Among Friends

[Moonchilde]

Starting this thread as a place for California residents, the California-born or those who once lived here and look back with fondness to come and chat about their area, wherever in the state you live, were born, or used to live - if you have a genuine positive interest in the Golden State, stop by for a glass of CA wine or a cup of good coffee.

Tell us about your area if you feel like it. Post pics if you feel motivated. Fires, floods, storms, earthquakes, sunny weather, rainy weather, “heat and dust”, whatever.  We’re heeere.

[Moonchilde]

To introduce my CA credentials -

Born and raised here, second generation. My maternal grandparents lived here from about 1915. Both my mother and I, and my sister, born and raised in SoCal. Nieces and their families living in NorCal and the Central Coast, and me too now on the Central Coast. I lived almost my entire life all over SoCal from the Valley to Long Beach to all over the OC, visited San Diego and Santa Barbara multiple times. Have only visited briefly north of here - in the fire areas, once.  So...familiar with the state ;-)

I love the weather and the scenery on the Central Coast (and the wine), and the slower pace. I don’t miss SoCal traffic, prices, heat and crowds, but very much miss its cultural diversity, its museums, its international cuisine, and its shopping.

[catwhisperer]

I have been out here over 40 yrs. Live in east county of SD. Been through many quakes, have been evacuated due to fires, dealt with heat and humidity, but sure do love the Mexican food!

[Moonchilde]

Hi @catwhisperer!

I don’t remember when I stopped thinking of Mexican food as anything different than “just part of my everyday diet”, lol. I don’t much differentiate between a taco and a burger ;-)

[catwhisperer]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

Hi @catwhisperer!

I don’t remember when I stopped thinking of Mexican food as anything different than “just part of my everyday diet”, lol. I don’t much differentiate between a taco and a burger ;-)

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@Moonchilde...I will take a taco before a burger any day. Love my Taco Tuesdays. We have a great Mexican take out place just up the street with excellent food.

[Moonchilde]

@catwhisperer, where I live now, Mexican food is 80% of the “ethnic food” available, and I miss the much wider variety in the more heavily populated areas. Interestingly, the local cuisine is very heavy on taquerias but light on actual full menu nicer dining as far as Mexican restaurants. I almost went for an upscale Mexican lunch today but laundry and grocery shopping won out and I had local tempura at a sushi place run by Hispanics and Filipinos ;-)

[september]

Here's my brief bio...can add more later. 

I first visited CA about 33 years ago, then moved here to be with my now husband, who I met on the East coast. Yes, it's complicated.

I'm originally from New England.  

I've lived in the East Bay, but have lived on the Central Coast for most of my time here. My son went to UCB so I've spent a lot of time there.  He met his wife there, who is from  Santa Rosa (where the biggest fires are now). 

My daughter is now a UCSB grad student so I'm now spending more time in the southern portion of the state. I also have a close friend in santa Monica, so have visited her as well as my daughter in recent times 

This state is so big, in comparison to the smaller New England states. I'd love to chat about the different areas here...don't feel that many of the QVC posters are from this state. 

[chihuahuamom]

I've lived in Southern California for 24 years (a transplanted southerner).  I live in the Inland Empire (east of L.A.) because it is more affordable and where my DH worked.  I am fortunate to live in a very nice quiet area at the foothills and it is beautiful with the mountains and rural feel.  I have made many good friends and have had a successful business here.  There are a lot of mightly fine people that live here.  However, as the years have passed, things seem to get worse financially and morally.  Even where I live, it is extremely expensive and most families cannot even afford an apartment.  I can't imagine how expensive it is as you go west.  In fact, I heard a news report that said there are so many homeless people because no one can afford a place to live=even what most people would call a "shack". So many people are leaving.  In fact, one day my family probably will too because I have no hope that my boys and their families can afford to live here. It's sad. It's a beautiful state with wonderful people, but its leadership will ruin this state in time. At least, that's my opinion.

P.S. Yes, we have lived through a few earthquakes and one very frightening fire, but I would still rather live through those than a tornado or hurricane. I do no like our heat though (we are desert).

[Moonchilde]

Wow, @september, quite a shock, CA compared to New England - even more so if you’d landed in SoCal first!

My one-time BFF (now deceased) daughter went to school at UCSC (Santa Cruz) but at the time, in OC I didn’t grasp the geography to know just where it was; now I go to that area a fair amount.

Before I retired last year I was in West LA near Santa Monica for 18 years and worked in Santa Monica. It just got too crowded and too expensive and my good solid middle class professional income wasn’t enough. Imagine my surprise to see that the cost of living in Monterey/PG is largely the same as LA and that San Jose is even higher, almost as much as SF!

One of the docs I worked for was originally from Maine.

[Moonchilde]

@chihuahuamom, my mother, and my sister, once lived in the Yucaipa/Redlands area for a time. Pretty, but hot and desert (Redlands prettier, less desert-y).

As you know, many people who work in OC buy homes in the IE due to prices. In my 20s through my 40s, there were always more expensive/less expensive areas to rent - now, there are no less expensive rents anywhere, even in undesirable areas. 

I’m not a desert person (except maybe in Palm Springs in Jan/Feb, lol) and as each year went by I was less able to tolerate even the LA heat - or the cost of electricity for my barely adequate a/c. I really appreciate the cooler, wetter Central Coast weather.