First Impressions

At first glance, the Sunset district in San Francisco is a picture perfect example of suburbia. Minivans pull out of one-car garages, joggers and dog walkers frequent the sidewalks, and moving and garage sale signs are posted everywhere. Each house is eerily similar to its neighbor, with differences in color and orientation, and there seems to be a forest of trees straight out of a Robert Frost poem surrounding some neighborhoods. Once you reach Lincoln Way, you're greeted with Golden Gate Park, a must-see attraction for tourists and natives.

First Glance: Sunset homes near Judah

            "Who doesn't love Golden Gate Park?" Victoria Phoenix asked me. She works on Irving Street in Pearl, a newly opened jewelry and rock photography shop (a new favorite place of mine).

            With the Botanical Garden, de Young Museum, Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers and more, who doesn't love Golden Gate Park? is right.

            Another place that is not to be missed is Judah Street, especially around the beach. There are artsy little coffee shops and restaurants, a fabulous organic food store, a general store and more.

            Irving Street is another must-see. Ninth and Irving is a popular area, which every Sunday hosts the Inner Sunset Farmers' Market.

Fruit at the Inner Sunset Farmers' Market

            I went to last Sunday's Farmer's Market and am in awe with what I saw. Fresh fruits and vegetables, gorgeous flowers, honey, amazing baked goods and even organic eggs. Everything was organic and beautiful and the people who came with baskets and reusable bags surely spent a pretty penny on all the wonderful goods presented (as did I).

Inner Sunset Farmers' Market

            During the market, I spoke to a couple of vendors who frequent farmers' markets all around the bay. Christine Morrissey, the organic egg vendor said that business is booming for her and others who provide organic eggs ever since the recent salmonella outbreak in eggs from supermarkets all over the United States.

            "People want to work direct with the farmer," she said. And by shopping at farmers' markets like the Inner Sunset's, they can be.

            There is more to Irving than the Farmers' Market, though.

            "Ninth and Irving is one of the most underrated spots in the city," a woman named Katie said.

            "It's [the Sunset] changed so much over the past 25 years," she said. "Once it was all Irish, everyone had ten kids, the demographics changed."

            "Now, it [the Sunset] is mostly Asian and students," Marge Heard, owner of The Last Straw gift shop on Judah said. The Asian population is so prominent, that its influence is seen all over the district, especially on Irving Street.

            All along Irving Street, there are small Asian grocery stores or produce stores, multiple Asian-owned house ware stores and countless Asian restaurants.

            Among all of that, the Irish pubs and Lefty's Tattoo Company stick out like a sore thumb.

            As for why people live in the Sunset, there was one answer I heard over and over: It's very safe.

            In fact, according to CrimeMapping.com, a national resource for crime data, a little more than 100 reported crimes (mostly for disturbing the peace) have occurred in the Sunset District during the week of August 22, 2010 to August 28, 2010, compared to Haight/Ashbury, which, during the same week, had over 200 reported crimes.

            "It's a wonderful neighborhood, very safe," Phoenix said. "The people are very nice…in general."

            Overall, I find the Sunset to be a pretty amazing little area. It has hidden gems like Pearl and The Last Straw and a deafening multicultural atmosphere. It's very different than other better known areas of San Francisco like the Haight and the Castro, but it deserves more recognition for being a good place to walk around and spend a weekend in. That's what I did, and I have the sunburn to prove it.