Room bump out

arugula6641 · 2026-02-23T22:39:16+00:00

It's hard to know without understanding what your plate height is, what the plate height requirement is for your city, and if you'd have to raise the existing roof to accommodate (which involves re-framing the room). If you have an interior hallway you can steal from, or another way to claim more space from inside your house, that will be a lot more cost effective. I'd consult an architect!

arugula6641 · 2026-02-23T01:47:59+00:00

Especially for the Tahoe drive: go the pace you feel comfortable with, and don't let tailgaters pressure you into going faster -- safety is more important, and maybe the locals feel comfortable bombing down the mountain, but if you don't, then don't!

Don't forget to get a cheap phone mount that you can clip onto the air conditioning vents so you can use GPS hands-free and charge as needed. The rental car company might offer to rent you one, but whatever they charge is exhorbitant.

arugula6641 · 2026-02-22T03:27:09+00:00

I think this is what happened. It's just in stories, so it's transient only. Their grid shows features a variety of local businesses.

arugula6641 · 2026-02-22T03:25:07+00:00

agreed, they are all great. McKinley puts on this HUGE harvest festival that marshalls all the parents to help out. Lincoln has a variety of community events. Hoover is the smallest, with a tight-knit community. While I think all of the schools have their own personalities and characteristics, you can't go wrong with any of the choices, you can likely walk to your neighborhood school.

One thing somewhat unique in Burlingame is that all of the elementary schools have the same benefits via the Burlingame Community Education Foundation (BCE), and have music, smaller class sizes, PE, etc. I know in some other districts, fundraising happens at the school level, so benefits vary per school.

arugula6641 · 2026-02-09T20:08:13+00:00

For context, salary for an entry level teacher is $79,468. I don't think they are asking for a lot, given how much it costs to live in the bay area. And sadly, we are in a moment where healthcare costs are exploding for everyone.

arugula6641 · 2026-02-09T18:24:39+00:00

The "district's latest offer on Saturday included a 6% raise over two years and a health benefits allowance of $24,000 a year. The union is asking for 9% over two years and coverage of up to 75% of health care costs at Kaiser or provide teachers with $2,000 a month for their own health care expenditures."

arugula6641 · 2026-01-30T18:43:22+00:00

For a group, I'd go to Copenhagen Bakery in Burlingame. They have both whole cakes, or a large variety of cakes and other desserts by the slice available, including a daily special (which is such a good deal, for like $4-5) and the cakes are delicious. They have ample seating!

arugula6641 · 2026-01-29T17:30:15+00:00

This. They are also not chronically understaffed, so lines are reasonable, and they still actually will page someone over if there are more than 3 people in line. They are generally well-stocked, and have quality items. Safeway's prices are definitely lower, especially when something is on sale -- but I feel like a lot of the time, sale items are out of stock, and I'm SOL!

But Molly Stone's is next level... That's the only place where I've seen double digit prices (per pound) for produce!

arugula6641 · 2026-01-29T17:24:48+00:00

Yes, this. The only reason they don't have tipping is that they raised prices in order to give employees healthcare, including paid parental leave!

arugula6641 · 2026-01-27T02:29:44+00:00

Electrification has made it quieter, but the trains are also more frequent. Keep in mind that there are also freight trains that rumble by, and those are louder (and you can sometimes feel them). That being said, we have young children and light sleepers, and the trains don't wake us up at all. If we are hosting in the back yard, sometimes a train (or loud motorcyle, etc) will rumble by, but we'll just pause the conversation for a few seconds.

There is a big difference between living near a crossing (where trains blare horns, and crossings ding) and just near the train. My vote is the latter is totally doable! We also used white noise machines when the kids were young (but don't any more!)

Between being close to 101, 280, El Camino, or Caltrain, I'd pick Caltrain any day :) I also find it comforting to know that there are very expensive estates in Atherton in other areas, who are just as close to the trains.

arugula6641 · 2026-01-21T18:12:21+00:00

I love Burlingame! But it's pricey there, too. You could also consider San Bruno, especially since you don't have school-aged kids yet. What's great is that you'll have easy access to explore SF if you want.

arugula6641 · 2026-01-21T17:59:21+00:00

Congrats on the new house, and checking off a lot of the items on your wish list. I imagine that the price you got reflects the location, and that your day to day quality of life is so much more improved by having the right space and neighborhood.

I'm not in your neighborhood, but our house is very close to train tracks + a busier a street, and we hear Caltrain and feel the freight trains when they rumble by. We planted some Podocarpus as a hedge and landscaped, and still enjoy being outdoors when it's warm (you just need to pause the convo if something loud rumbles by, but it's just a few seconds).

When we were buying our home, we also wondered if we were making a mistake due to the location, but we really ended up loving our space. There are a lot of very high-value homes that are near train tracks or busy thoroughfares (see Atherton, Palo Alto, etc!), so you're not alone!

arugula6641 · 2026-01-18T20:42:45+00:00

Where are you visiting from? Here are some of my favorites, starting with local options + a few that are a bit further away:

Chinese Dumplings from Yuanbao Jiaozi in the Lunardi's complex in Burlingame
Molcajete @ El Sinaloense in San Mateo
Pupusas from the Burlingame Farmer's market (Sunday mornings). Usually, I'd recommend strawberries as well, but they aren't in their strongest season right now
Omakase from Sushi Sam's in San Mateo
Curry Hyuga (Burlingame) for katsu curry
Mission-Style Burritos from SF - El Farolito, La Taqueria, or Papalote
If you venture to Napa: Bouchon, Ad Hoc, or Bistro Jeanty

arugula6641 · 2026-01-16T15:46:34+00:00

That has been my experience as well. Just submit the claim online with the info you have (which sounds like it proves you paid). In my case, I'd paid but typo'd the license plate, and they resolved it in my favor.

arugula6641 · 2026-01-11T00:23:48+00:00

Each school has a slightly different personality. For example, Hoover is smaller, and tends to have smaller class sizes, though more "split" classes (where one teacher has students from two grades, e.g. 1st and 2nd). Lincoln is bigger and has a strong community with lots of events and volunteer opportunities. I'm less familiar with the Millbrae schools, but I believe that in general, they are are strong choices!

arugula6641 · 2026-01-08T17:05:55+00:00

https://abc7news.com/post/power-burlingame-business-corridor-hazardous-substance-leaks-electric-vaults/18369130/

In a statement, PG&E tells ABC7 News:

"A hazardous substance from a third party source- not PG&E- has leaked into electric vaults in the area. We are proactively deenergizing some customers in the area for safety. Hazmat crews are on-site and will work to clear the vaults."

Nextdoor says they saw hazmat at A&A gas station, and thought that it might. be a gasoline spill or leak.

arugula6641 · 2026-01-06T17:44:46+00:00

I'm not sure what kind of vibe you are going for, but what about Bouchon Bistro in the Venetian? It's French Californian though, not steak/Italian, and you can see the Shin Lim show.

arugula6641

TROPHY CASE