San Francisco, Part 1: SF Architecture

So, in light of my impending move, I flew out to SF this past weekend to try to find an apartment. Naturally, the real estate whore in me couldn't help but delight in tramping from house to house comparing layouts, kitchen renos, views, laundry amenities and so forth. Like a house tour -- except for free! But considerably more stressful. And nerve-wracking and exhausting. Ha.

Anyway, since the city is completely new to me, I was rather daunted by -- and then rather enjoyed -- plotting out bus routes and getting to know one neighborhood after another. The blog Overstated once posted this cheeky guide to SF-NY neighborhood equivalencies, and I was eager to see if any of them were right. In all, I had the opportunity to visit Potrero Hill, the Mission, SOMA, Hayes Valley and Nob Hill. Not too shabby for 2.5 days.

After nearly a decade living in New York, the most notable thing about all these neighborhoods was, of course, the architecture. Instead of being built of brick, brownstone and limestone (Manhattan, Brooklyn) or siding (Queens, parts of Brooklyn), most houses in SF are painted, and in a million different pastel shades at that. Most are also Victorian in style, although very different from the Victorian brownstones you see in New York -- for one thing, there is always a garage on the ground floor (or as we would say in New York, the "garden floor"). The Italianate and Neoclassical styles seem to largely be absent from the areas I visited -- but I should probably consult a textbook and/or get to know the city better before making that kind of assertion.

In the end, whaddaya know? I just signed a lease on an apartment in Potrero Hill, a neighborhood that's conveniently close to my new school, California College of the Arts -- and that, according to Overstated, is the equivalent of guess which neighborhood?? That's right, Brooklyn Heights. I had to laugh out loud when I reread the list after my trip. Yeah, Potrero Hill is like Brooklyn Heights. But without the tourists or the traffic. And on a big hill. Maybe more equivalent to a little town on Long Island. Again, on a big hill.

About those other neighborhood equivalencies -- here's what I would say based on one short trip. Please don't hesitate to correct me.

The Mission = Williamsburg, without a doubt. Ugh. (Sorry Billyburgers.)

SOMA = LIC waterfront, mixed with Financial District.

Hayes Valley = Cobble Hill (although Kaii called it "precious" from the pictures... is Cobble Hill "precious"?)

Nob Hill = ?? This one stumps me. Help me out, folks!