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In early January 2015 I will be moving to Cincinatti, Ohio for ~3 years for my job. I have a few questions regarding the Cincy and hope to also receive some comparison between Cincy and LA from members who have experience in both.
Bio
I am young blood... 22 years old, fresh graduate. I have lived in Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston (3 months), and have visited San Francisco. I do enjoy city night life very much and go to clubs, bars, or major events at least once a month. I also ride a motorcycle and love southern California for its year round rideability and lane splitting laws. I will have a company car as well.
Questions
Quote:
-If you have experience in both Cincinnati and Los Angeles, what are the most striking differences? Anything someone born & raised in southern California should look out for?
-I have only lived in college towns and suburbs. I am worried about the "age' of the city of Cincy. Will I be able to meet others 21-25 of age easily? What do young professionals do on weekends / for happy hour in Cincy?
-What fun stuff is there to do within 2 hours commute? I frequently drive between LA/SD and visit Las Vegas, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead pretty casually so driving a couple hours is no big deal.
-My salary will be $60k before taxes. Will Cincy be a comfortable place to live for a 22y/o with an average pay? Standard of living seems to be lower compared to LA where $60k is mediocre due to rent and cost of living. I hope to rent a studio once I move.
-How accommodating is Ohio for motorcycle riders? Weather, laws, parking, and driver aggression? What about the city of Cincinnati?
-Is there an abundance of business opportunity in Cincy? In LA and SD, finding relevant industry leaders to connect with or high net worth individuals only took networking, passion, and determination. Is Cincinnati similar? As it is a large business center.
-How burdensome is owning and driving a cart in Cincinnati? Will probably use it to commute to and from work.
-Firearm laws? Compared to California I am sure I will be nothing but happy.
-How is the diversity of Cincy? This is actually pretty important to me. I am Taiwanese and love cooking/eating Asian food. I saw that the price of rice in Cincy was way higher than in LA and my heart sank a little. I also have a special place in my heart for Mexican, Southern, and Middle Eastern food.
Well that is all I could think of for now. Feel free to pick and choose whichever questions are most relevant to your knowledge. This is my first time moving out of state for a long-term basis so I am eager to learn about the city! Thanks for reading and I really appreciate any responses and general tips.
Last edited by frankhuang92; 10-19-2014 at 10:12 AM..
Where is you current location and environment? La Jolla, San Diego. Suburban college town. 10 minutes from the beach, 20 minutes from bars/pubs, 25 minutes from downtown SD. Are you looking for similar in Cincinnati or a change? I can adjust very easily and am very independent. I do not mind living in a completely new environment. I do not expect the same type of nightlife as Los Angeles, CA or even San Diego. It would be nice to have similar options from back home but not a deal breaker and not something I would lose sleep over. I find many things entertaining as long as its done with the right people. The one thing I hope is similar is a community of young professionals and academics.
Where will your work location be? Downtown, somewhere near Broadway and 6th St. Maximum commute time desired? <45 minutes including traffic is preferred.
Rent or buy? Rent Type (Apt., Condo, Single Family) Apartment or condo, either works Size (Approx. Sq. Ft., # Bedrooms & Baths) Minimum of 500 sq. ft. and one full bath. Studio is fine. Would prefer a resident garage parking structure for motorcycle over street parking.
Neighborhood environment?
Urban, young professional, nightlife? Young professional, nightlife, urban (ranked in order of importance) Modern, 15 yrs old or less, move-in ready? Not necessary but good perks Diversity of income, race, housing? Diversity in all respects is a big plus Can tolerate some degree of crime potential? How Much? Yes. I lived in section 8 housing that was 2 blocks from a meth clinic in Boston. Have been mugged in LA before. Private neighborhood association, swimming & fitness facilities Not necessary but good perks
Community amenities? Daily needs within walking distance, shopping, restaurants, parks, etc. A bodega and 2-3 options for food is all I need within walking distance. Swimming, fitness center, running track, adult activities I prefer to workout in my own home but my office will have a fitness center so this is not important. Nearby fitness centers & clubs Not necessary.
Welcome to Cincy, OP! I'll try my best to answer these questions from your original post first.
-If you have experience in both Cincinnati and Los Angeles, what are the most striking differences? Anything someone born & raised in southern California should look out for?
Never been to LA, so I'm not the best to answer. Have a number of friends in college from LA though.
If you are a girl in particular, people will notice your "Valley Girl" accent. I'm sorry, but it will happen, whether or not you think you have one haha (Ohioans will start monitoring the number of times you say "like" haha). They don't mean any harm, people around here are genuinely fascinated by accents since we apparently "don't have one" (that's debatable). Otherwise, there are very obvious weather and scenery differences, fewer highways, and a lot lower prices.
-I have only lived in college towns and suburbs. I am worried about the "age' of the city of Cincy. Will I be able to meet others 21-25 of age easily? What do young professionals do on weekends / for happy hour in Cincy?
To put it simply, yes.
You'd probably want to move to 1) Clifton and do Craigslist, etc. to find a couple roommates or 2) move to OTR and get involved in the community. These two areas hold the majority of people in the age range you desire (Clifton is right by the University of Cincinnati, OTR is the center of "Yuppie" life in Cincy now). There are other pockets in Oakley, Mt. Adams, Northside, even across the river in Covington and Newport to some extent. But overall I'm betting you'd be happiest in Clifton or OTR given your background.
-What fun stuff is there to do within 2 hours commute? I frequently drive between LA/SD and visit Las Vegas, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead pretty casually so driving a couple hours is no big deal.
There's a lot! A 2-hr drive will put you in range of Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, Lexington, and Louisville, a number of nice state parks, a couple large theme parks, hilly/quasi-mountainous areas, traditional flatlands, excellent museums, and more. Swap out the surfing for canoeing/kayaking, and the mountain hikes for woodland hikes. If I knew a little more about your specific interests I could give you a couple places in particular you might like to go.
-My salary will be $60k before taxes. Will Cincy be a comfortable place to live for a 22y/o with an average pay? Standard of living seems to be lower compared to LA where $60k is mediocre due to rent and cost of living. I hope to rent a studio once I move.
Yes! You'll be doing well on $60k.
-How accommodating is Ohio for motorcycle riders? Weather, laws, parking, and driver aggression? What about the city of Cincinnati?
You'll probably have 3-4 months out of the year where you wouldn't want to ride your bike, but other than that Ohio is a pretty accommodating place for bikers. I will warn you though there's not a ton of younger people here with motorcycles, and those who have them are generally a lot more Appalachian in background. There are exceptions to every rule though, so best of luck! Other posters can probably comment more here.
-Is there an abundance of business opportunity in Cincy? In LA and SD, finding relevant industry leaders to connect with or high net worth individuals only took networking, passion, and determination. Is Cincinnati similar? As it is a large business center.
Yes! Cincinnati has a decent startup culture with the Brandery in OTR and some other groups. Also Cincinnati has a very large amount of wealthy people - take a look on Zillow around Indian Hill or Mt. Lookout to get an idea. So plenty of wealthy people out there you could meet and network with potentially - Cincy in a lot of ways is a very Old Money type of city. Actually, thinking about it, that's probably the best way to describe Cincy in general and is probably the biggest difference between it and LA overall... Cincy has a very old money type of vibe to it, at least in the wealthier parts. -How burdensome is owning and driving a cart in Cincinnati? Will probably use it to commute to and from work.
-Firearm laws? Compared to California I am sure I will be nothing but happy.
Again I'm not the best to comment (I have a proven track record on here of being anti-gun and anti-police brutality as well), but others will be able to comment. I know if you're all into concealed carry and all that you'll be really happy here. Just don't tell me (or anyone honestly) you have a gun on you or else I (and others) will probably avoid/report you. I don't like guns.
-How is the diversity of Cincy? This is actually pretty important to me. I am Taiwanese and love cooking/eating Asian food. I saw that the price of rice in Cincy was way higher than in LA and my heart sank a little. I also have a special place in my heart for Mexican, Southern, and Middle Eastern food.
You'll be disappointed. But don't worry, there are a number of cool little enclaves for all of these types of foods around Cincy - it'll just take some digging to find them. Again, other posters will be able to help out more than me.
Best of luck OP! I think you'll like it here, but keep in mind it's a whole different world than LA. Overall though, given your interests, I think you might actually be HAPPIER here than LA.
Hi OP, you're definitely going to be disappointed in the food here, both the take out and the grocery options. I've lived in LA (Los Feliz) before Cincinnati, and besides food, there is sometimes a struggle to get locals on board with outside the box ideas, so you may have to build your network and then launch your ideas, not the other way around. The weather's also an obvious difference, but other things to get used to: an expectation of making eye contact with strangers (people from here will find this advice weird, but it's true, people will seem suspiciously friendly here and can get offended if you aren't friendly back) and the diversity is mostly confined to white/black dichotomy than the broader range you find in SoCal.
The city feels a lot smaller and more compact, and you are going to assume there's less going on here than there really is because of that. It takes a little while to actually discover the richness of culture that is in Cincy. It's still not as much as LA, but Cincinnati has a lot for a city this size. Also, this should go without saying, but your movie/film options are going to be severely limited in comparison to SoCal particularly if you're into quirky or art-house movies. Live theater is more accessible, however, if that's any consolation.
I'd second the suggestion of OTR first, but given your preference of a Bodega or grocer within walking distance, I would suggest Oakley or Northside ahead of Clifton as a second choice. Hyde Park and Mt Adams would eat your budget more rapidly but would also fit.
If you're friendly and outgoing, Cinti is a fun city for a 20 something year old...$60k will be plenty to have fun. Places to live: 1) OTR, 2) Mt Adams, 3) Clifton Gaslight.
After getting here, I wouldn't be shy about telling people you're coming from LA. It's a novelty and people will think it's cool---just don't overplay it, and don't talk about how much you're old home is so much better than your new home (that's plain old fashioned arrogance). Just be California cool.
As much as I frown upon people suggesting it every time someone is going to move here, OTR is probably your best choice. Mt Adams is another good choice, but I would try to avoid it since it would use up more of your budget.
Wow, thank you all for your responses. Definitely did not except such well thought out responses to my questions. The living location recommendations are especially helpful. Very much appreciated.
I will try to provide some more information as it seems I forgot to mention a few things. I am a straight male so I probably won't be called a Valley Girl haha but 30% of my Facebook friends would fit that profile... My hobbies and interests are very broad. I am very enthusiastic about digital photography, motorcycles, firearms, scotch, hip-hop, sneakers, men's fashion, and cooking. Those are what I would list as my hobbies. But of course new hobbies and interests will be gained as the environment exposes new engagements I have not encountered before. I was in Boy Scouts and received my Eagle and all of that so if I need to trade in my collectible sneakers, hip-hop venues, and marijuana prescription for a fishing rod and kayak, then so be it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OHKID
-Firearm laws? Compared to California I am sure I will be nothing but happy.
Again I'm not the best to comment (I have a proven track record on here of being anti-gun and anti-police brutality as well), but others will be able to comment. I know if you're all into concealed carry and all that you'll be really happy here. Just don't tell me (or anyone honestly) you have a gun on you or else I (and others) will probably avoid/report you. I don't like guns.
My family was nearly ruined financially during the LA Riots. The only thing that kept my parents out of the hospital was a handgun and fake rifle. Just two years ago I was mugged and had my head bashed in with a bottle and wench. I also shoot competitively *pew* pew*. Just a few reasons for my interest in firearms. But coming from a very anti-gun state, the respectful opinions of others are well heard by me, even if they are different than mine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RustBeltOptimist
Hi OP, you're definitely going to be disappointed in the food here, both the take out and the grocery options. I've lived in LA (Los Feliz) before Cincinnati, and besides food, there is sometimes a struggle to get locals on board with outside the box ideas, so you may have to build your network and then launch your ideas, not the other way around.
Can you elaborate a bit about the poor reception of outside of the box ideas? I am a guy who loves doing new things and challenging the status quo.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RustBeltOptimist
The weather's also an obvious difference, but other things to get used to: an expectation of making eye contact with strangers (people from here will find this advice weird, but it's true, people will seem suspiciously friendly here and can get offended if you aren't friendly back) and the diversity is mostly confined to white/black dichotomy than the broader range you find in SoCal.
So when you look around the general vibe is majority white people with some black people every now and then? I feel like once I move there I will wish I were a taller lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by westcoastbabe
Yikes!!!!!!!good luck with the culture shock!!!!
What makes you say that? I lived in Boston for three months and the culture shock was super mild.
As for the poor reception of outside the box thinking or new ideas, in California it seemed a lot easier to get people to both help and be enthused with new ideas, whereas here, they'll express enthusiasm but then become largely useless when it comes to actual support and you will usually find you'll have to do a lot of the heavy lifting yourself at first. They'll let you do new things and all the status quo challenging you want, and even express their support, they just won't actually join in as much.
In California there was always another crazy or two willing to jump into something new, and it was easier to get help. Here they'll mostly just watch from the sidelines as you do it.
Wow, thank you all for your responses. Definitely did not except such well thought out responses to my questions. The living location recommendations are especially helpful. Very much appreciated.
I will try to provide some more information as it seems I forgot to mention a few things. I am a straight male so I probably won't be called a Valley Girl haha but 30% of my Facebook friends would fit that profile... My hobbies and interests are very broad. I am very enthusiastic about digital photography, motorcycles, firearms, scotch, hip-hop, sneakers, men's fashion, and cooking. Those are what I would list as my hobbies. But of course new hobbies and interests will be gained as the environment exposes new engagements I have not encountered before. I was in Boy Scouts and received my Eagle and all of that so if I need to trade in my collectible sneakers, hip-hop venues, and marijuana prescription for a fishing rod and kayak, then so be it!
My family was nearly ruined financially during the LA Riots. The only thing that kept my parents out of the hospital was a handgun and fake rifle. Just two years ago I was mugged and had my head bashed in with a bottle and wench. I also shoot competitively *pew* pew*. Just a few reasons for my interest in firearms. But coming from a very anti-gun state, the respectful opinions of others are well heard by me, even if they are different than mine.
Can you elaborate a bit about the poor reception of outside of the box ideas? I am a guy who loves doing new things and challenging the status quo.
So when you look around the general vibe is majority white people with some black people every now and then? I feel like once I move there I will wish I were a taller lol
What makes you say that? I lived in Boston for three months and the culture shock was super mild.
Of course! Happy to help.
Re-reading over my post, I realized I forgot to answer this:
-How burdensome is owning and driving a cart in Cincinnati? Will probably use it to commute to and from work.
So sorry about that. Everyone else in Cincy drives a car, so you'll be fine. It won't be a burden at all.
Anyways, your interests are digital photography, motorcycles, firearms, scotch, hip-hop, sneakers, men's fashion, and cooking. Good list haha. Here's a couple things you might like for each (warning - I'm based out of Dayton, so more of these than average might be towards the northern Cincy suburbs or around Dayton):
- Photography - There are a number of places in and around Cincy city limits that are excellent for photography if you're into photographing cityscapes. If you're looking for a photography community in Cincy, try this site: UrbanOhio.com Forum Cincy is a very photogenic place. Otherwise, if you are more into nature photography, there are a number of very nice parks in KY that would maybe be more picturesque because they are hillier and more wooded.
- Firearms - I can't think of anyplace better to check out than Frazier History Museum with a couple of other gun and history minded friends. It's an excellent museum, entirely dedicated to guns. Old guns, new guns, big guns, small guns. As for places to shoot, I'm not so sure. If you are into military stuff, check out the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton (birthplace of Aviation) at Wright-Patt AFB. Their web page is dismal (like most all government web pages) so instead I'll refer you to the Wikipedia page for better info: National Museum of the United States Air Force - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Scotch - how do you feel about Bourbon? The reason why I ask is because you're about 1.5-2 hours north of Bourbon Contry, which includes all of the big distilleries like Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, etc. If I understand correctly, Bourbon country is a popular biker destination, so there's probably a group out there that will bike down and experience the spirits. In Cincy, I'm sure there's a good scotch bar probably somewhere in OTR, but others would know more.
- Hip-Hop - I'm big into Hip-Hop myself (I'm more for the newer age stuff though, like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Schoolboy Q, Drake, etc.) and honestly I can say there isn't much of a scene that I'm aware of at least. The best hip hop bar in the area, honestly, was in a shopping center in Huber Heights, and it pulled some major acts like Future and 2Chainz as recently as late 2013. Unfortunately, too many people were murdered there so they had to shut it down. But there is a very cool scene in Yellow Springs you might like to check out (prob. the best place I can think of for hip-hop right now). To give you an idea, Yellow Springs is where Dave Chapelle went once he decided to leave his contract, and he still lives there. Heck, I have friends who've played pick-up games with him and stuff haha. So yeah, between him, Peach's Grill (a decent biker bar), and the beauty of the Little Miami River valley around there, Yellow Springs would definitely be a good place to check out.
- Sneakers / Men's fashion - OTR is hipster central in Cincy, so that's about all I can say there. As for me, I don't know a ton about men's fashion, but I'm assuming my New Balances and light-colored Levi's would get heavily ridiculed there haha. If you want preppy, take a trip up to my neck of the woods, Oxford.
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