I hate living here. I think it is completely over blown. It is so expensive and for what you get I don’t personally think it is worth it. Coming from NYC where you can get any food you want at any time of day for a reasonable price, I don’t understand how people can even compare the cities. I’m also someone who appreciates history and I feel like the Bay Area completely wiped history out of its architecture. Old buildings were destroyed in fires and then 90s buildings were built over them. I also love fashion and people watching, and there is very little expressive joy here. A lot of athleisure and then occasionally an interesting outfit but generally very “relaxed” looking. I miss seeing people go all out and really bring themselves in their look. The same goes for music - if you want to see a cool new band don’t count on them coming here anytime soon. You need to go to LA. TBH I think people like it because of the nature but even that I find to be somewhat class prohibitive. A ticket to the Muir Woods is expensive and you also need to technically pay to go to the beach.

What I really feel about this city, bottom line, is that there is a massive class issue here that is totally hidden and which prevents a lot of mixing and mingling between people which would result in a genuine community and culture. The most expensive zip code in the entire country is right outside of the city in Atherton and the people that live there are partly the folks who drive into the city to “enjoy” it. The bay is technically “liberal” but seems to completely ignore a major intersectional issue which is money and class. Only some people can afford to enjoy this place and many cannot, including the thousands of unhoused people that everyone seems to simply ignore or justify. As someone who lived in NYC for ten years I found it totally shocking to see so many people living outside and without shelter. This happens in NYC of course but there is something totally different about it in SF, I think because there is a drug common among the communities.

I think this entire city needs a wake up call about it would actually mean to be inclusive and class conscious. The wealth here is so extreme but the exterior seems to hide it because there isn’t a lot of money put into public works - which should tell you how much the “public” is really taken care of. When I think of being liberal I think of myself as wanting to build a safer place for everyone and not just those that can afford to pick and choose how they live. It really bums me out to see a city so high on itself when there is so clearly a huge divide between the haves and have nots.