October 15, 2008
Cream of the Crop? Top of the Heap?
Found over in the gentle hands of Gawker, we came across this nifty thingamajig over at Homethinking. Basically, if you move to or from Manhattan, it figures out for you what neighborhoods in one city parallel famous nabes ones in NYC.
And here's the comparison to SF.
Hmm, we've heard of Harlem, SoHo, and Boston. Oh wait, there's no Boston on there. Oh double wait, that's a city in Massachusetts. Eh, they all speak with, like, way funny accents, love their own bluntness, and eat thin pizza -- same thing, right? Let us know, loud East Coasters.
Anyway, if you want to check it out (or for a crisper image than above) , go here.
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I guess Manhattan has no area comparable to North Beach.
Many of the pizzerias in Boston and the surrounding burbs are owned/operated by Greek-American families. This pizza is quite different from thin crust Italian-American pizza found on the I-95 corridor from Connecticut through Philly. The Greek pie is usually pan-baked and has a thicker, spongy crust. There's also a tendency for Greek places to use white cheddar as opposed to mozzarella. When done right, the pie has a flavorful golden crust, but the pan and the different cheese pose higher risks of a greasy pie in the vein of the Pizza Hut Pan Pizza.
bluecanary, the list does indeed suck and doesn't care apples to apples, since it doesn't include the five boroughs, and is on the interwebs.
Lower East Side = Lower Haight (?)
For the rest of the neighborhoods, you might want to actually visit the link. You can even see in the graphic attached to this story that there's a full list.
That being said, I strongly disagree with some of their statements. Financial District (NYC) being compared to the mission and inner sunset? Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Also, you might have better luck if you switch the neighborhoods. Seeing the mission compared to districts in NYC might make more sense than searching through the list on the right to see where the mission lies. I certainly disagree that it's anything like the financial district, but I'd be willing to agree that parts are similar to the east village and little Italy. I also lived in Morningside Heights, and it's pretty similar to the area I live in now. (21st & Guerrero.)
Kind of strange comparisons - but I suppose I'm being really picky having lived in both cities. I guess if you're moving and know nothing about the other area, it could be a semi-useful tool.
Outer Sunset/ Outer Richmond = Jersey Shore?
Bayview = East Harlem
SoHo and Diamond Heights have nothing to do with each other.
Hey, I'm really digging some of these local comparisons (SF to San Jose, San Mateo, Oakland). LOL
oh i visited the full link, did the comparison, and have concluded that they have never been to the Mission.
but hey, its the interwebs.
Nothing compares to the Mission!
If you go to the full list, they say the Mission is like Manhattan's Financial District. Wow, did things change *that* much with the crash?
But if you flip it around (compare SF to Manhattan), they say
The Mission is like
Financial District, East Village, Little Italy, Morningside Heights
East Village, maybe. Don't really know the last two.
Morningside Heights is near Columbia university and Harlem. I guess the presence of minorities is what makes it similar. (i guess)
The other neighborhoods aren't even close. although the mission is slowly turning into the east village. (which is not a good thing)
Whew, no Potrero Hill. Move along. Nothing to see here. Until I buy a house.
Wow, Manhattan has a lot of neighborhoods like Pacific Heights. I guess that's what happens when you get rid of all the homeless drug addicts.
I don't know, I think the comparison of the mission to the east village is fair.
Here's the thing with the Mission - there are lots of little tiny areas that are similar to the ones listed. I wouldn't have such a problem comparing, say, 16th between Mission & Guerrero to the East Village - if I HAD to compare it to a NYC neighborhood. And I'd consider my area (let's call it Guerrero between 19th-22nd) to be similar to Morningside Heights. But 21st & Guerrero isn't really comparable to 17th & Mission. Still, they're the same "neighborhood".
I wonder how they decided these things? I'm 23, so when I think about what a neighborhood's characteristics are, I'm mostly comparing them in terms of shopping, bars, restaurants, that sort of thing, as well as people who might live there, types of housing, etc. I wonder what else they're taking into account.
Yeah, I was wondering about the methodology as well--I couldn't find it on their site. It seemed to indicate that they were talking about the relative prices and strengths of the real estate markets. A lot of the comparisons just don't make sense otherwise.
awww jeez, not this shit again!
Aright, jimbobklyn, is your avatar some awful injury or what?
Oh, and um yeah, tourists suck!
I've lived all over Manhattan, from the financial district up to Harlem, and now the Mission, and I can say this list is fucked.
@KatyG, yes, awful.