O/T Who used to live in Calif?

We have it great where I live, but we generally keep it a secret since it wouldn't be great very long if a lot of people moved here. It costs a bunch less to live here than LA or SF, there is no traffic, and I can drive my old cars all year long and nobody messes with them. I can also be fishing in the Sierras or on the beach in a very short drive. But I've been privileged to travel to many places in the US on business and have seen many where I would like to live. The way that neighbors take care of each other is what attracts me to an area. The one I live in happens to have 140 of my family members in it, and that's what I really enjoy at this point in my life.

 

I live in San Jose, CA, and it's not so bad. Yeah, prices are massive, but I'm close to the ocean, the snow, SF, so on and so forth. There's a pretty decent sized group of rodders out here, and they're all real friendly, from young to old. I really think the South bay Rod scene has been heavily understated, which in a way is good, because we don't have a bunch of assholes trying to capitalize off of us (at least, not as many as some other areas I've visited). It's pretty cool that I've been able to walk up to anybody driving an old car out here and talk to them for a couple of minutes, and they seem to welcome the banter. I'm young, so I can always take a minute to hear a few words from someone older and wiser than I.

 

Born and raised in SFV/LA and have been spoiled rotten with perfect weather my whole life *besides the 2 weeks of rain per year*. Ive been to colder climates *Germany, Canada* and there's one thing I learned about myself during my stay in the cold... Cold is not for me!
Cali has everything I could ever want. Want to try delicacies and gourmet cuisines from other countries? You'll find it within a 20 mile radius! Want to build a snowman and hit the bunny slopes? Drive 2 hours North and you have your snow! Want to ride waves and get rid of that farmer’s tan? 20 minute drive to the coast! Want to lose all your money AND have a blast? Las Vegas is only 4 hours away. Its things like this that makes living here great.
Sure it has its bad sides. Like expensive housing, traffic, smog, and gangs.. but the trade off is worth it to me. And out of all the "bad"... there's only ONE thing that cant be avoided. And that’s the smog. The rest is just part of living in calif.
I guess I must disclose that I don’t have any kids and not married. And I thank the gay community for helping to raise the property value around my neighborhood.

 

Scene from a Texas highway. You would never get away with this in
Socal

 

IN-N-OUT is dog food compared to a triple chili cheeseburger from tommy's ! or a rocky burger in north hollywood


born in beautiful down town burbank in 1966 grew up in van nuys

the day we left the sky was brown? 1983 I was used to it being grey
got sick as a dog from the smog when I went back to visit after being away from it for a year
miss the pomona / rose bowl swap meets and the orange county drags
and tommy`s . It was fun growing up there, but could not live there now

 

I followed the "Dot Com Trail Of Tears" from Los Gatos..., San Jose... to Laguna Beach... Huntington Beach... then I moved Washington State and escaped to Austin Texas...!

When first I moved to Texas I was wondering how I'd like living there and then one day... I saw a bumper sticker that read.... "Don't Californicate Texas"... and I loved that state ever since...!

 

Who used to live in CA? More than half the population of Oregon! Not sure why. It was 11 degrees here last night with a few inches of snow. AND THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE!!!
Can you tell that I'm a card-carrying member of S.N.O.B.? (Society of Native Oregon Born)

 

Some good stories. I myself was born in Lynwood and grew up in Compton in the 60's. Moved to Orange co. in the early 70's and love it here. It has changed. Some good, some bad, like any city. We do have Bad Bob, that might be a plus?

 

Oh yeah, Tommy's. My dad grew up in LA and he would take us there whenever we went down south. We usually went to the one across from the Anheiser Busch factory and it smelled awe full. It had to have been a good burger to be able to eat it with that stench pouring in from across the street...

 

everyone likes looking at fake tits. nice perkey plastic breasts. unless your ghey.

 

Lived in LA for two years, working for a brokerage firm. Did a lot of flying out of El Monte. Then wound up in Alaska for ten years - no....there's no sensible connection between the two locales.

Hated the smog in LA - had to take the company car through the car wash every three days some parts of the year (mostly from ash falling from the skies).

Exciting town...made a lot of friends, but it's just not a place I would care to spend the rest of my life. Best part was the great flying weather, and the mega-great hot rod scene - spent all my leisure time indulging in both.

"..take this rifle kid...gimme that GUITar"

dj

 

Please excuse me, I'm not trying to hijack this thread, however..... I just want to say that it was, and is more than a burger ( In 'n Out ), it was a way of life, at least back in the late 50's/early 60's. No, I'll admit, not the best hamburger in the world, but it was Our hamburger! It was where we came of age, talked and lived hot rods, chased the girls and caught a few. It was were we spent our teenage years. Perhaps, after a couple of bites, we are, somehow, transported back to a simpler place in time if only for a few moments.............
Never had a In 'n Out burger when you were a teen? You'll never understand....

 

I lived in the San Fernando Valley during the early '90s. During those few years there were no jobs, floods, fires, riots and then the coup de grace, the Northridge earthquake.

I think of California like a really beautiful woman who treats you like crap. Sure, she's hot and great to be seen with but how much of that comedy can you take?

When I told my friends that I was leaving L.A. to go back to NJ, they all thought I was nuts. "You'll freeze," they said. I told them that I can put on a sweater if it gets cold, but what do you put on when your house is falling on you?

I've been back to visit twice, but I'm a Jersey boy and always will be.

 

after reading this thread earlier......i just had to go to an In-N-Out for lunch....mmmmm......and i will be firing up the weber to cook fresh pheasants for dinner tonight..........

 

Thats why we're down here and you're up there freezing your ass off. Its cold down here right now but it will warm up in a few days. Keep all the snow and pine trees. Give me the desert and 110 any day!

 

And by "cold" you mean 55-60 degress, right?

 

Born and raised in Sacramento area. My work has afforded me to travel all over the country and out of the country. Wouldn't live anywhere else. Two hours from the ocean and two hours from the mountains.

 

Ooh, that looks like it use to be a nice original Studebaker Coupe Express. Very hard to find and desirable and very pricey, even as piles of junk. That is probably $10K sitting there just like that. Hope they didn't just scrap it.

 

Parents moved me to Lompoc California in 1961 and graduated in 66 and lived the American Grafiti movie in the little town of Lompoc. Then Lived in Camarillo, Oxnard, Ojai and Port Huenme from the 70-'s through 94 when I pulled up stakes and moved to Texas. I sold my 1,100 square foot one car garage house and for 10% less money bought a house in Texas that was three time bigger on two acres with a 2 car Garage and a three car shop and no Income taxes and I am no longer the minority in town. Real people with drag strips and roundy rounds and all kinds of racing in every direction makes me wonder what I saw in California, I wished I woiuld have moved here in 61.

For those that want to move here after reading the above then please consider the practice of the second ammendment that is upheld here in Texas.

 

you lucky sonofabitch!

 

Moved from San Diego in '84 to Spokane, Wash. and KICK MY SELF IN THE ASS EVERYDAY for it!!! I was 17 and thought I new it all, left home and moved in with friends. I have tried to move back a few times but could not afford the housing. But with the market the way it is now, I am actually selling as much of my crap as possible, and gonna put up my 2 houses here and try to get my ass down there by summer???? I have learned to TIG aluminum very nicely, and am in a machine shop class (manual lathes and mills) through work, and hopefully those two skills will get me a job!! Santa Clarita and South is where we (wife and 2 girls with 100% support) will be heading! It seems like I say this each year around this time (as I look at the 15 degrees BELOW on the thermometer) but with things the way they are, this year may be my next and only chance!!! Can't wait to meet up and hang with you guys.....Ken

 

1985-91 Huntington Beach, Orange, Irvine, Costa Mesa. I was 23-29 yrs old. It was pretty cool.

 

HA HA! Mike.
Born and raised in Bell,California. Kicked out and moved to Downey,where I lived til 97. Never lived outside of SoCal. Hotrods,Customs,Beaches,Mountains,Disneyland,sunny 300 days of the year,you can drive you car in the winter. Why would I leave????

Of course,we do have the worst traffic in the world. And it is expensive to live here. Still worth it!!!!

 

I'll buy you dinner,buddy....We'll go cruise the Merc!!!!

 

Fourth Generation Californian here. Actually, 4th gen bay area, even though I moved to SoCal for college in 2000.

I know people hate the smog and traffic, but it's really not that bad. I live in Orange County and work right next to the NHRA museum. A slow day takes 25 minutes both ways, as i'm going against traffic and its majority freeway. Do i own a house? no. just got married and rent. have a nice 2 car garage that allows for pinstriping. got a tremendous deal through craigslist--the rental deals are out there.

i hear a lot of good things about austin, tx. i think if i were to move, that would be on the top of the list. ironically, tennessee sounds good too, but i'd like to stay in california.

 

I was born in the Republic of Texas and then moved to San Diego, CA hence the nickname "TEX" by my California friends.

Spent about 10 years in So-Cal and while I loved the weather and the awesome car scene I hated the crowds ,high cost of living, crazy politics etc. and don't forget the annual wild fires that almost got our subdivision in 2004.

Had a chance for a free move to Colorado with my job and jumped on it.

I went from 1,200 sq ft 3b/2bath in San Diego to a 5,000 sq. house on 10 acres with a 40x40 shop for about the same price????? You tell me if that made sense>

I aint going back, maybe my next move be back to Texas???

 

Born and raised in SFV, van nuys blvd, tommy's gut bombs , In n Out burgers. Best place in the world to grow up. All of a sudden nobody spoke English anymore, burned down 2 of my jobs last Rodney's riot, Had to bail out, went to Phoenix in 92, OMG, way to hot, ended up in the mountains near Prescott, this place was heaven till the work died, I'll stay here if I can survive, Texas next stop if I gotta bail on Az. Only thing I ever missed was In n Out, got 1 here a few yrs back, no reason except a few shows I'd like to attend to see Calif again

 

I'm there!! You have NO IDEA how much I look forward to it!!

 

born in santa monica in '53,moved to santa barbara in '60,then to santa ynez, (a very small town back then)moved to lompoc to buy a house in '92 and still live here now,thinken about arizona, someday

 

I'll just say..


writers strikes are not awesome.