How does San Diego compare to Orange County? (Los Angeles, Sacramento: house, schools)

[elchevere]

I lived in, both, OC (17 years) and San Diego (11.5 years)...don't forget OC was a home to the John Birch society, had (maybe still has--did not look for it my last trip up the other week) Trinity Broadcast Network headquartered directly across from So Coast Plaza, the famous "I can't keep my hands off the flight attendant" Robert Schuller and his Garden Grove following, Rick Warren, ad nauseum, and is host to the Harvest Festival that sells out Anaheim Stadium year after year....it really was hard to ignore how religiously conservative OC was when I moved from there in 2003 to San Diego (Bill Maher could make a movie sequel about the area). By comparison, OC almost makes San Diego seem like Greenwich Village--though you will still find a smaller Harvest Festival in Del Mar, the Mt Soledad cross on government land, and there are plenty of opportunities for religious worshippers in metro San Diego (see Rock Church in Pt Loma) and elsewhere along with religious zealots protesting vs. 'sinners' outside sporting events and ComicCon--though, to me, to a less noticeable degree in SD than in OC....if you are looking to avoid or minimize overly religious areas here in San Diego then I would avoid, among other places, Pt. Loma, Coronado (strong military presence often goes hand in hand with strong religious presence), inland North County north of Rancho Bernardo, and East County.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I lived in, both, OC (17 years) and San Diego (11.5 years)...don't forget OC was a home to the John Birch society, had (maybe still has--did not look for it my last trip up the other week) Trinity Broadcast Network headquartered directly across from So Coast Plaza, the famous "I can't keep my hands off the flight attendanhttp://www.city-data.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=34550653t" Robert Schuller and his Garden Grove following, Rick Warren, ad nauseum, and is host to the Harvest Festival that sells out Anaheim Stadium year after year....it really was hard to ignore how religiously conservative OC was when I moved from there in 2003 to San Diego (Bill Maher could make a movie sequel about the area). By comparison, OC almost makes San Diego seem like Greenwich Village--though you will still find a smaller Harvest Festival in Del Mar, the Mt Soledad cross on government land, and there are plenty of opportunities for religious worshippers in metro San Diego (see Rock Church in Pt Loma) and elsewhere along with religious zealots protesting vs. 'sinners' outside sporting events and ComicCon--though, to me, to a less noticeable degree in SD than in OC....if you are looking to avoid or minimize overly religious areas here in San Diego then I would avoid, among other places, Pt. Loma, Coronado (strong military presence often goes hand in hand with strong religious presence), inland North County north of Rancho Bernardo, and East County.

Do you suppose the filling up of Anaheim Stadium with Promise Keepers and the like is because they are all from OC? I think we need to remind ourselves that OC is part of the metro LA area, a very large region. That event pulls from the entire region.

You seem not to be familiar with the radical painted anti-abortion bus that I see decorated from top to bottom with fetuses and (misspelled) signs condemning abortion. That you don't see in OC, but it seems to be tolerated in parts of North San Diego County.

Let's consider the results of Proposition 8 for OC found here. I think doing so shows general religiosity levels. Several cities, and not just Laguna Beach, THANKFULLY voted no. The town I live in went yes, but it was fairly close. The strongest YES blocks were easily in Santa Ana and adjacent areas. Is Santa Ana a hotbed of radical evangelical Christianity? Not even close. It is pretty Catholic. Other areas in North OC were more strongly YES than supposedly bible-thumping South OC. North OC, which is far more racially diverse and perhaps not as high in income as South OC, is clearly the source of the slightly higher yes vote as compared to San Diego.

In San Diego County, Proposition 8 received Yes 53.71% and No 46.29% votes. Source.
In OC, Proposition 8 received Yes 57.50% and No 42.5% votes. Id.

So much for conventional thought. Vietnamese Buddhists, Mexican Catholics, Korean Christians -- all of these groups-- might have voted yes in Garden Grove, Westminster, etc. Hmm, imagine that. Things aren't always what they seem.

[elchevere]

I did see the abortion clinic protestors routinely when I lived in Tustin and there's probably a reason why The Harvest Festival was held in Anaheim ( yes, I will admit it probably pulled in people from Riverside County) and not LA....take your pick of OC or SD or Riverside County--the OP certainly has many areas to avoid if he wishes to avoid such religious fervor.

[LuvSouthOC]

Well I think OP might consider broadening his circle of friends. Heck, he/she could meet me for coffee.

In any case, this Irvine (a sizable city itself) is fundamentalist thing is silly. Irvine even voted down prop 8.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by Native Transplant

I've never lived in OC. Just herein San Diego. Going up on AMTRAK or Metrolink, SW OC does look very well heeled. Parts of Anaheim and Fullerton, maybe less so.

I live in Hillcrest, a community of San Diego. Right next to a church, in fact. But they are pretty live and let live, and even support the Pride parade, which stages right across the street from me.

There are other communities and towns that certainly cater to those that are secretly most comfy around white, fairly well-heeled, conservative Christians, too. But whatever. Part of my extended family is like that. No shame in having money. Or beliefs. But I like Hillcrest, myself. Lots of individuals. I will say that there's no room for extravagant parcels here. No Laguna Niguel views of the valley below including the Mercedes Benz dealer. Our city councillor lives in a condo in a tower near the highway overpass, apparently.

As I've pointed out on the OC threads, I was initially worried about buying into Laguna Niguel. I have since fallen in love with the area and enjoy my neighbors. I am very close to SD and was in fact in SD today. People here, to be frank, are only concerned with maintaining high property values and a very high quality of life. I am fiscally conservative, take very good care of my home, and thus fit right in. My neighbors do not seem religious at all.

I certainly see few signs of overt religiosity other than Saddleback's crosses in the Valley (which are on their land) and the rare sightings of Mormon young men in the neighborhood who seem to canvass in order to convince us that we too can be Gods and wear protective underwear. Hell, the city of Laguna Niguel, up until very recently, refused to even allow religious groups to meet in publically owned buildings there. They only relented due to legal advice. See here. All is not what is seems. And consider this: I see increasing numbers of Asians from Irvine, older affluent gay people, and ever more prius-driving West LA people moving here (although Mercedes still seems de rigueur here).

[rgb123]

A pet peeve -- when people equate white/rich with conservative/religious.

Jesus said "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

That religiousity is even detectable in a place like OC, in liberal SoCal is kind of an anomaly to me. A place of extemes. The best and worst of humanity...so many rich people, so many pretending to be.

I think its interesting. Most of the "rich" places in America are not known to be particularly religious. Conservative maybe but not like OC.

It is what it is (but yeah I would say socially its quite liberal compared to many places in the US). If its not for you try San Diego...or SF.

[elchevere]

Or try the Westside of LA--Santa Monica, etc

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by rgb123

A pet peeve -- when people equate white/rich with conservative/religious.

Jesus said "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

That religiousity is even detectable in a place like OC, in liberal SoCal is kind of an anomaly to me. A place of extemes. The best and worst of humanity...so many rich people, so many pretending to be.

I think its interesting. Most of the "rich" places in America are not known to be particularly religious. Conservative maybe but not like OC.

It is what it is (but yeah I would say socially its quite liberal compared to many places in the US). If its not for you try San Diego...or SF.

I think since you are new to the area, it surprises you. However, to those of us raised in Southern California, and in a highly religious environment, we are quite aware of it. This was Reagan country. This is the state that elected Pete Wilson. And ask SD folks if they remember Rodger Hedgecock who later got his own AM show. My, how his stated views changed. San Diego and OC were bastions of religious conservatism. Now San Diego's demographics have pushed that county as a whole just over the tipping point and OC is at a tipping point itself.

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

I think since you are new to the area, it surprises you. However, to those of us raised in Southern California, and in a highly religious environment, we are quite aware of it. This was Reagan country. This is the state that elected Pete Wilson. And ask SD folks if they remember Rodger Hedgecock who later got his own AM show. My, how his stated views changed. San Diego and OC were bastions of religious conservatism. Now San Diego's demographics have pushed that county as a whole just over the tipping point and OC is at a tipping point itself.

not really surprising, just different, to me in a good way.

[LuvSouthOC]

See this article in the NY times on the topic, titled "Orange County Is No Longer Nixon Country": http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/30/us.../30orange.html

But I would add a word of caution...the article has a political spin.

People should not assume that people here are necessarily pro-Democratic simply because they are no longer Republican. Nearly everyone I know or encounter is fiercely Independent now and angry at the establishment, and feel both parties have let us down. You can feel it here strongly. Something is bubbling here in OC and I wonder if SD is similar.

Housing prices are astronomical in OC and the grown children of my neighbors could never afford to live here unless they live with their parents. There are many good jobs in OC, but many kids here will never get them. Companies in OC, like the Bay Area, prefer H1B employees. This situation is so acute you wonder if kids just have to wait until their parents die.

And as for much of North OC, many here consider much of it LA and dirty. I don't agree with this sentiment, but I am just calling it out for what it is.