Sad to hear about your recent San Francisco experience, Kit. It's one of my favourite, perhaps favourite, US cities, but it's been fifteen years or so since I was last there.

I have heard from N.CA friends that prices, especially property and rent, are eye-wateringly high, but that's true of most west coast cities.

I did enjoy your reminiscences and hope that the city's glory days aren't entirely a thing of the past.