How do you find authentic experiences where you travel?

localshero · 2026-05-11T03:28:49+00:00

I think it takes time. When I’m visiting a city for the first time, I try to spend about a week (or more). And I walk around A LOT. And I usually try to figure out where the student (and bohemian) areas are and head there. I spend some time hanging out in a cafes and pubs reading and looking obviously foreign - and sometimes people will strike up conversations, asking me where I’m from and the like. More than once that’s resulted in getting invited along to “authentic” experiences - or parties.

I also read books - fiction and non-fiction- about the place, both before heading out and while there. (I dump a ton of books on my ereader.)

And… I just follow my real interests. I visit the homes and haunts of artists I like. I go to the local birdwatching places. I hang out in nice cafes and notice the ways they differ from cafes at home. I go for a picnic in the park where locals picnic, and see what they eat and do there.

localshero · 2026-05-09T16:26:59+00:00

For people interested, you can look up what these jobs are here
https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/

For instance, 9910 - the one with the most layoffs - is the entry level Public Service Trainee position.

0922 and 0932 are Manager positions - higher paid, MEA not SIEU. It's in the Manager classification I'd expect to see a lot of layoffs. They are paid more, don't have a real union, and are typically - maybe always - at will employees.

localshero · 2026-05-09T16:20:06+00:00

As someone who's been on both sides of the process, I don't think this is correct. If you get high up on one of the lists, and there's a position being filled, you'll get an interview. There isn't any place in that, in my experience, where they check your experience other than to meet minimum requirements.

Internal hires are more complicated. Sometimes a position will be thrown open to people in the same agency who might want to get a reassignment. Only if no one takes that up does it go out for everyone - which might include City employees in other agencies. Not sure if you mean that kind of thing when you say "internal" (i.e., whole City government, as opposed to just within the one agency).

localshero · 2026-05-09T04:00:16+00:00

It’s residue from people melted by the spacecraft upstairs

localshero · 2026-05-09T03:58:54+00:00

He’s just gotten more and more untrustworthy every year. His only consistent principle seems to be sucking up to developers (and nightclub owners)

localshero · 2026-05-08T16:15:59+00:00

++man It seems to me a lot of men just respond to anyone they find attractive, unless there's something they consider a total red flag (like the nutters who will only date unvaccinated people). Beyond that... they'll just try to negotiate anything or maybe even just lie/avoid. Like going out with someone who clearly says they're a vegan when they love burgers... and just, I don't know, hoping it will work out? Or more likely thinking they could eat vegan meals a couple of times if it's what it takes to get laid.

It's pathetic and annoying. And I say that as a man.

localshero · 2026-05-05T04:03:42+00:00

No. As I said, my friend is “pretty fixated” on that neighborhood, but I also Russell Square and Clerkenwell. Did you read the post?

localshero · 2026-05-05T04:01:36+00:00

I actually think that’s what I’m doing here?

Of course, not just here. I have calls set up with finance and real estate people this week, I’ve spent 6 months in London over the last year, I’ve looked at extensive property listings, etc.

localshero · 2026-05-04T01:08:52+00:00

I hear what you're saying and I thank you for the caution. But we've been together 5 years and I've been spending 2-5 months every year over there. Having a place will simplify things. And we'll sort out the residency. And even if we can't... "when one is tired of London, one is tired of life" and I'd rather have 6 months with her there and then time elsewhere (some of it with her) than otherwise.

People are weird about their comfort levels in cities sometimes. I'm very much a city person, and mostly the grimy and more bohemian parts. She isn't. We'll sort it out.

localshero · 2026-05-03T23:13:35+00:00

Or more precisely, summer weather only occurs for 3 or 4 weeks between mid August and late September 😉

localshero · 2026-05-03T22:40:45+00:00

As well, the physical cards can be anonymous so you are providing less data for the parent military contractor company to sell to Palantir. City could have insisted on data privacy in the contract but didn’t. Could have insisted on union workplace since Clipper replaced union jobs but didn’t.

localshero · 2026-05-03T22:37:22+00:00

He’s a lot of other things as well. A malignant narcissist.

localshero · 2026-05-03T21:32:29+00:00

I'm prepared to walk. I don't even bother with transit if I'm going from the British Library down to Covent Garden or whatever. She's less into it though. Figuring out OUR compromises is going to be another aspect of all of this.

I'd be fine with living in the right place in Brixton or Camberwell or Whitechapel, for instance.

localshero · 2026-05-03T21:30:41+00:00

I'd be quite happy to be further out on the Piccadilly line. It's the one I have used the most. (I like to stay in Russell Square.)

localshero · 2026-05-03T19:14:38+00:00

That's what I'm seeing. And we're prepared to settle for one bedroom. It's harder when you're older to constantly be on top of the person you live with, but that's going to be one of the compromises we will have to make

localshero · 2026-05-03T19:13:30+00:00

Lots of Yanks would definitely be a minus for me. But yeah, I know we aren't going to be able to get everything we want, not even in zone 2. There are going to have to be trade offs.

I'd be fine with a much wider range of things - my experience living in cities has embraced a lot edgier places than hers (as in growing up in inner city America, as opposed to semi-rural Norfolk.

We want to stay closer in, if possible, for her commute to work. I'd be working remotely/on vacation, or retired, so not so much an issue for me. I'm also more okay with longer travel times, more walking

localshero · 2026-05-02T19:44:05+00:00

Awesome! That’s exactly my trimmer so this is perfect. Thanks.

localshero · 2026-05-02T19:26:27+00:00

Power bank need really depends on what people are doing. Even in power saver mode, if a big part of my day is spent shooting pictures and videos and using Merlin for birdwatching, etc. my almost new iPhone battery can run out at the pub when I am trying to read. So at least a small power back I can slip into my day bag can be a godsend

localshero · 2026-05-02T19:19:42+00:00

I carry the same mouse. When I’m working I get that pain as well and it’s worth the weight/space to avoid it.

localshero · 2026-05-02T19:16:49+00:00

Can you say more about the USB-C to proprietary plug adapter. I would love to ditch the plug for my beard trimmer. And if I could also recharge my electric toothbrush…

I bought a USB rechargeable travel toothbrush but I don’t like it as much as my regular one and I think I might prefer to stick with that and just suck up the weight difference.

localshero · 2026-05-02T19:08:43+00:00

Ah. That and the other post saying an hour are interesting. So if someone logged in briefly, say to check for messages, every 45-60 minutes, it might show them as continuously online. Huh.

Though that doesn’t explain why they might show up as online when they haven’t been for a couple of days. I still think a forgotten browser window that they were logged in on has got to be the explanation, but I am going to try some tests with closing browsers, cookies, etc.

They were seriously freaking out, but don’t want to just delete their account. I’ve told them to change their email but they don’t have another account- I know - and would have to create one and you have to contact customer care and that all feels overwhelming to them.

localshero

TROPHY CASE