The New Home!!!

So I FINALLY found it: the apartment I will call home!

After much searching and scouring the city (craigslist is a godsend) I am now a resident of the Pacific Heights (Pac Heights) neighborhood.

Wikipedia:
"Pacific Heights is located in one of the most scenic and park-like settings in Northern California, offering panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and the Presidio. Its idyllic location provides a temperate micro-climate that is clearer, but not always warmer, than many other areas in San Francisco.
The Pacific Heights Residents Association defines the neighborhood as inside Bush Street, Presidio Avenue, Union Street, and Van Ness Avenue.^[2]
Pacific Heights is situated on a primarily east-west oriented ridge that rises sharply from the Marina District and Cow Hollow neighborhoods, to the north, to a maximum height of 370 feet above sea level. The streets of Jackson, Pacific, and Broadway extend along some of the most scenic areas along the hill's crest. The section of Broadway Street extending from Divisadero to Lyon Street is known as the "Gold Coast." Pacific Heights features two parks, Lafayette and Alta Plaza, each with spectacular views of the city and the bay. Easily visible to the north, for example, are the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, and Alcatraz Island."

Not too shabby.  Here are the pics:

front door

hallway to the kitchen

bedroom 1.. has a small closet but the best view

master bedroom..we are planning on renting this one out

bedroom 1 again

bedroom 1's view of some trees

The split bathroom is nice. I like the magazine rack, but think the toilet paper roll is a bit high.  Maybe people  back then (the building is from before 1930) had super long arms.

the other half of the split bath

The kitchen. No dishwasher ):

some cupboards and a pull-out cutting board

the fridge and "pantry"

Dining room. We are gonna make it the living room

The rest of the living room, complete with built-in.. Cabinets..  And my new roommate Sophia!

closest in the 2nd bedroom..very big

more of the kitchen

outside the kitchen.. Back porch area, I guess. Can't compete with the Southern wrap around porches but hey what can?

Stairs going down....  Didn't actually go down there so I can't tell you what's down there.

building lobby

Building lobby

the front of the building

Apartment Hunting Round 2

So actually it is more like round 1000... But it is blog post 2.

I went back out into the scary world of Craigslist, taking my chances and trusting in the underlying good nature of human beings.  Found a couple good prospects.  Here is the basic situation:

A) I can pay $200 more and sign a 1year lease for a fairly sweet apartment in the neighborhood I'm currently living in.  Washer and dryer in building, decent parking, quiet neighborhood but 2 blocks away from a ton of bars in the super-safe Castro district, also super close to public transportation and within walking distance from my beloved Safeway grocery store.  2 bedroom, 1 bath, kitchenette with disposal and dishwasher, a decent amount of cupboard space.  Lots of windows (love that part), carpet throughout (actually I don't like that part), TONS of closet space.  Also it has a gas fireplace. See the pics below:

Not too bad for the price.  I would have to provide all the furniture, obviously.  A downside to moving in to a fresh apartment.. But also with the upside of decorating it exactly the way I want to.  It would feel like home, not just like I was staying in a hotel for an extended period of time.

I would be rooming with a really sweet-seeming girl named Sophia. Just met her today but I got a really good feeling about her.. Then again I could be a bad judge of character.  You never know.  But we got along really really well...So cross your fingers.

The other option is this:

B) Sublet a room for about 4 months in Cole Valley, a quaint, more upscale suburb with lots of little cafes and organic grocers.  The room is gorgeous but small, in a quiet house.  The owner is in her upper 40s, very neat (a plus for me). She mostly keeps to herself, working from home, but was really nice.  We bonded over Jack Russells.  Her current dog is a Fox Terrier (very close to Jack Russells) and I mentioned that I used to own one...I looked up and her eyes were tearing up.  Apparently her very dear Jack had just passed away a couple months ago.  I felt bad for bringing it up but it was good to have something to bond over.  Anyway the main reason for wanting this room is... cheap!  Only $750 a month (I know that sounds ridiculous to whoever is reading this back in SC.."$750 for ONE BEDROOM without a closet??") Yes people.. I am currently paying $850 for my closetless room right now.  Not including utilities.  So a flat $750 in such a nice neighborhood is a definite upgrade.  It has the downside of that hotel-room feeling, where I wouldn't really feel at home.

An unlikely 3rd option:
C) Room with 4 early 20something girls who are in college.  Only $830 in a nice neighborhood close to where I am now.  Downside: small room..and sharing a house with 4 girls who are in college.  Meaning probable parties (fun when you don't have class till 11, not so good when you wake at 4 am to go to work), messes (clothes were strewn all over the floor from the 2 bedrooms nearest the entrance.. not a great way to welcome guests)....  Yeahh.

SO that is what's going on right now.  Here are some more random pics from living in the city:

Gorgeous house in my neighborhood

Killer hill in my neighborhood

"Close the bathrooms at night, there will be no vandalism." "I wrote this in the daytime, dumbass." Bathrooms in the grocery store. As an aside.. Really, who goes around with permanent markers in their pockets unless they intend on writing things on bathroom walls?? They have to wake up and leave their house that day with the intent to write on something.

Rare view of the city in sunshine.  View from Buena Vista Park, also in my neighborhood.

So that's it for now... Any thoughts on the room situation?