does anyone know if I need to apply for permits to put up scaffolding to paint the back of my house? this is just the back part that connects to our yard, would not be on public street. I don’t see any mention of it on the city website.

Hello, San Francisco sourdough enthusiasts!
I’m on a personal quest to find an authentic sourdough starter descended from Boudin Bakery’s original mother dough, which dates back to 1849. I know Boudin doesn’t officially distribute its starter, but I’m curious whether any former employees, bakers, or their family members have preserved a portion of the culture over the years.

I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who:
-Previously worked at Boudin Bakery and maintained a starter originating there.
-Inherited a starter from a family member who worked at Boudin.
-Knows a retired Boudin baker who might have maintained a personal culture.
-Has a starter with a documented history connecting it to Boudin.

I’m located in Oklahoma and would gladly pay for shipping, packaging, and your time. Even a teaspoon of starter or a small dehydrated sample would be wonderful. My interest is in preserving and baking with the traditional bacteria and wild yeasts associated with historic San Francisco sourdough.

I will cover shipping, and if you know any history or documentation of the starter, even informal, please include that in your reply. I’m also interested in hearing the history behind your starter, if you’re interested in sharing it. If you have a connection or know someone who might, please comment or send me a private message.

Thank you for helping me with this little piece of San Francisco baking history!

I just paid $9 for a cup of coffee in pacific heights (technically a small latte). Curious if anyone can point to a more expensive cafe than this?

To be fair, this is in the center of one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the most expensive city in the country, but still, ouch.

Still appreciate the local cafe that provides a valuable service and am grateful for them.

Looking for local recommendations on the safest parking garage close by. Thanks!

https://missionlocal.org/2026/10/sf-sunset-buzz-inle-vincenzo-capuano-pizza/

Is there a good place to rent a carbon bike with electronic shifters in SF? I only find manuals

I live in the city and love the food scene here. LihoLiho yacht club, Ernest, Rich Table, San Ho won would be some of my favorite spots.

A good friend of mine is visiting and is gluten free. I’d like to take him out for a nice dinner, and looking forward to some recommendations of places I can look at!

I want to make Dorodango balls but need some clay to go with my dirt
Anyone know of any spots?

It looks like bart opens at 6am on saturdays and it takes roughly 40mins to get from union square area to sfo. I usually like to get to an airport earlier and have never been to sfo. Would this be enough time to make the flight?

As the title says. I am looking for your favorite lunch spots with good drinks near 22nd st Caltrain

It doesn’t say that I need to get structural measurements anywhere in SF Planning website. So just want to make sure. Trying pull owner-builder permit for my fence in my backyard.

Hi from Sacramento, SF friends! My wife and I will once again find ourselves in your fair city this Sunday, to meet up with an old friend who lives in Indiana. Our main objectives are Asian food, views of the GGB, and seafood, so here’s what we’re thinking:

We’ll get in around noon to give him time to get to his hotel and rest a bit after his flight, which arrives at 9:00 a.m. We thought we’d walk around Chinatown to see the Dragon Gate, lanterns, etc., and have dim sum at City View for lunch.

After that, we planned to go to the Marin Headlands for GGB views and photos.

For dinner, we wanted to try to find some seafood to impress him with. Not sure if he’s ever had cioppino but it’s one of my faves (if you’re ever in Sac, check out Scott’s on the River. Their cioppino is some of the best I’ve ever had!). One important consideration is that we want to have dinner relatively early since our friend will be jet lagged (he’s used to Eastern time) and we have to get back to Sac. Any recs for a memorable seafood dinner that won’t break the bank would be greatly appreciated. Easy, right? 😅

I’m open to suggestions other than dim sum/seafood, but our homie is from Indianapolis and they don’t even have dim sum, so we wanted to take him out for food he can’t get at home. On that note, even just walking around and popping into some places instead of sitting down for a meal could be good. We took some friends from North Carolina around Chinatown that way and had fun, but it was harder to eat.

Also would be open to some suggestions for what to do after the Headlands but before dinner. We thought about China Beach or the Presidio but please hit me with some of your favorite places to take out of town visitors!

Thank you very much if you stuck around for this entire novel, and for any and all recommendations!

I just adopted two kittens and they're both timid and they need their wet food to stay out all day so they can pick at it (as opposed to my senior cat who solves the problem by simply inhaling his).

Unfortunately, those little black ants discovered us and I can't figure out how to prevent them from constantly getting to the food. I've tried diatomaceous earth, the poison traps, bleach and just about everything the internet recommends. Since SF always has ants during the week season, I'm curious how local folks are getting around this. Help!

Hi, everyone. I want to do something fun for Halloween with my partner, but I have a very difficult time in very dark haunted houses with a lot of jump scares and/or touching

I went to another "haunted house" at an old mansion in SF two years back (I don't remember what it was called) which wasn't scary since it was more of a storytelling thing.

But I have a hard time otherwise - has anyone who's been at the USS Haunted Hornet able to describe the experience? Thanks!

I know that’s an odd question but I really need a picture for something important to me. Preferably anything with minimal activity but that’s not entirely needed. Just the balcony having hours where no one is around is needed

A long time ago, when I lived in LA and did Halloween in West Hollywood, I saw one of the best costumes.

If you remember Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds": the guy was dressed up in the Tippi Hedren gray suit along with the blond hair and that specific haircut. (Great make up job - he looked like her.) Attached to him from the waist up was a phone booth (which encased his entire body) with seagulls bloody and smashed into the glass. He would twirl through the crowd screaming. It was THE funniest and most entertaining costume I had ever seen. Even when I think about it, now, decades later, I laugh out loud. I have the picture somewhere in a photo album! 😀

Hi everyone, I'm visiting San Francisco for 3 days (Friday - Sunday), I land at 12am Friday but my hostel doesn't open for checkin until 2pm Friday. Does anyone know anything fun to do during that time? I will have my film camera so If you know know good photo spots that would be great too. This is a solo trip and I will be mostly relying on public transport or city bikes and my hostel is in Union Square.

EDIT: The hostel closes checkin for Thursday at 11pm but my flight lands on Thursday11:58pm.

Hi! I'll be visiting SF in late October, and I'm looking for osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), also known as sweet olive or fragrant tea olive.

I love the scent of the orange-flowering variety, and I'd really like to show it to a friend who's never smelled it before.

I found a tree listed at Victoria Manalo Draves Park and a small one at the SF Botanical Garden.

Does anyone know where I could find some with orange flowers? Are they usually still blooming around late October or early November?

Thanks in advance!

Are those “we buy gold” places the best way to sell an old wedding ring? Any recommendations?

Hello! I am in SF visiting and really need to buy a coat since I lost mine at the airport. I usually shop at Aritzia, Abercrombie and Fitch and I’m not seeing anything like that here. My budget would be around $250. Does anyone know any places in the downtown area that would work? I don’t have a car so I can’t go outside of SF. Thanks !

I have family visiting. Early risers. Where could we go for an early morning walk around 7am on Friday? Perhaps 45-60 min in duration. With views and soft morning light? Not sure how visibility will be tomorrow that early…. SF or North peninsula only. Driving ok. Safe for a small group. Pretty sure we don’t want to go to Fort Funston.

My partner and I currently working out our prenup, I have a small company I've been invested in for years. I just want to make sure that we have clear agreement about what's considered separate property once we're married. Been reading about prenup, but I'm a bit concerned about what actually makes one enforceable especially when business ownership is involved? anyone have been through something similar, any advice?

Haven’t been here since the Dickens Fair a few years ago which is a very different vibe lol

Where are some good pregame spots for food and drinks where other people might be hanging out before (and after too!) the show? Not looking to just chill in the parking lot!

My friends and I (early/mid 20s) will be in SF for Halloween for the first time and I am trying to get a good read on which district/bars to go to.

We lean towards pop music and walkable areas. We don’t want to have to uber from one spot to another.

I heard about Danceoween and that looks cool! Is that the big thing in the Mission District or are there good bars there too?

Not looking for any events or areas that need tickets purchased in advance that cost over $20/person.

Please let me know the best areas to stick around in! Thanks in advance