Want to move from West LA to Orange County,Central or South (Los Angeles: for sale)

[rockinmom]

I would like any suggestions on where to live in Orange County and not have to commute a long time (more than 30 min). I've visisted Newport Beach love it but might be too high in price. I can afford about $1,100 a month for a studio or 1 bedroom. I've seen online that people say Aliso Viejo or Mission Viejo is nice. But will there be office jobs much there??? I'm trying to do a career change to Fitness too. I am Not interested in Irvine. My "must haves" are: 10 miles approx. to the beach if possible, a Vegan grocery store like Whole Foods or Mother's, Safe, quiet, Good public education for my 4th grader! I'm a single Mom and looking to move from West Los Angeles to get away from the busy/packed LA. Need a more family atmosphere. Does Alisa Viejo have rattle snakes though? I read online at a park review-caution rattle snakes. I used to live in Burbank and they have a small town feel, can get hot in the Summer. Their schools are good but not good enough. I'd like a better Public school system where they help the students "get" math more and improve their studies. Mild Weather, not hot in the Summer! (not more that 80 degrees).
I'd appreciate any suggestions and zip codes or areas (Central or South O.C.) would be great. Job outlook. Also, are there any TV/Film companies there???

[pacific2]

My "must haves" are: 10 miles approx. to the beach if possible, a Vegan grocery store like Whole Foods or Mother's, Safe, quiet, Good public education for my 4th grader! I'm a single Mom and looking to move from West Los Angeles to get away from the busy/packed LA. Need a more family atmosphere. Does Alisa Viejo have rattle snakes though? I read online at a park review-caution rattle snakes

Aliso Viejo is beach close (located adjacent to Laguna Beach). Apparently, there some rattlers around in Aliso Viejo, but for the most part, they are found in the canyon ( Aliso and Woods Canyon), so it’s best not to walk a dog there. There are also coyotes in Aliso Viejo, but nowadays they rarely venture beyond the canyon. I sometimes see them near my home, or while walking through a park.
http://blog.markwweston.com/2011/04/aliso-wood-canyons-park-california.html

Mother’s Market & Kitchen is about 4 miles from Aliso Viejo. I frequent it several times a week.There’s also a really good vegetarian restaurant at Town Center in Aliso, Native Foods.

Aliso Viejo is a very small ( about 7.5 sq miles), hilly, family-friendly, safe and attractive city with good schools and plenty of amenities (Aquatic Center, Renaissance ClubSport and Spa (volleyball, workouts, squash, 100 different classes per week, yoga, basketball, swimming…), Ice Palace, 23 parks, Golf Course, Azarian National Gymnastics Center, etc.

That said, it might be hard to find an apartment here in your price range, because rents rank third highest in OC behind Newport Beach and Irvine.

Use these sites to find an apartment:
HotPads - Map Search for Real Estate, Apartments and Houses for Rent, Foreclosures and Homes for Sale
Apartments.com | Find Apartments for Rent, Houses, Condos and Townhomes | Rental Listings
Check Lake Forest if you cant’ find any affordable rentals in Aliso. Check for places in Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills, as well.

Job outlook. Also, are there any TV/Film companies there???

Unemployment in Aliso Viejo is the lowest for any OC incorporated city. I don’t know of any TV/Film companies here.
Where is O.C.’s lowest unemployment rate? - Handling Hard Times - The Orange County Register

Which O.C. city has the most job openings? - Handling Hard Times - The Orange County Register
And the winners are … Aliso Viejo, Brea, Irvine and Newport Beach. Each had one out-of-work resident per job opening advertised by employers in their town.

Aliso Viejo also gets a healthy infusion of venture capital funding:
In Depth: America's Top 25 Towns To Live Well - 16. Aliso Viejo, Calif. - Forbes.com

BTW, the townhouses in the photo accompanying the Forbes article, are live/work places developed by Vantis. There's about 400 sq ft of commercial space on the ground floor of each unit. Owners live above on the top two floors.

An article in the LA Times once said that businesses tend to locate here almost without the city even trying.

[robbybee]

Find a job first, then choose your dwelling site.

[DinsdalePirahna]

If you want clean suburbia, Aliso Viejo is a good place to start. Clean, good schools, (but also a bit "Stepford and Sterile") Lots of Hiking trails and nature preserves (which will include Rattlesnakes, coyotes and the occasional mountain lion - there a re a lot of places in OC where you will encounter smnakes and coyotes)

The Mothers Market is in Neighboring Laguna Woods. There is also a Native foods Restaurant in Towne Center, but I find their food to have a cardboard like taste and texture.

There are a few upstart media companies in the TechSpace Buildings. There are also film and production companies in Irvine, Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach

You may find what you are looking for in most OC Coastal Citie, although the rent may be a bit of touch in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach

[pacific2]

OP, Native Foods has good food, sample it yourself. It also gets good reviews on yelp:
Native Foods Cafe - Aliso Viejo, CA

Check them out if you are ever in the area. They are located at Town Center, Aliso Viejo, near the Edwards Theater:
http://www.nativefoods.com/

I like their Chicken Run Ranch Burger:
http://www.nativefoods.com/menu/OC-MENU-0311.pdf

The City has also given the green light to Savannah's Organic Ranch, and it will soon be developed on about 25 acres of park land leased from Aliso Viejo:
http://www.savannahsorganicranch.org...ahs_dream.html

[pacific2]

Somewhat OT, but if you’re interested in getting organic food at a relatively inexpensive price, you can sign-up with Abundant Harvest Organics. It’s a farmer’s collective, and they deliver food to subscribers at designated drop off sites around the state.

Abundant Harvest Organics | Weekly Organic Fruit & Vegetable Delivery throughout California | California CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

YouTube - ‪Organic Pastured Eggs‬‏ ( This video is not for vegans since it's about organic eggs- Abundant Harvest);

This shows what you find in a typical Abundant Harvest Organics box:
YouTube - ‪Abundant Harvest Organics 22 Jan 2011‬‏

I also understand that they have just introduced a home delivery program in some areas.

Just something to consider since it's a lot cheaper than either Mother's or Whole Foods.