Where to move in California? (San Diego, San Jose: find a job, living in, price)

[daandman]

I'm living in Toronto, Canada right now & am interested in moving to California, just not sure where exactly.

- I like a big, fast-paced city. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, New York is my perfect city if only it were warmer - one of the reasons I want to get out of Canada in the first place.
- I'm ok with a suburban area so long as it's not too far or difficult to get to the more downtowny areas.
- I'd like someplace safe (meaning not a ghetto, essentially) & not TOO expensive.
- And I'm not saying people in LA are actually like this, but the stereotypical LA crowd - i.e. the Ed Hardy type - aren't the kind of people I want to be surrounded by.

Any suggestions?

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by daandman

- And I acknowledge this is a completely stereotypical comment which may not have any truth to it, but the stereotypical LA crowd - i.e. the Ed Hardy type - aren't the kind of people I want to be surrounded by.

Lesson 1: How to ensure snarky responses to your questions with your first post.

[daandman]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Lesson 1: How to ensure snarky responses to your questions with your first post.

Well that's why I pointed out that I know it's a stereotype, I didn't come out & say that everybody in LA is like that.

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by daandman

I'm living in Toronto, Canada right now & am interested in moving to California, just not sure where exactly.

- I like a big, fast-paced city. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, New York is my perfect city if only it were warmer - one of the reasons I want to get out of Canada in the first place.

I don't think there are any other cities in the states that would be comparable to NYC but the closest city in California would be San Fran, although it's fairly cool (which isn't to say that it's cold, necessarily).

- I'm ok with a suburban area so long as it's not too far or difficult to get to the more downtowny areas.
- I'd like someplace safe (meaning not a ghetto, essentially) & not TOO expensive.

Then probably somewhere in L.A. county.

- And I'm not saying people in LA are actually like this, but the stereotypical LA crowd - i.e. the Ed Hardy type - aren't the kind of people I want to be surrounded by.

Then don't surround yourself with those types. Over 9mil people reside in L.A. county, hard to believe most would fit that type, don't know where you got that assessment.

[Snort]

How about the Laurel and Hardy type?

[West of Encino]

Maybe Long Beach or San Diego.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Why California if you don't even know which city? Can't any of that be found in a dozen or so cities in the southern part of the US?

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by daandman

I'm living in Toronto, Canada right now & am interested in moving to California, just not sure where exactly.

- I like a big, fast-paced city. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, New York is my perfect city if only it were warmer - one of the reasons I want to get out of Canada in the first place.
- I'm ok with a suburban area so long as it's not too far or difficult to get to the more downtowny areas.
- I'd like someplace safe (meaning not a ghetto, essentially) & not TOO expensive.
- And I'm not saying people in LA are actually like this, but the stereotypical LA crowd - i.e. the Ed Hardy type - aren't the kind of people I want to be surrounded by.

Any suggestions?

You're needs are contradictory. Big/fast paced yet suburban?

Safe yet affordable? Isn't that what EVERYONE is looking for? Not possible.

You won't find a big city that's like NYC yet affordable and safe. San Francisco might fit the bill, but is not affordable for most..oh, and not that warm either.

There are a few big cities in California...LA, San Francisco, and San Diego. Maybe Oakland and maybe San Jose. Everything else is pretty suburban/exurban. Jobs are not going to the person w/o citizenship/green card either. I know this because my husband does the hiring for his company and can't get a Canadian a face to face interview with the added cost/trouble of getting a non-citizen in this economy a job over an American with same qualifications.. (at least in his field)

Your details are lacking. Price and job are the missing links to this post! Job first, then price point, then "ideal" location third.

[MattClyde]

I think you would like San Francisco the most but you will have to "cough up the dough". LA is sprawled so it isn't a big/fast city, more of a bloated mass of cars. San Diego is...nice :P but not much of an exciting big city life compared to SF. San Jose is just a giant gathering of suburban communities.

One city you may like is Oakland, it is close to SF and it might be a little less expensive, but not by that much.

[daandman]

Originally Posted by clongirl

You're needs are contradictory. Big/fast paced yet suburban?

I didn't say I prefer suburban, just that I would be open to it so long as it's not too far away from the action - it's not my ideal choice though. For example, Toronto is a big city & I'm living in the suburbs now, but I'm a 20 minute drive or subway ride from downtown.

Safe yet affordable? Isn't that what EVERYONE is looking for? Not possible.

Safe as in not overly dangerous. It doesn't need to be Utah, just your average city.

You won't find a big city that's like NYC yet affordable and safe. San Francisco might fit the bill, but is not affordable for most..oh, and not that warm either.

There are a few big cities in California...LA, San Francisco, and San Diego. Maybe Oakland and maybe San Jose. Everything else is pretty suburban/exurban. Jobs are not going to the person w/o citizenship/green card either. I know this because my husband does the hiring for his company and can't get a Canadian a face to face interview with the added cost/trouble of getting a non-citizen in this economy a job over an American with same qualifications.. (at least in his field)

Your details are lacking. Price and job are the missing links to this post! Job first, then price point, then "ideal" location third.

I'd rather pick where I want to live & try to find a job from there rather than the other way around. I admittedly don't know much about them, but I keep hearing San Diego & Oakland would be good options.