Cool and under the radar (San Francisco, Santa Barbara: place to live, to move, oil)

[laysayfair]

Originally Posted by mben

Hey everybody, sorry for kind of a lame post, but here's the thing - I live in New York City, and my wife is dying to move out of here and to California (she loves the weather and doesn't like the city anymore). I love NY but am tired of feeling so crowded all the time and spending SO much money to live - and I like adventure, you know. Well, we've been just to LA and San Francisco briefly, so we don't have so much experience out there. But here's my question...

Strictly in your opinion - What's really the coolest place to live in California? Maybe a bit under the radar.

Like...
Not so so crowded, but with some life and character to the people
Beautiful, nice weather - maybe by the beach, or the desert...whatever... just beautiful
Some things to do! Doesn't have to be intensely entertaining, you know, we can be creative, but active.
Don't worry what we do for a living, but someplace with some kind of vibrancy in the economy -- but not so grossly expensive to live!

Thanks for indulging me with your thoughts!!! We'll go visit the nicer sounding places!

I don't think there is anyplace "under the radar". Too many people are looking for exactly what you're looking for. What do you mean by "grossly expensive"? Why are you ruling out Santa Monica and Santa Barbara?

[18Montclair]

El Cerrito
Albany
Northern and Eastern Berkeley
Rockridge District of Oakland
Montclair District of Oakland

[mben]

Originally Posted by laysayfair

I don't think there is anyplace "under the radar". Too many people are looking for exactly what you're looking for. What do you mean by "grossly expensive"? Why are you ruling out Santa Monica and Santa Barbara?

This may be, that there are no up and coming types of places. (In New York, there are always neighborhoods that are developing into interesting places that weren't a few years ago.)

And maybe it's not very useful to rule out places like Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, but the housing costs are just really elite from what I've read. Maybe there are exceptions even in those areas, I don't know. I tend not to enjoy places where the buy-in is so high - it keeps a lot of otherwise interesting people and activities out, space becomes such a premium.

[laysayfair]

Originally Posted by mben

This may be, that there are no up and coming types of places. (In New York, there are always neighborhoods that are developing into interesting places that weren't a few years ago.)

And maybe it's not very useful to rule out places like Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, but the housing costs are just really elite from what I've read. Maybe there are exceptions even in those areas, I don't know. I tend not to enjoy places where the buy-in is so high - it keeps a lot of otherwise interesting people and activities out, space becomes such a premium.

I am sure there are "up and coming places" here but while they are "arriving" you usually have to forfeit some things on your list until they have "arrived". Do you see what I mean?
If you get there first while the prices are low you may have to wait for the "vibrant economic situation" to catch up to you. I'm a native New Yorker so I know what you mean. I remember back in the 1970's when one avoided Columbus avenue on the Upper West side of Manhattan. By the mid 1980's it was completely turned around and so desirable and by then- expensive.

[radraja]

How about the Lake Tahoe area? Kind of pricey, but great recreation and the population isn't huge.

[mben]

Originally Posted by laysayfair

I am sure there are "up and coming places" here but while they are "arriving" you usually have to forfeit some things on your list until they have "arrived". Do you see what I mean?
If you get there first while the prices are low you may have to wait for the "vibrant economic situation" to catch up to you. I'm a native New Yorker so I know what you mean. I remember back in the 1970's when one avoided Columbus avenue on the Upper West side of Manhattan. By the mid 1980's it was completely turned around and so desirable and by then- expensive.

Yeah, I do see what you mean. In NY, you might live in a kind of developing neighborhood, but you still work in the city. The distances are less pronounced.

Anyway, I do appreciate everybody's feedback - Thanks!

And I'm still interested to hear about more cities/places people love in California.

[calif]

Tahoe is a great place, skiing in the winter, the lake in the summer. Gorgeous area with many outdoor activities.

Have you thought of Napa or Calistoga? Wine Country? Beautiful, and yet still close to the city, and mountains, Lake Berryessa, Clearlake, just around the corner.

[bitman]

Eureka in Humboldt County is fantastically underrated and about as far under the radar as you could want. Humboldt State University is 6 miles further around Humboldt Bay in Arcata. Moved here from SF Bay Area after 20+ years and love it.

24,000 or so in Eureka and 140,000 people in the whole county. Very progressive and educated. The beaches go on forever and no one on them. Access to trails and forests everywhere. VERY friendly folks.

[jeffredo]

Santa Cruz/Monterey Peninsula. Beautiful, entertaining, great restaurants, awesome weather and clean air. 1-1 1/2 hours to San Francisco.

[d08]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

El Cerrito
Albany
Northern and Eastern Berkeley
Rockridge District of Oakland
Montclair District of Oakland

I have to agree (with a disclaimer of bias). The east bay is one of the most beautiful, diverse, entertaining, and enlightening places to live. The proximity to Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, the bay, great parks, the Sierras, the coast, Napa Valley, Monterey, and the Sacramento River Delta can't be beat. The upper east bay is a mash-up of urban to semi-urban to suburban neighborhoods that are rife with museums, parks, cultural opportunities, colleges (UC Berkeley, Mills, Laney), great restaurants, excellent public transit, and sporting events. From my location at El Cerrito Del Norte BART I can be in downtown SF in 20 minutes (or Berkeley in 10) by BART, Wildcat Canyon in 10 by bike, Richmond Marina in 10 by car, an Oakland A's game in 20 by BART (and the games are cheap, too), Ocean Beach in SF in an hour by BART and bus (or 45 by car).