Aptly headlined "As Seen in Your Dreams," the latest fantasy ad for Connemara luxury gigantoboxes appeared January 23 in the S.F. Chronicle's New Homes section, showing a busty blonde daydreaming and sunbathing (!) in North Pacifica with the blue ocean in the background. The advertorial at the top of the page spurts such absurdities as "Connemara has enjoyed tremendous sales success, thanks in part to its breathtaking whitewater ocean views." Yeah, tell that to the evacuated tenants of Esplanade Avenue. Also, we don't think we have ever heard surf described as whitewater. Perhaps the Connemara copywriter was dreaming of a river rafting trip somewhere up in the mountains. As usual, the copy ends breathlessly: "The final Connemara homes are now selling, so hurry in before it's too late." This is the umpteenth time this exact same advertising feature has run over the past couple of years as the asking price has plummeted several hundred thousand dollars. Is anyone actually taken in by this kind of flummery? Oh yeah, we also heard about a carpet store having yet another huge going-out-of-business sale. Well, as P.T. Barnum once said...
DOLORES DE CABEZARIPTIDE REALTY REALITY
Forty years of grinding that ax has left you with little to chop with, Lois!
Posted by: todd bray | February 01, 2010 at 08:02 PM
Apparently you hang out in places where I do not, Todd...never heard of that crass Hollywood saying.
More to the point...Mori Point developer in the 70s, bankrupt through all the lawsuits to stop development there.
Posted by: Lois Rogan | February 01, 2010 at 07:33 PM
Mike,
If it were true that local activists were responsible for local developers going bust, then have them seek damages in court.
Nothing bankrupts developments faster than lack of capital or financing. Perhaps those two demons are what haunt you? There is an old Hollywood saying that goes like this: "There you go giving a f@#$ when it ain't your turn."
Posted by: todd bray | February 01, 2010 at 06:49 PM
"Developers going broke, even our hometown guys, is considered victory by many"
Who considers it a victory????? I haven't met these "many" people of whom you speak.
Posted by: Dan B. Underhill | February 01, 2010 at 05:16 PM
"Life's tough ... It's even tougher if you're stupid." - John Wayne
Posted by: Lois Rogan | February 01, 2010 at 11:19 AM
Bruce.......
Sad but true. Developers going broke, even our hometown guys, is considered victory by many and Council cheerfully hands out commendations to those most responsible.
BTW...When I want a warm sunset I go to Hawaii.
Posted by: mike bell | February 01, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Why is this a "teachable moment" for fixpacifica? They did not force this development on Pacifica and I don't believe they have proposed tons of "mega monster McMansions." This is just the type of finger pointing that our town does not need.
I have no problem with large homes. I have a problem with large homes on standard lots (if I had a million bucks for a home, I'd want it on a large lot).
Connermara's loss is Pacifica's loss. Besides little to no property tax revenue, there is no one in most of the homes to spend DOLLARS in Pacifica. And let's face it, if you can afford one of those homes you might have many extra dollars to spend.
As much as I would have liked to see the development built differently, I really would like to see every home occupied.
Posted by: Bruce Hotchkiss | February 01, 2010 at 09:28 AM
I can't find any humor in the misfortunes of this developer. But it is an example of the fallacy that Pacifica's problems would be solved if only we would build more mega monster McMansions. I hope they manage to make some money for their efforts. I hope I can make some money out of mine. Their market is the nouveau riche, who are ignorant in ways less common than they were just a few years ago. I don't mock them. I can't help them. I hope that this is a teachable moment for the fixpacifica bunch.
Posted by: Dan B. Underhill | January 31, 2010 at 06:35 PM
You guys are vicious...the only part I would disagree with in the video is about "bask in the warm sunsets?" Sunsets, yes, but, warm? May Pacifica be blessed with many more developments from O'Brien...at least, it has a little class! Let's let them have it at some other beholden enclaves, such as the Esplanade.
Posted by: Elektro | January 31, 2010 at 05:28 PM
I find it odd but normal that people seem to take delight in failure in Pacifica. Ha-ha-ha, those million-dollar homes aren't selling!
Posted by: Bruce Hotchkiss | January 30, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Where's our environmental leadership on this one? Oh yeah! They're too busy demonizing developers for better headlines.
Posted by: mike bell | January 30, 2010 at 09:05 AM
Live in Connemara, and watch the recycling yard from which garbage is being blown from the garbage trucks into the sea in the morning! There's no fence! What could be more exciting!
We're stupid!
Posted by: pacificapatriot | January 29, 2010 at 08:40 PM
Heh, heh, heh.
Posted by: todd bray | January 29, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Aaarrrrgh!
Posted by: mike bell | January 28, 2010 at 03:37 PM
Mike does that a lot, kind of like a local troll.
Posted by: todd bray | January 28, 2010 at 05:28 AM
The ad does a nice job of making the point that Pacifica (the geography) is quite beautiful and conveniently adjacent to everything that makes the Bay Area one of the most desired destinations in the world.
Thankfully, it doesn't expose the poverty mentality of City Council and its friends.
Fortunately, that is something that can be changed when enough people finally get sick of the municipal mess that has been created.
Posted by: mike bell | January 27, 2010 at 07:09 PM
?!
What a bizarre agenda to assign to what I posted.
I merely pointed out what you'll *actually* see if you stand on the bluff those homes are on.
Posted by: Bark Nuggets | January 27, 2010 at 04:15 PM
Bark, you must be one of "those who want Pacifica to remain an impoverished, broken-down hovel by the sea." Or do you just want more honesty in marketing?
Posted by: Diogenes | January 27, 2010 at 02:48 PM
Connemara...
...overlooking Pacifica's beautiful recycling dump, auto-wrecking yard, RV lot, and self-storage.
Posted by: Bark Nuggets | January 27, 2010 at 02:00 PM
One of the nicest promotional ads for Pacifica I've seen in a long time. Sure to offend those who want Pacifica to remain an impoverished, broken-down hovel by the sea.
Posted by: mike bell | January 27, 2010 at 09:30 AM
What a laugh. The most attractive coastal footage isn't in Pacifica. Most of the money shots aren't in Pacifica either.
Posted by: todd bray | January 27, 2010 at 08:03 AM