Comparing Northern Virginia to Southern California (Arlington, Alexandria: how much, house, job market)

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Wow, I feel completely the opposite. Nowhere in NoVA is as hideous as the IE. So Cal is loaded with subdivisions of ticky tack stucco houses on postage stamp size lots. Almost all the trees there are planted as it's naturally a desert. I'll also take humidity over smog. If there were a river like the Potomac there, it would be overrun with recreational boaters. Here I can go out canoeing and it's pleasantly quiet and uncrowded. Southern California is only good along about a 20 mile wide coastal strip. The rest is a pit.

I've only been to SoCal once in my life and that was for about 2 weeks. I spent my time in Pomona, Clairmont, San Bernardino. While some parts were pretty, I was struck by the run-down look of many areas. No lawns, lots of "brown" and, yes, those ugly, stucco houses. I'm sure there are prettier areas, but I didn't see that many. I do agree that the proximity to the beach and the mountains often gives way to a pretty backdrop. But I also think that whatever/wherever you call "home" is pretty to you and you don't always see it through an objective lens.

Of the several people I have known from So Cal, whereever it seems they may move to, they are smacked with a HUGE culture shock--more so than any other transplants and I'm not really sure why that is. Even when I was overseas and we'd get folks from there, they had such a hard time adjusting to the newer climate and topography.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by irvine

... and LA's got Farrell's, Shakey's and Bobs Big Boy. There are few things better than the hot fudge cake at Bobs.

Plus they have real Mexican food instead of the Salvadorean stuff we have here masquerading as such.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

You won't find good Mexican food, but you'll find plenty of Peruvian, Bolivian, and Salvadorian restaurants.

As a native Texan who grew up on what we all called Mexican food, I beg to differ. I've had really good Tex-Mex here. Guapo's, La Union, and others. Is it authentic cuisine from the Interior or the Yucatan? Nah, but it's tasty. It may be Salvadorans doing the cooking, but chicken enchiladas are Mexican.

When I think of SoCal, I think of all the guys looking like Guy Fieri and saying things like "brah" and "rad."

Of course, they probably picture all of us as wearing short-sleeved dress shirts and pantsuits.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

I've only been to SoCal once in my life and that was for about 2 weeks. I spent my time in Pomona, Clairmont, San Bernardino. While some parts were pretty, I was struck by the run-down look of many areas. No lawns, lots of "brown" and, yes, those ugly, stucco houses. I'm sure there are prettier areas, but I didn't see that many. I do agree that the proximity to the beach and the mountains often gives way to a pretty backdrop. But I also think that whatever/wherever you call "home" is pretty to you and you don't always see it through an objective lens.

Of the several people I have known from So Cal, whereever it seems they may move to, they are smacked with a HUGE culture shock--more so than any other transplants and I'm not really sure why that is. Even when I was overseas and we'd get folks from there, they had such a hard time adjusting to the newer climate and topography.

I was born in San Bernardino county as was my dad. We go back there about 100 years to my great great great grandparents. When I was 9 my parents moved us to a beach community that's now part of Dana Point. I'll be forever thankful for that. As a small child in inland So Cal I remember it actually hurting to breathe at the end of a day playing outdoors. I can't imagine subjecting my kids to that. On the other hand, Northern Virginia is a great place to raise children.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

As a native Texan who grew up on what we all called Mexican food, I beg to differ. I've had really good Tex-Mex here. Guapo's, La Union, and others. Is it authentic cuisine from the Interior or the Yucatan? Nah, but it's tasty. It may be Salvadorans doing the cooking, but chicken enchiladas are Mexican.

But you won't find much Cal-Mex here in NoVA. That's a different animal although believe it or not Chipotle comes close.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

But you won't find much Cal-Mex here in NoVA. That's a different animal although believe it or not Chipotle comes close.

How about Baja Fresh? Fish tacos gotta be Cal-Mex--'cause they sure ain't Tex-Mex. You would be laughed at in most of Texas if you asked for those. (They probably eat them in Austin.)

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by OrangeFish

I echo this (including I have never lived in So Cal -- but I do live in Fairfax County). All the folks on our street (cul-de-sac) know each other and help one another. Just this week a dog was hit by a car on a major nearby road and an eyewitness saw the dog run off to one of the side streets. The neighbors told one another and we had 20+ people walking through the neighborhood trying to locate the dog. (Yes, we did find the dog and got the vet.) I knocked on my neighbors' doors asking for help and there were no "who in the world are you?" comments, even at 8:30 p.m.

Wonderful story!

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

Of the several people I have known from So Cal, whereever it seems they may move to, they are smacked with a HUGE culture shock--more so than any other transplants and I'm not really sure why that is. Even when I was overseas and we'd get folks from there, they had such a hard time adjusting to the newer climate and topography.

When I have visited So Cal, I remember the weather being about the best I've ever encountered (except Hawaii). Sooooo pleasant! So I would think that those who must leave So Cal would probably be disappointed by worse weather just about anywhere they went and that probably is a big part of the culture shock.

In general, I think our weather is a bit above average compared to most of the rest of the country. For example, summers are only slightly warmer and maybe no more humid than most of the Midwest. It is much milder, and sunnier, in the winter. Our springs and falls and often beautiful and pleasant. We do get some hard rain and sometimes severe weather from the nor'easters and hurricanes that don't happen in the Midwest, but tornadoes and snowstorms are usually less severe here. Midwestern winters in many places (it's a big area, so I can't be too general) are cold and very gray and gloomy. The south can be overwhelmingly hot and humid and with more and bigger bugs! Seattle is beautiful and residents say the summers are very pleasant and sunny, but the rest of the year seems to be overcast a lot.

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by Candicem

I moved here a year and a half ago from south OC. It's a HUGE culture shock to me and I'm still adjusting. Summer has been miserable for me. Way too hot and humid. Lots of mosquitos and bugs everywhere. There are also wasps everywhere here and I don't remember seeing them very much in CA. I haven't seen any big swarms of bee's here though like they are in CA. Spring, fall and winter though are beautiful!
People are very busy here. I don't get that laid back, go with the flow, spur of the moment feeling with people here. Everyone is very formal and not very friendly. I have met a few nice people (not everyone is rude), but I'd say a lot of people are. They might not mean to be but that's just my opinion on that. I was a stay at home mom up until now (my youngest is starting K this year so I am working part time during school hours now), but I was always looked down upon for not working a full time schedule. I am also a part time professional photographer and people here just do not see that as a job. People here are very much into making money and going to work and they just don't have time to be friends with other people.
Traffic is also terrible! What should take 5 minutes to drive somewhere that is only 5 miles down the street can take up to 30-40 minutes.
But as much as I don't like it here, my husband kids love it. So, I am doing my best to not give up and still try to make friends and be happy. I am on the PTO of my kids school, if I'm invited to do something I will do my best to make sure I can go. I have set goals that I would like to meet in the next year and I am working on making those goals happen. I'm trying to make friends and keep myself busy so I can keep my mind off the bad things here.

A belated welcome to NoVA! I am sorry that people have not started to be more friendly and hope they do. I think your plan is excellent about being involved in PTO and hope you will make friends there. In my neighborhood I am envious of those with small children as they seem to meet lots of friends through their kids' friends and their parents.

I expect a lot of people would be very interested in your artistic work. Maybe you just haven't met the right people.

Traffic is awful no matter what we do!

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

When I have visited So Cal, I remember the weather being about the best I've ever encountered (except Hawaii). Sooooo pleasant! So I would think that those who must leave So Cal would probably be disappointed by worse weather just about anywhere they went and that probably is a big part of the culture shock.

In general, I think our weather is a bit above average compared to most of the rest of the country. For example, summers are only slightly warmer and maybe no more humid than most of the Midwest. It is much milder, and sunnier, in the winter. Our springs and falls and often beautiful and pleasant. We do get some hard rain and sometimes severe weather from the nor'easters and hurricanes that don't happen in the Midwest, but tornadoes and snowstorms are usually less severe here. Midwestern winters in many places (it's a big area, so I can't be too general) are cold and very gray and gloomy. The south can be overwhelmingly hot and humid and with more and bigger bugs! Seattle is beautiful and residents say the summers are very pleasant and sunny, but the rest of the year seems to be overcast a lot.

Southern California, at least along the coast, definitely has better weather than Hawaii. I've lived in both places (including the dry side of Maui) and it's a lot hotter, more humid, and wetter there than So Cal. In my opinion there's nowhere else in the world with climate as good as coastal Orange County's . The only downside is the "June gloom" that often hangs over the coast in late Spring/early Summer.

I agree with your assessment that our weather's above average. I really don't mind it most of the year and enjoy the change of seasons which was much more subtle in CA.