So it's 2010, I'm going to be 25 years old soon. Consequently, sharing a bed with my 17 year old sister, closet with my mom, and couch with my dad was not what I foresaw as the way I wanted to begin the new decade. Thus initiated the apartment hunt in San Francisco allowing me to stay in the bay area (which after 24 countries of travel I still find to be the best place in the world), while situating a modest red bridge between me and my 'past'. Accessible, but a $6 toll.
Saw a few places and the noteworthy commentary is as follows:
Sutter/Pac Heights: We wanted it, and so did 30 others. Nice view, small, newish. Into it.
Polk St: A barrage of color on every wall. "Vaulted ceilings" = unfinished architecture with collections of old cleaning supplies and god-knows-what on the top of the faux walls. An eclectic sketch of a centaur playing the flute (literally a penciled sketch on the wall), saturated sleeping pads on the floors, duct taped windows, mounds of dishes in the sink, and my personal favorite - a friendly vine growing INSIDE through the vent. As Jenna so aptly put, "The listing needs a scratch and sniff sticker" to account for the smells de Asia emanating through the walls and the bathrooms you have to pass in the hallways. No wonder they duct taped the windows...
Pine St: First location, great on paper with a yard and dishwasher and washer/dryer in the apartment. But had the feeling of a psych ward and all its associated charm. Second Pine locale was reaching our list of perfect, but one room was MASSIVE, and the other the size of a closet. This is getting frustrating.
Lombard/Marina: 3 bedroom for 2 grand, don't mind if I do. Tell me more please. Changes up the living situation a bit but totally worth it! Hardword floors and big windows, close to the Presidio. Read some reviews on the crackhead broker who warned us about all the trouble they have with homeless people in that location - and Citibrokers were aptly labeled "Slumlords" on Yelp. Said 'nay' to the apartment but it wasn't for naught as 'Slumlord' is my new favorite word.
Also found our IDEAL situation that was literally too good to be true. A young, 'nice Jewish boy', as my dad would say, showed us a two bedroom apt, deck on top of the roof with a view of the golden gate, adorable 50's style bathroom, utlities and cable/dsl included...Catch-No kitchen. Sorry what? I didn't realize I even needed to specify that as a requirement! And that turns out to be the only catch that would stop us from living there. The current tenants seemed to be making do using the bath tub, but after a slice and a beer from Pizza Orgasmica, yes, even I needed a beer after that disappointment, Jenna and I decided that the backlog of food leftovers and subsequent environmental damage we would be doing with our disposable goods - would be a deal breaker.
Western Edition: We found our place! Hard wood floors, near Divis, backyard area, closet space, big kitchen. Signed the lease yesterday on my lunch break and technically can move in tomorrow!
Currently facing the soul-searching dilemma of - What is my style? Never really had to think about it before, but I have some RANDOM shit. And Craiglist is a sespool of furniture, seriously not only will I not take that couch for free, you couldn't pay me to sit on it. But maybe that's the Marin in me coming out. You can take the girl out of the county...
Reality: I AM MOVING OUT! An exhausting process but I am SO excited. Now to procure a moving team.
I am a traveler at heart, photographer on my better days, do-gooder in effort, and of a generally friendly/smiley sort. You should know me, I'm good people.
