Of course I read Leah Garchik. I like hearing how the other half lives, and I like Leah even more.
So, what’s this?:
Theresa Crivello, who has moved from the Sunset District to Larkspur, e-mailed me a scolding for having described the A-1 Smoke Shop as being at Irving and 20th Avenue. “It’s always ’20th and Irving’ or ’41st and Lawton.’ The numbered street is always mentioned first. There are still S.F. natives reading The Chronicle, and we notice things like that.”
OK, news to me. I, myself, live at a name and number intersection, and I use the two orderings interchangeably. Have I been committing a crime similar to the dreaded object before freeway number foul? Clearly, a poll of the SF natives I could find online was in order.
So I asked everyone with a green dot “Is this common knowledge?”
Babe: Not (to) me. Anyone who moves to Larkspur has as stick up their ass anyway.
Eater SF‘s Paolo Lucchesi: I have never heard that. I don’t know that I’ve noticed a standard way in the first place, though.
Rain: I have never, ever consciously made an effort one way or the other. I DO know that when I was living at 22nd and Folsom (hey, I just did it there!) people often thought we were at 22nd and FULTON. So it seems like one should at least mention the “street” or “avenue” somewhere in there. But who gives a crap if you say it first or second…
Updated 3:18 — now with more native response!
Beth: Yes, but I don’t think it’s work hassling Leah Garchik over. Ooooh, you know Sunset lingo. Big whoop. There’s a whole contingent of San Franciscans who define themselves as townies. Yeah, you’re supposed to say 41st and Lawton, but I wouldn’t brag about it…
Violet: By habit it’s always been number then street, but I have to agree with
(Babe) and Beth. BFD.
So, that exhausted the natives within my immediate TV with typewriter grasp. So let’s open it up to you all, native or non-native — what do you think?
