<p>Yes, you can get excellent rye bread and decent bagels (not New York bagels, but you can’t get those anywhere but in NYC, in my experience). My CSA delivers bread once a week and their rye is excellent. </p>
<p>Marilyn- I get what your husband is saying about Irvine. I used to go to soccer tournaments down at UC Irvine and we would joke that we were lost since every intersection looked the same. Sort of like Palm Desert. I don’t know about prices but Costa Mesa has some older neighborhoods that are nice. My brother and his wife with no kids live in Long Beach. Their neighborhood is nice. Small older houses with decent backyards and for Southern Ca I think not that expensive. Like everywhere in Ca the closer you get to the water the price goes up.
Home prices in Santa Barbara have dropped. Once again it is all relative to where they had been.</p>
<p>Santa barbara- local wine,vegetables, fruit, fresh flowers and sea food. Water is even local. No state water. Lots of rain this winter. I don’t always like the weather. If your looking for warm sunny summer days you will be disapointed.</p>
<p>Much of the Central Coast of CA is similar to SB but less expensive. The area around San Luis Obispo is gorgeous. Not near a city though, about 3 and one-half hours to SF or LA. You have beaches, beautiful countryside, wineries galore, cute towns, and Cal Poly for classes and events. The beach towns are filled with the retired. </p>
<p>I like Avila best, but lots of people retire to Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, and the Edna Valley part of SLO.</p>
<p>@BunsenBurner, I <em>am</em> the passive-aggressive at the four way stop and I am so sorry, but I can’t help it! My mom is first-snowflake woman, and yes, SHE LIVES ON A HILL. LOL</p>
<p>“the right type of rye bread that is really hard to come by!”</p>
<p>I realize that the OP is Jewish, and you are talking about your own type of rye, but I must stand up for those of us who think the right type of rye bread is made by an old (Slavic) Ukrainian woman and has coriander on top…</p>
<p>Which can be found in at least two bakeries in Seattle, or at least, it could, in the nineties. Nothing wrong with the Jewish rye, of course, but let’s be fair.</p>
<p>I think something that stands out here, Marilyn, is that those of us defending the NW as a choice are defending our own unique culture, whereas Irvine stands out for the weather and not being as expensive as you might think. That’s something to think about because I think it says a lot about the areas you are considering. Have fun in Portland!</p>
<p>Hard for me to think that Portland/Seattle would be on the same list as Sourhern CA. The extreme north of CA maybe. Rain, sleet, hail, clouds vs. Sunny blue skies. I know CA is having a rainy winter but there that means the sun is only out half of the time and there are some pesky showers.</p>
<p>I’m sure there are things in the communities of the PNW that many would prefer, but if weather is a big driver in your retirement plans, rent there first. I spent one winter working with a client there weekly. Couldnt wait for weekends at my ski house in VT because it felt warmer and sunnier. That bone chilling wet weather with no sunshine was the worst to me.</p>
<p>I completely agree with 2c2c. And 2c2c was there in winter. Imagine being there for a whole year and–I am not exaggerating–it just stays like that, rain, cloud, rain, cloud, rain, drizzle, cloud, cloud, tiny bit of sun, cloud, cloud, cloud…</p>
<p>I live here and I love it but most people who leave do so because of the weather. It’s a temperate rainforest, “rain” and “forest” being the operative words there.</p>
<p>If I wanted to leave my husband I would already be in southern CA! I am the designated researcher/suggester in our marriage and he is the designated acceptor/rejector. So my job has been to come up with ideas and then continue to investigate the places he thinks are possibilities. Portland was one of them so of course I went to my top source - CC Parent Cafe! I really do want good weather but don’t want to refuse anywhere except California, tempted as I am to do so. Especially since our son is now working in San Jose. We’ve had bits of discussion on deal breakers and compromise but I think we have more to discuss.</p>
<p>One of our priorities is to find a strong social environment for empty-nesters. We’re looking for a city where it would be possible to meet people and make friends. All of our friends are currently scattered around the country. The activity on this thread supports the helpfulness of PNW’ers!</p>
<p>Long Beach and Costa Mesa - OK, they’ll go on the list! The central coast is nice (we’ve stayed in Paso Robles and Morro Bay) but not at all Jewish or close enough to a metro area, unfortunately. I’m crossing my fingers for San Diego since we both love vacationing there. The sticking point will be the type of housing…</p>
<p>“…Especially since our son is now working in San Jose.”</p>
<p>As a compromise between PNW and southern CA, have you considered Napa/Sonoma area? It is really close to SFO and SJC, yet seems to be far away from the craziness of big city life. Google “Sonoma Jewish community” - quite a few links come up. I’d move to that area in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>As far as the PNW rain goes… I lived here for more than 20 years, and I only notice it when it turns into snow :)</p>
<p>I can’t agree with the above. The hordes in Napa and Sonomo all summer, holidays and every weekend would make me crazy. Cost of living is extremely high, every restaurant is a tourist restaurant, every small store has tourist pricing. And I always wonder about road safety with all the swerving wine tasters.</p>
<p>With a kid in San Jose I’d be tempted to look at places around Carmel. Not as hard to get out of the tourist hub there.</p>
<p>Napa alternatives: Livermore in Nor Cal: wineries, olive oileries, close to Bay Area, lots of new housing that looks like Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives. Very sunny.</p>
<p>Temecula in So Cal: wineries, hot air balloons, suburban housing. But not urban.</p>