• Liberal & Asian in Orinda?
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Liberal & Asian in Orinda?

With a bit of sadness we are leaving Berkeley for sunny Orinda (near the Ivy Drive neighborhood). I've looked through the UCBP web-site and wanted more specific information/thoughts than what was provided:

1) For those who have made the Berkeley to Orinda move was it difficult to adjust to a suburban environment? I am moving from a fairly busy neighborhood within walking distance of shops, library etc. to a somewhat remote looking area(from my perspective). Will I get lonely out there? I'm an active stay at home mom.

2) Is it a very conservative town or moderate (compared to Berkeley)? We are quite liberal.

3) My children don't watch a lot of television, will that be an issue in Orinda esp. as they get older(will we be out of the norm)?

4) I am Asian American, will I feel uncomforable there?

5) Are the public schools in Orinda as good as they say they are? Any specific thoughts on Glorrieta and Del Ray Elementary?

6) In general, are people friendly and accepting? Is it easy to make friends with neighbors or do people keep to themselves?

7) How hot does it really get? We are moving into a ranch house fixer with no a/c...are we crazy? Does any of that wonderful, cool fog creep over the hills into Orinda?

We move in a month and I'm scared about this huge transition from all the things I love about Berkeley. Mainly, I'm concerned about the urban to suburban transition. Thank you! Suburban living here I come!

1) I was a bit lonely for awhile, as I had no friends and no kids. I now have 2 kids and find it quite easy to meet people through kids' activities, at the park, etc.

2) I think there's a wide variety of political views here. Definitely more conservative than Berkeley, but frankly where isn't?

3) We don't have TV so my kids watch no television (they're quite young, though, so I'm not sure how this will play out). My personal feeling is that people, regardless of where they live, think anyone who does not have TV is almost nuts.

4) I do not think you'll feel uncomfortable here as an Asian American. In fact, that's probably the most represented ethnic group in this area (more so than African Americans or hispanics).

5) My kids are not yet in school, so I cannot give my personal experience, but I read the California state ratings every year and this past year every Orinda elementary schools scored in the 90's and each school (I believe there are 4) increased their score from a year ago.

6) My experience has been that people are very friendly and accepting. Orinda is not the monolith (I thought) of snobby people with money. There are elderly people, young families, older families, etc. I like the mix in my neighborhood and have found that my paranoia about the suburbs is mostly unfounded: people give each other privacy, but we do speak to each other (unlike my apt. building in the city).

7) We have A/C, but rarely use it. It does get about 10 degrees hotter on average than Berkeley and yes, we do get fog, although the further you are towards Moraga the less you get (I think).

Hope this helps. All in all, I still miss SF, the culture, the diversity, the restaurants, etc. but I am happy I am raising my kids here. Julie

Yes, this is the suburbs, so you will drive to most locations (shops, grocery stores). The schools you mention are excellent, and there is lots of parent support. There are many Asian families, and many, many stay-at-home moms.

Many people who move to Lamorinda are from Berkeley, Oakland, or SF, but many move here from other parts of the country as well, so I think it is fair to say that the politics are all over the place. I think most people are pretty moderate. I do notice that politics rarely comes up in conversation, probably because most people figure there are a wide variety of opinions. In Berkeley you can make some general assumptions about people's political views, but not in Lamorinda.

As far as meeting people, there is the Lamorinda Mom's Club if you have pre-schoolers, otherwise you will hopefully find some like-minded people through your child's school, joining a pool club or church, etc. Your neighbors may have kids your age, or they may be in their 70's.

And, of course, the most important question - do you need AC?!?! Most houses were built without it, and we lived here for 4 years before we put it in. Many realtors say ''you don't need AC in Lamorinda'', but it seems most people end up putting it in at some point. There will probably be between 10-20 days/year where your house might feel pretty warm, depending on how much shade you have. So, if you can stick it out for those days, you will be fine!

There is no question - the ''pros'' for Berkeley are the ''cons'' for Lamorinda, and vice versa. Luckily you will be close enough to hopefully be able to go back and forth quite frequently! SherryH

2) Anyplace in the US is going to seem moderate if not conservative compared to Berkeley. You can find ultra-conservatives as well as liberals here. People may not be as outspoken about their politics here as they are in Berkeley, but I'm fairly liberal and have found many others who share my views. In addition I'm quite friendly with some very conservative foks. We have many other things in common and just don't discuss politics. It's not that big a deal.

3) I know several households who disallow television. We disconnected our cable for the summer (and there's no reception out here in suburbia, so our kids can't find anything to watch even if they try). Like anywhere, there are some people who have the tv on all the time and others who don't watch it at all. I don't think there's a huge difference on this one between Berkeley and Orinda.

4) There are many Asian Americans here, but many more Caucasians. I don't know if you'd feel uncomfortable. There certainly aren't many other ethnic groups out here, which is a negative.

5) My kids go to Del Rey. They love it. I love it. I think it's a great school with a great staff and very involved parents. I have a few friends who send their kids to private schools west of the tunnel. Their views differ from ours.

6) In general people are friendly. In the hillier neighborhoods people aren't on the street as much and may keep to themselves more. The Ivy Drive neighborhood has tons of kids and families and has a nice friendly feel.

7) It can get way hot. Look into joining the Moraga Valley Pool (on Risa Rd. near OIS), Meadow pool (Heather Lane closer to Glorietta), or another pool. You can always cool off there. The parks in Orinda and Moraga have water play areas. Sprinklers in the back yard can entertain the kids for hours Even when it bakes in the summer it usually cools off at night (the fog does come in frequently), though there have been some nights in summers past when we've all gone outside to sleep because the house is still baking. Overall, content in Orinda

1) Orinda is a very conservative town. Mostly Republican. But my mom was pretty liberal, as were many of her friends. So there definitely cool people there. In particular, there is ''hippie hill'' which is the hill that El Toyanol runs through on the north side of town I think. A larger number of Democratic types live there. But overall, pretty conservative. In fact a neighbor of mine and her family moved there and lasted six months. They hated it. Too conservative, not friendly enough, etc. They moved to Mill Valley!

2) Not so sure about the TV thing. I grew up watching a fair bit of TV. Maybe the issue here is conformity? You are concerned your kids will not fit in because they can't converse in TV language? Well, conformity is a big issue there. I felt it more in terms of having designer clothing, a brand new car at 16, and other ''stuff''. I grew up in the ''rich'' part of town and remember (with much embarassment) looking down at the kids from the ''wrong side of the tracks'' (the Ivy Drive side). So dumb. I tried for years to fit in and be popular, and finally gave up. Lots of social pressure to conform for sure.

3)When I lived there in the 1970s, there were maybe three African American kids at my high school, and a few more Asian Americans. I think there are a lot more now (Asian Americans that is; don't know about the former) so that probably won't be an issue.

4) My parents moved there ''for the schools''. I guess they test well. But I can tell you that I got good/decent grades fairly effortlessly, and when I went to UC Berkeley, I was totally slammed. I was not prepared at all for that level of learning and to this day resent it. My husband on the other hand went to some prep school back east and found Berkeley ''easy''. HMM. And again, the social pressures are pretty harsh. I really did not have a good high school experience, but all in all I got a fine education and if you an involved parent, I'm sure your kids will too.

5)We lived on a block where all the kids knew each other. The parents knew each other too but didn't really socialize like they do where I live now. The houses/lots are bigger so its hard to get to know people that way (versus where I live in Oakland with teeny lots, and so we are in the front a lot and know everyone). We belonged to a swim/tennis club so my parents at least got to know a lot of people that way (and my mom is very social so it was easy for her). The Community Center wasnt' there when I lived there, and there were a lot less offereings (Orinda wasn't a city yet). There are some cool groups that I remember my mom joined, and if you are interested in what they were, I could find out for you (just email me).

6) It can get hot there, but the fog does creep over and it is probably the coolest of the burb towns. To be honest, I can't even remember if the house I grew up in had AC. But it is definitely hotter there than here.

I'd be glad to chat with you more about it if you like or if you have any questions. Hilary

More reviews of Orinda life

Re: Family-friendly and more liberal Lamorinda 'hoods
We've lived in the neighborhood around Del Rey Elementary school in Orinda since 2000 -- first renting for two years to see how we liked it, and then buying a home. We were afraid it would be too country-clubby and elitist, but at least out here in south Orinda folks are mostly unpretentious and tolerant. I get a definite sense of the ''community'' and ''neighborly'' environment you say you're looking for -- along with a big yard, a medium-sized house, strictly limited development, and some of the best schools in California.

Here in the Donna Maria Way area we have an annual block party where we meet everyone, and so nearly every time we walk the dog or stroll down the street to the school playground we get greetings from friendly neighbors. We've been to dinner and children's birthday parties with our neighbors; when our son was born, three neighbors stopped by with gifts. As far as ethnic diversity, our neighborhood has families of Latino, Asian, and Indian descent, but sadly it isn't as diverse as the Bay Area's more urban areas. (You can look at the school's Web site to see the ethnic breakdown for students.) However, we do have families with kids of all ages, from infant to teen, as well as many retired people, so there's age diversity.

Politially Orinda is the most liberal of all the ''over-the-hill'' communities of Contra Costa County, consistently voting Democrat -- you can look up voting maps online to see! On our street sometimes you'll pass five hybrid cars parked (if you count ours), and there's only one Hummer and one Escalade. Another point people forget is that Orinda is much closer to the East Bay than to Walnut Creek. When traffic is agreeable, we can drive to Rockridge in ten minutes, which is also only one BART stop away.

Good luck in your search for a home! Nicole R.

Re: What neighborhoods do young families tend to move to? We moved to Orinda from a great East Bay neighborhood. Sad at first we quickly realized that yes, it is warmer(nice), the yards are huge(houses smaller), lots of young liberal families and the schools are great. Luckily, the neighborhoods, friends and shopping I love in Berkeley and Oakland are NOT far from Orinda (maybe 10 minutes). I get my urban fill and then drive back to peaceful, safe(we often forget to lock our doors) and quiet Orinda.

The schools here are nothing less than great. You quickly realize that buying a house here pays off in the end (compared to mortgage + private school tuition). Also, the schools are much more diverse than I originally thought.

The families are cool, like I said, MANY have moved from Oakland, Berkeley or SF to be here. Yes, there are quite a few older more conservative people, but many of them are selling and moving into retirement homes making way for younger families.

We live in the Ivy drive neighborhood, which is close to all three schools my children will attend all the way to high school. It's a lot ''easier'' going than some other parts of Orinda (Downs, Sleepy Hollow). Join your neighborhood pool club and meet even more families in your area and or Elem. school.

Lafayette is also a great town, but I don't know enough about the neighborhoods to tell you anything
Happy I moved

Re: Worried about exclusivity if I move to Lamorinda
I could have written your post last year when we were still house-hunting. We moved to Orinda exactly one year ago, and we're very happy here, despite the fact that I literally cried when we left our beloved Rockridge. I understand your fears (they were mine, too!) but they are largely myths. Let me debunk a few - or at least give my perspective. Orinda (or Lamorinda in general) is not the moneyed country club scene you fear. Yes, there's a country club in town. I'm sure some people belong to it, or it wouldn't still be in business. But I don't know any of them. The folks I have met are interesting, down-to-earth, outgoing, kind-hearted and generous. When we told friends in Oakland/Berkeley that we were thinking of moving here, we heard again and again that Orinda was insufferably snobby and conservative. I can't tell you how far that is from the truth, in my experience. I've just saw some recent demographic info and learned that registered democrats now outnumber registered republicans in Orinda.
At home in Orinda

Re the social scene: Don't worry that you didn't do preschool in Orinda; the elementary schools are where most Orinda family relationships are built. The SAH moms bond well and strongly. Groups of women drop their kids off at school and then walk together for exercise. There are endless opportunities to work in the school (lunch program, musical productions, field trips, working in the classroom) and connect with the parents in the school community. But if you ever opt to be a working mom (as I am), prepare to feel marginalized. School activities/events tend to involve mid-day meetings or contributions that working parents cannot make. And I don't think I am imagining the subtle judgment I feel from some of the SAH moms in Orinda for my choice to work.

Re neighborhoods: North of 24 is more affluent; south of 24 is more mixed (mixed in Orinda, of course, being a relative term). The school with the craziest Get-Your-Kid-Into-Harvard-at-10 parents is Sleepy Hollow. The most relaxed and creative schools are Glorietta and Del Rey. We are at Glorietta, which was pretty good for our oldest and with more recent innovations has been wonderful for our youngest (now 9). Other neighborhood considerations: The hills largely dictate how much neighbors see each other, how much kids ride bikes, and so on. The areas around Del Rey school tend to be flatter and lend themselves to riding bikes to school and in-the-street playing, though there are some great neighborhood-y streets (Park Lane Drive, Martha Road, Darryl Road, Meadow Lane) around Glorietta too.
Good luck. An Orinda mom

So I don't find it to be ''exclusive,'' if by that you mean, ''Do you feel excluded?'' I don't feel we stand out, despite being former punk rockers, anti-conspicuous consumption (my husband drives a 1994 Honda Civic), and politically liberal--we are white and relatively wealthy, however. We live in south Orinda (which is not the Country Club side of town) in the Moraga del Rey area (surrounding Del Rey School), and there's no sign of snobbishness on our street, despite the million-dollar ranch houses. We did wonder about bringing our son into a perceived culture of wealthy entitlement, but figured all parents have to teach their values at home. Orinda's Not Blackhawk

My neighbor & friend Molly Smith (who introduced us to practically everyone) is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Orinda. She grew up in Orinda and knows the area very well. She specializes in working with families and people buying in the Lamorinda area for the first time. Molly's children are in preschool and 1st grade so she is a great person to talk with regarding the schools, neighborhoods, activites and getting to know people. Her contact information is:

Molly Smith
Coldwell Banker
molly[at]mollyslist.com

Re: African-American in Lamorinda
My family moved to Orinda from Berkeley last May. We are all white, so I can't comment directly on the experience of people of color here. But I'm sorry to say I can confirm the lack of diversity. When my daughter started at the middle school here, she complained that all the girls were tall and thin and blond. She has since made good friends, and they seem to be really nice girls, but I confess that I sometimes have a hard time telling them apart.

The area has some great qualities, though. From what we have seen with kids in elementary and middle school, the schools are quite good. There is a great small town feel, and you often see middle school kids out on their own at the movies and at restaurants like Nations hamburgers, and at the pool in the summer. I think it is a good place for teens because they can have some early freedom here (like I had when I was growing up) and then, when they are older, can get into Oakland and Berkeley and SF via BART to participate in a more urban scene. One thing that has struck me is how many people I have met here that recently moved from Berkely or Albany or elsewhere on the Bay side of the hills. I assume they don't suddenly become more conservative when the moving van enters the tunnel; instead I like to think that they/we will make this area more like Berkeley and its neighbors. More diverse families would be a welcome part of this transformation. Good luck with your decision! anne

Re: Gay dads considering a move to Orinda/Layfayette I live in Orinda and still struggle to find my place in this land of conservative wealth. However, my neighbors are a lesbian couple with 3 boys 9, 13 and 14. They moved from Oakland to here about 10 years ago and are very happy and at home. The kids seem like nice well adjusted kids who have told me nice things about the schools. My general feeling is that any discrimination would not be overt (if thats of comfort?) and plenty of perfectly accepting folks too. Nowhere else is going to have the level of diversity and acceptance that Berkely has. But one can't just hole up in Berkely forever. Christina