What is your reason for choosing to live in Irvine?

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ps99472

ps99472

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Thought this would be a good question to post while we have a distinguished guest visiting our forum again.

My reason?  Every time I venture outside of Irvine (i.e. LA), I wish I never left.  Yes, i'm spoiled by the 55mph super maintained streets, no u-turn anywhere, no power lines, no VISIBLE bums, overreactive popo, semi-decent Asian food, and a overall group ethnicity of yellow ( including Indian), and white (including the people we're always invading).  For instance, drove into Los Feliz last weekend and really felt out of place there.  I may complain about MR, but there are times when I REALLY appreciate having Mr. Big TIC around sticking its nose in everything.  Hate to sound like a brochure, but living in a city with no VISIBLE eyesore is a plus in my book. 
 
The same reasons why I love the yellows in Dublin, Gale Ranch, Cupertino, Fremont, Thousand Oaks, Porter Ranch, Chino Hills Preserve, Diamond Bar, Eden Glen Ontario, Terra Vista Rancho Cucamonga, Bastanchury Fullerton, The Oaks Calabasas, Santiago Hills Orange and .......................etc

Mix in a lot of brown I like Moreno Valley, Yucaipa, Norco, Corona........ etc

Mix in some black I like Palmdale

Mix in Local's grandma I like Beaumont, Banning and Palm Dessert

Mix in everything I like Santa Clarita and Valencia

Mix in patches of Black and white I like Johns Creek

Mix in overpriced RE I like Irvine

These are all clean and neat communities.
 
I worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and when they moved to Irvine in 2000 I decided to move to Irvine as well to be closer to work and have lived here ever since except for a short stint in Vegas.  My mom and her BF live in Irvine, most of my clients are looking to buy in and around Irvine, and I like the central location and proximity to many locations that I frequent.  It's safe here and many parts of the city are newer including the homes.  Some good asian restaurants are also a nice little plus. 
 
I can see why PS felf out of place in Los Feliz. That is OK.


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Because every house looks the same, and living in Irvine automatically makes you closer to your family, and your "memories" better.
 
When it comes down to it, I think the big draw of Irvine is safety and central location. While one can say many other cities are just as safe, none are as centrally located.

The add-ons that enhance those things are "good education", variety of shopping and cuisine, mix of old and new housing, a university (mid-tier or lower-tier?) and a large mix of ethnicity... I think it's very hard to find another Orange County (or even SoCal) city that has all of that.
 
To add on to the location thing, I also think a big "plus" is John Wayne Airport. It's close enough to be really convenient but not close enough to be a big nuisance.

Even if you live in the nicer suburb areas of LA County (like Palos Verdes), it's a drive to get to the airport.

Maybe Irvine does bring us "closer" to family... if you have to get to them by plane.  ;)
 
We moved to Irvine from Encinitas to be closer to my wife's parents when our first son was born.
I do miss the beach, but in our house... when mama's not happy, ain't nobody happy.

-IR2
 
I will always prefer WLA/SM over OC but I am married to an OC gal so OC is now home.  That being said, we have lived in Orange, Mission Viego, and 2 locations in Irvine and we will end up settling in Irvine.  To clarify, I include Tustin Ranch, Tustin Fields, Village of Columbus, as part of Irvine.

The biggest draw is the central location for us.  Irvine is large so have to clarify when people say its central.  Portola springs might as well be Foothill Ranch or RSM.  Our ideal is somewhere close to 405 as we can get to my parents house in WLA in under an hour, I can get to SNA in 10-15 minutes, our in-laws are 20 minutes away, and plenty of shopping and activities that we do.  We hate driving and while we work from home now, most of the jobs are in IBC or closer to Irvine than say MV and I dont want to ever commute (been there done that).  Now you can say other communities are also central but each has its negative.  For example, Newport Beach, esp Newport Coast area is very nice but outside of our price range, Costa Mesa feels old and doesnt have new master planned communities, etc.  The other big draws are education, safety, and ability to easily get around. 

The negatives, and this applies to a lot of OC, the lack of diversity in both people and homes.  The bubble effect and distorted sense of reality.  The overall feeling of boring suburbia. 

I loved living in Santa Monica blocks from multi million dollar homes and blocks from Venice and its ghetto lifestyle.  I like having both beauty and eyesores in front of me. 
 
West LA is a great area. You have to have some serious dough to live in places not next to gang lands, and even then, it's only a few blocks away. I used to have a client who would invite me sailing in Marina Del Rey, very nice area.
 
IndieDev said:
West LA is a great area. You have to have some serious dough to live in places not next to gang lands, and even then, it's only a few blocks away. I used to have a client who would invite me sailing in Marina Del Rey, very nice area.
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I used to live in Westwood back in my undergrad days and had a love/hate feeling about the West LA area.  I liked the fact of there being so much to do and some many different kinds of people but the thing I could not stand are the horrible roads and lack of FREE available parking.  I grew up in Orange County most of my life so I guess that's what I'm used to.
 
Pat Star said:
I had dinner at The Lobster on Friday night...5:45pm reservations, so we watched the sun dip into the ocean during appetizers.  Walked on the pier after dinner.  Amazing night.  I neglected spending much time in Santa Monica for my years down in OC, need to change that.
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We still hit the Promenade once in a while. I guess that's one thing you don't get in Irvine... street performers.

P.S. There are still sunsets and piers at OC beaches too.
 
IndieDev said:
West LA is a great area. You have to have some serious dough to live in places not next to gang lands, and even then, it's only a few blocks away. I used to have a client who would invite me sailing in Marina Del Rey, very nice area.
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Thats the funny thing.  I think a lot of OC has a false sense of security.  There are a lot of rough and dangerous areas of OC as well.  The big difference is that they are a few miles apart due to large size of cities but nothing more. 
 
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