Any Bay Area Transplants? (Denver, Craig: house, find a job, transfer)

[markfromCA]

Has the adjustment from the Bay Area been tough? I have spent a lot of time visiting and hope to move some day. How has the move been for you and do you think the quality of life is better? Are the people nicer? Is it really that hard to find a job there?

[missingcol]

I will be one Bay Area transplant, in one and a half month later. So I can tell you my experience later.

[bingocat]

We moved to Denver from SF in January. The mountains are beautiful but I really really miss the Bay area, especially the food and cultural diversity. The people here seem nice enough for the most part, but it has been hard making friends and finding people to connect with. Good jobs seem more scarce here than in SF, but that could be because I worked in the financial services industry. It just seems as if there is more opportunity in SF. I haven't been looking seriously yet though. I guess I am fortunate that my husband has a decent job, but I will soon be actively looking for work. My opinion is based on scanning the classifieds and Craigslist.

[LisaCACO]

we lived in the bay area for 10 years before moving to Los angeles for 4 and then here to CO for 2. let me say that denver isn't the bay area. there are big differences. were we still dual income no kids, we'd probably still be in the bay area or LA.

here's what I miss (many have heard me whine about this before): Ikea, Trader Joe's, easy and endless farmers' markets, organic food everywhere, easy vegetarianism in restaurants. I'm a progressive so I miss the endless other progressives everywhere, the racial diversity that you didn't have to work to find, stay at home dads , the many different constructions of "family", many independent bookstores, lots and lots of museums, fantastic restaurants, awesome shopping, gender neutral shopping (I'm shocked when I see ladies' night at a firestone tires-wtf?).

Here's what I love about colorado: cheaper prices on most everything, people are friendlier (initially it was rather frightening), every restaurant seems family friendly (no need to call ahead ), kids still play on the street-no need for organized play all the time and playdates!, the wildlife, the clean air, did I mention the fact that I can buy a ton of house here for a song, or at least what seems like it after CA, the schools are pretty good to excellent, the libraries are awesome.

employment is iffy I think, but we moved out here with a job (my husband transferred with a job).

I love colorado but I do miss much of my life in CA. If I had to do the move again I'd do it in a second (I'd just buy more stuff at Ikea and Trader Joe's beforehand ). Unless something drastic happens, we're here in CO to stay.