Young man with a Diploma in Catering & Gourmet Cooking interested in moving to SD (San Diego: apartment)

[eljay758]

Hi everyone
I'm a 30 year old Afro- Caribbean male currently living in St.Lucia West Indies for the past 8 years but recently have been contemplating about moving to somewhere else to experience a different lifestyle etc. I work in a family owned air- conditioning business but I recently completed a catering and gourmet cooking course from Penn Foster and proudly own a diploma in that field now. Now, its always been my dream to live in California especially SD, so can someone please give me info on the following:

1. Getting a job in the catering & catering field

2. Nightlife

3. Cost of living

4. Things to do for fun

5. Dating scene

etc

Also, I'm open to other cities you guys would recommend. Thanks in advance, cheers

[Think4Yourself]

WRT dating... There just aren't that many black people in San Diego (they make up ~3% of the population) so if you're looking for black women you will find the selection limited.

[oddstray]

According to wikipedia, 5.1% in San Diego county and 6.7% in the city of San Diego. More than 3%, but still not a very high percentage.

[PK12]

Perhaps the OP is not exclusive to dating blacks only?

[lrmsd]

I'm not sure about the catering field here. Obviously, it's a destination city with many events and conferences, and a pretty large metro area with many weddings...so the industry is here. Hopefully someone with first hand experience in that market can chime in for you...The other obvious area that comes to mind would be LA metro. With hollywood and the large entertainment industry, plus the size of the area, it's a larger market and industry. There's a constant stream of events and premiers to cater for there.

Then again, San Diego could really use a good afro caribbean restaurant! lol. seriously.
Wish I could be of more help.
As far as 'what is there to do', you should search this forum for past threads, and google it. SD is close to the border for visits to tijuana, and 2 hours or so to LA for day trips, too. It's a 5 hour drive from las vegas, and an 8 hr trip to SFO (or a short commuter flight). Sd has beaches, beaches and more great beaches. And lots of hiking in the canyons in the city, and deserts and mountains within an hour's drive. It's a spread out city, with nightlife spread out as well-from downtown/gaslamp to pacific beach to encinitas/solana beach and a few other mini areas. That is different than many large metros, where the action is often more centrally located.

Also, though SD does not have a large black population, it's a very live and let live place, and this has been discussed MANY times in threads on this forum, so search the topic! Interracial dating is not given a second glance,a nd it's a pretty laid back place overall.

SD is probably a nice pace/lifestyle for you, given that you are coming from the caribbean; you want a change and a larger metro region, but maybe not such a shock out the gate. [I'm guessing?]

Cost of living: Check craigs list dot org for an idea of apartment rental rates. I imagine food is less than wher e you are now; SD has year round produce for pretty reasonable prices. Gas is high, but again, possibly not in comparison to St. Lucia?

Also, do you need a visa to work? If so, that is your first strategy for research. Not sure where you are originally from as far as all of that goes...so just mentioning.

[eljay758]

Originally Posted by lrmsd

I'm not sure about the catering field here. Obviously, it's a destination city with many events and conferences, and a pretty large metro area with many weddings...so the industry is here. Hopefully someone with first hand experience in that market can chime in for you...The other obvious area that comes to mind would be LA metro. With hollywood and the large entertainment industry, plus the size of the area, it's a larger market and industry. There's a constant stream of events and premiers to cater for there.

I always liked L.A. and was considering there also.


Then again, San Diego could really use a good afro caribbean restaurant! lol. seriously.
Wish I could be of more help.
As far as 'what is there to do', you should search this forum for past threads, and google it. SD is close to the border for visits to tijuana, and 2 hours or so to LA for day trips, too. It's a 5 hour drive from las vegas, and an 8 hr trip to SFO (or a short commuter flight). Sd has beaches, beaches and more great beaches. And lots of hiking in the canyons in the city, and deserts and mountains within an hour's drive. It's a spread out city, with nightlife spread out as well-from downtown/gaslamp to pacific beach to encinitas/solana beach and a few other mini areas. That is different than many large metros, where the action is often more centrally located.

The afro caribbean restaurant sounds like a marvelous idea hopefully it would be trendsetting, but I guess there would have to be lots of legal paper work to get a work visa since I dont currently have one. The beaches, canyons etc are my kinda thing so thats a plus.


Also, though SD does not have a large black population, it's a very live and let live place, and this has been discussed MANY times in threads on this forum, so search the topic! Interracial dating is not given a second glance,a nd it's a pretty laid back place overall.

Im a very laid back guy so live and let live sounds great.



SD is probably a nice pace/lifestyle for you, given that you are coming from the caribbean; you want a change and a larger metro region, but maybe not such a shock out the gate. [I'm guessing?]

Bingo..



Cost of living: Check craigs list dot org for an idea of apartment rental rates. I imagine food is less than wher e you are now; SD has year round produce for pretty reasonable prices. Gas is high, but again, possibly not in comparison to St. Lucia?

Thanks



Also, do you need a visa to work? If so, that is your first strategy for research. Not sure where you are originally from as far as all of that goes...so just mentioning.

Yes I would definitely need a work visa. Im originally from St.Lucia but spent 9 years in Miami but heat the humility and its flat, I prefer hills etc what Cali have to offer anyday, although Flordia's nice.