That neighborhood near the ballpark has undergone a dramatic change since the park opened, and it seems wonderfully vibrant and lively and cool. Very different from Outer Sunset, which is practically suburban.
Another thing: the sun never shines in the Outer Sunset, at least not in the summer.
Yeah, I know about the Outer Sunset’s microclimate, but it’s a very nice neighborhood nonetheless, it’s close to family and it’s 3 freaking blocks from the Pacific Ocean. I have a feeling the house will win out. But then, we’ll both be happy either way, I’m sure.
Outer Sunset is very nice. Are you looking at one of those houses with the central courtyard? Those are cool.
We both slept on it and came to the same conclusion: we’re going for the house. The apartment by the ballpark would have been great, but the rent is higher, parking spaces cost extra, pets are extra. The difference overall is pretty substantial after adding everything up - and for a smaller living space. So we made the fiscally responsible decision. And it doesn’t feel like a compromise, because I think we’re really going to like it there. (and if not, we only plan to stay for one year anyway.)
If for some reason the deal falls through, the apartment is a nice plan B.
No courtyard, Ethilrist, but it has a nice-sized back yard. We bought a large expensive grill last summer, so I’m happy about that. 
Howdy, Dopers! Wow, has it really been that long since I posted here? I can’t honestly say I’ve been too busy for the Dope, but I guess I haven’t made it a priority. Let’s fix that.
Here’s what’s going on, in case anybody is still even remotely interested: My wife and I (along with a pair of kitties) drove from Chicago to San Francisco in mid-February, taking 5 nights to do so (2 of them in Las Vegas – we needed a break from driving!). We arrived at our rented house in the Outer Sunset on a Wednesday, our stuff arrived via moving company on Friday, and I flew back to Chicago on Sunday to finish preparing our house to sell and wrapping things up at my job.
At that point, there was still a chance that I’d get to keep my job while working remotely. My boss was all for it, but the higher-ups had some issues. Long story short, it was looking like a temporary 3-month concession while they backfilled the position, then finally became… nothing at all. So I gave my 2 weeks notice and said my goodbyes. We sold the house, I finished emptying it out, and got on another plane back to SF for good on March 18th.
Since then, my incredible wife, knowing that she was traumatizing me by uprooting me from my life-long home, has given me the summer off as sort of a “grace period” while I decide what I want to do. I found a website that casts extras for films, TV and commercials, and I’ve done about a dozen shoots. It’s really fun and interesting, but alas, there’s no money in it (unless I want to go to LA and try to crack the SAG union, but I don’t think that’s in the cards).
I was upset about losing my job, but time has brought about perspective, and it’s really not that big a deal. I’m sure I’ll find something, and after Labor Day I’ll seriously start looking. In the meantime, I’ve been loving my new home, taking daily walks with my wife, looking at the ocean every day, exploring some of the great restaurants here, and going to lots of Giants games.
The West Coast life ain’t so bad!
Come up to Tahoe this winter. We’ll go skiing.
Thanks, Gato! Tahoe is a definite possibility in the near future. Skiing, on the other hand, is contraindicated by my old, dilapidated knees.
Sit by the fire and drink hot toddies, then, and mock the guy who just broke his leg on his day off.
Ah, so this season is *your *fault…
Glad things are going well, and (a belated) welcome to California!
Beaten to the punch!
And I echo this sentiment.
I got to see the Cubbies win, for which I will not apologize!
Outer Sunset is one of my favorite neighborhoods. Welcome to California! Well, actually I can’t welcome you because I’ve left the state and moved up north, so please enjoy The City for me!
I don’t know if this is up your alley, Wheelz, you possibly being a Chicago deep-dish pizza kind of guy, but there’s an awesome little artisan pizzeria in the outer Sunset. I’ve eaten there about three times, and I love it. It serves handmade, thin-crust, Neopolitan style pizzas with creative, imaginative toppings.
It’s Pizzetta 211. Now I want to go there again.
That looks good, teela. I live way south of there, though (by the zoo), and it wouldn’t be very convenient to get to. I’ll probably make the effort to check it out at some point.
I do miss Chicago pizza, but we’ve found some decent places here. My wife likes Goat Hill for their sourdough crust, and Patxi’s does a passable imitation of a Chicago deep dish that gets me through when I get the craving. I think it’s about time to get some Lou Malnati’s shipped in!
Welcome to the Bay Area!
When we moved here my daughter, who was acting in NY, got an agent in LA with no problems. But going down there for an audition is a royal pain. Cracking SAG is easy - all you need to do is get a union job. People mostly avoided joining SAG until they had to for their second job.
The good news is that the job market here is booming, and has spread from tech to more general jobs. Not the bubble yet, but one of the better places in the country to be at the moment.
And to really enjoy living here, just wait for winter. You’ll laugh at how they freak out about a little rain.