In your opinion, what town marks the north/south divide in California? I'm referring to personalities and not geography, in other words if you were traveling by car along the California coast where would you start to notice the "typical" southern California personality and where would you start noticing the "typical" northern California personality?

I'd say say anywhere BELOW the San Francisco area (basically grasslands until Ventura county), and starting at Santa Barbara, you'll get the typical SO CA attitude, including, but NOT limited to: Arrogance, materialism, style, body/looks, youthful (anything over 29 is "old"), fronts, snobiness, FAKE, & selfishness. However, this is an EXTREMELY general statement... but, for the most part, is amazingly true.

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

I'd say as far south as Santa Barbara. Firestone Vineyards, that's where it starts..

Kuan

aka San Lois Obisbo area, like Pismo Beach, Moro Bay, Vandenbug (did you see my rocket?) is the middle line.

To find the typical "California personality" go east to Nevada or Colorado. Most of us have been driven out.

I think there are some subtleties. I find that people are more friendly in Ventura than they are in Greater LA (this includes the Valley). I think LA to San Diego is where the "So Cal" (body image, youth worship ect.) cultlure permiates the most.

I do like the vibe in San Fransisco. But my cousin-in-law lives in the Silicon Valley area and there's plenty of ugly behavior there as well. But I've also have hear that there is a migration north of the "native" San Fansisico population.

I do work/live around the entertainment industry and I find that the the most pretentious, obnoxious people 99 times out of 100 are from out of town. In this aspect of LA culture - it's mostly imported. I've met many from out of town who say/think "Oh I'm in LA and I have to act this way..." - no joke!

Most of us who are born & raised in LA seem pretty down to earth - really! There are very few of us.

As far as personalities, Santa Barbara might be the dividing line in my opinion.

About geography though, everyone calls San Francisco "Northern California", but if you look on a map, it's almost in the exact center of the state.

I read an article in the L.A. Times a year ago on this, and those who really live in Northern California are trying to take the name "Northern California" back, or at least trying to get everyone to call them "upstate California".

From a tourist standpoint, cities north of the Bay Area feel left out, as if most people think the border of California ends at San Francisco.

Anyways, I love The City (San Francisco), but the politics are waaaaaaaay, I mean waaaaaaaaaaay too liberal for my taste.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Ha! Well you STILL drive a Mercedes-Benz!

I'm just playin'.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

That's pretty funny, because a year (or two) ago, the same issue was brought up in regards to Western WA and Western OR, and Eastern WA and Eastern OR. Some eastern-region politicians wanted to have the states divided, with Western WA and Western OR being one state, and Eastern WA and Eastern OR being a separate state, and this made the Seattle papers.

Their rationale? Let's just say that Seattle and Portland have one type of political ideology (well, Bellevue is fairly Republican, as is Redmond...the exceptions) and the eastern regions of the states have another. The Eastern politicians claimed that the western area of the states decided what they wanted, and that they had to go along with them (thanks to far greater western-area population)

Personally, I wouldn't have minded it at all.

-Sam

Could you elaborate? I know it's supposed to be a somewhat liberal city, but what specifically is way too out there?

The politicians from the bay area are as far left as left can be. They are the most liberal of the liberal democrats.

They haven't found an environmental cause they don't like, a tax they don't support, a war they don't oppose, etc.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".