Are there really differences in various closely grouped exurban communities or is exurbia all the same? For example, out here, is there any perceivable difference among the communities of Calabasas, Agoura, Oak Park, Westlake, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park? What if you include Camarillo, Simi Valley and Moorpark? If you’re not in the LA/VC area, tell us about your exurbia. Do you see differences in your community versus the one next door? Are these real differences or are theses differences based on image or reputation?Follow Us On exurbmagazine.com Promote Your Page Too |
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i work in thousand oaks and live in the valley. Calabasas is “flashier” (people, clothes, cars) and T.O. much less so.
1The LA gravitational pull does seem to weaken as you get further out. That’s the very reason why some people love T.O. or Camarillo, and also the reason some don’t like these places. I also think it’s easy to make assumptions based on reputation or what you observe on the surface…i.e. you may think someplace like Agoura is more liberal than Thousand Oaks. I’m not sure that’s true. You may think Westlake means wealthy or stuck up compared to Newbury Park. I’m also not at all sure that’s true. There are a lot of very wealthy people in Newbury Park — and I’ve found attitudes vary as much as people. I would go even narrower, though. A “feel of a place” can change from neighborhood to neighborhood, street to street. When you look from neighborhood to neighborhood, there are some big differences. Some neighborhoods have a lot of diversity, some not. Some have lots of places you can walk, some not so much. And then we all have many similarities too. I have a friend outside of Indianapolis, though, who claims in her area there are BIG differences. One community is racist, one not, for example. I don’t see our differences here as THAT substantial.
2I can go either way. No really, I mean, I’m liberal, so going either way is really okay with me.
3I live in a unique neighborhood in TO. I would venture to say “the unique” neighborhood in TO, because I don’t really think there are many. But from an “outsider”…Agoura/Westake/Oak Park seem very generic to me. High end exurbs with stepford looking families. I probably fit that mold in the looks department to…but when you get to my neighborhood…to my house…it’s different.
The thing is, I bet we ALL feel like that. “I’m not Stepford!!! I am my own person!” or so we like to think…
I do think there are differences, subtle or not. When you consider the types of businesses, the arrangement of them (in one concentrated area, spread all over in strip malls, “main street” or upscale development), the reputation of schools, conditions of parks, roads, age of houses and other landmarks, it all adds up. I lived in Thousand Oaks, and only gradually did I come to categorize the other neighboring communities. Impressions count for a lot, so Oak Park seemed sleepier and slightly elite, WLV more tony, faux lake and boat culture, golf; Newbury Pk. more of a nod to its rural/ranching roots, Moorpark seemed later to the game, and more opportunistic. It’s also interesting to try to deduce things from a community’s enterprise: which communities support a Whole Foods? A Starbucks (or more than one)? A Target? A Wal-Mart? A Nordstrom? And so on.
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