patrick.net

God, I hate this city. I watch the smiling tourists in Union Square as I walk to work and just think, "If only you all knew how dysfunctional and broken this city is!"

Amen

Is there such a thing as a perfectly functional city? :) Local politics are the most corrupt. SF is bad, but it's not hell on earth or anything. It's a pleasant enough place to live that people are moving into, and the population is growing. Clearly, to most people, the positives offset the negatives.

We left SF after 27 years and do not look back. The increase in crime and over priced cost living is so out of hand. We always understood what city life is, but watched SF become an overrated, over valued and terrible place to live. There are far better places and cities to live and visit. ... They have a great PR machine...that is about it...

I completely disagree.

Albeit as a tourist, I visited in July and was enamored with SF, as was my SO. I thought I'd be dismissive of it, but I was wrong.
Cost of living is prohibitive, and some of the surrounding suburbs are crap(WTF@Daly City).

But as far as SF proper goes, I thought it was gorgeous, I love how accessible things are on public tranport(you've got a few screws loose if you choose to drive...and I feel the same about NY as well as downtown LA starting to get that way), I LOVE how available different dining choices are, and I love the overall vibe of the city.

If I ever hit the lotto, SF is one of the places I'd buy a place and make it a residence a few months a year.

I'll be very happy to take in a Dodgers game there again. The ballpark is outstanding.

dodgerfanjohn says

Cost of living is prohibitive, and some of the surrounding suburbs are crap(WTF@Daly City).

Cost of living is still much lower than many cosmopolitan areas.

Why did you go to Daly City?

dodgerfanjohn says

But as far as SF proper goes, I thought it was gorgeous, I love how accessible things are on public tranport(you've got a few screws loose if you choose to drive...and I feel the same about NY as well as downtown LA starting to get that way), I LOVE how available different dining choices are, and I love the overall vibe of the city.

It is quite pretty if you can avoid the demons on the streets. A few more America's Cup races will make the city even more cultured.

Public transportation is okay. Definitely better than LA. Driving is okay too, but Uber is a viable alternative.

dodgerfanjohn says

If I ever hit the lotto, SF is one of the places I'd buy a place and make it a residence a few months a year.

It is a good place for second homes too. Condos tend to attract international money.

SF is not a good place to raise a family.

However, SF weather is excellent year-round. Rarely too hot for too long. Never snows either.

retire59 says

The increase in crime and over priced cost living is so out of hand.

Crime is an issue. Collectively, the city tends to think that criminals are victims.

People are fake. They are the most conspicuously inconspicuous human beings I have come across.

Peter P says

retire59 says

The increase in crime and over priced cost living is so out of hand.

Crime is an issue. Collectively, the city tends to think that criminals are victims.

People are fake. They are the most conspicuously inconspicuous human beings I have come across.

I lived in Los Angeles, including SFV and downtown.

Tenderloin is a joke compared to Skid Row. The hotel I was staying at was supposed to be on the border of the Tenderloin. Lots of neg reviews based on that. Those reviewers live in fucking fantasy land if they think that's some miserable terrible crime ridden place. It's poor inner city with drugs and homeless, nothing else. It's gonna be taken over by hipsters soon enough anyway.

Anyway, outside of Oakland and some of the crappier outer burbs, SF doesn't have a crime problem. Not anything at all compared to LA, San Bernardino, Desert Hot Springs, any of the So Cal High desert cities, Stockton, Fresno, etc.

You get the idea.

Peter P says

A few more America's Cup races will make the city even more cultured.

More like Vulutured, as in capitialist. SF has never suffered from a lack of culture, well that is until the America's Cup crowd came to town

Diva24 says

More like Vulutured, as in capitialist. SF has never suffered from a lack of culture, well that is until the America's Cup crowd came to town

I don't know. Food in SF has become so much better because of the money being thrown around. Same for London. Hedge funds somehow fixed the terrible culinary landscape. Food in London is now comparable to that of Paris.

Besides, people in polo shirts look much less intimidating than those wearing hoodies, regardless of ethnicity.

Peter P says

Diva24 says

More like Vulutured, as in capitialist. SF has never suffered from a lack of culture, well that is until the America's Cup crowd came to town

I don't know. Food in SF has become so much better because of the money being thrown around. Same for London. Hedge funds somehow fixed the terrible culinary landscape. Food in London is now comparable to that of Paris.

Well if you LIKE paying $13 for a glorified 7/11 hot dog from a hipster catering truck you go right on ahead.

New Renter says

Well if you LIKE paying $13 for a glorified 7/11 hot dog from a hipster catering truck you go right on ahead.

No, but the sushi scene is definitely getting better. Now "omakase" is almost universally known.

dodgerfanjohn says

Tenderloin is a joke compared to Skid Row. The hotel I was staying at was supposed to be on the border of the Tenderloin.

True. Tenderloin is more filthy than it is dangerous. Hunters Point though...

Peter P says

New Renter says

Well if you LIKE paying $13 for a glorified 7/11 hot dog from a hipster catering truck you go right on ahead.

No, but the sushi scene is definitely getting better. Now "omakase" is almost universally known.

That has more to do with vast improvements in flash freezing and overnight shipping than hedge fund money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/08/nyregion/sushi-fresh-from-the-deep-the-deep-freeze.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

Even grocery stores offer made to order sushi now.

New Renter says

That has more to do with vast improvements in flash freezing and overnight shipping than hedge fund money.

There still needs a market will to pay the premium. Who will bother to overnight flash-frozen O-toro if people only want spicy tuna roll.

Peter P says

New Renter says

That has more to do with vast improvements in flash freezing and overnight shipping than hedge fund money.

There still needs a market will to pay the premium. Who will bother to overnight flash-frozen O-toro if people only want spicy tuna roll.

Of course that exact same money is motivating the overfishing of the big tuna to extinction.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/magazine/27Tuna-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Poorer people can make do with tilapia.

New Renter says

Of course that exact same money is motivating the overfishing of the big tuna to extinction.

Eat now before you are priced out of the tuna market. :-)

Over fishing is more driven by the abundance of mediocre restaurants.

I think tuna is overrated. I prefer golden-eye snapper.

Peter P says

Over fishing is more driven by the abundance of mediocre restaurants.

Mediocre restaurants and grocery stores aren't selling $65 slices of Bluefin tuna belly. That particular fish is being driven to extinction exclusively by the wealthy.

Peter P says

I think tuna is overrated. I prefer golden-eye snapper.

Maybe you'd prefer Fugu?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu

Don't worry, it probably won't kill you...

New Renter says

Maybe you'd prefer Fugu?

I love Fugu. Tried it in Osaka. It was great!

New Renter says

Mediocre restaurants and grocery stores aren't selling $65 slices of Bluefin tuna belly. That particular fish is being driven to extinction exclusively by the wealthy.

The fish is a whole lot bigger than a few selected piece of belly meat.

Peter P says

New Renter says

Mediocre restaurants and grocery stores aren't selling $65 slices of Bluefin tuna belly. That particular fish is being driven to extinction exclusively by the wealthy.

The fish is a whole lot bigger than a few selected piece of belly meat.

But that's the part everyone wants.

Except cats, they'll eat anything tuna.

New Renter says

Except cats, they'll eat anything tuna.

Mine are meat-and-potato cats. They hate fish. :-)

The right tuna can cost $100000 per fish. There is certainly not that much O-toro in it.