5 reason why not to move san diego, ca. (Los Angeles, Chula Vista: insurance, coop)

[gingerdancer]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Nobody is saying that SD doesn't have many redeeming qualities. This is a topic on "5 reasons not to move to SD", not about how great SD is in other areas. This is more about pointing out that SD isn't the utopia that others claim it to be and that all places have pros and cons. Get over yourself!

Thank you, Roadwarrior, for stating the obvious. In addition to stating top 5 reasons NOT to move to SD, many of us on this thread have also pointed out top 5 reasons to move to SD to balance it out. So it seems rather illogical to criticize people for "complaining" about SD qualities, when the very thread asked for complaints. Every city has pros and cons; this gives the viewer who doesn't live in SD an idea of what pros and cons SD has, to best fit with his/her lifestyle and preferences. Not everyone's cons will bother all people, but the reader can decide. No need to criticize nor insult other posters for sharing their personal opinion and/or experience.

[CoffeeHouseGirl]

I can't think of too many let alone one that stands out, maybe I'm blinded by all the upsides. Then again San Diego seems to be lacking bicycle paths that can connect a bicyclist to all parts of town?

[sav858]

Originally Posted by gingerdancer

My top 5 not to move:
3) You are creative and/or appreciate the arts, symphonies, dancing, and meeting other people who enjoy these actives.

So you couldn't meet people like this at the symphony? Or say the SD Museum of Art events? Or any of the other cultural events in SD?

[gingerdancer]

Originally Posted by sav858

So you couldn't meet people like this at the symphony? Or say the SD Museum of Art events? Or any of the other cultural events in SD?

Those are good suggestion.

Main people I met who were interested in going to the symphony or classical music were my BF's at the time. In general, the people I met did not have an interest in those things. I did have a friend who enjoyed art and the museum. There was one cool event - cocktails and culture - at the museum. I wished they had more, as they only happened 4 times year. Balboa park has summer concerts, and I always went, but most of the people there were gay, or families with kids - lots of kids, and older people. I'm not saying I couldn't meet anyone else at all who enjoyed the arts - and certainly I did not meet the entire SD population - but I felt the culture/vibe there was more centered around the Padres, Chargers, military, surfing and the beach. For example, I was in a girls group of 20-40 something women, and in planning events, they all wanted to "lie out at the beach," or go to a Padres game, and didn't have any interest in doing more cultured activities. In fact, they laughed at me in shock when I didn't know who the manager of the Chargers was, as if that was some cardinal sin of living in SD. For a major city of it's size, and especially given the high cost of living, I expected a more intellectual, sophisticated, cultured presence of people who were out of college but not yet married with kids, the "in-between age" of late 20-40 somethings. Perhaps this has improved over the last couple of years. I wouldn't know.

I sing, and I rarely met other musicians, for example. In most cities, guitar players are a dime a dozen. (meaning as a hobby, not a career) I would go to events - like the Art Walk in Little Italy, with my BF, but I really think you need to have a your social network in place to then take advantage of things like that.

In reference to Chopin, one guy pronounced it "choppin'" - like I'm choppin' up some carrots. Another guy thought it was a type of Vodka. It is a general sense of lack of sophistication. Others I spoke with felt it too.

Have you had a different experience? Honestly, I would love to think it has improved because there were many things I liked about the city itself.

[JamestheFin]

Originally Posted by sav858

So you couldn't meet people like this at the symphony? Or say the SD Museum of Art events? Or any of the other cultural events in SD?

From what I've seen, it isn't that hard to take advantage of the opportunities available, it merely is dependent upon the individual to take the initiative. Some gals got chutzpah to do that, some don't. ;

Meetups near San Diego, California - Meetup

From a simple search;

San Diego Chamber Music Society (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
San Diego Opera Meetup Group (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
Wild West Revival of SoCal (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
Literary Classics Book Club (El Cajon, CA) - Meetup
The SD Readers and Eaters Book Club! (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
San Diego Expressive Arts Meetup Group (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
Sundays In The Park (Encinitas, CA) - Meetup (http://www.meetup.com/Sundays-In-The-Park/ - broken link)
Bohemian's Back (San Diego, CA) - Meetup

Some of these sound quite fun, I may give them a go.

[gingerdancer]

Originally Posted by JamestheFin

From what I've seen, it isn't that hard to take advantage of the opportunities available, it merely is dependent upon the individual to take the initiative. Some gals got chutzpah to do that, some don't. ;

Meetups near San Diego, California - Meetup

From a simple search;

San Diego Chamber Music Society (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
San Diego Opera Meetup Group (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
Wild West Revival of SoCal (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
Literary Classics Book Club (El Cajon, CA) - Meetup
The SD Readers and Eaters Book Club! (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
San Diego Expressive Arts Meetup Group (San Diego, CA) - Meetup
Sundays In The Park (Encinitas, CA) - Meetup (http://www.meetup.com/Sundays-In-The-Park/ - broken link)
Bohemian's Back (San Diego, CA) - Meetup

Some of these sound quite fun, I may give them a go.

These are all great suggestions, and believe me, I have the "chutzpah," but when I lived there Meetup was not as popular. I took full advantage of what SD in the arts had to offer. I did do some meetup events containing people my age, but the ones with more cultured events did not have my age groups in it and were mainly older people - if they had them at all. Meetup is more popular now so perhaps the ages have expanded. Again the age group we are talking about was late 20's-30's. I found these people more interested in watching sports, and hanging at the beach. I attended many events solo, with the few people I met interested in them, or with my BF's at the time. In fact I think I was the only one in my age group at concerts by like 40 yrs. lol

One thing I forgot to mention was the lack of classical radio station. Every major city has a classical radio station, if not more than one. SD had one broadcast out of Tijuana, with very tinny reception. Seemed strange that a city of that size did not have one.

Please let us know how the meetups are if you go!

[JamestheFin]

Originally Posted by gingerdancer

One thing I forgot to mention was the lack of classical radio station. Every major city has a classical radio station, if not more than one. SD had one broadcast out of Tijuana, with very tinny reception. Seemed strange that a city of that size did not have one.

That's because KUSC pretty much covers most of Southern California;

The station is a broadcast service of the University of Southern California at 91.5(FM) in Los Angeles and Santa Clarita; 88.5 KPSC in Palm Springs; 91.l KDSC in Thousand Oaks, and 88.7 KQSC in Santa Barbara, 99.7 in Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo

While the KUSC's radio quality can be spotty in places in Sd, between their online streaming and downloadable podcasts, you really don't need a 2nd classical radio station in SD.

[NYSD1995]

Funny thread.

People here are pretty regular overall and its almost as blue collar as Sacto sometimes. Whatever you're into is here. if you are looking for a yuppie scene it's here in Encinitas or del mar. Punk rok scene in uptown hoods. Families in the burbs. You can find wristcutters, trannies, symphony geeks, tattood freaks, hipsters rappers and surfers too. SD is perfect except the lousy job market. It's a good town for self starter types, has no real identity of ts own. if you need a scene of like dressed and minded people it's always in short supply here no matter what it is. Personally I don't really know anybody except my family and the people I work with anyway, so what do I know.

[gingerdancer]

Originally Posted by JamestheFin

That's because KUSC pretty much covers most of Southern California;



While the KUSC's radio quality can be spotty in places in Sd, between their online streaming and downloadable podcasts, you really don't need a 2nd classical radio station in SD.

I'm extremely familiar with KUSC and listen to them almost daily. They do not broadcast in SD. They may have in the past long ago, but not when I was living there. The LA signal 91.5 does not come in well in SD. Perhaps in North County, but not in SD proper. How do you listen to them in SD? You said we don't need a second radio station, but we don't have a 1st.

[JamestheFin]

Originally Posted by gingerdancer

I'm extremely familiar with KUSC and listen to them almost daily. They do not broadcast in SD. They may have in the past long ago, but not when I was living there. The LA signal 91.5 does not come in well in SD. Perhaps in North County, but not in SD proper. How do you listen to them in SD? You said we don't need a second radio station, but we don't have a 1st.

Actually, where I live I do receive KUSC fine. Driving around San Diego is where you find out where KUSC's reception ends. As stated, I listen to them online or via podcasts via my mobile device. Also, check KPBS's classical online streaming, link: Live Radio Streaming Help | KPBS.org

As for the Mexican station, XLNC, it's not great, which is why I listen to KUSC, but it does cover San Diego as its studios are in Chula Vista.

" XHLNC-FM (identified on-air as XLNC1) is a non-commercial radio station in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, broadcasting on 104.9 MHz. It broadcasts in English and Spanish serving the Tijuana and San Diego, California, United States areas with studios in Chula Vista, California."