San Francisco or San Jose? (Oakland, Sunnyvale: middle-class, transplants, theatre)

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by JSS

Because Santa Clara...a small suburb of San Jose won't fund it.

Sorry....think they're runnin game on your city....just like the Giants, just like the A's. Think Vegas has better odds. Mark my words....no one will move to San Jose...and if they do...they'll keep SF or Oakland somewhere in the name since no one really knows where San Jose is.

And that has been such a hamper on the Sharks. Totally.

[JSS]

Can anyone give us 5 'unique' and preferably interesting things about San Jose? For example, if someone were to be blindfolded and taken to the Golden Gate Bridge or the corner of Market and Castro (not my cup of tea, but I don't think anyone could argue its not unique) you'd know exactly where you are.

Please don't just re-post the exhaustive list of completely obscure stuff illustrating 'why San Jose is neither a bigger version of Campbell or boring'...Museum of Quilt and Textiles, Story Road Tamale Festival, etc...not really stuff I'd brag about myself. Also, no more pictures from underneath the Guadalupe Expressway. Yep, I've been to that unimpressive intersection and have some 'knowledge and context' to express some opinions here.

I'm really tired of the 'San Jose is cool because there are lots of tech companies in the area' argument. Is Wisconsin cool because its the dairy capital of America??? Hardly. If the debate were which city is a better place for an engineer to get a job that would be applicable and tough to dispute. The 'weather is better' point is really subjective....believe it or not some people prefer the cool/crisp weather in San Francisco...watching the fog roll in over the Headlands vs. having the sun shine down on the local Walmart.

What 5 things in San Jose, and unique to San Jose, make it great in your opinion?

Also, if this is just going to be used as a showcase for 2nd string junior high debate team and name calling skills I'll drop off and let you guys continue on without my aimless perspective.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by JSS

....believe it or not some people prefer the cool/crisp weather in San Francisco...watching the fog roll in over the Headlands vs. having the sun shine down on the local Walmart.

So...SF attracts devotees for...cold fog, and the world-class aesthetics provided by Walmart. Damn, looks like ya got us there.

[jzt83]

Originally Posted by JSS

Can anyone give us 5 'unique' and preferably interesting things about San Jose? For example, if someone were to be blindfolded and taken to the Golden Gate Bridge or the corner of Market and Castro (not my cup of tea, but I don't think anyone could argue its not unique) you'd know exactly where you are.

Please don't just re-post the exhaustive list of completely obscure stuff illustrating 'why San Jose is neither a bigger version of Campbell or boring'...Museum of Quilt and Textiles, Story Road Tamale Festival, etc...not really stuff I'd brag about myself. Also, no more pictures from underneath the Guadalupe Expressway. Yep, I've been to that unimpressive intersection and have some 'knowledge and context' to express some opinions here.

I'm really tired of the 'San Jose is cool because there are lots of tech companies in the area' argument. Is Wisconsin cool because its the dairy capital of America??? Hardly. If the debate were which city is a better place for an engineer to get a job that would be applicable and tough to dispute. The 'weather is better' point is really subjective....believe it or not some people prefer the cool/crisp weather in San Francisco...watching the fog roll in over the Headlands vs. having the sun shine down on the local Walmart.

What 5 things in San Jose, and unique to San Jose, make it great in your opinion?

Also, if this is just going to be used as a showcase for 2nd string junior high debate team and name calling skills I'll drop off and let you guys continue on without my aimless perspective.

The media make SF more recognizable to most compared to SJ. Just because a place has unique attributes, doesn't make it better than another place that isn't considered to be unique. Also, why can't someone cite the weather in SJ as their personal opinion as to why SJ is better than SF? Also, the stuff you wouldn't brag about may hold more weight for another person and hold a sentimentality to that person that many others may dismiss. This is a very subjective thread and people have different opinions of different places based upon their own preferences.

[vdy1985]

Damn you SF cats sound hella insecure. Everyone knows that SF is THE CITY BY THE BAY. Everyone blows kisses at SF, you don't have to come out and put down that second city of the bay. Insecurity maybe stems from that fact that the A's and the 49er's are interested in the South Bay. Seems like economical power is sliding (has been sliding) towards the south bay, which is why it is becoming more attractive to these teams...ie. more company sponsers and selling out lux box to corporate types. But hey even if the teams move, SF is loved by tourists, and is has a bunch of nice spots, so it is all good. And you guys will always have the Giants.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by JSS

Just hopped on so I'll throw in my 2-cents. San Jose is to San Fransciso what Milwaukee is to Chicago, Baltimore to DC, Providence to Boston....you get the point. Its okay for some, but definitely not a world-class city like San Francisco. What I dislike most about San Jose is that it lacks uniqueness/originality....nothing here that really makes it stand out from any other city. Sorry, just a small town trying to act big.

I wouldn't say it tries to act big so much as it accidentally got big.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by Radical347

I wouldn't say it tries to act big so much as it accidentally got big.

And it's only now starting to get organized again.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

San Francisco, while a fine city, is a magnet for one-dimensional people who use their address as a crutch to fill the void where there'd normally be a personality. They needn't be artistic or worldly if they live in a place that is known for being such. Their city is the one validation of their life, so they must constantly reassure themselves that it is the best city and all others are terrible. We see one example here.

LOL...so true! I can't think of any other places where people constantly not only talk up their city, but use stupid terms to do so and to also talk down other cities. I heard someone refer to San Francisco as the "flagship city of the west coast" recently... (And if there was a "flagship city of the west coast," wouldn't it unarguably be LA?)

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by JSS

What 5 things in San Jose, and unique to San Jose, make it great in your opinion?

Well, some of these aren't necessarily unique, but here's 5 things I like better about SJ (including the Silicon Valley Metro) than SF (disclaimer: I'm not bashing SF, I like the place too):

5. It's way cleaner. The only clean neighborhoods in SF are the Marina, Forest Hill, and Diamond Heights. The only clean neighrbood in SF that most people have heard about is the Marina. Even the other "nice" neighborhoods such as the Richmond, the Sunset, the Castro, and Pacific Heights, are smelly and full of garbage and tar marks.

4. Much less crime, especially murder rate.

3. Pinkberry and Red Mango. I thought San Francisco was supposed to be trendy too but they really dropped the ball on the tart frozen yogurt deal. It originated in LA and migrated to NYC next (just like everything else or vice versa) but the OC, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, and Salt Lake City got on the bandwagon before SF. What the hell was that about? San Francisco does have a few tart froyo shops or chains by now but as the saying goes, too little too late. All of them except for Jubili, Chill, and Sogreen, are awful. And none of these three are ideal either because Jubili lacks matcha flavor which is absolutely a requirement, and the hours for Sogreen and Chill are awful. (Close at 6 and not open on Sundays... wtf?) The argument for "San Francisco's ones are local" doesn't work because they're all based off of the Red Mango/Pinkberry idea to begin with. Suck up your pride and go with the chains if the best you can offer otherwise is ****ty frozen yogurt (i.e. Tuttimelon, Icebee, Yogurt Bar...all yuck.)

2. Channel 104.9. Everything an alternative station should be; these days Rock 105.3 cannot compare.

1. Koreatown! Coming from SoCal, my favorite neighborhood there (and perhaps the world) is LA's Koreatown. In no small part due to the fact that my favorite cuisine is Korean. But it wasn't just limited to Koreatown proper; there was endless Korean food to be found in the rest of LA County, North OC, and a pretty damn good selection in Kearny Mesa in San Diego. When I moved to SF I had expectations of a world class city with world class food. So I was reeling in shock to find the Korean selection horribly underpar. (If I hear one more person trying to tell me that 'Brothers' is the best Korean restaurant, let alone anywhere near good, I am going to smack them. That place is such mediocrity. Same with 'My Tofu House.' Their soup tastes like Mrs. Grass Noodle soup. I don't mind that stuff but it's supposed to come out of a blue box in my cupboard, it's not supposed to be the featured event at Korean restaurants.) There are a few truly good ones (To Hyang and Han Il Kwan come to mind) but the rest of them are between so-so and worse. I am not okay with a few truly good ones, I want block after block of truly good ones. Additionally, the only specialty Korean restaurants are the mandatory BBQs and tofu houses. Koreatown in Santa Clara/Sunnyvale to the rescue! This is what I'm talking about, blocks full of Korean restaurants and grocery stores and whatnots. Still pales in comparison to LA's (what doesn't?) but at least I can drive down and get my weekly fix of quality Korean food and a decent selection of specialty (including real good tofu houses, soondae, & gomtang.)

[jman650]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Big city can't even support its teams.

At least it has those teams. Can't say the same for SJ, not having even one team in any of the 3 main American sports.

Originally Posted by krudmonk

The San Jose Sharks even played two seasons in San Francisco's Taj Moohal.

Wow, big city can't even have its one professional team within its city limits for its entire short history.

Originally Posted by krudmonk

However, some just rest of "10th biggest" as if that means anything in itself.

It is nice to see that you're not one of those who beats their chest and proclaims that lame bit of trivia. I always thought the ones who do that really made SJ seem second rate. Like you said, there should be more interesting things to say about your town than something like that.

Originally Posted by vdy1985

Add a baseball team or football team and the city will be more well known. You can say that San Jose is known for its Tech economy and sports then.

Okay, and give LA a football team or two and maybe they could once again be known for their football. But until that happens, and unless the imaginary teams end up having any kind of relevant success, there's no point in even saying that.