TDF: Dream House

I was browsing the San Francisco Chronicle this morning, educating myself on very important national and global events, when out fell the "Home" section of the paper. Normally, I don't bother with this section because I am too busy reading the real news (oh who am I kidding, I hardly ever read the newspaper) and I'm light years away from being able to afford a house anyway, but sometimes it's fun just to look at all the crazy mansions that are for sale in Marin or San Francisco and remind myself that this is the kind of place that I live in. I like to marvel at these monstrosities that people call "houses" and judge them for being too gaudy, too big or too expensive, all the while conjuring up bits and pieces of my own dream house, which someday, hopefully, I will be lucky enough to live in.

The house featured on the cover of this morning's glossy "Home" spread comes pretty darn close to being my ultimate dream house. It's a little big for my taste, but it's undeniably beautiful.

 

This charming brick manor, a jewel nestled in the crown of Pacific Heights, was built originally in 1927 by the same guy that designed the Palace of Fine Arts, which one can conveniently gaze down upon from the property.

Oh haaay, PoFA!

One can also gaze upon two other famous historical landmarks - Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, in all their splendor.

Oh haaay, GGB!

On top of million-dollar views, the manor (speaking of which, that was the name of my first elementary school - could that be a sign??) also features a small, lush courtyard shaded by ancient ferns as tall as trees, a library (which every literature nerd has always wanted in their house), a study complete with a wet bar, a gorgeous kitchen glowing with warm wood panels everywhere you look, and more bedrooms and bathrooms than anyone with a reasonable number of children could possibly necessitate. If I lived in this house, I would constantly have parties, and my friends would never have to worry about driving home drunk or paying for a cab, because they would have no excuse not to spend the night!

My favorite part.

I would have cats. Lots of small, exotic-looking cats. And an art studio, and a darkroom, and a gym, and a butler... there would be no reason to ever leave the house! Except to go to whatever ridiculously high-paying job I have that allows me to live in such a spectacular house in one of the most coveted neighborhoods in the world, or to take my spoiled rotten children to school, or to meet up with my friends or dashing husband for a night out on the town, or go for a hike in the golden hills of Marin... okay, so there would be plenty of reasons to leave the house.

I know it all sounds totally far-fetched, but if a girl can't dream, then what's the point of living?

"Dreams are necessary to life," said Anaïs Nin. "Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the action stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living."

All photographs and real estate information courtesy of Gloria Smith Homes.