Eastbay1K

Well, there are other types of medical professionals in that building. But that address does have a reputation! Is there such another large building in the USA where a fair percentage of the population will first think plastic surgeon when hearing the address?

Boraxo

My dentist is located in the building (along with many others). 390 Post is also a medical building. Never heard anything about plastic surgeons but then that's not my area of expertise LOL

gaobest

they probably are listed as DDS in the building directories. Those who know just know :-)

Eastbay1K

Those people will full facial bandages in the elevator didn't just have a root canal

Just to make sure it wasn't a "one off" or "two off" prior to posting, I did google 450 Sutter San Francisco. A multitude! No personal experience. After all, I'd have to pass through the anarchy of Oakland just to get to and from.

mjm

We can talk about 450 next time I see you.

Visconti

Hey Invisible.

Sorry, I was away from FT for a while and hadn't been able to read this thread until now. I'm kind of late but will provide some of views on your post.This has been a trend since the recovery from the 2008 credit crisis, and continued on a measured pace until the pandemic triggered an almost unabated price increases. For whatever reason, I’ve never felt compelled to vacation or visit Hawaii—the whole island paradise thing just isn’t my cup of tea. During family vacations to Hawaii, I always managed to find some kind of excuse, usually work related, to get out of it. However, during the pandemic I had run out of excuses and finally did take a family vacation there—out of desperation—and I was utterly stunned by the prices. Hyatt Regency/Places/Centrics were asking $500 or so for a regular room? I found those prices so utterly absurd as to make the Four Seasons a relative bargain, much to my families, especially my youngest daughter’s, delight.

I still recall a conversation I had with an AS CSR who advised me to never book a Saver ticket. LOL…I think that was very good advice. For most of my life, I’ve always felt when it comes to flying and hotels, the experience here Stateside has always been underwhelming. I mean, one flight on an Asian airline and hotel stay in SE Asia will vividly knock home that point. But, yes, with the pandemic it gave the industry an excuse to pare down even more, where I find domestic lodging costs and air travel amongst some of the worst value propositions when compared to, say, SE Asia.

Even some of my more liberal minded fellow San Franciscans whom I term the Fantasy Island brigade (I use this term in the most affectionate sense), have to admit, if only privately, the situation here in central SF has spiraled out of control. Open drug dealing, rampant homelessness and petty crime that’s tolerated has become so deeply entrenched that it’ll likely take years if not decades to reverse. Recalling our prior DA was a good first step, and we can only hope the new one will put some iron in the glove, sort to speak.

Ah, just bad timing, I suppose. Combination of a once in a lifetime pandemic, inflation, out of control commodity prices and supply destruction will do that, but, generally, these situations aren’t permanent or sustainable. I suspect that now we’ll start seeing a regression to the mean on some of these prices and what contractors may be able to ask. In my view, you’ll see this realignment sooner than later. But, it’s not helpful when you’re in the middle of it and need something fixed or built.

Ah, this is certainly the Tesla capital of the world, I’d imagine. While I can appreciate the effort to shift to electric vehicles, the whole thing’s above my pay grade, and I really don’t have any strong views on the matter, aside from the fact that I’m a huge motor sports fan and will always have my gas guzzling 10 miles to the gallon sports cars. For me, TSLA is like FB, buy the stock, sell it when it’s over, but never use the product/service.

This is a trend that has been far stickier than I had anticipated, and, frankly, has been one of the more challenging issues to navigate. As we’ve touched on this in the past, while the great WFH may be viable for many industries, it just isn’t when it comes to mine. We’ve made a concerted effort to return people to the office but have been met with, surprisingly, immense resistance. It’s been almost 3 years, and now that the pandemic is behind us, at least in my industry, you’re going to see mandates to return. We’ll have to see how it works out during this turn.

LOL…yeah, no comparison with SE Asia. I suppose, the advantage of not being encumbered by legacy telecom infrastructure allowing for the fresh implementation of fiber optics has its advantages. As with you, I’m looking forward to ultimately wide and readily available satellite access for everyone.

Ah, America in a nutshell, more or less. You have winners and losers and often these results are dictated by what society determines, rightly or wrongly, as the monetary value of a product/service one provides. In my view, it’s not good, bad, right, wrong, but just the free market system at play. All I know is that the choices we make dictates the life we lead. In other words, if one doesn’t want to be poor, don’t major in Philosophy, but take solace in the fact that if you did, you’ll at least know the reason why you’re poor.

Ah, I’m from Gen X and Pres Reagan had an immense influence on me, and I suspect many in my generation. I just try to simply things and focus on what I can control, take care of my family and just leave the rest with higher pay grades and much wiser than I. It’s worked out pretty well for me. I suppose, the best thing about America is that one is free to ignore things; and, I suppose, the worst thing about America is also one is free to ignore things. There isn’t a perfect system.

I did read your post in its entirety and agree with much of what you’ve posited. I suspect that my views here are overwhelmingly unpopular here on FT especially in this corner of it, but that’s ok—at least, it is with me and I suspect with you.

Eastbay1K

The more you talk to people around here, the more you might find that the current public face of politics and especially the media portrayal of same isn't representative of the public as a whole. My professional and social circles tend to be left of center, of a myriad of races and identities, and for the most part, most of us, most of the time, want good policing, want safe streets, want all the glass breaking and other quality of life crimes to diminish, don't want to see people shooting up on the streets or on public transit, are fed up with ever-catching-fire camps, and know that just giving free stuff to people all the time isn't going to result in any long term solution to anything.

I'm reminded of what I used to hear about NYC while growing up in LA - full of NY transplants, hearing about what a filthy crime-ridden dangerous dump - hearing so much of it had a profound impact on me for years, never wanting to go, and it became one of my favo(u)rite destinations. I trust that SF will return to its former "glory" again - just note that SF has always had a grit about it and always will. Outside of the Financial District and Civic Center, methinks the City is doing pretty well now, as is most of the SF Bay Area.

Boraxo

^^^ This. I stopped shorting TSLA (as a famous investor said, can't fight the market) but I think that time is coming soon. The market is very limited beyond the folks that have them now and I know many that will never give up their gas guzzling luxury vehicles.

That depends on your definition of "doing well." Are the streets bustling and restaurants full? For sure. But quality of life is pretty bad by other indicators such as public school ratings, burglary and auto theft rates, addicts and mentally ill homeless camped out in every neighborhood business district. SF has fewer children than any other major city in the country, a testament to the qualify of life for families. Real estate market is starting to tank due to interest rates and the tech options tanking.

Mayor and DA are taking baby steps in the right direction, but don't have the clout (or inclination) to do what is necessary to provide long term solutions. The wealthy (Benioff etc) are happy to donate millions but it is all wasted on city bureaucrats and handouts.

Short term it will be devastating if the tech economy continue to stagnate with layoffs and plunging stock prices, as the state coffers are heavily dependent on tech bros exercising options. The housing market is seeing that real time, income tax receipts are a lagging indicator. Long term it will be interesting to see what happens as more companies relo to more affordable states and the wealthy baby boomers die off. Will their offspring stay in California? Most everyone I know is giving up on this state. I loved living in SF in the 2000s but I've now spent enough time elsewhere to know that weather and history aren't everything.

Visconti

While not making any observations or comments regarding your friends, I have found mine here in SF to be afflicted with what could only be characterized as willful blindness. Not that I'd ever defend Boudin, but the dude did basically did what he said he would. So, the people who voted for him didn't really understand the price for "justice reform"? Or, they just wanted to virtual signal but not really pay the price for it? Or, had a sudden change of heart when they realized there was a moral hazard to go soft on criminals?

Justice reform is about letting criminals go free. I mean, anyone for one second really believed someone such as Boudin could pull this off?

gaobest

Where are people going from Sf / California? Now that we have AC for the 75-degree days of hell, it’s really hard for me to not stay here.

mjm

Personally, London, then Tokyo. Not even a close comparison to what I left behind in the City.

gaobest

great places. Just don’t get accused of committing a crime there because you’ll be on remand without much chance of a bail hearing.

mjm

Commit a crime? The most egregious thing I am likely to do is put ham in my Matzos Brei.

Eastbay1K

Oy gevalt. Such a shonda. Although pastrami and cheese matzo brei does sound pretty good Although this new place in Berkeley https://www.delirama.com/ seems to have potential, and who knows, maybe will have such a menu item next Pesach. (The menu part of the website doesn't seem to be fully functional).

mjm

On my list now!