I’m on the flight back from SF after spending three days there for work. It was nothing short of terrific.
Sam Fran gets a bad rap. People talk about it as a progressive hell hole, a drug and depravity filled disaster zone, or (and this is my favourite term) “”West Coast Gotham”.
There is no denying SF has some issues, and I’ll write it about it one day, but the city only makes up one part of the Bay, and ignores towns such as Menlo Park and Palo Alto, where we stayed. It really is a completely world out there.
First off, it’s absolutely beautiful. This part of the world is evidently very wealthy, and a lot of that cash is converted into keeping the area tidy, clean, and well kept. Compounded with the stunning weather, and it feels like heaven as you walk around. I can see why people are attracted to living here.
There is, however, a cost to this, and in this instance, it’s literally the cost. Here is the Scotch menu from the bar I went to last night. Remember, this is per drink, not per bottle.
The other thing that is quite noticeable about the area, and the reason why it is so popular for tech work, is the network event. As you walk around, people are constantly meeting, collaborating, and working together to achieve goals. Bars are filled with founders, VCs, and even family offices, all trying to create opportunity and value. There is a genuine buzz around, and you can feel it as you move around. It’s a narrow stretch of land which is filled with ambitious, bold, visionary and excited people.
It was a blast to be a part of it, even if just for a few days.
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