THE UNIT AND BUILDING

First impression of stunning light pouring through the windows - makes you feel like you’re outside. Every morning we’d wake up and take in the view – it is gorgeous at all hours and we were so spoiled by it. Every evening we would eat dinner in the bay window – we have SO many photos of stunning sunsets there. We could also see the different weather patterns in the microclimates – have memories of noticing that it looked sunny in Tiburon while the city was foggy, so we’d jump in the car and pop out there for dinner. We look back on our time here SO fondly even though the majority of it was such a dark time (Covid) – the apartment itself was our haven. We lived and worked from there. AND, it is the perfect jumping off point for adventures. The office/ laundry room was actually used as Nick’s office for all of Covid – standing desk. Nick even set up full podcast equipment (microphone, recorder, headset, etc) and recorded over 500 episodes of a popular show in that room. We love the classic design of the building - a glam factor you don’t find in SF but was so appealing moving from a similar art deco building in Greenwich Village. The communal roof deck is the best we’ve seen in the city, done before we moved in - It’s got full views and we’d go up there nightly for a sunset catch-up/drink and never would see anyone up there. We’d also bring mats up and do an early morning yoga there all the time. The building recently had the rug and painting redone - and it’s quieter than you realize since many apartments are pied-a-terres, and there are only 5 units per floor. The garage is easy - we parked our BMW X1 and our Tesla Model Y in the spot – fits a small SUV. Also not on a steep hill, and noise from Gough was never an issue for us given the higher-up floor and the tree outside - you do not hear Gough from the bedroom.

UNIT UPDATES/UPGRADES

Since we were there during Covid, we were constantly thinking of little improvement projects and made many renovations - caring for the apartment was a hobby. We loved that the high quality finishes felt so fresh in contrast to the historic building. California closets made that front closet into a mudroom, and we added a Miele W/D (our unit is one of the few with W/D “in-unit”, though there is also communal laundry). We took down the entire wall between the kitchen and the living room (we made it higher and made a curved angle to it to match with the rest of the apartment’s style), which opened up the whole space and gave the living room a view of the Golden Gate bridge. We remodeled the kitchen with Kelly Wearstler lighting, Bertazzoni oven, and new tile/paint/ fixtures. We added double sinks and marble in the bathroom. Our bedroom walk-in closet was also built out with California Closets. We redid the flooring. Previous owner replaced windows with Marvin. We added Tesla E/V car charging exclusively for our parking space.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

You are in a sunnier part of Pac Heights being on the eastern edge vs closer to Divis. Close walk to Fillmore, Polk, and Union. Polk is blowing up – Bar Iris is a cool cocktail bar, two Michelin starred restaurants, new Bi-Rite, Cheese Plus, St Frank’s Coffee. Tailors Son for dinner, Salt & Straw for ice cream. Molly walked to Blue Bottle every morning on Fillmore. We’d also walk down to Camino Alto on Union Street, Blue Fog, flower shops. Even Chestnut Street is walkable. Awesome access to Lafayette and Alta Plaza parks (wonderful playground) – even the Presidio. We’d walk to tennis nearly every weekend and Molly would walk to Lyon St Steps or down to Fort Mason for exercise. Bodega literally on the block, so perfect for last minute needs – the guys who work there know all the neighbors. The Mormon Church is actually key because it’s not tall and ain’t going anywhere so it keeps our view of the bay (and has great palm trees in our view). Easy walk down the hill to Ft Mason for the Saturday Farmer’s Markets. The Pad is the ultimate yoga experience in SF, right down the street, we went all the time. We also have Equinox memberships and would go to SoulCycle on Union. We’d run daily - great route up to Lyon Street Steps straight along Pacific. Biked across the bridge from the apartment many times. So easy to get out to Marin or Napa/Sonoma, which we did almost every weekend.

COMMUTE

Nick commuted down to Menlo Park each day - easy to pop onto Gough to head to the highway on one light-synchronized street. Buses nearby and at Lafayette park going downtown, which was Nick’s commute after Robinhood (Nick also used to walk home from the Ferry Building - 1 big hill, but beautiful 30-40-minute walk). Being on Gough also makes the trip to SFO easier – you don’t have to cut across the city to get out. 

A FINAL NOTE

Overall, we’d like to say the apartment is our perfect combo of NY and CA: It has the old world charm and details of a NYC luxury building, but the brightness and palm tree/water views of California living. We were in this home for all of Covid and never got tired of it - in fact, it was our savior (Nick podcasting from the closet, Molly working from the Kitchen!). Every night we’d go to the roof deck for a toast and best view in the city, then we’d have dinner in the nook of the Bay window seeing the Bay and the Bridge. We’d walk in in the afternoons and be hit with light - it was a magical, inspiring, energizing, stately, and cool spot we had so much fun in and were so sad to leave. The only reason we don’t still live there is because we have two little kids…but if we could pile into the place with them, we would do it in a heartbeat.

A note from the Sellers