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Old 10-19-2011, 02:21 PM
 
5 posts, read 7,778 times
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I've been in Chicago for the last two years, and I'm looking to move to the Bay.

I'll have about $4,000 and I'm going out with a few friends to live somewhere in Oakland. Ideally, I'd live in SF, but I can't afford it at the moment.

I have some questions, if you wouldn't mind answering.

1) What / are there known artist/musician areas?

2) How safe is Oakland?
I've lived in a somewhat sketchy area of Chicago, which is supposed to have gang issues. I don't feel unsafe and have never had any direct interaction with gangs or their byproducts.
On a day-to-day basis, will I encounter ay sort of mugging / gunshots?

3) What is the winter like in Oakland?

4) What is the job market like?
I have a degree and planned on working in the non-profit sector when I moved out to Chicago, but no luck. I have been working as a server, and make decent money. SF has a ridiculously high minimum wage, what about Oakland?
Can I find an entry level job out there, making enough to pay for things?

5) Are there any health stores / yoga studios / holistic centers?
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:27 PM
 
Location: South Korea
5,242 posts, read 13,043,351 times
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1) there's nothing like Wicker Park here, maybe the Mission in SF. To check out the local artist/hipster scene go to Art Murmur in Oakland, I think it the 1st friday of every month, it's pretty insane and cool.

2) Oakland has really safe areas and really crappy areas, much like Chicago, and sometimes they're near one another. If anything I feel safer in Oakland than SF, it's quieter and there's way less homeless people and crazy people. I'd say the nice parts of Oakland are pretty similar to the North Side in Chicago. I used to live in Chicago from 2002 to 2003, first I lived in Ravenswood and then on Sheridan by Foster in Uptown. Any nice part of Oakland is way safer than Uptown was back then which was ok but had a kind of menace about it.

3) winter in the Bay Area is like 40-50 every day with some dips above and below those temps, gray sometimes, sunny sometimes, and it rains a lot which is a bummer because it's cold rain. Oakland is a little chillier than SF in winter, it can be like 35 in the morning when SF is 40.

4) job market sucks in the Bay Area unless you do very specific tech things.

5) yes, there's plenty of yoga places and you can get organic food at any grocery store here and there's independent places like Berkeley Bowl, and there's farmers markets all over the place.
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:30 PM
 
3,098 posts, read 3,771,026 times
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the "ridiculously high minimum wage" in sf wil still put you in the working/struggling poor category.
average rent for a studio listed in sf is $1800

temescal area and uptown area of oakland have a lot of young people wearing skinny jeans,large sunglasses,chuck taylors and ironic t-shirts drinking PBR

stay out of west and east oakland and you'll be fine
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:48 PM
 
5 posts, read 7,778 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mayorhaggar View Post
1) there's nothing like Wicker Park here, maybe the Mission in SF. To check out the local artist/hipster scene go to Art Murmur in Oakland, I think it the 1st friday of every month, it's pretty insane and cool.

2) Oakland has really safe areas and really crappy areas, much like Chicago, and sometimes they're near one another. If anything I feel safer in Oakland than SF, it's quieter and there's way less homeless people and crazy people. I'd say the nice parts of Oakland are pretty similar to the North Side in Chicago. I used to live in Chicago from 2002 to 2003, first I lived in Ravenswood and then on Sheridan by Foster in Uptown. Any nice part of Oakland is way safer than Uptown was back then which was ok but had a kind of menace about it..
I have been in Humboldt Park for the last two years, so anything safer than that is fine to me. Like I said, on a day-to-day basis I don't see any gang activity nor do I feel threatened. If I could find a place like that in Oakland, I'd be set.

What are the bad parts like? Any specific intersections / areas of Oakland that would be suited towards the art/music community?
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:49 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,750,520 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abrasivesounds View Post

1) What / are there known artist/musician areas?
You'll find a lot of artsy types all over Oakland. Lots of people live in an area of West Oakland called Prescott, and also in a part of East Oakland called San Antonio. You'll find younger arty people in Temescal, since that is very close to the CCA. Also lots of young people live in the "Grand Lake" area, but that is more of a mix of people.
Quote:
2) How safe is Oakland?
I've lived in a somewhat sketchy area of Chicago, which is supposed to have gang issues. I don't feel unsafe and have never had any direct interaction with gangs or their byproducts.
On a day-to-day basis, will I encounter ay sort of mugging / gunshots?
Crime is ultra concentrated in Oakland. In fact, there was a recent crime summit in the city and they plan to concentrate their efforts in the roughly 100 blocks where 80-90% of the crime happens. To put it in perspective, if you don't live in that area there isn't much reason for you to go as it is largely residential. I feel safe, and I live in a safe area. I don't frequent the areas where these issues take place. You will hear about occasional muggings around the Lake (a few times a month, this is one of the densest areas of town). Mostly because it is pretty dark and there aren't many people out at night. I have walked in that area all times of day and felt fine using basic common sense.
Quote:
3) What is the winter like in Oakland?
Not very wintery but it can be annoying. Frost is very rare in Oakland, but if you head east over the hills you might find overnight frost occasionally. Rainy or grey or sunny. There is usually a warm spell as well in the 70s for about 10 days during the course of the season. Year-round temperatures drop by about 20 degrees when the sun goes down.

Quote:
5) Are there any health stores / yoga studios / holistic centers?
Very easy to find and usually there is one of each in every major neighborhood.
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Old 10-19-2011, 03:53 PM
 
5 posts, read 7,778 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssmaster View Post
the "ridiculously high minimum wage" in sf wil still put you in the working/struggling poor category.
average rent for a studio listed in sf is $1800

temescal area and uptown area of oakland have a lot of young people wearing skinny jeans,large sunglasses,chuck taylors and ironic t-shirts drinking PBR

stay out of west and east oakland and you'll be fine
I have pretty much accepted that I will not make a ton of money while persuing a career in music . I just found it surprising that the minimum wage for servers was so high. It's actually in my favor since I assume I will have to jump in as a server or work at Whole Foods until I can find something else.

I will be living with two other people, and we are close enough to probably share a two bedroom to keep costs down. Where we live won't be a home, so much as a place to store our things, if that makes sense. I am not even considering living in a studio, by myself.

I do a lot of ambient/textural stuff guitar stuff, and want to work with more artists / commercial companies. I don't drink or party much, but I like going to art galleries/shows and whatnot. Seems that hipster is a fashion/attitude, like other personality types that exist everywhere. It doesn't bother me too much.

I'll look into those areas, thanks.
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Old 10-19-2011, 04:10 PM
 
Location: South Korea
5,242 posts, read 13,043,351 times
Reputation: 2957
Should be able to find a 2br in North Oakland for around $1200 to $1500. Temescal is fairly cheap, I'd start there and see what you find, a friend of mine had a pretty nice 2br around where the Temescal meets Rockridge for about $1250.
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Old 10-19-2011, 04:43 PM
 
Location: SW King County, WA
6,404 posts, read 8,241,347 times
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I kinda think the "stay out of West or East Oakland" line is BS

it totally depends on what neighborhood you're talking about, and both areas comprise about 75% of the city...



I would look into Uptown, Temescal, and the parts of W. Oakland that are closer to 980 for the kinda scene and vibe you're looking for
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Old 10-19-2011, 05:00 PM
 
3,098 posts, read 3,771,026 times
Reputation: 2580
Quote:
Originally Posted by 04kL4nD View Post
I kinda think the "stay out of West or East Oakland" line is BS

it totally depends on what neighborhood you're talking about, and both areas comprise about 75% of the city...



I would look into Uptown, Temescal, and the parts of W. Oakland that are closer to 980 for the kinda scene and vibe you're looking for
if you are familliar with oakland i would agree but if you are new to the city like the OP maybe hanging out at 78th and international blvd is not a good idea.
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Old 10-19-2011, 05:05 PM
 
5 posts, read 7,778 times
Reputation: 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by 04kL4nD View Post
I kinda think the "stay out of West or East Oakland" line is BS

it totally depends on what neighborhood you're talking about, and both areas comprise about 75% of the city...



I would look into Uptown, Temescal, and the parts of W. Oakland that are closer to 980 for the kinda scene and vibe you're looking for
Nice. Thanks for the suggestion.

Any particular intersections, or should I be fine in most parts of these areas?
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