Doesn’t San Francisco make so much more sense this way?

Credit where credit is due.

The Cowboy Trail (with its open segments) sounds interesting.

Sometimes I miss Pittsburgh.

For all you Pittsburghers listening in (or just those who know Pittsburgh well enough), you’ll recall that there is a bustling little street called Walnut, in the heart of Shadyside. Walnut Street is full of brand-name stores (and a few boutiques as well), cherubic toddlers and their parents, sweatshirted college students, and the occasional busker.

Well, today I have found San Francisco’s equivalent of Walnut Street. Appropriately (and eerily!) also named after a nut, the winner is Chestnut Street. The most relevant parts span from Divisadero to Fillmore St.

A few of the places that are exactly the same on BOTH streets: Sunglass Hut, GNC, Apple Store, Starbucks, Gap, Williams Sonoma.

Other interesting finds: both have a mix of well-known clothing stores and little boutiques, small coffee shops (Pittsburgh’s Coffee Tree Roasters and San Francisco’s Coffee Roastery), a mix of restaurants, from Italian to Asian fusion, quaint delicatessens…the list could go on and on. But then we’d be approaching Twilight Zone, and we wouldn’t want that, now would we?

Just a little somethin’ that gave me chills. 

Are you in?

Weekend!

Mission Minyon, Etcetera wine bar with too many women so we leave, Irish bar, Guinness, a plate of mac ‘n cheese that generously feeds three, loudness, rain, a ride home, detaching front wheels, empty mansions, early rising, fastest bicycle ride ever, Caltrain station, local train, slow train, downtown Palo Alto, coffee, coffee cake, old friends, memories, rehashing things, walking, walking, faster, palm trees, picturesque, nostalgia for college, mushroom burger, Walker Evans photos, walking, sunsetting, train ago, bicycle ride, maps, strangers, gathering, view of downtown, bicycling, Castro, Moby Dick, The Mix, not being looked at, the nicest people, $2 covers, dancing, dancing, Whitney Houston tributes, singing, bicycling, home, early again, The Haight, bicycle posse, French toast orgy at Kate’s, explorations, Bernal Heights, bicycling, how do you express yourself questions, weather changing, rain again, old different friends, real talk, bok choy, spaghetti, new friends’ roommates, bicycling, maps, home.

I told you, the lists would be back! Not that you were wondering (hi, Mom).

1. They compost. Everywhere.
2. They recycle. Everywhere.
3. More farmer’s markets than there are neighborhoods.
4. Lack of noticeable winter.
5. Massive hills = great views.
6. Public parks that take up half the city (you know who you are, Golden Gate & the Presidio)
7. Naked is normal.
8. No one is actually FROM San Francisco.
9. Oranges taste better here.

Just a little philosophizin’. More to come.

Now that’s what I’m talking about, San Francisco.

Be there on Thursday morning!

The best Dilbert ever. This is exactly how I feel.

Happy New Year!

And surprise! Pittsburgh is in, Portland is out. Hello, hipsters.

My new best friend (or at least until my free 30-day trial runs out).