Would you ever leave LA to live in the Midwest? (universities, shop)

[DinsdalePirahna]

I moved to the Saint Louis Metro area (Missouri) from LA/OC in 2008. I just hated it there and moved back to Orange County in the Spring of 2010.

The upside I was able to buy a Lake Front House in Lake Saint Louis for 225K/ The downside is that I was in Missouri. I missed the Beach, the Mountains the People of California.

But Ohio is VERY different than Missouri. There are shoreline communities along lake area that will make you feel right at home. Cleveland has a pretty decent Indie Music Scene. The sports scene isn't to bad either. Plus in Ohio, you can make it to almost any East Coast City within a days drive.

[djsmps]

I left LA in 2003 and moved to the midwest. Why? I had lost my job and jobs were scarce in my industry then. I decided to take advantage of the fact that my house had increased in price. A high school friend suggested checking out the midwest again. It didn't bother me. So I sold my house in LA and paid cash for a house here. Then, I started doing consulting work out of my house here. None of the work was for local companies. At one point, on a consulting job I lived in LA again for 5 months, but then came back here. The consulting paid as much as my old job had in LA, but my expenses were much less here.

The downside is I've had no work for 18 months, with the recession being a huge factor. I'm stuck here with my house and the local job market is terrible. If I was in LA , I might have a better chance at a job. In the end, though, I'm glad I made this move.

[WSMC]

I didn't read all the replies and I'm going to make a few assumptions.

You don't sound like somebody who would be happy in Ohio. You also (from your first post only) don't sound like you're all that into the relationship that you're giving up what sounds like a perfectly good life for.

You may want to get out of LA and I can sympathize. You may be sick of dating in LA and I can understand that as well. But your first post reads to me, a perfect stranger, like you want to be talked into believing that Ohio is going to be okay.

Last year, one of my better friends got a girl from Ohio pregnant. Twins. She insisted that she wanted to move back to be with her family. His job is flexible so begrudgingly, he agreed. They made it for one entire week until SHE couldn't take it anymore and made him move right back to LA.

And she's got a lot more Ohio in her than you do!

Best of luck,

-R.

[lemur_lass]

As a Miami (FL) native and NorCal supplant that recently moved to Cleveland for a job, I can tell you that Clevelanders are super down on this town. Barely anyone can understand why someone would move from the sunny states of FL and CA to OH. BUT, none of them have ever lived anywhere else to compare. I can tell you that the outdoors are gorgeous out here. The parks are numerous with great services. I have even been wine tasting and to awesome beer breweries. OK, the wine is nothing like Napa, Sonoma, or even Amador county wines. But it is fun nonetheless. I have been apple and grape picking too. And if you like Snow sports, there are trails for skiing. It isn't Tahoe or anything, but its there if you want it.

Also, people here are very nice and cordial and FAR FROM LA FAKENESS. They can't drive, but they aren't as bad as LA drivers. There is a ton of cultural diversity here too. I really missed that in NorCal. Great restaurants, museums, and orchestra and affordable to boot. So far, I really like all it has to offer. I just hate the ****ty attitudes that everyone has about their town.

[US-Traveller]

I moved to Los Angeles from the Bay Area, and I left Los Angeles for the Chicago area, where I presently live after moving back from living abroad for a while. The Midwest is a hidden gem and an often overlooked region. Many areas, particular the upper Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) offer some of the most scenic vistas in the country. The Great Lakes are like oceans. In my opinion the two nicest cities, especially for urbanites are Minneapolis and Chicago, but Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Grand Rapids all offer fantastic opportunities. Ohio is one of the better all around states because of the number of large cities, certain Midwest states like Illinois are just once city states, and that can be a bit boring if you are looking to travel in state, but Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin are very close.

[415_s2k]

I lived in LA for five years, moved up to the Bay Area for one, then lost my job with the economy and had to move to Seattle since I had family up there whom I could stay with while things got stable. This coincided with one of my best friends moving there from LA to attend the UW, so we opted to move in together. Now, Washington obviously isn't the midwest, but it's certainly way closer than the greater LA/SF areas.

So, I got there and spent a couple months in Edmonds, a more suburban area north of Seattle, while looking for work and an apartment. I ended up finding work; my friend moved up there; we found an apartment after a few weeks. For the first few months, I enjoyed it; or, more accurately, I really tried to enjoy it. I'm hardly a partier, but the nightlife was nothing compared to what I was used to. People weren't as social and outgoing, and I quickly learned that my Californian behaviours were unwelcomed and unappreciated: by LA standards I'm a quiet, mellow, chill dude... by Seattle standards, I was a loud, overbearing, aggressive prick.

I lived in North Seattle, which is more suburban. Quite a departure from living in Venice, where I could walk to the boardwalk in 5 minutes and was near the intersection of Abbott Kinney and Main St. Hell, even when I lived near Edgemont & Beverly in Koreatown, there was more stuff going on. I could walk for ten minutes and pass by five taquerias and five korean BBQ places, a few pool halls, some bars... now, I walked outside to get to the 7-11, and I got to walk past a bunch of houses and yards.

Now, I'm not denigrating this sort of environment. When I have kids someday, I'd rather raise them in an environment like that. But for a mid-20's single guy, it was torturous. Going to the "hip" areas downtown wasn't much better - I just felt like after living in LA, the place had no pulse. Things closed early. The people were more introverted. I just couldn't get with the pace of life there.

I spent much of my time saving, planning, scheming, and plotting my return to CA. Whether I moved back to LA or SF was contingent on my finding work and housing; I found housing in SF, and work in LA. I had to go with the latter because I needed a roof over my head. I love it up here, but all told, someday I'll probably move back down there.

After having lived and loved LA for as long as I did, I don't think I'll ever be able to consider an area Ohio without taking a big hit to my sense of fun.

[nickdahammer]

'LA Fakeness'- we Angelenos are pretty 'to the point' if you ask me. Especially in this forum. I guess that stereotype will never die.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by bellabella80

I'm doing obsessive research of Ohio trying to find SOMETHING like home so I won't feel so out of place.

I wouldn't call someone crazy just for leaving LA for Ohio -- HOWEVER if you have to force yourself to look for something you think is worthwhile about Ohio, then that sends up a red flag that you won't like it.

[BacktoBlue]

Hell no I would never do that!

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by nickdahammer

'LA Fakeness'- we Angelenos are pretty 'to the point' if you ask me. Especially in this forum. I guess that stereotype will never die.

You can always tell who the people are who've never lived here... they keep recycling that same, tired LA FAKENESS **** that they learned all about from TV and movies.