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Location: River's Edge Inn, Todd NC, and Lorgues France
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RoaminRebel
San Jose is NorCal, but yes there is a lesser degree of formality and urgency out here.
Does anyone know when these silly names SoCal and NorCal originated? I never heard those terms when I lived there back in the middle ages. Does Chicago have a NoChi and SoChi?
Agreed. The East cost seems at bit more direct and blunt than the West.
We just spent a week and a half in San Jose. Been about 7 years since we were last out there. I forgot how polite people are. And laid back. I barely heard a horn honk.
It's funny how different people can view (interpret?) an area completely differently!
I just moved here from the same area as the original poser of this thread.
IMO SoCal is uptight and anything but laid back (except for a few isolated beach cities)! I agree people will tell you what you want to hear, but it's in the form of lies and judgment not politeness. When living there people would honk, or dangerously go around cars to get 2 seconds ahead! People would "accidentally" cut in line at a restaurant or store, then act like they didn't notice me, or better yet say "oh sorry" and STAY in front of me!
I don't doubt or discredit Meh's experience (and recognize Meh was referring more towards NorCal) but I have to say my experience was completely different!
Does anyone know when these silly names SoCal and NorCal originated? I never heard those terms when I lived there back in the middle ages. Does Chicago have a NoChi and SoChi?
I'm not sure when, but maybe when the English language started condensing at a more rapid pace in the internet age perhaps? YaKnow wat iM sayin Yo?
P.S.- I have heard Chicago referred to in the vernacular as Chi-town..
IMO SoCal is uptight and anything but laid back (except for a few isolated beach cities)! I agree people will tell you what you want to hear, but it's in the form of lies and judgment not politeness. When living there people would honk, or dangerously go around cars to get 2 seconds ahead!
Have you experienced any of this in the Triangle yet?
Here's my take after growing up in Louisburg, NC and spending the last 25 years in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Boston and NYC:
1) When referring to "politeness", everyone here is trying to warn California Girl about the Southern syndrome of being nice to your face, then stabbing you in the back. It's true even in my family where we avoid confrontation at all costs. Just be aware of it.
2) The snark perceived on this forum is usually people defending where they live, nothing wrong with that. The very reason I contribute to this thread is a reflection of how proud I am to be a native of the Triangle area. I think North Carolina is one of the most progressive and well-run states in the country. It's in the same league with Florida, New York and California when it comes to intelligent minds "running things" and mapping out a future of prosperity. (At the other end of the spectrum is Georgia, a do-nothing state government that hasn't even pondered mapping out its future.)
3) In New England, small town quaint-ness and charming downtowns are a given. In North Carolina this will be true only if a downtown has been recently resurrected by those tired of schlepping from one big-box parking lot to another. Whether you want to accept it or not, walkability is the future and a true luxury. Cul-de-sacs and the subdivision paradigm in the Triangle cannot continue indefinitely. Charlotte has banned cul-de-sacs and is forcing some street "stubs" to open up to alleviate traffic.
4) Macy's in Raleigh is quite downscale from the Macy's in Atlanta, which is probably downscale from D.C. and, of course, New York. Each is tailored to how they perceive the local market. It's a shame, because I think Raleigh deserves better.
And what man likes to traipse around to several small shops to buy clothes? I hate it, and I'm gay. California girl should watch an episode of Lizard Lick Towing to see the unfortunate "look" of about 40% of NC men.
5) "Laid-back" in SoCal (shortened because repeating "Southern California" over and over takes too long) means grabbing a bite at Wahoo's Fish Taco in shorts before heading back to work at a worldwide, trend-setting clothing or automotive design company in Orange County. In North Carolina, it probably refers to "sleepy" or not much going on.
6) Even convenience stores will be very different from California to New England to North Carolina. Personally I'm insulted by the crap offered in the South.
7) North Carolina's interstates (or Freeways) are quite aesthetically pleasing, but surface streets look sloppy and visually neglected compared to California's uniform use of mast-arm traffic signals (not dangling from sagging wires).
Here's my take after growing up in Louisburg, NC and spending the last 25 years in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Boston and NYC:
1) When referring to "politeness", everyone here is trying to warn California Girl about the Southern syndrome of being nice to your face, then stabbing you in the back. It's true even in my family where we avoid confrontation at all costs. Just be aware of it.
2) The snark perceived on this forum is usually people defending where they live, nothing wrong with that. The very reason I contribute to this thread is a reflection of how proud I am to be a native of the Triangle area. I think North Carolina is one of the most progressive and well-run states in the country. It's in the same league with Florida, New York and California when it comes to intelligent minds "running things" and mapping out a future of prosperity. (At the other end of the spectrum is Georgia, a do-nothing state government that hasn't even pondered mapping out its future.)
3) In New England, small town quaint-ness and charming downtowns are a given. In North Carolina this will be true only if a downtown has been recently resurrected by those tired of schlepping from one big-box parking lot to another. Whether you want to accept it or not, walkability is the future and a true luxury. Cul-de-sacs and the subdivision paradigm in the Triangle cannot continue indefinitely. Charlotte has banned cul-de-sacs and is forcing some street "stubs" to open up to alleviate traffic.
4) Macy's in Raleigh is quite downscale from the Macy's in Atlanta, which is probably downscale from D.C. and, of course, New York. Each is tailored to how they perceive the local market. It's a shame, because I think Raleigh deserves better.
And what man likes to traipse around to several small shops to buy clothes? I hate it, and I'm gay. California girl should watch an episode of Lizard Lick Towing to see the unfortunate "look" of about 40% of NC men.
5) "Laid-back" in SoCal (shortened because repeating "Southern California" over and over takes too long) means grabbing a bite at Wahoo's Fish Taco in shorts before heading back to work at a worldwide, trend-setting clothing or automotive design company in Orange County. In North Carolina, it probably refers to "sleepy" or not much going on.
6) Even convenience stores will be very different from California to New England to North Carolina. Personally I'm insulted by the crap offered in the South.
7) North Carolina's interstates (or Freeways) are quite aesthetically pleasing, but surface streets look sloppy and visually neglected compared to California's uniform use of mast-arm traffic signals (not dangling from sagging wires).
Excellent post.
Our Macy's really do suck. It's a shame. I was in there looking for a suit one night and this salesgirl kept offering to order me one from online. If I wanted to order one online, why would I be in the store?
I'm a woman and I don't even want to schlepp from store to store looking for decent clothing. I hate shopping for clothing. Hate. It.
And the dangling from sagging wires? Eyesore. This is part of why I dislike 55. That's an ugly road right there.
ETA: If Louisburg wanted to be a great city, they'd focus on their downtown. It's not too big and not too small. I always liked it when I was a kid.
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Honestly- compared to the San Gabriel Valley (where I was in SoCal) it's not bad here at all!!
To each his own, we all have different experiences- but I think SoCal is significantly worse.
it's only been 5 months since we move to NC. I'm in SoCal for a very short trip. I was ready to go back home (NC) as soon as we started to descent into Los Angeles and I see a concrete jungle - (where are my trees?) . On the drive out of the airport, we were greeted with drivers cutting us off and congested traffic.
But speaking of change, I found myself saying "Yes, ma'am" to the very nice polite older lady at the See's Candies store as I picked up treats to bring home. It was a good feeling to let down my guard against rude people in CA and practice the respect and politeness in CA that we've experienced when doing business in NC.
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