Moving to SanFrancisco. I need some advice on places to stay temporarily over the next 3 months, and where to live in January.

I'm a Canadian living in Victoria, and I recently got hired by Stanford University doing deeply geeky things.

The job starts full-time in January. However, I am going to be coming down one week per month for October, November, December. I have a few questions:

1. Where should I stay for the next three months (a week per month)? Hotels are too expensive. Is there a good place to find places to do weekly rentals? Hostels? Vacation Apartments?

2. Where should I live once I move here???

Some information about me / us:

• I'm getting married to a wonderful lady, who also happens to be queer (bi)
• Into cycling and transit, less into driving.
• Want to live in a vibrant, busy neighborhood
• Need to work in Palo Alto (stanford), but don't want to live there (way to WASPy / high-class for us)
• I'm into rave-ish dance parties, she's into live music (folky stuff)
• Both of us are pretty political and interested in learning new things
• Despite the job paying well, we want to live as cheaply as possible. (Two reasons for this: Saving money for land, anti-consumerist politics)