I hate Santa Barbara (Irvine, Thousand Oaks: bankrupt, costs, buses)

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by ZhugeLiang

Santa Barbara is indeed grossly overrated. I've always found Ventura a much better town. A fun beach city without Santa Barbara's pretentiousness.

I agree. Compared to Santa Barbara both Oxnard and Ventura have an ease about them since they don't have the name to live up to. Ox/Ven just "are who they are..."

Originally Posted by Snort

This thread will never die. It will go down in internet history as the longest and most influential thread ever.
But.....will the question ever be answered? Santa Barbara, loveable or loser?
Stay tuned, folks.

This thread reminds me of another, "SB is unsafe, don't go..." or something like that. The discussions, perceptions, misconceptions, denials and attacks on SB, ranging from the sublime to the absurd, went on for over a year when the tread was finally closed.

[mwmcmahan]

Santa Barbara's off shore oil wells are certainly an eyesore. I love the idea of off-shore drilling, but not 1/2 mile off the coast.

[Vanity7Sins]

I was born and raised in Santa Barbara. Granted I haven't lived too many other places (Downtown Los Angeles and Sundance, WY) but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Santa Barbara is my favorite place on earth. The neighborhoods are cute and mostly safe, there are a few questionable areas such as the lower west side and lower east side after dark. I'll admit the shopping sucks (unless you have tons of money) and the housing prices are high but it's worth it. The people might be a little different here but I've learned to take things as they come and roll with the punches. Santa Barbara is a melting pot of all different people and cultures. No matter where you are it's important and beneficial to immerse yourself and try new things. I travel out of Santa Barbara quite often... and there are a ton of really ugly places out there.

[Snort]

...and the cat came back.
The thread that will never die.

[Vanity7Sins]

Originally Posted by mesaverde

So, what happens with jobs that the middle class traditionally occupy in the city, is that many need to commute in from Ventura or Lompoc. This includes most of Santa Barbara's city personnel, including fire and police.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard - sure a lot of people commute from Ventura, Oxnard, Lompoc, Buellton... but a ton of fire and police live in Santa Barbara and Goleta! How do I know this? Well... I grew up here for one and two my dad, brother AND uncle are firemen and they all live IN Santa Barbara... well my dad did until he retired. We were cut off from Los Angeles during the La Conchita landslide a few years ago and did just fine.

[georgste]

It is time to leave SB.

[ehcsrop]

Rachel, you still there? Next time try for a job in Oceanside. Get on their website and see the facts.

[NoTimeToTalk]

Santa Barbara has its good and not-so-good points, just like any other area. However, I think people set themselves up for disappointment when they expect Santa Barbara to be a Leesburg, VA, or a Bethesda, MD with better weather and an ocean nearby. Or, in the OP's case, a scaled-down San Francisco with these qualities. Not going to happen. Areas are different for a reason, and "differences" encompass much more than weather and proximity to the beach.

[jbunniii]

Pretty humorous that the OP complains about the small, overpriced ugly homes in Santa Barbara but then goes on to say that the entire Bay Area (which has the same small, overpriced ugly homes) is "beautiful." I didn't read the entire thread, but it sounds like a troll to me.

[NorCal Dude]

Yea the thread seems insane. Sb is lovely.