Well I have to say I do like Arizona, for a vacation that is, I think it would be waaaay too hot in the summer.
As some of you may have heard by now Tim has accepted a job in California, He'll be running a company called Grotto Wine Cellars (they actually make wine cellars, check them out here: http://www.grottocellars.com/ they are pretty cool) so I am now in Laguna Niguel, Orange County looking for a rental house.
My life is nothing if not weird, wacky and sometimes wonderful. I think this will be our 6th move in 4 years or so (including changing continents to Australia) and I wonder if Tim thinks my middle name is NOMAD! We haven't been in this house 18 months yet and I only just got unpacked from that move. The last house we were in for just 2 years and I never did get to unpack everything because it was so small.
Now we are REALLY going to be downsizing, holy mackerel, houses here have NO basement and are really expensive, a 598 square foot 1 bed apartment in the same apartment complex can run from $1,158 – $5,081 a month. That's a room about 24 ft by 24 ft, FOR $5,000 A MONTH! Yes, it may be the top floor of 6 floors but that's still insane and I'm not even looking in a city like London or Tokyo The area is between Los Angeles and San Diego and while nice I wouldn't say it was hugely better than other areas I have been to in other states. It's very much sprawling suburbs that seem to go on for ever.
I can see this is going to be fun!
The houses have what I suppose is typical California styling, peach colored with tile roofs:
Typical Californian house
This is one of the 'bigger' ones with 4 bedrooms so it has more landscaping and palm trees and stuff around it. This rents for about $3000 per month (up to $7000 per month depending on the area) and is about 2000 square feet in size. The average size seems to be about 1500 square feet which is only slightly larger than an apartment in Utah, I guess I've been spoiled by Utah. You also have to view everything with a Realtor as all rentals are on the 'MLS' listing with Realtor lock boxes on the door. That means I won't be able to do my Relocation work any more as showing rentals is a big part of that job and i don't want to get my Realtor's license.
One thing I have to say though is the hotel we are in is right on the beach at Dana Point which is next door to Laguna Beach, very pretty sandy beach with fabulous views of the sunsets and sea gulls.
Beginning of a beautiful sunset
View of the beach from our hotel, the road is the Pacific Coast Highway and driving along it is amazing. Tim and i once drove from San Fransisco to LA only using the PCH and it is designated a scenic highway and it truly is especially when you are high on a bluff driving along with a sheer drop off into the ocean next to you!
As a quick aside:
You know you're in California when you are sitting in a Barnes and Noble writing your blog and 2 tables away there are 3 people talking about scripts, green screens, shot angles and actors, one of which is obviously the producer and it doesn't faze anyone around them! Now if you have to sit and write your blog anywhere, this place seems the right place to be!