Santa Cruz STILL sucks!!!! 2011 version (San Jose, San Francisco: 2014, buying, prices)

[ibbitybibbitybop]

Our 'cards' are our first-hand experiences living here in NorCal, including SJ and SC. Where are yours?

In other words, your cards are "I grew up here and live here and I think it's great, so it must be"?

It's understandable to be nostalgic about your own hometown. But it's a bit like loving your own dog: it's adorable when your own dog jumps on you and kisses your face and slobbers on your new jeans - but I can assure you that it's not adorable when your dog does that to other people. Even if they are too indirect to spell it out for you.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by ibbitybibbitybop

In other words, your cards are "I grew up here and live here and I think it's great, so it must be"?

It means those of us who actually have lived here just might have some accurate info to share about it.

[ibbitybibbitybop]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

It means those of us who actually have lived here just might have some accurate info to share about it.

It means those of you who have never lived anywhere else have nothing to compare it to.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by ibbitybibbitybop

It means those of you who have never lived anywhere else have nothing to compare it to.

Ah, but maybe we have, indeed, lived elsewhere. And if we have lived elsewhere and still choose to live in such a costly place, we must really like it, yes?

[krudmonk]

This guy picked an argument just to brag about his roadtrip?

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by ibbitybibbitybop

Until then, I stand by my original statement: Silicon Valley is the ugliest area in the USA. Santa Cruz is a community of posers. Rolling a dog poop in powdered sugar doesn't make it a jelly donut, no matter how much you want to believe it is one.

I'll agree that Silicon Valley is ONE of the ugliest areas in the USA, but clearly you've never been to Ohio, the southside of Chicago, Bakersfield, Omaha, the area between Long beach and Anaheim, or much of Los Angeles. Silicon Valley is but a small slice of some much bigger pies. And there are lots of places in America that look like that, minus the adjacent beautiful natural scenery, mild weather, and palm trees. If you add flat landscape, bare trees, and snow for several months at a time, then you've got a better idea of hell.

[ibbitybibbitybop]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Ah, but maybe we have, indeed, lived elsewhere. And if we have lived elsewhere and still choose to live in such a costly place, we must really like it, yes?

Maybe? If? I might capitulate. It could be relevant. There is possibly a point to be made here somewhere. I might consider thinking about possibly reflecting upon reviewing that.

[pattipan]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

The only problem I can see with Santa Cruz is that the few families in power all own stores in the downtown area and they deny any new shopping. That is why you really have to drive over the hill to find a decent mall like the Valley Fair Mall or into Watsonville or Marina to buy anything that is sold at a discount such as in Target or Walmart. These stores and malls have all been denied by the few people who are on "the board" & have been for decades. That is why the city is broke; they refuse to allow decent restaurants (not owned by "them") or everyday stores.

The downtown area is nice to shop in for tourists maybe, but you can not buy anything that you need for a household there.

As of Fall 2012 the following BIG stores have at least one location in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area: Target, Ross Stores (2), Marshalls, ToysRUs, Costco, BedBath&Beyond, Cost Plus, Pier One, Office Depot, Orchard Supply, Ace Hardware, Staples, Macys, Home Depot, Best Buy, and, downtown even, Forever 21!! ......who the f**k shops at Wallmart?

But in addition, per capita, Santa Cruz/Capitola has more large alternative grocery stores than anywhere in Northern California....you will never find that in the vast wasteland of Silicon Valley: not ONE but TWO Whole Foods, Staff of Life, 3 New Leaf Markets, and the Herb Bin. Five Farmer's markets across the county from West Santa Cruz to Aptos with 80+ vendors at Cabrillo College on Sundays.

Decent restaurant? WTF did you want? Chilis? Outback? Carl's Juniors, Dominos? What's wrong with local, non-chain, restaurants with great food liike Gayle's bakery? I used to drive "over the hill" from San Jose to eat in Santa Cruz.

[ibbitybibbitybop]

Originally Posted by pattipan

As of Fall 2012 the following BIG stores have at least one location in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area: Target, Ross Stores (2), Marshalls, ToysRUs, Costco, BedBath&Beyond, Cost Plus, Pier One, Office Depot, Orchard Supply, Ace Hardware, Staples, Macys, Home Depot, Best Buy, and, downtown even, Forever 21!! ......who the f**k shops at Wallmart?

But in addition, per capita, Santa Cruz/Capitola has more large alternative grocery stores than anywhere in Northern California....you will never find that in the vast wasteland of Silicon Valley: not ONE but TWO Whole Foods, Staff of Life, 3 New Leaf Markets, and the Herb Bin. Five Farmer's markets across the county from West Santa Cruz to Aptos with 80+ vendors at Cabrillo College on Sundays.

Decent restaurant? WTF did you want? Chilis? Outback? Carl's Juniors, Dominos? What's wrong with local, non-chain, restaurants with great food liike Gayle's bakery? I used to drive "over the hill" from San Jose to eat in Santa Cruz.

Home Depot and Target have reasonable prices. The SC Costco is great if you want 50 percent off on a $150 Cappuccino maker; but try to find normal items and you will be stymied. None of the rest are in any way discount stores. They are just large chains with dominant market share.

Organic food stores? Most average families with 2.5 kids don't do lots of organic shopping. CS may be great for those with $100K+ annual incomes. For others? Not so much...

[SurfingMama]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Such is the attitude of many in SC and the Haight who fail to bathe and yell profanity at those who don't grace them with ten dollar bills (ones and fives not being enough, as they will declare). We wouldn't want to reflect that sorry lot, now, would we? Lots of hostility coming from those still considering themselves "OG hippies" around here. Chill out and have a toke.

I was born and raised here. I am a 5th generation Californian. You don't see us when you visit our town, because we aren't all out and in your face. Those that you see are usually the ones that came here for UCSC and the promise of hippie vibes. They had rich parents that paid their way, and then they stayed (our they're currently students). Every year they arrive and the freshman class does some mass blocking of our main roads on bikes in some lame attempt at protesting automobile use (which creates traffic, causing more pollution). Then they go back up the hill and drive their SUV, polluting old car, or their fancy Prius around (braking for no apparent reason, and wasting the gas of all behind them). They grow dreads, and bathe in patchouli. They stink up our streets for an image. Not all of them are this way, but there are a lot of them that are. They look with disdain at us omnivores, as if their complete disregard for eons of evolution is superior.
So when you visit, what is in your face is the worst of, most irritating of those that choose to call Santa Cruz home. Most are very temporary visitors themselves. We are not a hippie town. We are a beach town that happens to have some college on a hill that attracts a bunch of pseudohippies.