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Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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Union Street is the main drag in the Marina district of SF....then, of course, there was the "Bermuda Triangle" with Balboa Cafe, Pierce St Annex ( no longer there) and one other bar I cannot recall.
I keep hearing how "uncultured" and low brow San Diego is, yet all of these observations seem to come from Pacific Beach, a place I have never spent any time and probably won't, much considering. That said, is it fair to compare your experiences there with other young people to a whole city and metro? And really, la is "smarter" lol....oh and SD supports the US military, those goons!
Anyway, I think you probably need new friends, and need to branch out socially. If you are 30 and still hanging out with the same people you knew from college or high school (or younger) and you are hanging out in PB that's your main problem.
It is 2014 here too though, I dont know how much has changed since 2007.
My observation is that it is only native Californians (and less sophisticated outsiders that moved here) who believe northern California and southern California are that different. The two are much more similar than different compared to the rest of the country, its just that both regions tend to be isolated and self absorbed enough to only look to each other or, maybe new York for the bar.
Truth is, whether you are a vapid "fake" looking person who cares only about her handbag and plastic surgery or you are an elitist hippie/liberal intellectual....you are probably annoying...both are insufferable jerks.
It seems some here are unfortunate enough to think those are your two choices (and that tells me something) but Ps. This is why the rest of the country ranges from ripping on ca and its inhabitants to flat out hating them all.
You are perpetuating the stereotypes.
Somehow I have managed to find worthy people in all places and mostly avoid the insufferable types.
But I never really understand why people try to find a place where everyone will think just like themselves (I mean come on...right down to what clothes to wear on a date, to music, to supporting, or not the military.
The definition if a vibrant, cosmopolitan city is that it is diverse in culture and you can find something of anything, anyone. Its not militant about being uber liberal (like SF has been described) that wouldn't fly in true cosmopolitan cities, that's part of what drew me back to Chicago. You can just be whatever you want, whoever you want.
I keep hearing how "uncultured" and low brow San Diego is, yet all of these observations seem to come from Pacific Beach, a place I have never spent any time and probably won't, much considering. That said, is it fair to compare your experiences there with other young people to a whole city and metro? And really, la is "smarter" lol....oh and SD supports the US military, those goons!
Anyway, I think you probably need new friends, and need to branch out socially. If you are 30 and still hanging out with the same people you knew from college or high school (or younger) and you are hanging out in PB that's your main problem.
It is 2014 here too though, I dont know how much has changed since 2007.
My observation is that it is only native Californians (and less sophisticated outsiders that moved here) who believe northern California and southern California are that different. The two are much more similar than different compared to the rest of the country, its just that both regions tend to be isolated and self absorbed enough to only look to each other or, maybe new York for the bar.
Truth is, whether you are a vapid "fake" looking person who cares only about her handbag and plastic surgery or you are an elitist hippie/liberal intellectual....you are probably annoying...both are insufferable jerks.
It seems some here are unfortunate enough to think those are your two choices (and that tells me something) but Ps. This is why the rest of the country ranges from ripping on ca and its inhabitants to flat out hating them all.
You are perpetuating the stereotypes.
Somehow I have managed to find worthy people in all places and mostly avoid the insufferable types.
But I never really understand why people try to find a place where everyone will think just like themselves (I mean come on...right down to what clothes to wear on a date, to music, to supporting, or not the military.
The definition if a vibrant, cosmopolitan city is that it is diverse in culture and you can find something of anything, anyone. Its not militant about being uber liberal (like SF has been described) that wouldn't fly in true cosmopolitan cities, that's part of what drew me back to Chicago. You can just be whatever you want, whoever you want.
How can you tell people that have lived in CA most of their lives that their views of the northern and southern parts of it are misperceived? There are dramatic economic, social and historical differences in 3 regions of this state; Central Valley, Norcal and Socal. These differences DO draw different types of people to specific areas of this state and they dramatically influence the culture. If you don't believe me, try comparing the Castro - where public nudity was literally fully legal until just recently - or the Folsom Fair- to anything in San Diego. Try comparing the volume of venture capitalism in SF to Socal's primary economic drivers - real estate and entertainment. This is why nearly half the city of SF holds a bachelor's degree, and extreme genrational wealth exists in Socal. You don't believe each economic driver is going to attract a different personality type? They are DRAMTICALLY different areas in more ways than one.
You make a lot of good points here, and I do not discount them. Yes, I could be happy in SD, like I found a way to.love Sac - to my complete shock. But at the same time you cannot discount the core values of others and their desire to seek a certain environment. I mean, when you go out for a drink, do you not seek a certain environment, be it a high energy club, wine bar or dive bar? Everyone seeks to find the place where they feel most comfortable. Especially when finding a new city to move to.
I'm saying that someone from northern California, or someone from southern California, is more likely to feel comfortable somewhere in ca than they will in another city in another state....but its not likely to be obvious to that person until they live in another state....catch-22
I keep hearing how "uncultured" and low brow San Diego is, yet all of these observations seem to come from Pacific Beach, a place I have never spent any time and probably won't, much considering. That said, is it fair to compare your experiences there with other young people to a whole city and metro? And really, la is "smarter" lol....oh and SD supports the US military, those goons!
Anyway, I think you probably need new friends, and need to branch out socially. If you are 30 and still hanging out with the same people you knew from college or high school (or younger) and you are hanging out in PB that's your main problem.
It is 2014 here too though, I dont know how much has changed since 2007.
My observation is that it is only native Californians (and less sophisticated outsiders that moved here) who believe northern California and southern California are that different. The two are much more similar than different compared to the rest of the country, its just that both regions tend to be isolated and self absorbed enough to only look to each other or, maybe new York for the bar.
Truth is, whether you are a vapid "fake" looking person who cares only about her handbag and plastic surgery or you are an elitist hippie/liberal intellectual....you are probably annoying...both are insufferable jerks.
It seems some here are unfortunate enough to think those are your two choices (and that tells me something) but Ps. This is why the rest of the country ranges from ripping on ca and its inhabitants to flat out hating them all.
You are perpetuating the stereotypes.
Somehow I have managed to find worthy people in all places and mostly avoid the insufferable types.
But I never really understand why people try to find a place where everyone will think just like themselves (I mean come on...right down to what clothes to wear on a date, to music, to supporting, or not the military.
The definition if a vibrant, cosmopolitan city is that it is diverse in culture and you can find something of anything, anyone. Its not militant about being uber liberal (like SF has been described) that wouldn't fly in true cosmopolitan cities, that's part of what drew me back to Chicago. You can just be whatever you want, whoever you want.
If the point of this thread is supposed to be that you can make every city great for you, then what is the point of the OP's question? I thought he/she wanted to know what those living there liked and disliked about it and why we left. So I shared my reasons. I think I was equally fair about the positives. I agree that one should make the best of any situation - and I certainly did in SD - but still you do want to be comfortable in a city and have access to things you enjoy.
I am a bit confused by your first paragraph. Perhaps I am misreading it, but I am surprised that you almost seemed annoyed by or critical of me, when I merely answered the question and gave my experience and opinion as asked; something that I put time and thought into and I assumed would be appreciated by those considering a move. In case I wasn't clear (I thought I was) I never spent much time in PB, for obvious reasons I mentioned. My impression of SD was based on the entire city and my experience with the city as a whole - definitely NOT based on just PB. I wrote a paragraph on PB, but my SD experience was in totality. Your second paragraph doesn't apply to me at all. I didn't go to high school nor college in SD. I am also resourceful, social and active.
Yes, I did think people in LA were smarter than SD. I didn't say they were the brainiacs of the nation; I said smarter than in SD, from my experience anyway. It seems there is something progressive happening there pretty often. I also think it was easier to make longer lasting and deeper connections, I'm still in touch with more people from LA than from SD.
Kindly refrain from implying that I called the Military "goons." There is a HUGE difference between private organizations/companies all over the city supporting the military (as in military discounts, which I support) and supporting their ORDERS. The standing salutes, which thousands of people at a time were instructed to give, were not about hoping our military come home soon to their families and to thank them for serving. Instead, (as I had written above) it was about praising the "job" at hand, in particular the Iraq invasion. (Remember when I was there.) If you want to get technical, supporting that actually does NOT support the troops. They don't do this at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, and there is military there.
I should add one thing that I forgot to mention above: IMO SD seems like a great town for families. So much of this advice depends on where you are in your life, your age, and your interests.
Last edited by gingerdancer; 04-06-2014 at 01:40 AM..
whether you are a vapid "fake" looking person who cares only about her handbag and plastic surgery or you are an elitist hippie/liberal intellectual....you are probably annoying...both are insufferable jerks.
I really hope you didn't mean to imply that only liberals can be intellectuals. I've met dumb as well as intelligent people across the political spectrum.
I really hope you didn't mean to imply that only liberals can be intellectuals. I've met dumb as well as intelligent people across the political spectrum.
Certainly not...
I am writing from my phone though so not as thorough in my thoughts here.
I agree its a spot for people to say why they left, etc. But its an old thread and new people looking for info see it.
I am not saying anyone's experience is untrue its your opinion and good luck finding the right place.
I have had a very different experience... I think a lot of that has to do with being born and raised elsewhere.
Ahh conservatives, they really do make life "exciting" don't they.
Being born and partially raised in SD and having traveled up to the Bay Area and have lived in the OC, and been to LA many many many times throughout the years, I can wholeheartedly say that LA and SF make SD feel like a small town that's for damn sure. Not just in geography and land size, but the mentality, and culture of the people here like others have mentioned already and the dominance of the suburban "family life", "Beachy", Military culture that still thrives here after all these years. Making sure SD doesn't turn into an LA, are local politicians number 1 priority.
SD also doesn't embrace urban culture I feel, or refuses to adjust from a suburban laid back lifestyle mental state, to a fast pace urban metro scene with people walking all over the city all hours of the night.
Go to East County and you'll know what I am talking about, sometimes you truly wonder if part of the state of Texas or Mississippi dropped down from the sky and landed in El Cajon, Lakeside, Santee and the rest of the country bumpkins living in Far East Country. You don't see rednecks, bro's, and lifted trucks in SF, LA or even the OC, ( at least I haven't), and I think this is what partially gives off our lack of intelligence as a region. Most people that move here already have a lot of money and just want to relax, retire, or buy a second home to vacation in, they don't come here to improve their careers or move on up in the economic ladder. You do all those things in other cities first, then move here after you're rich enough to afford the laughably overpriced real estate. I really don't understand the people that move here, and are paying $500,000-800,000 for a bungalow "shack" home in places like North Park and Hillcrest, I'm sorry, but you got to be one of the most desperate and how can I say this politely, "slow minded" person ever to pay that kind of stupid money for a tiny ass home in a so called exciting urban neighborhood, which they're sorta isn't. Walkable or not, bungalows are no where near as exciting or worth the asking price compared to a vintage 1900-1920's Victorian.
I love the Bay Area and I am native Socal bear, there's something that LA and SF has that SD doesn't, and this is wide range of diversity among races of people, a professional appeal to big businesses, higher paying jobs that attract a more sophisticated crowd, instead we have mostly touristy, "fun in the sun" type jobs that don't pay enough for one person to survive on their own without having to sacrifice every tiny thing to have a roof over there head.
The local media is to blame for the all the military this and that we see on TV, as they are owned by conservative interest groups and individuals that don't ever want to see SD turning into a liberal town..K.U.S.I is a perfect example of this, sometimes it makes you feel as if you are watching some cheap low budget down south news station located in Alabama. Not only does this station seriously lack ethnic diversity from their news anchors to their reporters, but they lean heavily to the right on all issues and news stories. It is very rare these days for a big city to elect a Republican Mayor, well SD did, so what does that tell you?
The mostly all White culture and White influence in San Diego is pretty staggering compared to other CA cities.
It does sometimes feel as if San Diego is ashamed of being next to Mexico, instead of embracing Mexican culture and it's people, I think it despises it. Having all the drugs and violence in TJ doesn't help the image problem, but still, Mexicans and Hispanics in SD are severely overshadowed in the local media, in the political scene, never if ever talked about, and how they are heavily segregated living mostly south of 8.
You drive into LA and you can't tell if you're in the US anymore, it's so diverse and the cultures vary so widely in LA, that it makes it exciting and rich. You can definitely tell an Angeleno from a San Diegan, just by the way they talk, act and conversate with you. SF is similar in culture, but with an even more "openness" well at least before all the Gentrification destroyed it's great mix of Asian, Mexican and Black culture, now they are becoming more homogenized with Tech Nerds and other wealthy types buying up everything.
SF is still really cool tho, and the food is great out there. Pizza in North Beach is bomb!
I am not some ultra liberal either, I hate both extremes if anything, but the way SD runs itself is painfully slow and conservative, even to this day.
Lived here forever too and I definitely want to leave SD for a change in scenery, and job opportunities.
I am originally from the Los Angeles area (suburban cities such as Alhambra, Monterey Park). I moved to the Bay Area for jobs and lived in a variety of cities (East Bay, Marin County). I'm now in San Diego living in the Scripps Poway area.
I still have a soft spot for parts of LA as that is where I grew up, but I do love it here in San Diego.
I don't go much into the city itself or the surrounding areas, just pretty much stay around where I live. I don't know why but I just like the general vibe and feel here better than the Bay Area.
Isn't comparing east county more like comparing it to san bernadino? I dont get it, la has its "east" areas too, including Victorville.
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