New Transplant to the SoCal...

Hey guys!
I've been a DG member for 1+ year and a Southwest Garden Forum poster who is moving from Tucson, AZ to L.A. soon.
Work is rescuing me from the desert heat just in time! LOL
When I get my feet on the ground, I'll be searching for a place to live.
In that decision, gardening zones will play heavily into my thinking.
Finally, I will get to push the envelope and REALLY grow some funky stuff!
Anyway, I don't really have any specific questions right now, just want to say hello and get familiar with you all.
So, HELLO!!!
Ken
(guess I'll have to look into changing my screen name soon...)

Welcome! We always seem to have room for more (though the freeways don't look it) and we especially like to gain more gardeners. You're going to have such a great time with all of the new stuff you can grow.
Sherry

Hi there Ken,

Welcome to the CA forums from Orange County. Any chance you might be moving to this area, or are you specificaly moving to LA? When will you be moving here? You know we have a large CA RU next month in Temecula at our DG member drdons ranch. If your going to be here around that time, you might think about coming and meet some of your new neighbors. We could also help you decide on what type plants you'll need.

Here's a link to the RU http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/818602/

Donna

Thanks guys!

I am attempting to button up things at my current (maybe I should call it former) job, so I don't have an exact date yet.
It should be within a month though.
We haven't locked down a specific location yet.
Too hard to make a decision from here, so we'll wait until we get our feet on the ground and can check out things like neighborhoods, commute time, and "vibe".
As I spend more and more time thinking about this, I am getting more and more excited at the possibilities of what "can be" in my garden.
Although I don't have a lot of years under my belt, I am pretty proud of the accomplishments I've had pushing the envelope in perhaps the most hostile environment one can imagine (desert).
So now, I am stoked by the thought of what one can accomplish when you don't have to deal with 115-degrees and 0% humidity! LOL
So, I'm just taking all of this in and taking notes for the future garden I hope to have.
Hopefully, I can come on here soon and dazzle you all with my new psycho garden.
In the meantime, thanks for your posts on this forum!
Ken

WOW!!!
I just checked out the link you posted and this looks like quite the event!!!
I'm not sure I'll be there in time, but I may rethink things to see if I could make it.
I recognize a few names on that list (ones who have given me a hard time now and then on SW forum), so I 'd really like to make it.
Either way, thanks for the offer!
Ken

Now Ken....don't you have to come out here some time before you move and find a place? You could do that the weekend of the RU and use your weekend to the fullest. You might even get some new plants to use in your new garden. lol

Seriously now, have you been to So. Cal before? If you need any guidance on areas to look, there are many of us that can help, just ask, ok?

I look forward to meeting you at some point.

Donna

Thanks for the advice Donna.
I used to be stationed in SD and the Bay area years ago (too many to admit).
My brother used to live in Long Beach and so I'm fairly familiar with the LA area.
I'm gonna probably hit the ground running and just be staying in a hotel for a few weeks while commuting back and forth to AZ on the weekends.
My company is setting us up with some relocation guru's that will look at our budget and preferences and put together a list for wifey & I to look at.
The biggest questions for me are what kind of drive time I'll have to get to and from work every day and how many centuries worth of debt I'll have to incur to get into some kind of postage stamp sized home. LOL
Y'all don't build 'em very cheap out there, do ya? LOL

I'm looking to be in Sunset zones 22-24 for the ability to do some exotic tropicals.
That shouldn't be too hard as most of the LA basin looks like it is covered by those zones.

When I get a better idea on the drives and costs, I'll bounce some ideas off of you.
Thank you so much for the offer; this is a pretty scary move to make for us.

I will pencil in the RU date and see what I can put together.
Either way, I'm sure we'll chat or meet many times down the road.
Thanks again,
Ken

Welcome Ken, you can now change your name to Caliken!
Sure hope you can find the time to make the RU. We're all looking forward to it and to meeting other DG'ers, Rodica and Marie are coming. It would great if you could get Ray to come with you...I miss that guy!
Keep us posted as to how things are going with the move and all. Have fun house hunting. You just might find a bargain right now, good thing you didn't move here a few years ago.
Best of luck on your relocation, we're here to help!

Thanks guys!
It's a great comfort knowing I have friends to bounce ideas off of.

First round is on me!

We're having black & tans at the RU, Ken!
Do try to keep your commute down, the gas prices are getting so bad they will eat up anything you save on a house price. :-(
Still, zone 10 can't be beat. :-)

Cheers,
Kathleen

Plus just the stress and the time involved sitting in traffic is something you don't want, even if you only work 8-9 hours a day if you spend another hour or so on either end of the day sitting in traffic you have no time left to actually enjoy life! I hated my commute and decided to move closer to work even though it meant buying a more expensive house and my stress level has been so much better ever since! Not to mention the savings on gas, prices weren't that bad when I moved 2 years ago so it was really the time/stress factor that made me move but now that it costs me $50 to fill up my (small) gas tank, I'm very glad that I'm filling up once every couple weeks instead of 2-3 times a week!

TRAITOR!!!!!!! Oh and you should join us at the round -up.
Just so you all know Ken will have a lot of explaining to do. He and his good friend Ray spend a lot of time with Flying monkeys.


This message was edited May 26, 2008 12:11 PM

and there is something about pink tutus and black tights........




Susie

LOL
I guess there's no such thing as outrunning your demons here...
ROFLMAO

Traitor

I hope he wears his Tutu if he comes to the RU> I'd love to see that. Jo

I think the RU host is the only one allowed to be in a tutu for the day...

Well, JD, since you've forsaken us for that day, I guess you'll miss the tutu viewing. And to think that a family wedding comes first......

Well...I could understand him skipping out on us....if it was HIS wedding....maybe not. Jo

Did I hear JD's getting married???? Oh, shucks, I thought we were invited to another great party. lol

Sorry Mike. hehe

Donna

As much as I want to attend, the guilt levied upon me by missing this wedding would do me in. Guilt: The gift that keeps on giving !

Don't move to Pacoima!

Oh great. Looks like my name is now being tarnished in the CA forum.
Whatever these ladies in Arizona and Weegy tell you about Ken or me is totally false unless you pry it out of either one of us with a shot or ten of tequila.

OK Ken, lets see what you can do with a Zone 10 backyard. Let me know when the BBQ is done and what end I can prop me and my beer on.

Ray you have now shown yourself and officialy given us permission to share everything we know!!

I'll tell if you do Marie!

uh oh...more newbies coming to So. Cal....but as long as they're into gardening, then that's cool ! LOL

You're only stuck with zonaken. I did my time in LA back in the 80's.
Love the climate and the beach but way to many people for me.
I'm staying put here in Tucson. Or until the DW kicks me out of the house.
I might get to stay now that Ken is leaving town.

I am thinking the wives are behind this move and I do not blame them one bit!!

Ken welcome to SOCAL, I agree don't move to Pacoima, if you like the SanFernando Valley then go west of Balboa anywhere in the West SFV.

If you like heat, check out where I live in Palmdale and Lancaster area, much cheaper and everyone here commutes for better pay, but you will find it much more like where you left except dry and about 10-15 degrees cooler and a way shorter hot spell, way colder winters too but short too.

Come to the RU, you will not be a stranger.

Hi Ken;

Los Angeles native here, so I'm also available for any questions about areas to live in. As far as gardening, there are a LOT of microclimates going on here, and LOTS of temperature variations too! If you move to the San Fernando Valley, for instance, you may feel that you haven't gotten too far from AZ in the summer. I live in Eagle Rock, which is an older neighborhood only 5 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and my garden grows like wildfire....I can't keep up with it. Please feel free to ask questions anytime!

This message was edited May 31, 2008 2:52 PM

margu the only time I was in Eagle Rock I went to my friend's families favorite Mexican Restaurant called Ernies, is it still there?

Yep, it's still there!

Thanks for all of the info guys!
Just taking notes at this time, but I'm sure I'll be boring you all with questions when I get settled in.
Was kind of hoping to rid myself of the hot desert environ, but may have to consider as budget will certainly be a factor.
Thanks again.
As your illustrious leader once said, "I'll be back..." LOL

Ken, OUR ILLUSTRIOUS LEADER SAID IT! Get use to that, it is yours too now buddy. Like him, it or not@$%^^^^

OK, you got me.
Guess I better get used to that now. LOL

Ken...brace yourself for home sticker "price shock".

I bet he already had a coronary coming from the AZ market which took a crap about a year earlier than us.

I grew up in Glendale and lived for a while in Eagle Rock too. I bought my first home in Tujunga. I moved out to Pomona for 2 years of college and it was a lot more hot and smoggy...really different.

Beth do you like Or? The long winters and cold, cold, would bother me and I can not afford to live in Gold Beach where they have a sub-climate of it's own apparently. My dh would like to move there, his sis lives in Portland, but not there.

I LOVE Oregon, could never move back!