Is San Francisco culture better than Orange County? (San Diego, Oakland: crime, wedding)

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by tstieber

Definitely. You've also lived in both places, right? I grew up in the East Bay, did undegrad and grad work here, lived in San Diego for 8 years straight, and for the past five years have been splitting my time half and half between SD and the East Bay. I think you and I have some of the more first-hand perspectives.

That makes three of us. I lived in then east bay and San Diego for just about equal amounts of time. Like yourself, I've been basically splitting my time between the two, especially in the past few years. Despite my periodic rants about SD, I have just a deep a connection here as I do to my east bay home. I know both places better than anyplace else just like you do. Those people are not even worth having a discussion with.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by chicago81

Hey guys,
so i moved to Long Beach 2 years ago from Chicago and I HATE it. I'm a musician and a writer and I plan to move up to Berkeley to go back for my masters in Journalism. I can't stand the culture in Southern California. The people here have no spirit, no pride in where they live. Their lives revolve around their breast implants and when their next pedicure is. You go out for an evening and everyone is just to cool for their own good. Everyone walks around looking so bored! Ugh! Anyway, I can't wait to leave. I've considered going back to Chicago but I do love the weather out here-the mid-west winters are brutal. My one concern-is the culture better up north? I've visited San Francisco before and I loved it-the people seemed so laid back. Is Northern California culture different from Southern California culture?

When do you plan on returning to school? Have you applied yet? You said a few months ago you boyfriend was returning to school, now you mention it is you...Have you thought of any other universities? Jounalism majors are s dime a dozen right now so make sure you choose the best school you can to get your degree. Berkeley is a great school, but not the best in Ca for jounalism not to mention it is expensive and getting into grad school can be very tough..What is your under graduate degree?

As for the difference, culture means something different to everyone. If you are talking attitude, yes, I think people in the San Francisco area have a different outlook on life.

If your goal is your education there are many choices, if your goal is to escape Long Beach for a cooler, liberal, artsy life and enjoy what you think is the life you want, head for Berkeley. Be prepared for the cost of living.

If you want the best of all worlds, I agree with what some have said, give San Diego a look. They have schools where you can apply for your masters program, it is certainly not like Long Beach and it has a lower cost of living plus, I think, better weather. Part of San Deigo leans liberal so you would have a mixute of cultures.
Nita

[sav858]

Originally Posted by tstieber

Definitely. You've also lived in both places, right? I grew up in the East Bay, did undegrad and grad work here, lived in San Diego for 8 years straight, and for the past five years have been splitting my time half and half between SD and the East Bay. I think you and I have some of the more first-hand perspectives.

Yep, grew up in the East Bay (WC) as well, came down to SD for college, graduated, and stayed. Been here nine years now but am moving back to the East Bay in about a week. That's cool your job/life allows you to spend half your time in SD and half in the Bay, that would be like the perfect set up for me because I love SD but miss my life/family/childhood friends in the Bay Area a lot.

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by sav858

Yep, grew up in the East Bay (WC) as well, came down to SD for college, graduated, and stayed. Been here nine years now but am moving back to the East Bay in about a week. That's cool your job/life allows you to spend half your time in SD and half in the Bay, that would be like the perfect set up for me because I love SD but miss my life/family/childhood friends in the Bay Area a lot.

It's a great setup. We run our own business and have a lot of customers in both areas, plus my family in WC and my in-laws in SD, so we get the best of both worlds. We also try to time our seasons for statistically maximum sunshine, which means we're usually in the Bay Area in May/June, SD in July/Aug, Bay Area in Sep/Oct/early Nov, then SD for the winter, and spring is flexible.

Will you be moving back to the WC area specifically? And are you looking to buy or rent (I'm only asking b/c I also work as a real estate broker as well)? Let me know if you need any help finding a home...

I'm sure you'll love being back in your old stomping grounds!

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by tstieber

It's a great setup. We run our own business and have a lot of customers in both areas, plus my family in WC and my in-laws in SD, so we get the best of both worlds. We also try to time our seasons for statistically maximum sunshine, which means we're usually in the Bay Area in May/June, SD in July/Aug, Bay Area in Sep/Oct/early Nov, then SD for the winter, and spring is flexible.

Will you be moving back to the WC area specifically? And are you looking to buy or rent (I'm only asking b/c I also work as a real estate broker as well)? Let me know if you need any help finding a home...

I'm sure you'll love being back in your old stomping grounds!

That is a good set up, I have family in both places, dads side in SD mom's in the Bay Area (among other places). There's nothing like returning to your old stomping grounds.

[matt345]

The inner urban East Bay (Oakland and especially Berkeley), actually reminds me quite a bit of Seattle. Walking around the Gourmet Ghetto, Downtown Berkeley, Ashby/College, Temescal, Grand Lake, or Rockridge feels very similar to walking through Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, or Fremont. At least that's my opinion.

The most Southern California-esque part of the Bay Area is definitely the South Bay, but I think everyone already knows that.

[04kL4nD]

^ I totally agree. The East Bay is much more like Seattle than anywhere in SoCal, especially San Diego. I just got back from a wedding in San Diego and I was reminded just how little in common I had with everyone I met.

People are free to disagree and make up whatever associations they want, but California native or not, I've lived in both places long enough to know that you can't really compare them to each other.

The culture in San Diego reminds me far more of Sacramento than anywhere. Just look at the way people dress.

See, I too can make up a subjective assertion based on whatever it is I feel like. But since I haven't actually lived in Sac, my opinion doesn't really matter very much since people who have lived in both places will probably disagree with me.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by tstieber

It's a great setup. We run our own business and have a lot of customers in both areas, plus my family in WC and my in-laws in SD, so we get the best of both worlds. We also try to time our seasons for statistically maximum sunshine, which means we're usually in the Bay Area in May/June, SD in July/Aug, Bay Area in Sep/Oct/early Nov, then SD for the winter, and spring is flexible.

Will you be moving back to the WC area specifically? And are you looking to buy or rent (I'm only asking b/c I also work as a real estate broker as well)? Let me know if you need any help finding a home...

I'm sure you'll love being back in your old stomping grounds!

That's a great set up you have, nice that you have some family/in-laws down here; I have no family at all in SD which makes it a bit tougher imo. You definitely pick the good months for weather in each place, lucky you, haha.

Yeah moving back to WC with my parents for a bit, save up some money, and try to move out to the city. I'm looking forward to the typical Indian Summer in SF, such a great time to be in the City.

Yeah, it's sad for me to leave SD but I'm looking forward to being back with all my family and childhood friends in the Bay Area. No matter how much I love Sd or anywhere else the Bay Area will always be home no matter what.

[nmnita]

What am I missing here? We are giving this young lady advise, we are discussing which is better San Diego or San Francisco and she is all over the place. She has only posted a few times, but check her postings:

1-moved to Long Beach with boyfriend, and he will be going to school in the bay area. That was her first post.

2-This one, she has lived in Long Beach for 2 years and now wants to relocate and go to Berkeley to get her masters in jounalism.

3-she just moved to Long Beach and wants ideas on things she can do before she leaves the area.

I think we are dealing with a TROLL or some such thing. I don't know what she really wants, but it certainly isn't real advise. Maybe she doesn't know what she wants either or she is a kid enjoying time on the computer every so often.

It is fun though to see how each of us feels about OC, Long Beach, San Diego and San Francisco.

Nita

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

^ I totally agree. The East Bay is much more like Seattle than anywhere in SoCal, especially San Diego. I just got back from a wedding in San Diego and I was reminded just how little in common I had with everyone I met.

People are free to disagree and make up whatever associations they want, but California native or not, I've lived in both places long enough to know that you can't really compare them to each other.

The culture in San Diego reminds me far more of Sacramento than anywhere. Just look at the way people dress.

See, I too can make up a subjective assertion based on whatever it is I feel like. But since I haven't actually lived in Sac, my opinion doesn't really matter very much since people who have lived in both places will probably disagree with me.

Well again, it just depends what part of SD you were in. Escondido totally reminds me of Concord, Solana Beach reminds me of Marin County, Ocean Beach is like Fairfax (Marin County), etc. The Seattle neighborhoods also have the feel of the East Bay, for sure. Whether in Seattle, Portland, the East Bay, or San Diego, there are funky, urban neighborhoods with alternatively dressed liberal people living in Craftsmen cottages and the likes. They all have things in common. The way people dress varies by city in all regions.

All things being said, no area is exactly like another, but you can ID similarities. I'd still say the East Bay reminds me personally more of urban SD than Seattle, because the residential architecture is more similar between the CA regions, and the front yard landscape is more similar between the CA regions as well, which is a climactic similarity.