You know what we need right now? We need a little palate-cleanser. A tribute to that which is good and right, right here, right now. A stone-cold sexy celebration of Bernal, creative Bernalese, and our many local blessings.
Let’s look at some recent photos from the Bernalwood Flickr Group!
Suegol Malek took the photo up above just a few days ago, on January 25. Please note that (Sunset + Sporty Human + Dog + Bernal Hill + Sutrito Tower) = Formula for Perfection.
Bernal neighbor and watercolor ninja Laurie Wigham painted this terrific image of Los Compas performing at the Bernal Library fifth anniversary celebration last weekend:
Ed Brownson snapped this cloudwatcher on the hill, in a moment that perfectly captures the colors and moods of the winter season:
Lookng west from Bernal Hill, Charlie Hunter shot a gorgeous sunset that’s so warm and golden that it makes you want to bathe in it:
Remember: Sexiness happens all the time in Bernal Heights, all around us. All you have to do is push the shutter button on your camera or smartphone. Then, share the picture with us in the Bernalwood Flickr Group.
Bernalwood 
I have a home in Bernal Heights, and I certainly appreciate everything it offers, but it’s not the place that makes life amazing, it’s how where you are suits your lifestyle.
Since 2001 I felt like a lottery winner for buying a house in what was known as “South Bernal.” I like the sun, the parks, the walkability to Cortland and Glen Park. Being in SF certainly has its perks.
But last year I rented my Bernal House out and bought another place on the north coast, after I realized I had spent half my life (25 years) in SF (13 years in Bernal), and I wanted to experience something different.
It’s a bit of mind game imagining yourself outside the conveniences of the city, but change is really not a huge deal. Perhaps I am especially lucky to have another great place that’s a close walk to the beach, but do I miss Bernal, do I miss SF?
Not really. They’ve both gotten REALLY crowded recently, and with those crowds there’s some improvement in the quality of life, but it’s hard to miss crowds when you move to a lifestyle that’s more sedate, and has many of the same conveniences just a bit further away.
It’s getting harder to imagine ever moving back to SF. The GGB is an hour away from where I live now, so it’s not that difficult to get back to town when something’s going on I want to participate in.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that Bernal, or wherever, is not the last word on anything. Quality of life is an attitude, not a place.
Hey if you’re talkin sexy then show the naked people again! 😉
To give another slant on your closing remarks… All you have to do is stop, breathe, and absorb the beauty of the present moment, on our magical hill; it’s a fractal reflection of the somnambulant beauty you carry inside. No need to take a picture, thereby distancing yourself a little from the aliveness of the moment, to make it real. Feeling it course through your body, and vibrating in your core, is as real as it ever gets.
Hey, I watched Laurie draw that … had to discourage my little boy from jostling her chair as she worked. Nice work, Laurie!
If you don’t miss San Francisco you were never here.