There are certain parts of the City that don't see the sun for most of the summer. Parts of Twin Peaks and the beach areas are particularly bad. This is definitely something worth researching if it matters to you.

Wasn't it Mark Twain who said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco? But it is only a quick BART ride to the East Bay where it is frequently in the 90s during the summer.

So...I thought I'd give some resolution to anyone who followed this thread or to anyone who cares. I just returned from San Francisco, and managed to find a really great apartment.

After two days of hellish, and I mean HELLISH searching we stumbled upon a really great place at a very good price. To give you a little example of what I mean by HELLISH!...We were looking for 2BR or 3Brs...we show up on a place in DuBoce triangle for an open house 5 mins after it starts...there's 20 people already waiting with rental applications, rental resumes, etc. Everyone is kissing the landlord's @$$ and praying to get the appt...and its not even that nice...for $2300. Go to another place which is claiming to be in Russian Hill...but is really next to the Fisherman's Wharf Holiday Inn...with an entrance through the kitchen...a floor in the kitchen that prompted me to ask..Oh...what are you doing with the floor (bare wood). Answer: oh...that is the floor. $2400 for 2 bedrooms...one I think used to be the pantry...as it had NO windows, and the entrance was off the kitchen. BLEH...and 4 other just blah places.

Day 2...more searching...called a place 1 minute after it posted on Craigslist...was shown the BEAUTIFUL apartment w/3BRs, new everything, near the corner of Fulton & Stanyan with awesome views of the Ocean, Bay, and the top of the GG Bridge. $3000/mo. We jumped, signed, and thanked God we hadn't been looking for 2 weeks like some of the other poor souls.
-W

Yes, you scored, good work, and your 'hood is a good one, I don't live too far from there and that whole Panhandle scene is growing, new places opening, and it is quick to get around.

I live up from upper Haight in Ashbury Heights. Welcome to the city!

Your tale is part of the San Francisco Experience (TM). Once you start a love/hate relationship with MUNI, then you'll be one of us.

Bottom line... you did well. Welcome home.

nice job ^ and welcome to the 'hood-only about 2 miles from me.

Does anyone really have a love/hate relationship with Muni? IME, most people just have a hate relationship with that particular agency.

Congratulations Wingman32! Sounds like you found a great place in a great neighborhood! There's a good beer bar (Fulton St.) very close by, a good grocery store (Ralph's) and freeway access via Oak/Fell should be a breeze. You're also just a few blocks from my favorite sushi place on the planet: Okina Sushi. It's tiny, the owner/sushi chef is a little odd and it's only open three nights a week, but it's some of the best fish I've had inside or outside of Japan.

I haven't started hating it yet, as its a definite upgrade to the awful system in Boston. But then again, I haven't spent that much time in SF.

Thanks for all of the great restaurant and bar suggestions!! If you know of any other hidden gems, definitely keep 'em coming. I can't wait to try all of this out come September!
-W

But there is so much to love... the N-Judah, the cornucopia of trains on the F-Market, including the topless one (no, not THAT kind of topless), the old tokens, the sound of plastic bags ruffling on the dirty 30...

a haiku stolen from Craigslist...

too afraid to scream
back door please, back door
i keep on riding

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You seem too smart to work at Muni. Seriously, I used to take Muni to school and work in the morning but gave up after being left stranded downtown or trapped in the tunnel one too many times. I now take Muni for a test ride about once every three months. Without fail, at least one way of my once-a-three-month trip is either (1) substantially delayed in arrival (i.e. no N-Judah for 20+ minutes and then three completely full trains pass by); or (2) substantially delayed in the tunnel. There's nothing I hate more than the feeling of being trapped in a croweded train between stations. Hence, I drive and park everywhere, even when going downtown.

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I'm close enough to walk to any of the six lines but that still doesn't solve the problem of being trapped in the tunnel. Even a few minute pause between stations is too long for me, since Muni has a history of trapping me for very long periods of time. I haven't personally been freed from the tunnel by firefighters, but I know commuters who have. It's just too risky for me, so I pay a hefty price to avoid it. Perhaps a year of Bart-like reliability would get me out of my car.

And, to keep this on-topic, anyone thinking of moving to SF should put a great deal of thought into whether you will be able to use Bart or will be stuck with Muni.