Any Bk <-> Sf folks? (Oakland, Berkeley: neighborhoods, moving to)

[thehappywanderer]

I'm moving to SF soon and hoping to get some help picking out a neighborhood that feels like home. If you're familiar with Brooklyn, I'm looking for somewhere that skews more Red Hook or Gowanus than Cobble Hill. I'd love a place that's a little odd and a little rugged. A community feel would be great. I'm not really interested in anything too shishi. I don't mind being about 15-20 mins from public transportation. Is there such a neighborhood in SF (not East Bay)? Help!

(And if anyone's interested in an BK info let me know!)

[ServoMiff]

There's nothing in SF that's like anywhere in NYC, in my opinion.

Odd and kinda rugged might be the Haight District, but I'm not sure about the community feel. Hayes Valley might be as well.

[thehappywanderer]

Thanks, Servo!I agree that SF is very different from NYC, but have been curious if there's anything that has the same feel, or would enable me to say- oh, this sort of feels like Brooklyn! I guess part of the joy of moving is discovering something new. I'll look into the Haight area when I get there. I suppose finding a place like "home" is really going to take some walking around to feel it out myself. I value a community feel. What are your thoughts on Glen Park?

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by thehappywanderer

Thanks, Servo!I agree that SF is very different from NYC, but have been curious if there's anything that has the same feel, or would enable me to say- oh, this sort of feels like Brooklyn! I guess part of the joy of moving is discovering something new. I'll look into the Haight area when I get there. I suppose finding a place like "home" is really going to take some walking around to feel it out myself. I value a community feel. What are your thoughts on Glen Park?

I think the suggestion from ServoMiff had more to do with trying not to look for Brooklyn in SF, because you're not going to find it. And that's OK becaues they're very different places. You'll enjoy SF (and the Bay Area in general) more if you enjoy it for what it is.

There's nothing wrong with finding a neighborhood that fits you and what you want; but I don't think looking for Brooklyn in SF is the right way to go about it...probably a better way to do it is is to think of the things that you really like about life in Brooklyn and try to find neighborhoods in SF (or other cities, such as Oakland, which is definitely worth a look!) that have these qualities.

[thehappywanderer]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

I think the suggestion from ServoMiff had more to do with trying not to look for Brooklyn in SF, because you're not going to find it. And that's OK becaues they're very different places. You'll enjoy SF (and the Bay Area in general) more if you enjoy it for what it is.

There's nothing wrong with finding a neighborhood that fits you and what you want; but I don't think looking for Brooklyn in SF is the right way to go about it...probably a better way to do it is is to think of the things that you really like about life in Brooklyn and try to find neighborhoods in SF (or other cities, such as Oakland, which is definitely worth a look!) that have these qualities.

Maybe I'm wording it wrong.. I'm not trying to find BK in SF. But there are qualities about my neighborhood that I really value, like the community feel. It's hard to describe. Maybe "feel" is the wrong word I'm excited to enjoy SF for what it is, for sure!

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by thehappywanderer

Maybe I'm wording it wrong.. I'm not trying to find BK in SF. But there are qualities about my neighborhood that I really value, like the community feel. It's hard to describe. Maybe "feel" is the wrong word I'm excited to enjoy SF for what it is, for sure!

Well, then, I think you're doing exactly what I describe. Figure out what those qualities are that you really love about where you are in BK now, and try to find neighborhoods in SF (or in the Bay Area...I do really think you should at least consider Oakland and Berkeley...but that's just me) that match.

If you can describe some of these qualities to us, we can help you narrow it down more. BK neighborhoods can be pretty diverse and unique, so it's hard to say "just like BK" since that could mean a lot of different things.

[NorCalLover]

Originally Posted by thehappywanderer

Thanks, Servo!I agree that SF is very different from NYC, but have been curious if there's anything that has the same feel, or would enable me to say- oh, this sort of feels like Brooklyn! I guess part of the joy of moving is discovering something new. I'll look into the Haight area when I get there. I suppose finding a place like "home" is really going to take some walking around to feel it out myself. I value a community feel. What are your thoughts on Glen Park?

Glen Park is a nice little neighborhood, but pretty quite suburban in feel. Although I'm not super familiar with Brooklyn my guess is that's probably not quite what you're looking for. Try Duboce Triangle, the Lower Haight, Upper Haight, and also The Mission. Bernal Heights is also very community-oriented and has less happening than those neighborhoods but more than Glen Park.