I think I hate San Francisco.

[comrade]



I am not at all familiar with East Bay. Some quick searches show that there are a number of nice listings in Claremont, Piedmont and Berkeley Hills that would fit our budget. Are there any other parts of East Bay that I should look at?

No.

How long is the commute from for example Claremont to Financial District? I found a site that said it would be roughly 30 min by car and close to 50 min by public transportation.

Should be less.

 

[comrade]



You have to get in touch with your inner goddess.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/us/cafe-gratitude-chain-closing-in-northern-california.html
lefty

New Age dreck. I encountered it when I first visited the Bay Area on business in the early 80s.
As a cynical ex New Yorker it seemed like a combination of naivety, stupidity and spirituality.
Nevertheless, it beat Chicago where I was based-- A town that is un hip in its' soul and run
by a bunch of narrow-minded, racist ex- altar boys.

 

[comrade]



Condo. Wife found one she wants in Harlem, which they say is the new Harlem. 

lefty

New Harlem ? Bull. Are you now going for the Urban Pioneer role?

 

[comrade]



Nah. That doesn't bother me to much, but I grew up in the heart of silicon valley, so I've seen it for a long time. What changed is the anger the average San Franciscan seems to hold, and the degree of nasty smugness. The South Park episode is so close to reality that it is scary. I don't know what caused it, but the dot com crash and the wars really changed the personality of the city from one which was kind of odd and fun to one in which the people tend to display the smugness I mention along with a lack of introspection that is baffling.

Lack of introspection. Yeah, that's it. I noticed it before the dot.com bust, in which I was a (peripheral) participant.
Although, compared to the people I've met in (West) LA, Bay Area residents seem almost contemplative.

 

[comrade]



I arrived in 1999, so I can't speak to what it was like before then, but this is still paradise compared to St. Louis and Austin. I guess, on balance, if the folks are going to be knee-jerk, I'd rather they be left-leaning idiots than right-leaning idiots.

Correctamundo.

 

[comrade]



Quote:


My wife commented on pedestrian anger this weekend as we walked to brunch on Union St.

Smugness? I think I mentioned the restaurant where we were asked by the hostess and the waitress if we had dined with them before. When I said no, expecting an explanation of the menu they each simply smiled and walked away.  

Isn't Austin one of those "great quality of life" towns in the US? Like SF?

lefty

 

Look at those quality of life lists, and you hate San Francisco.
If I am not mistaken, Austin rose in the media's appreciation, when it's
number of lynchings dropped below the average for the old Confederacy.

 

[comrade]



I'm still trying to figure out why restaurants can't figure out how cook crispy bacon without burning it.

Because San Francisco is a secretly kosher town.

 

[NorCal]

Big Bird, are you thinking public or private for Schools?

 

[Big Bird]



Big Bird, are you thinking public or private for Schools?

Private schools.

Since my oldest kid don't speak any English it is important for us that we find an international school for at least his first year. Kids learn quickly but we would feel much better if we know that he was not the only expat kid in his class and that he gets the help that he needs.

There is a Scandinavian school on Woodside Ave near Laguna Honda Hospital that we will look at. Pocketsquareguy have also been very helpful with suggestions for private schools in the East Bay.

 

[NorCal]

So I was hanging out with Lefty down by Crissy Fields the other day and caught him on tape as he finally lost it with the locals and their habits:

Spoiler: Warning: REALLY NSFW!

 

[lefty]

I had just polished those shoes too.

lefty

 

[lefty]

Just when I thought I'd seen is all.

I walked by Swan Oyster Depot today and saw a line up of at least 100 people stretching down the block. For those who don't know, Swan is essentially a lunch counter with about 15 seats or so. The wait for hundred people has to be 2 if not 3 hours. As I passed the end of the line I came across a group eating takeout from another restaurant. No doubt to keep their strength up.

lefty

 

[UrbanComposition]

The oysters in Tomales Bay are so much better. Ah, weekends.

 

[Rambo]



Just when I thought I'd seen is all.

I walked by Swan Oyster Depot today and saw a line up of at least 100 people stretching down the block. For those who don't know, Swan is essentially a lunch counter with about 15 seats or so. The wait for hundred people has to be 2 if not 3 hours. As I passed the end of the line I came across a group eating takeout from another restaurant.  No doubt to keep their strength up.

lefty

 

[sugarbutch]

Today I went with some of my wife's family on the Escape the Rock boat tour of the bay. This place is ******* beautiful. Then we had lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe at Fisherman's Wharf, perfect because there was no wait and the kids were entertained. I do not, however, understand why someone would pay good money to fly to San Francisco, then spend their time in Fisherman's Wharf. It really could be in just about any coastal city in the U.S. Nonetheless, the whole area is packed with people watching the silver guys do the robot.