Is the SF Bay Area overrated? (San Francisco, Walnut Creek: transplants, renting, house)

[DeanoSF]

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

I visited SF and went through the entire city, plus Oakland & Berkeley. It's nice out there but not worth what people now pay to live there. The "sweet spot" areas (not too fancy & expensive but not complete dumps) are all better in Chicago where I'm from. Plus, I'm liberal but I don't care to live where people try to make it a way of life.

You kinda nailed it with the "Liberalism as a way of life" observation. It's definitely taking some getting used to. I was considered super Liberal back in Texas, but am only a lightweight here.

I do find the openness refreshing here and the ability to discuss alternative viewpoints a real plus. I personally have not seen or heard of people attacked for having Conservative views, but I'll admit that's probably because I don't really hear about those people living anywhere in SF. For instance, in the 2016 election, Trump only pulled 3% of my neighborhood, and I live in a pretty old, white, wealthy neighborhood. Throughout the entire city I think it was only like 16% for Trump. That's unbelievably one-sided. Obviously, Berkeley, Oakland and the inner East Bay are similar. Even wealthy, white Marin was only in the 25% range for Trump.

Whether you see this as a positive, negative or neutral, it is a strong indicator of how firm the Bay Area's politics are. I think the only real Conservative pockets tend to be in Eastern Contra Costa County and in the South Bay.

[Matadora]

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

Ah, but the nature of microclimates isn't dependent upon "various hours." it's dependent upon where you are. Based on how you describe the weather, you seem to be describing being in the western (foggy and windier) part of the City, right?

I'm not the one here arguing about micro-climates and nothing you posted is related to anything I'v discussed.

You seem to have a broken record playing in your mind. Remove me from the lyrics as they have nothing to do with my posts.

It's rather odd how you keep hounding in micro-climates, Right?

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

Two posters have seemed to be triggered (rather lightly, in my opinion) by my posts, of which you are one. I've been nothing but respectful in addressing you both.

I don't think it's just two posters. You have the same snarky behavior as you've always displayed in these forums. You know exactly what I mean.

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

In any case, as I stated before, I agree that you don't have to live here to have an idea what the weather is like.

LOL which is it?

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

As I mentioned earlier, I believe opinions of places are more valid coming from people who actually live in the places they are talking about.

You are either playing some sort of obtuse game here or you are simply this obtuse.

I am in the city 5-6 days a week. I check the weather so that I know what I should wear, or take the motorcycle vs. drive the car. I don't merely have an idea of what the weather in SF is like I know exactly what it's like.

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

But, given that SF is subject to microclimates (a point you acknowledge), opinions of people who don't live in the City and thus, may only experience one part of it on a regular basis, should be qualified as such. In other words, if your work is, in fact, in the western part of the City, you and I would be in agreement on the point of how microclimates behave here, which would clarify this discussion for people unfamiliar with the weather here.

How does this related to the SF Bay Area being overrated?

Fix that broken record so you can move on.

[Matadora]

Just a few observations as to why SF and the Bay Area is overrated.

• Everything is expensive
• Infrastructure is terrible
• Takes forever to get anywhere
• Public schools are 2nd or 3rd rate
• Food scene is overrated
• Local boosters have an arrogance about this place 2nd only to NYC...and the reality of living here flies in the face of the liberal activism
• You find gross fiscal irresponsibility
• There are literal shantytowns everywhere. Boston has a 98% shelter rate for the homeless, NYC 75% – here it’s 5%
• San Francisco has created and maintained a Homeless Industrial Complex

Does SF and the Bay Area have perfect, nicely-paved roads? Clean streets? Low crime? Do the buses and trains run on time? Are all of the parks clean and in nice shape? Are city schools the best in the nation? NO

[DeanoSF]

Originally Posted by Matadora

I am in the city 5-6 days a week. I check the weather so that I know what I should wear, or take the motorcycle vs. drive the car. I don't merely have an idea of what the weather in SF is like I know exactly what it's like.
How does this related to the SF Bay Area being overrated?

Fix that broken record so you can move on.

I was right about your working on the west side of the City, wasn't I? The weather is different over there. That's the only point I'm making here. Your assertions are exactly proving my point about microclimates.

[DeanoSF]

Originally Posted by Matadora

Just a few observations as to why SF and the Bay Area is overrated.

• Everything is expensive
• Infrastructure is terrible
• Takes forever to get anywhere
• Public schools are 2nd or 3rd rate
• Food scene is overrated
• Local boosters have an arrogance about this place 2nd only to NYC...and the reality of living here flies in the face of the liberal activism
• You find gross fiscal irresponsibility
• There are literal shantytowns everywhere. Boston has a 98% shelter rate for the homeless, NYC 75% – here it’s 5%
• San Francisco has created and maintained a Homeless Industrial Complex

Does SF and the Bay Area have perfect, nicely-paved roads? Clean streets? Low crime? Do the buses and trains run on time? Are all of the parks clean and in nice shape? Are city schools the best in the nation? NO

I'm with you on much of this for how one might see the area as overrated with the exception of the food scene. Michelin just released its Bay Area guide and we have more 3-star restaurants than NYC. That's remarkable. There are also almost as many stars overall--even more remarkable, given the population disparity. Bib Gormands rate exceptionally high here, too, so it's not all unattainable places.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/art...d-13432090.php

Why do you say it's overrated?

[Matadora]

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

I was right about your working on the west side of the City, wasn't I? The weather is different over there. That's the only point I'm making here. Your assertions are exactly proving my point about microclimates.

No not correct at all. I am a consultant and travel all over the city.

It helps to pay attention to what people actually post and it also helps to not ascribe your personal unsubstantiated narrative to them. How difficult is that?

[Matadora]

Originally Posted by DeanoSF

I'm with you on much of this for how one might see the area as overrated with the exception of the food scene. Michelin just released its Bay Area guide and we have more 3-star restaurants than NYC. That's remarkable. There are also almost as many stars overall--even more remarkable, given the population disparity. Bib Gormands rate exceptionally high here, too, so it's not all unattainable places.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/art...d-13432090.php

Why do you say it's overrated?

Michelin star means nothing. Talk about an overrated concept!

I have been to several Michelin star restaurants here and they are nothing to write hone about. I have eaten at restaurants in other cities including Houston that were not Michelin star but had much better food.

“Stars are not given to a chef,” the international director of the Michelin guides, Michael Ellis, is quick to explain. “It’s not like an Oscar—it’s not a physical thing. It’s really an opinion.

Why Some of the World’s Most Famous Chefs Don’t Want a Michelin Star

The Village Pub in Woodside boasts a Michelin star, but you be shocked to think this place is a Michelin Star grade restaurant.

Whoever awarded this place a Michelin Star has an opinion that many don't agree with.

Michelin stars only impress people who really have no idea of what a good chef or quality restaurant is.

Like I stated a Michelin Star means nothing.

“Michelin star means nothing to me now. ”

[DeanoSF]

Originally Posted by Matadora

Michelin star means nothing. Talk about an overrated concept!

I have been to several Michelin star restaurants here and they are nothing to write hone about. I have eaten at restaurants in other cities including Houston that were not Michelin star but had much better food.



Why Some of the World’s Most Famous Chefs Don’t Want a Michelin Star

The Village Pub in Woodside boasts a Michelin star, but you be shocked to think this place is a Michelin Star grade restaurant.

Whoever awarded this place a Michelin Star has an opinion that many don't agree with.

Michelin stars only impress people like you who really have no idea of what a good chef or quality restaurant is.

Like I stated a Michelin Star means nothing.

“Michelin star means nothing to me now. ”

I don't know anything about The Village Pub. Elaborate?

Even so, I'm not sure how one restaurant covers the entire Bay Area food scene.

The article you link cites the reason some chefs don't want a star is that there's too much pressure to keep it. The story is of a chef who committed suicide because one of his stars was taken away. You're the first person I've ever heard suggest that the Michelin guide is irrelevant. It and the James Beard Foundation are accepted around the world as defining measures of fine dining.

The other thing you linked was a Trip Advisor rating by some random guy from New Jersey about a restaurant in Tokyo. That's a pretty "out there" piece of support for an argument that's difficult to substantiate.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by MrJester

The West Coast, in general, is overrated. Underrated cities (true gems) would be Phoenix and Houston.

Sure, BART is the 5th busiest subway in the nation (after NYC, Boston, Chicago, and D.C.). Never been to NYC, but from pictures the BART makes the NYC subway look spanking clean. I went on the Paris Metro, though, and I have to say the BART is at least alot faster than the Paris Metro, and newer, if not cleaner.

You have a point when you say BART stations are not very accessible by walking. It's definitely a park-and-ride system in the suburbs. Ironically, while the Bay Area's mountainous terrain makes it more dense and compact, it also makes it less, not more, transit-friendly than it would be if it were both flat and compact, like NYC. With so many mountains, you can hardly afford to build a more extensive subway, so subways are fewer and more far in between.

Even the Bay Area weather/scenery is overrated. Other than the hurricanes and flooding, Florida and the Gulf Coast have summer weather and scenery far better than the Bay Area, or Fresno, or most places in California. Bay Area's too cold in the summer. Fresno's too hot in the summer. Florida and the Gulf Coast are just right--hot, but not horribly hot like Fresno, Bakersfield, or San Bernardino.

I went to Bodega Bay recently and was very unimpressed. Heck, even the worst beaches on the Gulf Coast (like Biloxi, Mississippi) blow Bodega Bay out of the water.

Have you spent a lot of time in Florida in the summer?

[DeanoSF]

Originally Posted by Matadora

No not correct at all. I am a consultant and travel all over the city.

It helps to pay attention to what people actually post and it also helps to not ascribe your personal unsubstantiated narrative to them. How difficult is that?

Okay, fair enough. Not difficult at all.

It was your characterization of SF weather as damp and sticky that led me there. Do you agree that that is primarily on the west side of the City?

Back to the food scene--any elaboration on that? I'm interested, because I've only tried the one Michelin Starred restaurant in my neighborhood and I thought it was incredible. It didn't occur to me that that one experience either confirmed or denied the status of SF's food scene, though, and certainly not the Michelin Guide as a whole. I'm interested in your perspective on that take.