I have a job interview in San Diego, never been to Southern California before. So I’m scared, hopeful. Its a world away from the Northern New York. I’m hoping to find is other people to play music with, are there sessions over there? Does anyone know?
Eskin and MTGuru are both from San Diego, I am nearby as well but very much a beginner here.
Thanks, Steamwalker. Taking the baton …
Hi Ann! There are 5 weekly Irish sessions in the San Diego area, and there’s an active community of ITM musicians (including whistlers). PM me with info about your visit, and I can send you details of times, places, etc.
No reason to be afraid. I’ve lived in Saratoga Springs, and the weather here is better. 
better???
what if she likes winter?
okay…
how about seasons?
We have seasons here! Right now it’s fire season. In a few months it’ll be flood and mudslide season. Any time can be earthquake season, but it’s gotta be earthquake weather for that.
Too true.
Anyways, I been meaning to come down to one of those sessions, but been hard to find the time and resources. Hope to see you guys (and girls!) down there real soon.
True … She’ll need to drive 30 miles east to Julian and the Laguna Mts for the fall foliage and apple festival, and to play in the snow in the winter.
We have seasons here in my part of town: Pretty Nice, Really Nice, Pretty Nice, and Not So Bad.
Steamwalker, let us know when you’re ready to take the plunge.
yeah, yeah, yeah…it doesn’t compare to New York winter. 
and you left out
she’s gonna love that! 
I just figure that when this part of California breaks off and slides toward Hawaii, the weather will improve even more. My earthquake survival kit includes food, water, batteries, and little mai tai tiki umbrellas. 
You’ll love California. North, south or central, I wouldn’t want to live any place else.
San Diego’s really nice. In fact, we’re going to be down there about a week from now (taking the daughter to Comic-Conn)
Redwolf
I’ll be turning up there myself in a month an a half and looking for tunes too. Hope the job interview goes well and see you all there.
As MTG says (hi cuz!), there’s lots of good music and friendly folks here in San Diego. We tend more towards flutes and fiddles than whistles, but there a still good few of us in town.
I hope you’ll swing by a session or two while your’e visiting, Ann (bepoq too!), say hello, and play a few tunes with us. Some friends and I host the session at The Field on Sunday evenings, and I often attend the session at The Ould Sod on Tuesdays. Look for the bearded guy with the black Clarke whistle and the fiddle.
Been a while since I wrote in this thread. Thank you all for your replies. I only had one (very tired) night in San Diego during the interview so I didn’t have a chance to check very many things out.
my whirlwind observations:
Balboa park is nice
people use houseplants for landscaping
Natives are friendly
I live in a place where the weather can change by 50 degrees in one day. 70 degrees all the time just isn’t right.
I was offered the job and this thread is one of the many things I factored into the yes pile. So it looks like I’m moving out there. Perhaps I can PM one of you when I get there and find out about the music and whistling. I have a violin too, but don’t know how to play it yet.
Ah, we were wondering what happened to you. Congratulations, Ann, you’ll like it.
Other observations:
o San Diego is not Los Angeles, or a suburb thereof.
o Garnet is Gar-NET, and freeways take the definite article.
o You know it’s winter when people are wearing heavy jackets over their T-shirts and shorts.
By all means get in touch with us when you settle in!
o I thought a garnet was a red colored semi precious gem 
o Isn’t San Diego a suburb of Mexico?
o I only own one pair of shorts
Do you have lots of earthquakes? When I was a kid they had an earthquake simulator at a science museum once. The line was so long that I never got a chance to try it though. I’m curious, nervous.
No, Mexico is a suburb of San Diego. And Garnet is a street in San Diego if I recall right.
the shorts will change
have MT explain 'bout doorways and such…
There are at least 2 earthquakes each day in Santa Barbara, which is only 200 miles away from San Diego. I never feel any of them. I only feel the ones that are further away, and those only happen every 10 years or so.
As for the shorts, you’ll know you’ve acclimated when it’s too cold for shorts in the winter any more. You can always tell when people are from Minnesota or similar because they’re the ones wearing shorts in winter.
The last earthquake I felt was like 4 years ago and it was rather minor. There hasn’t been a serious earthquake that I know of in California since Northridge and that was back in '94 and that’s far north of us. San Diego isn’t known for being very earthquake-heavy.
EDIT: I googled and found this bit:
“In modern times the strongest recorded quake (seismographs were not developed until 1934) in coastal San Diego County was the (magnitude) 5.3 temblor that occurred on 13 July 1986 on the Coronado Bank Fault, 25 miles offshore of Solana Beach.”
5.3 is considered “moderate”.
You’ll eventually sleep through the earthquakes.
Most always nothing more than a little bump and shake or roll.
Every so often though you get that “I wonder if this is the big one?” feeling.
Exhilarating!
Honestly.
Its nothing to fret about much. Better odds are on getting hit by a bus or lightening.
San Diego is a nice place to live. I have family… and friends down there.