Why so many negative comments about living in the City of Irvine?

[quote author="bkshopr" date=1228544800][quote author="momopi" date=1228544399]This would be like, my ideal home. You can open any window and cast your fishing rod, plus there's enough rooms to stash my loot.



<img src="http://www.chenonceau.com/media/images_big/accueil.jpg" alt="" />



<a href="http://en.wiki.org/wiki/Ch?teau_de_Chenonceau">http://en.wiki.org/wiki/Ch?teau_de_Chenonceau</a></blockquote>


Nice! Your taste in food commensurate architecture. The water moat was a defensive device to discourage intruders.</blockquote>


The entrance hall building (detached to the right) clearly has a moat while the rest of the building is well protected along the Cher River. The entrance hall structure is also minimally attached to the castle by a suspension bridge that could be withdrawn purposely. The receiving end of the suspended bridge is round at the resident side so only a narrow bridge could be used as a connector thus limiting the number of people or army crossing the bridge at any given moment. It was only connected at one hinge point to promote rocking imbalance. Intruders often carry along with them a wide wood platform to span over the moat in gaining entry to castle but the round receiving end made it unstable for that purpose.



Another interesting fact is the ramp up before the suspension bridge. It was paved with rough bumpy cobblestone in slowing the momentum of wheel carts. Even if the carts made it over the ramp the suspension bridge is not conducive for cart crossing.



Another feature is the parapet instead of roof facing the bridge. The parapet is called crenellation with zigarot cut outs allowing archers to shoot their arrows at the intruders.



There are 2 Juliette balconies over the sides of front door but never directly over it. The purpose was to allowing defense to pour hot oil from these 2 balconies on to the intruders who made his way to the front door below.
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1228554580]No garage. Where will you park your chariot?</blockquote>


No need. Servants will carry you whereever you wish to go.
 
I had one of these behind my house. Twice. If you order the doors right, you can park a Cessna 210 or similar sized airplane inside.



<img src="http://www.richardsonbrothersconstruction.com/projectgallery/dillon3.jpg" alt="" />



My mom has a mature yard she's been growing for 35 years that hides it so she doesn't have to look at it. After a while you get used to it. All of a sudden I miss home. I hope it passes.
 
hi there, okay this is for PeterUK...this is once again Lynn Hnat, yep that is my married name...I had grew up in orange county and know Irvine like a backhand...so you are telling me that those houses are not cookie cutters shapes...allthought you can say the same here in Kenilworth with typical 3 bedroom house knowing the layout before walking in the front door but yet...at least houses has characters around...also as of childhood...I found this kenilworth town just the way orange county was in the 1970's where most can walk and cycle to activies, schools and friends' house..no cars required...of course even though American ways does find its way here but it is so nice not to see christmas decorations til the first week of december not October ..woo woo.....and also this town is actually small enough that you know that one would say something to my children if they did not behave...just the way it was at the beaches in the 1970's in California...but not anymore....so that is why I now like going home for vacations but not to worry about the kids being too spoiled or being brats...smile....also they have a great music program here just like in Irvine school system also have alot of professors living here as it is close to university of warwick...which is just like UCI...so you guys lost....smile.
 
Some interesting quotes from another board:



<a href="http://www.city-data.com/forum/orange-county/496355-love-oc-lost.html">http://www.city-data.com/forum/orange-county/496355-love-oc-lost.html</a>



<em>Loved everything orange county had to offer. I've been here 20 years and learned a lot. Here are my conclusions after 20 years:



- Unless you're still in your twenties, night life sucks.

- Breast implants for a girl's HS graduation gift.

- Newport women who have cloned themselves. Say stepford wives?

- Older women competing with twenty something girls in the dating scene.

- Traffic sucks. 45 min on the 57 from Brea to the crush

- Housing costs. Brea 500 sq' junior apt for $1,100

- Everybody is in a freakin rush to get some place. Then they turn around and start all over.

- The weather is like ground hog day

- I have a few friends, but strangers in public are so rude.

- Most of south county residents are materialistic.

- Neighbors are afraid to talk to each other

- Protesting if one sneezes the wrong way.</em>



-----------------------------------------

<em>

I had never heard Irvine touted as a best place to raise a family. You Piqued my curiosity so I did some internet searches. I found a lot of lists. None included Irvine. One article wisely stated that it depends on what is important to you. The lists varied wildly. One list even included Los Angeles (but not irvine - now I woudl certianly think Irvine woudl be a better place to raise a family than LA).



Where is the best place to raise a family depends on what factors are considered. You can come out with very differnet results if you weigh factors differently or exclue some factors while including others not included. Do you want the most pediatricians per capita? Most dollars spent per studen in schools? Best test scores on the SAT or ACT? Most playgrounds or parks per capita? Most skateboard parks? Lowest crime rate? Affordable housing?



We did nto find anywhere in OC to be a good place to raise a family. You can raise good kids there (we did) but it takes more work on the parents part than in other places.



The moral atmosphere in CA is generally terrible. Too many chilren are raised with no principals and no work ethic. Many are handed anything they could want with no effort to earn anything and they look with disdain on others who have lesser brand clothing, cars, etc. Sexual morality is almost non-existient. UNderage sex is actually encouraged by a large number of parents. Girls dress like hookers and guys dress like gangbangers in many schools, including the "good" schools (actually many of the lesser ranked schools have a uniform policy). Even the "good" schools are not that great in national comparisons (again depending on which factors are considered). The kids are indoctrinated in social viewpoints as much as they are taught what they need for college. the lifestyle is unwholesome Everything is rush rush rush and many of the schools are insanley competitive. Most of the kids are stressed out. The schools are too large and the kids recieve little personal attention.



Many of these problems exist everywhere to some extent, but to a much greater extent in OC than in amny other places. Certainly a lot of places are worse.



Frankly, I would not want to raise kids in any crowded place. We did raise our kids most of the way in OC then moved. For their sake, I wish that we had moved sooner, but I sure enjoyed living in OC.</em>
 
Irvine......



Obviously it is a very safe community. There is a direct relation between the demographics of an area and it's crime rate. That's all I will say about that. It is centrally located--not too far from the beach, but also far enough away. What do I mean? With the exception of Newport Beach/CDM there is no other place I would rather live, and the preceding area is much more expensive.



Huntington Beach? Forget about! What a horrendous wasteland filled with the depravity of society. Skinhead Aryans, tattoos, freakazoids, jacked-up trucks, and trucker hats. No thank you.



How about Laguna Beach? Unless you are a multi-millionaire, you'll be living ina 2 bedroom shack with a 600,000 mortgage. It's also quite isolated.



South County? Far away from the action. It's also an older community with no college town. Don't forget there are some gang problems there as well.



Anywhere west and north of the 55? No thanks. After hurdling the pot-hole Santa Ana you get into some "nicer areas' inland. The prices of properties aren't low enough for me to live way out there.



That leaves Irvine--a city that I liken to an "Asian-Fusion" restaurant. Yes there are a lot of first gen' asians here that keep to themselves, but there are a lot of people who are American-born. Considering the fact that I am caucasian and my significant other is asian, Irvine seems to be a "natural demographic fit." If there is such a thing. Yes Irvine may be boring to look at, or too "planned" out, but that is what makes it a perfect home for many people. California, specifically working in this fast-paced, congested nightmare, can be physically and mentally draining. Sometimes you just want to go back to your boring home, which you know will be the same, day after day. It's nice sometimes to have part of your life be monotonous.



I've played sports all my life and I can tell you I would have killed to have baseball/softball/football fields as nice as this. Only a freak chance of a rain-out, no cracks in the tennis court, no pot-holes in the infield, etc... There are also sports leagues for adults as well.



Overall the sense of community is a bit lacking, but that is because of the multi cultural and generational gaps that exist. This does lend itself to diveristy, which does have its benefits as well. Now, if I can just get the asian camry drivers to move a little faster down Culver...........:)
 
[quote author="nativecalifornia" date=1231287243]hi there, okay this is for PeterUK...this is once again Lynn Hnat, yep that is my married name...I had grew up in orange county and know Irvine like a backhand...so you are telling me that those houses are not cookie cutters shapes...allthought you can say the same here in Kenilworth with typical 3 bedroom house knowing the layout before walking in the front door but yet...at least houses has characters around...also as of childhood...I found this kenilworth town just the way orange county was in the 1970's where most can walk and cycle to activies, schools and friends' house..no cars required...of course even though American ways does find its way here but it is so nice not to see christmas decorations til the first week of december not October ..woo woo.....and also this town is actually small enough that you know that one would say something to my children if they did not behave...just the way it was at the beaches in the 1970's in California...but not anymore....so that is why I now like going home for vacations but not to worry about the kids being too spoiled or being brats...smile....also they have a great music program here just like in Irvine school system also have alot of professors living here as it is close to university of warwick...which is just like UCI...so you guys lost....smile.</blockquote>


Sorry Lynn, just noticed this reply...



I love Kenilworth, do you know Drummonds Wine Bar? And right across the street they have/had the best Indian Restaurant anywhere...



No, I'm not saying the Houses in Irvine are not Cookie Cutter, they are, most streets look the same, however, People always ask me whether I prefer SoCal or the UK and I always reply that it's like comparing apples to Oranges, I love both, in fact, my perfect retirement would be to spend a few months in both...



I love living in Irvine because I work here too, I have a 1.8 mile commute, I ride a Bicycle a lot and it seems Irvine was built around the Cyclist, wide bike lanes, buttons on all the Traffic lights so we can reach them, take off in one direction and you're on the coast, ride the other way for Canyons and Hills, but of course, not everyone rides a Bike, so most wouldn't take that into account...



I would deffinately move back to Kenilworth, Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon again, we still have a House in West Sussex, now that's an awesome place...



The thing I deffinately don't miss about the UK is the weather..and everyone moaning all the time...
 
[quote author="momopi" date=1228552158]

Ch?teau de Chenonceau was built over the River Cher in Loire Valley, and functioned as an emergency bridge in times of need.



<img src="http://www.roxanneardary.com/wp-content/files/castles/Chateau-de-Chenonceau.jpg" alt="" />

</blockquote>


Hey, I've been there. It was beautiful. How about Mont St. Michel for being defensible?

<img src="http://www.endurancerides.com/images/MontStMichel.jpg" alt="" />



When the tide goes up, that parking lot/bridge ends up under water.
 
[quote author="lendingmaestro" date=1231299053]Is that the castle of "Ahhhhhhhhhh......" from Monty Python and the Holy Grail??</blockquote>


No, that was Castle Stalker (Stalcaire) in Argyll, Scotland.



<img src="http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/hstills/ggrail/stalker3.jpg" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/hphotos/stalker2.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=tbn&q=http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2281554/MontyPython-main_Full.jpg&usg=AFQjCNEbA_1xR0MUsFpr6kfrjGb-nT3zCA" alt="" />
 
[quote author="jhammons01" date=1231296836]The "moaning" attitude is something that is not here at all



It is one thing I loathe and left behind when escaped from East Texas to SoCal 20 years ago</blockquote>


Obviously you dont live in my house
 
[quote author="lendingmaestro" date=1231294554]Irvine......



That leaves Irvine--a city that I liken to an "Asian-Fusion" restaurant. Yes there are a lot of first gen' asians here that keep to themselves, but there are a lot of people who are American-born. Considering the fact that I am caucasian and my significant other is asian, Irvine seems to be a "natural demographic fit." If there is such a thing.<strong> Yes Irvine may be boring to look at, or too "planned" out, but that is what makes it a perfect home for many people. California, specifically working in this fast-paced, congested nightmare, can be physically and mentally draining. Sometimes you just want to go back to your boring home, which you know will be the same, day after day. It's nice sometimes to have part of your life be monotonous.



I've played sports all my life and I can tell you I would have killed to have baseball/softball/football fields as nice as this. Only a freak chance of a rain-out, no cracks in the tennis court, no pot-holes in the infield, etc... There are also sports leagues for adults as well.</strong>



Overall the sense of community is a bit lacking, but that is because of the multi cultural and generational gaps that exist. This does lend itself to diveristy, which does have its benefits as well. Now, if I can just get the asian camry drivers to move a little faster down Culver...........:)</blockquote>


Couldn't have said it any better.



When I do settle down...I hope to join a Softball Team in Irvine :)
 
[quote author="Stuff It" date=1231304527][quote author="jhammons01" date=1231296836]The "moaning" attitude is something that is not here at all



It is one thing I loathe and left behind when escaped from East Texas to SoCal 20 years ago</blockquote>


Obviously you dont live in my house</blockquote>


And obviously not next to SoCal78, either.
 
[quote author="IrvineRealtor" date=1231315071][quote author="Stuff It" date=1231304527][quote author="jhammons01" date=1231296836]The "moaning" attitude is something that is not here at all



It is one thing I loathe and left behind when escaped from East Texas to SoCal 20 years ago</blockquote>


Obviously you dont live in my house</blockquote>


And obviously not next to SoCal78, either.</blockquote>


Excuse me?
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1231321050][quote author="IrvineRealtor" date=1231315071][quote author="Stuff It" date=1231304527][quote author="jhammons01" date=1231296836]The "moaning" attitude is something that is not here at all



It is one thing I loathe and left behind when escaped from East Texas to SoCal 20 years ago</blockquote>


Obviously you dont live in my house</blockquote>


And obviously not next to SoCal78, either.</blockquote>


Excuse me?</blockquote>


Sorry, was referring to your previously-authored thread: <a href="http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/forums/viewthread/3144/"> "The neighbors are at it again"</a>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top