What San Jose is Really Like... (San Diego, San Francisco: real estate, houses, movie theaters)

[bluebeard]

Also, most of California does indeed have rather ungly housing, when compared to older areas back East. The Southeast has some of the nicest looking housing.

[krudmonk]

What is a "more boring LA?" Isn't that about par for most cities? Los Angeles is one of the biggest metropolitan areas on Earth.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

What is a "more boring LA?" Isn't that about par for most cities? Los Angeles is one of the biggest metropolitan areas on Earth.

yes.
it's similar to LA some ways in general feels and character. But smaller, and so more boring for many, especially those in their 20's.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

yes.
it's similar to LA some ways in general feels and character. But smaller, and so more boring for many, especially those in their 20's.

Well yeah, but what city isn't "boring" compared to a media mecca of 20 million people?

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Well yeah, but what city isn't "boring" compared to a media mecca of 20 million people?

Its just a descriptor. Nothing more. I'm from SJ and have family in LA. Also, boring can be a positive trait to some, depending on the other features of the place.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Its just a descriptor. Nothing more.

Yeah, I know. I was just putting it into perspective for those who may not get it. Many people apparently read through all these threads before coming to the area. It's better they know that "boring compared to LA" is not simply "boring."

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoTeen

I didn't grow up in San Jose. I grew up in northern San Diego (Encinitas), and I now go to Santa Clara University. My problem with the south bay/San Jose is that it's like one big block of cement. It reminds me of the Los Angeles Valley. It's just one grid after another, with no real change between towns....it all blends together. There is very little open space. Also, the air is pretty smoggy.

There is actually an amazing amount of open space in San Jose. If you want an illustration - take your bicycle over to the Hellyer Velodrome (995 Hellyer Ave SJ), and follow the bike path south. It crosses light traffic a couple of times, but for the most part it's uninterrupted all the way down to Morgan Hill. You'll go past the model airplane park, a huge golf course, but most of all, through what can only be described as several miles of wilderness. I've seen deer, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, hawks, and plenty more along that trail over the years.

[krudmonk]

The Coyote Creek trail is great. I have yet to ride it north of Silver Creek Valley Road, though. Today, on San Felipe Road, I nearly hit a deer crossing the street. One of my favorite local drives is down McKean Road out of Almaden. It's almost immediate seclusion. There's a whole other world out there.

I find it odd this Mr Teen considers Encinitas to be San Diego (30 minutes away by Google maps) but "San Jose" is restricted simply to the valley floor in his and many others' assessments. There are great vistas and truly wild areas all around us. If you don't like strip malls, fine (neither do I), but you're never far from something better.

[/homer]

[LexusNexus]

San Jose is an OK city...in its class.

[t_thibaud]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Also, most of California does indeed have rather ungly housing, when compared to older areas back East. The Southeast has some of the nicest looking housing.

Agreed. Really, one's appreciation of California depends to a great extent on where you've lived previously. If you're coming from the midwest, or a gray and dingy industrial city in Europe or Asia, then California seems exotic and lotus-eater lovely. San Francisco will seem reasonably cosmopolitan.

If OTOH you're coming from either a place with a strong architectural heritage, beautiful historic neighborhoods, truly great art museums, and a rich culture going back a couple of centuries or more, you're likely to be underwhelmed by the Bay Area. SF doesn't have any world-class buildings; neither does SJ. The architecture here is bland (perhaps in part because the scenery's so lovely), and you'll exhaust the museums and the theatre offerings in your first month.

Expectations, Benjamin. Expectations.