The Curbed Cup, our award to the San Francisco neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 16 'hoods competing for a glorious JPEG of an illustrated trophy. This week we'll have two matchups per day, and all the results and full tournament bracket will be reviewed on Friday. Voting for each pairing ends in the wee hours the next morning. Let the eliminations commence!
[Market Street Blooms via Sergio/russian hill via Jason Rosete]
Mid-Market's not even real a neighborhood, but it got so much attention this year with Twitter gearing up to set up shop in the former Mart and the Sixth Street drama, how could we not include it? Twitter moving into the neighborhood is supposed to be the centerpiece of redevelopment for the area. We should point out that Mid-Market was Curbed's 2009 Neighborhood of the Year.
And then we have Russian Hill, the neighborhood for the 1%. It's got the bulk of what most people think is quintessential San Francisco: hills and views and vegetation. Also: very, very, very exclusive and pricey real estate. Tourists flock to it for its curvy street (yes, we're talking about Lombard) and epic cable car rides. Residents flock to it if they're comfortable with $2,500+ monthly HOA dues and being featured in the Nob Hill Gazette.