Living in San Francisco can have its literal and figurative ups and downs. Even though I can appreciate that San Francisco can be a tough place to carve out a life for yourself, I’ve grown weary of only talking about the city’s problems. I couldn’t help but wonder which things, amidst all of the city’s challenges, are glorious enough to keep people here.
I asked readers to tell us using an anonymous form. Here are some of my favorite answers.
Two words…. Rent Control! Without it, there is no way I would suffer so many fools on a daily basis.
The smells of the Presidio: eucalyptus, salt, campfires, fog and cypress. It’s like a drug.
The weirdos, the freaks, the artists, and everyone else who abhors convention.
My husband was born here. I came here when I was 3. Our kids were born here. As a family we have attended Frank McCoppin, FS Key, Sunnyside, Commodore Sloat, Aptos, Everett, Washington, Lincoln, Balboa and CCSF. I remember the last days of Playland, the card catalog at the Main Library and ice cream at Uncle Gaylord’s. Leon’s BBQ will never be topped and my 1976 zoo key still works.
The smell of the ocean breeze on a sunny January afternoon.
Swimming in the bay, at Aquatic Park. In the winter, it’s cold as hell and is life-affirming. In the summer, I take off my suit once I’m in, wrap it around my thigh, and swim in the buff. No tan lines that way, just God’s beauty, in bronze.
It’s home. It has been home my whole life and I’m fighting to keep the piece of it that’s real for my kids.
The noise. I love hearing the cable cars, honking horns during rush hour, and the more enjoyable sounds of the ocean waves, church bells, and my very favorite — the fog horn.
A person I love.
It’s a small town, but I feel hella big here.
I just got here one week ago. I guess what keeps me here is the potential to meet amazing people and probably my unwillingness to settle any time soon. Young vibrant potential is here, everywhere, and more than anywhere.
The independent theater scene. I love the people, the plays, and the community.
I moved here in 1989, at the age of four, with my single mother. She picked the Sunset because it was quiet and affordable. It was also where her great-grandmother settled after immigrating from England and where my grandmother met my grandfather. I made all of my memories here. I went to grammar school and high school here. I met my husband here, who is also from the Sunset. Despite the rising cost of housing, I push my budget to the brink just so I can make the same memories with my children, who will be fifth generation Sunset residents.
I think I have the greatest chances of falling in love here than anywhere else.
We need to keep the weird and I figure I’m pretty weird. Every little bit counts.
The sense of community I’ve yet to experience anywhere else.
The old Italian men in North Beach sipping a coffee, the new crowd doing the same thing on Valencia and everybody from wherever they landed from seems happy to be here at that moment in time. THAT is hard to beat!
San Francisco is the only place where I’ve found people so authentic and bold without being apologetic. The pride of San Francisco is intoxicating.
Because if I leave, the douchebags win.
The nude beaches.
My family. I grew up in the Outer Richmond and my parents still live in the same house over on 42nd Ave. overlooking Ocean Beach. Each year my husband and I host Russian Christmas at our place in the Sunset and I don’t know how we’d be able to continue the tradition if we lived outside the Bay Area. Also, you can’t beat being able to grill outside in January.
I love San Francisco because I feel that I belong here. *Everyone* belongs here and I love that. I am not alternative or unusual by any means; I don’t color my hair, have tattoos or dress in unusual ways, but for some reason, back in the town where I grew up I never felt like I belonged. When I moved to SF in my early 20’s I was embraced in a way that felt like home. This city is colorful and alive with music and art and folks expressing themselves and connecting in new ways. It’s one big celebration of life and everyone is invited!
That city skyline brings me to happy tears sometimes. Much like the many, many bottles of wine that line my cabinets, driven home from countless weekend trips to wine country.
The diversity. Being able to walk out my front door and see people from all different walks of life, in completely different parts of their day, speaking different languages.
Ultimately it boils down to how progressive we are here and how we want to be excited about new culinary and other cultural advances. The tech boom has attracted a crowd of people I can’t really relate to and don’t really want to hang out with for the most part, but has supported a number of interesting restaurants which are a constant source of intrigue for me. When I’m not hungry, I find virtually endless amusement roaming the streets and studying the architecture.
I came to SF to continue dancing and performing after college. Though my professional career didn’t pan out, SF still lets grown ups pursue their dreams like they were still 16, from the amazing dance classes to circus arts and opportunities to sing and perform your heart out without judgement. It really is a big reason of why I can’t tear myself away from this place!
You can be yourself — no excuses.
I compare SF to this boyfriend that I sometimes can’t stand to be without, and other times can’t be around. I’m still figuring it out. We’re doing really good right now.
It’s so expensive here that I can’t save enough money to move anywhere else.
I didn’t necessarily need to stay in SF, but I had practically nothing in the bank so I had to make enough money to save up and plan my next move. After tons of almost-got-it job interviews, I started going to Brainwash on Thursdays to get a free laugh so I wouldn’t blow my brains out. There were some really great comedians, so I enjoyed myself. It was an open mic so there were enough horrible comedians to justify trying it myself for a while. The good comedians were super nice and they’re my friends now. And the horrible comedians were super nice (and were also me) and they’re my friends now. I’m gonna leave the comedy to the professionals, but the sense of community I’ve felt in this scene is incomparable. Then there’s sandlot-style baseball….how long can this be?
I had to leave. But I miss it more each and every day. San Francisco welcomed me with open arms. I miss you San Francisco, don’t you ever forget me.
Art and community, but mostly with the hope they will once again become more prevalent than the obviousness of tech companies flooding the streets.
Burritos.
I honestly fall more and more in love with San Francisco the longer I stay. I’m originally from Orange County, largely a cookie-cutter place that often places high value on superficiality, materialism and conservatism. Coming to SF from that background was really a breath of fresh air. I love this progressive haven — full of diversity, deep appreciation for the arts, a sanctuary city that has a kick-ass food and a bar scene.
San Francisco makes me believe that there are people out there who love food as much as I do.
San Francisco habituates the child in us all and when we are children we build these close and amazing friendships. Thats what keeps me here; the amazing friends who I have ‘grown up’ with here in San Francisco — or really — the friends I stayed immature with in San Francisco.
Just visit Arizona for a few days to know why.
Because even if they can change the rent and the stores and the culture, they can’t change the ocean, or the parks, or the hills. My heart is in San Francisco and they can’t change that either.
The idea of leaving gets attractive now and again, but I know that deep down I’ll just want to be back here.
Photo by Anita Retinour
