Cortland Ave, Bernal Heights

Look, when I first moved to Bernal more than 4 years ago, I was a little skeptical: the main thoroughfare seemed kinda sleepy next to the action of 24th Street in the Mission and Noe Valley (I'd lived for four years in between those two neighborhoods.) But the the close-knit community and warmth of the neighborhood has completely won me over--Bernal Heights is a *great* place to live. Cortland is its own cozy little retail district, with a major grocery store (The Good Life), a wonderful yoga studio (Bernal Yoga), a legendary bar (Wild Side West), super cute boutiques (yay, Hearfelt), upscale restaurants (Piqueo's, Little Nepal), two great coffee shops (Marth & Bros. and Progressive Grounds), a bookstore (Red Hill Books), and most recently, a fitness center and a posh little bakery. Plus, our branch library just re-opened after an extensive remodel, and it's beautiful! The western half of Cortland connects with Mission Street, so you're close to a lot more action if you want it (along with major bus lines); the eastern portion is quieter--and, honestly, a little more run down (that's where I live)--and feels more like a nondescript thoroughfare. Spend a quiet Saturday morning walking up to Bernal Heights park or Holly Park, play with your dog or kid, and then enjoy all that Cortland Ave. has to offer.

A quaint and urban village. The main shopping strip of Cortland Avenue is populated by small markets, cafés, fruit stands and barber shops, and the residential streets are a cluster of diminutive bungalows and community gardens. However, Bernal Heights bears the influence of city sophistication, with trendy boutiques and innovative restaurants scattered among its homely storefronts. The neighborhood is a mix of artists and progressives, popular with the lesbian community and attractive to young families looking for a first home and quiet streets. It is also a mecca for dog owners, thanks to a high concentration of single-family houses with yards and the nearby haven of Bernal Park, a canine free-for-all of off-leash frolicking.

As a child I live on Cortland Avenue in Bernal Heights. This is the main street found in the Bernal Heights neighborhood. I like this street a lot because there are cafes, supermarkets, parks, and a library all located within a short distance from one another. This street promotes walking since there are so many interesting and enjoyable places to visit on every block. This is an ideal neighborhood for people with young children. Eveything you need is right near by and mostly everyone knows each other. There are some elementary schools located close to this area as well. This is a great area to raise a child and when I was young I very much enjoyed the public resources, such as the library that were located so close to home. Each year there is also a Bernal Heights Festival located along Cortland Avenue. During this celebration residents of the neighborhood along with others from all over San Francisco to enjoy the food and diversity of the neighborhood. This is a very tight- knit neighborhood. It is rare to find a neighborhood with such sense of community in a city as large as San Francisco

This is a very nice area with nice places, but there are many better places in San Fransisco. From what I saw, it almost seems to me that this street is on its way down or at least at a stand still as opposed to so many on the way up. But it was last year that I was last there, and maybe a lot has changed since then. I would just recommend looking around at some of the nicer areas.

One always hears horror stories about the lack of affordable safe housing for the middle class working people of San Fransisco. On my last visit I ran into the Crescent Valley area on Cortland Ave between Bernal Heights and Hollt Park. I found this to be a nice neighborhood full of well kept home with quiet strees and few traffic problems.