Will I like Newport Beach without a Mercedes? (San Francisco, Long Beach: salon, apartment complexes)

[stockpoet]

I have a prospective job in Newport Beach, CA and I'm trying to figure in if I'd like it there. My sister lives in Santa Barbara and has told me people are largely very superficial and judgmental in and around Newport Beach. I have another friend who confirmed this perception who lived in Irvine who said it has no soul. I once lived in Palo Alto, CA which I found very boring and devoid of vitality, he mentioned Newport Beach is Palo Alto with a beach. Is this true? However my sister also mentioned it is very beautiful and safe and the neighboring towns are fun to drive around. I'm just an average mid 30's guy who is married. If It makes a difference I am white and my wife is Southeast Asian. I have lived abroad and speak a few languages and enjoy diversity but it doesn't have to be a melting pot like Greenwhich village in NY.

At the moment I have a 2003 Ford Focus and I'm sincerely worried I'll roll up to work the first day and everyone will roll their eyes. This job is in the finance industry and that does attract some of those types, perhaps even more so in Orange County? I don't care if some people are that way but if materialism is the predominant mentality I might not like it. I presently live in San Francisco. I like San Francisco a great deal but it does get a little cold for my tastes and sometimes people are too into being trendy or intellectual there. These are minor complaints as I know no place is perfect.

I just want a place with good weather, safe and with some culture and activities. I like a nice downtown area and a variety of shops. I'm not into the strictly suburban lifestyle where you have to drive to get anywhere. I realize walking around Newport Beach myself is probably the best way to get a feel for it but at the moment I'm out of the country and can't do that in the next few weeks so I'm trying to get as much feedback as possible.

Also in spite of what my relatives and friends have said if Irvine is nice I would consider living there.

[ocexpo]

Well, you might like some inland areas like Anaheim Hills or Yorba Linda. Both areas are well-to-do like NB, but the people are down-to-earth, much moreso than Newport Beach. I lived in Newport Beach for 3 years and have to agree with your assessment; the people are extremely materialistic and sometimes "cold" to people they don't know (my neighbors rarely talked to us). In Anaheim Hills (where I currently live), I have found people to be extremely friendly and down-to-earth. I'd say aside from not having a beach, I like Anaheim Hills much better because of the overall friendliness, greenery, etc.

[Wurzig]

There is a lot of money in Newport Beach, but don't kid yourself, a lot of those cars are leased.....and besides, Lexus is far superior......LOL If your car is paid for and it runs aok, then keep it.....don't stress about what others think......if you do, you will turn into one of 'them'. You are going to need your money for your house payment anyway.....it's not cheap here.....

Where is it that you think you are going to walk in Newport Beach? You can walk around Lido Isle and Balboa......those are walking areas...fun outings for the weekend....but Newport? It's also fun to walk around Fashion Island.....the mall...it's outdoors, so no claustrophobia...

The Belmont Shores area of Long Beach is a 'walking area'.....shops, eateries, etc...

Costa Mesa is right by Newport......Corona del Mar runs into Newport...... Costa Mesa is cheaper...... Laguna Beach is very pretty and 'walkable'...shops, eateries, ocean.....not cheap either though....

If you don't mind a commute, (it wont' be a killer commute), check out Aliso Viejo...no ocean views, etc., (but they are not that far from the ocean), it's a bedroom community, the town isn't that old, it's affordable, conveniently located......backs up to Laguna Niguel....

Laguna Niguel and Dana Point are nice.....Dana Point is older and has a great harbor for walking......the commute to Newport would be a straigt shoot up PCH....not super bad.....

Check some threads on Irvine......it's clean, sterile and earth-toned but maybe that's what you want......all the strip malls look alike...all the developments look alike......it has UCI, which is a plus. It gets hotter than the Newport area......but the commute to a job in Newport from Irvine would not be bad at all. Irvine has a high Oriental population, so maybe your wife would be more comfortable there if that is an issue....

All the towns run together in this area......look at a map.....anything near the ocean is going to be expensive...... Anything inland gets pretty hot at times.....

Sorry, but this is not like San Francisco....we dont' have a BART either...everything is spread out....you are going to be driving....a lot.

All of California is a melting pot......and not necessarily because of Latinos.....
Look on the map and find Fountain Valley.....that area has Little Saigon.....tell your wife it's a great place for jewelry shopping!

I don't know that I would compare Newport to a town that houses Stanford.....ROFL!

[stockpoet]

I agree Stanford definitively shapes the vibe and population of Palo Alto which is one of privilege, power and affluence. I wouldn't be surprised if Palo Alto is even more 'stuck up' than people have told me Newport Beach is because of this so called prestige. I really want to avoid another Palo Alto. Other than what I've just described it's a very sleepy, sterile place. There is University Avenue with mostly a groumet upper class theme to it and than it's all suburban. It lacks character, unfortunately all the neighboring communities there are the same so short of going to SF there was no signs of life.

If there is a place within 15 miles or so that is more down to earth and middle class with some flavor I would be fine. I am intrigued by UC Irvine, perhaps living close to campus would give me the vibe I seek. Stanford has one of the most banal campuses I've ever seen. No flavor at all. The Anaheim Hills location mentioned above seems nice I will have to investigate that more. I will miss the BART and Caltrain, the place I may end up working is right near the Irvine border. I'd like to live close to where I work and minimize driving if possible.

[killer2021]

People spend 95% of their entire living on three things: inflation, taxation, and impressing people who don't give a damn about them.

Think about it buddy.

[harhar]

If it weren't for the "lifestyle" in Newport (and the whole money thing) I would live there in a heartbeat. The area is just so nice.

I would never want to live in Irvine. It is "nice" and clean, but it is comprised of gated communities and Dick's sporting goods.

[Mach50]

Palo-Alto is no where near as 'stuck up' as Newport Beach.

For example spend a couple of hours in Fashion Island vs Stanford Mall and I think you will find PA much more friendly, diverse and laid back than Fashion Island. Yes PA is very materialistic, but I think the high IQ tends for people to be more tolerant of difference, Newport is just a wannabee "conservative version" of Beverly Hills IMO, actually that may giving NB too much credit.

If you want to get the vibe of NB, just travel through the apartment complexes and notice all the high priced cars parked outside of 1 bedrooms overlooking the highway...

[Coldjensens]

Look at places within a reasonable commute to Newport. Orange (old town) is wonderful as is orange park acres, anaheim hills, and villa park. Orange is much more afforadable and filled with down to earth peo0le. It is not real clost to the beach (half an hour) but it is close to soem nice hiking int he foothills. Also orange is very walkable. When we lived about 5 blocks from teh Old town circle, I put mor emiles on my kids red rider wagon than I did on my car. We even took the wagon for groceries (long and not as nice walk, but still beats driving).

By the way, the answer is "probably." WHen we (friends and I) saw a mercedes in Orange we usually pointed south and yelled "Irvine and Newport are that way"

Lived in Newport Beach (Balaboa villiage) for a while too. I confess, it was absolutely wonderful. Go for a walk on the beach beffore dinner each night. But it was crowe=ded traffic and parking were horrible int he summer. (winter was great - kind of a small town atmosphere then) Friends would nto come visit us ebcuyase it is too hard to get to. Balboa is not all snobby and pretentions becuase it is crazy. Filled with kids. A lot of UCI kids live there. However in general, yes Newport is a "where is your mercedes? type of place. But there are some nice people everywhere. The high school parking lot is funny. The big lot that looks like an exotic car show is the student lot. The small lot with all the out of date fords is the teacher lot.

[dawnsearlylight]

We have friends who live in Newport. I agree, it is a beautiful place. Great weather, lovely to look at, nice restaurants, good shopping, clean, etc etc. In many respects it is an "ideal" place to live. That said, I feel looks and labels matter far too much there. I would not call the area "down to earth" at all. If you don't own a Mercedes or M-type car, you do appear out of place. If your clothes aren't uber expensive, you do appear out of place. I would love to know what the average resident of Newport spends in a given month on impressing others-- cars, clothes, salon appts., eating out, etc. Our friends that live in Newport are great people and they love it. That said, they too feel the need to lease pricey cars and my one friend doesn't shy away from $300 haircuts every other month. Definitely not me, but I can tell you it exists in Newport.

[Rpche]

You shouldn't feel the need to define yourself by the car you drive and by what you think others may be thinking of you.

Many of those people driving expensive cars are posers and can barely afford them anyway.