Neighbourhood Selection Hep- Moving to San Diego (Kensington, Del Mar: to rent, home)

[herail]

Hi,
I am a 30 year old single female and am going to move to SD. I have been looking at places to rent and needed some help in deciding.

My budget is $800-$1400 (per person) and I would prefer to find a 2BR-2Ba place that I can share with a roommate.

I would be working near Mira Mesa but do not wish to live there. I would prefer to live within 25 minutes of driving distance(in traffic) though. So, that has ruled out Hilcrest/MB areas.

I am not sure about La Jolla and Del Mar - from what I have read, they are too upscale and old. I would prefer an area (my age) - not 21-yr old partying scene but not completely staid either. Ofcourse, there should be chance to meet new people as well. Restaurants/night life and fun activities including sports (like tennis etc).

Please help me with the neighbourhoods to concentrate on.

Thanks

[MovingAloha]

Have you looked at University Towne Center (UTC)? That might fit your requirements.

[herail]

That wd be UTC, La Jolla Village Drive?
I have hrd that it's pretty quiet place - not much nightlife. Some ppl say that half of it is retired people and the other half is UCSD students. Neither is my age.
It is deff near to my work - seems like 15 mins in traffic. I guess 10 mins further wont take me any closer to any livelier pace, would it?

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Which side of Mira Mesa will you be working? The west side closer to the 805 or the east side near the 15?

If you lived lived in Hillcrest it would take you less than 25 mins on the 163-15 to Pomerado Rd or Mira Mesa Bl.
The commute is a reverse commute preusming you are going north in the AM and vice versa for the pm. The 163 most of the time is free of traffic untill you hit the 8 or Washington Ave exits closer to downtown during rush hour.

[NYSD1995]

Hillcrest to Mira Mesa is not a bad commute at all. Might take you 40 mins on a bad day. 15 to 163 is pretty easy.

[herail]

Thanks all of you.
I wd be on the west side of Mira Mesa, close to 805. Hillcrest seems nice but I wd like some straight men arnd. Also, I wd end up blowing a lot in gas if I commute daily from Hillcrest.
Is there some place between La Jolla and PB that is close to the party scene but also right in the middle of it? Thanks again.

[herail]

I meant
Is there some place between La Jolla and PB that is close to the party scene but NOT right in the middle of it? Thanks again.

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by herail

Thanks all of you.
I wd be on the west side of Mira Mesa, close to 805. Hillcrest seems nice but I wd like some straight men arnd. Also, I wd end up blowing a lot in gas if I commute daily from Hillcrest.
Is there some place between La Jolla and PB that is close to the party scene but also right in the middle of it? Thanks again.

You won't have any problem with only gay men (bad stereotype, BTW) if you live in Hillcrest, even if the party scene you're looking for isn't on the next block over you can get to downtown or the 30th street corridor etc in minutes from there. The commute is also quite short. You should look at North Park, Kensington, etc- you can just hop on the 805 and be in Mira Mesa in 10 minutes.

Other than that you're really only looking at PB for a "party scene" but it sounds like that's not what you're looking for (can't blame you a bit, BTW)

[tonyinsd]

If your requirement, working in Mira Mesa, is that you be home in 25 minutes or less, then you can't rule out Hillcrest. Mission Valley would also be fine. Hell, even downtown would be fine.

If you lived downtown, you'd probably drive 25 miles round trip each day. Depending on your car, that's a gallon of gas each day.

It would be easy to find a place for $1400 a month, and you wouldn't need a roommate. With a roommate, the question really becomes where you want to live, not if you can find a place there.

And one more thing -- downtown is not, as some people may imply here, a bunch of 21 year olds looking to get bombed every night. Most of the people who live in my complex, and most of the people who I know who live downtown are older than that. When rents start at around $1200 for a studio, the party all night and show up at Starbucks to work the next day hungover types are not able to afford it.

[Clevelandgal]

I would consider kensington. Not too far and an interesting neighborhood. Your age range would work there fine.