[quote author="bkshopr" date=1228463956]
I never saw my neighbors because they live behind their garage. They used their garage as a primary entry. The neighbors never saw each other because most living spaces of the homes were off the tiny backyard. 5 neighbors were contiguous to my rear yard and 3 were at the back and 2 on my sides. I knew their bathroom habit well because I could see the lighting frequency and timing. All my neighbor?s second floor windows viewed down to my yard so I never used it. They looked down on to my window so I kept the blinds closed most of the time.
Our front yards were small so no one bothered to spend time manicuring their front. There was definitely no social interaction on the street.
The street was very wide and several kids playing on the street were almost run over by speeding cars so parents never let their kids out playing on the street again.
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Although I generally agree with everything you say BK, this might be a bit broad brush. We have lived in Irvine for 3 years, and have had tremendous success making local friends...And with no assist from IHB. Sometimes I wish we had fewer local friends, the social docket can become overwhelming at times. While a great deal of our local relationships have been cultivated through shared activities (mostly toddler and now elementary school stuff) we have also developed casual friendships with many of our neighbors --- in an IAC townhome community, which is probably not known as the most social environment.
But the point I really want to make is what I have experienced in my new neighborhood....and I have not even moved in yet. We leased a SFR in West Irvine (a couple on here know the address), but don't move in until mid-Dec. But we have had full possession since late November, and have been to the home several times bringing small items over. In these 2 weeks, we have met nearly every close proximity neighbor. They stopped their car in the street and got out to introduce themselves the day we got the keys (we were standing in the driveway waiting for the owner to arrive --- they stopped the car, got out and said "you moving in"?). The next door neighbors came over as we were getting out of our car (inside the garage) to introduce their girls to ours. On the weekends when I stop by there are blaze orange warning signs in the street indicating "kids at play" --- and there ARE indeed many kids at play, and adults standing around BS'ing. Just tonight I met a painter there for an estimate at 5pm, and even though it was getting dark the "kids" sign was up on the street again, and it looked like a bike rally at the end of the cul de sac. Even though we have not even moved in yet, I already feel like we hit the lottery on this street.
Now of course I am not naive enough to think every street is as friendly as this seems to be....but I think you might be a little broad in your assessment of Irvine as a walled city. But I am a big believer that you get out what you put into relationships. I'm a pretty social guy, and even if I could not find a guy to drink a beer around the fire pit with on my street --- I will seek them out in other activities. Irvine is a big, diverse city --- and whoever you are there are no doubt many people here with shared interests...You just need to seek it out. Just my .02.
