Any SoCal transplants or returners? (Boston, Springfield: sales, construction, magnet school)

[mdovell]

Well just like not like everyone in the northeast cares about academia. Someone in Brockton doesn't care about Williams college, someone in Pittsfield could care less about Harvard and someone in p town could care less about either.

The northeast generally just has snow. There not much for fires, no real earthquakes (I was in DC in 2011 so yes I do know what a real one feels like), no dust storms, some flooding but hurricanes have at least a half week notice. Snow I think is getting worse. If you can't deal with snow you can't really be here year round.

I don't think bad things about CA but maybe it's just too big as a state with too many differences to be effective. Prop 13 is and still is controversial. A flat income tax isn't a bad etc

[5pyg1a55]

Originally Posted by stuckbetween

I think I’m near the area you used to live. Not quite so charming though when we have more kids than space, have (safe I guess, predictable) homeless neighbors, have to drive for any green space for the kids, and the La Cienega traffic means 10 minutes to go 2 blocks in any direction, applied my kids to 17 different schools to find an OK kindergarten...etc. There are some parts of Culver City though where the melting pot of kids is utopian, if there were anywhere affordable and less gridlocked to live.

Indeed, I lived near the corner of Olympic and La Cienega, near La Cienega Park.

The traffic has gotten mad, especially since the city has been trying to randomly install bike lanes, particularly down Venice, creating chokeholds during rush hour. La Cienega has become a mess-- the new subway down Wilshire makes it worse. I get the want to leave. 10 years ago you could get from BH to Santa Monica in 15 minutes. Now it can take nearly an hour in traffic.

[5pyg1a55]

Originally Posted by stuckbetween

I think I’m near the area you used to live. Not quite so charming though when we have more kids than space, have (safe I guess, predictable) homeless neighbors, have to drive for any green space for the kids, and the La Cienega traffic means 10 minutes to go 2 blocks in any direction, applied my kids to 17 different schools to find an OK kindergarten...etc. There are some parts of Culver City though where the melting pot of kids is utopian, if there were anywhere affordable and less gridlocked to live.

Barring private school... there's other good options nearby if they are in your budget. Kids definitely make things more complex. It might be a good idea to consider San Diego, or some of the more family-friendly LA areas. Boston, New England in general, will be miserable. <3

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by stuckbetween

Ok then I guess I should say you have been consistent!

Have you spent much time living in SoCal? Which parts do you find to have the best QOL for families ?

Spent 2 days in SoCal that’s it. I was in Sherman Oaks. But if I were from there I couldn’t be convinced to move for MA unless for a much higher paying job. And I like MA. It’s just a tiresome life. Just living in moderately warmer Maryland is less stressful because is the lack of snow and cold.

I don’t miss my toes and finger stinging form the cold, moist smelly clothes, layering up ad infinitum and breakbacking show shoveling. I quite Literally physically feel better and that alone is enough for me. More free time and mobility in the winter too. In MA winter is hibernation time.

MA really isn’t the most family friendly state-not even for New England. That’d be NH or CT.

[stuckbetween]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

MA really isn’t the most family friendly state-not even for New England. That’d be NH or CT.

Interesting, why do you say that?

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by stuckbetween

Interesting, why do you say that?

Much more affordable homes (but higher property taxes). The invest much less into cities and urban renewal (not always a good thing). Connecticut has even stronger local control than MA and a higher percentage of young children. New Hampshire as well. CT also has magnet schools. Those two states are more affordable, less dense and are more suburban by nature. CT towns are not well manicured than MA in part because the cities are less well maintained. NH is the safer state in the country. Very Similar incomes and school quality to MA.

Massachusetts by being Boston driven focuses a lot more of it’s attentions on urban revitalization, culture, amenities and assimilating immigrants. It’s just relies in its urban areas more. MA has very nice suburban areas but they just require very high incomes to access IMO.

Me personally I don’t like NH because the diversity is minimal. CT is a bit more racially diverse but less Asian than MA.

[CALGUY]

Great replies from all.

Born in Massachusetts, I stayed until I reached 26.
By that time , the cold winters kept telling me, I gottta get out of here.
What finally told me it was time to leave was one very big snowstorm.
It was 1967, I lived in Boston, on Beacon street, one block from the public garden.
There was an alleyway in the back of the building where I parked my car.
Shoveled out the drive so I could leave to go shopping.
Went in the house to grab a quick cup of coffee, and be on my way.
Came back out, and the snow plow had buried all the shoveling I had just done, and now there were about three feet of snow in the entrance to my driveway.
That was it.
Three days later, I was laying on the beach in Hollywood Florida, and never looked back.


After a few years in Florida, some friends I had in Los Angeles convinced me to move to SoCal.
That was 1970, And only once (because family lived there) did I ever visit Massachusetts again.
There is absolutely nothing that would ever make me want to consider living in New England again.

As for people in SoCal, I don't see all the bad qualities that many say we SoCal people have.
Californians are a different sort of people, and most who move here, have a hard time adjusting to them.
I fine them to be somewhat independent, and sometimes standoffish at times,, but live here long enough, and one get's use to it.

Being raised in the northeast, I had a fantastic childhood, live in a very small town, where everyone knew each other, and those memories will stay with me, but SoCal has been my home for 50 years, and Massachusetts is a memory, but a distant one.

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by CALGUY

It was 1967, I lived in Boston, on Beacon street, one block from the public garden.

Oh man. Were you in the city when the Strangler was on the loose?

[stuckerbetween]

My preference would be San Diego, but can probably make Boston work if I needed to.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

...

Me personally I don’t like NH because the diversity is minimal. CT is a bit more racially diverse but less Asian than MA.

A long-time Boston friend (activist, musician, educator) now lives in Nashua, working as career counselor/teacher online for refugees in welfare-to-work program. She says Nashua is very diverse and working hard to make itself a liveable and good place for all to live, including families. She knows the arts community there well and many friends have moved there to take part and to have affordable housing.