WHAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ABOUT IRVINE! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT

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[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1211503132]What's the point of raising your kids up in a Mexican-free environment when they have to learn to interact well with them when they're adults? </blockquote>


If it's an issue for you to have your child learn to interact with Mexicans, let your teenager take a part-time retail job for a few hours a week or sign him up for activities outside of Irvine.
 
I'm beginning to realize that Irvine is getting too big - there are over 200K people in the city. I think the residents are beginning to stratify the snob level. The areas around Irvine High or Woodbridge High are considered middle class now. They are older and have more character. The areas around Northwood High is considered upper class or nouveau riche. Whereas the areas around University High is considered the educated class or the Newport Coast wannabees. So yeah, if you send your kids to Woodbridge, you're just considered middle class Irvinites now.
 
I see 24inIrvine?s point saying that being a super star at Woodbridge High. Wouldn?t that open the door to better GPA and elite colleges rather than being a mediocre at UNI? I am not saying that better college is the whole point of high school education, but if you really care about it shouldn?t been a ?King Turd? in a mediocre school be better off in that regard? Plus being a King Turd at Woodbridge is definitely different than being one at some Santa Ana schools if she still has concerns. I hope this would add some weight in your ordeal of persuading the wife! ;-P
 
[quote author="Meatball" date=1211512779]I see 24inIrvine?s point saying that being a super star at Woodbridge High. Wouldn?t that open the door to better GPA and elite colleges rather than being a mediocre at UNI? I am not saying that better college is the whole point of high school education, but if you really care about it shouldn?t been a ?King Turd? in a mediocre school be better off in that regard? Plus being a King Turd at Woodbridge is definitely different than being one at some Santa Ana schools if she still has concerns. I hope this would add some weight in your ordeal of persuading the wife! ;-P</blockquote>


Agree 100%. She'll see the light. Besides, we are in no hurry to buy right now, anyways. ;)
 
C'mon guys, this take this school conversation to my other thread "University High School versus Northwood High School". In this thread, I just want to know why others like myself love "Irvine" :)
 
I was talking about what I love about Irvine --- the schools.



The rest of my likes about Irvine are pretty much everything ABC123 does not like. Except for the long traffic lights. Give me the master planned corporate world, baby. If I want disorganized chaos, I can drive to that --- not hard to find in So Cal. I like order in the place I live.
 
With Panda's policing, I feel obligated to contribute my answer to the subject :P :



Things I like about Irvine:



1. Location in between LAX and southern counties/San Diego

2. Diversity in ethnic groups, restaurants, shoppings

3. I consider it close to beaches

4. Good memories of school days and the surrounding neighborhoods. But Irvine really changes a lot after I left UCI even though that was only 4 years ago. Therefore I am not too sure if this point is still valid.



Things I dislike about Irvine:



1. Expensive without good reasons

2. Dictatorship of Irvine Co.

3. Crowds

4. Cookie cutter housing

5. Boring and too conservative
 
meatball..u get my PM and i'll add my short list



1. 3 costco's nearby and the marketplace

2. low safety concerns

3. widened streets before they start developing

4. proximity to Disneyland, Knott's, Wild Rivers, San Diego, LA etc.



I'm hoping Orchard Hills will be added to that list eventually. I love the location of it. But I actually prefer Tustin Ranch more so than Irvine.
 
I thought about it a lot. I lived in Irvine for 15 years I could only sum up my experience in just two words : School and Safety. My vehicle mileage during those years was averaging 45,000 per year and I worked close by. I went to LA frequently for entertainment, foods, culture, and friends. I seldom stayed in town other than sleep and work.



I was living in a neighborhood that I did not make any friends or neighbors. After talking with many others the story resonated similarly. I made more friends here in IHB in one year than the 15 years I lived in Irvine. My first year in Irvine I was so excited the perfection of a planned community made everyone conformed to a singular lifestyle dictated by the predecessors. I posted a year ago on this exact subject. I will try to find the link. I need Eva to help me find it.



Hey I learned to use the search button :http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/forums/viewthread/313/#4220



On a different thought, take safety, ethnic tolerance and schools out of the equation and would Irvine still be your first choice?



I understand the Asian culture. Everyone wants to blend in to the crowd and Irvine is perfect. Asians have a discipline of following rules and order and the master-planned communities are parallel to the doctrine. Asian kids learned academic discipline early and this programming dictated much of their growing up. A reactions will bound to happen. Disobeying their parents during adulthood by studying arts or sociology instead of (money making fields) medical or law school. Disobeying the wishes of parents by having interracial relationships. I will not list the races in avoiding derailment of this thread.





[quote author="PANDA DREAMING OF IRVINE" date=1211513326]C'mon guys, this take this school conversation to my other thread "University High School versus Northwood High School". In this thread, I just want to know why others like myself love "Irvine" :)</blockquote>
 
[quote author="CK" date=1211513180][quote author="Meatball" date=1211512779]I see 24inIrvine?s point saying that being a super star at Woodbridge High. Wouldn?t that open the door to better GPA and elite colleges rather than being a mediocre at UNI? I am not saying that better college is the whole point of high school education, but if you really care about it shouldn?t been a ?King Turd? in a mediocre school be better off in that regard? Plus being a King Turd at Woodbridge is definitely different than being one at some Santa Ana schools if she still has concerns. I hope this would add some weight in your ordeal of persuading the wife! ;-P</blockquote>


Agree 100%. She'll see the light. Besides, we are in no hurry to buy right now, anyways. ;)</blockquote>


Against my better judgment, I'll jump into this. I attended Woodbridge... and later Berkeley. Most of my friends who went to Woodbridge attended either UCLA, USC, or otherwise attended Berkeley. One close friend who attended Irvine High attended Stanford (which is her loss - for those of you that understand the Cal-Stanford rivalry).



The school that you attend has VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH YOUR ADMISSION TO A TOP TIER UNIVERSITY. Your GPA, your standardized testing scores, and your personality (read your "activities") control. Each of these is more a function of parental involvement than anything else.



If you are sitting there and convincing yourself that your child must attend Yale to succeed, or that attending a particular school will make or break a letter of acceptance, you are fooling yourself. Try reading a book about the admissions process.
 
Stanford admission knows about the good high schools. Stanford will make room for a 3.7 GPA ghetto graduate than a 4.0 from most Irvine high schools.





[quote author="GrewUpInIrvine" date=1211517750][quote author="CK" date=1211513180][quote author="Meatball" date=1211512779]I see 24inIrvine?s point saying that being a super star at Woodbridge High. Wouldn?t that open the door to better GPA and elite colleges rather than being a mediocre at UNI? I am not saying that better college is the whole point of high school education, but if you really care about it shouldn?t been a ?King Turd? in a mediocre school be better off in that regard? Plus being a King Turd at Woodbridge is definitely different than being one at some Santa Ana schools if she still has concerns. I hope this would add some weight in your ordeal of persuading the wife! ;-P</blockquote>


Agree 100%. She'll see the light. Besides, we are in no hurry to buy right now, anyways. ;)</blockquote>


Against my better judgment, I'll jump into this. I attended Woodbridge... and later Berkeley. Most of my friends who went to Woodbridge attended either UCLA, USC, or otherwise attended Berkeley. One close friend who attended Irvine High attended Stanford (which is her loss - for those of you that understand the Cal-Stanford rivalry).



The school that you attend has VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH YOUR ADMISSION TO A TOP TIER UNIVERSITY. Your GPA, your standardized testing scores, and your personality (read your "activities") control. Each of these is more a function of parental involvement than anything else.



If you are sitting there and convincing yourself that your child must attend Yale to suceed, or that attending a particular school will make or break a letter of acceptance, you are fooling yourself. Try reading a book about the admissions process.</blockquote>
 
I'll come at this from a different angle. It seems most of the posts are comparing Irvine to other OC/LA cities. My view is looking at Irvine compared to other parts of the country.

I like the Irvine (SoCal) area because:

-- the weather is so nice. You can comfortably eat lunch and/or dinner outside almost every day

-- the ocean breeze feels great when you are outside

-- bike lanes along roads that you can bike or run in - and you can do this almost every day without weather issues

-- there is so much to do that is so close

- beaches and beach cities

- mountains

- bike trails

- running paths

- 6 theme parks

- 3 water parks

- numerous museums and galleries

- much theatre

- TV show tapings

- several zoos

- close to San Diego with even more to do

- lots of outdoor shopping

- lots of concert venues and pretty much any music act that goes on tour comes here

- pro sports teams

- year-round softball leagues and games rarely get rained out

- several art house movie theaters

- several comedy clubs

-- tons of restaurants that serve yummy food costing less than $10. And you can eat outside almost every single day. Did I mention that?

-- you can drive faster than 35 MPH

-- the highway patrol rarely (ever?) gives you a ticket for going 75 in a 65

-- grocery stores have good produce

-- marriage is legal between two people of the same gender

-- you don't have to worry about your car suffering hail damage

-- a melting pot where there is no majority racial group
 
This is really vague. Most SoCal travel guidebooks listed the samething. Try to find Irvine in a guidebook? Even the Watts Tower is listed as a place of interest. Are you from North Dakota? I can go out to South Central LA tonight and trade my car in for a house and most of your descriptions will apply. The Lakers in practically near my backyard!



Seriously, most Irvinites have never walked on the streets of Downtown LA nor been inside the lobby of the LA City Hall. Forget about TV tapings and Museums.



There is a Joan Irvine Smith sponsored museum in Irvine featuring the Early California Plein Air paintings and exactly how many Irvine residents visited there or let alone are aware of its existence?





[quote author="T!m" date=1211518866]I'll come at this from a different angle. It seems most of the posts are comparing Irvine to other OC/LA cities. My view is looking at Irvine compared to other parts of the country.

I like the Irvine (SoCal) area because:

-- the weather is so nice. You can comfortably eat lunch and/or dinner outside almost every day

-- the ocean breeze feels great when you are outside

-- bike lanes along roads that you can bike or run in - and you can do this almost every day without weather issues

-- there is so much to do that is so close

- beaches and beach cities

- mountains

- bike trails

- running paths

- 6 theme parks

- 3 water parks

- numerous museums and galleries

- much theatre

- TV show tapings

- several zoos

- close to San Diego with even more to do

- lots of outdoor shopping

- lots of concert venues and pretty much any music act that goes on tour comes here

- pro sports teams

- year-round softball leagues and games rarely get rained out

- several art house movie theaters

- several comedy clubs

-- tons of restaurants that serve yummy food costing less than $10. And you can eat outside almost every single day. Did I mention that?

-- you can drive faster than 35 MPH

-- the highway patrol rarely (ever?) gives you a ticket for going 75 in a 65

-- grocery stores have good produce

-- marriage is legal between two people of the same gender

-- you don't have to worry about your car suffering hail damage

-- a melting pot where there is no majority racial group</blockquote>
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1211519593]



Seriously, most Irvinites have never walked on the streets of Downtown LA nor been inside the lobby of the LA City Hall. Forget about TV tapings and Museums.



There is a Joan Irvine Smith sponsored museum in Irvine featuring the Early California Plein Air paintings and exactly how many Irvine residents visited there or let alone are aware of its existence?



</blockquote>


Me! I've done all of those things!



If you are an Irvine resident, even if you are too scared of LA to go to the Huntington, LACMA, or Getty, you should at least go see Joan Irvine's paintings. They are fine.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1211519593]Are you from North Dakota? I can go out to South Central LA tonight and trade my car in for a house and most of your descriptions will apply. The Lakers in practically near my backyard!</blockquote>


That is why I specifically said I was coming at it from another angle. If someone from out of state were to read this thread, it might be interesting to them.



As for where I am from, I was born in and lived for 10 years in Iowa; then spent 12 years in KC, Missouri; then moved to So Cal for 16 years; then spent 18 months in St. Louis, Missouri; and now live in Newport.
 
Freedom, I am proud of you!!! I agree. A well sheltered life in Irvine really limits the perspective of the real society surrounding all of us. To truly accept tolerance of different ethnicity mentioned numerous times on this blog go and visit some of the ethnic neighborhoods in LA and OC. Various ethnic groups form allies and clusters around their own group and that will not improve integration of different race, gender preference and color.



A year ago an article was published in Irvine regarding some floor plans with dual master bedrooms would be ideal for "roommate" or gays. Many conservative citizens were in uproar regarding the publication would degrade Irvine and its decency. Prejudice and racial discrimination is very much alive in Irvine.



Various Asians look down to other Asians. Dark color pedestrians or drivers are stopped by officers. The constant competition between Joneses and the Joy Luck club of parading children as trophies are facets about Irvine that continue to attract home buyers.



South OC shoppers would not go near the Sears end of South Coast plaza are just one of the small signs that indicates a bigger problem that exist in our caste system.



[quote author="freedomCM" date=1211526906][quote author="bkshopr" date=1211519593]



Seriously, most Irvinites have never walked on the streets of Downtown LA nor been inside the lobby of the LA City Hall. Forget about TV tapings and Museums.



There is a Joan Irvine Smith sponsored museum in Irvine featuring the Early California Plein Air paintings and exactly how many Irvine residents visited there or let alone are aware of its existence?



</blockquote>


Me! I've done all of those things!



If you are an Irvine resident, even if you are too scared of LA to go to the Huntington, LACMA, or Getty, you should at least go see Joan Irvine's paintings. They are fine.</blockquote>
 
I went to elementary school in Irvine. One year our class took the train to downtown LA and we went inside City Hall, toured the LA Times and went to Olvera Street where we saw real live Mexicans. It was the highlight of my educational career. We used to take field trips all of the time and the teachers would tell us "back in the day, before proposition 13 there used to be a lot more money for field trips. Now the schools are so broke you need to get your parents to give us more money." Then we would have stupid little fund raisers so we could have more excursions, like spending a weekend on Catalina Island. I have to admit, that was pretty cool.
 
Your post is a strong indication of your youthful years spent at another state with harsh climate and absence of sunshine, water, and glitz. Thank you for sharing.



[quote author="T!m" date=1211528366][quote author="bkshopr" date=1211519593]Are you from North Dakota? I can go out to South Central LA tonight and trade my car in for a house and most of your descriptions will apply. The Lakers in practically near my backyard!</blockquote>


That is why I specifically said I was coming at it from another angle. If someone from out of state were to read this thread, it might be interesting to them.



As for where I am from, I was born in and lived for 10 years in Iowa; then spent 12 years in KC, Missouri; then moved to So Cal for 16 years; then spent 18 months in St. Louis, Missouri; and now live in Newport.</blockquote>
 
If weren't for the school field trips you would have never witnessed the history and architecture that shaped the legacy of Southern California. Parents would send their kids to expensive tutor lessons but neglected these little excursions really are the events that stay in the mind of the children forever. Good for you ABC123.





[quote author="ABC123" date=1211529621]I went to elementary school in Irvine. One year our class took the train to downtown LA and we went inside City Hall, toured the LA Times and went to Olvera Street where we saw real live Mexicans. It was the highlight of my educational career. We used to take field trips all of the time and the teachers would tell us "back in the day, before proposition 13 there used to be a lot more money for field trips. Now the schools are so broke you need to get your parents to give us more money." Then we would have stupid little fund raisers so we could have more excursions, like spending a weekend on Catalina Island. I have to admit, that was pretty cool.</blockquote>
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1211503132]Irvine has no Mexicans. What's the point of raising your kids up in a Mexican-free environment when they have to learn to interact well with them when they're adults? I know of many professions that involve working well with all sorts of people -doctors, lawyers, teachers, dentists, pharmacists, etc. With that being the case, I think that HB schools have a better balance than Irvine schools. But that's only good if you can stand the ugly houses in HB.</blockquote>


I work for a large Fortune 500 company here in Irvine. We write "BASURA" on boxes of stuff that we want to toss out.



There are many Hispanics working in Irvine, but not as many living here due to housing prices. The few well to do Mexicans I know who lives here, their neighbors/coworkers just pretend that they're white.
 
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