When I was pregnant with my daughter we lived in San Francisco. I loved the City, and particularly the neighborhood in which we lived. Potrero Hill is the place that I landed after several years of being in the Bay Area, which put a smile back on my face and a sigh of relaxation through my body. I am sure there are other great neighborhoods in San Francisco,  but you would have a hard time convincing me [Ed note: Inner Sunset *rocks*!].

The Victorian (our house on 24^th St) we lived in was the second I had lived in on the hill; we had the main floor flat, with two other flats above us. It was well cared for, beautifully painted, with high ceilings, and big space, which made it a joy to come home. The street was one of the steepest, paved with cobblestones, and steps on the sidewalk; it presented itself with challenges. More than once we witnessed cars losing control as they descended and collided with a parked vehicle.

During my pregnancy we ascended those stairs nightly and made our way to M & M Market for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. My favorites were Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, New York Super Fudge Chunk, and Cherry Garcia. I loved the names of the ice cream and was surprised that there was a real person with the name Wavy Gravy , a flavor they haven’t made since 2000. I met this man who MC’d all three Woodstocks’ along with Chet Helms who discovered Janis Joplin and brought psychedelic rock to San Francisco at Art Rock , the company at which my husband worked at the time. I missed the whole Woodstock era, a little too young, isolated in Canada etc… I am not sure why, but I did. Chet Helms died in 2005, and Art Rock is no longer the largest dealer of Rock and Roll memorabilia and my husband and I work together at the Stanford Terrace Inn.

I have found that it is often when looking back that I am impressed with the life that I have lead, and the people I have met. When I am in the midst of living it I am not always able to see it in its’ totality.

At the Stanford Terrace Inn I have met many interesting people arriving at our door to participate in very interesting events. Of late we have been happy to house Rubik’s Cubers’ for the US National Rubik’s Cube Championship. Very cool and something that I didn’t know had such a following.

Shanti to all,

Barbara Pressman