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SF BayGaf

OT Discussion Of the Great San Francisco Bay area!
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travel guide
http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/california/the-bay-area

Bay Area Creeks and rivers
http://explore.museumca.org/creeks/


A guide to Tea in the bay area
http://www.worldoftea.org/guide-to-tea-in-the-bay-area/



Halloween Events in the bay area
http://www.dailycal.org/2014/10/29/guide-halloween-berkeley-bay-area/
 
I live in the East Bay (Dublin, Tri-Valley area) in a condo with my parents.

It's pretty much a bedroom community with the amenities that you'll find in the suburbs. For me, I live five minutes away from the Dublin/Pleasanton Bart station so I barely use gas in my car. Movie theater's close by (Regal Hacienda), plenty of green space and lots of things are in walking distance.

Usually on Thursdays they would have the farmer's market in Emerald Glen Park but I think they stopped due to the autumn season, but the one in Downtown Pleasanton is open on Saturdays.

Also, they just opened the Paragon Outlets today so yeah, 580 is a bitch to drive on - stick to the side streets.
 
I live in the East Bay (Dublin, Tri-Valley area) in a condo with my parents.

It's pretty much a bedroom community with the amenities that you'll find in the suburbs. For me, I live five minutes away from the Dublin/Pleasanton Bart station so I barely use gas in my car. Movie theater's close by (Regal Hacienda), plenty of green space and lots of things are in walking distance.

Usually on Thursdays they would have the farmer's market in Emerald Glen Park but I think they stopped due to the autumn season, but the one in Downtown Pleasanton is open on Saturdays.

Also, they just opened the Paragon Outlets today so yeah, 580 is a bitch to drive on - stick to the side streets.
Yea I've been around Pleasanton, its nice, but pretty expensive as well.
Oh yea that place was due to open on the 2nd, any good shops?
 
I like RockRidge and you can take the Bart to work.
Lake Merrit is cool and has a bunch of local stuff doing on.
Lafayette is neat too but a bit further away.
I dunno, Berkeley is cool too.
 

Viewt

Member
I've been keeping a close eye on Craigslist ads for apartments recently in SF proper and it's so goddamn depressing. The job I'm up for would finally get me out of Florida (oh god please let it happen), but seriously... those prices. It's not quite as bad in Richmond, Sunset or some other areas further off from downtown, but I really want to throw myself into the middle of the city.

Also, the company is located in China Basin (actually right by AT&T Park, too, heh), and I'd like to live close by so I can start biking to work.

I've pretty much accepted that I'll end up paying $1300/month for a studio. I'll be able to afford it, and I've never needed a lot of space (I live in an 850 square foot apartment now that's super bare). It's just... kind of a big difference.

Anyway, I obviously don't have any advice for you since you know more about the area than I do, but I thought I'd share.
 
I've been keeping a close eye on Craigslist ads for apartments recently in SF proper and it's so goddamn depressing. The job I'm up for would finally get me out of Florida (oh god please let it happen), but seriously... those prices. It's not quite as bad in Richmond, Sunset or some other areas further off from downtown, but I really want to throw myself into the middle of the city.

Also, the company is located in China Basin (actually right by AT&T Park, too, heh), and I'd like to live close by so I can start biking to work.

I've pretty much accepted that I'll end up paying $1300/month for a studio. I'll be able to afford it, and I've never needed a lot of space (I live in an 850 square foot apartment now that's super bare). It's just... kind of a big difference.

Anyway, I obviously don't have any advice for you since you know more about the area than I do, but I thought I'd share.
Yea there are a lot of companies in the area. what kind of work is it youd be doing, are they sponsoring your relocation?
 

Viewt

Member
Yea there are a lot of companies in the area. what kind of work is it youd be doing, are they sponsoring your relocation?

I'd be working in the product marketing department of a pretty large social game developer. We haven't discussed relocation yet, so I'm not sure if they're going to offer to sponsor it. They're flying me out for my third and final interview next week, so I imagine I'll know soon.

I'm really hoping that they offer relocation support (hell, I hope I get the job period), otherwise it's going to be super costly. Between paying off the rest of my lease in Florida, putting a deposit down on a new place and the flight, it's going to easily be like $5K.
 

jvalioli

Member
I've been keeping a close eye on Craigslist ads for apartments recently in SF proper and it's so goddamn depressing. The job I'm up for would finally get me out of Florida (oh god please let it happen), but seriously... those prices. It's not quite as bad in Richmond, Sunset or some other areas further off from downtown, but I really want to throw myself into the middle of the city.

Also, the company is located in China Basin (actually right by AT&T Park, too, heh), and I'd like to live close by so I can start biking to work.

I've pretty much accepted that I'll end up paying $1300/month for a studio. I'll be able to afford it, and I've never needed a lot of space (I live in an 850 square foot apartment now that's super bare). It's just... kind of a big difference.

Anyway, I obviously don't have any advice for you since you know more about the area than I do, but I thought I'd share.

1300 for a studio in the city? Good luck finding something that cheap
 
I live in the South Bay, and I've commuted to the city for chunks at a time, but I never took the Caltrain, which was probably fastest. It's about an hour and a half commute, but so much cheaper.
 

Acid08

Banned
Yep, right off of Fallon Road on 580 east. And most of the shops are high-end brands (Gucci, Coach, Neiman Marcus, etc.)

I haven't ventured out there yet, I live in west Dublin and work in San Ramon. Sounds like people are PISSED about how much traffic they're causing though.

Oakland is a great city with bad areas. Lake Merritt is a great area but I really don't know how much rent would run you out there.
 

Viewt

Member
1300 for a studio in the city? Good luck finding something that cheap

I've been able to find a handful so far, though a great deal of them are small, even by studio standards, and a couple are missing stoves. But yeah, I've seen plenty of $1700 or $1800 studios in South of Market, The Mission, etc.

Ultimately, I just need a place close by where I can crash on the weekdays and a fun enough neighborhood to immerse myself in on the weekend. I don't need a big place, or even a medium-sized place. Thus the $1300/month 200 square foot studios.
 

t26

Member
based on your other topic your budget is pretty limited. Somewhere like Piedmont is not going to be in your budget. Stay out of Antioch as it is not worth it.
 
Berkeley is the best. But on $20 an hour...so around $40k a year it's a stretch. I love Lake Merritt, but is that much cheaper?

You could live in Richmond (closer to El Cerrito where it isn't as scary) maybe? That's harsh commuting 110 miles though. =|
 
A decent one-bedroom in a nice neighborhood is going to set you back between $3000-$4000 a month.

If you're content with the space of a studio or having roommates you should be able to find something that's more reasonable. But San Francisco is currently the most expensive city in the US to live in right now. So expect to have sticker shock. Also be forewarned that south of Market and between Van Ness and the Westfields Mall you'll find the cheapest places to live but that's primarily because it's also the most sketchy part of town.

For anyone moving into the city, know that wages are also a lot higher, especially if you have a tech background. I moved from Minnesota to the city last December. Despite paying over three times as much for rent now, my standard of living is as good if not slightly better. It really is a great city and worth the costs.
 
Berkeley is the best. But on $20 an hour...so around $40k a year it's a stretch. I love Lake Merritt, but is that much cheaper?

You could live in Richmond (closer to El Cerrito where it isn't as scary) maybe? That's harsh commuting 110 miles though. =|

If he's got kids he doesn't want to move to Richmond and have them go to those schools dude =/.
 

JuanMR2

Member
There are some nice places in San Pablo and Pinole. There are nice shopping areas in Pinole and the schools are decent. Pinole will probably be a bit above 1500 for a 3 bedroom.
 
I haven't ventured out there yet, I live in west Dublin and work in San Ramon. Sounds like people are PISSED about how much traffic they're causing though.

I stopped by Target this evening (the one off Fallon as I live in the condos by there) and when driving from Bart, there was a traffic sign telling people to actually take the freeway rather than sidestreets to the outlets.

Gonna be crazy now. Good thing I can just bike/walk there instead to save myself the headache.
 
There are some nice places in San Pablo and Pinole. There are nice shopping areas in Pinole and the schools are decent. Pinole will probably be a bit above 1500 for a 3 bedroom.

Eh. Hercules is better than both and it has a direct bus to SF.
 

t26

Member
You could consider moving to pittsburg, since you can take BART to the city and the rent is within your range.
 

Afrikan

Member
What about Pinole Hercules?

I have a new chick that I visit in Pinole... I used to always consider Pinole one of those far away places, with me living in SF. But its not. Its basically Richmond. I can get there and back pretty quick actually.

TC, what is your work schedule going to be?

Also look into Daly City...Westlake area.
 
I have a new chick that I visit in Pinole... I used to always consider Pinole one of those far away places, with me living in SF. But its not. Its basically Richmond. I can get there and back pretty quick actually.

TC, what is your work schedule going to be?

Also look into Daly City...Westlake area.

I used to live in Daly City in college, near the bart station, great area, but expensive.
 

Keikaku

Member
Did anyone here ever go to a place called Sweet Breams in San Mateo?

I just found that they're closed and I'm wondering if there was another art gallery/Japanese dessert place around :p
 

Natetan

Member
I'll be in sf in February. I've been before like 10 years ago though. What are the cool things to do and see?
 

FelixOrion

Poet Centuriate
Well, I've been in the Bay Area for almost a week now. Been good. Went to the Packers-49ers game...as a packers fan. T_T




But I'm liking it here.
 

FelixOrion

Poet Centuriate
superbowl weekend with the home team playing?

On a sunday, yes. What would stop us from having one prior.

I was in town a couple weeks ago with a Baltimore Ravens fan. I'm surprised he didn't get shanked.

Anyway, I absolutely LOVE San Francisco. I live in Monterey about 2 hours away and would visit probably every weekend if I could afford it.

As a packers fan that went to packers-49ers game...I felt like I was gonna get mugged or shanked.
 
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