Working in Tustin, looking for hippies (Long Beach, Irvine: apartments, theatres, colleges)

[loyallikebros]

Hey, my office is in Irvine, and is soon moving to Tustin.
I just moved down from Santa Cruz and I miss it a ton.
I currently live in San Clemente, and while its really nice
and layed back, I am looking further north in OC. What I
miss the most of Santa Cruz is the lively downtown, with street performers
and hippies everywhere. Lots of good art and music. I have
heard Huntington has the most going on, but it doesn't really
have the "hippy" vibe to me. I like being by the water, but
if I have to compromise I would. I have coworkers who commute
from Long Beach, and I wonder if maybe there are any towns in
south LA that I've overlooked. That may make for a long commute.
Any thoughts? I would appreciate it greatly.

[BRinSM]

my wife used to commute from Long Beach to Costa Mesa, it was a minimum 45 minute commute, usually closer to an hour. anways, there really isn't a hippie scene that i've ever heard of in OC. if anything, it would probably be located way back in the canyons east of Orange and Tustin, like Santiago Canyon or Silverado Canyon. I'm not sure about any apartments back there though, those are pretty secluded areas.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Sounds like you're describing Venice Beach. Or at least that's the closest thing I can imagine in SoCal.

[EvergreenElle]

I think Fullerton has a cool vibe with unique people. Not necessarily hippies, but individual tastes, dress, personality. There are lot of cool restaurants, shops, small theatres, a few colleges, etc. A cool bike/hike trail if you like that. Check it out!

[MsKitten]

I'm from Eugene and definitely missed the hippie-vibe when living in the OC. In Costa Mesa on Bristol street is the Lab (Indie mall) on one side (with Buffalo Exchange) and the other side of the street has the Camp, which has an outdoor store, yoga studio and vegan restaurant called Native Foods. (The portobella seitan burger is to die for.) Sometimes I would go in there and see someone with dreads and feel a little bit more at home. I remember there also being a weekend farmers/artists market there that had just opened and was trying to get more established.

A friend lived in Long Beach and it seemed a lot more laid back, interesting and affordable than OC. We would have moved there but it was just too far of a commute.

[ShipOVFools]

Orange County is mostly one big sickening suburb. Lots of yuppies, soccer moms and their whiny kids. I come from Minneapolis and I miss the college town feel (I almost feel bad for the kids who go to UCI!) as well as the counterculture scene. If you go to Huntington, there is a place called the Marlin Bar and each Tuesday plays the band Cubensis, a Grateful Dead cover band. They are actually pretty damn good and the crowd there is among the kindest I've found from any OC nightlife. Otherwise, as someone else mentioned, try Venice. I dunno...I've more or less given up on a social life living in this place.

[ShipOVFools]

I live near the "anti-mall" but haven't been there in years. It always struck me as a very very trendy area. Faux counterculture.

Originally Posted by MsKitten

I'm from Eugene and definitely missed the hippie-vibe when living in the OC. In Costa Mesa on Bristol street is the Lab (Indie mall) on one side (with Buffalo Exchange) and the other side of the street has the Camp, which has an outdoor store, yoga studio and vegan restaurant called Native Foods. (The portobella seitan burger is to die for.) Sometimes I would go in there and see someone with dreads and feel a little bit more at home. I remember there also being a weekend farmers/artists market there that had just opened and was trying to get more established.

A friend lived in Long Beach and it seemed a lot more laid back, interesting and affordable than OC. We would have moved there but it was just too far of a commute.