This year, the preschool is celebrating their 15-year anniversary. This boutique program is thriving with nearly three dozen children and a waiting list just as long. Building a local community is a big part of this program, and it truly has a neighborhood feel. Many families walk to the school or their parents are merchants on Chestnut Street.

The two-room school is cozy and loaded with toys, art supplies, and educational materials. It looks much like any other preschool, however; they have the benefit of a great backyard with a play structure and a flower and vegetable garden that is used as a teaching tool. In addition to planting flowers, the children are growing kale, broccoli and Swiss chard, which they will later get to eat. A big benefit of the location is it is just half a block from the Palace of Fine Arts and a few blocks off Chestnut Street, so you often see the children feeding the ducks, taking the bus to the Marina library, or exploring Crissy Field.

The woman behind the success of this neighborhood gem is Debbie Rivard. She is the school’s director and lives with her husband in the flat above the school. Both have deep roots here. Rivard is fourth generation Marina, along with her husband who was born and raised in the home where they live. They raised their two children in the Marina, and their daughter is now one of the teachers at the school.

Rivard attended St. Vincent de Paul, then started and ran the after-school program there for 10 years before opening Marina Tots. She started the school because she wanted “a safe, loving and nurturing neighborhood school. I wanted a school that fostered the same feeling of community that I grew up with,” Rivard said. She still keeps in touch with many of the friends she went to preschool with at the Moscone Recreation Center formerly known as Funston. They have seen many great families over the past decade and a half and still keep in touch with many of them. Rivard says she loves hearing from former families and often still receives Christmas cards and Mother’s Day cards from many of her former students.

Marina Tots has been fortunate in that they have never had to advertise or worry about enrollment. The success of the school has spread by word of mouth. It also does not hurt that they live on one of the most family-friendly streets in San Francisco. Currently there are 27 children that live on North Point Street alone, many of whom are either currently enrolled or have graduated from the program. Kelly Alonso has twin girls at the school and says, “We love the small class size and individual attention at Marina Tots. The teachers work on skills needed for kindergarten, while letting the kids have plenty of time playing, gardening and even learning Italian.”

Rivard is full of energy and passion for what she is doing and shows no signs of retiring anytime soon. “You can’t beat the commute. I get to walk downstairs everyday and do what I love.”

People ask me why a devout San Franciscan would so love living in Los Angeles. Make no mistake. I still identify as a San Franciscan when I’m in the Southland, I detest the Dodgers, Angels and Lakers, and I make damn sure I have MLB.TV on my computer for Giants games and the NFL all-access TV package for Niners’ games. But L.A. is, in its way, a wonderland, with a remarkably friendly and engaged populace.

To be honest, Los Angeles is still truly the Entertainment Capital of the World, and the fountainhead of America’s (albeit, economically-challenged) film and television industries. It’s a company town and an artists’ colony – and, from Pasadena to Santa Monica to the San Fernando Valley to Anaheim, on studio lots and on location, it’s an open-air museum of show business history. As an arts-and-media guy, it’s a constant joy, even as I deal with freeway traffic, the callowness and fleeting beauty of Young Hollywood, the arrogance and profligate extravagance of Nouveau Riche Hollywood, and the wealth and smug, insular presumption of Old Hollywood.

Then, there’s the nightlife. Consider a show I attended last month at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica. The venue itself is unique: a working guitar store with instruments, accessories, and a selection of recordings and books for sale in the front — and a cozy but comfy performance space in the back. And there are actually guitars on the walls of the show room, enabling the audience members to browse and even make purchases before and after any concert.

As for the gig itself, it began with a rare and exquisite performance by legendary polyphonic composer/producer/keyboardist/singer Van Dyke Parks. This guy has worked with such significant musicians as Ry Cooder, Rufus Wainwright, Randy Newman, and Ringo Starr during a five-decade career, as well as songwriting and recording with that SoCal icon/Beach-Boys-driving-wheel Brian Wilson.

Parks, on vocals and piano, was supported at McCabe’s by a terrific ensemble that included a harpist, a cellist, a stand-up bassist, and a drummer, plus on back-up vocals, the lovely post-mod chanteuse Inara George of the art-rock duo The Bird & The Bee. (George is, in fact, a legacy talent — the daughter of the late, lamented rock singer/guitarist/composer Lowell George of the awesomely clever, eclectic and instrumentally-deft L.A. rock band Little Feat.)

Selecting some choice items from among his six incredibly idiosyncratic yet compelling studio albums, Parks was in fine form, providing a wealth of tongue-in-cheek anecdotes and asides. He even did a whimsical rendition of the quasi-rustic tune “The All Golden” off his 1968 debut Song Cycle — a groundbreaking album offering a baroque blend of pop, folk, classical, psychedelic, and rock music. As a special treat, George sang a solo vocal on Harry Nilsson’s soaring love song “He Needs Me.” A treat? Nay, a dream!

Parks and company — old-timey, elegant and yet fresh as tomorrow morning — were followed by New Orleans piano wizard Tom McDermott, whose set of ragtime, Brazilian choro music, and jazzy hybrids was nothing short of astonishing. As far as these genres go, McDermott put on a clinic when he wasn’t making with the droll asides.

The extremely enthusiastic audience included The Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening; close-up magician/card sharp/character actor Ricky Jay (who is the subject a new documentary, Deceptive Practice, opening in mid-May); the insightful actor/satirist/broadcaster/musician/Spinal Tap bassist Harry Shearer and his wife, musician Judith Owen; and keyboardist/singer Jeff Young of Jackson Browne’s band and the Song & Dance Society (a terrific pick-up band of top-drawer session musicians who jam a couple of times a month at the restaurant/nightclub Genghis Cohen in L.A.’s Fairfax District).

On stage, musicians who are beloved by the cognoscenti played with élan as appreciative, creative insiders and fans watched and listened — and it all happened in a venue unlike any other. Nights like the one described here are rare indeed, but I’d venture to say they happen more often in Los Angeles than anywhere else on the planet.

In “Polk Street Latest Site for Parking, Biker Clash” (News, April 2013), I seemed to be one opponent in a boxing ring, so I’d like to restate that I speak for the majority who are deeply offended by this debate’s corrosive “Us versus Them” character.

We now know that disrupters were called in from outside S.F. to aggressively oppose the SFMTA’s Polk Street proposals at the March 18 meeting such that moderates were intimidated into silence.

A backlash included calls to boycott Polk merchants. However “Folks for Polk,” a group to which I belong, is creating a “Preferred Polk Places” list of forward-thinking businesses that we’ll thank with our patronage. FFP advocates “Healthy infrastructure: of public space and of public discourse” and represents people of all sorts who like facts and have vision.

Polk St. ranks in the top 7 percent for collisions in S.F.; the proposals address urgently needed safety measures, as underscored by Mayor Lee in his Pedestrian Safety Executive Directive.

SPSC’s “alarm went to panic” because they misinterpreted the proposals, then misinformed and incited a scapegoating mob. All storefront businesses must adapt in the face of global shifts. But, tsunami though it may seem, it’s not riding in on bicycles — demographics prove quite the opposite.

Lack of vision and resilience harms merchants more than any changes in the street scape could. Already, 85 percent arrive at Polk Street by means other than car. Bike Share will be here very soon. S.F.ers own fewer cars, the first Walk to Work Day was a huge success. People throng to safe places to stroll and shop; Polk Street could be on a major tourist loop. S.F. has one bike shop per sq. mile and 140,000 folks per week make at least one trip by bicycle.

One hopes Save Polk St. Coalition businesses aren’t built with “low-common denominator things” but they demand that a publicly funded project that will last for a quarter century and on which lives literally depend should be. Their obstructive tactics cost us dearly in dollars and lives and is shredding our social fabric, leaving only the legacy that those who shout loudest determine our future.

- Madeleine Savit, San Francisco

As a resident of the Richmond who grew up in the Marina District, I appreciate your coverage of the MTA Polk Street fiasco.

Ed Reiskin’s proposal for the deletion of parking spots was clearly designed to benefit bicyclists. He did not specify if those on bikes had gone through the red light when they were struck by vehicles. Parking has not improved under Ed Reiskin’s term as [SFMTA] executive director; it has gotten worse. This is due, in part, to MTA’s elimination of parking spaces with Sunday parking fees as a compound fracture.

While I am not in the city on Sunday as a rule and use Muni as a primary source of transportation, I find this insulting to motorists for whom MTA has contempt.

- Herbert J. Weiner, Richmond District

Dense city

I recently moved out to Ingleside. There’s gobs of space out here (Real Estate, “Values in the Sky,” April 2013). Houses with front and back yards and separated from each other by side yards.

What density?

- Mike Zonta, Ingleside

At 7,000 feet, Park City sits in the Wasatch Mountains. It is best known for the 2002 Olympics, the Sundance Film Festival and (over 130 years ago) silver mining. Many buildings are part of the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a laid-back town with a hip vibe and lots to do.

Stay

The Washington School House Hotel is a luxe boutique property conveniently located off Main Street. Built in 1889, the historic limestone school was transformed with plush interiors and a heated pool on a tree-filled hillside of aspen and spruce. With only 12 rooms/suites and friendly and attentive service, the hotel provides an intimate place to enjoy Park City.

Each evening, wine and hors d’oeuvres are served in the living room with its stunning 10-foot-tall antique mirror and antler chandelier. In the morning, the private chef serves a luscious fare that energizes you for the day. This hotel knows how to provide a great experience. (800-824-1672, www.washingtonschoolhouse.com)

Across town, you’ll find The St. Regis Deer Valley set in the Wasatch Mountains. Ride the funicular from the street up their spectacular multilevel resort. Guestrooms and bathrooms are oversized, boasting comfortable rustic furnishings with all of the amenities. Take in the views from your room or mellow out by the fire garden.

Each evening, delight in sabrage, the ancient technique of opening a bottle of champagne with a saber, and join other guests as you sip the bubbly and breathe in fresh mountain air. If money is no object, indulge in the St. Regis butler service — now that’s luxury. (435-940-5700, www.stregisdeervalley.com)

Play

Park City is a celebrated playground where the only thing that’s difficult is deciding what to do. Our trip coincided with the Park City Wine & Food Classic. We savored incredible food and wine tastings and witnessed amazing cooking demos. There are even outdoor adventures (like group hiking and biking) followed by events with top chefs and winemakers. The Stroll of Park City took us up and down Main Street (including to restaurants with second floor balconies) for delicious taste treats, cocktails and wine. (www.parkcityfoodandwineclassic.com)

You’ll discover the town’s past from mining to skiing at the Park City Museum (435-649-7457, www.parkcityhistory.org). Kimball Art Center is the place for exhibitions, classes and tours (www.kimballartcenter.org).

See the memorabilia from the 2002 Winter Olympics at Utah Olympic Park then take an up-close guided tour of the Olympic luge and ski jump runs. If you’re daring, race down the bobsled track. Today, the 400 acres are used for competitions and training (435-658-4200, utaholympiclegacy.com).

Park City has over 400 miles of public trails, so hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are hugely popular. In Deer Valley, we met our guide at Snow Park Lodge and had an invigorating half-day hike across meadows full of wildflowers and through Aspen forests with stunning views (800-424-3337, www.deervalley.com).

At the Canyons, we took off with our guide on the Lookout Ridge Trail. A number of hikes are available from easy to strenuous with one thing in common — breathtaking scenery (www.canyonsresort.com).

When it was time to revitalize, we headed to the luxurious Spa Montage at the Montage Deer Valley. Meditation areas, hydrotherapy, herbal mineral baths, deep tissue massages, and other treatments are available to cater to your every desire (435-604-1400, www.montagedeervalley.com).

Additionally, the Remède Spa (435-940-5830) at the St. Regis fully services your needs and in-room massages are available at the Washington School House Hotel. All the hotels have pools.

In the summertime, the Utah Symphony and Opera team up with the Deer Valley Music Festival. In the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater (just steps from the St. Regis), we enjoyed a patriotic celebration of music and ordered a gourmet picnic dinner delivered to our blanket on the grass (www.deervalleymusicfestival.org).

For late night entertainment, the scene is at the bars and cafes along Main Street. The Sidecar should be the last stop (www.sidecarbar.com).

Shop

Find lots of outdoor gear at each of the resort shopping areas (Canyons and Deer Valley) and along colorful Main Street. For a local favorite, try the cosmic deli and mud bar at Mountain Body Spa (www.mountainbody.com). And for cowboy classics, it’s Burns Cowboy Shop (www.burnscowboyshop.com). Explore charming galleries, book stores, boutiques, and don’t forget the museum and park shops.

Dine

High West Distillery & Saloon, a hot spot in town, is a refurbished livery stable. They distill some of the best spirits around, and it’s a terrific place to enjoy a meal and fantastic cocktails. For lunch, try the pan-seared Utah trout salad or whiskey-cider-braised short ribs paired with the Campfire whiskey (one of nine distilled by High West) and a mule made with High West peach vodka (435-649-8300, www.highwestdistillery.com).

After hiking in Deer Valley, we hit the Royal Street Café. With a huge outdoor patio and expansive views of the mountains, it’s great for kicking back. The Deer Valley turkey chili was spicy and good with the RSC blueberry mojito, one of several award-winning cocktails on the menu (435-645-6724).

The Red Tail Grill is located at the base of the mountain at the Canyons Resort, near where the hike began. Soak up the sun and the sights; relax outside on the deck, and relish a jalapeño margarita with their delicious guacamole and chunky gazpacho (435-615-8068).

The signature restaurant at the St. Regis is J&G Grill from Jean-George Vongerichten with menu favorites culled from his years as a chef. It’s a great dining experience with knockout views, a casual-chic vibe, and food, wine and cocktails that are hard to stop talking about. Try the Bloody Mary topped with wasabi celery foam and served with an individual dispenser of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. The chilled corn soup and grilled Thai snapper are tasty choices from a menu that doesn’t disappoint (435-940-5760).

OTHER ESSENTIALS

Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau: www.visitparkcity.org

Park City Mountain Resort: www.parkcitymountain.com

Skylar Grey slept all the way home. She was exhausted from being spayed that morning, but it still seemed strange to me how comfortable she was — most puppies hate the car; they’re anxious and confused, and they often throw up. The first time I took Jazzy for a ride, she made what I called “the throw-up face,” where the corners of her mouth curled up like The Joker in Batman. After a few gut-wrenching heaves, with me trying to watch the road and Jazzy looking guilty and helpless at the same time, she projectile vomited all over the dashboard of my Mini Cooper.

As I pulled into my driveway, I laid my hand softly on Skylar’s little head; she opened one hazel eye, then shut both eyes tightly, took a big stretch, and went back to sleep. “Let’s go, Sky,” I said as I got out of the car and patted the driver’s seat. She opened both eyes this time and squinted at me suspiciously. I tugged gently at her leash, but she was having none of it. She only weighed 19 pounds, so it was easy to reach in and scoop her up, but she squirted out of my arms like a greased pig and scrambled into the backseat, pressing her body tightly into the furthermost corner.

No amount of begging, whistling, tongue clucking, sweet talking, or treat offering could convince Skylar to come out of the car, so I tried a different tactic: I closed the door and hid just inside the garage. Within seconds I heard her whining; when I peeked she was sitting in the driver’s seat, but she was so small that all I could see was the tops of her ears. “Here I am, Sky,” I said, heading back toward the car. I assumed she would jump into my arms, but instead she darted right back to that furthermost backseat corner.

Again, I hid; again, Skylar whined. This time when I peeked, she had figured out how to place her front paws on the door ledge, and those hazel eyes were staring right back at me. Slowly, I approached, and then stood there for a moment, letting her whine. “Are you ready now, little missy?” I asked. She grew quiet, her grey nose steaming up the window as the white tip of her tail wagged ever so slightly. When I opened the door, like clockwork, Sky headed for the backseat, but like a professional greased pig wrangler, this time I was ready and grabbed her around the waist. I pulled her out and she twisted her body toward mine, wrapped her paws around my neck, and dug her head into the hoodie of my sweatshirt. She was shaking, and I could feel her heart pounding like a gazelle that had been chased by a cheetah. “It’s O.K., Baby Girl,” I said, using my right hand to support her bottom and rubbing her neck with my left, “you’re safe now.” I leaned against the car and hugged her tightly until she stopped shaking, and her heart slowed down a bit.

All I knew about Skylar Grey’s background was that a young man had surrendered her at San Francisco Animal Care and Control on Aug. 30, just two days before Jazzy passed away. Judging from her reaction to the car — the way she loved to get in but hated to get out; how she slept so peacefully as we traversed the city streets and had no tummy problems — I surmised that perhaps she had spent some of her first two months living with that young man in a car. “Baby Girl,” I said as I carried her into the house, “your life is about to change. …”

PLAY

The breathtaking drive into Big Sur should be plenty to help slow you down. But if you need that extra push, book a massage at Namaste Therapeutic Bodyworks. Proprietors Lynn and Julian not only offer a treatment that transcends space and time, they’re also some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet (831-667-2880, www.namastetherapy.abmp.com).

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park offers the best bang-for-your-buck view in Big Sur. The sight of McWay Falls pouring onto a pristine beach lapped by emerald waters is justly photographed a thousand times a day. Nearby Partington Cove is lesser known but just as spectacular. A brief downhill stroll and a 100-year-old shipping tunnel leads you to a dramatic rock promontory interspersed with deep, churning pools that prove the perfect spot for quiet meditation.

SHOP

The Henry Miller Memorial Library could easily be called City Lights South for its free-spirited ethos mirrors that of our famous North Beach landmark. The well-known author of everyone’s first racy book moved to Big Sur in the 1940s and famously remarked it was here that he first learned to say “amen.” The library champions his spirit and houses a smartly curated collection of boho literature for purchase (831-667-2574, www.henrymiller.org).

DINE

For lunch, you can do no better than Sierra Mar, the restaurant at Post Ranch Inn that sits 1,200 feet above the Pacific. Small aircraft aren’t afforded views this good. If weather permits, sit out on the deck and linger over polished dishes like an heirloom beet and pistachio salad and risotto with local chanterelles. Don’t forget a glass of wine to cheer the occasion (831-667-2800, www.postranchinn.com).

It wouldn’t be a trip to Big Sur without a stop at Nepenthe. This funky, old bohemian restaurant offers one of the best vistas along the coast. Relaxing on the expansive patio with fellow patrons paying homage to Big Sur’s beauty feels like church. Grab a cocktail and join the congregation. Those who stay past dusk are rewarded with a brilliant bonfire (831-667-2345, www.nepenthebigsur.com).

For dinner, the hearty meals and candlelit dining rooms at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn are tough to beat. Impossibly romantic, it feels like a Hollywood stage set for a hunter’s cabin in the English countryside. Ask to be seated by the fireplace for an overdose of cozy (831-667-2378, www.deetjens.com).

In the morning, grab a pastry from local treasure Big Sur Bakery. Coffee, house-made juice blends and a game-changing jelly donut are best enjoyed on the patio in the crisp morning air. But get here early; they sell out quickly (831- 667-0520, www.bigsurbakery.com).

STAY

Stylish, affordable, and evocative of its surroundings, Glen Oaks Big Sur is exactly what Big Sur needed. Its rustic exterior belies the chic interiors hidden inside. Snag one of the cottages for close proximity to Big Sur River. They don’t do TVs, but you’re not likely to miss them if you pack some good chocolate and cozy up around one of the many fire pits come nighttime (831-667-2105, www.glenoaksbigsur.com).

Here are two statements that were part of the listing information provided for these two condos on the market in February. Both were top condos in two unit buildings.

“Roof rights.” Further investigation and a close reading of the disclosure package revealed one complication. The owner of the upper unit did have roof rights, but expansion or changes needed to be approved by the downstairs owner. The downstairs owner’s concerns had to be reasonable.

What is reasonable to one person may be quite unreasonable to another. This looked like it had the potential to be costly if there were a disagreement. My client decided this was too much uncertainty for her, but it didn’t stop others from making offers. At the time, this property did not seem especially under-priced, but it ultimately sold for more than 15 percent over the asking price. Clearly the approval of the downstairs owner to develop the roof rights was not an issue for the buyer.

“A full attic with access off the upper deck is deeded to the unit and may have development potential.” Now this is interesting. The listing agent wisely said: “may have development potential.”

The second client was quite excited by this condo and especially the attic, because the closet space was practically not existent, as in many Victorian buildings. Fortunately this client had a daughter who is a San Francisco architect. When she viewed the attic, she pointed out that in its current state there was no real floor. Once a floor was added, the head room would no longer be legal height for living space. Of course, as with so many things involving construction, this could be handled; all it would take was money. A special light-weight thin floor that was quite costly would solve the problem. In the end, after further investigation, the cost of making the attic legal living space was prohibitively expensive to my client. The cost or uncertainty of developing the attic did not stop other buyers, and the condo is currently in contract.

Just when I was day dreaming about how to turn an attic into legal living space, an online real estate website called “SFCurbed” had posted an invitation in Curbed University to ask well-known San Francisco architect Joel Karr questions online. You guessed it! The first question concerned developing attic space, and the writer asked if additional deck space or interior living space would increase the value of his home.

Here is Joel Karr’s answer (every word is valuable information):

“For anyone who is thinking about doing a building project on their home, here are a few of the big potential trip-ups that many people don’t know about.

“1. 311 Noticing. If you have a desire or plan to add on anything to your existing home (and I do mean anything, even a 1/4″ shift) you are required by the Planning Department to notice everyone within a 300′ radius of your property. In 29 years of practice, I have never experienced the level of push-back being exerted on homeowners to limit their projects as I am seeing now. The NIMBY’s are now given extraordinary powers to stop projects, and in virtually every case now, one or both of the two immediate neighbors, usually piled on by many others, will successfully stop additions.

“2. Historic preservation. If your home is more than 50 years old (a moving target year by year), it is automatically considered a “Potential Historic Resource” and must go through additional reviews by the Planning Department.

“3. Building Depart-ment approvals. There is an over-the-counter review process available for certain types of projects, but if you don’t qualify, you have to go through the normal tortured process that takes several months for finalization of a permit.”

There are lessons to learn about converting an attic into legal livable space.

First, any renovation takes time and money. If you think this may be your cup of tea, before you ever make an offer, find an architect who knows the ins and outs of renovation in San Francisco. Bring your architect with you to view a home before you make the offer, and you will be best prepared for the adventure to come.

Second, today there is so little inventory and buyers barely have time to have a coherent thought about a property before they make an offer. Even if you dread doing it: YOU MUST READ THE DISCLOSURE PACKAGE.

Real estate is never boring. Happy house hunting!

For more from Joel Karr, see sf.curbed.com/tags/joel-karr

Anyone who has ever been stuck in a tenants-in-common (TIC) housing arrangement, forced to wait a decade before converting to a condominium, knows the havoc that can be played with their finances as they suffer with adjustable-rate mortgages (mandated for TICs) and wait for an uncertain opportunity to win the City lottery for permission to convert the ownership format of their privately owned property.

Not surprisingly, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu wants to make it difficult for the city to have more condo conversions; supervisors Mark Farrell and Scott Wiener are trying to make it easier. Farrell and Wiener are responding to the timely pressure some TIC owners are feeling because of the economic troubles that they could escape if they convert to condo status and thus reap an immediate increase in property value and can get a fixed-rate mortgage. Chiu wants to make sure that lower-income renters are not forced out of more units in a repeat of the 1990s.

But this is yet another case where heavy-handed regulation in San Francisco, intended to help presumably lower-income renters, ends up being behind the times in terms of the needs of the population and the economy (and the environment, for that matter, as we shall see).

Renter advocates believe that more condos mean less rentals available. But that’s based on an erroneous assumption that those condos will be owner-occupied. Many condominium units are rented out. Apparently at issue is that TIC units that are rented out are covered under rent control (if they were built before 1979), but condo units are not.

The crowd that believes that rent control is an absolute must-have for the City is fighting tooth-and-nail to prevent any weakening of the system, which has become a complex and burdensome layer of bureaucracy in the City.

Another part of the solution is to have more housing units overall. More condominiums and more rental apartments. As we noted last issue, this can happen if we go for more density by building up instead of continuing to treat San Francisco as an overgrown suburb or village.

In the National Association of Realtors’ March 2013 summary of housing prices in 146 markets nationwide, San Francisco came in with the highest median list price of $799,000, a change of more than 23 percent since last year at that time; the national average is $190,000. San Francisco had 2,231 listings in the March survey, down nearly 38 percent from the same time last year. By contrast, the much smaller Madison, Wisconsin, with a city population of only 233,000, had 3,093 listings, and Mobile, Ala., with 195,000 in the city and 413,000 in the metropolitan area, had 6,618 listings.

There’s nothing new in the statement that demand is high and supply is constrained. The sun will also set tonight and come up tomorrow; you knew that. But it plays an important part in this artificially created renter-vs-owner struggle in San Francisco.

The way to square the circle, to address all problems, would be to allow greatly expanded construction of apartments and condos, particularly in high-rise towers that lessen impact on greenfields and that can be more easily served by mass transit. Our population — regionally, statewide, nationally, and globally — is still growing, and those people are either going to spread out on former farmland and woodland and wetlands or they are going to go up in the sky in beautiful new skyscrapers. Or they are going to Mars with Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. But there aren’t any other choices.

More units means a moderation in prices; it means a huge influx of investment dollars; it means an increase in construction and design and furnishing jobs; it means more units for rent at all price levels; and it means more people living in this very desirable city (increasing tax revenues and not only helping existing businesses but spawning and supporting many new ones).

So it’s really a win-win-win-win-win situation.

Vegetables and herbs

If you have not yet planted your vegetable garden, do so now. Many vegetables can be grown in containers, and most herbs happily thrive in them. Just buy some organic potting soil and get started. Gardening is an experiment, an adventure, and with herbs and veggies, it’s especially fun and rewarding.

Carrots: Besides the fiber and vitamins packed into carrots, the lacy foliage is a wonderful addition to a garden or container, and carrots grow easily from seeds.

Stevia, the sweet herb: This herb has become popular in recent years as a sugar substitute, marketed as Truvia. Stevia is simple to grow, and it is calorie free. A couple of leaves in tea or coffee will sweeten it the same as sugar would. This herb is great for people with diabetes too. In winter months, stevia will do better indoors, so it is ideal to grow it in a container that can be easily moved.

Lemon grass: If you enjoy Indian and Asian cooking, lemon grass is a great addition to your garden. The leaves can also be used to make tea, and it has a fragrant, intoxicating scent.

Flowers

If you enjoy fresh flowers in your home, sow some seeds of perennials and annuals for a cutting garden. Choose flowers of different heights that will bloom at different times, so you always have something to pick.

Summer bulbs: These should be planted right away if they haven’t been already. Plant dahlias, gladiolus, lilies, and begonias for summer color and a cutting garden.

Annuals: Buy your annuals without blooms so that they will bloom after you transplant them.

Vines: Annual vines work well in small vertical spaces and are ideal to cover up an eyesore of a wall or fence. Morning glories and nasturtium are two varieties that will work, also creating privacy and shade.

Pests

The advent of spring also brings hungry, hatching garden pests, which can threaten your newly planted garden (or you). Take steps now to control them before they wreak havoc.

Aphids: Aphids may be problematic by now. Combat them with the hose (a strong spray, but you’ll have to do this every few days) or with ladybugs. For a more aggressive approach, try organic insecticidal soap or neem oil.

Slugs and snails: There are many nontoxic methods available to control these pests, such as beer or dry dog/cat food. Search the Internet for many more.

Mosquitoes: Make sure there is no standing water lurking around your garden or yard, which is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Maintenance

Once you’ve planted your garden, to keep it looking its best requires regular attention. After all, that’s what makes you a gardener!

Weed: Weeds steal both water and nutrients from plants, so give your plants a fighting chance by clearing away any weeds — it’s easiest after a light rain.

Mulch: Mulch your garden to prepare for the warmer and drier months ahead. Mulch conserves water, keeps soil temperatures even, and prevents weeds from germinating. It also improves the organic content and texture of soil.

Rotate crops: Keep soil in good shape and control pests by rotating your vegetable crops annually.

Soaker hoses: Soaker hoses prevent soil erosion, conserve water, and are ideal for shrubs. Also, watering your roses with soaker hoses will help reduce the spread of black spot disease.

Looking for a few lemons!

Imagine San Francisco as a city that can be self-sufficient in some food crops. One achievable goal is the lovely lemon: 12,000 trees will produce the three pounds a year per person that is typically consumed. Most lemons and other citrus are produced in Southern California, and a recent study found that the Bay Area is deficient in lemon production. JustOneTree.org is a campaign to promote planting fruit trees as the most efficient crop for dense cities. This project is an arm of the nonprofit group Urban Resource Systems, established in 1981 to promote greater urban self-reliance through community action.

The Department of Public Works estimates there are between 2,000 and 4,000 lemon trees in the City, and JustOneTree.org would like all lemon trees registered so they can work on planting more in deficient areas to reach the self-sufficiency goal. Visit www.JustOneTree.org to register your new or existing lemon trees.

See you in the garden!

Julia Strzesieski is the marketing coordinator of Cole Hardware and can be reached at julia@marinatimes.com.