artsy liberal towns in San Diego? (Los Angeles, Irvine: houses, neighborhoods, living)

[Everleighdy81]

I'm a 26 year old female and am looking for some artsy and liberal towns in San Diego/Southern California. I'm also a musician. I want an environment that hasn't been completely taken over by corporate america and has alot of people my age. Lastly, a place that, as a young woman, I can feel at least somewhat safe. Any suggestions?

[SouthCali4LifeSD]

Originally Posted by Everleighdy81

I'm a 26 year old female and am looking for some artsy and liberal towns in San Diego/Southern California. I'm also a musician. I want an environment that hasn't been completely taken over by corporate america and has alot of people my age. Lastly, a place that, as a young woman, I can feel at least somewhat safe. Any suggestions?

la jolla if you're rich
ocean beach if you're artsy and love the beach and social scene
hillcrest if you're extremely open minded, like the urban feel, open to gays, want proximity to everything...
downtown if you enjoy noise, proximity to lots of restaurants, clubs, social scene, sea port village, conventions, etc.

i find encinitas and leucadia have some art as well. they're the most laid back beach towns i know, also expensive!

everywhere else in san diego is dull in the arts department

[kimmer]

Ocean Beach is not the safest place to be if you're a female, especially if you're living alone, or are alone.
Hillcrest is incredibly crowded, but you can walk to stores, bars, etc., (probably faster than driving anyway).

Leucadia/Encinitas are a bit less crowded, but as SouthCali said, more expensive. You'll probably run into more snotty soccer-moms terrorizing the neighborhoods in Encinitas, but these areas/cities are all worth checking out.

[hotornot]

Ocean Beach, a.k.a "OB", is a community of San Diego that sits right next to Pacific Beach, and is often compared to Berkeley, that of Northern California. Locals call Pacific Beach "PB".

There are a lot of playhouses in San Diego, but I never go to them because they charge way too much money for admission. Note that there are always more than a few art exhibits going on each and every week of the year. San Diego also has quite a few block parties in the summertime. OB has a thriving block party every year. PB used to have a legendary, fun, well attended block party that took place each May, but around 2006 or so District 2 councilmember Kevin Faulconer shut it down for good. For a more artsy block party look take a look at the Adams Avenue Street Fair that happens each September.

During the holidays look for an event called "December Nights". It takes place in Balboa Park. It attracts a huge amount of people. PB and OB both have great holiday parades. PB's takes place right down the middle of Garnet Avenue during the day. OB's Christmas Parade takes place at night right down the middle of Newport Avenue. Both parades are a great spectacle to behold for the young and old alike.

Need more info? Go to the home page of San Diego's Craigslist, scroll down an inch or two, look for Rants and Raves which is a little over to the left side of the page, and post your question there during business hours a.k.a. 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Don't post your question there on weekends if you're looking to get as much feedback as possible or else the opposite effect will happen.

[Abashi]

The nearest cities good for that kind of thing are Laguna Beach and Irvine, further north there is Santa Monica. San Diego may have a few neighborhoods for that kinda of thing, but they are remote and tiny; and its not likely you'll be able to find a home there.

San Diego is the worst place in the world if you want to meet liberal arty people, especially around our age. This is because it is home to the highest population of navy and marines in the world, and the highest military population in the United States. For this reason, liberal arty towns are impossible here; and the only ones that are here are retired old folk no where near our age, and in mega expensive areas.

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by Abashi

San Diego is the worst place in the world if you want to meet liberal arty people, especially around our age. This is because it is home to the highest population of navy and marines in the world, and the highest military population in the United States. For this reason, liberal arty towns are impossible here; and the only ones that are here are retired old folk no where near our age, and in mega expensive areas.

Do we give year-end awards for the most generalized, stereotypical, and uninformed post? If so, Abashi, you've got my vote.

[Abashi]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

Do we give year-end awards for the most generalized, stereotypical, and uninformed post? If so, Abashi, you've got my vote.

I agree, overgeneralized; since there is UCSD and Hillcrest; but they don't have their own towns or cities.

[Encinitan]

I think you should approach what the poster was looking for as meaning artsy communities or neighborhoods. Why does it have to be an incorporated city or recognized town? There are artsy communities all over San Diego County, including UCSD and Hillcrest.

[mini_cute]

Originally Posted by Abashi

The nearest cities good for that kind of thing are Laguna Beach and Irvine, further north there is Santa Monica. San Diego may have a few neighborhoods for that kinda of thing, but they are remote and tiny; and its not likely you'll be able to find a home there.

San Diego is the worst place in the world if you want to meet liberal arty people, especially around our age. This is because it is home to the highest population of navy and marines in the world, and the highest military population in the United States. For this reason, liberal arty towns are impossible here; and the only ones that are here are retired old folk no where near our age, and in mega expensive areas.

I agree the artsy communities here are small in size, as it would be since the San Diego metro area is small compared to Los Angeles.

I don't consider Irvine an artsy community... and not even really Laguna Beach. And they certainly are not liberal... those cities are known to be consisted of mostly Republicans. If you are looking for artsy, liberal and open-minded, you won't find it in Irvine. You'll have a much better chance in Hillcrest and Ocean Beach. Also check out North Park and East Village.

[edwardius]

The original poster here was looking for a place almost a year ago. This controversy isn't so live.