How to pretend you're from San Fran?

Question

I need stuff like accent, clothing, an address, etc. Im from the midwest and I hate it. My grandfather did live in San fran before moving

Answer 1

1. Don't call it "Frisco" or "San Fran", that immediately sets off alarms that you're from the Midwest / South (or Canada).

Most locals call it "The City" (capital T, capital C). Other folks tend to use the full name. Remember, it's pronounced "cis" as in cistern, not "sis" as sissy. That's also a common mistake that will instantly mark you as a tourist.

2. A few naming conventions...

- The subway is "BART" (Bay Area Rapid Transit), the local buses are "MUNI" (Municipal), the trams are "MUNI Metro" (faster Municipal), and the commuter rail is "Caltrain."

- Freeways are referred to by just their number and **never** with the word "the" beforehand. Adding "the" to freeway numbers is a Los Angeles practice. Freeways are also referred to by their names.

- Here's how the suburbs work, geographically...the "North Bay" refers to Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties. The "East Bay" refers to Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano counties. The "South Bay" refers to Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. The "Peninsula" refers to the City of San Francisco and San Mateo county.

3. How to deal with stupid question (#1).

Yes, pot is decriminalized in San Francisco. Anything under 28 grams is treated as a minor misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is a $135 fine. Medicinal pot is totally legal, if you have a proscription.

4. How to deal with stupid question (#2).

No, we're not all gay. In fact, the vast majority of us are straight. But we're far more tolerant of sexuality (and indeed, nudity) than most places in America. Same-sex unions are legally recognized. Baker Beach allows nudity, and it is also allowed during special events like the Bay-to-Breakers marathon.

5. Know that the ghetto areas are the Tenderloin, Bayview, Hunter's Point, and Western Addition neighborhoods...as well as the cities of Oakland, Richmond, and East Palo Alto.

EDIT: I don't have a problem with most of Tonalc's critiques. Though I find much of it nitpicky. What does it matter if it's a state law or local ordinance, San Francisco follows both... does it not? And counties have a degree of leeway in enforcing the law.

If it decides to be obstructionist, San Francisco could still make life very hard for medicinal pot users by imposing restrictive "regulations" that makes it more difficult to acquire the drug. This is the case in many counties.

And I must also reiterate that most straight couples do not have access to domestic partnerships. The DP scheme was specifically designed for same-sex couples. This is stated in Section 1(b) of the Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act (Act 421 of 2003).

It was only amended to include seniors when lawmakers realized some elderly widowers encountered financial hardship if they re-marry. Opposite-sex couples where both partners are under 62 years of age cannot register as a DP, they must register under the auspices of the Marriage Act.

Here's the text of the bill as chaptered in the state's official registrar:

http://www.assembly.ca.gov/LGBT_Caucus/laws/2003/ab0205/fulltextchapteredbill.htm

Answer 2

Pretty awesome.Im only 14 so i dont dont pay rent or anything,but i know San Francisco's pretty expensive.I wouldnt know alot about nightlife haha,but i guess it depends where in san francisco you live.Transportation is good.Buses at every cornver.there's taxi''s everywhere too.I love sf!! When i get older though,i plan on moving to nyc which is better,bigger with more city life.One thing you have to know is where to live.I'd say stay away from neighborhoods like tenderloin,castro&western addition.thats where alot of the drugs and stuff are at.you can't live anywhere where there aren't homeless,but the area's where you dont really find them are in the marina,pacific heights,sea cliff area..which is also the expensive parts of sf and the best.the beach is there and its always sunnier in those areas than the rest.Well ,hope you move here!once you move here you wont want to leave..you might have to if its too expensive..but you wont want to[:

Answer 3

1). Never call it San Fran. You call it only The City. Nothing else.
2). Tell people you live "in the avenues"
3). You go DOWN to the beach, never up
4). There is no 'uptown'
5). The LA Dodgers are scum, even when they aren't
6). Never, never buy sweet sourdough
7). You put on your pants, with a silent 't'
8). Fog's in
9). Let the tourists ride the Cable Cars
10). Oakland, Ca. does exist...but that's not SF's fault
11). Snivel, moan, and ***** about the Giants but remain a fan
12). Wear a hooded sweatshirt and Ben's work pants
13). The point-Hunter's point Mish-Mission district
'Avenues'- Sunset, Richmond districts 'The 'Loin'- The tenderloin district 'The Park'- GG Park 'TI'- Treasure Island
14). and much much more

Answer 4

You don't have to act differently because people who live in SF come from all over.

Any correction in your clothing can be done quite easily. If you are a guy, just buy a huge oversized T shirt and wear your pants until they almost fall off, exposing your underwear. Actually, baggy jeans have to be worn a certain way -- with dash and flair.

Answer 5

fognearcoast's answer is delightful and thorough, and made me laugh.

I just wanted to take issue with a couple of sfdude's answers (though he's usually spot on):

--Pot is decriminalized not just in SF, but throughout California. The *state* law says under 28 grams is a misdemeanor, subject to a $100 fine.

--Medicinal pot is legal throughout California, not just in SF. SF has its own relaxed statutes.

--Same-sex unions are recognized, but as "domestic partners," which also applies to straight couples. All same-sex marriages were voided by the state Supreme Court in 2004.

--The "Peninsula" in SF parlance does not include the city of SF, but rather those cities south of it along the, yes, peninsula.

--There is only one small section of Baker Beach (the north end) where you can go nude.

Answer 6

1. Don't say "San Fran" or "Frisco"

Answer 7

Dont wear shorts. it can be cold as hell even in july