Moving to CA?

[cuddlemonster]

I'm an east-coaster and I recently visited Ventura and the areas around it.

I love CA.

I want to live there but there are a few things I have to figure out:
-Where's a good place to go to play "experimental" rock music (think Hella, Upsilon Acrux, Giraffes? Giraffes! etc)? I think probably LA...
-Where is it (somewhat) affordable to live but not be in a bad part of town?
-Is there anywhere I can talk to people/musicians online to get a feel for things?

Thanks for any help!

[xgator4u]

Do you speak Spanish/Mexican dialect?
Do you like graffiti ?
Do you like vacant/foreclosed homes and businesses ?
Do you like droughts/wild fires/ and or mud slides ?
Do you like earthquakes ?
Do you like high taxes ?
If the answer to ALL of the above is yes then try Cali.
If you answered no to any of the above... why bother
obviously this is my opinion and observation only and should in no way sway your decision.

[southernrocker]

My cousin used to live in southern california. He has since moved back, because it's too expensive to live there, and that's because his job didn't pay well. I've visited there, and I agree with xgator4u, but northern california is nice.

I understand moving for the music scene, though. Here in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, there is a big lack of a music scene.

[mattq]

Originally Posted by xgator4u

Do you speak Spanish/Mexican dialect?
Do you like graffiti ?
Do you like vacant/foreclosed homes and businesses ?
Do you like droughts/wild fires/ and or mud slides ?
Do you like earthquakes ?
Do you like high taxes ?
If the answer to ALL of the above is yes then try Cali.
If you answered no to any of the above... why bother
obviously this is my opinion and observation only and should in no way sway your decision.

coming from the guy living in america's wang.

ventura's awesome. very cool beach city, but i'd say overall not as thriving a music scene as l.a. itself. you could try for an apartment in koreatown. it's not terribly expensive and is slowly rejuvenating itself. plus it's close to silverlake which is where the hip kids live and play. very friendly to experimental music

[Mazatleco17]

Originally Posted by xgator4u

Do you speak Spanish/Mexican dialect?

Que?

Joking joking

[PSPookie]

As a former resident of SoCal I can tell you that it is a much nicer place to visit than to live. Those who disagree typically have not lived anywhere else.

Brown air, rude/phony people, and everything costs too much. And like xgator4u mentioned, practically every biblical plague but the first born thing. Think long and hard before you decide to move out there.

[Stumbo]

Unless you have a good source of non-music income, CA may not be the place to reside.

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by xgator4u

Do you speak Spanish/Mexican dialect?
Do you like graffiti ?
Do you like vacant/foreclosed homes and businesses ?
Do you like droughts/wild fires/ and or mud slides ?
Do you like earthquakes ?
Do you like high taxes ?
If the answer to ALL of the above is yes then try Cali.
If you answered no to any of the above... why bother
obviously this is my opinion and observation only and should in no way sway your decision.

the man speaks truth. Stay away. Don't forget the 110 degree weather for 6 months a year, the perpetually clogged freeways, and the naturally ugly brown landscape.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by xgator4u

Do you speak Spanish/Mexican dialect?
Do you like graffiti ?
Do you like vacant/foreclosed homes and businesses ?
Do you like droughts/wild fires/ and or mud slides ?
Do you like earthquakes ?
Do you like high taxes ?
If the answer to ALL of the above is yes then try Cali.
If you answered no to any of the above... why bother
obviously this is my opinion and observation only and should in no way sway your decision.

That really is a blanket statement that isn't true for all of California. It really depends on where in California you're talking about. I don't know much about Ventura though. I would say stick to Northern CA to avoid some of the above mentioned items.

[IconBasser]

really though, MOST of southern California fits the aforementioned stereotypes. The only way to escape them is to go either to the mountains [like Big Bear and Arrowhead] or the coastal cities. Either way, you'd better have a damn lucrative career to afford either of them.

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

the man speaks truth. Stay away. Don't forget the 110 degree weather for 6 months a year, the perpetually clogged freeways, and the naturally ugly brown landscape.

Good lookin Icon, I forgot to mention those fine amenities.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by mattq

coming from the guy living in america's wang.

ventura's awesome. very cool beach city, but i'd say overall not as thriving a music scene as l.a. itself. you could try for an apartment in koreatown. it's not terribly expensive and is slowly rejuvenating itself. plus it's close to silverlake which is where the hip kids live and play. very friendly to experimental music

+1. This has been my experience with the area. There are some areas near oxnard, just south of Ventura, that have spanish speaking communities, and a small gang problem (nothing like LA, nothing like where I teach). Most of this community are field workers, because there is a lot of farming in that coastal plain area when you come over the hill from Thousand Oaks area.

The whole area of Ventura is a nice area to live, raise a family, surf and hang out, but the music scene is limited and sleepy. If you have an established band you could play through there, and up in Santa Barbara too, but if you're looking to jump in with a band, I would say your options are limited beyond rock (you might find some cats into reggae and jamming), unless you want to get into some kind of ranchero, mexican folk music, and hip hop hybrid (which might be cool) but more than likely these are going to be bands with Spanish speakers. Some of the best jams of my life have been at picnics in the park with a buddy of mine's large mexican family get togethers.

Still, with that said, you'll probably fall in love with the area as a place to live, but find it frustrating at best as a place to play. Depends where your priorities are. In the wintertime, that area has some of the best surf in California. The biggest waves I've surfed in my life have been at Silver Strand in Oxnard during the 98 El Nino.

Hope this helps.

[J. Crawford]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Unless you have a good source of non-music income, CA may not be the place to reside.

This.

[Ziltoid]

I love CA.

add a N and you've become cool

[Clank]

I've been to most of everywhere else and it's horrible there. So. California is for me.

[Unrepresented]

I can't recommend everything about SoCal, but the weather's better than CT, and the girls are more physically attractive.

I second the opinion that it's a better place to visit than to live. It's not hell on earth by any means, but the cost of living makes it fairly unappealing as a destination if you don't have means to support yourself with.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by Clank

I've been to most of everywhere else and it's horrible there. So. California is for me.

+1. I've been around the world and to many places and everytime, despite all the crap, I come to the conclusion that we've got it pretty good out here. Personally, I don't give a crap if people wanna bag on California. Don't mean a thing to me, keeps people out. We've got enough people here already.

[nortonrider]

Big cities - traffic - pollution - crime...... Bah, you can have it!

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

Personally, I don't give a crap if people wanna bag on California. Don't mean a thing to me, keeps people out. We've got enough people here already.

yep! I plan on moving once I'm done with College. I'm thinking either Washington or Switzerland.

[Kyon`]

Socal is nice... but Norcal is where it's at.