thanks for all the imput so far guys!

KungFuPanda:
I will def look into Foster City or Burlingame, as a software engineer, this looks like a great area for me (although im not sure if i wanna stay in that career at the moment)

norcal2006g35:
roseville seems nice but its a lil too out there, think i wanna be closer to the coast, after all i am from ft lauderdale, i've never lived more than 5 min away from the beach

maclovio:
i am def staying away from LA, no offense to anyone who lives there, but after living in miami/ft lauderdale for the last 16 years, im not trying to go to some more of the same if not worse (i hate traffic)

right now im am kinda looking at sonoma country, santa rosa, napa, might be boring but i like boring now, been going to sobe and downtown ft lauderdale for the last 10+ years, so i got all the partying out of me

jobs are def important but i wouldnt care working at vineyard making some delicious vino or working at a restaurant. i really dont care, i've worked a lot of grimy job before and i can do it again

the main reason for moving out there is my best friend and his girl are opening their own business (a wellness center, like a spa, massage place) so im going out there to help get it started. so we all just need BS jobs until it takes off

thanks for all the help guys

 

move to san jose.....
and they can hire me as a massage therapist!

 

BTW, if you are look at the wineries, Napa/Sonoma isn't the only place. There are an a$$load of wineries in the Santa Cruz mountains (the range that runs from San Mateo on the Peninsula down to Santa Cruz) and quite a few in the Livermore Valley.

One option might be over on the coast between SF and Half Moon Bay. The only problem is that it's a bit isolated - there are only 2 points (Pacifica, Half Moon Bay) at which you can cross east into the rest of the Peninsula.

 

all of san jose isn't ghetto.. only the east side. anything east of hwy 87.

There's nothing really great about the east bay.

I think san mateo is a good spot. old people live there so it's fairly quiet and it's central to everything. You have all the good food in san francisco + shopping (30 min north). South of San Mateo, you have stanford shopping center and valley fair+santana row, santa cruz beaches (1hr south), and half moon bay (30-40 minutes west)

I hope to check out your DPEs soon