IMO, both Prius' and SUV's suck

I come from Santa Cruz and while not a hippie in the least, I have a live and let live mentality. I don't care what car anyone drives, but would prefer people not to drive ostentatious, gas guzzling Hummers or the like.

Oh, and I should add that the funnest people I know come from southern California.

That's why I'm so funny. . .
Michele, where's that shot taken in your profile pic?

dskoon - That's Courtright, looking out at Power Dome.

Thanks surf. Nothing wrong with a healthy debate. I'm going to do a tour around the south coast before I head back to Boulder. You were right, I am hoping for a Boulder like town/city near the sea with clean air and not-too-bad traffic...yes, in the most populated state in the country. Aim high!

I've heard that Bakersfield is a real happening place.

Gary Schenk wrote:

dskoon wrote:That's why I'm so funny. . .
Michele, where's that shot taken in your profile pic?

Courtright

Just doing a little googling on the place now. . . don't really know that area of the Sierra, but it looks nice.
For what it's worth, Michele, I think Ventura Co. is the place, if you can afford it.
As others have mentioned, depends a bit on if you want surf or mountains. . . Having once lived in Carpinteria, south of Santa Barbara, I think it's a pretty nice place to wake up and go for runs on the beach, etc. And, I liked that it was a bit removed from LA. Still fairly quick access to the Sierras as well.

Michelle,

IMHO, Ventura is a worthy consideration.
Besides having a sense of history, it even has a "townlike" feeling. It is less expensive and more earthy than Santa Barbara, has really good vineyards nearby, and even a 1st rate theater, The Rubicon. You also have easy access to lots of hard bouldering in the surrounding areas. Yeah, Josh will be a longer commute, but if you go for more than a day trip, it probably won't matter much.

I live in Moorpark. Thats Ventura county.

JT is 3 hours. The Needles are 4 hrs, Stoney point is 15 min, Echo cliffs (with hike) 1 hr 15 min. Malibu Creek, (with hike) 40 min. All that great hiking in the San Gaberials from 45 min to 1.5 hrs.
Mojave is about 1-1/4 hrs. NJC is 2 3/4.

I like living on the north end of our great metropolis, and after driving home late on a Sunday nite after a weekend in Bishop, the thought of having to keep goin down to lets say Long Beach, would make me cry. If Irvine or SD, I would stop going on trips up that a ways.

my $.02

I am originally from Huntington Beach and moved up to Chico. I had to get out of SoCal. That being said...if you really are set on entering The Bubble, there are a few decent places. Seal Beach, as mentioned, is awesome. Can't really grow much, as it's kind of geographically restricted. Good arts community. Good people. Dana point/Laguna area is a beautiful area...but the people suck. That's kinda the thing about socal...great area...people are dicks.

So seeing as in the OP you mention trying to stray away from the "plastic"....well kinda hard in OC. Huntington Beach is a nice balance; can get away from the plastic if need be. Other than that and Seal...I'd stay out of OC or anywhere near LA. Being from Boulder...you might like Seal Beach or La Jolla if you got the bucks for it. I've always said if I came back to SoCal those are the only two places I would live.

I would suggest Ocean Beach in San Diego. There is some local climbing and hiking inland, amazing beaches, lots of hippies to dump your spare change on, and OB prides itself in not being plastic although there is a starbucks that the locals despise. 5 minutes to downtown and your in a whole different scene. Sierra is far though but there plenty of peaks nearby and Jtree is kinda close.

Get rich and get a house in Bishop and a beach house on solimar beach, Ventura! That's what I'm going to do... Now if only I can find a way to make bank...

POLUKO wrote:I would suggest Ocean Beach in San Diego. There is some local climbing and hiking inland, amazing beaches, lots of hippies to dump your spare change on, and OB prides itself in not being plastic although there is a starbucks that the locals despise. 5 minutes to downtown and your in a whole different scene. Sierra is far though but there plenty of peaks nearby and Jtree is kinda close.

You just had to revive this thread, didn't you ?

Funny, I haven't been on here in a while and for some reason decided to check this thread today. And another coincidence, you mention Ocean Beach. A friend of mine is moving there this month so I'll see what he thinks. For now it's Boulder for me, but I will return to California in the next year or two....and maybe to Ocean Beach!

And JJBrunner - The camping is way too good on the east side to ever want a home there!

Perfect timing.

Looks like I'm headed to SoCal to office near LAX. Great pointers all.