calabasa

This is industrial hideousness central. I mean, it's a necessity and the buildings there perform important functions, but they're still ugly and driving through there will make you feel like you're in a horror movie. It is the middle of nowhere and your cell phone won't work so well, so take care!

I absolutely despised having to drive on South 27th!! I am thankful everyday that I no longer live near there, it was a nightmare. It was always traffic-y, always sketchy and stressful to be there. It is not a safe area, at all. I had to do my shopping at Harbor Village Square and it was so awful because I had to go there down South 27th in order to get there quickly. So wretched.

I only like this street because of it's proximity to some pretty cool stuff in the area, such as the Maritime Museum and Little Italy. I'd say that it loses major points with me because our rental car was ticketed while parked on W. Juniper on the last night of my trip.

I stayed in a hotel near here my first trip to San Diego. It's in pretty much a perfect spot for getting to the Maritime Museum, Little Italy and (my favorite) Architectural Salvage of San Diego! SO COOL! You can get amazing food in Little Italy, a completely gorgeous view of the water and, if you're an architecture student like me, a lot of inspiration from the Salvage. My goodness, please go there!

Tuna Lane is an unfortunate name for a neat little "street". To begin, it's not a street, it's a parking lot loop. It has amazing views, however, both of the marina and the Aircraft Carrier Museum.. totally awesome! It's a neat little spot, the weather is pretty much always glorious and you can get to good eats from here. I like that the air is very clean smelling and it's just a nice little spot for a short walk if you're doing some sightseeing and you want a break. This spot is where I had my first "I love San Diego" moment, as odd as that might sound!

Ok, so this is worlds away form Crosby Park! It's incredibly beautiful, perched out in the water with the breeze coming in at sunset! It is a rather out-of-the-way spot, very romantic, very green and plus you have Joe's Crab Shack right there so there's often a delicious smell wafting around. It's a great place to sit and read or take a breather if you have biked out there (like I often did). It's such a weird little gem hidden in a lot of average, nondescript crud. I would highly recommend it if you happen to be in the area.

If you read my review of Bay Front, this is sort of a continuation of that. So, we left the Park and started driving down Bay Front, which turns into Beardsley at some point. We were trying to get back to Harbor Drive and so we hung a left onto Crosby, passed the park (our assailants were still there!) and headed back up toward Harbor, only the street had been blocked for cleaning and so we were forced back down Bay Front, onto Beardsley and then eventually onto Water Street. I tell you all of this so that you know that this little area is a pain to drive in, it's confusing, shady and I really don't recommend it to anyone with good sense.

I don't know, I just kind of assume that things will be nicer the closer you get to the water in San Diego.. NOT THE CASE! Right after I relocated to SD I invited some friends to go on a picnic to a park that I saw on a map which was right near where I was first staying.. Crosby Street Park. My friends seemed dubious about my plan but they went along with it, and I ended up feeling so bad about making them do that. We parked on Bay Front and walked a few hundred feet to the park, which was really shady and I immediately regretted my decision. We were physically threatened by some young kids there (I think it was their first attempt at mugging?), so we left immediately and then found that the car had been keyed while parked within viewing distance. WTF? So, don't go to Bay Shore and don't go to Crosby Street Park.

Marcy is a street I've ridden my bike down a million times to get to the library or the park. It's pretty much a typical residential street, although I'm not crazy about the area. I've never had any problems, per se, on the street but I get the impression that problems are not unknown in that particular area... likely because of the high instance of police activity I've witnessed. There are definitely worse places in San Diego, but there are also better.

I spent a lot of time (against my better judgment) walking around this neighborhood. It's the cheapest way to get exercise, afterall. But I always dreaded walking up S Bancroft. The only reason I consistently did was that it has a long incline so it gets the heart pumping. What also gets the heart pumping is the sound of gunshots. Which I heard more than once walking there. Let me tell you, nothing will irreparably change your opinion of a place like the sound of gunshots. It's kind of a dirty neighborhood, too, so that doesn't help. The air quality is absolutely awful, and when you reach the top of the hill you are at eye level with the smog in the flat lands.. so gross.

From what I understand and have heard, La Bon has more than its share of LOUD parties. I was at dinner at a friends house two blocks away and we could hear the music from a party over on La Bon. I remarked on the noise and my friend said "Oh, that's just La Bomb going off", which summed it up pretty perfectly. I looked at a house there when I first moved down to the area and none of them looked livable. I certainly didn't want to end up living on a shady street, and I'm glad I followed my gut feeling. I wasn't sure how to rate the "nightlife" category because there certainly is a lot of it, but I'm not sure if it's good or not.. so I put average.

There's really not a lot to say about South 31st Street, not a lot can be said to sell it. It's just a residential street, shabby and a little bit scary. I don't equate poverty with crime, but it's both a poor area and a fairly crime-ridden area. I didn't not like having to walk down S 31st, even in the middle of the day. It's creepily desolate, you don't see many people outside or on the street, and I can't blame them. You'll see bars on windows, pit bulls and shady characters that tend to duck out sight if they see you. Totally weird. I lived in the area out of necessity and I was pretty happy when moving day came and I could get the heck out of there. No convenient shopping to be had, no place to go out and eat, and not much peace and quiet.

Martin Avenue is my old street. It's not a pretty street, or a particularly safe street, but I kinda liked it. I have a soft spot for plants and the yards were full of really interesting plants. I know, it is a really superficial reason to like a place, but that's how it is. Everything is kind of rundown and overgrown, but it's charming! I liked that the park was nearby and that the neighbors were always really nice to me. Again, not a street or area where you can let your guard down completely, but if you happen to find yourself living in the area Martin is not the worst street of the lot.

Okay, when trying to find a friends address on my GPS I typed it in, I won't say the exact address but it was on Greely. It gave me fairly good directions.. up until it said to drive .5 miles on Greely, when it dead-ends after only a few feet. The voice on the GPS just kept saying "drive .5 miles on Greely, destination on left" but there was no way I could! I busted out the trusty old iPhone and saw what the problem was.. it's a street in three, non-linear segments. And my friend's address was on the section furthest from me. Anyway! It took some doing, but I found my way and got an earful from a resident because he didn't want me parking on the curb outside his house! Jerk! Wasn't the nicest neighborhood. It's a pain to navigate. Don't go there unless you have to.

S 30th is traffic central, which in Southern California is really saying something. Nutty drivers, which is terrible because you have to drive a good distance to get to the nearest grocery store. I did like taking my dog for a stretch in the park there, and my nephew really loved the little skate park that they built. I'd say that it's not the safest area in the city.. I was driving a company car during my time there and it was vandalized (tagged) twice and broken into once. Luckily, there were no valuables to take so I just had to worry about getting the passenger side window and mirror replaced. Still, it makes you uneasy when those things happen. I certainly wouldn't want to raise my kids there. 'Nuff said.

Boston Avenue is one of those streets that a person doesn't go to unless it's out of necessity. I did my grocery shopping there because it was the closest shop to my house, and even then it was quite a drive. It's SO noisy and bleak out there. Scraggly trees and kinda rundown buildings. Plus, Interstate 5 runs parallel to Boston so there's all the tagging, noise and litter that goes along with that. Not the most beautiful area, to be polite. I was honestly shocked by it when I first drove there because San Diego is such a beautiful city with such beautiful weather. Neither of those things seemed to have permeated that area, though.

I stayed in this area when I was in San Diego for a training program. I was there for a month and stayed right off of Irving Avenue. I would have to walk down Irving to get to the Library for research. It seems like every yard has aggressive dogs and it's a little off-putting. The great thing is that there IS a library nearby, and a park. Tons and tons of kids in the neighborhood, which means the ice cream truck is there in summer, always a plus! It's not the worst neighborhood in the world, I've seen worse, but I was never 100% at ease because of those darn dogs.

St Marks is a pretty good street. I have a special fondness for it and it's little shops. It is a bit on the noisy side, but where in Brooklyn isn't? It's close to the metro, which is nice. I don't know, it's nothign to write home about, but I like it. And you might too.

Liberty is kinda ugly, to be blunt. It's not the most affluent area and things are a little run-down. That being said, the people are nice (which is the most important thing) and you'll never run out of bodegas to visit. Not bad, not great, but a utilitarian kinda street where you can get things and then get out.

Ok, I understand that some people might have qualms about living so near a cemetery, but honestly what's not to like? It's quiet and pretty and you're not surrounded by irritating neighbors on all sides. Sunnyside is a street with just such perks. It's got a park, water and a lovely GIANT cemetery nearby. Who wouldn't like to have those kinds of neighbors?

I love this area, the park adds real beauty to the neighborhood, the people are friendly and considerate of bicyclists, and there's just this relaxed charm to Highland Boulevard, despite the fact that it's a relatively busy street. Heath is a little residential offshoot with houses tucked back into the parkland. Super pretty, I'd love to live in the area.

Now, I understand that when you have a dog in the city you have to take it out on the public streets to find a place to do it's business, but you are supposed to clean it up afterward! Evidently, someone on Crosby hasn't heard this rule of general courtesy (and I believe it's also a law).. I am not saying it's a terrible street or anything, in fact I know it's not, but slipping in dog poo twice in the course of a month walking down Crosby is just not right. Come on, people!

It's funny, but the thing about Brooklyn is that it's almost all residential in some respect, but there are always bodegas within walking distance and some shopping close by. It's bustling and there is always a little noise, but if you want the Brooklyn version of quiet, you can get it on Van Siclen. It's a little bit of a pain being one way and surrounded by one way streets, but you get used to it.

The thing that I love about Brooklyn is that the people (for the most part) are soooo down to earth. There isn't that arrogant and pretentious Manhattan vibe. They are real and friendly, especially in the area of Harway Ave. It's a really nice place in and of itself, but it's also in great proximity to a lot of other awesome areas. I loved it there.

I like this whole area.. it has this modest, blue-collar kind of feel that reminds me of what old Brooklyn must have been like before all the gentrification. It's in a really nice area, as far a scenery goes, with the water a little bit away and a park whose name escapes me.

I ended up Morton looking for a certain pierogi place (that I ended up never finding) and I waited there for a good half hour for a friend to come collect me. Didn't see a soul, just a lot of closed up buildings and one other person who looked half scared to death to be walking down the street.

I lived in the Mission for six years recently, and moving away from there was one of the hardest things I've ever done! If only for the loss of amazing burritos! The people are amazingly friendly for the most part (I'm looking at you snobbish hipsters!), and there is a strong community fabric. It always seems like there is a cause that everyone in the Mission is standing up for, which I admire. There are amazing pubs, murals abound and, I can't stress enough, the food is something that I dream about.

If you manage to find Hornet Avenue, you will turn a dog-leg corner onto Lexington Ave. I honestly felt like someone in "The Hills Have Eyes" driving down that street! If you drive to the end, good luck turning your car around, it's narrow and kinda fraught with debris. I had to back all the way out :(.

Hornet Avenue is a nightmare to find, since it's not really marked with a street sign! It looks more like a driveway than a street and my GPS in my car couldn't find it because it's right on the boundary between South SF and San Bruno and it was confused. It's surrounded by HUNDREDS of car repair, salvage places and whatnot.

Montgomery Avenue is not someplace I would often go.. it's not a destination unless you work there or you need to have some dings taken out of your car. I'm sure it's a perfectly safe street but I always feel a little uneasy in industrial neighborhoods, and this was definitely true on Montgomery. I won't lie, it's a little bit ugly, but hey, it's about function, not fashion.

I lived on Elm Court for a short time and it was a pretty awesome place to live, I have to say. The neighborhood is tight, the people are nice, it's pretty safe. The thing that I loved about it was that it was so close to shopping.. like, walking distance, which was awesome because the street that takes you to all the shopping areas runs in the opposite direction (being a one way street), so it was nice not to have to drive the crazy obstacle course to get there. Spruce Avenue is nearby, which I really like. It's kinda the "old town" area. Just a pretty awesome place.

Depending on where you are on Baden Avenue you can find residential and commercial areas. At Magnolia Avenue intersection you will find the ADORABLE Schoolhouse Grocery Store, which I absolutely love. It's just such a real, old-fashioned corner store. Many nice houses on Baden. Just a pretty cool area.

Tanforan is a somewhat scary street, I have to say. It's a residential street in an industrial area. It's weird and segmented by the railroad tracks, so it's kinda hard to find where you need to get to because if you're using MapQuest or something, it doesn't differentiate between the different segments. Not my favorite street in South SF.

Lowrie is one of those roads that has a lot of industry and storage facilities, shipping and the like. It's a necessary thing, but slightly ugly to see. It's a street that I've driven on to get from one place to another, but I've never stopped there, having no reason to do so. It's just the kind of place where people living nearby go to work.

I grew up in this area, so I am pretty fond of it. The intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Antoinette Lane is pretty busy since the 82 is nearby and there's a lot of shopping to be done on Antoinette, like Safeway and a fluff and fold. It's just a neighborhood kind of place, not a tourist destination by any means, but the locals are friendly and down-to-earth.

I am biased, I will admit, when it comes to the Mission. I think it's the best area in SF. I lived on Sycamore for a short time and I loved the people, the place, the access to AMAZING food and even the nightlife, when I was in the mood for it. Some people say it's in a shady area, but I never found it to be that way. It might be a little rough around the edges, but that's what makes it interesting and genuine.

You'd never know that you were so close to Great American Music Hall, it's so quiet on this street. Granted, I've seen it mostly in the dead of night, but it's crazy how dead it was. It's kind of a pain to navigate, like most of the city, because of the one-way streets. Would use it to get to Van Ness from Larkin and it was the easiest to get down because there's almost never any traffic on it.

After living off of Mission for several years I got to know all the little streets pretty well and I had a special fondness for Brook Street. There were always characters sitting out who'd say hi when they saw me. Never had any problems riding my bike, could find good eats in that little area and a drink, too.

I was on Diana Street once and it was just like any other residential street. A little dull, parking was a nightmare and our car was vandalized. I'm used to it in the city, but it still stings. I think the funniest thing about our car being vandalized on that particular street is that there is a police department a few feet away. Live and learn.

MacArthur Avenue is just a little nub of a street that one uses to visit Fort Mason. When I was there I saw some folks walking dogs and the like, so I assume it's a pretty safe spot. It's a bit chilly and windy, what with the water being a stone's throw away, but not a bad place to find yourself in. Not a lot as far as eating or entertainment, but hey, it's SF and you can always go to Westfield Center if that's what you're looking for!

I normally wouldn't just make a bad review of a place based on one negative experience, but for Shotwell Street, I'll make an exception! I was biking on that street and it was terrifying. People don't care that you're on a bike and even though I was taking care to stay well over someone glanced me with their side mirror and sent me flying. THEN, I was robbed as I was laying unconscious on the side of the rode. That's right, my cell phone, purse and iPod, GONE. Maybe it's a nice street, but I'll never go back to find out.

I walk up Valley Street pretty frequently to get to Church Street. I like the people in that area since they actually acknowledge you when you're walking by...maybe I'm just a small-town girl at heart, but I like it when people say "hi" to each other! I would say it'd be a nice place to live.

Tiny little dead-end street, kinda a little bit creepy if you accidentally walk down it at night. Not dangerous, but eerie. I think the creepiest part to me was that it's in close proximity with the freeway and Folsom, but it was dead quiet! Nice little corner of the world, and seems like it'd be an OK place to live.

Having to cross Cesar Chavez at any time of the day is a dangerous chore but I have to do it twice a day! I can't tell you how many close calls I've had with people taking the corner of Valencia Street at Chavez too fast, and the people who live near there will yell at you if they see it happen.. as if I'm at fault for crossing on a green light! Not much in the way of shopping or eating, mainly it's just to get from one spot to another. I would avoid it if I could.