i live here and i've enjoyed it..i think you have a lot of diversity in cali, esp. in climate and culture.

California is just an ok place to me. I like Northern Cali much more than SoCal. The atmosphere up there is more laid back and less superficial. I really don't like all the smog in the state though or the earth shaking! All and all its an ok place.

California is the best place in the world.

How can one rate CA?  There's so much to it and so much variety.

You want big cities, small towns, urban, suburban, rural, mountains, desert, ocean, lakes, industry, farms, entertainment?  CA has it all.   If you can't find it in CA, it probably doesn't exist.  It's a country within a country.   Everything you might want is there at your fingertips.  It's an exciting culture.

When I lived there, I used to say "California is to the United States as the United States is to the world.".   I still think that sums it up a lot.  Bigger, faster, richer, more materialistic, more advanced, more sophisticated, more everything; good & bad.

On the flip side, it's terribly crowded.   Plenty of crime, gangs, illegal aliens.  English language & white people have become a minority.  If you're into any shooting sports, forget Calif - it's one of the most anti-Second Amendment states in the country.

I lived in Orange County 12 years, and go back for vacation visits annually.  Will probably move back there some day, although never full-time, due to how anti-gun the place has become.

I lived in California nine years as I was growing up.  I left there in 1974.  I'm never going back.

While I can't speak for the entire state, I have visited LA and San Francisco.  LA, I liked more than I had planned on.  San Francisco is truly one of the world's great cities.  Even if the rest of the state were a total dump, the bay area would make up for it and then some.  Simply exquisite. 

I never wanted to live here (too many earthquakes, floods, fires, serial killers), but I used to LOVE visiting it. From my perspective, it is one of the most beautiful states in America, although I haven't been there since 9/11. As a kid, I went there with my parents and saw the conventional tourist attractions-- San Simeon, Universal Studios, the Redwood Forest, etc. Later, a friend of mine and his wife lived in various places throughout the state over the years, so I used to travel there as often as I could afford a plane ticket, crash at whatever place they were living in at the time (Pacific Palisades, La Jolla, San Diego, Valley Center, L.A., etc.), rent a car, and drive to all the "esoteric" places I wanted to. The graveyards in California are magnificent, although you might have some trouble seeing the gravesites you're interested in (despite the obstructionism of some of the people working at the cemeteries, I saw the graves of Humphrey Bogart, Sharon Tate, Bela Lugosi, Bugsy Siegel, Virginia Rappe, Peter Lorre, Carl "Alfalfa" Sweitzer, Spencer Tracy, Larry Fine, Rudolph Valentino, Dorothy Stratten, Gracie Allen, Clara Bow, Chico Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Bing Crosby, Lou Costello, Curly Howard, Tyrone Power, George Raft, Charles Laughton, Stan Laurel, Elizabeth Short aka The Black Dahlia, and others probably too numerous to mention). Hollywood and San Francisco had old bookstores that couldn't compete with what was in NY, but were fascinating nonetheless. I got lost in Compton not long after the riots and passed numerous burned-out buildings (unlike Reginald Denny, I was fully prepared to step on the gas at the first sign of trouble). I ate at one of the oldest restaurants in Hollywood, a place haunted by the shades of John Barrymore and Louise Brooks. I saw Walt Chamberlain and Tom Snyder. I finally stood in front of the house where Bugsy Siegel was shot and had my picture taken while wearing a shite eating grin (when we traveled to California as a family during my childhood, I remember passing the street, pointing it out excitedly to my parents...who generally were tolerant of my eccentricities...and them telling me in exasperation, "Look, we don't have time for that crap now! Your father's been driving all day and we don't have time to look at some house where a crummy gangster was shot!"). I drove up the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego toward Big Sur, Carmel and Santa Cruz, and it's one of the most achingly beautiful trips I've ever made in my life, and I've seen a fair portion of the world. In San Francisco, I ate bad Italian food, great seafood, and toured Alcatraz and the porno theatre where the Mitchell Brothers first unveiled a hot-as-hell Marilyn Chambers aka The Ivory Snow Girl on an unsuspecting world (in my own defense, let me say that she was one of the primary fantasy figures who helped get me through a very difficult adolescence, and for that she has my eternal thanks). In San Diego, I crossed the border into Tijuana, got hellaciously drunk, took shaky photographs of Mexican police officers walking the streets who were (thank God!) good-natured about it, and forgot to buy available-without-a-prescription painkillers (I had enough of my own, thank you). I miss California immensely and hope to visit it again soon.

Im sure the state is beautiful,  but its some of the whackos that live there that don't make it a favorite state of mine compared to others lol.  Not to mention the earth quakes

Parts of California are as beautiful as anywhere I've been on earth.  Big Sur, the coast north of San Francisco Bay, the Mount Shasta area, are stunning, and the Bay area, particularly San Francisco is among the most intriguing urban areas on the continent.

There are downsides, however.  LA is something of a wasteland (although there are some things worth finding there) and the San Joaquin Valley (or at least the part you can see from I5) is as boring a piece of real estate as the continent offers.

my roots are in Santee, CA(suburb of san diego) I've only been around so cal. Beutifal area to live and I will return one day.

I love California, no all parts of it equally, but Northern is the best. Climate and scenery, nice cities and peaceful countryside. Snow mountains at Tahoe and desert in Palm Springs. Even thou the land already gave to the people all hidden supplies of gold, it is still a Golden State.

I love California! San Fran and San Diego are the shit. And you gotta love the Governator.

i live there

I rarely visit California.  Despite a wealth of natural attractions and beauty it is too, too crowded.  I can't enjoy Yosemite or Tahoe or the Redwoods when there are hundreds of  people all around.  Also, the weather is too dry in the summer.    

land of the low lows and beautiful ho's


no greater place in the world

If you leave California, you're a fool! The jobs are better and so is the weather!

If you leave California, you're a fool! The jobs are better and so is the weather!

I don't like California, Traffic horrible and everbody who lives there seems to love.  If they love it soooo much why are they flocking to Texas! now we have ties to california which include bad traffic and high crime rates.  To get a house out thee you have to be a millionare.  The cities are sooo overated and there not that nice

I have lived in CA nearly all my life and like any other state it has its pros and cons. But one thing we definitely have over most other states is VARIETY! CA has mountain ranges, deserts, beaches, forests. It can be 80 degrees at the beaches while just three hours away its 20 degrees and snowing if you prefer to ski or board. I noticed a lot of people commented on the massive amounts of immigrants. Well it's not a problem if you take it positively. Because of all these immigrants we can get thai food or a taco or ethiopian food. Sometimes all are on the same block. CA has the 7th largest economy in the world, so a lot of the money the US receives is from the state. I think a lot of the negative reviews are from people who were just travelling through and had a bad time or their attitudes are just bad. If you live here for any amount of time you would understand that. By the way, SF is one of the most beautiful cities I have seen in my lifetime.

Dirty, Filthy, Dangerous, Full of illegal immigrants who don't respect America & don't attempt to learn English.
Besides Beverly Hills, the beaches, & the food, it's disgustingly useless.

California is one of my top 5 favorite states!

UPDATE: Today's history lesson shows us that California was admitted as a state in 1850. The State had no electricity. The state had no water. The State had no money. Almost everyone spoke Spanish. There were gunfights in the streets. Basically, it was just like California today, except the women had real tits and the men didn't hold hands.

ORIGINAL COMMENT: It used to be great--now it's Californicated! I hope it doesn't move too far East.

Depends where in California.  I really enjoyed the Japanese Tea Garden in San Fransisco; it was quite breath taking.

It seems people either love or hate California and judge it based on one place Los Angeles.  Well I'm here to tell you that California is more than LA.  Like Oregon and Washington State it is a very diverse state from the people to the climate.  Northern California is night and day different from Southern California in terms culture and climate.  Not to many states where you can go from sunny beaches to snow within a couple of hours.  The climate is ideal for year round activities.  It doesn't get five stars due to poor air quality in most of its cities especially in Socal.

The Golden State. Great place to visit, but expensive. been here since 1978 for frame of reference

I visited California last year and I loved San Francisco and San Diego but I didn't  like Los Angeles. Way too much traffic and frankly the city isn’t very nice.

It's all good in California. Los Angeles is the best in my opinion. San Francisco and San Diego are nice also. I think a lot of the attitudes stem from jealousy. There are certainly cities with MUCH worse smog such as Detroit.

Too damned many people have moved here. It's absolutely ruined and devastated what used to be a lovely slice of paradise. Wish they'd all fly back to the midwest (or Mexico) and leave California to the natives. The rents and real estate here are abhorrent. Smog and pollution, trash and homelessness are out of control. Too many illegal aliens flooding the place from every direction and making it seem like a third world country, wrecking the schools and the hospitals. All the "nuts and flakes" are not real Californians, but wanna-be losers who have migrated here to try and be cool or Hollywood. Traffic congestion everywhere. Again, all of these problems can be traced back to the problem of TOO DAMNED MANY PEOPLE! I am a 4th generation California native and I cannot even afford a home here anymore. SAVE CALIFORNIA: WHEN YOU LEAVE TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU!

California: you have to know where to go; the state is HUGE! Personal favorite locations (honeymoon friendly): Santa Barbara, Cambria, Monterey, Solvang, Crescent City, Visalia (King's Canyon), Morro Bay, Lake Tahoe, Mendocino and... There are too many good ones! Definite things to see: the redwoods, Yosemite, Sequoia Nat'l Forest, Big Sur. Least favorite: theme parks in the south! I personally hate large crowds, so I tend to avoid the likes of Disneyland, Univ. Studios, and San Diego Zoo. Also, if you're thinking about living here, think again - housing prices are absolutely outrageous in CA and wages haven't kept up.

Far too many people. California would deserve the rating it gets if there were 30 million fewer people there.

The ocean and the waves here can't be beat. The sun shines all the time and the weather is mild. The thing that kills California is that the secret got out years ago. It is too overcrowded and unaffordable for most people, and that's the way they like it. They don't want people moving here. So unless you like renting a bedroom or living with your relatives the rest of your life, I wouldn't recommend it. If you don't mind living in a small cramed place with a bunch of people or paying enormous amounts for a 1 bedroom apartment, move here by all means. The job market pays decent here but not enough to ever buy a big house. If you are into surfing, outdoor barbeques, skydiving, snorkling, and outdoor malls, it's a very nice place to be.

I grew up in California. During the 80's and early 90's it was the best place in the U.S.A to live. Now like any other fad, California has sunk with the rest of the U.S.A.

There are millions of illegals from Mexico here which have infested both ends of the state with crime and desitution, making this place rather dirty. L.A & Hollywood are broken and dead with homeless people everywhere. The rich have sheltered themselves away on little hills and suburban gated communities to live in their illusions, while the shrinking middle-class struggles to keep their jobs and buy an old suburban home and find a safe school for their kids.

Absolutely no money is put into the educational system here whatsoever! Textbooks are backwards and old, teachers are underpaid and programs are getting cut left and right.

The weather is the only GREAT thing about California. Topography is nice, but not superb. California is now only a "lost dream."


UPDATE: After living in the other states for the past 12 months I can't wait to return to Cali. Where the produce is great, the weather is perfect, the jobs, the friendlier people, and the fresh water. Definately the best state for quality of life. Nor Cal especially.

California means many things to many people. It leads the nation in traffic jams and earthquakes- has ultra left and ultra right people and even some in the middle. Sparkling, interesting cities that harbor great wealth and many poor. Sprinkled with equal parts of glamor and smog and populated by a mixture of sunbronzed beach lovers and eccentric night people.
And seemingly focused on the triple nodes of Hollywood, Disneyland and the Golden Gate.
Once a great place to live- with its benign climate, economic opportunites and outdoor recreational opportunities it has become very expensive. With housing that is the most the most pricey in the country, and an increasingly paranoid culture, separated by a deep chasm of those who have made it, and those who have not, and those in deep debt who think they have made it. A beauitiful state of diverse envirionments, with a wacky but compelling culture. But no longer a great place to live.

California offers just about everything in one place or another.If you like the urban scene,there are several.What I enjoy,though,is the camping and hiking here.The people are generally very mellow and friendly,the weather usually mild and if you are into healthy eating California is hard to beat.There's lush and beautiful land in abundance,and the Napa Valley is quite picturesque,although over-run with yuppies and over-priced.

I have been to California, up and down the coast, multiple times. I have had both pleasures and displeasures with my visit. Pleasures: Berkeley is nice, especially around the university. However, rather dirty with homeless people laying around on-campus. Palo Alto is pretty, and Stanford University if beautiful. The Pacific Coast Highway is super to go with the top down on your convertible. The Redwood Highway up by Crescent City, CA is gorgeous, but beware of awful wind currents on the northern coast and by Sonoma. Yosemite is an absolute charm, and you can get anything you want as far as the great outdoors when you go up to Tahoe or Yosemite. San Diego is nice, but exorbitantly expensive. You can't beat the weather. Fisherman's Wharf is nice, as well as the Golden Gate Bridge. Displeasures: San Francisco and Los Angeles are crowded and traffic-snarled. LA has an air quality problem that surpasses any other American city. LAX is not an airport I ever want to experience at the security checkpoint again. Housing is awfully expensive, surpassing any costs that I recall from the east coast. People are snobby or completely removed from reality. People drive like jackasses most of the time, and there is a tendency for motorcylicsts to crash into other motorists on the I-5, I-405, and I-605, causing ten mile backups in LA. Inglewood, CA is an easy place for beggars to ask for money, or threaten you by force. Bulletproof glass abounds in south central LA. Sacramento and the central valley has a strange smell of chemicals in the air.

The weather is great, but the mentality there reminds me of the Battle of Dunkirk during World War II; everyone is just looking to get away the first chance they get. It's overpriced, too many illegals, sounds like a bad situation. I love San Diego though, but Los Angeles is scary.

Remeber all your relatives that moved out of Chicago, NYC, and Philly to move to California? They used to brag about the weather and great lifestyle??? They and many other folks are getting out...and moving back east. California used to be paradise...not anymore.

I've lived in California most of my life and it's an ok kinda state. There's lots to do and things to see. The climate is pleasant, but contrary to poplar belief it can get pretty cold during winter months. I also enjoy snow in the mountains, sandy beaches and redwood forrest. I happen to live in a desert community and the sunsets are breathtaking. There are things about California that I dislike. Too many illegal aliens, spanish is becoming the language of choice. Housing is not affordable and there are too many people. Traffic congestion is unbelievable and the people are somewhat plastic and kinda rude. There are too many gangs and too much crime. I've visited a few other states and I think I'll stick with California--"The Goldplated State".

California defines the term "paradise lost". It was a great place for an American to start a new life once upon a time. Now uncontrolled immigration, smog, traffic, street gangs armed to the teeth, million dollar starter homes and the most hideous left wing politicians imaginable have made it a far less desirable place. I even wonder if it will be part of the United States by the middle of the 21st Century. The simple fact is, if you're looking for a place in the good old USA to start life anew, just about everywhere is booked up. It certainly is in California. Too bad, southern California is probably the most physically attractive place in the US, so for the moment still three stars. Like I said, paradise lost.

I could write forever about California. I will try to sum it up. I lived in San Diego while in the Navy. I fell in love with San Diego and it's still one of my favorites. The only thing really wrong with it is that it helps to be bi-lingual and the cost of living is so bad that only the wealthy can truly enjoy it for what it has to offer. Mission Beach very tourist oriented, Imperial Beach kinda in between, La Jolla (The Jewel) is a very pretty area, and my fav. Ocean Beach is where most of the Alts. hang out, hippies and surfers n' such. I obtained some of the best weed I've ever had from that area. Nothing's better for watching beautiful sunsets or walking around downtown, or even going to the best zoo in the US. SD is an health fanatics paradise, as well the outdoorsy types. Most people without college degrees and even some with, have to have 2 or 3 jobs to support themselves, kinda defeats the point of living in paradise. The weather is perfect except during late winter, which it can be very chilly. Great schools and scenery. Great friendly people for the most part. Too many bums, some are angry, some are crazy, and the rest are just lazy. You'd be suprised if you knew some of them to find out that many of them come from very wealthy backgrounds, some even with a degree. Tiajuana is only about 15 minutes from SD. A great place to experience for a few days or just a few hours. It's very nasty and about twice the size of SD. but you can experience things there that you can't in the US. some good and some bad. Go to Revolution Ave. make sure your with at least 3 or more friends, because there's a lot of dirty things happening here. Watch out for mysterious beauties, you may wake up the next day missing a kidney, not kidding. What ever you do, don't start any trouble, because you may have to dish out a lot of bribery bucks to the police or spend some time in a Mexican jail, not a good thing. It's very easy to buy illegal drugs there, and cheap. I suggest that you not, because they make money off of you from the drugs, and then turn you in at the border and make a reward. Very dirty business down here, only for the foolish and corrupt. There is a red-light district down there on the north-west side of the city, not far from the border. It's like something out of Amsterdam, but not as professional. It's not my thing, never have paid for it yet, but it was intresting to experience. You don't ever see anything like that in the US. L.A., What a hell-hole. Makes NYC look friendlier than Mayberry. The first time I got of the bus there on Sunset & Santa Monica Freeway. I had a car whiz by me about 40 miles an hour. I felt an explosion, and when I opened my eyes I was covered in what looked like to be 44oz of orange soda. Not a pleasant experience. People here will pull guns and fake guns out on you if your near the street and pretend that they're going to shoot you, some do. Not a nice place. If an eartquake eventually swallows it up, it won't be missed and California's Status will dramatically improve. If it weren't for the cost of living and L.A. I'd give CA. a 5* rating. but no place is perfect right?

It is the greatest part of america hands down, getting abit crowded in parts but still lightyears ahead of any state in any way.... However Hawaii is an apple's to oranges tie. Nagging about Political views and LA(as bad as it may be, it is still far better place to put up with than any other city of its populace in the world) is mearly a testiment to how far people have to reach to find something tangibly wrong with California; People bitter with their own territory in life more often than not.

California is a Huge and Diverse State...Their are Mountains,Hills,Valleys,Deserts, Beaches..Their are areas that Look and Feel like your in the Northwest,Midwest,Northeast,South,Southwest or other parts of the Continental U.S..Their are Hot Areas,Cold Areas,Cool Areas,Dry Areas,Rainy Areas,Foggy Areas,Humid Areas,Cloudy Areas,Sunny Areas...Their are Rich Areas,Poor Areas or in Between...Their are Very Safe Areas,Very Dangerous Areas or in Between...Their are Expensive Areas such as along the Coast or in or around the Larger Cities,but their are also More Affordable Areas such as in the Central Valley or in the Deserts... California also has Huge Cities,Small Cities,Big Towns,Small Towns,Densely Populated Areas,Sparsely Populated Areas,Clean and Beautiful Areas,Dirty and Ugly Areas or in Between...Their are areas that are Predominantly White,Black,Hispanic,Asian or all Mixed Together...California also has an Extremely Diverse Economy with a Great Variety of Entertainment... So what i'm basically trying to say is don't rely on other people's Negative or Positive comments on the Entire State,because it's not the same everywhere here...California is not all Crowded,Clogged with Traffic,Polluted,Expensive,Dangerous or infested with Gangs...California is still a Great State to live in and if you don't like one area,their will always be another part of California that you will enjoy to live in or visit.

A lot of people that are rating Cali obviously never lived there (which is probably a good thing). I used to live in San Diego and I was happy to move out. Southern California is full of traffic jams, underpaid labor, and overpriced housing. A small house here runs around $600k and an apartment runs anywhere from $1400 to $2200 a month, depending on how close you are to the water. The climate is probably the best part of living here as it is very mild. However, don't let the sunshine image fool you, it gets chilly in Dec. - Feb and sometimes drops down to the 30's at night. The waves here are second to none and the beautiful hills and valleys can't be beat. However, the traffic problem is enough to drive any sane man crazy. People out West speak in terms of minutes rather than miles. I worked 4 miles from where I worked and it took me 35 minutes to get to work. The people are very laid-back, which is nice, but some of them are very clicky and pretentious. San Diego is filled with Navy members and surfer-types. The sunsets are beautiful. There are a lot of strange/weird people here, so if you are into people watching, it's definitely a cool place. People in Southern California are very independent and this could be attributed to the large number of out-of-state people and residents always moving around because of high cost of living and job demands. The jobs are hard to come by and you will likely be underpaid because of the large number of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Mexicans dominate the landscape and it's common to hear people speak Spanish at drive-thrus and restaurants. The Downtown area of SD is overrated and full of overpriced $20-$50 clubs. Mission Valley is a nice place to visit as it has a beautiful outdoor mall (Fashion Valley) and San Diego State University is a nice place to party. If you are young, there are house parties down Montezuma and people are pretty friendly for the most part in welcoming strangers. If you like baseball, the downtown area is worth checking out. Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach are overrated. They are always packed, dirty, full of bums, and overpriced souvenier shops. If you like a relaxing day, they are nice to walk around on the weekends, but good luck finding a parking spot. There is surfing, biking, roller blading, skydiving, snorkling, beach bonfires here. West coast barbeques are very common and famous on the Southwest landscape. La Jolla Shores is a beautiful beach along the cliffside and La Jolla Cove is a one-of-a-kind unique site. There are a lot of concerts, especially west coast rap shows, and local rock bands. The negatives of California is that it's very difficult to make friends because people are so independent and busy working they have no time to hang out. It's not uncommon for people to work 3 jobs to afford there one-bedroom apartment. There are people in their 40's renting rooms here (no joke). People live with their parents into their mid-30's because of the high housing. While all the funstuff makes it an attraction, there is never anytime to do any of these things if you live here. People are too busy trying to pay rent, sitting in traffic jams, and living paycheck to paycheck. People that live in inland will find that it takes an hour to get to the beach when they are only 12 miles away and they have to find a parking spot because of traffic. There are mudslides, forest fires, and earthquakes. There is ant season where tons of ants will get into people's garages and bathrooms. Black widow spiders are everywhere. When it rains here, people cannot drive. People will do anything for money here (seriously) just to get by and pay their rent. People rent out garages for $300/month. The housing boom, natural disasters, overcrowding, and traffic jams have ruined Southern California and made it impossible to afford every owning a home. San Diego is in debt $10 billion and the mayor just resigned. Illegal immigrants make job hunting ever-impossible. Overall, it's a 2-class environment -- upper class and non-upper class. If you are in the upper class, Southern California can be paradise. If you are in the lower class, life can be completely miserable working three jobs with little freetime.

You cannot beat the weather in California- especially along the coast.Outdoors there is more to do then you can imagine. Great beaches, mountains, deserts, forests, skiing, great cities (Including San Fran) The most beautiful city in North America, and of course there is Tinsletown, etc etc. Incredible. However there is too much traffic in the urban areas, a sort of shallow culture, and high costs throughout most of the state- which make the quality of life questionable.

The countryside and scenery is superb, expecially in the north and east. Too bad the place is so crowded and that so many of those are simply crazy. Good for comic relief, though.

There are many reasons to love this state and many reasons to dislike it. Great diversity in people and landscapes- much of it exciting and wonderful. It is very expensive to live in most parts of this state now- and that is one of the most negative factors. I have allways enjoyed my many visits here- California has much physical beauty.

Greatest state in the union. California has every thing you could ever need and I would take earth Quakes over tornadoes any day of the week.

I love California. It has everything and other things that the rest of the nation hasn't got. In fact, California is so far ahead with laws and culture as well. I have never experienced this so called stereotypical "california attitude" people are EXTREMELY open-minded. I always think of California positively. Sure it has it's problems, but no other state will match California originalism. To Iontu42: If the Californians had said, "stay in your own state...we don't want you!" in the early 1900's where would the Midwesterners gone? What goes around comes around bucko.

Highly Overrated state, never cared for the Calif attitude either. To all CA people: PLEASE stay in your own state and stop moving to other states, we don't want you! Colorado used to be a wonderful state until the CA yuppies took over, STOP coming to CO!!

As a born and raised Californian, I have a bittersweet opinion of the Golden state. I grew up in Redding in Northern California, and slowly watched it become a yuppie's paradise. At one time it could be characterized as midwestern in feel, however during the past 20 years, it experienced a significant amount of growth due to many Southern Californians making a mass exodus to the North State. Almost overnight, mortgage and rent prices skyrocketed, traffic became impossible, and we were drowning in an endless sea of housing developments (mostly mini or starter mansions) and strip malls. Rolls Royces, BMWs, Caddies, and Mercedes were everywhere........... But jobs and industries were not. As housing costs and the cost of living went up, the job outlook stayed in the 1950s. The logging industry which was once a major employer went the way of the Dodo bird as whiny enviromentalists got their way. California is a great place to spend your life AFTER you become wealthy. As for the people, yes, they are friendly, outgoing, sociable, accepting of differences and diversity (in some places) and tolerant to a fault, however if you are not driving a Lexus and live in a posh development, You just are not IN. Life can be pretty harsh in California for a single mom living in an apartment and driving a ten year old car. Which impells me to bring up another fact of life in cali............ THE SOCCER MOM. Plenty of them, driving Ford Expeditions at 85 MPH on The freeway, cell phone in one hand, laden with acryllic nails and dripping with diamonds, and a Latte in the other. Complete with the soccer ball decals and the bumper sticker that reads....... My little bastard is an honor student at insert school name here. The weather is awesome though, you might get snow in the upper Sacramento Valley maybe once every 5 years, but you can always count on a clear sunny summer day. Maybe raging inferno hot, but dry heat. An abundance of recreational activities, restaurants, clubs, and shopping. Well, I now live in Ohio, not the most glamourous or diverse place in the world but it isn't Siberia either, I could think of worse places to live.