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Old 10-28-2011, 02:58 PM
 
Location: Boulder Creek, CA
9,197 posts, read 16,793,105 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rimmerama View Post

The only things cities really have to offer over small towns can be enjoyed by an occasional weekend trip.
A view shared by many of us who live in the South Bay. We can always go to SF, Santa Cruz, Tahoe, etc., but living there brings up all kinds of unnecessary difficulties, not the least of which is horror commute.
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Old 10-28-2011, 04:43 PM
 
Location: San Jose, CA
7,688 posts, read 29,086,443 times
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San Francisco is funny. It's home to a stock exchange and a lot of important companies, but financially it's heavily dependent on tourism and service jobs; it's overshadowed in many respects by the Silicon Valley tech co's, the research firms in Palo Alto, and the venture capital companies in Menlo Park, but many people who work in those areas prefer the vibe of San Francisco. It's part bedroom community, part employment center, part playground. It can be a miserable place for one person and extremely fulfilling for the next.
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Old 10-28-2011, 08:07 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
858 posts, read 2,231,222 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rimmerama View Post
I don't think any large city is a good place to live. Having lived in both, there's really no comparison, I'll take my tiny little town any day.

The only things cities really have to offer over small towns can be enjoyed by an occasional weekend trip.
I guess if you put it that way, it's always subjective. For me, I don't have a car and would prefer SF over many cities that I have lived and visited before.

Livable in a small town, then it's livable anywhere then for anyone. All you need is a car and a strip mall and you are good, right?

We're talking about diversity, amenities, walkability, vibrance, and great food, and not to mention 3 sides of water and beautiful landscapes that can match anywhere on this planet.

Does your small town offer any of this?

Let me ask you then, which is your favorite city to visit?

Last edited by ubringliten; 10-28-2011 at 08:16 PM..
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Old 10-28-2011, 08:15 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
858 posts, read 2,231,222 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sonarrat View Post
San Francisco is funny. It's home to a stock exchange and a lot of important companies, but financially it's heavily dependent on tourism and service jobs; it's overshadowed in many respects by the Silicon Valley tech co's, the research firms in Palo Alto, and the venture capital companies in Menlo Park, but many people who work in those areas prefer the vibe of San Francisco. It's part bedroom community, part employment center, part playground. It can be a miserable place for one person and extremely fulfilling for the next.
I think it's because it is small area to have all of those industries.

I like that it doesn't have all those companies because it wouldn't be a good place to live in. Imagine all those tall buildings spreading out shadowing the streets, tall buildings, big blocks, noises from generators, no place for parks, and everyone is walking around from and to work. I don't want it to be like NYC.

Speaking of research, look into UCSF, Gladstone Institute, and biotechs (~40 companies) in Mission Bay. There is a lot of research going on. Everyone keeps on thinking that tech is the only thing here.
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Old 10-28-2011, 08:33 PM
 
1,569 posts, read 2,038,660 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ubringliten View Post
I guess if you put it that way, it's always subjective. For me, I don't have a car and would prefer SF over many cities that I have lived and visited before.

Livable in a small town, then it's livable anywhere then for anyone. All you need is a car and a strip mall and you are good, right?

We're talking about diversity, amenities, walkability, vibrance, and great food, and not to mention 3 sides of water and beautiful landscapes that can match anywhere on this planet.

Does your small town offer any of this?

Let me ask you then, which is your favorite city to visit?
Well, the water on the bay side isn't something I'd call a positive, if ya know what I mean. I would also contest the beautiful landscapes. Like you said, it's subjective, because I think S.F is an ugly city, for the most part.

A car and a strip mall? Not necessarily, the small towns I like are clean, friendly, safe, full of trees. Things, I'm afraid, that S.F cannot really lay claim to, or at least, cannot provide the same quality of.

I'll also have to contest the great food, I've never had great food in S.F, even when my sister who lives there takes me to the places that are supposed to be great. When I lived in Santa Barbara, I had much better food. So...

What can I say, having lived up and down the central coast, you'll have trouble convincing me that I'm missing out by not living in S.F.

Favorite city to visit? Paris, of course, in November, if possible. But like I said, different strokes for different folks, nothing wrong with liking the gritty hustle bustle of a city.
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Old 10-28-2011, 09:10 PM
 
Location: Los Altos Hills, CA
36,641 posts, read 67,264,742 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sonarrat View Post
San Francisco is funny. It's home to a stock exchange and a lot of important companies, but financially it's heavily dependent on tourism and service jobs; it's overshadowed in many respects by the Silicon Valley tech co's, the research firms in Palo Alto, and the venture capital companies in Menlo Park, but many people who work in those areas prefer the vibe of San Francisco. It's part bedroom community, part employment center, part playground. It can be a miserable place for one person and extremely fulfilling for the next.
Recently, it was reported that the medical industry had surpassed tourism as the largest industry in the City as far as total revenue.

And if you look at the high caliber hospitals & medical research facilities in the city, as well as how expensive medical care is(unfortunately), it makes total sense.
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Old 10-28-2011, 11:52 PM
 
Location: surrounded by reality
538 posts, read 1,187,581 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rimmerama View Post
The only things cities really have to offer over small towns can be enjoyed by an occasional weekend trip.
I couldn't disagree more. Living in a city is an experience, a mindset, if you will. An occasional visit, even frequent visits do not amount to the same. Speaking from my own experience, living in San Mateo and San Francisco are quite different. Moreover, I've noticed that experience of living in the South Bay is quite different from living on the Peninsula. I have a few co-workers from both locales. Places where they eat, shop or hang out are hardly ever the same.
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Old 10-29-2011, 12:31 AM
 
Location: South Korea
5,242 posts, read 13,043,351 times
Reputation: 2957
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonarrat View Post
San Francisco is funny. It's home to a stock exchange and a lot of important companies, but financially it's heavily dependent on tourism and service jobs; it's overshadowed in many respects by the Silicon Valley tech co's, the research firms in Palo Alto, and the venture capital companies in Menlo Park, but many people who work in those areas prefer the vibe of San Francisco. It's part bedroom community, part employment center, part playground. It can be a miserable place for one person and extremely fulfilling for the next.
ok there hsw
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Old 10-29-2011, 01:13 AM
 
1,569 posts, read 2,038,660 times
Reputation: 621
Quote:
Originally Posted by peninsular View Post
I couldn't disagree more. Living in a city is an experience, a mindset, if you will. An occasional visit, even frequent visits do not amount to the same. Speaking from my own experience, living in San Mateo and San Francisco are quite different. Moreover, I've noticed that experience of living in the South Bay is quite different from living on the Peninsula. I have a few co-workers from both locales. Places where they eat, shop or hang out are hardly ever the same.
Well there you go. When I think of what a city has vs. a small town, the only thing that jumps out at me are museums. So one really isn't better than the other, just difference.

My dining experiences in large cities haven't really been superior to small towns (rather the opposite).

My preference is for a less crowded, slower, safer, cleaner, and *gasp* more boring life. I'm the kind of person who thinks tending to the garden is a great way to spend Saturday, so...
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Old 10-29-2011, 09:36 AM
 
Location: surrounded by reality
538 posts, read 1,187,581 times
Reputation: 670
Quote:
Originally Posted by rimmerama View Post
Well there you go. When I think of what a city has vs. a small town, the only thing that jumps out at me are museums. So one really isn't better than the other, just difference.

My dining experiences in large cities haven't really been superior to small towns (rather the opposite).

My preference is for a less crowded, slower, safer, cleaner, and *gasp* more boring life. I'm the kind of person who thinks tending to the garden is a great way to spend Saturday, so...
I never said one was better than the other. It's the definition of the "different strokes" situation. What I do disagree with is that living in a small town and occasionally visiting a city somehow equates to living in a city. It's just different. Again, one may work better for some, not others.
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