That was before things got re-zoned and developers marketed the idea of “loft living.” They sold the idea on the premise that it didn't matter that you worked at Wells Fargo from 9-5, because when you went home at night, you were an artist and you were hip. It was great for the developers, since they didn't have to put up walls or any decent finish work, but it really drove out all the people that made the scene. That's progress, and I love seeing how vibrant the neighborhood is now, but I'm glad I lived there then.
I may live in Los Angeles now, but I go back to San Francisco whenever I get a chance. San Francisco will always be the Paris of the Americas. The location is so beautiful, the food is amazing. The people are terribly sophisticated, the architecture is fantastic, and the music scene still thrives. What's not to like? The only reason I left that world was to follow my heart. I fell in love with a girl from Los Angeles, and I made the decision to chase her down here. Eighteen years later we’re still together, with two beautiful kids, and I couldn't be happier.
L.A. has everything -- but you really have to know where to look. Compared to San Francisco, it's so spread out. Los Angeles is about drive times from here to there. There is a lot of beauty here, too -- not the bottle-blonde, fake-boob kind. My neighborhood, Los Feliz/Silverlake, is great. Parts of it remind me of my favorite areas of San Francisco.
In the end, I love everything that California has to offer. I feel very fortunate to have lived in both places, and I pledge no allegiance to either.
Check out some of Billy's recommendations and favorite spots in San Francisco and Marin.
10) How has the experience of your first documentary film, KLUNKERZ, changed your life or launched you on a different trajectory?
KLUNKERZ taught me that I could actually finish something. It sounds simple, but it's not. After getting to know the subjects, and how truly special each of them is in his or her own right, I felt a real responsibility to make this a special film.
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