Integrating from NY (Los Angeles, Orange, Yorba Linda: school, living, prices)

[NYCbornNbred72]

Hi folks. I'm a native NY'er in my early 40s. White collar professional. Well traveled. Not the typical loud mouth that normally fits the NY stereotype. From what I've read, it seems OC natives are facing many of the same challenges we here in NY are dealing with; increasing prices for everything, changing demographics and culture, influx of outsiders moving in.


My question is how difficult would it be for someone like myself to fully integrate into the OC lifestyle and be accepted?


Thanks.

[Electrician4you]

It's really simple man. As long as you dont come off as "I'm better than you" type most people don't give a f where you're from. I had a neighbor from Maine, and know people from Michigan, Floeida, New Jersey,

[DinsdalePirahna]

Orange County is essentially Long Island with Nice Weather, Mountains and Palm Trees

Most NYers adapt very well OC.
Just don't complain about Pizza and Bagels and you'll do fine (-you will be able to find decent pizza, but good luck on finding a decent bagel or egg sammich)

[nightlysparrow]

And be OK with driving and things being spread out.

[NYCbornNbred72]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm actually from Long Island/Queens border. We grew up driving since we don't have subways out this far. Very suburban here. Sounds like OC is similar, with better weather, which is what I like hearing.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

And be OK with driving and things being spread out.

just like Long Island!

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

Orange County is essentially Long Island with Nice Weather, Mountains and Palm Trees

Most NYers adapt very well OC.
Just don't complain about Pizza and Bagels and you'll do fine (-you will be able to find decent pizza, but good luck on finding a decent bagel or egg sammich)

I am not sure I quite agree, however, I think it has many similarities to LI.

OC has plenty good bagels. I have found plenty.

[sonik555]

Myself and my wife are very picky with regards to food and good quality food. We have traveled around the world a lot and I have to say some of the best pizza I have ever had is definitely not in NY. Not too much experience with bagels but I have had gets bagels outside of NY.
I think it's a generalized old school stereotype, and is purely subjective experience.

[bowneline]

You should not have a problem. Orange County is full of people from all different areas of the Country and world. There are lots of people here from the Northeast (my previous job was with a small business, we had 6 employees -- two were from New Jersey, one was from New York, and two were from Northern California -- and I was the only native OC employee). Honestly, your neighbor is probably just as likely to be native of the Northeast or at least of the East Coast as they are to be a native of OC (go to an Angel game when they are playing the Yankess or Red Sox and see this in action -- about half the fans will be rooting for the away team).

Like referenced above, in many respects, OC is probably similar to LI and any suburban area near a major metropolitan city. This is especially true for areas outside of the wealthy coastal enclaves (Laguna, Newport). In that respect, I don't think it will be a big culture shock. The people living on your typical suburban street in Lake Forest or Yorba Linda will probably have many similarities to your typical suburban street in the nicer parts of LI.

One difference might be that OC is not as connected to its big city neighbor as suburban LI is. To us, Los Angeles is not "the City," relatively few people commute up there and we are culturally and economically independent.

Although I do disagree with the idea that OC is seeing a major shift in demographics or an influx of outsiders. There has been a steady rise in the Latino population, but its not been a very quick change, and OC has always had a high population of spanish speakers.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by sonik555

Myself and my wife are very picky with regards to food and good quality food. We have traveled around the world a lot and I have to say some of the best pizza I have ever had is definitely not in NY. Not too much experience with bagels but I have had gets bagels outside of NY.
I think it's a generalized old school stereotype, and is purely subjective experience.

Yes Pizza is subjective.
(People in Saint Louis love their style of pizza which is essentially a toasted communion wafer, cover in ketchup and velveeta cheese)
New Yorkers like the east coast style of pizza / Have I had better? Sure. but when it comes to a taste that reminds of of home, nothing beats a NY/NJ/New Haven Pie