Why did you move to San Diego, and do you want to leave? (Carlsbad: college, camping)

[skeke]

I am happy and content here but my spouse would leave if I would and here are some reasons: All the trash along freeways and roads, the poor condition of many surface streets and sidewalks in San Diego, not being able to afford a house by the beach, ocean is too cold compared to Florida. My spouse would pick Florida. I think Florida is pretty but I could not take the heat and humidity. I'm not going anywhere.

[loveautumn]

I always am amused when people who live in Encinitas think they are "cool"....I've lived here a few decades now and don't find anyone all that cool. Now that could be a good thing or a bad thing, depends on where you're coming from. If anyone thinks Encinitas people are cool, they have never lived anywhere where people truly are cool. Whenever I go into Cardiff Market (which is a great place for food) I really have to laugh at all the people in there who definitely have an attitude and think they are hot stuff. but then again, I've never really been into the surf culture. They'd get eaten up alive in the Hamptons.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by loveautumn

They'd get eaten up alive in the Hamptons.

What do you specifically mean?

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by loveautumn

I always am amused when people who live in Encinitas think they are "cool"....I've lived here a few decades now and don't find anyone all that cool. Now that could be a good thing or a bad thing, depends on where you're coming from. If anyone thinks Encinitas people are cool, they have never lived anywhere where people truly are cool. Whenever I go into Cardiff Market (which is a great place for food) I really have to laugh at all the people in there who definitely have an attitude and think they are hot stuff. but then again, I've never really been into the surf culture. They'd get eaten up alive in the Hamptons.

There are fake pretentious people like you describe just about everywhere. Why single out Encinitas, which I don't think is as associated with the hipster "too cool" attitude as other areas. In my opinion, Encinitans are actually more down to earth than new-money residents of Del Mar, La Jolla, even Solana Beach.

[RainbowHope]

Originally Posted by Walkthetalk

I can relate to the tears part.

I cry on the plane each time I leave and watch the city get more distant out the window.

[NYSD1995]

I've spent every summer of my life in the Hamptons.. and in the summer it fills up with some of the most pretentious NYC wall street people you've ever met... my favorite is when they honk their horns at you when you cross the street in Southampton Village. Where we live on the bay it's mostly plumbers and electricians but the wealthy are creeping in on the waterfront across the street and they all want to build monster homes and change all the variances to suit their needs. One guy complained about the annual block party we've had for nearly 40 years... after he had just moved in!

California is generally a lot more laid back!

[rgb123]

oh geez thanks for reminding me why I decided to move west from Chicago and said @#$#@ way to going east

[Pedro2000]

Originally Posted by loveautumn

I always am amused when people who live in Encinitas think they are "cool"....I've lived here a few decades now and don't find anyone all that cool. Now that could be a good thing or a bad thing, depends on where you're coming from. If anyone thinks Encinitas people are cool, they have never lived anywhere where people truly are cool. Whenever I go into Cardiff Market (which is a great place for food) I really have to laugh at all the people in there who definitely have an attitude and think they are hot stuff. but then again, I've never really been into the surf culture. They'd get eaten up alive in the Hamptons.

I don't get this comparison at all. Encinitas should be a far different culture than the hamptons. As others have stated, it's one of the most pretentious places in the country at times. Encinitas might have some wealthy individuals or those who think they are cool, but in general, people who live and play in Encinitas would rarely be the people who live and play in a place like the Hamptons. And vice versa. So not really sure what the statement was about.

Now if you said La Jolla or Coronado or Newport Beach/Laguna Beach or San Barbara vs the Hamptons or Cape Cod, it would make more sense.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

In my opinion, Encinitans are actually more down to earth than new-money residents of Del Mar, La Jolla, even Solana Beach.

No reason to take a generalized stereotypical stab at those communities.

[icecoldlemonade]

I read all 7 pages of this thread with great interest because we are considering leaving San Diego.

Why are we here?
Husband and I were born, bred Californians and came down to SD for graduate school. It is close to our parents but a little bit more relaxed than the world up in OC/LA. And the weather is shockingly better here. We like how big and varied SD is, with (maybe not world class but) great food selection and wonderful variety: we could have an urban, sail-boat scenic tour in downtown or go to the beach or drive to Julian for apples. We appreciate the emphasis on healthy eating. We're not at all outdoorsy but my husband loves warm weather.

And, generally, people are laid back and happy. It might be because so many people are retired or vacationing here or maybe we've just been lucky? The most shocking experience for me was riding the public transit up in UTC the first week that I moved here. The bus driver SMILED AND SAID HELLO. After spending time in the Bay Area and NY/DC, this was MIND BLOWING.

We also love the diversity here. It is not as segregated as OC/LA and really, truly diverse here. White, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islanders, African-Am, with multi generational immigrant families and new immigrants too. Some people are frightened by this but we think it adds so much (and so much good food) to the community. My sibling lives in a Mid-West area that is 98% white and she said it was a huge culture shock for her. Lots of well-meaning but ignorant beliefs out there, simply due to the fact that the community is so homogenous.

But we're considering leaving for a few reasons.

The biggest reason is that we feel priced out. This is a larger problem across California, after prop 13 went into effect, but it feels most painful in SD due to the high tourist and rich-person-retirement population. I had an old thread on here about the reality of home owning and QOL in San Diego. We just don't think a highly educated professional family should end up going house-poor just to buy a half-million dollar 2bd condo, just so their children can attend a semi-decent school. And while we love having our families nearby, it is financially more sound to move elsewhere and build up a nest egg for the future.

Another reason is, SD feels really lacking in terms of intellectual/cultural options. Having been born and raised in OC, I at least appreciated the fact that I could drive up to LA to see various shows or exhibits. Also, spending a few years in DC really opened my eyes to how fun and rich other cities could be. SD doesn't even have a classical music station. This probably isn't much of a factor for lots of people here but I love art museums and the opera and those things just aren't present here in a significant way.

The most controversial reason is...I don't really like the people here. Yes, I know I just wrote that people were so friendly and laid back. But I also think many transplants associate California with some horrible, bling bling, MTV version of life. This phenomenon is much, much worse in OC/LA but San Diego gets its fair share of migrants who do one of two things:

1. Some immediately bleach their hair blond, treat others like dirt, and try to project the ultimate stereotype of "My San Diego Life" on social media. I met too many rude and arrogant people who go out of their way to put others down for being "uncool." Most of these people had just moved to California 1 year prior from whatever-town-USA and are really proud of themselves for living in a "cool" area. I just don't get it. Edit: I don't think this is the same problem as, say, the "snobs" in Encinitas discussed earlier. But the "lets party on the beach woohoooo 24/7" lifestyle of 30 year old transplants strike me as much more annoying than the grooming habits of wealthy North Coastal families.

2. Many immediately hate on San Diego and begrudge its great reputation. It is a way for these people to feel superior to the group in #1 I think. Maybe 75% of my grad school classmates could not stop expressing their horror that San Diego was actually not at all like San Francisco or [insert name of alternative big city]. They assume anyone with roots in SoCal (like myself) are dumb or lazy or shallow and they just can't wait to leave. Well good riddance! Except a lot of them don't leave. They stay and drive up the real estate prices, all while complaining that SD isn't New York.

And yes, I suspect this problem is mostly concentrated in the beach communities. We've been looking at some decent neighborhoods more inland, with more families and less one-upmanship, but it is hard.