To each his own. I like the energy, but maybe you're cut from finer cloth than I am. I like below-14 St NYC better than uptown...
Sounds like your San Diego location is more Rancho Santa Fe than La Jolla. Personally if was going to live in SoCal it would be either Manhattan or Hermosa Beach.
Gee, that's insightful -- all the most expensive zipcodes in SoCal. Of course they're good places to live -- that's why they're $$$$... Maybe you have some undiscovered gems to share instead?
DM's & IC's lists are just the consensus picks for best places to live (as reflected in real-estate values). I'd have expected better than repeat-the-consensus from a board full of traders.
If you cannot afford those, try Carlsbad, the best kept secret in SoCal, half the price of those mentioned and still a very nice beach town.
I've pretty much seen every city in this country... and I love the beach.... but for quality of life, health, and a super-cool vibe without a lot of congestion.... there is only one place I would live, will live.... Jackson Hole, Wyoming. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=jackson+h...ch.net/im/2015/04/jackson-hole-wyoming-21.jpg