Marin County to Mendocino County questions? (Santa Rosa, Novato: to rent, hotels, house)

[Midnite09]

My fiance and I will be relocating to NorCal sometime in April. I am able to work remotely with my job. However, my fiance still needs to find a job....nothing high paying, just a simple retail/restaurant type job to help out. We are trying to find a small town with good liberal people, good food, privacy, close to the coast, accessible to a larger town from time to time, (and it would be nice to see the occasional reggae concert.) We are a young couple (29 years old), so affordability is still a factor (although we are moving from Boulder, CO which is VERY overpriced). Ideally we would like to rent for under $1200 until we can better scope out the area to buy a place. We have been looking around the Russian River area but feel like I am still missing some good places? Does anyone have any insight as to some good options I might be missing? Sebastopol seems great, just a little pricey. Ukiah seems to have a great vibe, but we are worried about not knowing anyone in the area. North of Ukiah seems nice too, just don't want to be around meth heads (the pot growers don't worry us too much). We have thought about Cloverdale, but that seems pretty disconnected and pretty far from the coast. Humboldt seems too north and too cool and cloudy. Any thoughts????

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Midnite09

My fiance and I will be relocating to NorCal sometime in April. I am able to work remotely with my job. However, my fiance still needs to find a job....nothing high paying, just a simple retail/restaurant type job to help out. We are trying to find a small town with good liberal people, good food, privacy, close to the coast, accessible to a larger town from time to time, (and it would be nice to see the occasional reggae concert.) We are a young couple (29 years old), so affordability is still a factor (although we are moving from Boulder, CO which is VERY overpriced). Ideally we would like to rent for under $1200 until we can better scope out the area to buy a place. We have been looking around the Russian River area but feel like I am still missing some good places? Does anyone have any insight as to some good options I might be missing? Sebastopol seems great, just a little pricey. Ukiah seems to have a great vibe, but we are worried about not knowing anyone in the area. North of Ukiah seems nice too, just don't want to be around meth heads (the pot growers don't worry us too much). We have thought about Cloverdale, but that seems pretty disconnected and pretty far from the coast. Humboldt seems too north and too cool and cloudy. Any thoughts????

Humboldt county would give you the exact diversified life you are lookig for, but you are right:It is very cold, damp, very little sun even in the summer and totally removed from anything that is remotely resembling a "real city"

I think your idea of Ukiah is a good one. You will never find exactly what you want, but that would be about the closest I would think. Marin county is on the liberal side and yet, very pricey even as far north as Novato. In fact that far north may not be liberal enough for you. It is more family oriented and main stream. The liberal parts of Marin county are very pricy. Mendocino courty sounds like a place that would appeal to you. As for the raggae concert that I can't comment on.

Nita

[humboldtrat]

I like Lakeport on the west shore of Clear Lake. The lake has boating, fishing, etc. activities. It's a quiet little town and I think the rents would be reasonable. The weather is warmer inland, with the coast having fog and wind often.

[azoria]

If your fiance needs to find a job you'll need to stay at least as far south as Sonoma county. There are no jobs in Mendocino or Lake counties. None, zero.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by azoria

If your fiance needs to find a job you'll need to stay at least as far south as Sonoma county. There are no jobs in Mendocino or Lake counties. None, zero.

but it looks like his profession would work even there. He is looking at working for a restaurant..

Nita

[Midnite09]

Sonoma County seems to be more where we are focusing our search into. Can anyone recommend a good place in Sonoma County that would be a good fit for us? We have started to look and have been only able to find places around Guerneville that offer us privacy and is within 30 min to the coast that also fit our budget. From what I read though it seems like a struggle to get anywhere and drunks on the road and flooding do worry me.....I could be absolutely wrong about Guerneville, but this is just what I read. 30 minute drive seems to be our magic drive time we are looking to be from coast, town, and job for my fiance....but we are certainly willing to sacrifice any of those for right location.
Any thoughts on the job situation? My employment allows me to work anywhere..... My fiance still will be in need of a simple job. She has gone to culinary school and has worked at Whole Foods and is only in need of a job that pays in the $10-15 range. This seems like an area where this wouldn't be too much of an issue, but I could be wrong and who knows how bad the economy is going to get. Any help would be greatly appreciated....Thanks!!

[Curry Jo]

It's very difficult - almost impossible - to find work on the river in the Winter -- everything slows down. Guerneville is a summer vacation destination and business starts to pick up around late April (good news for you). The majority of jobs in Guerneville are in the hospitality field: restaurants, bars, hotels (also good news for you). If you're good at what you do and you make a reputation for yourself as someone who shows up, gets the job done and gets along well with people -- then you'll probably be able to find winter work once you're known around town. The river is notorious for people who just don't show up. I've worked in a few different kitchens on the river and I can tell you that a reliable kitchen employee is worth gold.

[grimstuff]

I grew up in Ukiah. Sounds like what you might be looking for.

[Kitebird]

Regarding the Russian River area - I use to live there for some time. There used to be a reggae concert there every summer in Guerneville.
There are lots of restaurants throughout, from Forestville to Jenner but like others have said, the work can be very seasonal, some are open all year round. A lot of people work & shop in Santa Rosa.
The best bet for getting a restaurant type job "year round" might be in Occidental (nice town with 3 Italian eats) or even Jenner.

A word of advice before you rent in RR area, ask the locals if your place floods! I've seen the high part of main street in Guerneville covered two feet deep. Flooding happen all throughout the area. Pick you place carefully on high ground. Also, if you can - find a place that gets some winter sun. The area is beautiful in the Summer with all the trees etc., but a lot of the housing available gets a bit gloomy with so much tree/canyon darkness in the Winter.

Guernevile & the RR area has a mixture of people - their are both conservatives & liberals, old hippies, lots of gays, & some old family red necks types too - summer also brings bikers, tourists & vacationers but interestingly most all seem friendly, quite tolerant and get along somehow with each other. The area overall seems to be getting more arty and creative generally. It used to be one of the least expensive areas to buy a house or rent in the county.

Might Check out the Forestville/Graton areas too.
Ukiah is big enough, and has some outlying areas, to find most of things your looking for - but to get to the ocean it would be more like a hour +
Willits might also be worth looking into.