Tips for ‘n00bs’ moving to the Bay Area

Y Combinator has a news section were users can submit stories, articles and even questions. More about Y Combinator later but I found this post about a guy moving from LA to the Bay Area. He wanted some advise on where to live. There was a wonderful response from a person who lived all his life in the Bay. His tips for fun are so true! Read his response:

It really depends on how much money you have. The Burlingame, San Carlos, San Mateo corridor is nice; consider renting (in this market, at least). Access to the stores you’re talking about but about 15-20 mins from The City and with enough culture to tide you over. Within reach of 280, which is a better way to go south than 101.

A few other FYI tips, just for fun:
People up here don’t use ‘the’ in front of freeway names the way you do in LA. It’s not “the 101″, it’s just “101″. No harm in using “the” but you’ll tag yourself as an ex-LA guy immediately.

• San Jose is pronounced “sanno-ZAY”, despite the proper spanish pronunciation.
• You say “Santa Cruz” the way you say “Santa Claus”. Emphasis on the Santa.
• “Concord” rhymes with “conquered”, rather than “con-CHORD”.
• If you don’t want to sound like a newb, don’t call San Francisco “Frisco” or “San Fran”. Locals routinely call it “The City”, or sometimes “SF”. No one will think you’re talking about San Jose or Oakland.

It’s more outdoorsy up here (despite LA’s surfing/skating reputation). Marin and the East Bay (hey, that’s Pig Latin for “beast”!) have huge regional parks. Mountain biking was invented here (in Marin, north of the GG bridge). So was cafe culture (in SF).

Go to Pier 39 once. Locals don’t go there. (Hell, I’ve never been to Alcatraz, and I’ve lived in NorCal my whole life.) Cool, insider neighborhoods in The City are Potrero Hill, Noe Valley, Cole Valley, among others. SOMA is still dicey, however hip its reputation.