There were definitely a few hipsters in the TL when I was there, seemed like rich kids who ran away from home. I lived in The Opal for a while and would walk down to the shop daily. I remember the stark divide between rich and poor in SF, never saw it like that in another city, not much in the middle. I am amazed that a treeman could make a go at it, sounds like you've been there awhile though, right on man.