Is Living in Orange County really worth the hype? (Anaheim: to rent, car insurance)

[dakicka]

Originally Posted by isoucie

The weather is great. However, the beach is super crowded on the weekend in the summer due to parking (imagine looking for a space for 30-45 minutes). Don't even try going to Newport Beach on 4th of July. You'll never find a place to park.

The people here have little to no substance. I have two masters degrees and I can't find two people to have intelligent conversation with. Most people seem to just want to go out to party and get drunk on expensive cocktails.

Work in Irvine, live in Lake Forest (cheapest, safe neighborhood you'll find near Irvine).

Laguna Beach has a great artist community. Very open minded, spiritual, and "gay-friendly".

Air quality often feels icky to me unless you are right at the beach. Horizon often looks dirty, smoggy.

Most people who move here mention that everyone is "plastic".... not a lot of substance, not a lot of interesting people. We're starting to see a lot more of the rich, trashy type out here. Kids out here are ridiculously out of control; have no respect, no manners, no class. Heavy, heavy drug use in beach cities.

I moved here as a kid and it was a major cultural shock to me. This isn't the kind of place you bring kids to who aren't extremely savvy, street smart and 10 years beyond their actual age.

If you want to fit in, you'll want to hit up a Mercedes dealership and South Coast Plaza as soon as you get here. God help you if anyone sees you in Levi's.

This post scares me. I received an offer to move out to Newport Beach and work right in the fashion valley area at a major financial firm as a financial advisor. I am coming from NJ and made a commitment to the move. I found a nice area called turtle ridge apartments off newport coast dr. give me some feedback... how is this area to live? how is fashion valley to work? it is 3 miles away, seems ideal. are the people all really fake? im comin from nj and people tell you how it is, no mind games, if people are all superficial and cant have convos that really turns me off. i orig. was thinking moving to san diego and recently thought nb primarily because for my career it would be more lucrative in an affluent area. anyone have ideas on sd vs nb?
i thought the quality of air was nice in orange county? is it really smoggy? i thought just in la? sd seemed real nice...

[onyx]

Hubby and I have been here over 20 yrs combined. got good education, good jobs, did not want to buy an overpriced "bubble" house that looks like a dump; did not want to raise our kids here, a superficial place with no-value or ethics whatsoever. Moving outta here in 2 months to Texas where we found our dream house for a fraction of the price, and schools teach students what value of life really means for a change!

California has lost its appeal - driving people like us away. It will regret it soon, if not already. Its middle class are deminishing.

[dakicka]

After reading the posts for the past few days I began to get concerned about moving to Newport Beach OC. The majority of the posters are voicing their concerns that the residents are enthralled in material items, looks, appearance, status, etc. I came to realize this is anywhere you go. YES it appears to be more so in orange county, but then again look at all the gorgeous people in the town, the gorgeous land, the beautiful class and lifestyle you have there! Having all these things tend to make people boastfull. If we are claiming to NOT be one of these "sociopaths" or socially retarded people who put more focus on having a mercedes over a honda accord then we should stand out as an "outcast" or almost an example.

Did anyone see the movie "Coming to America" or "Holy Man" with Eddie Murphy? When times get rough and things are looking gray or you begin to get so concerned with wordly possessions I encourage you to think about Eddie Murphy in this movie and how "regal" he acted and without concern for himself but for the love of others. I know this sounds completely corny and far-fetched, but if we do good to our neighbors and stand out, yes we will get our butt kicked and taken advantage of sometimes, but in the end we will have a force that gravitates GOOD people toward us.

anyone else agree with me on this?
the purpose of this philosophical outcry is that I originally was hesitant to move to OC but now I am excited and cannot wait to be a newcomer to town and stand out from the rest of the obnoxious, superficial people, in hopes of meeting good, quality people!

[Sage of Sagle]

There are plenty of solid people....they're just the silent majority and lost in the noise of all the flash at times...and I concur with you that it's universal in the pricey coastal areas...

[myito]

Dak,

You will be fine. I moved to So Cal at 18 to attend college and met all of my lifelong friends there in my 20s. People can be obnoxious everywhere and coming from NJ you know this better than anyone. Be yourself and you will attract like people. Since you are young, don't be influenced by others and stand your ground on your principles -- again others who are similar will come.

[BENZBOY15]

Originally Posted by isoucie

Agreed. I think it is great that people take such care with their appearances, but too many people here do it for show. Since we're all running around in boardshorts and bikini tops, it's a given that we're going to take care to be in good shape, etc. I do, but I'm not obsessed with my image.

What I find are a bunch of people who can't actually afford the La Perla bikinis, Chanel sunglasses and D&B purse they're prancing around with. It's like these people put WAY too much effort and invest WAY too much of their resources toward image. It's a distraction to keep us from realizing that there is no "there there". I see a guy in a Hummer (or other huge SUV) and wonder what's more important to him; his image (he's clearly trying to prove something) or doing his part to help with the climate crisis. He's either uneducated about our environment or he has the entitlement issues of a three year old.

Not cool to flaunt or build your image at the cost of our environemnt -especially when we are on the brink of a climate crisis that can flood all those pretty beach front homes.

Anyway. There's no value to a good looking person who appears to have it together if they demonstrate a near void of substance within their pretty, perfect, expensive shell.

Sorry if this comes off as attitude.... It's actually just the passion I feel toward these topics.

I just have to ask: How is this warm-up different from all of the other ones we've had since Earth existed?

Somehow we came out of the ice age. Martians?

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

IMO, the ideals in Southern California, specifically Orange County, do intensily promote materialism; Work to live, and live to show it. But you must remember that this exists everywhere. Idahoan's are still obsessed with Paris. Pennsylvanians still want the new BMW. Materialism in America is alive and well.

We're not exactely goons here. There's a lot money here. I project that South County will become Beverly Hills Sprawled by 2030.

[jwpepper]

Don't pay too much attention to the posts that have frightened you. Yes you will see plenty of examples of materialism here, but Newport said it best, so does the rest of the country. Newport Beach does seem to be the most image conscious IMHO of the cities in the OC. I personally can't stand all of the image thing and fancy cars, but I too am considering moving to Newport Beach anyway, it's that nice.

[dakicka]

it is true, image conscious and status-oriented people are everywhere we go. perhaps it is more vibrant in "the oc" lol and even more so in newport beach. in any case i am looking forward to my big move from "dirty jersey" to oc in about 3 weeks!

[Angel Bear]

Regarding image and materialism issues...

I have to say I've encountered it everywhere I've ever lived.

The thing is that it doesn't bother me...

I'm just happy being me wherever I go, so I don't notice the people who disapprove of my rockabilly/punky/skater/retro style I also have an affection for old muscle cars

Actually, I've felt more at home in the O.C. the many times I've visited than I do at home But, then again, I hang out on the beach, surfer hang outs, as well as with endurance athlete types (I am a bike racer myself). All good people and very friendly...I've never felt judged.

My hubby and I are kinda "disguised yuppies" (we have the jobs and the money to have that stereotypical lifestyle, but we choose not to do that...everyone has different priorities...notice I said different and not better...whatever makes you happy is the best). We hang out with people who enjoy our sports and music. We've met many likeminded people in our travels. No one has asked us what type of car we drive and no one cares what we wear. I love the OC