Santa Barbara, Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo? (Orange, Santa Monica: rentals, safe neighborhood)

[Woof]

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

.....This is about Toilet Planters. My god. What is it about the Central Coast and Toilet yard art? Is it the Madonna Inn thing here? Personally, I'm sick of Kitsch. I feel about Kitsch like someone would feel about Bananas after a year long diet of nothing but Bananas and milk. Just thinking about it makes me want to puke. Cambria has "Nit Wit Ridge" and that is embarrassing enough. Apparently, the Village idiot from 1862 built a whole house out of toilet parts....and car parts, and crud in Cambria. Some brilliant Cambria Mayor or something christened it "Nit Wit Ridge." And this, the Cambrians are proud of. When you ask a Cambrian if there is a Museum, they proudly point it out. It's on the list of "Historical Places" in California. Personally, I never tell anyone who comes to visit me about it. Okay, but then, just about a week ago, the Tribune publishes their little Friday magazine with a cover shot photo of a woman (who looks like she belongs on Saturday night live) standing in her back yard, somewhere in SLO, (looks like the 50's) watering her flowers in her toilet which is planted smack dab in the middle of her huge dirt back yard.

The caption underneath said this "Art Exhibition" of photos of the Central Coast would be on display in the CalPoly "Art" museum. If this is art.....I need to move. Where's my Zantac?

Well now you've gone and done it, I've never even been to the Central Coast unless you count Santa Cruz, but after reading your description of a sort of toilet-planter-and-rusty-junked-car paradise existing in Cambria, I'm going to pack my bags and propel my Flinstonemobile away from lovely Susanville and toward that paragon of good taste.

I was joking about having a yard with such majestic monuments in it ..... the Flintstonemobile is the only property I've owned beside my beloved relic guns .... but you have given me renewed hope that such a place really exists outside the imagination of cowboy poets.

The reason everyone who is environmental and all that likes toilet planters, is because when you're drunk and can't get into the house fast enough to relieve yourself, the toilet is RIGHT THERE in your yard ..... not only that, but the plants LOVE it! Instead of wasting the stuff flushing it down toward the beach or college cafeteria, you are adding vital nutrients toward the ecological whatever.

[LDDiamondGirl]

Your post was good, Woof. A real Hoot. I used to think people like you had a good old fashioned irreverent and sarcastic sense of humor until I moved up here and realized they were serious. (Which are you?) ......Still funny, nonetheless and I had a yuck over it. I guess stupid, gross, vulgar, kitschy, lowbrow (or nobrow), is funny and has a sort of "culture" of it's own to be somehow appreciated when seen infrequently, in very small doses and quite by surprise. It's the omniprescence and overkill that makes what was once an amusing novelty into a huge sore blister rubbing under your shoe.

[LDDiamondGirl]

Hey, I am not the one that came up with the Moniker, "Starving Artist." They were called that for a reason. It was De Rigueur in the mid century to at least "look" bohemian and hungry. Even if they were madly rich, they looked like a mess. Hey, art is dirty and a lot of people don't like cleaning up. Art and Artists and the "People who love them" are and always have been surrounded by Hype of some sort. The fact that most artists' talent is only one small piece of the "Critically acclaimed Artist Pie" makes things like their personal "Gimmick," "Spin," and "unique esoteric eccentricities" very important in their rise to any success and world wide recognition. In reference to the povery and angst, well, just take a look at any documentaries, films, books, on any of the artists of the 20th century who were considered "modern." The way they lived, the way they drank, the way they carried on.......it is anachronistic to today's artist. I am hardly alone in my take on this, surely.

[LDDiamondGirl]

I once heard that the bleeding heart academic bohemian liberals of the 20th Century truly believed that poor people were infinitely more interesting. Maybe some people DO aspire to poverty.....? (or at least pretend they're poor.....puts a good "spin" on things and makes them seem "charmed" or "blessed" or something that some poor rich nihilist who lives in Orange County could never possibly ever be......ho hum

[LDDiamondGirl]

Santa Barbara is fantastically beautiful place. The level of gardens and architecture is very high. It is a city of haves and have nots though. It is much farther along than SLO in losing it's artistic types... and also much farther along in losing its downtown to chain stores. But the quality of the downtown is amazing architecturally. There is a gang problem if you belong to a gang... but if you are not a gang member this is no issue... all you notice is the graffiti. But there is a full time staff of graffiti removers so you really don't get that much of a chance to see it.

Now, the above opinion is an example of what I find really peculiar. I am a painter, and my husband is the husband of a painter who drags him around to see and do everything "artistic" in the area (he really loves it).........and we would never agree that Santa Barbara is losing it's "artistic" types at all. In fact, we were just commenting on how incorrect we feel many of the perceptions here are about the art community in SLO County as compared to the Art community in Santa Barbara. We unequivocally disagree with anyone who thinks that Santa Barbara does not have a world class artistic community, in fact, one in which, if you are an artist, is much much more art friendly. Just FYI, SLO has NO art store, for crying out loud. Even Aurora Ohio had a high end Art store for G-d's sake !!!!! And they keep talking about the wonderful art community here.....doesn't fit. Michael's chain store is about it. The one former old, old and I mean old art store in the downtown has been "changing owners" for 2 years and still has no stock on the shelves. They are empty ! Then,there is the fact that every time I want to take a seminar or workshop with a nationally recognized artist, they never come to SLO, unless they happen to live in the area. It's Santa Barbara or Mendocino or SF. I could go on and on, but what the heck is it, territorialism, that makes people say these "I'm better than you" kinds of things about SB vs. SLO ? You know, alot of people consider those kinds of comments just sour grapes.....and especially when they aren't true. I scratch my head a whole lot up here, thinking maybe I have moss growing on my glasses or something cause I sure ain't seeing what lots of these folks up here do.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

Your post was good, Woof. A real Hoot. I used to think people like you had a good old fashioned irreverent and sarcastic sense of humor until I moved up here and realized they were serious. (Which are you?) ......

Awwww, I was just funnin' ya. I have no particular ambitions concerning toilet planters or junked cars, and rarely use them as restrooms. If a toilet is all that is available to plant in, sure why not, but I'm more interested in the plants than in the container. I like to think I have an artistic side but most people seem to disagree.

I had ambitions to live in the central coast area but have found that I'm about as happy here in Susanville, where there are nice rivers and lakes, it's not impossible to pan a little gold or do some fishing if the mood should strike, and the deer are almost tame - a good thing in case I need to eat one. The Pacific Ocean is colder than most lakes .... nice to look at and feel the rhythm of the waves, but lakes are nicer to swim in and look as good. I can afford to live indoors here which would be all but impossible on the central coast. The town is a bit shabby, I'm a bit shabby, and so is everyone else here .... even the Flintstonemobile gets the occasional envious look!

It's been quiet here so far. There are few obnoxious, rude, loud students and other young people partying. The apartment building I'm in is quiet at night other than people chatting in the stairwell sometimes ..... apparently from what I've read, SLO and Santa Barbara would have the sort of boom-boom music, the bass thuddings, that I cannot tolerate.

You're happy being wealthy and living around wealthy people who make no bones about living an upper class lifestyle. That's ok by me. I can't say I was happier living around rich people than now, and it was only a few months ago that I was living among them by accident of a brief marriage .... people are people, a lake is a lake, a municipal tennis court is about as much fun as a private one. It's nice having what you want when you want it, but my needs are simpler now. It seems to me that good health and a good friend or two has more to do with happiness than most other things like great weather, culture or the art scene (or guns, pickup trucks, and hound dogs).

So I suppose my conclusion is that while I still enjoy reading about the differences between the three places, it's not relevant anymore to me in deciding where to settle down.

[vtboy99]

Originally Posted by mloucul63

I have an opportunity to work in either Santa Barbara, Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo. I'm not sure which to choose. Don't particularly like big city life but don't want to be stuck in a small town either. I'm single and enjoy many outdoor and indoor activities. Any thoughts??

Santa Maria and San Luios Obispo are WAY too conservative. I would choose Santa Barbara.

[BHGirl]

Hi!

LPDiamondGirl - I don't know if you are being sarchastic or not, but you come off really rude to me..

I LOVE SLO!! I was born and raised there... I left when I was 17 for college and I seriously think it is one of the best cities in California. I now reside in LA and probably live with the richest 5% of the population in CA... so I think I have a good judgement of how to compare the standards of SLO to "Rich Areas like SB"

I think SLO is literally the perfect mix of city/town... I loved growing up in an area where everyones family knew one another. It is great when every service you need can be provided by a family friend (car dealership, restaurant, contractor, lawyer, doctor, hair stylist.. i mean everything)... but, at the same time.. there was JUST THE RIGHT hint of city.. It has the basic stores you CAN live with.. gap, banana, sephora.. and if you need bigger stores.. they are only 1.5 hours away (I have DEFINITELY driven 45 mins in traffic in LA to get to a certain store that is 4-5 miles away, so 1.5 hours is not THAT bad if you are going for a day of shopping)

I'm actually found this site while looking to buy in SLO... My parents are moving and I decided it was a time I planted some roots in my hometown. I would definitely live in SLO if I could find a high paying job (that didn't include owning my own business), but I would love to move back to raise kids! Until then .. I want to get some rental property to hang on to (gives me a reason to have to go back, even when I get too busy!)

Anyways, anyone that is thinking of moving to SLO .. I only have great things to say about it.

PS. LPDiamondGirl - If you are looking for a "rich flashy place" and hate SLO so much.. then you should move because there is probably someone else who would love to be in your shoes.

[overrestored]

I did not say that there was no art community in SB... I said that SB was farther along at losing artists than SLO. The Mountain Dr. art scene is gone and the Funk Zone is gone. The Oak Group is still there... and others... so there are still artists. It is just not what it used to be.

The ones that are gone are the ones who were not commercially successful enough to afford to live in the Santa Barbara market... So they went elsewhere and SB lost a bit of fun when they left.

It is the same in most of the former artists colonies in CA and it is happening is SLO too. The craziest artists are being priced out... and only the most commercially viable artists survive. That is sad to me.

I agree about the lousy art stores in SLO.

[LDDiamondGirl]

PS. LPDiamondGirl - If you are looking for a "rich flashy place" and hate SLO so much.. then you should move because there is probably someone else who would love to be in your shoes.

Of all the posts I have made on here, it is interesting that people come up with "rich, flashy, snobby," etc. in response to my posts. These are the reverse discrimination people I am always talking about running into up in this neck of the woods. I never said SLO was full of hateful people....or a horrible place to live. I just said it wasn't for me and I listed my reasons. I personally think the following: Rich has nothing to do with the things I keep talking about, like: Cleanliness, order, pride in appearance of self;children; property. Neither does it have anything to do with having Manners, sophistication, taste, cooperative attitude, intelligence, consideration, and self control.
And, by the way, I am not rich. But most people by reading what I am saying think I am. Isn't that an interesting assumption. My parents were upper middle class, that's it. But we all were taught to aspire to the above human attributes and characteristics and behaviors. I can't say that for a lot of the people I have been exposed to since I moved to a rural area. That is not a judgement, it is not a racist or discriminatory opinion, and it is not biased in any way by people being rich or poor.....in factr, I've said many times that there are a whole lot of people up here with money, and that doesn't seem to make a bit of difference. What I have stated on these posts are FACTS. Pure and simple. Some with a personal POV, but they are facts, nonetheless.....and based on physical reality. Reporting what I see in the way of people, and what I have experienced in the way of services in the area with regards to: businesses, medical care, shopping, jobs, and behaviors is what this board is all about. I am proud to say that I have tried not to do any name calling, putting down, or proseletyzing on here.

Calling people snobs, rich, unfit, and opinionated, and telling them where they do or do not belong is just a good example of the kinds of behaviors, reverse discrimination, and irrational judgement that I have been talking about all along. We all have to make choices. I prefer snobby, rich people who smell good, are polite and educated and run businesses that please customers over people who have no work ethic, run their business like its a kindergarten class, don't give a hoot about pleasing anyone but themselves and their surfing schedule, and smell like cigarettes, alcohol, and unwashed hair at 9 a.m. in the morning. That is my choice and I don't feel I should be judged for it and it certainly has nothing to do with being rich. Thank you.