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A few questions for Southern California transplants living in CT:
1. How long have you lived in Ct? about 6 months
2. Where in Ct did you move to? Farmington Valley area
Where in So. Cal did you move from? San Diego (we lived there 3 years - not native Californians - originally from Western NY)
3. Are you glad you made the move? Yes
4. What do you miss about So Cal? my church, friends
What do you love about Ct? everything else
5. Is the commute into NY better or worse than you thought? don't commute to NY
6. What surprised you most about Ct or the move in general? how quickly it felt like home
7. What's the difference in raising your kids in So Cal vs Ct? they can play in the snow now, ride a school bus, but on the otherhand playdates are more difficult in a rural area
8. Do the costs balance out -- do basic living expenses (utilities, food, housing) cost the same/more/or less? generally less but obviously we spend a lot more to heat our house
9. How do the job markets compare to each other (ie. IT industry in So. Cal. vs IT industry in Ct)? n/a to us
10. Lastly, how ya handling the weather differences? Having all 4 seasons, is it better than you thought or worse than you thought? love it but ready for spring! - keep in mind we only lived in So Cal for 3 years and we are used to 4 seasons. We have friends that moved to VA from San Diego and they think VA is too cold, then they see pictures of our snow and cold temps and don't even know how we survive.
A few questions for Southern California transplants living in CT:
1. How long have you lived in Ct?
2. Where in Ct did you move to? Where in So. Cal did you move from?
3. Are you glad you made the move?
4. What do you miss about So Cal? What do you love about Ct?
5. Is the commute into NY better or worse than you thought?
6. What surprised you most about Ct or the move in general?
7. What's the difference in raising your kids in So Cal vs Ct?
8. Do the costs balance out -- do basic living expenses (utilities, food, housing) cost the same/more/or less?
9. How do the job markets compare to each other (ie. IT industry in So. Cal. vs IT industry in Ct)?
10. Lastly, how ya handling the weather differences? Having all 4 seasons, is it better than you thought or worse than you thought?
Thanks to anyone who answers! Just wanted to see how Ex-Californians enjoy beautiful and historic Ct!
I lived in CA for a little bit but I'm not FROM there. I resided in Santa Barbara for 7 months and LA for about 5. I will do my best to answer your Qs.
1. A year
2. LA/SB area, and I lived in Greenwich (way too pretentious) and now reside in one of CT's only middle class towns, Hamden
3. Aside from some elitism, I like CT. A pretty well rounded place to live. Again, there is a lot of New England elitism here. Many people who live within 90 min to NYC want to make you think it's some far off dirty-land where they can visit on occasion and say "I'd NEVER live here." Even the CT news stations are indifferent when it comes to NYC. I guess it's territorialism that does this. Must be a NE thing.
4. I miss the SoCal weather. I love how people in CT are far more educated as a whole than the rest of the country. Also I noticed many people here resemble Europeans (similar to the Swiss, in my opinion). Not very laid back but cordial most of the time. People in CT hate to "rock the boat" and are a little aloof.
5. It depends on where you are commuting from. If you are in Greenwich/Stamford then the commute is less than 1 hr by train. But also the cost of living there is prohivitive, prob. more expensive than most of Southern CA or about on par with Newport Beach and the like.
6. I was taken back by the aloofness. Its not that people here are mean, because they are not (well, most) but they are just aloof. That's the only word I can come up with to accurately describe them.
7. CT is a far better place to raise kids. A lot more money in the suburbs here but much better schools. You dont hear people complain about spending a huge part of town budgets on education. In CA the schools are subpar at best in comparison to most school districts here from what I noticed.
8. Depends where you live. If it's in Fairfield Co then you're looking at similar in cost or probably higher than CA. If anywhere else, it's about the same or a little less. The more east you go in CT the cheaper it gets. Hartford area is very affordable and some nice towns are up there like Rocky Hill and West Hartford.
9. There are more jobs in CT I think, lots of corporations in the state and easy commuting to NYC for any job you could really want. It's prob similar to Silicon Valley in that respect, maybe to a lesser degree though.
10. Four seasons so far are great. It's actually pretty neat if you can deal with a few days of subzero temps in the winter. It only lasts a few days though. The snow is fun! People here actually know how to DRIVE in it compared to Seattle.
CT has some of the neatest little towns I've ever seen and I have traveled extensively. My favorites are Essex and Old Saybrook, they are really STUNNING. Think GIlmore Girls. But the cities in CT are very crime ridden and poor, like Bridgeport, Hartford and part of New Haven. They are similar to Compton and Inglewood.
Im sure the CT people will not like me for my opinion but so be it. Anymore Qs just ask!!!
Hi! I can't answer all your questions because a lot of them don't apply to me. I lived for 5 years in Carlsbad and 4 years in Oceanside while we were stationed out there. I LOVED living out there. I am originally from CT and have recently moved back a year and a half ago after 20 years away. No commuting for my family here, however, I95 traffic (3 lanes) or the Merritt (2 lanes) is worse than I5, I15 traffic any day. Although, I love 4 seasons here, there is nothing like having your kids be able to play outside all year long. There is a lot more for the kids to do in So Cal. We had season passes to Sea World, Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, Legoland, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Knotts. All were within an hour or less from home. We took the kids sledding, snow tubing up at Big Bear Mtn when we needed our snow fix. We don't live in a beach town here and I miss the walks along the boardwalks and the ocean. Our local beaches here are rocky and require "beach shoes" so the kids feet don't get cut! I live in Ffld County and the costs are comparable. Other parts of CT are cheaper and the cost of living would be less for you there. Where I live there is acre zoning and so you do get more land for your money in CT. We moved back here to be near family and for us that was very important. I don't miss the dry santa anas but the summer humidity will take you some getting used to. Oh, and I miss the "burrito" shacks on the side of the roads. I haven't found any comparable Mexican food on the East coast!
I miss the walks along the boardwalks and the ocean. Our local beaches here are rocky and require "beach shoes" so the kids feet don't get cut!
Just a side note. I’m not sure if you knew this or not…
In Connecticut the beaches get progressively better the further east you go. Although I’m sure there are some really nice beaches in Fairfield and New Haven Counties….they are significantly more rocky than eastern Connecticut beaches. Also, while people in Connecticut do use many beaches (Hammonasset in Madison especially) many people go to Rhode Island beaches. Most of the beaches in Rhode Island have decent waves, long flat stenches of sugar white sand, and in the summer/early fall…the water temperature is actually a bit warmer than off southern California in summer.
So if you looking for beaches with broad sand and not a rugged/rocky…you might want to check out eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. I spend a lot of time on/near beaches (surfing, fishing)…
Here is a picture of East Beach, Rhode Island I took last fall. On a summer morning, during mid week (not the weekend), this can be a pretty amazing place. It’s deserted, the water is 72 F, the air is 80 F, and when there’s a good south swell…it’s a good as it gets. In my opinion, once the crow departs in early October…this is one of the nicest beachs on the East Coast north of Maryland. The only rock you see is Block Island out in the Atlantic (lol).
That is beautiful! I'll have to remember that come summer. Is there public parking there? I have yet to take the kids to Misquamicut but went there years ago myself as a kid. Are they about the same or is one better? Also, how much further away is East Beach? Thanks for the info.
That is beautiful! I'll have to remember that come summer. Is there public parking there? I have yet to take the kids to Misquamicut but went there years ago myself as a kid. Are they about the same or is one better? Also, how much further away is East Beach? Thanks for the info.
Sorry to the OP about the topic diversion
You will have a ball with the kids at Watch Hill as well. It's not as "beachy" meaning less bars with thumping music pouring out and guys in speedo's and gold chains and more actual seaside community and beach type thing. More of a family atmosphere IMHO.
They have a victorianesque "downtown" near the beach but with modern stores, restaurants, carousel etc
Watch Hill is a like a mini cape cod with great beach, sand dunes and all that. Plenty of public parking and not huge crowds. (Shhh don't tell anyone!)
Oh and it's closer then other points as it's just over the border in Southern Westerly.
Wow, thanks for the info! I will definately check it out this summer. JV, ok maybe not so much lurking. Glad I didn't - look what I discovered! Thanks!
To the OP if you move here - remember these beaches!
The best thing about living in CT is that you can visit 3 states in a day - CT, RI and MA! You can't do that living in CA.
The roads are funny since they are not in a grid. You could hit Oakwood Avenue South to the right of you but Oakwood Avenue North is a quarter of a mile up the road to your left. People gave directions like this - you go under the bridge till you see the Dairy Queen on your left. In CA, you give directions a la Thomas Guide, so you give major cross-streets and then the corner - NE/NW/SE/SW.
Freeway exits sometimes are just numbers with no actual exit names. There will be towns with 5 exits from the freeway. And oh BTW there are left exits! You call the freeways by their interstate names I-84, I-91, Rte 6, Rte 4...not Santa Ana Freeway, Pomona Freeway, San Bernardino Fwy...
You can be entering a major highway from a dead-stop...think Berlin Tpke! From the stop, look very far to your left, and then you PUNCH it, otherwise, you'll be there till the cows come home!
You don't have to travel 5 hours from LA to Vegas. There are 2 casinos you can reach in under 2 hours!
There are NO Christmas Tree Shops in CA. You definitely have to try this experience. You'll be hooked in no time!
ETA: Have to add this: Only in CT... Farmington Avenue is in Hartford and West Hartford, not in Farmington; Newington Rd. is in West Hartford not in Newington; Simsbury Rd is in Avon, not in Simsbury...you get the picture!
Last edited by BagongBuhay; 02-12-2009 at 08:09 PM..
That is beautiful! I'll have to remember that come summer. Is there public parking there? I have yet to take the kids to Misquamicut but went there years ago myself as a kid. Are they about the same or is one better? Also, how much further away is East Beach? Thanks for the info.
Sorry to the OP about the topic diversion
East Beach is about 15 minutes from Westerly. There is an unpaved road that leads to a paved parking area for about 60 cars. It’s not big, that’s why I say weekdays (try to get there early) are much better than weekends. There are bathrooms, but East Beach is part of a State Park… so is just beach, sand, sun , and windswept solitude. Another thing, I found strange….the water is very clear, almost like Florida. Someone mentioned it has to do with the light-colder sediment, but I don’t know.
JV is right Watch Hill is very nice as well. The shops, there is a nice stroll around the center, the boats, and the houses are something to see. Misquamicut is not bad too, there of course is a lot more action over there, and draws a younger crowd. Weekdays can be better there when the crowds are smaller.
An interesting side note, and a bit of history…the first picture (of those three great pictures)…is Napatree Point . There were more than 100 cottages, a small hotel, and even a dance hall on that narrow island at one time. The 1938 Hurricane swept everything (including 60 people) on the island out to sea.
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You call the freeways by their interstate names I-84, I-91, Rte 6, Rte 4...not Santa Ana Freeway, Pomona Freeway, San Bernardino Fwy...
