Anyone live near Santa Monica happily?

San Francisco is the place to be, all real people know this, for soooo many reasons. And if you like women, well youknow, less competition. Far friendlier, far more liberal, far less pretension far more real people far more healthy far better surrounding areas, wine country, much more "european" from what they say.

I do agree about that architecturally, feel-wise, women ratio-wise. But I'm not after wine country and that foggy micro climate which makes London more favorable to me. I chose LA because of the beach accessibility and all year moderately hot weather. I almost chose Berkeley based on sunshine but it turned out that the heat was less than London summer. Then San Jose for the same reason, but it was too suburban. I'm not into pretension though.
 
I do agree about that architecturally, feel-wise, women ratio-wise. But I'm not after wine country and that foggy micro climate which makes London more favorable to me. I chose LA because of the beach accessibility and all year moderately hot weather. I almost chose Berkeley based on sunshine but it turned out that the heat was less than London summer. Then San Jose for the same reason, but it was too suburban. I'm not into pretension though.

Are you retiring? What do you plan to do for work? If its beach life my pick would be Ventura or Santa Barbara -- all the nice, warm water and sand but less people most of the year. But not much industry in either of those places.
 
Are you retiring? What do you plan to do for work? If its beach life my pick would be Ventura or Santa Barbara -- all the nice, warm water and sand but less people most of the year. But not much industry in either of those places.

I will not be retiring in the sense of completely laid back, carefree, casual. that's why I'm not interested in San Diego, Central Cali. LA is about the acccess to millions of people (like London), the all round close vicinity of mountains, ocean, etc), industry and the city feel. Howver I'd be living a more healthy life there, with access to the humdrum too. I'd be living a 'retired' lifestyle, in the sense that I'd be spending free time reconnecting with nature. Adjusting my career accordingly. But I'm not in the entertainment industry so that's not a factor.
 
I will not be retiring in the sense of completely laid back, carefree, casual. that's why I'm not interested in San Diego, Central Cali. LA is about the acccess to millions of people (like London), the all round close vicinity of mountains, ocean, etc), industry and the city feel. Howver I'd be living a more healthy life there, with access to the humdrum too. I'd be living a 'retired' lifestyle, in the sense that I'd be spending free time reconnecting with nature. Adjusting my career accordingly. But I'm not in the entertainment industry so that's not a factor.

I ask because, well, you kind of can't just walk up to the border here and be all, "I'd like to live here." Speaking as an expat living here, it's a little trickier than that. I'd say it's laid back and carefree if you either: a) have a lot of money; or b) don't mind living in squalor. Middle class life here is anything but laid back and carefree.
 
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I find people in Los a. Anything but friendly. If you r a total stranger I could literally see making no friends unless u r very wealthy trendy and showy Then who can you trust is a REAL friend?!


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I find people in Los a. Anything but friendly. If you r a total stranger I could literally making no friends unless very wealthy trendy and showy Then who can you trust is a REAL friend?!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe to become friends they need to be able to understand you. :)
 
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Ok ok edited. Grammar mishap from my cell. But if u really didn't get my point well....hmmmph


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Hi it's been a year and a bit. My plan was all going so well!
But I have read a lot of people complain that the traffic and overcrowding has worsened now that santa monica subway station in service.
How bad is traffic, crowding and parking issues looking moving forward, is it looking like santa monica is unlivable?
 
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Traffic in/out of SM continues to be a drag, and the Expo line is crowded. That said, I love riding Expo with my bike then south to PV (just for fun). SM has made huge strides in recent years toward becoming a bicycle friendly place (as has Long Beach) - if that matter to you. Good luck wherever you end up.
 
But I have read a lot of people complain that the traffic and overcrowding has worsened now that santa monica subway station in service.
That's pretty much true for any desirable area in California. LA and environs has it worst of all, but it's all degrees of bad here. It's getting better, but getting around in California is largely a car-based activity. There are going to be predictable ebbs to Santa Monica traffic: weekends, holidays are going to be nuts because people want to go to the beach on their day off.
How bad is traffic, crowding and parking issues looking moving forward, is it looking like santa monica is unlivable?
The real key to successfully living in California is to accept that any time you have a brilliant idea to go some place and do something, a million other people also had that same brilliant idea and will be trying to do that same thing and the exact same time as you.

If you can find peace in that concept, you can live in one of the highly desirable areas of California and be pretty happy.

If that stresses you out, might I suggest you look to the lesser-populated areas of the state? :D
 
Traffic is getting worse. I guess I'll attribute it to the economy getting better. More trucks and more cars on the road.

Also, I live in Burbank and I consider myself kind of friendly--ish.
 
What I said about successful living in California over here applies to San Diego too. Really: unless you're willing to go small-town costal, that statement just blanket applies to any coastal city in California.

There are LOTS of people here who live fairly densely packed.
 
If you have a bicycle, Santa Monica, Playa Del Rey and such are pretty doable. I would avoid being in a car at certain times. But its a great area. The air is usually very fresh and breathable, the girls wearing almost nothing are very friendly, but if they were meant to be smart and hard to get, God would have given them more complicated bikini strings.
 
lol I'm sold on the girls. Thanks! haha
I also want to get around LA too for horseriding, concerts, etc. So when would you choose not to be in a car?
 
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