Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > San Francisco - Oakland
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 08-01-2010, 11:33 AM
 
3,431 posts, read 5,204,608 times
Reputation: 3149

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentoo View Post
That's neither here nor there. The point was, this isn't unique to San Francisco. I had this exact same conversation with some people I know in San Diego. There is some snootiness here that doesn't exist anywhere else. However, this form of culninary snobbery you find so distasteful (and I can't say I blame you for that really), is common in any area where you have a decent amount of upscale restaurants. Hell here in SD, that sort of attitude exist between malls even.

Perhaps it's a west coast thing? This could be yet another way that SF differs from Boston? I don't know, a Bostonian would need to chime in now.
I don't think it's culinary snobbery even -- I think it's culinary passion and perhaps radicalism. I don't hear SF'ers diss other cities' food but rather obsess over our own. And I spend half the year in San Diego actually, and I've been super excited to see the emergence of a Bay Area-esque food culture around here over the past two years. People aren't quite as knowledgeable about food yet, but the new places opening are hip, urban, edgy, and have chef-driven menus that people are happy to try. I think SF is the trend setter when it comes to food, and that extends into the rest of the country eventually, just like NYC is where fashion comes from.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 08-01-2010, 11:44 AM
 
Location: San Diego, California Republic
16,581 posts, read 27,258,589 times
Reputation: 9002
Quote:
Originally Posted by tstieber View Post
Ah, I'd say that's a bit overbroad. You could just as well arbitrarily lump the Bay Area with SoCal just because San Jose has a lot of taco stands, smog, and palm trees... The Bay Area is precisely that blend of flavors that draws from the whole west coast, so it just can't accurately be lumped into another area because of some similarities among some areas. SF definitely is more similar to Portland and Seattle than L.A., but much of the more suburban Bay Area (San Jose, Fremont, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, etc) is much more similar to the rest of CA, and very different to the PNW. We are definitely our own special mix of everything out here. And our topography and climate are neither SoCal desert nor PNW maritime, but distinctly in-between Mediterranean. We are the west coast's melting pot.

I would have to say that growing up in the Bay Area, nobody ever seemed to have any connection to the PNW or ever went to Oregon or beyond. But people seem to go up and down the state all the time. I think more things bind Californians than divide them.
You're right, I did oversimplify. I got lazy. My experience in the Bay Area is different than yours although that could be because my experience is with Oakland and Berkeley as well as SF so perhaps there's a bit more PNW like atmosphere there. However you are absolutely right about the rest of the Bay Area having little to nothing in common with the PNW. But it's always the well known places that set the general tone for what people think of an area.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2010, 11:45 AM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
527 posts, read 1,572,826 times
Reputation: 320
Quote:
Originally Posted by andyadhi01 View Post
Thats scandalous! How could you like something that is cheap, comes from a chain store, is not organic soy latte and isn't hand made by a grumpy looking hipster who haven't had a shower for a month??? You Sir, clearly don't belong in this fine city!
That's ma'am to you..

Anyway, I don't feel that strongly about it - Dunkin's good, Blue Bottle's good, just good in different ways. I have a tendency to find something I like any place I live or visit, and in some places the "like" column stacks higher than others, but ultimately it's easier to be happy in a place when you concentrate on the parts you like instead of the parts you don't like.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2010, 11:50 AM
 
Location: San Diego, California Republic
16,581 posts, read 27,258,589 times
Reputation: 9002
Quote:
Originally Posted by tstieber View Post
I don't think it's culinary snobbery even -- I think it's culinary passion and perhaps radicalism. I don't hear SF'ers diss other cities' food but rather obsess over our own. And I spend half the year in San Diego actually, and I've been super excited to see the emergence of a Bay Area-esque food culture around here over the past two years. People aren't quite as knowledgeable about food yet, but the new places opening are hip, urban, edgy, and have chef-driven menus that people are happy to try. I think SF is the trend setter when it comes to food, and that extends into the rest of the country eventually, just like NYC is where fashion comes from.
Ok, that's the other half of it. There is culinary snobbery on the west coast that's for sure.

I agree though that I am liking the Bay Area like eating that's been coming to SD. I used to hate the restaurants here but not anymore.

I think we touched on yet another trait; progressiveness and change is also something that SF, and indeed all major west coast cities have. This is a highly characteristic trait of San Francisco especially and it seems like Boston doesn't have this trait much.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2010, 12:30 PM
 
9,522 posts, read 30,352,038 times
Reputation: 6434
Boston is infinitely cleaner and more well-kept. It is very much a living museum. San Francisco has a more international and eclectic feel which is not common to US cities. However as a place to live, Boston is more affordable and has better transport and safety. However SF has better weather. I would personally never live in SF city (although would definitely live elsewhere in the bay area) but would definitely live in Boston city.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2010, 04:27 PM
 
263 posts, read 527,891 times
Reputation: 154
Quote:
Originally Posted by andyadhi01 View Post
Are you denying my statement or what? Hey, in this town a $15 burger with extra $2 for cheese and $5 for fries is becoming the norm. Admittedly these are good burgers but at the end of the day its still a burger and has far more unhealthy calories compared to cheap fast food burger. People over here love this $20 burger meal and then sneer at make fun of the poor people eating their $5 meal at McDonalds! Their is nothing wrong with upscale, gourmet places but the obsession people have with these over here is nauseating! So keep making fun of Dunkin donuts and 7-11 and watch the next sushi bistro, wine bar and organic pet food store going up in your neighborhood
You clearly have no taste. Why not move back to whatever hellhole you're from and eat out at TGI Fridays or Cheesecake Factory (only for special nights though). San Francisco is an amazing food city, only matched by New York and possibly Chicago in this country. San Francisco is on a whole different level than Boston when it comes to food.

No one is making you eat a $15 burger. This city has plenty of delicious burgers in the $5-$8 range (Super Duper, Burgermeister, etc). But yeah, stick with eating off the dollar menu at McDonnies. Good for your wallet and your waistline.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-01-2010, 06:00 PM
 
Location: Here&There
2,209 posts, read 4,207,831 times
Reputation: 2438
Quote:
Ah, I'd say that's a bit overbroad. You could just as well arbitrarily lump the Bay Area with SoCal just because San Jose has a lot of taco stands, smog, and palm trees... The Bay Area is precisely that blend of flavors that draws from the whole west coast, so it just can't accurately be lumped into another area because of some similarities among some areas. SF definitely is more similar to Portland and Seattle than L.A., but much of the more suburban Bay Area (San Jose, Fremont, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, etc) is much more similar to the rest of CA, and very different to the PNW. We are definitely our own special mix of everything out here. And our topography and climate are neither SoCal desert nor PNW maritime, but distinctly in-between Mediterranean. We are the west coast's melting pot.

I would have to say that growing up in the Bay Area, nobody ever seemed to have any connection to the PNW or ever went to Oregon or beyond. But people seem to go up and down the state all the time. I think more things bind Californians than divide them.
I've italicized and in bold the text that is somewhat a fallacy to your conclusion that they shouldn't be lumped together. The former clause is arguing in support of the latter clause when the two have nothing to do with each other, at least from my 'lumping in SF to PNW'. From the structure of your argument you make it seem as though I compared California to Oregon.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2010, 10:07 AM
 
3,431 posts, read 5,204,608 times
Reputation: 3149
Quote:
Originally Posted by BVitamin View Post
I've italicized and in bold the text that is somewhat a fallacy to your conclusion that they shouldn't be lumped together. The former clause is arguing in support of the latter clause when the two have nothing to do with each other, at least from my 'lumping in SF to PNW'. From the structure of your argument you make it seem as though I compared California to Oregon.
Hm, not sure if you misunderstood me? I was saying SF is indeed more similar to PNW cities than it is to the rest of the state. On the other hand, much of the rest of the Bay Area is very similar to the rest of the state. Therefore, the entire Bay Area can't be likened to the PNW; only portions can. Would you agree?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2010, 10:14 AM
 
3,431 posts, read 5,204,608 times
Reputation: 3149
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentoo View Post
You're right, I did oversimplify. I got lazy. My experience in the Bay Area is different than yours although that could be because my experience is with Oakland and Berkeley as well as SF so perhaps there's a bit more PNW like atmosphere there. However you are absolutely right about the rest of the Bay Area having little to nothing in common with the PNW. But it's always the well known places that set the general tone for what people think of an area.
Definitely. Growing up in the sunshiny inland East Bay suburbs, land of minivans, backyard BBQs, old white guys golfing with the Rotary Club, backyard swimming pools, and generally keen interest in Nordstrom's half-yearly sales, going to Berkeley for college was a HUGE cultural adjustment for me. My sense of normal was pretty middle American, and Berkeleyans all but ignore the existence of the humdrum suburban east bay or south bay. I always thought of SF/Oak/Berkeley as a tightly interconnected but insular microcosm with a very strong but distinct counterculture. I guess that vibe extends a bit into parts of Marin and the North Bay too, but definitely not the perimeter of the Bay Area. They are like separate worlds.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-02-2010, 10:23 AM
 
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
4,084 posts, read 12,633,692 times
Reputation: 1973
I love both cities. SF probably a little more, but I would prefer to live in Boston (again) because of its proximity to other cities I like and it's in New England, my favorite region of the country, not to mention Massachusetts>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>California any day of the week.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > San Francisco - Oakland
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top