The New York Times is good at reminding us about everything we're not. We're not especially fashion conscious by comparison, we're not preoccupied by Ivy League admissions (thank god), and we're certainly not the owners of this insanely nice houseboat floating on Mission Creek.

We've always sort of dreamed of living in a houseboat, mostly because we figured the cramped quarters, relative inaccessibility and plumbing challenges might give us a chance to actually own one one day. We'd have a deck with some tangled up fishing gear, maybe some bleached fish bones and a tacky wind chime. We'd have a waterlogged rowboat, a couple cats and a collection of vintage canned food. It'd smell like mildew, sure. But it would be our mildew. What a world it would be!

Oh, the naivete. Witness this newest addition to the Mission Creek houseboat community, a floating two-story gilded lily coming off a $400,000 renovation. Expansive hardwood floors! Waterfront views! An improbably tall bed! This is the stuff dreams are made of, if those dreams came with a successful-person budget and some very good architects.

As envious as we are, we can't find a bad word to say about these happy, lucky people. Through our tears, we salute you, owners of this floating property, real-estate gods and future child. As for us, we hear cardboard boxes float just fine.

[NY Times]