spdrun, how much does an adult monthly subway pass cost in Manhattan?
And SK, I have never bought 16 rolls at a time of paper towels in my life. I just buy ONE at a time and go thru 2-3 rolls per yr (yes, even when I had kids at home). Being able to “stock up” while living in a 675 sf unit in the middle of a city is not a necessity. Believe it or not, there is a Costco, Trader Joes, Bed Bath & Beyond, Office Depot, Ikea, Best Buy, and other various and sundry “big box” stores in SF, as well as a large indoor mall plus all the (flagship) dept stores in Union Square. Many of the “big box” stores are not in plain view because they are partially or completely underground :=] There is even a Safeway and I think a former Lucky-Market-turned-Albertsons in or just north of the Sunset District. In any case, a SF resident can drive down the peninsula or across a bridge once a month or more and shop anyplace they wish in order to “stock up.” It’s no big deal.
I haven’t checked but I’m sure many of these same retailers are available in NYC. For one or two people living in a 675 sf unit (like SK’s listing), I don’t see how or why they would need to “stock up” while living in the middle of everything. WHO CARES? And how many burners on the stove is enough? Will a “kitchenette” with two burners and four sf of counter space do? Who the h@ll cares about such things when they are living on one of the nicest streets in the city just a ~5 minute-or-less walk from the lake at Central Park?
Trust me, if I lived on the upper east side of Manhattan, NYC, the last thing I would be “worried about” would be whether I was going to run out of paper towels … or not.
That is not the type of apt for more than two people to live comfortably so I don’t see how its possible lack of a “standard kitchen” is a huge negative. It’s not the type of unit to raise two or more kids in.
FWIW, LOTS of dtn SD apts (Banker’s Hill/Golden Hill) are 85+ yrs old and have one small sink in the kitchen and room for only a 14 cubic ft (or less) refrigerator.
You’re right, SK. It’s a different lifestyle in NYC than SD (not appreciably different than living in a dtn SD apt or condo, though). Whether or not living in NYC is actually a better or worse lifestyle than living in SD is in the eye of the beholder.
