What do you love/hate about San diego? (San Francisco, Long Beach: wages, living)

[Runninglikethieves]

I still lived in California when this thread was created, though not San Diego area. Only lived there from September 2010 to September 2011.

Lived in Imperial Beach, because it was cheap for a bunch of 20 somethings, that surfed and were from Jersey. Traffic sometimes sucked getting to the city from there. Moved to the LA area (Redondo Beach) for two years after that because of a job offer.

[CaliforniaDreamin36]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

So, CaliforniaDreamin36, since you have revived this ancient thread from the deal pool, do tell: have you moved to California? If so, where, and how has it turned out for you?

Haha no, i haven't yet unfortunately. I made this thread when I was 18 with hopes and dreams lol I did almost get too take a trip out there but some things came up right before I could. but I currently live in Ohio and should have a job making around 50k on july, I plan too get a year of experience then get out there. I just remembered about this account the other day and signed on and bumped this post just too see how people felt about it now, which I'm sure is the same basically.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin36

Haha no, i haven't yet unfortunately. I made this thread when I was 18 with hopes and dreams lol I did almost get too take a trip out there but some things came up right before I could. but I currently live in Ohio and should have a job making around 50k on july, I plan too get a year of experience then get out there. I just remembered about this account the other day and signed on and bumped this post just too see how people felt about it now, which I'm sure is the same basically.

Thanks for the update, CaliforniaDreaming. Congratulations on the potential new job -- sounds like you are off to a good start in life. With your new job, you should be able to swing your long-dreamed for vacation out here sometime soon. See you then!

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by bloom

climate / job market

What? You are way out of line bloom!

[bmd69]

Too many people

[snpdragr]

like:
- awesome beaches
- weather
- housing cheaper than every other metro area in CA (e.g. LA,SF,SJ)
- variety of neighborhoods
- traffic is ok/light for major city
- proximity to awesome national & state parks

dislike:
- homeless problem
- lack of tech industry

[oping00]

When posters mention people here in SD, how do they compare with people in LA.

[mixxalot]

I liked San Diego a lot better 10 years ago when it was less crowded and less expensive. I still like the beaches and Mexican food. Dislike the rude drivers and LA style traffic on freeways most of the time.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by mixxalot

I liked San Diego a lot better 10 years ago when it was less crowded and less expensive. I still like the beaches and Mexican food. Dislike the rude drivers and LA style traffic on freeways most of the time.

i would think sir mixxalot would like something else

[EclecticEars]

Love/like:
- Pure Burger in Carlsbad. You must go if you've never been.
- Walking along the coast near sunset. The most beautiful sunset I've ever seen was in downtown Encinitas (second place was out in Anza-Borrego).
- Views on the coast, particularly in La Jolla or Del Mar
- Petco Park is one of America's best (relatively) new ballparks
- Taking a drive out the 8 or the 78 to the desert areas
- Proximity to Mexico. I made it to TJ, and would like to come back down and go to Tecate at some point.
- Imperial Beach is a hidden gem, and probably the last great "blue-collar" beach town in S.D. County
- The area's geared toward our men and women in uniform!

Quite dislike:
- Rude drivers...waaaaaaay ruder than L.A. or Bay Area drivers
- Surly customer service. I expect it in L.A. or San Francisco, or especially Chicago or the urban Northeast. But, San Diego?!
- Unimpressive food scene for a city of its size, stature and wealth. Even L.A. and the Bay have better Mexican food!
- The general "vibe" of the San Diego region--cliquish and defensive for being such a transplant city, and very superficial and shallow for being so "down to Earth" and "anti-L.A." Very unfriendly.
- It felt strangely "un-Californian" to me--not like L.A., O.C., Santa Barbara, S.F., Oakland, Sacramento, Fresno, Palm Springs, etc. This sensation is the most difficult for me to articulate, except to say that S.D. feels sort of like a Milwaukee on the Pacific.
- My landlord was the worst I've ever had. This, after the process of securing housing in S.D. was the worst of any place I've lived in the world.
- Depressed wages in the job market, especially compared to nearby O.C. and L.A. which also have a comparable cost of living
- Job interviewers seemingly made it a point to be rude, condescending, abrupt, and unprofessional. Experienced this much less often in L.A. and the Bay.
- Coronado is waaaaaay overrated.
- As a single guy, the women were quite beautiful, but as bland and pretentious on the inside as they were pretty on the outside. (They're still better than the "49er 'strong, independent'" super leftist women of the Bay Area, I'll grant that much. BTW, a "49er" is a woman who is a 4 but thinks she is a 9.)

Five months living there was enough for me. I made a couple of good friends, enjoyed trips out to Anza-Borrego, and was glad to have a passport so I could visit Tijuana. I get why S.D. appeals to soooooo many, but it wasn't for me.