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Some of the posters here make it seem as though all of SFCity is walkable. That is not the case. Take the wrong turn near Union Square and you'll end up in the Tenderloin. Then circle back and walk on 5th or 6th streets near downtown. It resembles skid row in LA. Or you could just hop on one of the Muni buses that has graffiti covered interiors. You will feel like like a real resident paying at the front of the bus while numerous people hop on through the back door without paying. Take solace in knowing that the bus is still more pleasurable than walking from union square to nob hill, russian hill, pacific heights or just about any neighborhood. You people are right, New Orleans is horrible. All of that local cuisine, sunlight, jazz, rock, gypsy, bounce, antiques, is overrated. Do not reply that San Francisco has great music festivals. Music festivals are great but when i wanted to go out a hear some jazz that wasn't in a hotel lobby this past Tuesday night I only had 3 options in the entire city.
Enough with San Francisco and the superior restaurants argument. Every city in America prides itself on local cuisine. Oysters in Washington, lobsters in Maine, potatoes in Idaho, bbq in Memphis. It's a silly argument. And by the way, wine country is not is San Francisco. It is at least a 1h 20min drive away. Every time I go to a Napa winery I meet a tasting associate that says something like "I haven't been to San Francisco in forever." So how cool can the city be? If this is such a big city how is it possible that there isn't a gym within a 20 minute walking distance from my neighborhood. I could walk from Upper Haight to Castro, but then you're working out at a gym in the Castro. I went online to menupages to see which restaurants delivered to my address and I found about 5 or 6 options. My point is that most of the benefit of living in San Francisco is directly related to the proximity of Santa Cruz, Wine Country, Pt. Reyes, Mt. Tam. I've had enough of San Franciscans claiming these places as there own. When I lived in NYC I didn't have to leave the city every weekend to find something to do. When you are in New Orleans and need white sandy beach, drive 144 miles to Mobile. Otherwise stay in NOLA and party in Faubourg Marigny until 5a.m. on any given morning. Then wake up and have brunch at Luke Fishbar. The main tourist attraction is San Francisco is a bridge. The main tourist attraction in NOLA is the culture. Fact of the matter is that you can travel to any city in America and find New Orleans cuisine. The same can't be said for San Francisco. What is San Francisco really known for besides liberal politics, homeless people, and a bridge?
... Just when I thought this thread could not get more ignorant.
If you can't find something to do in San Francisco then you haven't opened your eyes and looked. Period.
You mention the Tenderloin as being somewhere you'd be loathe to walk through, but if you actually did then you might notice the incredible restaurant scene. Ever been to Brenda's? Dottie's? Ironically enough Brenda's is New Orleans cuisine but I doubt you could find considerably better in New Orleans... it's one of the best breakfast joints in the city.
You also mentioned the uncleanliness of the buses. What did you expect? When services are actually used, they don't remain spotless. And then you complain about people jumping in through the back... seriously? Did you move here thinking there were no broke people? I shouldn't have to explain such a simple concept to you but obviously you (and a whole lot of other transplants) come to SF thinking that it's Disneyland. Newsflash: It's a city. It has crime. It has poverty. It has issues. But more than that, it has a soul (although with the current trend of b****ing unappreciative yuppie transplants that may not be true in a decade or two).
And if you wanted another NYC, why did you move in the first place? That's as idiotic as someone from SF moving to NYC because they want another San Francisco.
I'm not wasting more of my time on you... the obvious fact is that there is an overabundance of stuff to do, see, eat, enjoy, etc. in SF. If you can't see it then leave.
SF and NOLA are walkable, historic, and picturesque cities surrounded by important waterways, and both cities have developed a reputation as quirky places with a significant countercultural vibe. Though these cities share other features (such as great food and vulnerability to natural disasters), both have major differences in geography, climate, economy, politics, racial/ethnic composition, and so on.
Which of the two do you prefer?
NOLA all the way for me!
I appreciate the weather, topography, and urbanity of San Fran, but it completely lacks the soul and history of the NO.
If I wanted to live in a city that had the most of the things that I like to do, then yes I would not be here. I'm here for work. But I enjoy local bands, late night dining and clubbing. So nyc and new orleans is better for that. Heck a lot of cities are better for that. I've never been on the transit in NOLA so I wouldn't have an opinion about it. In NYC the subways are hot and filthy. The buses have recently been upgraded and are all pretty new. Even 10 years ago I don't remember being grossed out by the NYC buses. NYC has poor people but somehow they manage to pay the bus fare. I can remember giving a homeless guy my leftover metrocard so that he could get on the bus. But I have been on the train here. It can't get you across town. If you don't have a car here in SF you will definitely use the bus or cab rather than the train. People like you remind me of a conversation I had with the boat tour guides in Kaui'i, Hawai'i recently. They asked where each of us were from while we were departing the dock. When my girlfriend and I replied San Francisco their response was "We always hear from San Francisco visitors how good the restaurants are." So maybe that is all that San Francisco has going for it. I'll check back soon as I am going around walk the Upper Haight Street Fair. The food should be amazing. You still didn't address the elephant in the room. If SF is so unique what does this city have that any other city would drool over.
I like to visit NOLA, but after 2-3 days I'm bored. It isn't really a big city. Sure, the tourist areas are compact. But outside of the French Quarter and CBD, you really need a car all the time. The Quarter gets boring after a few days of seeing all the sights and everything. The food is good, but it is just very uniform, there isn't a lot of diversity in it. I also find New Orleans to be obsessive over race/ethnicity/religion, I guess that isn't a surprise since it's deep south. It's also hard to break into the professional communities because it is so insulated and generational.
SF for me has a lot more going for it. People don't care about who your family is, where you came from (to an extent), and is more easy going regarding ethnicity, religion, etc. Plus, I like the variety of food from Chinese to Italian to deli.
I think the SF nightlife scene is way larger and more varied. Sure, NOLA has great live music, but it still isn't that large of a scene if you think about it. SF has multitudes of everything. NOLA has a little something for everything. Plus, SF has 2 baseball teams considering I count Oakland.
SF tends to be more worldly too. NOLA is strictly concerned with NOLA.
If I wanted to live in a city that had the most of the things that I like to do, then yes I would not be here. I'm here for work. But I enjoy local bands, late night dining and clubbing. So nyc and new orleans is better for that. Heck a lot of cities are better for that. I've never been on the transit in NOLA so I wouldn't have an opinion about it. In NYC the subways are hot and filthy. The buses have recently been upgraded and are all pretty new. Even 10 years ago I don't remember being grossed out by the NYC buses. NYC has poor people but somehow they manage to pay the bus fare. I can remember giving a homeless guy my leftover metrocard so that he could get on the bus. But I have been on the train here. It can't get you across town. If you don't have a car here in SF you will definitely use the bus or cab rather than the train. People like you remind me of a conversation I had with the boat tour guides in Kaui'i, Hawai'i recently. They asked where each of us were from while we were departing the dock. When my girlfriend and I replied San Francisco their response was "We always hear from San Francisco visitors how good the restaurants are." So maybe that is all that San Francisco has going for it. I'll check back soon as I am going around walk the Upper Haight Street Fair. The food should be amazing. You still didn't address the elephant in the room. If SF is so unique what does this city have that any other city would drool over.
Oh I don't know... I heard that some people like the architecture, topography, weather, incredible food, natural beauty, unique neighborhoods, cosmopolitanism, shopping, etc. but obviously those people must be mistaken. All 805,000 of them. Right.
I like to visit NOLA, but after 2-3 days I'm bored. It isn't really a big city. Sure, the tourist areas are compact. But outside of the French Quarter and CBD, you really need a car all the time. The Quarter gets boring after a few days of seeing all the sights and everything. The food is good, but it is just very uniform, there isn't a lot of diversity in it. I also find New Orleans to be obsessive over race/ethnicity/religion, I guess that isn't a surprise since it's deep south. It's also hard to break into the professional communities because it is so insulated and generational.
SF for me has a lot more going for it. People don't care about who your family is, where you came from (to an extent), and is more easy going regarding ethnicity, religion, etc. Plus, I like the variety of food from Chinese to Italian to deli.
I think the SF nightlife scene is way larger and more varied. Sure, NOLA has great live music, but it still isn't that large of a scene if you think about it. SF has multitudes of everything. NOLA has a little something for everything. Plus, SF has 2 baseball teams considering I count Oakland.
SF tends to be more worldly too. NOLA is strictly concerned with NOLA.
NOLA obsessed with ethnicity/religion? Never found that. You are really reaching with this one
If new to New Orleans it may be harder to break into a social or proffesional group, they are used to people from all over the country, as well as the world, however. The city is an international destination.
Haha, there's more to the city than the Quarter, but I won't spill the goods, you tourists will ruin them.
SF has "two" baseball teams. But we have NBA as well as NFL, whats the point of that.
Seems like you're reaching to make NOLA look worse.
Sure, the tourist areas are compact. But outside of the French Quarter and CBD, you really need a car all the time.
Not true.
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The Quarter gets boring after a few days of seeing all the sights and everything.
Is the Quarter the only thing to do?
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The food is good, but it is just very uniform, there isn't a lot of diversity in it.
That's a lie, unless you never leave the tourist areas.
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I also find New Orleans to be obsessive over race/ethnicity/religion, I guess that isn't a surprise since it's deep south.
New Orleans has little in common with the deep south. The ethnicity/religion thing is absolutely untrue. Ask any transplant to the city who has experience in other places.
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It's also hard to break into the professional communities because it is so insulated and generational.
That depends on what community you're trying to get into. Old money is old money in most places you go.
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NOLA is strictly concerned with NOLA.
True
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