We did as any fun group of girls would do: spent our entire weekend in San Francisco shopping and eating! Really. Very little of anything else, which is exactly as I planned it. If you’ll be in the area sometime soon, here are some of the shops we visited:
Oh the magic of this tiny, tucked away boutique. The store has been open for 22 years and it’s success is undoubtedly due to the owner’s “good eye”, which is also the translation of Bell’occhio (pronounced like Pinocchio, which means “pine eye”, in case you wondered.) The shop is filled with treasures from fine stationary to ceramic ware to vintage trims and jewelry to wooden handled brushes of every shape and size. One of our favorite items was the fringe scissors, pictured at top. The owner (I should have gotten her name!) took the time to demonstrate how to cut and roll two different types of tissue flowers with them, and since I’ve been home I’ve used them on paper without hitch. Though not on the beaten path, Bell’occhio is wonderful and not to be missed.
Yes, as the name suggests, this is the place for ribbon, ribbon and more ribbon! I could have easily spent more than the forty minutes and forty dollars that I did in Ribbonerie. Without a doubt the finest and most complete collection of trim that I have ever encountered. Organized by color and type, every turn had me wishing I had a) a bunch of known projects requiring a ton of ribbon and b) at least a little girl to tie up in lots of bows. I settled on a few fun pieces for use on future baby girl gifts, and a length of vintage light green stripe velvet striped ribbon that will become the waistband of a new dress soon. Hopefully, soon. If you love beautiful things, you could use some ribbon from Ribbonerie.
Vintage meets modern meets eclectic meets international. I could have swiped half the store to decorate my abode. Nest was a fun mix of really cool design with a real grown-up price tag, as well as some fun books, gifts and notions that didn’t make your heart drop. I loved the feel of the store and will definitely head back the next time I’m around.
Thanks to my good friend Chelsea for introducing me to this remarkable designer. I am head over heels. Again, swipe me that leather rhino and lemon pillow, plop them into my 900 square feet and call me a happy woman. If only for inspiration (at this point in my financial life) I will go back.
Super cool store. Lots to look at and less to touch. The German paperbacks in frames were awesome and different. My thirty-year-old, twenty-weeks-pregnant sister fell in love, nay, became one with this womb chair, an original design by Eero Saarinen. The next time I awake with $5000 in my wallet for custom seating, I will know where to come.
We drove down Haight a number of times looking for Doe. Finally, we stopped and asked and discovered that Doe recently became an online only vender, though similar merchandise is now stocked by the new owner of the “brick and mortar” store, Merch. The unique onesies, funny letterpress cards, and tiny japanese bird crayons wooed me. And this shop has prices to sell. A fun little upbeat store in a funky, tattoo and medical cannabis neighborhood.
If you love music (which I do,) and own a record player (which I don’t, but my sister does) you will love Amoeba Music. Piles and piles in row after row. You must have some idea of what you’re looking for…and chances are, you’ll find it.
My first diaper bag was Kidrobot. I love the funky designs and infectious characters. Unfortunately, this store stocked more clothing and toys, and no bags. It was fun to hang with ‘stache Labbit for a little while, though. I almost got Milo a plush stack of pancakes, and thought “online store” at the last minute. Perhaps he’ll get to lay his head on the butter around Christmas?
I had to save my trip pennies for the best shopping of all:
Think: every vintage thing I have ever thought was cool in one giant parking lot at once. Then think: 5:30 am wake up, 1 hour drive time, $15.00 entrance fee, loads of super creepy dolls to avoid. You will come to the same conclusion we did…totally worth it. There is a loose requirement that all items vended be 20 years or older. Most abide, but there were a few obvious exceptions (one in particular involving vinyl lettering…so not 80’s.) We wandered up and down the isles for close to four hours and still did not see everything. I spent $50 and brought home (insert “vintage” before every item and it will sound as cool as it really is!!) three hats (one pictured above,) a copper cookie jar, a scarf, two yards of French fabric, six big plastic dinosaurs, two big loom spools, a bag of letterpress type and two comic books. Had time and space allowed, I could have acquired much more..including furniture…oh, the furniture! Maybe it’s lucky I was short on time and space. If you are going to be in or around San Francisco on the first Sunday of any month, you should go. Go early.
Well, that concludes the shopping portion of the trip. Look forward to the eats, and the fun, still to come.
