Greetings from balmy and insipid Atlanta, GA, home of precious little of interest to the tech industry, especially compared to CA. But it's good for telecom - that's why I kick around.
Mountain View is boring. Strip mall architecture at its best (or worst). Nothing to do there except work, and I hope you like driving, b/c you are going to do a lot of it. At least in the biggest east coast areas (nyc/boston/w d.c.) you can get fine without a car, and public transportation gets you almost everywhere.
Sex life will suck ass (if you are a straight single guy). When you introduce yourself to girls, you are yet another engineer as the other 100 she met last month.
I guess there is a real reason that post card has a dude in front of the computer. That's how your life is going to be.
I there is really nothing romantic about Mountain View. I honestly think weather is the best asset of the area.
Yes I have heard Mountain View is boring but I am more looking forward to the working part of it. I have several areas to choose from that are more fun e.g. San Francisco. The companies out west are far better for someone like me though.