Moving to San Fran - Advice for area live needed (1 Viewer)

[El Floppo]

all this north bay talk, has anyone mentioned sol food in san rafael yet? it's awesome and is pretty much the only thing that justifies the existence of the north bay.

tell me more...

its a puerto rican restaurant in san Rafael very close to the freeway exit. always has a line out the door. amazing food and you can buy their homemade hot sauce to take home too. well worth the wait.

not sure that is all that helpful, thanks anyway.

what other info were you looking for?

name of the restaurant would be a good start.....

he did originally. it's called Sol Food. Actually I can see why that might be confusing now.

http://www.solfoodrestaurant.com/

nothing like getting puerto rican food on the west coast.

 

[Scoresman]

all this north bay talk, has anyone mentioned sol food in san rafael yet? it's awesome and is pretty much the only thing that justifies the existence of the north bay.

tell me more...

its a puerto rican restaurant in san Rafael very close to the freeway exit. always has a line out the door. amazing food and you can buy their homemade hot sauce to take home too. well worth the wait.

not sure that is all that helpful, thanks anyway.

what other info were you looking for?

name of the restaurant would be a good start.....

he did originally. it's called Sol Food. Actually I can see why that might be confusing now.

http://www.solfoodrestaurant.com/

nothing like getting puerto rican food on the west coast.

you'd think that, but the food there is amazing. It's generally the east coast that has problems with food from other regions. I dont know what's so hard about getting good mexican food out there, but they cant seem to figure it out at all.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

For your first trip I reccomend the bistec sandwich and the limonada to drink. Nothing else is needed except plenty of their magic orange sauce. After if you are feeling brave walk around the coroner to Trevor's bar and take in all that is San Rafael.

Second trip I would definitely go with pollo al horno with garlic plantains.

Trevor's isn't that rough.....

not about the rough, it's about the dirty bra's hanging over head and the random guys that walk in and get a miller high life and a shot of bushmills on the way to the bus depot.

Jokes - did you miss the bolded in your post?

 

[No. 16]

I may have an opportunity to take a position within my company in the Fremont area. I'm trying to get an idea of what sort of housing I could get in the area, and which towns would be desirable and a decent commute. I've looked at Fremont, Dublin, and Pleasanton the most. Is there a run down on areas to avoid/exploit? I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 so safe areas / schools are more important than anything else.

I'm estimating my monthly housing budget would be $4000 - $4500 perhaps slightly more, including taxes / homeowners insurance. What do taxes and insurance generally cost in the area on an ~2000 sq ft house? Also, since this would likely be a 2-3 yr assignment, would renting a house be a better value? It seems like the real estate market is hot out there, as I was browsing realtor.com tons of houses were pending.

With your budget you could get a nice place. I can't give you the details of Fremont as I'm not in Fremont area but if no one here chimes in, you can find out about schools online for the different parts of the city. I have a good friend there so I've been there many times at different times of the day. Fremont is huge. Traffic here everywhere is a nightmare during most hours, which is why I suggest you at least live in the city you work if you are sensitive to it. Living in Pleasanton while it's a really cute little town and Dublin would be a nightmare commute on the 680 unless you are able to set your own hours and go in early/leave early. My old boss lived in Livermore, which is out that way and really cute as well, and she set her schedule to arrive in Fremont at Washington Hospital at 6:00 am and leave before 3:00 pm. This was a couple years ago. The way the masses are moving to the Bay Area, it's even worse now.Fremont is not my taste. It's a blue collar city that doesn't have a downtown. There are plans to give Fremont a makeover including a downtown with cute shops and cafes and all, but it is a 5 year work in progress. ----If such a thing matters to you. I don't know obviously. They finally got a Whole Foods in Fremont which is small and not a big deal when you look at other Whole Foods but it was so foreign there that it made the local news. lol.

Thanks for the info. Fremont doesn't sound like my cup of tea based on your description. Is there any place you would recommend living that wouldn't be a nightmare commute? It seems like you're saying living in Fremont would be most convenient but the town lacks character and culture.ETA: it looks like the office is near 680/262 so that is apparently the southern Fremont area.

Fremont generally has some good public school system and is really safe. There isn't a true downtown but there's plenty of good restaurants from sushi, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. No real night life except for dive bars. It's a typical strip mall/suburbia but with 2 little kids how much could you really enjoy the "culture/character" of another town?The good thing is when you want to enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer you're generally 30 minutes from everything and close to all major freeways.

ETA: The commute to Fremont from any where will suck because it's on the way to San Jose/Silicon Valley.

 

[El Floppo]

all this north bay talk, has anyone mentioned sol food in san rafael yet? it's awesome and is pretty much the only thing that justifies the existence of the north bay.

tell me more...

its a puerto rican restaurant in san Rafael very close to the freeway exit. always has a line out the door. amazing food and you can buy their homemade hot sauce to take home too. well worth the wait.

not sure that is all that helpful, thanks anyway.

what other info were you looking for?

name of the restaurant would be a good start.....

he did originally. it's called Sol Food. Actually I can see why that might be confusing now.

http://www.solfoodrestaurant.com/

nothing like getting puerto rican food on the west coast.

Its taken the almost 30 years I've lived here, but NYC finally has good mexican food. .. across all price points. The last year has been a real renaissance.

you'd think that, but the food there is amazing. It's generally the east coast that has problems with food from other regions. I dont know what's so hard about getting good mexican food out there, but they cant seem to figure it out at all.

 

[CurlyNight]

I may have an opportunity to take a position within my company in the Fremont area. I'm trying to get an idea of what sort of housing I could get in the area, and which towns would be desirable and a decent commute. I've looked at Fremont, Dublin, and Pleasanton the most. Is there a run down on areas to avoid/exploit? I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 so safe areas / schools are more important than anything else.

I'm estimating my monthly housing budget would be $4000 - $4500 perhaps slightly more, including taxes / homeowners insurance. What do taxes and insurance generally cost in the area on an ~2000 sq ft house? Also, since this would likely be a 2-3 yr assignment, would renting a house be a better value? It seems like the real estate market is hot out there, as I was browsing realtor.com tons of houses were pending.

With your budget you could get a nice place. I can't give you the details of Fremont as I'm not in Fremont area but if no one here chimes in, you can find out about schools online for the different parts of the city. I have a good friend there so I've been there many times at different times of the day. Fremont is huge. Traffic here everywhere is a nightmare during most hours, which is why I suggest you at least live in the city you work if you are sensitive to it. Living in Pleasanton while it's a really cute little town and Dublin would be a nightmare commute on the 680 unless you are able to set your own hours and go in early/leave early. My old boss lived in Livermore, which is out that way and really cute as well, and she set her schedule to arrive in Fremont at Washington Hospital at 6:00 am and leave before 3:00 pm. This was a couple years ago. The way the masses are moving to the Bay Area, it's even worse now.Fremont is not my taste. It's a blue collar city that doesn't have a downtown. There are plans to give Fremont a makeover including a downtown with cute shops and cafes and all, but it is a 5 year work in progress. ----If such a thing matters to you. I don't know obviously. They finally got a Whole Foods in Fremont which is small and not a big deal when you look at other Whole Foods but it was so foreign there that it made the local news. lol.

Thanks for the info. Fremont doesn't sound like my cup of tea based on your description. Is there any place you would recommend living that wouldn't be a nightmare commute? It seems like you're saying living in Fremont would be most convenient but the town lacks character and culture.ETA: it looks like the office is near 680/262 so that is apparently the southern Fremont area.

Fremont generally has some good public school system and is really safe. There isn't a true downtown but there's plenty of good restaurants from sushi, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. No real night life except for dive bars. It's a typical strip mall/suburbia but with 2 little kids how much could you really enjoy the "culture/character" of another town?The good thing is when you want to enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer you're generally 30 minutes from everything and close to all major freeways.

ETA: The commute to Fremont from any where will suck because it's on the way to San Jose/Silicon Valley.

I think he means the feel/look of the town as opposed to going out and "partying." It's a blue collar town with nothing special about it at all. Certain areas of Fremont are better than others and I'm not familiar about warm springs area enough to know. I do know there is construction starting I think next year in warm springs as they are going to start building a ton of businesses/apts to attract more businesses to Fremont. I suggest to Walkmen to come and take a tour of the areas you are considering before you nail it down. It's always kind of a "shock" to me when I go visit my friend in Fremont compared to the Peninsula and if you aren't digging it, even if you have kids and it's only 2-3 years, you won't be happy if that is important to you.

My dad hated Milpitas but lived there for a year next to his work. Was not fun to hear him ##### about it as it's 180 of what he's used to.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I may have an opportunity to take a position within my company in the Fremont area. I'm trying to get an idea of what sort of housing I could get in the area, and which towns would be desirable and a decent commute. I've looked at Fremont, Dublin, and Pleasanton the most. Is there a run down on areas to avoid/exploit? I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 so safe areas / schools are more important than anything else.

I'm estimating my monthly housing budget would be $4000 - $4500 perhaps slightly more, including taxes / homeowners insurance. What do taxes and insurance generally cost in the area on an ~2000 sq ft house? Also, since this would likely be a 2-3 yr assignment, would renting a house be a better value? It seems like the real estate market is hot out there, as I was browsing realtor.com tons of houses were pending.

With your budget you could get a nice place. I can't give you the details of Fremont as I'm not in Fremont area but if no one here chimes in, you can find out about schools online for the different parts of the city. I have a good friend there so I've been there many times at different times of the day. Fremont is huge. Traffic here everywhere is a nightmare during most hours, which is why I suggest you at least live in the city you work if you are sensitive to it. Living in Pleasanton while it's a really cute little town and Dublin would be a nightmare commute on the 680 unless you are able to set your own hours and go in early/leave early. My old boss lived in Livermore, which is out that way and really cute as well, and she set her schedule to arrive in Fremont at Washington Hospital at 6:00 am and leave before 3:00 pm. This was a couple years ago. The way the masses are moving to the Bay Area, it's even worse now.Fremont is not my taste. It's a blue collar city that doesn't have a downtown. There are plans to give Fremont a makeover including a downtown with cute shops and cafes and all, but it is a 5 year work in progress. ----If such a thing matters to you. I don't know obviously. They finally got a Whole Foods in Fremont which is small and not a big deal when you look at other Whole Foods but it was so foreign there that it made the local news. lol.

Thanks for the info. Fremont doesn't sound like my cup of tea based on your description. Is there any place you would recommend living that wouldn't be a nightmare commute? It seems like you're saying living in Fremont would be most convenient but the town lacks character and culture.ETA: it looks like the office is near 680/262 so that is apparently the southern Fremont area.

Fremont generally has some good public school system and is really safe. There isn't a true downtown but there's plenty of good restaurants from sushi, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. No real night life except for dive bars. It's a typical strip mall/suburbia but with 2 little kids how much could you really enjoy the "culture/character" of another town?The good thing is when you want to enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer you're generally 30 minutes from everything and close to all major freeways.

ETA: The commute to Fremont from any where will suck because it's on the way to San Jose/Silicon Valley.

I think he means the feel/look of the town as opposed to going out and "partying." It's a blue collar town with nothing special about it at all. Certain areas of Fremont are better than others and I'm not familiar about warm springs area enough to know. I do know there is construction starting I think next year in warm springs as they are going to start building a ton of businesses/apts to attract more businesses to Fremont. I suggest to Walkmen to come and take a tour of the areas you are considering before you nail it down. It's always kind of a "shock" to me when I go visit my friend in Fremont compared to the Peninsula and if you aren't digging it, even if you have kids and it's only 2-3 years, you won't be happy if that is important to you.My dad hated Milpitas but lived there for a year next to his work. Was not fun to hear him ##### about it as it's 180 of what he's used to.

Fremnt is the furthest thing from a blue collar town. You have no clue what you are talking about.

 

[Archer]

Good Posting Judge told me he LOVES the Castro district.

 

[CurlyNight]

I may have an opportunity to take a position within my company in the Fremont area. I'm trying to get an idea of what sort of housing I could get in the area, and which towns would be desirable and a decent commute. I've looked at Fremont, Dublin, and Pleasanton the most. Is there a run down on areas to avoid/exploit? I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 so safe areas / schools are more important than anything else.

I'm estimating my monthly housing budget would be $4000 - $4500 perhaps slightly more, including taxes / homeowners insurance. What do taxes and insurance generally cost in the area on an ~2000 sq ft house? Also, since this would likely be a 2-3 yr assignment, would renting a house be a better value? It seems like the real estate market is hot out there, as I was browsing realtor.com tons of houses were pending.

With your budget you could get a nice place. I can't give you the details of Fremont as I'm not in Fremont area but if no one here chimes in, you can find out about schools online for the different parts of the city. I have a good friend there so I've been there many times at different times of the day. Fremont is huge. Traffic here everywhere is a nightmare during most hours, which is why I suggest you at least live in the city you work if you are sensitive to it. Living in Pleasanton while it's a really cute little town and Dublin would be a nightmare commute on the 680 unless you are able to set your own hours and go in early/leave early. My old boss lived in Livermore, which is out that way and really cute as well, and she set her schedule to arrive in Fremont at Washington Hospital at 6:00 am and leave before 3:00 pm. This was a couple years ago. The way the masses are moving to the Bay Area, it's even worse now.Fremont is not my taste. It's a blue collar city that doesn't have a downtown. There are plans to give Fremont a makeover including a downtown with cute shops and cafes and all, but it is a 5 year work in progress. ----If such a thing matters to you. I don't know obviously. They finally got a Whole Foods in Fremont which is small and not a big deal when you look at other Whole Foods but it was so foreign there that it made the local news. lol.

Thanks for the info. Fremont doesn't sound like my cup of tea based on your description. Is there any place you would recommend living that wouldn't be a nightmare commute? It seems like you're saying living in Fremont would be most convenient but the town lacks character and culture.ETA: it looks like the office is near 680/262 so that is apparently the southern Fremont area.

Fremont generally has some good public school system and is really safe. There isn't a true downtown but there's plenty of good restaurants from sushi, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. No real night life except for dive bars. It's a typical strip mall/suburbia but with 2 little kids how much could you really enjoy the "culture/character" of another town?The good thing is when you want to enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer you're generally 30 minutes from everything and close to all major freeways.

ETA: The commute to Fremont from any where will suck because it's on the way to San Jose/Silicon Valley.

I think he means the feel/look of the town as opposed to going out and "partying." It's a blue collar town with nothing special about it at all. Certain areas of Fremont are better than others and I'm not familiar about warm springs area enough to know. I do know there is construction starting I think next year in warm springs as they are going to start building a ton of businesses/apts to attract more businesses to Fremont. I suggest to Walkmen to come and take a tour of the areas you are considering before you nail it down. It's always kind of a "shock" to me when I go visit my friend in Fremont compared to the Peninsula and if you aren't digging it, even if you have kids and it's only 2-3 years, you won't be happy if that is important to you.My dad hated Milpitas but lived there for a year next to his work. Was not fun to hear him ##### about it as it's 180 of what he's used to.

Fremnt is the furthest thing from a blue collar town. You have no clue what you are talking about.

I'm talking about the feel of it living there. I know there are tech companies galore over there so it's not a traditional blue collar town...

 

[sbonomo]

Good Posting Judge told me he LOVES the Castro district.

I like the casro disrict. Good restaurants, clean, etc. Way better than the mission which is hipsterville....

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I may have an opportunity to take a position within my company in the Fremont area. I'm trying to get an idea of what sort of housing I could get in the area, and which towns would be desirable and a decent commute. I've looked at Fremont, Dublin, and Pleasanton the most. Is there a run down on areas to avoid/exploit? I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 so safe areas / schools are more important than anything else.

I'm estimating my monthly housing budget would be $4000 - $4500 perhaps slightly more, including taxes / homeowners insurance. What do taxes and insurance generally cost in the area on an ~2000 sq ft house? Also, since this would likely be a 2-3 yr assignment, would renting a house be a better value? It seems like the real estate market is hot out there, as I was browsing realtor.com tons of houses were pending.

With your budget you could get a nice place. I can't give you the details of Fremont as I'm not in Fremont area but if no one here chimes in, you can find out about schools online for the different parts of the city. I have a good friend there so I've been there many times at different times of the day. Fremont is huge. Traffic here everywhere is a nightmare during most hours, which is why I suggest you at least live in the city you work if you are sensitive to it. Living in Pleasanton while it's a really cute little town and Dublin would be a nightmare commute on the 680 unless you are able to set your own hours and go in early/leave early. My old boss lived in Livermore, which is out that way and really cute as well, and she set her schedule to arrive in Fremont at Washington Hospital at 6:00 am and leave before 3:00 pm. This was a couple years ago. The way the masses are moving to the Bay Area, it's even worse now.Fremont is not my taste. It's a blue collar city that doesn't have a downtown. There are plans to give Fremont a makeover including a downtown with cute shops and cafes and all, but it is a 5 year work in progress. ----If such a thing matters to you. I don't know obviously. They finally got a Whole Foods in Fremont which is small and not a big deal when you look at other Whole Foods but it was so foreign there that it made the local news. lol.

Thanks for the info. Fremont doesn't sound like my cup of tea based on your description. Is there any place you would recommend living that wouldn't be a nightmare commute? It seems like you're saying living in Fremont would be most convenient but the town lacks character and culture.ETA: it looks like the office is near 680/262 so that is apparently the southern Fremont area.

Fremont generally has some good public school system and is really safe. There isn't a true downtown but there's plenty of good restaurants from sushi, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. No real night life except for dive bars. It's a typical strip mall/suburbia but with 2 little kids how much could you really enjoy the "culture/character" of another town?The good thing is when you want to enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer you're generally 30 minutes from everything and close to all major freeways.

ETA: The commute to Fremont from any where will suck because it's on the way to San Jose/Silicon Valley.

I think he means the feel/look of the town as opposed to going out and "partying." It's a blue collar town with nothing special about it at all. Certain areas of Fremont are better than others and I'm not familiar about warm springs area enough to know. I do know there is construction starting I think next year in warm springs as they are going to start building a ton of businesses/apts to attract more businesses to Fremont. I suggest to Walkmen to come and take a tour of the areas you are considering before you nail it down. It's always kind of a "shock" to me when I go visit my friend in Fremont compared to the Peninsula and if you aren't digging it, even if you have kids and it's only 2-3 years, you won't be happy if that is important to you.My dad hated Milpitas but lived there for a year next to his work. Was not fun to hear him ##### about it as it's 180 of what he's used to.

Fremnt is the furthest thing from a blue collar town. You have no clue what you are talking about.

I'm talking about the feel of it living there. I know there are tech companies galore over there so it's not a traditional blue collar town...

I grew up there. My folks still live there. The vast majority of the people there have white-collar jobs. The words you use, i dont think they mean what you think they mean.

 

[CurlyNight]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

 

[jonessed]

I may have an opportunity to take a position within my company in the Fremont area. I'm trying to get an idea of what sort of housing I could get in the area, and which towns would be desirable and a decent commute. I've looked at Fremont, Dublin, and Pleasanton the most. Is there a run down on areas to avoid/exploit? I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 so safe areas / schools are more important than anything else.

I'm estimating my monthly housing budget would be $4000 - $4500 perhaps slightly more, including taxes / homeowners insurance. What do taxes and insurance generally cost in the area on an ~2000 sq ft house? Also, since this would likely be a 2-3 yr assignment, would renting a house be a better value? It seems like the real estate market is hot out there, as I was browsing realtor.com tons of houses were pending.

With your budget you could get a nice place. I can't give you the details of Fremont as I'm not in Fremont area but if no one here chimes in, you can find out about schools online for the different parts of the city. I have a good friend there so I've been there many times at different times of the day. Fremont is huge. Traffic here everywhere is a nightmare during most hours, which is why I suggest you at least live in the city you work if you are sensitive to it. Living in Pleasanton while it's a really cute little town and Dublin would be a nightmare commute on the 680 unless you are able to set your own hours and go in early/leave early. My old boss lived in Livermore, which is out that way and really cute as well, and she set her schedule to arrive in Fremont at Washington Hospital at 6:00 am and leave before 3:00 pm. This was a couple years ago. The way the masses are moving to the Bay Area, it's even worse now.Fremont is not my taste. It's a blue collar city that doesn't have a downtown. There are plans to give Fremont a makeover including a downtown with cute shops and cafes and all, but it is a 5 year work in progress. ----If such a thing matters to you. I don't know obviously. They finally got a Whole Foods in Fremont which is small and not a big deal when you look at other Whole Foods but it was so foreign there that it made the local news. lol.

Thanks for the info. Fremont doesn't sound like my cup of tea based on your description. Is there any place you would recommend living that wouldn't be a nightmare commute? It seems like you're saying living in Fremont would be most convenient but the town lacks character and culture.ETA: it looks like the office is near 680/262 so that is apparently the southern Fremont area.

Fremont generally has some good public school system and is really safe. There isn't a true downtown but there's plenty of good restaurants from sushi, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. No real night life except for dive bars. It's a typical strip mall/suburbia but with 2 little kids how much could you really enjoy the "culture/character" of another town?The good thing is when you want to enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer you're generally 30 minutes from everything and close to all major freeways.

ETA: The commute to Fremont from any where will suck because it's on the way to San Jose/Silicon Valley.

I think he means the feel/look of the town as opposed to going out and "partying." It's a blue collar town with nothing special about it at all. Certain areas of Fremont are better than others and I'm not familiar about warm springs area enough to know. I do know there is construction starting I think next year in warm springs as they are going to start building a ton of businesses/apts to attract more businesses to Fremont. I suggest to Walkmen to come and take a tour of the areas you are considering before you nail it down. It's always kind of a "shock" to me when I go visit my friend in Fremont compared to the Peninsula and if you aren't digging it, even if you have kids and it's only 2-3 years, you won't be happy if that is important to you.My dad hated Milpitas but lived there for a year next to his work. Was not fun to hear him ##### about it as it's 180 of what he's used to.

Fremnt is the furthest thing from a blue collar town. You have no clue what you are talking about.

I can't figure out what he's talking about either. People live on the peninsula to be close to work and it definitely has more of a hipster vibe, but if you have a family and work in Fremont it makes sense to live in Fremont. It's a good family town.

The peninsula is just a bunch of small cities. It's not like it's San Francisco South.

 

[sbonomo]

Is the peninsula foggy?

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Admit it...you live in Modesto or something.

 

[CurlyNight]

Is the peninsula foggy?

Around Foster City/Daly City areas it is a lot of the time. Further south and it can be occasionally but not often at all.

 

[CurlyNight]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Admit it...you live in Modesto or something.

I live on the peninsula near the hills so anything out of that area aside from SF, Los Gatos, Saratoga and parts of San Jose have a "blue collar" feel to it even if it's not.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Admit it...you live in Modesto or something.

I live on the peninsula near the hills so anything out of that area aside from SF, Los Gatos, Saratoga and parts of San Jose have a "blue collar" feel to it even if it's not.

Specifically?

 

[CurlyNight]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Admit it...you live in Modesto or something.

I live on the peninsula near the hills so anything out of that area aside from SF, Los Gatos, Saratoga and parts of San Jose have a "blue collar" feel to it even if it's not.

Specifically?

Los Altos...

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Admit it...you live in Modesto or something.

I live on the peninsula near the hills so anything out of that area aside from SF, Los Gatos, Saratoga and parts of San Jose have a "blue collar" feel to it even if it's not.

Specifically?

Los Altos...

Oh, OK. I get it.

 

[CurlyNight]

Hang out in Palo Alto a lot. Now there you find culture and such outside the city. So hence my view. That's why I suggest Walkingmen check out the areas he's thinking about to decide because what's one thing to one person is completely different to another. Maybe traffic would be worth it to him. He won't know until he sees the areas and decides what's best for him.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Culture and art have nothing to do with blue-collar/white-collar.

Certainly Fremont is a bedroom community, but i am eager to learn more about the culture of Pleasanton.

 

[CurlyNight]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Culture and art have nothing to do with blue-collar/white-collar.

Certainly Fremont is a bedroom community, but i am eager to learn more about the culture of Pleasanton.

Dude, I know I didn't use the best wording. Pleasanton is a cute town as Walkingmen was interested in character as well. And sorry, but Fremont doesn't have any character. I know it's your hometown and all, but seriously, I hardly call auto mall the place to chill which is about all there is in Fremont really. Sure there are restaurants here and there as there is everywhere, but really, what stands out? At least Pleasanton and especially the downtown which is Palo Alto ish style has character.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Living in a town where the median home price is $2M does not mean you know what "culture" is.

 

[CurlyNight]

No it doesn't. However I do have a diverse base of friends from different countries so I'm probably a little more cultural than some. But I am learning more about some american culture right on this here board from my persian perspective!

 

[Good Posting Judge]

....which is what I said above... It is nowhere the same feel of culture and art and all that he likes compared to Peninsula and even Pleasanton is better at it than Fremont. I never meant to imply it's blue collar work here, just when you picture the feel and look of a place, culture and art don't enter one's mind. Maybe down the road but not now.

Culture and art have nothing to do with blue-collar/white-collar.

Certainly Fremont is a bedroom community, but i am eager to learn more about the culture of Pleasanton.

Dude, I know I didn't use the best wording. Pleasanton is a cute town as Walkingmen was interested in character as well. And sorry, but Fremont doesn't have any character. I know it's your hometown and all, but seriously, I hardly call auto mall the place to chill which is about all there is in Fremont really. Sure there are restaurants here and there as there is everywhere, but really, what stands out? At least Pleasanton and especially the downtown which is Palo Alto ish style has character.

Culture and character aren't the same thing. Fremont is not a blue-collar town, nor is it a cultural center. Whether it has character is certainly subjective (i never considered moving back there), but your characterization of it is bizarre at best.

What is Palo Alto ish style? Does a "cute downtown" equate to "culture"? Pleasanton Does have a yarn store, is that what we're talking about? Should you maybe leave these conversations to us The Bay Area natives?

 

[CurlyNight]

I never said culture and character are the same thing did I? Fremont has neither imo. And it is all about opinions isn't it? So why get yourself in a knot which is what it seems like when I say Fremont is not the place to be for either culture or character, imo? Palo Alto has a lot of culture, no comparison between the 2 places. Just stroll downtown, visit the museums there, art gallery, cafes, etc. Meet people from all over the world walking through, not just from Afghanistan and India.. As for Pleasanton, yes it has a very cute downtown that reminds me of PA style and the houses there are very cute, imo. Key word: imo. I've been here for 22 years so while I'm not techinically a native, I do have enough time here to have my own opinions of said areas.

 

[TheWalkmen]

Thanks for the replies CurlyNight, GPJ, jonessed, and No 16. I mentioned safety/schools as most important, but my oldest is currently 2 so he would only be in kindergarten towards the end of the 2-3 years I would anticipate being there. With that said, I think activities for kids would trump schools at this point. Also, since I will be working and my wife will be with the kids, it will be important for her to have stuff to do during the day close by. We currently live in close proximity to a free zoo, botanical gardens, nice park, etc...

Taking that into consideration, does that change any opinions? What are some towns and/or zip codes on the peninsula to look at?

 

[El Floppo]

GET A LOAD OF BAKO GUY

 

[jonessed]

Thanks for the replies CurlyNight, GPJ, jonessed, and No 16. I mentioned safety/schools as most important, but my oldest is currently 2 so he would only be in kindergarten towards the end of the 2-3 years I would anticipate being there. With that said, I think activities for kids would trump schools at this point. Also, since I will be working and my wife will be with the kids, it will be important for her to have stuff to do during the day close by. We currently live in close proximity to a free zoo, botanical gardens, nice park, etc...

Taking that into consideration, does that change any opinions? What are some towns and/or zip codes on the peninsula to look at?

You are going to have to change your price range or deal with a much smaller house.

 

[CurlyNight]

Thanks for the replies CurlyNight, GPJ, jonessed, and No 16. I mentioned safety/schools as most important, but my oldest is currently 2 so he would only be in kindergarten towards the end of the 2-3 years I would anticipate being there. With that said, I think activities for kids would trump schools at this point. Also, since I will be working and my wife will be with the kids, it will be important for her to have stuff to do during the day close by. We currently live in close proximity to a free zoo, botanical gardens, nice park, etc...

Taking that into consideration, does that change any opinions? What are some towns and/or zip codes on the peninsula to look at?

You are going to have to change your price range or deal with a much smaller house.

Not necessarily on the price range, questionable on the size depending on what the minimum is which may not be 2000sq ft at this time. One child is 2. Perhaps he could share a bedroom with the other younger child if they find a place they really really like, which is important for the wife as he has shared since she is home with the young ones.

I get the feeling your wife really won't like Fremont. The area you listed where you live now is really on the Peninsula, not the east bay like that.

If you are going to commute from the other side to warm springs, I'd suggest Mountain View (which 237 to 880 is right there), Los Altos, Palo Alto, Menlo Park. Of course you want to be aware of certain areas of Palo Alto (which sometimes is east Palo Alto and they list it as PA) and Menlo Park. But if you are looking at your price range of 4000-5000 then you won't even find such a listing.

Some ads for home rentals on the peninsula are posted here.

http://www.fogster.com/

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/

http://www.losaltosonline.com/

http://patch.com/california/menlopark-atherton

I wouldn't look at Atherton. That's more pricey than the cities I listed if they even have homes for rent there...

If you find something online you like and are curious about the area, post it or pm me if you like I maybe I can tell you if the area is a good one or to maybe pass on it. Of course it's best for you to come and see it as sometimes what is pictured isn't what you see in person.

Good luck!

Also I have sometimes found some better deals on these little papers in the past. Older people tend to just know their little town paper- at least in the past. And I found that they aren't necessarily looking to keep up with the market share on rents but just want a good person/family to take care of their home or second home if that's the case.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

GET A LOAD OF BAKO GUY

I'm pretty blue collar.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Spoken like someone who has never commuted by car in the bay area before.

 

[CurlyNight]

Spoken like someone who has never commuted by car in the bay area before.

Actually I have, from Los Altos to 237 to Mowry Ave where I worked at Washington Hospital just recently. Are you done yet?

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Spoken like someone who has never commuted by car in the bay area before.

Actually I have, from Los Altos to 237 to Mowry Ave where I worked at Washington Hospital just recently. Are you done yet?

During rush hour?

 

[CurlyNight]

Spoken like someone who has never commuted by car in the bay area before.

Actually I have, from Los Altos to 237 to Mowry Ave where I worked at Washington Hospital just recently. Are you done yet?

During rush hour?

Yes. Had to be there at 8 am and leave at 5pm. I worked there for awhile. I never stated anywhere the traffic isn't a nightmare. In fact I have posted it is, and yes, it is. But for some people they can bite the bullet with the stop and go if living in a certain area brings more joy to them. Only Walkmen and his wife can say what is important. I think he has a good idea by now about the traffic nightmare, even in the carpool lanes which are also jammed.

 

[jonessed]

The bottom line is that area is so packed and so expensive that you have to make fairly large concessions somewhere. I lived in Redwood Shores until about 2006 that was the case back then. It's only gotten worse since.

If you want to pay to live on the peninsula close to the amenities your wife desires you are going to pay a lot for a small place and deal with a pretty crappy commute. Either up your housing spend or sell furniture. There is no silver bullet here. Placing like San Carlos used to be up and coming neighborhoods you could squeeze into a fixer-upper for under $1MM. Those are long gone though.

Living on the peninsula and working in Fremont makes absolutely no sense to me. None of these communities are like living in the city. There are no good mass transit options. You are going to be driving everywhere and dealing with traffic and parking. The area has only really blown up over the last two decades. It's not like they have some kind of long-storied history and infrastructure. It's all recent tech money.

I would really look into Pleasanton. Try and find a neighborhood that's close to what you want. I live in Walnut Creek; walking distance from the school, a big community center, a swim club, golfing, convenient shopping, Mt Diablo for hiking/biking, etc. These cities can be sprawling, but you can find niches that suit your purpose. Look into the older, more established neighborhoods.

 

[SFBayDuck]

I would really look into Pleasanton. Try and find a neighborhood that's close to what you want. I live in Walnut Creek; walking distance from the school, a big community center, a swim club, golfing, convenient shopping, Mt Diablo for hiking/biking, etc. These cities can be sprawling, but you can find niches that suit your purpose. Look into the older, more established neighborhoods.

Another vote for Pleasanton. You've got a few breweries, restaurants, an actual downtown, and a great sports/skate park for kids (when they're older). My brother in law lives there and commutes to Fremont, and it is a Bay Area commute so it can suck, but I would think it'd be better than trying to get there from the Peninsula. Walnut Creek is nice, too, but you'd just be adding on to the commute.

 

[Hilts]

at the blue collar hijack. Hope you enjoy the area, Walkmen. I'm a bay area guy myself but if it's kids/schools kind of stuff you're looking at, that's out of my element. Best of luck finding a spot.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I'd consider Dublin too. The schools are half a tick worse, but it's probably half a tick cheaper as well, and your kids are small. There are a lot of 2k+ sq ft homes in both that are in your range on craigslist.

I'd also use the feature on google maps where you can see projected commute times for different times of day. None of them are really my bag tbh, but it'd also be pretty easy to get up to pleasanton from fremont during non commute hours. How much time you're willing to spend in the car is a big factor.

 

[⚡DEADHEAD⚡]

If you work off of 880, you could consider Oakland. Some might even suggest San Leandro.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

If you work off of 880, you could consider Oakland. Some might even suggest San Leandro.

880 (the freeway itself) is Hell. With what Walkmen says he has to work with in terms of monthly $ for housing, Pleasanton/Dublin makes a lot more sense. Purtier drive, too.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

I'm dusting off this thread hoping to find an answer from some of the local SFO folk:

I am going to the 49'ers v. Seahawks game on 11/17 which is the reason we are driving through Tahoe from Las Vegas (this originated in the Tahoe thread, hence that comment)

My wife won't be going to the game (it's a work-related event) so we will probably find a place near the stadium or with easy access via VTA so I can hop on the train and get to the stadium easily. We may also go over the mountain to Santa Cruz on Monday to visit my aunt and then leave on Tuesday to fly back home which is why I would rather stay in that are versus staying in SFO proper.

Is there a decent area to stay that would be on the VTA and nearish the stadium? Any cool little neighborhoods like Burlingame in that area?

Sunnyvale? Los Altos? Mountain View?

 

[Eephus]

Sorry Senor. I hardly ever get further south than the airport.

You might want to start a new thread for where to stay near Levis Stadium instead of a live in SF thread.

 

[Desert_Power]

Sorry Senor. I hardly ever get further south than the airport.

You might want to start a new thread for where to stay near Levis Stadium instead of a live in SF thread.

49ers Shark Pool thread is another idea.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

I'm dusting off this thread hoping to find an answer from some of the local SFO folk:

I am going to the 49'ers v. Seahawks game on 11/17 which is the reason we are driving through Tahoe from Las Vegas (this originated in the Tahoe thread, hence that comment)

My wife won't be going to the game (it's a work-related event) so we will probably find a place near the stadium or with easy access via VTA so I can hop on the train and get to the stadium easily. We may also go over the mountain to Santa Cruz on Monday to visit my aunt and then leave on Tuesday to fly back home which is why I would rather stay in that are versus staying in SFO proper.

Is there a decent area to stay that would be on the VTA and nearish the stadium? Any cool little neighborhoods like Burlingame in that area?

Sunnyvale? Los Altos? Mountain View?

the VTA can be slow so keep that in mind but https://www.california.com/south-bay-adventures-best-things-do-south-bay/