With the Indian Summer drawing to a close, Allegra and I opted to strap on our hiking boots / flip-flops, walk out the back door, and head for the summit of Twin Peaks. One of those little to-dos that has been on my list since I arrived, we could have not have chosen a better day to do it – music from the Bluegrass festival floating up through the trees and the golden light flirting with us through the trees of Mt Sutro Open Space Preserve … a place that you can actually mountain bike inside the city limits!
Sutro Tower basks in the sunshine (for once)The view down to downtownSutro catches the last of the rays
It’s odd, for the last few months in the USA I have not felt the urge to grab my SLR to take photos. But, last night I suddenly felt the urge to use a real camera, so on the way to dinner with a friend I grabbed my 5D and rattled off a few shots. More to come.
Looking through the door of the local laundromat – they always feel like such lonely places.The star of the local community – the corner shop.Piled high with great fruit, veg, and other delicate comestibles.
The rental market in San Francisco is notoriously challenging. Estate agent advertising is virtually non-existent, and people rely on what should be a relic; Craigslist. It came as a bit of a shock, then, to be presented with a place almost perfectly matching our needs after a mere day and half of searching. It’s a modestly-sized, renovated Victorian apartment in the south of Noe Valley – the location balances access to the freeway, public transport downtown and while it is not quite as close to the beating heart of some of the areas like Potrero and Mission, that is probably not such a bad thing; we are but a walk away to Mexican food and more cosmopolitan entertainment. Noe Valley could be compared to Notting Hill … but with more Labradors and baby strollers.
A short walk to the more exciting areas of Mission – here you will find the fixie bikes, hipsters and yoga, but also Mexican murals and awesome food from down southI am really excited by the food options – local, independent butchers, fruit and veg on the corner, any number of delicatessens … oh and online delivery for Safeway. No excuses not to cook now!Superb cafes within a stone's throwSuper access to public transport … downtown only 15 minutes away on the new J-Line that runs by at the bottom of our streetOur street – soon to be called home!And our home … not perhaps the most beautiful example of Victorian style, but it still means we have a little slice of San Francisco living.
