Out of these SF neighborhoods, which one would you choose... (San Jose: houses, live)

[7x7er]

Cole Valley. Nice little neighborhood, you can take the N downtown, very close to Golden Gate Park and the Haight, but with less of the tourist & bum factor.

[InternationalOrange]

Originally Posted by clongirl

But for people that grew up in the City--Noe valley is not at all what in once was- It's where wealthy newbies from other places (with kids) flock to now. Yuck, not original or authentic SF at all, now days.

What was Noe like when you were growing up?

And on a related note, what's the most "authentic" area of SF?

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by InternationalOrange

What was Noe like when you were growing up?

And on a related note, what's the most "authentic" area of SF?

Noe Valley--solid middle class, quite diverse and wasn't overtaken by white yups and high end boutiques, fancy bistros etc. People knew everyone on their block and wasn't even very well known. It's become one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the City (which isn't bad, just different and 'exclusive' feeling) It's still a very nice neighborhood, don't get me wrong--just hasn't retained much of it's former self, imo.

The areas that retained most of their demographic --probably the western half of the City--the Avenues, Outer Sunset/Richmond, Parkside, Ingleside, Excelsior, Inner/Outer Richmond, West Portal, even Seacliff and Chinatown, I guess...places that aren't attracting newcomers in droves (probably cause they get too much fog and aren't hip)

[7x7er]

Originally Posted by clongirl

But for people that grew up in the City--Noe valley is not at all what in once was- It's where wealthy newbies from other places (with kids) flock to now. Yuck, not original or authentic SF at all, now days.

You are hard to figure out. Here you complain about "yups" from other places who supposedly ruin the "authentic" neighborhoods. Yet in other threads, when people complain about about the City policies that lead to high cost of living in San Francisco (as I myself did a while back), and that drive out the middle class (and in doing so fundamentally change the character of neighborhoods like Noe Valley), you chastise them for having unrealistic expectations, being whiny carpetbaggers, and suggest that we all just accept that SF is what it is and that no transplant has the right to try to change it.

[clongirl]

Yeah...but I have come to accept over the years that it isn't ever going to be the way it used to be. I'm not that hard to figure out. I'm not necessarily happy with all the changes that have occurred over the past 15-20 years (like most San Franciscans) BUT reading about some newbie whine about it is far more irritating.

Many of us natives were forced to leave over the cost of housing all around the same timeframe---you think we wanna hear some sob story from some blow-in whine that believes he should be able to live here just because he deserves to? I guess it's sorta like this--you can say that your girlfriend/boyfriend is being an a-hole/bit** but nobody else can say it to your face!

Hope this makes my viewpoint a little clearer. I do apologize that I wandered off topic to begin with however.

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

Cole Valley

Second. If I was ten years older and had rug-rats, either Noe or West Portal... probably Noe.

[doncorazon]

West Portal (if you have kids) for me. Fog thing is over-exaggerated. Definitely some days it's foggy where it should be sunny, but also decent amount of sunshine in the ~ year I've been there. Nice to walk to Stern Grove, library, theater, some good places to eat and getting better (Goat Hill Pizza on its way). Plus commute downtown is great on Muni. Feels like an old school neighborhood with urban amenities right there. Zoo, GG park, Stonestown, all w/in minutes drive.

[peninsular]

Cole Valley - a good blend of everything
West Portal (I actually live very near it) - really like it, but Cole Valley edges it out just by a bit in my book
Bernal - a little small, a bit isolated; good weather, though
Noe Valley - not my vibe; I tried to come up with a reasoning that wouldn't insult the Noe Valley proponents, but I just can't. So I'll leave it at that.

[LeftyTrav]

West Portal

I just love the feel of the neighborhood. Having lived in Pacifica, and now HMB, fog doesn't bother me one bit. In fact, I like it.

[rkwalton]

Cole Valley - you can get to other areas without a hassle. I'm not sure who said nothing is going on there, but there are enough commercial spots there to keep me happy. I can also just hop on the N and go to in to the Sunset or out to downtown.