I've been going to different spots in SoCal lately, and I'm really curious if I'm just visiting nice places, or if California is just nicer than I expected. I lived in Glendale in '87, and almost all of LA I had seen sucked.
In the last two months I've been to Carlsbad, Newport Beach, San Diego, Irvine, LaJolla, Riverside, etc. These are my observations compared to Phoenix. It's much prettier, people are a lot friendlier, people drive better, and I'm running into far fewer people who don't speak English. With the exception of the insane cost of living, I'm thinking I want to retire in California, anywhere from San Diego to Orange County.
So, what am I missing? Am I just seeing the good stuff? I really want to know what your opinions are, especially those of you who have been to Phoenix.