San Diego or Orange County?? (Los Angeles, San Francisco: place to live, cost of, shops)

[payutenyodagimas]

Originally Posted by pacific2

Soka University, Aliso Viejo. Soka is the only Buddhist (inspired) university in the US.

Aliso and Wood Canyons




Bobcats at play in someone's yard in Aliso Viejo:

regarding open space/nature, I have seen deers also but in O'neil Park. and just last week, a mountain lion had been sighted again at Whiting Ranch..makes you think twice about taking a leisurely hike on your own on a lazy sunday afternoon

[sav858]

Originally Posted by expatCA

He was asleep as they drove through. Every city that I can think of in North and central OC has parks and I grew up there.

Nobody said they didn't.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by payutenyodagimas

regarding open space/nature, I have seen deers also but in O'neil Park. and just last week, a mountain lion had been sighted again at Whiting Ranch..makes you think twice about taking a leisurely hike on your own on a lazy sunday afternoon

Yes, I was going out for a bike ride two Saturdays ago in O'Neil and got turned away by a ranger at the trailhead. That end of the park was closed for three days because of mountain lion sightings. I went out again in the middle of the week when it had just reopened and I have to say, it was a little unnerving, especially riding under the trees--and I'm not one to be easily frightened by wildlife.

Still, I've been riding in O'Neil for many years now and have never seen a mountain lion. Lots of deer, coyotes, once a bobcat, a fox, snakes, lizards, and tarantulas, yes, but nothing that would harm a person.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by saibot

Yes, I was going out for a bike ride two Saturdays ago in O'Neil and got turned away by a ranger at the trailhead. That end of the park was closed for three days because of mountain lion sightings. I went out again in the middle of the week when it had just reopened and I have to say, it was a little unnerving, especially riding under the trees--and I'm not one to be easily frightened by wildlife.

Still, I've been riding in O'Neil for many years now and have never seen a mountain lion. Lots of deer, coyotes, once a bobcat, a fox, snakes, lizards, and tarantulas, yes, but nothing that would harm a person.

I love hiking O'Neil...once it cools down a tiny bit more there.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by sav858

Well apparently you don't. Let me try again.

I was generalizing about OC. Yes some areas, such as South OC, aren't as bad as the rest of the county. North and Central OC is mostly a giant flat grid of wall to wall sprawl with little open space.

North OC has many awesome areas too.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by pacific2

I'm curious, have you ever actually visited South OC?

I think that is pretty apparent: no.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by pacific2

Never been able to make it to nearby Laguna Beach in South OC? Here's a picture of it.

Sav doesn't need to see "tacky OC (Laguna Beach)". He doesn't need to be reminded that we have very quick access to his beloved San Diego at any time. He is so far away from anything, let alone the ocean (though he enjoys proximity to places like Antioch, and relatively speaking, Fairfield). When Sav gets to the ocean, given his extreme distance from the ocean, and if and when he even bothers, it is so terribly cold that swimming is not an option. Tiss tiss (Norwegian).

[sav858]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

North OC has many awesome areas too.

You clearly have low standards.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Sav doesn't need to see "tacky OC (Laguna Beach)". He doesn't need to be reminded that we have very quick access to his beloved San Diego at any time. He is so far away from anything, let alone the ocean (though he enjoys proximity to places like Antioch, and relatively speaking, Fairfield). When Sav gets to the ocean, given his extreme distance from the ocean, and if and when he even bothers, it is so terribly cold that swimming is not an option. Tiss tiss (Norwegian).

Not sure how being 70+ miles from central SD is "quick access". But go ahead keep brining up the Bay Area in a thread about OC/SD, guess it's your only lame recourse at this point. And this coming from someone boasting about Santa Ana lol.

As I recall you always complain how the water is even too cold in SoCal and never swim in the ocean so not sure why you're boasting about it.

[aboveordinary]

Wow. Some of you are taking this way too personally. I know how it goes though. I used to endlessly defend San Diego and praise it while bashing everywhere else on here a few years ago. I finally saw the light and now I can't wait to leave San Diego.

If you live/lived in one of the "cool" parts of San Diego like downtown, the urban areas around it, near the universities, or in one of the beach communities you probably do have a feeling that it is heaven on earth. If you are stuck in East County or rural North County it truly sucks a lot. You start thinking about why you aren't happy and realize that San Diego in general has many flaws. Some people don't want to awknowledge them, but they definitely exist. I don't think it is "Americas Finest City" at all. Rising cost of living, crumbling infrastructure and schools, low wages, NIMBYs everywhere, very slow paced, and a small town mentality. There are plenty of other cities in California (like LA and parts of Northern California) and in other parts of the U.S. that are more exciting, have a better job market, and more of other things than San Diego.

San Diego is simply an average American city on the same level as Phoenix, San Antonio, Tucson, and other such cities except much more expensive. Some people are okay working multiple jobs and renting for their whole lives (maybe with multiple roommates or even raising a family) to be able to live in San Diego. Others are fine living in East County even though I think it's an awful place to have to live with the many close minded people there among other things.

San Diego will never be on the same level as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, NYC, Miami, or Chicago. Possibly even Denver. Orange County does have many of the same negatives as San Diego but it is considered part of the Los Angeles area so that automatically boosts it higher in terms of jobs and wages.