Moving to California!

Inverness · #1 06-23-2011, 08:51 AM

Not sure if this is the right place, but... ah well.

So I'm going to be moving to California from Florida in about 2 weeks. I got a job with the Navy in Monterey, CA. What's really exciting is that a lot of my favorite guitar makers (Zon!) are going to be out that way in and around San Francisco. I was wondering, for anyone who's spent some time out there, have you visited any shops? Do you call ahead? Just walk in? Call on the way? Has anybody been a jerk? Was anyone supremely nice?

Do you have any recommendations for, like, clubs or bars in the Monterey/Santa Cruz areas that have (good) live music?

BBEgo · #2 06-23-2011, 06:17 PM

I soooo envy you. That base is really beautiful, and Monterey is an amazing town.

Get a loaf of sourdough bread and some garlic butter when you get there, and prepare to be hooked.

The live music scene is a mixed bag, but it's all interesting in its own way. I haven't spent a whole lot of time there, but from what I saw you should be very busy.

Have fun!

EricssonB · #3 06-23-2011, 06:25 PM

Jealous, too! I came from Santa Barbara County, a bit South of you. I grew up right next to Vandenberg AFB.

I can't tell you about the scene there particularly, but up and down the whole Central Coast either is, or isn't. Hopefully it is there. EBMM isn't too far from there -- San Luis Obispo.

Try'n not beat the DLI kids too much!

dhsierra1 · #4 06-23-2011, 06:34 PM

Lots of good instrument makers out this way: Turner, Santa Cruz Guitar, Mesa/Boogie, GK, Zon just off the top of my head. All are very nice, just call ahead.

Best venues at least in the Santa Cruz area would be Rio Theater, Catalyst, Moe's Alley, and Don Quixote's. Lots of smaller bars and such, too, live music is pretty well supported here. Then there's the Monterey Jazz Festival

The comment about the scene being a mixed bag is spot on. But you will find good music here.

Good music stores would be Sylvan in Santa Cruz, Gryphon in Palo Alto, and if you like upright basses then Steve Swan up in Burlingame (by SFO) is your man. Guitar Showcase in Campbell is worth a look as is Gelb in Redwood City. Starving Musician in Berkeley, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz for used stuff.

IMO and IME downtown Santa Cruz is pretty much a dive, kinda out of control w/trolls, druggies and such, alas, esp at night

Monterey is much better but I don't know the music scene down there. If you want eclectic and good quality dining you'll be well served almost anywhere in the NorCal coastal area, we like to eat

Oh, the local wines and beer are pretty darned good, too

Welcome to CA, dress in layers during the summer, though, can get a bit cold w/the fog sometimes. And don't forget to take a drive down Highway 1 to Big Sur and stop in at Nepenthe for a burger and beer and an unforgettable ocean view, you'll be perched almost 500 feet directly over the Pacific Ocean

Inverness · #5 06-23-2011, 07:11 PM

Thanks, guys!

I'll actually be working as a meteorologist (just got my Ph.D.) at the Fleet Numerical Met Center. We got a place near CSUMB in Marina. Monterey is about as pet-unfriendly as I've seen in terms of rentals, so we had to broaden our search.

Santa Cruz is more of a college town, right? It strikes me as another version of Tallahassee. The lady and I are angling to move away from that. As for the weather, well... I grew up in NJ and did my undergrad in upstate NY. Also, it's been like 2-3 weeks of temperatures that push 100 degrees every day here in Tallahassee. I am eagerly awaiting to break out all of my old corduroys from undergrad!

I've heard a lot of good things about Big Sur. I'm so excited! It's been nothin' but flat lands and some modest (albeit very pretty) mountains of the Appalachians.

dhsierra1 · #6 06-23-2011, 07:19 PM

The mountains here are about the same size as the Appalachians which are just insanely beautiful (lived in the southeast a few years for grad school). Yes, SC is a college town of sorts, but more of a peoples' republic of surfing, the 60s and 70s never quite left town. For better and worse, YMMV....... But I think you'll enjoy the area.

Congrats on a very cool job, I understand NorCal is one of the more challenging areas for meterologists to try and grok so they love working here.

One more big recommendation: take a morning or afternoon and spend it at the Monterey Bay Aquarium (right next to Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf), as a meterologist you'll find it fascinating and likely very helpful in your work.

StyleOverShow · #7 06-23-2011, 07:23 PM

Probably the best of Cali(fornia) is the mid-coast, and San Francisco is the best city, IMO, on the west coast. Yup, I said it, a native Los Angeleno.

We need some more brainiacs out here watching the weather. It has been a cool and wet couple of years in LA, and they the National Weather Service issued "Heat Advisories" for the Bay Area yesterday where the mercury rose to 86 F. Pretty hot for that town.

CA and FL are a lot alike in that they attract people from other parts of the country because of the sunny winters, and while we don't usually have violent weather, we do have earthquakes.

Anyway, welcome to California. I think you'll enjoy it.

**pacojas** · #8 06-23-2011, 07:36 PM

California is the worst state ever.... STAY AWAY!!!

ps: bring lots of spare-change.

dhsierra1 · #9 06-23-2011, 08:01 PM

California is the worst state ever.... STAY AWAY!!!

ps: bring lots of spare-change.
__________________
Jah know,.. keep your spirit bright, up, nice, & shine!!!

LMFAO

So rich in irony I don't even know where to start

FWIW, Santa Cruz is a big reggae town.

Inverness · #10 06-23-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacojas

California is the worst state ever.... STAY AWAY!!!

ps: bring lots of spare-change.

Oh yeah, I'll just tell the Navy, "No, thanks. You can keep your job security and benefits."

I'm actually kinda surprised this wasn't a dig at New Jersey, to be quite honest. I'm kinda desensitized to those by now.

Anyway, the one thing that's been quite a shock is, of course, how much rent is! Seriously. In Tallahassee, a 925 sq. ft., 2Br/2Ba apartment w/dishwasher and washer/dryer is running me $700/mo. For all that, in Monterey area, it's like 2.5 times more expensive! I'm glad the SFO area has the highest cost of living adjustment in the US Gov't pay scale, but man... yikes.

Mojo-Man · #11 06-23-2011, 08:16 PM

I did the same thing a year ago.

I love the Bay Area. ( S F, Berkley )

Lot of great musicians there.

dhsierra1 · #12 06-23-2011, 08:21 PM

ignore the troll, he's just jealous

The cost of living and the crowdedness of CA (speaking as a native) are really the worst parts of living here, you just have to bite the bullet like the rest of us.

Living here has it's own rewards, though I think NJ does far better tomatoes than we do unless it's the dry-farmed stuff up by Davenport

And after visiting Bergen County and a few other areas of NJ I don't get the slams, it's not like we don't have our ugly areas, too

bassguppy · #13 06-23-2011, 08:25 PM

Congrats on the job & welcome.

Monterey is great for food, weather, etc...housing is pricey though. Pebble Beach (if u like golf), Carmel & Big Sur are right nearby. Gets tourist traffic & busy during the spring/summer.

You can look into cheaper housing inland but it is hotter. Not sure about Salinas & Watsonville as I've heard they're kinda shady but I could be wrong and there may be decent neighborhoods. Hollister too but it's kinda isolated (about 45 min to Monterey). Check Seaside or Marina for housing also.

It's a driving culture here so plan on commutes & traffic (not NYC traffic though).

I usually try to get to Monterey 2-3 times a year for a short getaway.

dhsierra1 · #14 06-23-2011, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassguppy

You can look into cheaper housing inland but it is hotter. Not sure about Salinas & Watsonville as I've heard they're kinda shady but I could be wrong and there may be decent neighborhoods.

amen on the Marina and Seaside recommendations.

There are a few very good neighborhoods/areas in both those towns, though (yes, a lot of shady ones, too), suggest "Pastures of Heaven" area for Salinas (close to your job, too) as well as the Corralitos area for Watsonville, that'd be a 30 +/- minute drive but it's pretty low key and quite scenic.

bassguppy · #15 06-23-2011, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inverness

As for the weather, well... I grew up in NJ and did my undergrad in upstate NY. Also, it's been like 2-3 weeks of temperatures that push 100 degrees every day here in Tallahassee. I am eagerly awaiting to break out all of my old corduroys from undergrad!

I also grew up back east (Upstate NY) and the weather here will be a treat in a good way IMO. Back east you could have days where the temp is maybe in the 70's-low 80's but the humidity will kill. Here the humidity just doesn't seem as grueling. You'll always get days where it's a little taxing but not for weeks on end. I'd say weather here is great 80% of the time.

Caca de Kick · #16 06-24-2011, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricssonB

I grew up right next to Vandenberg AFB.

Same here, born and raised in Lompoc.

Munjibunga · #17 06-24-2011, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inverness

Not sure if this is the right place, but... ah well.

So I'm going to be moving to California from Florida in about 2 weeks. I got a job with the Navy in Monterey, CA. What's really exciting is that a lot of my favorite guitar makers (Zon!) are going to be out that way in and around San Francisco. I was wondering, for anyone who's spent some time out there, have you visited any shops? Do you call ahead? Just walk in? Call on the way? Has anybody been a jerk? Was anyone supremely nice?

Do you have any recommendations for, like, clubs or bars in the Monterey/Santa Cruz areas that have (good) live music?

You're going to want to visit Music Unlimited in Monterey. Prockenklang (John) works there, and is exceptionally cool. He'll let you not only drool on the high-end gear they have there, but also play it. He offered to let me play a $12K Alembic, but I didn't want to put buckle rash on it. (Actually, I didn't want to embarrass myself.)

Munjibunga · #18 06-24-2011, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

Probably the best of Cali(fornia) is the mid-coast, and San Francisco is the best city, IMO, on the west coast. Yup, I said it, a native Los Angeleno.

We need some more brainiacs out here watching the weather. It has been a cool and wet couple of years in LA, and they the National Weather Service issued "Heat Advisories" for the Bay Area yesterday where the mercury rose to 86 F. Pretty hot for that town.

CA and FL are a lot alike in that they attract people from other parts of the country because of the sunny winters, and while we don't usually have violent weather, we do have earthquakes.

Anyway, welcome to California. I think you'll enjoy it.

San Diego is twice as better than SF, and we don't have earthquakes. The Bay Area has the second highest probability of a large earthquake of anywhere in the state. Maybe the highest.

dhsierra1 · #19 06-24-2011, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

The Bay Area has the second highest probability of a large earthquake of anywhere in the state. Maybe the highest.

You can't fault us for that........

As for SD being 2X than SF, yes, for far better beaches and beautiful SoCal women, but if you're looking for the urban experience then SF is the way to go. Just depends on what you like, YMMV, IMHO, IME.......

elgecko · #20 06-24-2011, 11:18 AM

Just wanted to add that you're moving to the home of the annual Monterey Jazz Festival...and if you want "mountains", head due east across the Central Valley and you'll run smack dab into the 14k'+ goodness of the Sierra Nevada!