Any One Live In Orange County California If So Wanna Meet With Me

Will Orange County, California ever have a downtown that is as dense as Downtown Los Angeles?

"Ever" is a long, long time. It is impossible to accurately predict most events on a long enough timeline. Cities can be built and abandoned in a century. Dubai and Shanghai were little more than a collection of small buildings 30 years ago. If you narrowed your timeline to say "20 years," then some reasonable estimates can be made. Based on current population density, population growth, regulations on high rise buildings and residential density in many areas of Orange County, politics, employment, and urbanization trends, I'd say no to 20 years from now. Extremely unlikely to 30 years. Past that, there are too many variables to do more than speculate. But I am not aware of any high density high rise residential or commercial construction projects planned for anywhere in Orange County that rival Los Angeles. The new office building in Irvine that recently became the tallest building in OC is 15 stories high. By comparison, the soon to be completed Korean Air building in Downtown LA is 73 stories high. That 15 story Irvine building wouldn't even crack the top 50 list in LA. And there are currently 15 buildings under construction in LA that will be taller than the Irvine building. Once planning does begin, design, approval, all the local hurdles and building time mean it can easily take 5-10 years to completion. Even if an area of OC did start to attract skyscraper type construction, it could be many decades before it reached anything resembling the density of Downtown LA.Now the reason I wouldn't speculate too far out is that we have seen overnight metropolis in our lifetimes. Below are Dubai and Shanghai in 1991 and now. But I really wouldn't count on the same happening to any city in the OC. ​​Dubai​​​Shanghai​

How do you feel about racism in Orange County California?

A2A. Thankfully, not something I have personally experienced in my 10+ years living in Orange County, and many more of spending time here.I happen to live in a corner of the County that is surrounded by predominantly Hispanic and Asian-American communities, on each side. So my own immediate neighborhood is a mini-melting pot of all those, as well as the largely white-caucasian areas that surround us.   Its a peaceful area, and everyone seems to get along fairly well.  I see as many Asians in the 'Latin' supermarket, as I see Hispanics.  Same goes for restaurants, gyms, banks, etc.  My own Iranian-American community is very well represented in OC, so that has not been a problem for me either.   I understand certain cities like Huntington Beach have had problems with 'White Supremacist' gangs and violence.  And some small parts of the County are said to still resemble the Nixonland of old, and are not particularly welcoming to minorities.  There are also some tensions, with racial overtones, in 'gentrifying' areas, like Downtown Santa Ana. Frankly, there are more news stories about intra-communal problems, than anything else.It must be said that there are very few African Americans in Orange County, and my black friends and colleagues who came out here, have largely preferred to move back out to L.A. and Long Beach areas.  None spoke of overt racism, just felt more comfortable.The most "racist" thing that I have seen in my years here was this sorry episode.  When a local chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) had a fundraiser to raise money for a womens’ shelter, and services for the homeless they were met with crowds screaming, “Go back home!” and “You beat up your wife too? Are you a molester?” to attendees, including young children.Whether this vile, un-American behavior can be described as racism, I'll leave to others.

Why would anyone want to move to California?

I live in Michigan currently, but I used to live in California since I was born up to when I turned 22. I lived in Anaheim, Orange County to be specific.Now, the best upsides of living in California vs Michigan are:1) Consistent weather. California is mostly dry and sunny whereas Michigan is cold during the winter, weird (rains/cloudy/sunny) during the spring, and hot and humid during the summer.2) Great Deal of Attractions. This is obvious. California has more people so it’s bound to have many more attractions.3) Everything appears to be closer. Grocery stores are close. Many many more DMVs, but then again many many more people. Michigan is scattered in my opinion. Without a car…I would have to walk some miles to get to a grocery store.4) People. There are thousands and thousands of people in California.5) The coast line. The water might be salty, but there are tons of people at the beaches. Plus, you have the waves.Downsides:1) Cost of living. Everything in California is definitely more expensive than in Michigan. When I went back to California to visit my parents last summer, everything felt more expensive. Gas was like $0.50-1.00 more expensive. Food was nearly the same, but then sales tax gets you. If you’re living in an apartment, expect $$$/sq. ft in California versus $/sq. ft in Michgan.2) Traffic. California is notorious for traffic especially near the big cities. I still remember how congested interstate 5, 91, and 405 would get. I don’t have that issue happen in Michigan unless they are repairing the highways.3) Lack of nearby nature stuff. I think you would have to drive some great distance to see something other than buildings and concrete.4) Not enough water?5) You do not experience the seasons. I love the snow/rain. I get to wear jackets, have fun driving in the snow, and curse jokingly a lot about the weather. hahaSo would it be possible for me to live in California again? I’m not sure anymore. I think when I re-visit my parents over there, I might feel like I’m visiting a new city. I probably will get excited, but at the end I would like to go back home to my current place. But just to let you know, I definitely do not plan on dying in Michigan. Haha. Probably not in California either. Maybe not in the US at all.

How hard is it to live in California?

It depends on your angle!  I lived in the SF Bay Area for 15+ years and one thing you'll notice is a distinction between bedroom communities and big cities.  They say the big cities are hiring for good-paying jobs, but it's too expensive to live there.  Everyone complains about the commute.  I suspect this is true of any state though.  The truth is, you need to be flexible about where you will work.  I know friends and relatives who work at well-paying jobs in refineries, but the cities those are located are hardly big cities.  Keep in mind, the cost of living in CA is higher than other states, but so is the pay!  Besides, if you're used to living here, you learn to make ends meet.  Let's take the grocery bill, for example.  If the thought of being frugal doesn't scare you, there are several places to start.  Let's say you want to shop in an upper-middle class store.  Imagine going to Whole Foods.  What can you afford to eat?  Go check out the bulk bins.  Some of those products are not only cheaper than their boxed counterparts, but they can be cheaper than some national chain-store equivalents.  And unless I'm hosting a party, I just buy close-dated foods so they're marked down in price.  What I eat myself is nobody's business.  Transportation?  Try networking for a carpool ride.  My neighbors do that all the time.  Outsiders think of living here as some kind of survival exercise, but that's a bit exaggerated.