Noe Valley is a neighborhood of contradictions. It's home to both liberals and conservatives, it has attracted the working class, dot.com millionaires, Hollywood film crews ("Sister Act," "Nash Bridges"), and, in the 1970s, followers of controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Recent problems with storefront vandalism stand in sharp contrast to Noe's clean-cut image and the fact that it's chock full of upscale restaurants, home-decor boutiques, and chic clothing shops. Since the dot.com boom began waning, housing prices have dipped slightly and there has been some turnover on the main shopping drag, but it remains a prosperous, shopper-friendly neighborhood whose bistros, coffee shops, and bookstores are always lively, and where parking is always at a premium.

History
Like many other San Francisco neighborhoods, Noe Valley started out as a working-class neighborhood for employees and their families in San Francisco's once-thriving blue-collar economy. Also like other San Francisco neighborhoods, Noe Valley has since undergone successive waves of gentrification and is now considered an upscale, yuppie area. It is home to many urban professionals, particularly young couples with young children, and it is not unusual for a well-maintained house in Noe Valley to sell for one million dollars or more

The hills that surround Noe Valley give it an air of remoteness and removal from the city which, along with the plethora of pretty, long-standing Victorians, is what attracts families with kids, dogs and strollers to the neighborhood. This, in turn, has attracted merchants who cater to those looking for handmade Guatemalan textile products, upscale beauty products, or Eileen Fisher ensembles.

Some residents have grumbled that Noe Valley has become a great place to have coffee and a bagel but a terrible place to buy what you actually need if you're lucky enough to live there. Others joke about Noe Valley's mammoth stroller population and bourgeois sensibilities; columnist Debby Morse once quipped in the Examiner, "Many Noe Valley walkers push babies in strollers, often using them as battering rams in crowded situations."

Nightlife
Noe Valley wasn't known for its nightlife, but that may change as locals start swarming to hip neighborhood bars, and discover that parking is easy as pie on 24th Street -- after 8 PM, that is. The following spots buzz 'til closing on Friday and Saturday nights.

Bliss Bar: Bliss is hip and attractive enough to have been featured in In Style magazine. Enjoy the maroon leather booths or the sexy lighting in the back lounge behind the chain-link fence. Happy hour is 5-9 pm weeknights. 4026 24th St. (at Noe Street), (415) 826-6200.

The Dubliner: Classic Irish pub with nice-but-not-pretentious polished-wood decor, relaxed sports-bar atmosphere, well-ventilated front smoking porch, and lively clientele. Naturally, the Dubliner also has a great selection of imported beers. It's common to meet a small horde of Irish expats here, so you know the craic is real. 3838 24th St. (at Church Street), (415) 826-2279.

Noe Valley Ministry: This community landmark hosts a Presbyterian church, Irish dancing classes, martial arts and Feldenkrais, AA meetings and, best of all, top-notch comedy, jazz, folk, world music and alt-rock artists. Omar Sosa, Joan Baez, Vic Chestnutt, Utah Phillips and Marga Gomez have all graced the stage in past years. 1021 Sanchez Street, (415) 454-5238.