Personalities of California Cities (San Jose, Sacramento: condo, crime, job market)

[janefirst]

California has Disneyland and universal studios Hollywood which is developed so beautifully. Must visiting places

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Chico - Charming, parties, green, cool fun college town, isolated, Aaron Rodgers, Chico State, huge Valley Oaks, Sacramento Valley, sexy country boys, where the Cascades meet the Sierras, Bidwell Park, yo-yo's!

I should add to Chico outdoorsmans paradise, off the beaten path, top 10 public college

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

I saw this idea for a thread on the Texas forum, so I figured I'd give it a shot over here.

What would you say, in a few adjectives or simple descriptives, describes the personalities of some Californian cities?

I'll start:

• Los Angeles: Beautiful, glamorous, gritty, spunky, dirty, street-smart, idealistic, cosmopolitan
• San Francisco: Gorgeous, democratic socialist, intelligent, dirty, homey, cosmopolitan, snobby
• Oakland: Tough, punkish, ghetto, charming, endearing, dirty, industrial, artsy
• San Diego: Optimistic, small-townish, cliquish, prideful, beer-making, anti-L.A., safe, clean
• Sacramento: Political, small-townish, comfortable, flat, green, underrated, (arguably) overlooked
• San Jose: Innovative, boring, South Asian, sleepy, safe, intelligent, laid-back

There are many other cities in California that can be included, such as numerous cities in Orange County, the Inland Empire, the Central Valley, the Central Coast, and even the plenty of suburban areas around L.A. County and the Bay Area. I just started off with the six most arguably focal or best known large cities in the state. Add as many cities as you want, and I'll add more cities of my own as this thread (hopefully) advances.

I look forward to your responses!

You did a good job, OP. I've only lived in two CA cities (Sac and SD). One thing you didn't mention is the expense factor. San Jose and SF are off the charts expensive, Sacramento is relatively affordable. Also I'd mention that SF is very far left, while Sac and San Diego are more moderate and diverse politically.

I'd also add some adjectives for Los Angeles that say "immense, huge, sprawling" and heavily Latino influenced.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

I should add to Chico outdoorsmans paradise, off the beaten path, top 10 public college

Since we are talking to ourselves , and because I'm a bit bored, I'll add the following to Aliso Viejo:Home of America's only Buddhist-inspired university (Soka University of America); has OC's longest life expectancy*; and is a competitive gymnastics training favorite.

Gotta channel that energy somewhere when you are surrounded by uninspired architecture and too many chain restaurants.

* I'm curious about the self-selection factors that make this possible since very few, if any, current adult AV residents were born here; and none after incorporation.

[semispherical]

Originally Posted by BodegaHead

LA: Expensive & smoggy
San Diego: Expensive & sunny
San Francisco: Really Expensive & foggy
San Jose: Expensive & Techie
Sacramento: Cheap for a reason

Gotta rep you for all of the above except Sac. Maybe it's just because I'm getting too old to appreciate "trendy" anymore, but after getting back to Sac from any of the first four cities on the list, it feels just like taking off the Spanx and exhaling again. If the first four are glam high fashion, Sac is the land of sweatpants and comfy slippers.

[ccm123]

Good post! Most of these municipal areas have a lot of "cities within cities", which have their own personalities also.

Examples:

Malibu: high end beachfront homes, movie stars, beautiful beaches

West Hollywood: liberal, night clubs, nightlife

San Marino: old wealth, huge stately homes

Beverly Hills: old money, wealthy, movie stars

Manhattan Beach: old money, wealthy beach city

Pasadena: diverse culture and activities (museums, golf courses, restaurants), diverse socioeconomic demographics (working class to very wealthy)

La Canada-Flintridge: old money, huge stately homes, "blue-ribbon" community




Pleasanton: sleepy, conservative, bedroom community

Berkeley: socioeconomically diverse, large student population, liberal

Cupertino: wealthy Asian enclave, great schools

Walnut Creek: pretentious, high end shopping

Palo Alto: old money, wealth

Orinda: wealthy, small town suburban feel

Alameda: traditional California beachfront community feel (San Diego, Redondo maybe?)

Fremont: diverse (socioeconomically), younger middle and upper-middle class families in the technology industry

Originally Posted by EclecticEars

I saw this idea for a thread on the Texas forum, so I figured I'd give it a shot over here.

What would you say, in a few adjectives or simple descriptives, describes the personalities of some Californian cities?

I'll start:

• Los Angeles: Beautiful, glamorous, gritty, spunky, dirty, street-smart, idealistic, cosmopolitan
• San Francisco: Gorgeous, democratic socialist, intelligent, dirty, homey, cosmopolitan, snobby
• Oakland: Tough, punkish, ghetto, charming, endearing, dirty, industrial, artsy
• San Diego: Optimistic, small-townish, cliquish, prideful, beer-making, anti-L.A., safe, clean
• Sacramento: Political, small-townish, comfortable, flat, green, underrated, (arguably) overlooked
• San Jose: Innovative, boring, South Asian, sleepy, safe, intelligent, laid-back

There are many other cities in California that can be included, such as numerous cities in Orange County, the Inland Empire, the Central Valley, the Central Coast, and even the plenty of suburban areas around L.A. County and the Bay Area. I just started off with the six most arguably focal or best known large cities in the state. Add as many cities as you want, and I'll add more cities of my own as this thread (hopefully) advances.

I look forward to your responses!

[mrsltd]

La Habra: bologna and cheese on wheat with tapatio and jalapeños.

I grew up here so it's no knock on the place, just the general vibe.

One publication covering cities even cited the big plastic elk on the La Habra Elks Bldg as "funky and reassuring". It's STILL there.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by mrsltd

La Habra: bologna and cheese on wheat with tapatio and jalapeños.

I grew up here so it's no knock on the place, just the general vibe.

One publication covering cities even cited the big plastic elk on the La Habra Elks Bldg as "funky and reassuring". It's STILL there.

I don't eat it anymore, but bologna and cheese on wheat sure is tasty. I could see adding jalapenos or eating them on the side, but HOT SAUCE?

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

I don't eat it anymore, but bologna and cheese on wheat sure is tasty. I could see adding jalapenos or eating them on the side, but HOT SAUCE?

Well, I'm trying to capture the essence of a city in some way (here, by using a food analogy).

I can't leave out the influence of a sizable number of (mostly) Mexican immigrants in town; thus the hot sauce.

[MItoBH]

Any thoughts on Torrance?