Letter from the Seller
When I began unpacking the U-Haul into this home a decade ago, I knew almost nothing about it or the Excelsior neighborhood. I knew the condo had a kick-ass deck, a nice view, and that I could take the 14R up to the Valencia corridor to party with my friends. That’s it.
It was my bachelor pad.
A year later my girlfriend moved in and helped turn the pad into a home. She started planting succulents, herbs, and other green things on the decks. She adorned the walls with homemade and local artwork, and we started shopping for fresh produce daily at Casa Lucas around the corner. I learned about food groups other than burritos and pizza.
Enough about the lettuce though–did somebody say burritos? The Mexican food in Excelsior is outstanding. It’s so good that Mexico Tipico catered our wedding rehearsal dinner at the nearby Mission YMCA.
Local tip: Ask Reuben at Mexico Tipico for a side of his famous spicy guacachile sauce. He’ll give you as much as you want, but he won’t tell you a single ingredient.
In the event you tire of quesabirria, pico de gallo, and freshly prepared tortilla chips, you can enjoy southern cooking at Gentilly, Korean bites at the Korner Store, or an Italian deli sandwich at Calabria Bros. If you like sushi, I suggest the affordable and fantastic Omakase tasting at Amami sushi, virtually next door. Friday night sushi became a tradition for my family.
Drinks? Excelsior is also home to Tala Wines, a brand new tasting room where you can try your favorite vintage. There’s a popular cocktail lounge down the street called Rocks Den, as well as the Dark Horse gastropub (get the fried pickles!) If coffee is your thing, Excelsior Coffee has some of the best roasts that I’ve tried anywhere. My friends in Noe Valley often swing by for a cup.
Beyond the excellent food and drink, I learned that you don’t need to get in the car for almost anything in the Excelsior. Haircut? Dentist? Pharmacy? Grocery store? Dry Cleaning? Yes–all within a few blocks. Want to get lost in a good book? The library is across the street.
Occasionally we missed the comforts of suburban living. Thankfully, we could take a 10 minute drive to Colma or Daly City, home to every big-box store on earth. The condo is just far enough away from 101 and 280 where we got all the benefits of car culture with none of the nuisance.
Ocean Beach and Pacifica are a fifteen minute drive away.
But sometimes San Francisco beaches don’t cut it. When it’s time for that Hawaii trip, the SFO airport is 20 minutes in an Uber.
In 2017 my son was born. He attended preschool with the Mission YMCA. The care was warm and affordable and we are still friends with “Teacher Ed.” Our son eventually started Kindergarten at the diverse and highly rated Monroe Elementary school, a two block walk from the home. Monroe features Spanish Immersion, Chinese Bilingual, and traditional English education. We also made ample use of the eight playgrounds within a mile.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, we started leaning into outdoor activities like hiking and golf. Glen Park Canyon and McLaren Park offer bountiful hiking and rock climbing opportunities. McLaren is the “secret Golden Gate Park” and features Gleneagles golf course and an amphitheater where the yearly Jerry Day festival is held. Jerry Garcia grew up in Excelsior!
Twice a year, the city closes down Mission street from Avalon down to Geneva Ave. Sunday Streets provides a car-free opportunity to stroll down Mission street, listen to local musicians, enjoy street art, and learn about community based programs. Our family loves this event.
In recent years we have found lots of adventure via the frequent 14, 44, and 49 bus lines. Without a single transfer, we were able to explore downtown San Francisco, Ghirardelli Square, the Ferry Building, Golden Gate Park, the Exploratorium, and the California Academy of Sciences. And many, many other destinations.
Glen Park BART is a fifteen minute walk or accessible via the 44 or 52 bus.
Inside the home we enjoyed the ample kitchen prep space, the open layout and the cool cross breeze through the condo. The front balcony overlooks the hustle and bustle of Mission street, but the back bedrooms are quiet and peaceful. We enjoyed warm mornings on the back deck, and used it as an entertaining space for our friends and family during the holidays. We also loved those chilly nights at home watching movies with the glow of the fireplace keeping us warm.
But what we’ll miss most is the sight of the fog pouring over the hills on late summer evenings. As the sun sets and the fog rolls in, a beautiful spectrum of pinks, purples and oranges are revealed in the sky. Then the city lights start twinkling in the distance.
It never gets old.
--Rocco