spotted sf: bernal heights.

by Leslie Santarina comment

a quest to see a particular hot pink mural led me to our next san francisco neighborhood feature: bernal heights. located on the southern part of SF, this mostly residential area surrounds a grassy hilltop with sweeping views of the city and perfect paths for hiking, running and dog-walking. with the recent rainfalls, the grassland is unbelievably lush and green and must be seen while it lasts.

and this is the mural I was talking about. pretty darling, isn’t it? perhaps you’ve seen it yourself or in victoria’s book, but this was my first visit. the owner of the house worked with artist casey o’connell and allowed her to go wild on the painting. her reason: “life’s too short to live in a plain white house. plus, the hottest neighborhood in america should have a hot pink element.” it features a sweet tattooed gal poking a shark in the eye. and if you look closely you’ll see the shark’s gold grill is the city skyline.

the rest of the neighborhood i’m familiar with and these are some of my favorite gems. like this shop full of succulents called succulence.

from the pink mural house you wind down to precita park, passing this floral green home and many charming others around the hillside.

lots of fun signage can be spotted around the park, too.

cortland avenue is the main pedestrian street with all the mom and pop shops, eateries and small businesses.

i like the colors and coffee over at pinhole.

the epicurean trader is a modern day larder full of small batch artisan foods, craft spirits, wine and fresh goods including cheeses, cured meats, olive oil and flowers.

and newly opened pinkies is the sweetest spot on the hill, offering fresh loaves, cakes, morning pastries and other tasty treats. this is their second location in the city.

• all photography by leslie santarina.