I have to say reading these threads make me believe there aren't many positives about California (Placentia: live, restaurants)

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

MtnSurfer,

If it weren't for the coast, would you have come back?

LOL... It is funny that asked that question because that was the one thing that was killing me while living in CO. And don't get me wrong CO is a beautiful state with many pluses. Of course it has its own set of minuses like any place.

But I used to dream about being near the ocean again. I realized it is in my *blood* and nothing was going to change that for me in my lifetime. So I told my wife the only way I would stay in CO if we could move the state to the coast. And since that wasn't going to happen we knew we were coming back at some point. It was just a matter of where/when - the logistics basically. Pretty shortly after that realization things just started falling into place.

But for ppl that don't mind living away from the coast CO has a lot to offer. We do miss our big beautuful newer home with a view of the Rockies from every floor and he nice big back yard. Oh and the full basement was a big plus also. It is a trade off thats for sure. But for us it is worth it.

The *only* real negative here in Monterey is the cost of housing. Everything else is a plus.

Derek

[EscapeCalifornia]

I've lived within 5 miles of the beach my entire life and pretty much never go there. I'm just not a beach/coast person so that's not something I'd pine for. Honestly, besides my parents, I think the biggest thing I'll miss from California is the food choices. From what I've seen in Colorado, high quality, affordable restaurants representing every part of the world really isn't their thing. I guess that's just more incentive to learn how to cook it ourselves!

[Curmudgeon]

I'm in my 60s and was born at the beach, raised on the beach and spent half my life at the beach. I love ocean sailing, surfed in the very early 60s, swam competitively, you name it. If it involved water, especially salt water, I did it. That is something I'm going to miss keenly but it can't be helped and I'll find new, different and enjoyable pursuits and pastimes wherever we end up. As for the food, we already cook it ourselves and in a number of different languages.

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

Better for me then too.

California was always better for me in the past, no matter which past and which present you consider.



That's very condescending.

Ummmm, I'm not really sure what you find condescending about that.

[Mach50]

I don't think there is a city on City-Data full of positivity (not even majority positive). Most people who are ambitious enough to come on the internet, do it to expel their frustration under the cloak of anonminity.

When you take places like California, Florida and New York that are in high demand, where the ante is higher, there will be more people folding their hand in frustration. These areas problems will carry a higher weight and are therefore, magnified.

Also consider: The internet 80/20 Rule, which applies here:

The internet (City-Data included) is around 80% negative/ 20% positive.

[sonarrat]

California was a great state for about 25 million people, which was 20 years ago. Now that we have 36, things are starting to go haywire.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I've lived within 5 miles of the beach my entire life and pretty much never go there. I'm just not a beach/coast person so that's not something I'd pine for. Honestly, besides my parents, I think the biggest thing I'll miss from California is the food choices. From what I've seen in Colorado, high quality, affordable restaurants representing every part of the world really isn't their thing. I guess that's just more incentive to learn how to cook it ourselves!

Yeah, for you it wouldn't be such a big deal. You did mention family which is another big pull. But you can fly out and visit. So that is still doable.

As an example of this my wife's sister and her husband are CA natives who moved out to CO before us. And they are planning to stay indefinately. I have other CA friends out there as well.

It is all about trade offs really. And for some it is the right combination to make it the state of choice. The real question is what are the trade offs for you and are they worth it?

Yes, you will miss the freshness and variety of food in CA. The cultural diversity is second to none in CA. So with that comes a wide array of cusine options that just don't exist in the many other parts of the nation. Its all relative though. I remember talking to a guy at work visiting from Kansas. He was raving about the great variety of food in CO and I couldn't help but laugh. I mean to them the choices are amazing. But you will learn to eat in more if from CA.

And the weather is another thing that is very relative. For ppl who move to CO from the Midwest CO's climate is mild. But if you move from Florida, CA, Hawaii, etc... it tends to feel cold. What part of 5 degrees and sunny is mild? Or how is a blizzard during Easter moderate? LOL... CO gets hammered during Fall and Spring with their largest snowstorms. And it is these late season storms that really start to wear on a person over the years. A friend of mine from CA moved to CO, raised his family there, and just moved back to CA after 20 years. It was the Spring he said that was the hardest time for him and I tend to agree.

Derek

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I've lived within 5 miles of the beach my entire life and pretty much never go there. I'm just not a beach/coast person so that's not something I'd pine for. Honestly, besides my parents, I think the biggest thing I'll miss from California is the food choices. From what I've seen in Colorado, high quality, affordable restaurants representing every part of the world really isn't their thing. I guess that's just more incentive to learn how to cook it ourselves!

Next time you're in Colorado you should investigate central Aurora & east Denver more closely. Tons of ethnic strip malls with Korean, Indian, Russian/Ukrainian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, & Mexican & central American restaurants and ethnic markets. And in west Denver (Federal Blvd) there's a boatload (sorry for the pun) of Vietnamese restaurants and tons of authentic Mexican restaurants. I agree that most of the city and state is pretty "white bread" (especially Colorado Springs, Douglas County, most of the suburbs in general) but there's definitely pockets of diversity in Denver that resemble parts of LA.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Next time you're in Colorado you should investigate central Aurora & east Denver more closely. Tons of ethnic strip malls with Korean, Indian, Russian/Ukrainian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, & Mexican & central American restaurants and ethnic markets. And in west Denver (Federal Blvd) there's a boatload (sorry for the pun) of Vietnamese restaurants and tons of authentic Mexican restaurants. I agree that most of the city and state is pretty "white bread" (especially Colorado Springs, Douglas County, most of the suburbs in general) but there's definitely pockets of diversity in Denver that resemble parts of LA.

Yeah, there are definately pockets. You just have to drive a lot further to get to them or live nearer to the inner city of Denver.

We lived in CS and it was definately "white bread" all the way. Yeah there was a Mexican joint here or there but nothing like CA. And it is a real hassle driving all over kingdom come just to find some decent food at times. Don't even try to find good Asian food. But hey, there are other perks to balance things out. I did get tired off seeing so many diner, roadhouse BBQ ribs type places however - boring. We really missed Trader Joes as well. Many CA transplants have been wanting TJs for years in CO. I think I heard TJ was finally considering it. It is all about the liquor laws being more restrictive.

[LoneStarJerry]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

The tolerance we have here for letting people 'do their own thing' can be isolating.

I'm not sure I agree. I mean I can appreciate neighbors knowing eachother and looking out for one another, etc. However, there are times when that sort of thing can get irritating and the neighbors can start to come across as just being nosy and getting into business that they shouldn't be.

I'm not saying it's always like this in places where people know their neighbors, but I just don't personally think it's isolating if it's not that way. I have my own life to live, I'm really not losing sleep if I'm not on a first name basis with the guy next door.