One might think living as a gypsy would be tiresome after a bit. Well maybe it will soon enough but for now, I’ve quite enjoyed it.
Sure we’ve had to pack and repack several times, hauling things to another part of the city each time. Then there rediscovering a new area, where to buy groceries, park the car, meet the bus and a whole lot of things that don’t occur to you until you need them. Laundry, emptying the trash, timing the rush hour thing, new noises all come to mind.
It seems that in a city where rent control laws rule, newcomers must contend with the option to either sign a yearlong lease or move every 28 days from short-term rentals often called corporate rentals.
Finding one of those that is furnished - and takes cats - and doesn’t cost an arm and leg is difficult to manage. Luckily I’ve been able to pull the rabbit from the hat three times, each place being unique and in a different part of the city.
The first one was in the Marina District. Other than the minute size and overwhelming noise of Lombard Street rush hour traffic, it was a sweet location. Best of all was hearing the Golden Gate Bridge fog horn bellowing out in the quiet of the night.
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| Marina Motel on Lombard |
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| Chestnut Street |
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| Palace of Fine Arts |
The city has lots of districts, each sporting its own main street flavor. In the Marina, it’s Chestnut Street. Lots of super boutiques, restaurants, shops and other amentities. And not one but two theaters. Seeing Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in a small theater with locals and being to walk home really added to the enjoyment of the movie. Overall I give the accomodations and area an A++. The wonderful office ladies turned even their heads and extended our stay a week until we could move into our next place.
Place number two was atop Nob Hill a block way from Grace Cathedral. Considerably breezier and more centrally located, we had to take a bus or cable car to get around. The transportation system in the city is beyond easy and cheap. In Nob Hill the only issue was having to walk up or down hill a block to get to it. Contrary to what you might think, walking down a very steep hill is actually harder than uphill.
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| Grace Cathedral |
Parking in Nob Hill is quite another issue. Once we got a temporary permit, it was cheaper but then you had to be vigiliant about not blocking a garage driveway, turning your front wheels at an angle to the curb, parking close but not on top of that curb and signage listing when cars are required to move for traffic patterns and street cleaning. Sounds easy right. Think again. Meanwhile I’ve become an expert at parallel parking, even on an incline.
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| Villa Nob Hill |
Loved Nob Hill despite having a front facing bedroom above street level on Leavenworth where the busiest firehouse in the city is located. Middle of the night sirens and lights are not something I’d wish on anyone else.
Enter the third place down in the Financial District along the Embarcadero and waterfront. Hit pay dirt here as we are renting a one bedroom condo that has a designated parking spot in the garage down the street. We have to walk a bit more to get to the F Train or bus or the car or the little market, but it’s very residential in our area and quiet - so quiet.
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| F Train down in the Financial District |
Our unit is on the second floor and abuts Telegrah Hill. Hill might be understating the size involved. The ‘hill’ is a vertical rocky wall about a dozen stories high. It dwarfs our eight story building which is below the base of Telegraph Hill, similar to that leaning tower landmark building in Italy, only this one isn’t leaning. Anyway the hill is rocky with thick flowering vegetation.These photos don’t do it justice.
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| 240 Lombard |
Best of all, this unit has a free laundry room and trash room down the hall, a gym, sauna, jacuzzi, front door personnel and a lobby that sparkles it’s so clean and shiney. Landscaping in and around the building is beautiful. During our stay here San Francisco has sprung to life with blossoming cherry trees, star jasmine and lots of other wonderful smelling blossoms.
Luckily we are able to extend our stay here until after closing on the Sausalito house. Can our gypsy days be coming to an end?
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