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...we've decided to live in North County(Oceanside, Vista, or Escondido)
{disclaimer: I have not read other's responses, so I may be repeating some things}
First of all, the color of your skin has no bearing on your relocation choices. Most people just don't care. Just be a good citizen and you'll get along fine in either L.A. or S.D.
Given a choice, I'd live in San Diego county. Was born and raised in L.A. County, but did live for five years in Escondido. That was 33 years ago, when the place was a lot smaller. Even back then, it was a lot longer than "just a half-hour away from San Diego". And, since then, the traffic has gotten a whole lot worse. It's also pretty far from Escondido to San Bernardino. If you try to make that drive on a regular basis, you'll be adding so much stress to your life that your relationship with your wife and kids are going to suffer immensely.
San Diego has changed a lot in the last 20-30 years. It was once a strongly right-leaning, quiet community with strong military roots, (Navy and Marines). As the city has grown, and the inevitable military draw-down due to the end of the Cold War, the politics have change and the town is now much more centrist. Eventually, I would suspect it to become more left-leaning as it continues to grow.
Personally, I'm only back in L.A. because of employment. The job is just too good and the compensation is excellent. If it wasn't for the job, I would still be in San Diego. Best weather in the country, (this is a personal opinion. Some people don't care much for perpetual spring/summer). One caution about Escondido, it does get quite warm in the summer. Oceanside doesn't get oppressively hot, Vista is in the middle.
Good luck with your decision. Remember, family comes first! That is your immediate family. You can always visit your extended family on long weekends.
{update: I did go back and read all the comments. Good info.}
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chilly Gentilly
I'm a tad concerned about intimidating health consciousness(@laina1980). An abundance of healthy options is great and all, but what I eat is no one else's concern. Are people there really that judgmental?
No one gives a hoot what you eat. And, nobody cares if you are physically active or not. It's a 'non-issue'. It is just that the climate is so conducive to outdoor activities that people enjoy doing them. The only thing you might run into is the occasional snide comment or disgusting look if you are 300 pounds overweight.
It would probably be a wise move to take a vacation trip to the area to scope it out. Try to spend a week roaming around. Then you'll get a flavor for the place.
{disclaimer: I have not read other's responses, so I may be repeating some things}
First of all, the color of your skin has no bearing on your relocation choices. Most people just don't care. Just be a good citizen and you'll get along fine in either L.A. or S.D.
Given a choice, I'd live in San Diego county. Was born and raised in L.A. County, but did live for five years in Escondido. That was 33 years ago, when the place was a lot smaller. Even back then, it was a lot longer than "just a half-hour away from San Diego". And, since then, the traffic has gotten a whole lot worse. It's also pretty far from Escondido to San Bernardino. If you try to make that drive on a regular basis, you'll be adding so much stress to your life that your relationship with your wife and kids are going to suffer immensely.
San Diego has changed a lot in the last 20-30 years. It was once a strongly right-leaning, quiet community with strong military roots, (Navy and Marines). As the city has grown, and the inevitable military draw-down due to the end of the Cold War, the politics have change and the town is now much more centrist. Eventually, I would suspect it to become more left-leaning as it continues to grow.
Personally, I'm only back in L.A. because of employment. The job is just too good and the compensation is excellent. If it wasn't for the job, I would still be in San Diego. Best weather in the country, (this is a personal opinion. Some people don't care much for perpetual spring/summer). One caution about Escondido, it does get quite warm in the summer. Oceanside doesn't get oppressively hot, Vista is in the middle.
Good luck with your decision. Remember, family comes first! That is your immediate family. You can always visit your extended family on long weekends.
{update: I did go back and read all the comments. Good info.}
No one gives a hoot what you eat. And, nobody cares if you are physically active or not. It's a 'non-issue'. It is just that the climate is so conducive to outdoor activities that people enjoy doing them. The only thing you might run into is the occasional snide comment or disgusting look if you are 300 pounds overweight.
It would probably be a wise move to take a vacation trip to the area to scope it out. Try to spend a week roaming around. Then you'll get a flavor for the place.
Thanks for the great advice. I will be there for NYE and look forward to getting a feel for what San Diego is like.
If your wife has been offered funding (i.e., job, tuition waiver) to get her doctorate, then I'd make that a priority. It sounds like this may be the joint Phd program with SDSU in biology? Great program, and it will open some doors for her not just in academia but also in SD's biotech industry. Funding for doctoral programs is hard to come by these days, so, yes, I'd make that offer a priority.
San Diego has a full slate of non-profit organizations, so you should be able to find something here in the county to keep you busy. Since your wife will be alternating (I'm assuming) between UCSD and SDSU, you might focus in on the center city area of San Diego -- Hillcrest, Normal Heights, North Park, University Heights, Little Italy. You'll find the atmosphere you're looking for in those areas, and they'd also be close to both schools and to job options for you.
Although there are parts of San Diego that are more fitness obsessed than others, I would describe San Diego as more of an "active lifestyle" kind of place than a "Fitness and health obsessed" place. A lot of people here like to get out and do physical things -- hiking, biking, running, surfing, boating, etc. And, we have a lot of really beautiful places to get out and be active -- desert, mountains, beaches, city. But we have more than our share of couch potatoes too.
That said, I personally find folks in North County coastal to be a little more into body appearance than other parts of the county. But, even then, it's nothing like the appearance obsession of the land of movie stars and wannabes.
Yeah I know a kid who just started this year in the joint UCSD SDSU program for bio. Supposed to be a good program.
Yeah I know a kid who just started this year in the joint UCSD SDSU program for bio. Supposed to be a good program.
Yep. Thats why its difficult to pass up. Her emphasis is audiology and joint doctoral programs such as this one offered by UCSD and SDSU are only in a few areas of the country. San Diego is by far the most appealing area we've found it.
For the past few months my wife and I have contemplated a move out of New Orleans and have considered several different areas of the country including Chicago, Atlanta, and most recently Southern California. I have family in L.A. County and for years they've urged me to give it a chance. I had shied away from the suggestion because of the equally infamous traffic congestion and cost of living. However, after researching the massive region extensively, my wife found the perfect degree program for her doctorate in San Diego. We also began applying for jobs in the area and both have offers that would make life very manageable there...more than we can say about income opportunities in New Orleans.
My job offer is with a non-profit in San Bernardino, while my wife's is in San Diego. For now, we've decided to live in North County(Oceanside, Vista, or Escondido) due to its decent proximity to IE for my job, while just a half-hour away from San Diego.
OK with that said, before pulling the trigger I want to make sure we're making the right choice for our preferred lifestyle. Even with visiting my family in L.A. over the years, I've never been to San Diego so I can only go by what I've read or heard. And in that regard, SD seems like very slow paced and conservative "beach town". Is this just in comparison to L.A. or in general? We're coming from New Orleans and really enjoy edgy, artistic, and gritty cities with substance and diversity. I don't want to move us to a bland, boring city that lacks open-mindedness. If this is what San Diego really is then we'll figure out a comfortable situation in L.A. and put SD in the rear-view.
Its worth mentioning that we're an Agnostic African American family of four. Ethnic Diversity, Open-Mindedness, Culture, and Business Opportunities are important considerations. These are factors that I know L.A. excels in...just not sure about San Diego.
I'll stop rambling now. What do you think??
Ciao
Ah, the prized AAAF4 demographic. While a lovely town, you are not going to find "edgy" or "gritty" in SD. San Diego's most remarkable trait is it's complete absence of anything resembling an edge. Its the Eames furniture of American metros. But I wouldn't necessarily call it bland, either. You might want to check out places like North Park. But North County? So boring, I can barely finish typing this senten
Ah, the prized AAAF4 demographic. While a lovely town, you are not going to find "edgy" or "gritty" in SD. San Diego's most remarkable trait is it's complete absence of anything resembling an edge. Its the Eames furniture of American metros. But I wouldn't necessarily call it bland, either. You might want to check out places like North Park. But North County? So boring, I can barely finish typing this senten
LMAO...began and ended with a laugh. Kudos for that. And thanks for the input. I'll scratch North County off the list.
What exactly would constitute a lack of edge in San Diego? For a region with so many immigrants I'd think that even a modicum of their artistic and edgy culture would survive the transition.
Big mistake. As I mentioned, I lived in Escondido. Didnt' really care for the town all that much. No central focus, at least at the time I lived there. However, I loved North County. Every weekend, without fail, we would take excursions throughout all of North County. This direction one weekend, another direction the next weekend. Mountains, desert, ocean . . . what more could there possibly be? We absolutely loved it!
We also purchased an annual pass for the San Diego Zoological Society. That gave us unlimited access to the Wild Animal Safari, just a few short miles outside of Escondido, (the zoo also, but the Wild Animal Park was close by). We went often, and a lot of times, just my daughter and myself. It was a tender, wonderful bonding experience. At that time, they also gave open air concerts on summer Saturday nights. Those kind where you bring a blanket and food in a wagon and sit on a hillside. They even allowed people to bring in wine. We were fortunate to see Ray Orbison and Ricky Nelson in person at several concerts. (Ricky was late, and drunk as a skunk, but still put on a good show. You probably don't know who Ray Orbison and Ricky Nelson are. Quite accomplished musicians and teen girl heartthrobs during the late 60s into the 70s.)
Yeah, don't scratch North County off your list until you've had a chance to experience it.
LMAO...began and ended with a laugh. Kudos for that. And thanks for the input. I'll scratch North County off the list.
What exactly would constitute a lack of edge in San Diego? For a region with so many immigrants I'd think that even a modicum of their artistic and edgy culture would survive the transition.
I can see why some like North County, but you went out of your way to specify edgy, gritty, artistic, etc. For the undeniable qualities the place does possess, those aren't among them.
As far SD proper, its not like you can't find good examples of cuisine from around the world. It's not a backwater. But it's hardly a simmering cauldron of creative energy. Consider it's hemmed in between Camp Pendleton, the border, the ocean and desert. Between that geographic & political context and the prevailing local culture, you'd never know you were in the eighth largest metro in the US. There's a reason why Ron Burgandy works in San Diego.
I can see why some like North County, but you went out of your way to specify edgy, gritty, artistic, etc. For the undeniable qualities the place does possess, those aren't among them.
As far SD proper, its not like you can't find good examples of cuisine from around the world. It's not a backwater. But it's hardly a simmering cauldron of creative energy. Consider it's hemmed in between Camp Pendleton, the border, the ocean and desert. Between that geographic & political context and the prevailing local culture, you'd never know you were in the eighth largest metro in the US. There's a reason why Ron Burgandy works in San Diego.
This sums things up very nicely. North SD County is extremely low key. OP, are you sure your wife will have much free time to get involved in artistic and cultural pursuits. A high quality doctoral program can be very demanding and time-consuming.
How about living as close as possible to the university given your own job needs, so that your wife would be able to make impromptu meetings, possibly attend late evening seminars, do lab work, go to occasional faculty-graduate student dinners, be at seminars that are sometimes held at the home of a faculty member, etc.?
You could use the weekends to explore SD and LA. For something fairly close by SD County and artistic, I would suggest that you also visit Laguna Beach in OC.
Like earlier poster while statistically CA is not as diverse as OP home state
Louisiana isn't particularly diverse. Its still basically black and white. SoCal is much more diverse. As for the OP I can't see how that's going to work. Traffic can be a nightmare and your potential job vs. her degree program are way too far apart. Can either one of you give a little? Can she find her degree in one of the colleges or universities in the Inland Empire? Could you maybe secure something in San Diego?
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