half ago and it has been one of the best things I have ever done. The cost is high that is for sure, but the weather, the women, and the ocean are great. Keeping the house is a good thing that way if you go back someday you are already locked into that market. I have a house in AZ, but I am thinking about selling it soon and taking the $$$$. When I first came here I was not sure how long I would stay, but now I think I'll be here for awhile. How long is awhile, I'm not sure but even if I left San Diego, I probably would not go back to AZ.

Even if you come out for one or a few years it will be a good experience for you.

One other thing if you are still around 22 and want to live in San Diego, I would live in Pacific Beach. The majority of the women there are 20-25 and if there is a heaven I can't imagine it having any better tail than what is there.

 

[Page]

Long Beach kicks ass.

Downtown is nice, but so is East Long Beach near lakewood. North Long Beach is semi-ghetto, but is a good place to own rental property.

 

[Xericx]

You like Long Beach? Bleh....near Lakewood is nice? Are you kiddin' me...so boring....are you talking at the end of the 22 freeway or something or by CSLB. That area sucks.

 

[Joe The Homophobe]

My dad who lives in another state tells me it is raining like in the days of Noah overthere and it is cold as the south pole! Right now it is 70+ degrees outside in California and its supposed to be winter??? yesterday it was so hot I thought it was summer!

there is no other place like it in the USA. You might pay a lot for rent but what you pay is THE PRICE TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE! To have a life where you can wear a short sleeve shirt all year round/wake up to a beautiful day 95% of the year/wake up to a climate that lets you have fun with friends and not be worried about roads full of snow/rain/tornados or hurricanes. And of course to get out of the house and see the hottest women in the world walking around.

The cost of rent might be high but you only live once so you might as well live good after all that is what money is for (enjoying life).

The hot women thing is totally blown out of proportion. Most major cities have the same talent...some more.

The reason California women are some of the hottest in the world is because women here are very concerned with their looks. It is not like lets say Chicago where it gets so cold everyone is wearing coats and heavy clothing to withdstand the cold. In such climates women don't worry about having to show their legs or looking fat. The weather in California allows women to wear less which means that they are in competition with each other to look their best. (you know how women are)

 

[Xericx]

Maybe I'm used to it, but I see beautiful women in most of the major cities I go to (well...except the bay area...yuck). I was in Chicago partying it up....the girls there were good looking. I was going to hot nightspots and what not....so the pasty suburban whales probably didn't go.

But its the same thing here in LA. Go to many of the spots, lots of ugly girls...lots of fine girls. Just like any other place.

Hot weather climates do have hot girls...Arizona, Vegas, San Diego, Texas....

 

[Xericx]

I'm mainly talking about LA though. So many average looking girls....maybe because I'm not all that into "ethnic" girls all that much...who knows.

The Newport Beach girls are so hot though.

 

[backbreaker]

so I should be able to take $5k a month for rent plus living expenses and be fine.

I would reallly perfer a house, I need a garage, I have 3 cars and don't like leaving all three outside

Someone told me that LA shuts down after 2am, is that true?

One thing about little rock, is there are a couple of spots open untl 5am at all times

 

[backbreaker]

Oh, one more thing.. just out of curosity, how far is Newport Beach from Hollywood, Arcadia, Del Mar and San Mateo?

 

[Xericx]

Originally posted by backbreaker
Oh, one more thing.. just out of curosity, how far is Newport Beach from Hollywood, Arcadia, Del Mar and San Mateo?

By Hollywood, do you mean "Hollywood Park"? Hollywood Park Casino/Horse races are in INGLEWOOOOOOD! Its 40 min-hour away..depending on traffic.

Arcadia? Uhhh...yeah.....I don't even know where Arcadia is, I've been here for like 10 years. I think its near pasadena...probably an hour.

Del Mar? that's in San Diego...past carlsbad....its about 40 minutes or so. Traffic SUCKS on the weekend to go there though.

San Mateo? No clue.