if you live in North Park...or other urban locales around town (San Diego: apartment, to rent)

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

But see, I'm repelled by the thought of living in a place like Laguna Niguel. My brother lives in Ladera Ranch and everytime I visit, I just cringe at the thought of having to live there. Different for different folks.

Fair enough. I see you live in Kensington, a much nicer place than NP.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Fair enough. I see you live in Kensington, a much nicer place than NP.

Didn't mean to be so snarky, but I do love North Park and appreciate a little grit.

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Any other personal attacks you would like to hurl toward somone who is both familiar with North Park and who wants to impart knowledge to the OP, a young single female, who I care about and do not want to see harmed?

Fourth Attack Reported in North Park | NBC 7 San Diego

Woman Knocked Unconscious in 5th North Park Assault: Cops | NBC 7 San Diego

North Park residents fed up with rash of violence - 10News.com KGTV ABC10 San Diego

I can think of several areas over the years that have had a single issue with a single person or group of people doing bad things. It's not indicative of the neighborhood as a whole or in general. Right now we're (meaning ladies) being cautious about walking alone at night, but before this and once this passes I completely 100% stand by my assertion that it is perfectly safe for a single female, whether young or not. You know, as a single female that's lived in North Park for 20 years. And also as someone who is close friends with one of the women attacked.

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

Kensington resident here and I've been going to the beach almost every weekend this summer. Sometimes Coronado, but mostly Missioin Beach since it's not so crazy these days and easy to get to from home. La Jolla Shores is where I used to go on my way home from work.

I've been driving around with a chair, towel/trunks and sunscreen in the back of my car since June. You always need to be prepared.

reminds me of my friend who has an emergency bikini in the trunk of her car.... I have a very small trunk in my new convertible so I have to really figure out how to maximize my space I decided to sign the lease in North Park...here goes nothing

I will miss what Carlsbad has to offer, but its not like I'm buying a house, its a year lease to get to know another area (but mostly I fell in love with the floor plan and specific place)

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by rgb123

reminds me of my friend who has an emergency bikini in the trunk of her car.... I have a very small trunk in my new convertible so I have to really figure out how to maximize my space I decided to sign the lease in North Park...here goes nothing

I will miss what Carlsbad has to offer, but its not like I'm buying a house, its a year lease to get to know another area (but mostly I fell in love with the floor plan and specific place)

Awesome. If you want tips on food or shopping or anything else feel free to DM me. Welcome to the neighborhood!

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

I can only speak for myself, but I think the word repelled is more apt. I have spent tons of time in both Hillcrest and North Park. I even have a friend who spent a million bucks on a POS (renovated POS) house near the park - not for me unless I force myself to enjoy what goes on in or around the park at night.

Sure North Park is far better than it was, but it is STILL sketchy; I wouldn't walk around at night in many places and certainly not if I were a female. And the things you see there-- hmmm --I just don't think I would want to live there. My tolerance for that has dropped like a rock.

I understand what you mean... I get both sides of it (hence the both 'attracted and repelled' quote)

the repelled part comes more from past experiences living in Chicago, its all I have to compare it to...it looks a bit like a neighborhood I lived in there when I was younger and poorer and I have some associated bad memories with it .... its hard for me to know for sure if its the memories that repel me or the place itself.

What I WILL miss is more open space, something I love for my quality of life and something I grew up with (so its hard to just 'erase' as something that adds to my personal fulfillment) I've noticed that some people need it, some don't. I find that when I live in more urban, dense spaces I find myself taking more random driving trips just to see the sky and open space...considering I just bought a new car it might be a nice excuse to drive it

The new place has a large, tall window that I can see the horizon through (to the east), which I think will be important for me to feel less like I'm in a dense spot. If I can't see far away I feel more claustrophobic.

At the same time I like a walkable area with cool shops and cafe's, bars etc. It also might be nice to be near a younger crowd...a double edged sword as a younger crowd can annoy me too. I actually very much enjoy the nightlife in Carlsbad lol, and I'm not even 40.

I doubt I'd be the type to want to live in North Park forever but you never know I do like that is close to Balboa but when I Say I like open space I mean more in my living area...of course I've yet to find the perfect place that has both walkable areas and open space, my place in Downtown Ventura came closest yet.

North Park I have found, is also a lot like Oceanside in that you can find better values in terms of your indoor enviornment and that is just super important to me right now...not finding the right places in my price range that give me what I need right now that hit so many of my 'wants'

I guess I Will have to live there for a year to see how the expiriment goes and to see if I get to the beach more than once a month I'm preparing my trunk space...

I do think I'll be visiting OC even more than I do now as I suspect I'll need a few getaways from what I consider a more urban enviornment.

I like the suburbs. There's a lot to be said for a planned suburb just as there is a lot to be said for the beach towns and the older parts of the central city like north park!

San Diego and SoCal is just a great place..... if you don't mind spend $$ to live here that is lol

or if you don't mind roommates, which I do so forget that lol

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

Didn't mean to be so snarky, but I do love North Park and appreciate a little grit.

its funny because... you know, I'm not a huge fan of grit and I hear people say that a lot. One of the reasons I chose the NP place over the Lajolla cottage was the lack of grit inside compared to the grit inside the cottage lol.

Being from Chicago and having studied urban planning I think I am just sort of 'over' the whole urban movement thing in terms of it being so trendy. that doesn't mean I Don't appreciate the historic aspects of the homes, the park nearby and the cafe's etc. Some of the hipstery stuff I find pretty annoying and I think that just comes from being closer to 40 than 25 or 30 now, and having already sort of been through enough frustrations with urban areas in my youth when I couldn't afford the nice, new lofty kinds of places that I can now.

It will be itneresting to see if my experience is different now closer to 40 than 22.... I'll have air conditioning, and a dishwasher...private parking. Luxuries I didn't even imagine when I was living in Wicker Park in Chicago in my 20's. This is why 'charming' places are not that appealing to me anymore and suburban ...air conditioned...'lacking of character' places can appeal to me -- when you are broke and living in "charming" place like that it doesn't feel so good when reality sets in... I remember one night my roommates and I pooling our money to get a hotel in a crappy place in suburban chicago when we lived in the city...we just laid there in the air conditioning ...it had been so hot in chicago that summer. It felt so amazing.

After that I never dissed the suburbs anymore. I'd rather be broke in the burbs for sure.

I also have a weird habit of liking to run and walk at night, which Carlsbad really facilitates well ...its a luxury. I Feel safe walking around right up to midnight or later sometimes...and its so nice to see the ocean at night.

There are always trade offs no matter where you live I think for me it will be interesting to see if this works for me now that I can afford something a bit nicer.

I have lived in urban places since then that were nice but in cities that are not quite as estabished (i.e they were urban but not necessarily walkable ...not yet that established in terms of restaurants, etc.)

Right now Im definitely missing having a walkable area (like I had when I lived in Downtown Ventura -- not even close to being the biggest city I lived in, but my place there was the most walkable I ever lived in!) its nice to be able to go out and grab a coffee in the morning without it having to be a big production. especially working from home.

I'll miss Carlsbad though for sure!

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by Jenkay

I can think of several areas over the years that have had a single issue with a single person or group of people doing bad things. It's not indicative of the neighborhood as a whole or in general. Right now we're (meaning ladies) being cautious about walking alone at night, but before this and once this passes I completely 100% stand by my assertion that it is perfectly safe for a single female, whether young or not. You know, as a single female that's lived in North Park for 20 years. And also as someone who is close friends with one of the women attacked.

I didn't realize you knew one of the victims. Wow. I am very sorry for her and I hope these attacks end.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by rgb123

its funny because... you know, I'm not a huge fan of grit and I hear people say that a lot. One of the reasons I chose the NP place over the Lajolla cottage was the lack of grit inside compared to the grit inside the cottage lol.

Being from Chicago and having studied urban planning I think I am just sort of 'over' the whole urban movement thing in terms of it being so trendy. that doesn't mean I Don't appreciate the historic aspects of the homes, the park nearby and the cafe's etc. Some of the hipstery stuff I find pretty annoying and I think that just comes from being closer to 40 than 25 or 30 now, and having already sort of been through enough frustrations with urban areas in my youth when I couldn't afford the nice, new lofty kinds of places that I can now.

It will be itneresting to see if my experience is different now closer to 40 than 22.... I'll have air conditioning, and a dishwasher...private parking. Luxuries I didn't even imagine when I was living in Wicker Park in Chicago in my 20's. This is why 'charming' places are not that appealing to me anymore and suburban ...air conditioned...'lacking of character' places can appeal to me -- when you are broke and living in "charming" place like that it doesn't feel so good when reality sets in... I remember one night my roommates and I pooling our money to get a hotel in a crappy place in suburban chicago when we lived in the city...we just laid there in the air conditioning ...it had been so hot in chicago that summer. It felt so amazing.

After that I never dissed the suburbs anymore. I'd rather be broke in the burbs for sure.

I also have a weird habit of liking to run and walk at night, which Carlsbad really facilitates well ...its a luxury. I Feel safe walking around right up to midnight or later sometimes...and its so nice to see the ocean at night.

There are always trade offs no matter where you live I think for me it will be interesting to see if this works for me now that I can afford something a bit nicer.

I have lived in urban places since then that were nice but in cities that are not quite as estabished (i.e they were urban but not necessarily walkable ...not yet that established in terms of restaurants, etc.)

Right now Im definitely missing having a walkable area (like I had when I lived in Downtown Ventura -- not even close to being the biggest city I lived in, but my place there was the most walkable I ever lived in!) its nice to be able to go out and grab a coffee in the morning without it having to be a big production. especially working from home.

I'll miss Carlsbad though for sure!

Good luck! I get the pull of cool urban areas like NP. I sometimes hang out in Long Beach, 35 minutes away for me, it is my city so to speak. You take the good with the bad.

[moved]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Any other personal attacks you would like to hurl toward somone who is both familiar with North Park and who wants to impart knowledge to the OP, a young single female, who I care about and do not want to see harmed?

Fourth Attack Reported in North Park | NBC 7 San Diego

Woman Knocked Unconscious in 5th North Park Assault: Cops | NBC 7 San Diego

North Park residents fed up with rash of violence - 10News.com KGTV ABC10 San Diego

This happens everywhere, it just doesn't always make the news.