PICTURES of ORANGE COUNTY (Irvine, Fontana: school, live in, prices)

[Swingsinger]

I've lived in many OC cities, Newport, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach (where I went to High School) Santa Ana (another High School) Yorba Linda and finally, Anaheim Hills. Here's my cut and paste of my other post:

I love our down to earth community. Few uppity people. Recently, I met a young boy actor in our grocery store who lives in our community. (AH) When I recognized him I made eye contact with his mother to see if it was cool that I say hello to him. The mother and I talked for 15 minutes in the middle of the aisle about his career and it was like we had known each other for years. I cannot imagine this happening in LA or NB, where I often see celebrities. I moved to Anaheim Hills 7 years ago and I agree with a previous post that it is the BEST community in Orange County. We were happy to pay extra for our home to live here. We have no desire to live in the "flatlands" because as soon as we experienced the hills and the views we were hooked. So, we saved a little longer, bought the view, and got great weather (it's 10 degrees cooler than Yorba Linda). We have thousands of hummingbirds, red-tailed hawks, raccoons, quail and other little critters which remind me that I live on EARTH. I look at trees, hills and birds when I look out every window. When I read, I'm on my back patio with only the tops of other houses and the foothills of Yorba Linda to enjoy. My coastal friends say it's too hot where we are and it's true but we do have (only) two, maybe three, months of warmer weather than the beach area, but then we have the entire winter to be able to be outside while every one near the coast is cold and under clouds. The schools are amazing, it's clean, and when I saw graffiti, it was gone the next day. Our neighboring city, Yorba Linda, doesn't even have a police station because the crime is so low, they "share" their force with Brea. Newport it amazing, but I love coming home to Anaheim Hills.
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[loveCali]

Loved your post, Swingsinger, but couldn't see the pictures and I'd really want to see them (if possible, bigger).

[missionhome]

Originally Posted by loveCali

Loved your post, Swingsinger, but couldn't see the pictures and I'd really want to see them (if possible, bigger).

click on them and they become bigger

[loveCali]

Oh, I tried this from the first time I've read the post, but it wouldn't work, I don't know why.

[missionhome]

The Butterfly Garden along Oso Creek


Mission Viejo Skatepark @ Bebe Park.


Rose garden at Florence Joyner Olympic Memorial Park


Flo Jo Park Playground


Statue remembering Florence Joyner, a Mission Viejo resident and gold track Olympian who lived above the park in Canyon Crest and who suddenly passed away in her home.


Quail Run neighborhood of Mission Viejo at Felipe and Oso


Along the El Camino Real route at La Paz road and the train tracks


One of too many Starbucks. This is Portola Plaza near Trabuco Hills High.


I LOVE Henry's Marketplace, located in the Trabuco Hills Plaza in North Mission Viejo


Entrance to Saddleback Community College in south Mission Viejo

[missionhome]

Google Maps

For reference:
Clicking on the above will show an attendance boundary map for Mission Viejo High School. Be sure to note the school boundaries are not just in Mission Viejo, but also to the east in a box in east Rancho Santa Margarita (actually where about 45% of the student body lives). The school is the blue box near the freeway and La Paz Rd.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?clien...54495&t=h&z=13

Clicking on this map shows the attendance boundaries for Trabuco Hills High School. The school is located at the northern tip of Mission Viejo, but mainly serves Rancho Santa Margarita located to the east and Foothill Ranch of Lake Forest located just north.

[missionhome]

Lake Forest, CA. Nice and clean community located in southern Orange County at the interchange of the 5 and 405 freeway (the El Toro Y). The community began as El Toro and a residential community for the adjacent El Toro Marine Base (now closed, being converted to the Great Park). As the city incorporated, they wanted a name separate from the base and took Lake Forest. The city has two man made lakes that residents can boat on. You can not swim in it like on Lake Mission Viejo though and the lakes are much smaller. Lake Forest later took over the communities of Portola Hills and Foothill Ranch which are inland and they became a part of the city.

Here are pics:


The new Home Depot opened in the Arbor at Lake Forest. This large collection of new shopping centers has revitalized the city's main street, El Toro Rd., which used to look run down and trapped in 1970.

Lake Forest Market Center: Of course one of 30 Starbucks within two miles

Forest Lanes Bowling.

Get the picture, there is a Starbucks everywhere I'm actually glad some of them are closing.

Oakley Clothing Brand headquarters in the Foothill Ranch neighborhood

This is the Target in Foothill Ranch. Everything in the Foothill Ranch neighborhood is tan like this, and I mean everything. This community had flames literally at its back door about one year ago.

Hell on earth (I mean Walmart). There are only two Walmarts south of Irvine and people will drive all the way from San Clemente just to get to a Walmart (people love this store for some reason). I hate it. It is too crowded.

Fountains welcome you to the Foothill Ranch neighborhood of Lake Forest

[A Blue Window]

That Walmart is huge!

[AKgirlinCA]

There's actually a WalMart in San Clemente on Pico out by Talega. ( FYI for any potential San Clemente newbies )

[youngmoney]

Originally Posted by AKgirlinCA

There's actually a WalMart in San Clemente on Pico out by Talega. ( FYI for any potential San Clemente newbies )

Good! I am moving to San Clemente, and I love Walmart!