I am currently in the midst of repainting my apartment as I prepare for tenants to move in next week (interesting fact about me: I am not great at painting walls), resulting in me stopping by the Cole Hardware on 4th to pick up some necessary supplies. Cole Hardware is a San Francisco institution and a key part of the community. Since the Mission Street store burned in 2016 (I was living 2 blocks away at the time - and it was horrendous), I have been frequenting the one on 4th Street. A wonderful woman named Taylor helped me mix the paints, and she remembered my partner Joey from a few days ago (he  had come in to do the initial color matching). As the paint spun in the rudimentary mixing machine, we found ourselves delving into a familiar conversation about nostalgia for old dive bars that disappeared like the wind, for community icons who are no longer with us, how amazingly resilient long-time San Francisco residents are in maintaining community and how different the city is now. 

As I was checking out, Taylor proclaimed "This is so sad. It might be your last time coming in here before you leave for Paris!". She was right. It may be my last time going into a Cole Hardware. When I return, who knows what other community institutions may be replaced by condos or another unnecessarily trendy coffee shop.  San Francisco is a rapidly evolving city. Though to be fair, it always has been - since the early days of the Gold Rush. This constant evolution has made us a very progressive city. Some would even say the MOST progressive city in the United States. The community of San Francisco has long been a place where you could come and establish roots, no matter where your place of origin was, and make this place your home. While this progressive and forward thinking nature is one of the things I love about San Francisco, the city's current chapter feels like something different, and I have to admit I am a little scared about what this place will be like when I come back.

This century's iteration of the tech boom, combined with the gig economy, has created a transient nature about the city and a true sense of community seems to be falling to the wayside to make way for this economic windfall of fast cash. It feels like the majority of people are just trying to grab a slice of this pie before the next bust. So what happens when this bubble bursts? What will we be left with? The higher prices in rent have forced so many people and companies I love to relocate or close their doors. And there is no relief in sight. This has me constantly wondering what will I come back to - What will remain/survive? Will my friends and community members still be here? Will the city still have the same heart?

As I walk through the city, doing things for "the last time" (ie "the last time" for now), I keep wanting to freeze things in time. This of course is impossible. So instead I am doing that thing we are supposed to do every day (but it's always exceedingly hard) - I am living in the moment. Taking in as much as possible, not wanting to forget a thing. All those things I have taken for granted over the years (like my frequent trips to Cole Hardware) suddenly feel sacred as I attempt to burn the experience into my memory.

Mayor Ed Lee passed away early last week, and while this blog is not about the politics, his leadership as mayor was the reason for many of these changes (for better or for worse). With new candidates beginning to throw their hats into the ring for the position, it is interesting to begin to think about what this next chapter for the city will look like. The only thing for sure is change and progress will continue to be constant here in San Francisco. As Benjamin Disraeli put it (more eloquently than I could) "Change is inevitable. Change is constant."

A Bientot San Francisco! Can't wait for our next chapter.