California E&S Insurance

My impressions after doing the opposite of everyone and moving here from Austin **Background** I know that the general trend over the past several years has been moving from California to Texas (believe me, I saw plenty of bay area license plates living in Austin). However, my boyfriend and I grew tired of living in a red state hostile to immigrants and LGBT people (we're a gay, interracial couple). We work in the tech industry, but we work from home, so technically, we could have just as easily moved somewhere like Mississippi and lived like kings, but life is short, and we wanted a change of pace. We've been here a few weeks, and I wanted to share my impressions of actually *living* here, rather than visiting as I've done several times before. I want to focus on uncommon things (yes, it's expensive here; yes, the weather's cooler). **The Good** - It's so, so refreshing to live among like-minded people and be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that my adopted state would sooner secede than let anyone strip us of our right to marry or live our lives freely. - We can live very easily without a car; we're in a great area between Chinatown, Nob Hill, and downtown, and being able to run errands without worrying about getting into a car, checking the gas, making sure to not hit anyone or be hit, make sure we're following all traffic laws, making sure the car is running smoothly, and paying for gas and insurance is a big relief. - The availability and variety of delicious restaurants is excellent. - We have yet to truly explore outside of the city, but it's great being just a few hours or less from the desert, the mountains, beach town, world-famous national parks, and breathtaking lakes and forests. In Austin, you can drive 3 hours to Houston, 3 hours to Dallas, 2 to San Antonio, 6 hours to a decent beach (South Padre), and 9 to El Paso. None of those places compare in any way to places that can be reached much more quickly in California. - The diversity gives me a sense of connectedness with humanity that I don't really experience in Austin. There are certainly walkable areas in downtown Austin, but it's demographically very similar (being 29, I almost feel old there), and seeing essentially every type of background in just a few minutes of walking is weirdly refreshing to me; everyone has a unique story. - Similarly, walking from Chinatown to Little Italy to Russian Hill feels like walking through 3 different countries. It's pretty neat. - Golden Gate Park, especially the botanical garden and Japanese Tea Garden, is a treasure. - Korean Spas are wonderful. It's great being able to take a dip without worrying about clothing; Austin had none, and we would drive to Houston every few months for the experience. - If we switch jobs, it's nice to know that we can easily make more money; I'm pretty comfortable in my current role, but I don't intend to stay in any one place for more than a few years, as is the nature of the tech industry. - My work hours are 9 to 5... central time. That means I finish work in San Francisco at 3PM, which leaves extra time in the afternoons before everything closes. **The Bad** - I put this first because it's top of mind for me right now, but THE AIR! I had asthma as a child, and I keep a rescue inhaler with me in case of flare-ups, which typically only happen if I run long distances or overexert myself in some way. However, I've had to use it 3 times in the past 3 days simply because the air is so damn polluted from wildfires. I don't know why I didn't give this too much thought before moving here, because I certainly knew about it, but if this keeps up, it might very well be a dealbreaker for me. For now, I have N95 masks and an air filter, but it seems to not be enough. - People on the street are very friendly, as they are everywhere in the world. However, I'm not sure how to word this, but when I interact with people doing their jobs, such as in the retail, food, and service industry, people are astonishingly rude. I say this with as much sensitivity as possible, because I know the cost of living is very difficult for very many people here, and the stress can be unreal. It's very noticeable though, and something I feel should be pointed out for those looking to move here. I've lived in multiple states, and this just isn't the norm elsewhere. These are just some recent examples: - A bus pulled up. The driver opened the door and put this black bar behind the driver area. He glared at me. I asked if he was in service, because Google Maps assured me that this was the bus number I was meant to board. He said "What do you think?". I replied, "I'm not sure, my phone says Bus (40?) should be here". He replied "Get the fuck off my bus". - I was at a restaurant the other night. After I ordered my food, I asked if I could have a water cup. The person at the counter said "Do you know how to read? It says W-A-T-E-R in the area to the right". - I tipped 15% at some burger place the other night- I usually tip 20% or more for a sit-down restaurant, but this was literally carry-out fast food with no place to sit. He watched me click 15% and replied "Typical". - People abuse MUNI; bus fares are not optional, and I don't know how people expect the city to simultaneously expand service if nobody pays. - This is just the nature of living in a city, and something I'm still adapting to, but every single spot is occupied or monitored, even compared to downtown Austin. What I mean is that if I need to check something on my phone, when I stand to the side of the sidewalk, it *still* feels like I'm in the way. If we park our car, it has to be *precisely* in the lines (God help you if one inch of your bumper is past a curb, even if the driveway is in no way blocked). We placed our shoes outside of our apartment door due to walking through questionable puddles, and we woke up the next morning to a text from our landlord saying the HOA notified him of our violation. Every bit of space in the apartment is occupied with something. Every aisle of every store seems occupied. It's just difficult finding a place to breathe, sometimes. - I have prescriptions that it seems cannot be filled in California due to a difference in controlled substance regulations, so I have to find new antidepressants. - Many businesses are surprisingly cash-only; I went *years* in Austin with no cash in my wallet, because even the smallest of businesses accept Square. That's not the case here, at least in Chinatown. - The city shuts down absurdly early; why isn't anything open after 7 or 8? Everything in Austin shuts down around 10, which I thought was too early. - No HEB! If you've stayed very long in Texas, you'll understand how great HEB is as a grocery store compared to anything San Francisco has to offer. **Overall** I'm pretty mixed, actually. I thought this would be an easy transition for me, as I was perfectly happy in downtown Austin, which is similarly walkable and liberal; my experience visiting San Francisco was "it's even more of that", and to some extent, it is, but it comes with several disadvantages. I think my outlook will improve as I continue to live here, and the close proximity to so many things is amazing, but we're beginning to consider that somewhere like New York or Washington, DC might be a better fit, even if their weather is comparatively unbearably cold. Ultimately, though, I'm happy to have made the jump to experience something different.

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