Moving from L.A. to SD + Earthquakes/Screenwriting/Singles (Los Angeles: employment, neighborhoods)

[WriterJosh]

Ok, here's yet another “moving to SD” series of questions.

I've looked through and found some answers, but would love to hear any fresh opinions.

I've lived up in L.A. For 6 years now (originally from AZ) and am thinking about moving to SD soon.

I'm 35, male, single, college educated professional, a web developer, and screenwriter.

Here are my questions:

1)What would be a good part of town for me to live in? I like a place that you can walk or bike around easily. Close bars and shops are good. Within a mile from the beach is best. Like to surf. Prefer casual to uptight. Not looking for party people or excessive college kids (I'm getting too old for that), but I still like to go out locally and meet people.

2)Is there a filmmakers or screenwriter's community of any kind in SD? Here in L.A. every other person you bump into is a writer or in TV. What's the “entertainment industry” vibe down there (if any)?

3)How many earthquakes/tremors do you feel a year? I've looked at all the official quake data, and it seems that SD has the least likelihood of a big quake in SoCal. But just knowing that fact, does that settle your nerves? One of the main reasons I want to move is the thought of the “big one” here in L.A. sets my nerves off. I feel like I'm sitting on a time-bomb and I want to be in a beach community where I don't have to worry about major damage or dying (paranoid, I know).

Anyone who lived in L.A.? How does SD compare on any or all of these points?

Thanks a million for all your input! I've only been there a couple of times and liked it so far, but I need to spend some more time there to be sure it's what I want.

Thanks!

[thepinksquid]

1. Look into downtown, Little Italy, maybe Hillcrest (just know that's the LGBT area...fantastic 'hood). I would say Pacific Beach but it's full of icky beer-soaked college kids, TBH.
2. Honestly, I don't know. I think LA takes the cake for all of the "creative" types. Still, you're close enough to LA here to still be able to make trips if you need to for work-related things.
3. You'll be killed one thousand times over by a million other things before you get nary a scratch from an earthquake here in San Diego. Seriously, don't give it another thought. It's a statistically moot thing to to worry about. I've honestly never felt a thing (though to be fair I haven't lived here long).

[PharmboyinNC]

SD is in a better zone than LA or SF in quakes. There will be damages and pobssible casualties, depending on magnitude and where you are at the time of the quake, so don't sweat it otherwise. You have other things to worry about.

The risks increase if you decide to purchase property in SD though. Cali is overdue to a major one, statistically.

Although I don't live in SD yet, I'd recommend living near DT as suggested. The Hillcrest area is nice.

[Sassberto]

We get these questions from time-to-time, so I want to post this as a reference I can link back to.

Originally Posted by WriterJosh

2)Is there a filmmakers or screenwriter's community of any kind in SD? Here in L.A. every other person you bump into is a writer or in TV. What's the “entertainment industry” vibe down there (if any)?

Although San Diego is physically near Los Angeles, the two cities share no part of the entertainment economy. There is no relevant entertainment industry in San Diego. There is certainly a small group of indie or otherwise amateur filmmakers, on par with almost any large city in the country. However from an employment perspective, one should not expect to find anything here.

[iskray917]

You live in Los Angeles. You should never be scared of an earthquake.

[WriterJosh]

Thanks everyone.

I checked out SD last weekend, and I think I'm going to move down there in the next month.

Appreciate all the great info.

Thanks!

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by WriterJosh

Thanks everyone.

I checked out SD last weekend, and I think I'm going to move down there in the next month.

Appreciate all the great info.

Thanks!

So what did you like about San Diego? What area will you be living in?

[SanDiegoMusicCentral]

Here is my personal opinion if you want some good bars, good walking/ biking, semi affordable, good neighborhoods, etc.. Encinitas. I may be a little partial to North County, but Encinitas has a good mix of bars for a super young crowd to more sophisticated bars. It is pretty affordable as far as beach towns are concerned, the traffic is not nearly as bad as PB and it is much cleaner and nicer (and less alcohol soaked college kids) than PB or OB. Hell, now I made myself want to move there.