An estimated 48,000 houses were constructed in San Francisco from 1848 to 1915 in the style typical of the day, with ornate woodwork characteristic of so-called Queen Anne design. Earthquakes and fires, most notably those of 1906, destroyed many—as did shortsighted development—but those that survived are now cherished. When these historic houses are restored and painted in a variety of bright colors to bring out their details, they are often referred to as “painted ladies.” One of the most-photographed rows of painted ladies can be found on Steiner Street, overlooking Alamo Square Park. (Yes, these are the same houses that appear in the Full House opening credits.)

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San Francisco: Why We Decided to Stay

After living in the superb of Mountain View for three months, we decided to move to San Francisco. We were still quite new to the West Coast life but having lived in New York, London and Hong Kong, I was excited to call another city home. While Mountain View has amazing weather and is surrounded by nature, I missed the hustle and bustle that only city life will give you. As a tourist, I always found San Francisco to be a beautiful, if not charming, city. Every view was bigger and better than the last and the food was fresh and flavorful. That said, my trips were usually long weekends or work trips, so my knowledge was fairly limited. So, instead of searching for apartments across the city, we decided to rent a furnished apartment, for a month while we discovered what neighborhoods we could imagine ourselves living. That’s actually a lot more important than in, say, New York, because public transportation in SF is not the best. Our rental was near Civic Center and despite being a few blocks from the Tenderloin, we found the area very convenient and comfortable. The building had an elevator, indoor garage and a rooftop terrace and the apartment itself had all the essentials, including a washer/dryer in unit. There was a Philz down the street (they have the best coffee) and plenty of food and wine shops. Plus, Union Square is about a 15-20 minute walk away, which by New York standards, is nothing! For anyone thinking of moving to SF, I recommend a home-stay so you can really get to know the city before committing on a new home.

Choosing The Best Recumbent Bike In Fitness Center

You are a person who always takes care of your health. And you usually practice every day to have good health. Nowadays, the trend of playing sport is gym. So now we will introduce to you some benefits and advantages of recumbent exercise. Of course, this instrument brings to you so much advantage. But firstly, to have started to play, you must choose right machine. Choosing the best recumbent bike and then do it everyday to have a good health. Now we will introduce to you about features as well as function of this product. The Features Of Recumbent Bikes As you know, this product has component that is different from normal bike. It has compact design and then you can sit in this product to ride many round with the movement of wheels in this machine. The seat of this product has a low design and has a tipped after the seat. But if you want to control it higher compare to normal, you can use a button after the seat to suitable for your body. So can be say, this bike line is convenient for you to use... Read full article: http://www.lightsoutla.org/choosing-the-best-recumbent-bike-in-fitness-center/

San Francisco: Sea, Sky, and Sights

The Golden Gate Bridge spans almost two miles across the San Francisco Bay. Walking or biking its length—ideally on a sunny day—is a must-do activity. Along San Francisco’s waterfront, visitors walk along Fisherman’s Wharf, eating steaming clam chowder out of sourdough bread bowls and hearing the sea lions squawk. Downtown, families ride original cable car trolleys over Nob Hill before venturing through the Dragon Gate in Chinatown or down the very Italian Columbus Avenue in North Beach. From the hills, get a glimpse of iconic buildings like the Transamerica Pyramid in the Financial District or the Victorian homes near Alamo Square known as the Painted Ladies (shown).

Touring Alamo Square at sunset.

Alamo Square is home of the “Painted Ladies,” eclectic musicians, and some of the most incredible views of San Fransisco. The trolleys won’t take you all the way there, but cabs are easy to catch. We couldn’t have chosen a better way to burn the last hour of daylight. Grab a blanket and watch an incredible California sunset (just be sure to have a cab scheduled to pick you up for when you’re ready to leave.)

Alamo Square, San Francisco

The view from Alamo Square is not to be missed! You will quickly agree that a trip here is time well spent to enjoy “The Painted Ladies” (the Victorian houses in the foreground), and the sharp contrast they make with the skyscrapers behind them in the sweeping panorama of the city. Take 21 Bus from Market Street, anywhere between Spear and Ninth St., and get off at Steiner.

Alamo Square's Painted Ladies

Cue “Full House” music. Alamo Square’s famous “Painted Ladies” or “Postcard Row” as many know it. After 9 months of traveling last year, I planned a short stay in San Francisco, yet months later, I’m still here in the City by the Bay.

Annual Alamo Square Park Flea Market

The Annual Alamo Square Flea Market is held in August at the scenic Alamo Square Park. This park is famous for the beautiful skyline view and of course The Painted Ladies. Here you can score vintage items, antiques, treasures of all kinds, and a puppy. Don’t worry, the puppy is from the SFSPCA. Wander around, grab a bite, and enjoy the sunny day before the fog rolls in

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