Attn: California Maggots

[CoastalQuestion]

Disclaimer: I am a true maggot. I have change for a nickel. I have taken on a new identity only for this one thread - to maintain anonymity - for the express purposes of gathering information from this trusted tribe of all-knowing, all-seeing, all-mocking individuals.

Thank you in advance for allowing this single indiscretion.

Situation Room: Job offer in Ventura, CA.

Question(s): A) Does anyone out here live near or in Ventura and B) what is the scene like compared to, say, SoCal? Cost of living? (HUGE) Bad vibes in the water? Where to surf? What neighborhood to live in with beach proximity? Where do most people with middle incomes buy?

THANKS
CQ out...perhaps forever.

[irul&ublo]

Wait...you forgot to ask about the gay bars.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Where do most people with middle incomes buy?

Redding.

[irul&ublo]

Redding.

The crank is a lot cheaper up there.

[comish]

I'm not the best person to comment as I don't live in Ventura (end up there for work periodically) but here is my $.02

Relatively mellow, funky town. Not like LA/OC at all = More likely to find hippies than fake boobs/noses/whateverfakeBeverlyHillsbodytransformationyoucanth inkof.

Great surf with a variety of breaks. Summer weather a bit cooler on the coast than further south = colder water and fewer hotties in skimpy bikini's. Much cheaper than coastal LA/OC, but still not "cheap" by most people's standards. Pretty cool, walkable main street with a handful of restaurants and bars, but pretty mellow. Pretty hefty drive to Mammoth and "real" skiing, probably in the same realm as the OC. Good place to live all around if the distance from skiing isn't a deal breaker and one can afford it.

I'm sure CJ and Hutash will chime in here as they prolly know better than I.

[Skibum2]

No,no,no! Ventura SUCKS! 0 hotties, 0 swell, food sucks, Patagonia has moved, cheapest house will cost around $800,000.

[hutash]

We are the official "Poor man's Santa Barbara".Nobody lives in SB, they all commute from Ventura, hence one of many reasons nobody can afford to live here anymore.

Ventura is a great town, but not as quiet and sleepy as it once was. The downtown has gone through so descent renovation, and has a new cool vibe. It is a bit more yuppie then in times past, but also safer. I am not a surfer, but there are many classic breaks within walking distance, or a short drive up or down the coast.

Midtown and downtown have some old funky apartments for rent, but nothing is cheap. Even on the avenue prices have gone up, but fights in the biker bars (headquarters for "Hell's Angels" have not gown down. Still the cheapest California coastal town around though.

I have been here 20+ years, raising my kids here, and really like it, but like everywhere else in soCal it is changing. Growing too rapidly, too many cars, not enough bike trials, et cetera.

About 5 hours to Mammoth, 4 to Big Bear, 3 to Mt. High, but why bother with the last two? What is really frustrating is that you have to drive south part of the way, when you want to be going north. It is just a pisser for those few miles, but it always gets me in a bad mood.

PM me if you have specific questions.

[flatlander420]

Disclaimer: I am a true maggot. I have change for a nickel. I have taken on a new identity only for this one thread - to maintain anonymity - for the express purposes of gathering information from this trusted tribe of all-knowing, all-seeing, all-mocking individuals.

Thank you in advance for allowing this single indiscretion.

Situation Room: Job offer in Ventura, CA.

Question(s): A) Does anyone out here live near or in Ventura and B) what is the scene like compared to, say, SoCal? Cost of living? (HUGE) Bad vibes in the water? Where to surf? What neighborhood to live in with beach proximity? Where do most people with middle incomes buy?

THANKS
CQ out...perhaps forever.

A) I live in Ventura County. 1000 Oaks 30 minute drive down the 101.

B) Ventura is not like LA proper at all. There are some nice areas and some not so nice as far as housing goes. Silver Strand, Rincon anywhere up the 101 has loads of surf spots. Oxnard has cheaper real estate but not by much. Port Huneme is not too crazy expensive either. Ojai is too not far away and has a cool, artsy town kinda thing going on.

You could look into Santa Paula too for housing or T.O for that matter. Good luck!

[Gerome]

Live in Santa Barbara and commute to Ventura. Or split the difference and live in an in law unit on some rich ranch in Montecito.

Santa Barbara = all time and epic college girls, sweet mountain biking, great downtown, bars & restaurants, paragliding, scuba diving, surfing.

Ventura has better swell than Santa Barbara, C-Street (California Street) get's good swell. Rincon links up maybe 7 days out of the year, but the lineup is as long as the ride. Bigger surf can be found at Jalama - Tarantulas way way west to the real ocean. Winter time swell can be great.

It is very far from skiing though, very far. Buy a house with middle income, that's funny, if you want to buy a house, look into Redding.

[Joey Bag O' Donuts]

This is a funny thread! fack ventura unless you wanna go wine tasting in SB

[cj001f]

Middle income buying a home in Ventura. Hehe. Ventura is pretty reasonable by coastal standards for renting ~$1000 for a 1 bedroom within a block or so of the beach. On the same street a shitty 3 bedroom home from 1965 will sell for $1 million and someone will spend another $200k on renovations. Beachside $2-4 million. The neighborhoods are slowly upscaling themselves but still plenty of long time beach town locals (see John from Cinci for examples). The same thing is happening to the downtown - some winebars opening, etc. Ojai, Santa Paula, etc will be cheaper but hot and especially nasty in fire season. TO, Newbury Park, Simi Valley aren't much cheaper than the non-beach neighborhoods in Ventura and are pure suburban hellish sprawl (see Weeds). Santa Barbara is great if you are a millionaire or a trust funder or have a thing for silly rich girls and you want to have nasty traffic on your commute! Woohoo!

The best place to surf is the end of you street unless you have weekdays off. C-Street, Rincon are zoos on weekends. It is SoCal surfing, especially on a head high early Decemeber. Unless, of course, you absolutely must have the OC zoo.

It's 4-5 hours home from Mammoth and at least 1-3 more than that too Mammoth if you leave on a Friday.

[tarkman1]

Bad vibes in the water? I can't confirm the Hollywood by the Sea localism. I've always had a good time and good vibes in the water over at Oxnard Shores.

Ventura or Oxnard are fine for surf. The swell windows are pretty good.

[TahoePowShredder]

ventura is nothing more than a bunch of poser white suburbia kids trying to be gang bangers.

[Jim S]

ventura is nothing more than a bunch of poser white suburbia kids trying to be gang bangers.

ie, yesteryear's park rats and jibbers?

[The Reverend Floater]

For what little it's worth:

I have a cousin who lives in Ventura.

I HATE L.A, San Clemente, Santa Monica, Venice and all of the other places around there that I have spent significant time.

I do dig Ventura--I have found it to be totally different. Also, I am a HUGE jong surfer and the people there have been nothing but friendly to me everytime I was in the water. Most of the people actually reminded me of my cousin--way low profile, friendly and stoned.

If I had to live somewhere down there, it would be Ventura/Oxnard.

[CoastalQuestion]

Honored that the Reverend would respond - much appreciated.

[The Reverend Floater]

Honored that the Reverend would respond - much appreciated.

Ummm...surprised that you're honored by my meager knowledge. But thanks, none the less.

[Joey Bag O' Donuts]

I HATE San Clemente.

Do tell, enquiring minds want to know

[cj001f]

ventura is nothing more than a bunch of poser white suburbia kids trying to be gang bangers.

damn kid you keep knocking them out of the park Ventura County != Ventura

Alias poster seems to know about the SoCal lifestyle. If you are working in Ventura and living in Ventura and have semi-flexible hours it could be very nice. If not, well, count the calender days