i get lots and lots of requests from readers about where to go in san francisco — cool spots to hang out, best places to shop and especially where to find vintage bargains, so when the folks at know what asked me to join their team and provide a guide for their new know what app, i was in! Sfgirlbybay’s Bohemian Modern San Francisco is now live in the itunes app store and you can download it instantly! Woohoo! 

know what shares multiple guides to the cities’ best secret spots. right now, the app covers the greater San Francisco and Los Angeles areas with over 1,000 top recommendations from the country’s coolest and most creative people with some of the best websites. people like Vegansaurus, one of the most popular vegan lifestyle blogs; Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine; and Carolyn Jung, a James Beard award-winning food and wine writer based in Silicon Valley, California.

here’s How it works:

• The price of the know what app is $2.99 which is pretty much less than your morning coffee — and comes with 400 built-in recommendations of the thousands available: The Know What Essentials.

• thousands more places can be added to the map through in-app purchases. Purchases range from $.99 to $3.99 depending on the size and subject.

• Sfgirlbybay’s Bohemian Modern San Francisco app is $3.99.

• i’ve loaded up my Sfgirlbybay’s Bohemian Modern San Francisco with 75 of the hidden gems i’ve had stashed away in my brain, and will continue to update the list as new cool spots open up around the city, or when i discover something new i wanna share. so, if you’re seeking some tips on where to go and what to see in san francisco, and where the best shopping hoods are, you’ll find it all here in the sweet little know what app — and they’re all mapped out for you with directions on how to get there.

so, heading to san francisco or los angeles, and want to visit the city’s most culturally cool spots? check the guides for the one that sounds right for you. and know what? yeah, it’s going national — New York, Chicago, Boston, Seattle and Portland are coming soon!

san francisco-based modern shop Zinc Details is hosting a fun, free “movie night” screening of the new documentary, “Eames: The Architect and the Painter,” tomorrow evening, Wednesday, January 25 from 6 to 9 pm. Sam Grawe, former editor-in-chief of Dwell magazine, will open the evening with a engaging chat about the Eames and their work. if you’re in the bay area, and a fan of dynamic design duo ray and charles eames, this is one evening not to be missed, so Rsvp at Zinc Details. and if you’re not in the bay area, watch the trailer, just for fun, and then go hunt it down!

Zinc Details
1905 fillmore street, between bush & pine streets
san franscisco. 94115
415. 776. 2100
Reserve your space by emailing rsvp@zincdetails.com

even though it’s a holiday weekend, it’s been a busy one, ‘cuz i’m getting ready to speak at the altitude design summit this week! but, lucy and i were able to get out for a bit and clear our heads. a trip to fort funston on saturday — our regular weekend beach hang out, and then a great urban hike through the neighborhood to kite hill on what turned out to be a very chilly sunday in the city.

so, this is what my weekend has looked like so far, via instagram. today is a martin luther king day, so i’ll see you back here tomorrow for regular scheduled programming. oh, and if you’re wondering what that green concoction is just below, the folks at blueprint cleanse gave me a discount to try it out, and it was actually quite tasty. i felt really good and energized afterward, too, since after the new year i felt fairly toxic! see you tuesday, bright eyed and bushy tailed. whatever that means.

renegade is on this weekend!

well, today on the 415, i’m actually reaching out to you guys for assistance. there’s a few san francisco neighborhoods i’m not as familiar with and i could use your suggestions of favorite shops and local cafes. think small business, not the big chain stores. so many neighborhoods are bursting with new businesses, and i guess i just don’t get around my city as much as i’d like to. so, give me a little 911 on the 415 – any tips on the following neighborhoods? we’d love to hear ‘em, and then i’ll continue on with my guides. thanks, guys!

bernal heights

cole valley

cow hollow

dogpatch

glen park

marina

nob hill

nopa

north beach

outer sunset | sunset district

pacific | laurel heights

potrero hill

richmond district

russian hill

soma

the haight

Rare Device, the beautifully curated store in san francisco’s Mint Slope neighborhood is hosting a fabulous holiday trunk show of Bay Area artists this friday evening, december 9th from 6 to 9pm. the show features the work of local jewelry designers lemonade handmade, Kendra Renee and Sharon Z Jewelry, clock maker 1.by.liz, home decor artist Casa Murriguez, bag artist Bird vs. Bird, and note cards, gift tags and other paper goods from Noteify. The show will remain up at rare device through Sunday, December 11th.

The December 9th Holiday Marketmarket includes:
A trunk show of local artists at Rare Device, plus a raffle and a paid gift wrapping station to benefit 826 Valencia. Rare Device will also be offering 15% off all of their regular merchandise (excluding the trunk show and art show). Drop in for some smashing deals and toast to the holidays!

rare device
1845 Market Street @ Guerrero
San Francisco 94103
415.863.3969

hey, there – it’s friday, so i’m bringing you a new addition of the 415. this time it’s another one of my favorite neighborhoods, hayes valley. and, it’s appropriate we’re headed there today, because tonight is their 20th annual holiday block party. from 6 to 9pm this evening, december 2nd there’s one big open house, with all the small shops serving drinks and snacks, playing music and hosting general revelry.

hayes valley has been revitilizing itself in leaps and bounds, including its latest proxy project. Proxy is a temporary two-block project located in San Francisco which seeks to mobilize a flexible environment of food, art, culture, and retail pop-up shops within some incredibly cool, renovated and re-purposed shipping containers. you gotta see it!

you gotta eat:

absinthe – excellent raw bar, burgers and cocktails. a great spot to stop in and rest your weary feet and quench your thirst after a long day of shopping.

bar jules – an adorable little eatery comitted to serving sustainable meat and fish. a nice spot for brunch. and, i love their sign.

blue bottle coffee – where the coffee connoisseurs drink their special drip coffee. look for the line on linden street. it’s worth it.

dobbs ferry – west coast food and east coast style with an “old world” feel, for locals, by locals.

fritz fries – these are served up with as many sauces as you can dream up, including White truffle artichoke ketchup and Miso mayo. wine and beer are served too.

hayes & kebab – healthy sized portions of yummy and authentic Mediterranean and middle eastern food. i love the wraps.

le boulange – it’s part of a small san francisco bakery chain, but most excellent. the french toast is like a beautiful little soufflé, and the salad nicoise is delish.

miette – sweet little bakery just off hayes street on octavia, it’s a bit tucked away, so don’t miss it. lovely little cakes and sweets in a charming little shop.

momi toby’s revolution cafe – i love this spot. a true local hangout with a european feel, you’ll always find regulars chit chatting the day away at the outside tables. yummy spot for lunch.

ritual roasters – part of the proxy project, ritual coffee is located in one of the repurposed and recycled shipping containers, and are my favorite bay area beans.

smitten – amazing ice cream stand with a one-of-a-kind ice cream machine, now named “Kelvin.” Kelvin’s uniqueness stems from its ability to make the smoothest, tastiest ice cream from scratch in 60 seconds from liquid nitrogen.

suppenküche – wonderful german pub with an excellent beer list. sit communal stye and get to know your neighbors while dining on some excellent Wiener Schnitzel and bratwurst — all very homemade.

two sisters bar and books – a cozy space where there’s always time to linger over a cocktail or coffee, have some yummy food, and share a bit of all things literary.

zuni cafe – my favorite restaurant in all of san francisco. it’s a bit on the outskirts of hayes valley, on market and gough. go there — order oysters on the half shell, a caesar salad, shoestring potatoes and their world famous roast chicken to share.

shopping:

alla prima lingerie – highest quality and prettiest lingerie around. definitely a place you want to treat yourself.

dish – beautiful, modern designer clothing for women in a really lovely space. i like just floating around in here, and checking out their jewelry too.

cisco home – From their giant poufs, and pretty chandeliers, everything in the shop, including Cisco’s custom made sofas make me swoon.

flight 001 – the modern traveler’s dream come true — they carry the chicest and most contemporary of travel accessories, luggage, and travel guides.

gimme shoes – just like them name – gimme these shoes! the coolist, most classic designer footwear in the city.

inside modern – mid-century modern home furnishings and accessories, just off the beaten path on gough street.

lava 9 – one of the city’s best handbag shops. if you’re looking for accessories, this is a great spot – accessories and jewelry too, for every taste and budget.

lavish – unique accessories, locally designed clothes and fantastic letterpress cards and stationery, it’s a great place for gifts!

lotus bleu – bright, colorful graphic modern textiles and home accessories to create playful but “real” living spaces. great one of kind furniture too.

mac – modern appealing clothing. i love this store, not just for the amazing designer clothing they carry, but for their collection of vintage portrait paintings. a shop with true character.

peace industry – the most beautiful handmade felted turkish rugs around. go look, you will love them.

propeller – mid-century modernists will love this shop. wonderfully unique home furnishing and lighting, not to mention great accessories and artwork.

Reliquary – vintage-inspired, well-curated clothing and accessories, with a super friendly staff. dogs are welcome, too.

zonal – great contemporary furniture juxtaposed with vintage-inspired collectibles and accessories, as well as some really great original paintings by local artists.

this week’s tips:

• for great restaurant ideas and the latest openings check out eater, and tablehopper – two experts in the field of eating.

• keep up to date on news and the latest pop-ups at proxy sf, sign up for their newsletter.

• hayes valley photo by greyvdm.

i am all about supporting small, local businesses. put me in a mall, and i’m quite likely to break out in hives. i love a good mom ‘n pop shop, and support them regularly without giving it a second thought. so when paper magazine and american express asked me to go shopping on them, well, hey, what’s a girl to do? i was all in, since it’s what i normally do anyway. full disclosure – american express gave me a gift card to shop small businesses, and so – i did! for a full guide to american express’s guide to shopping small business saturday – visit the facebook page here. shopping your neighborhood small shops is fun, and it’s just the right thing to do, so this saturday, head out and shop local, shop small businesses.

this is where i went, and what i bought. a lovely stack of books from phoenix book store in noe valley. i love that place. and ummm, $10.99 for the new gourmet today – it totally helped us out with our thanksgiving dinner! also swooped up the new patti smith dream of life, and a book i’ve wanted for a long time, haruki murakami’s 1q84. i also i picked up a bottle of tawny port from plumpjack on 24th street for a little after thanksgiving day drinkie. nice! they have an incredibly well stocked wine shop.

i stopped in paxton gate – a fun little shop on valencia street in the mission, where i picked up a glass clouche, some moss and bromeliad plant, to create a little terrarium of sorts. just something fun to display. and then i hopped across the street to the curiosity shoppe where i found these wee sweet log salt & pepper shakers, and a scout soap dish with a sentimental little mantra.

Just a bit about Small Business Saturday, it was started last year by the city of New York, Mayor Bloomberg and American Express. It is the day after Black Friday and was created as an easy way to support the local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, fuel the economy and invigorate retail in communities across the country. Small Business Saturday became a huge cultural event that drove major traffic and sparked spending at small businesses across the US in a MAJOR way. so, in other words — it’s good for all of us. yay for small business!

• top images via ben thomas.

• sponsored post. compensation in the form of an american express gift card to shop small business saturday was provided by American Express, but all opinions are my own and not the position of american express.

okay, so this version of the 415 could take a while. today i’m covering the mission district, where i probably spend most of my time. i have a lot of friends who live here, have shops here, and well, the mission has some of the best shopping and food in the city if you know where to look. i’m gonna help you out with that right now. there’s so many fab spots, i just know i’m gonna forget some – so i will add to this list and am happy to update with your suggestions.

and don’t forget — the 415 is a precursor to something big coming. i promise, you’re gonna like it. so stay tuned. i won’t tease you too much longer.

so, the Mission — along Valencia Street (from about 16th to 24th Street) there’s tons of cool vintage and boutique shops, clothing and home accessories stores and a loads of inexpensive cafes, wine bars and yummy and very affordable Mexican Food, among other exotic cuisines. and there’s a stretch of 24th street from Potrero to Guerrero with tons of great finds, as well. and then there’s a corridor along 16th street with even more! and don’t forget Dolores Park — a grassy knoll with amazing view of the city, the occasional outdoor movie, and well, pretty much hipster-central.

you gotta eat (and drink):

bi-rite market and ice cream – this is my favorite grocery store, ever. the best and freshest gourmet ingredients one could ever hope for. and the salted caramel ice cream across the street is sure to be your downfall.

Deflina and Delifina Pizzeria – both so delicious! delfina is the upscale sister of the yummy pizzeria and they never disappoint.

dynamo donuts – some of the best donuts ever. try the bacon maple apple. but get there early – they go fast!

foreign cinema – if it’s a nice evening, sit outside and have dinner while watching a ‘drive-in’ type movie on the back wall. good food and amazing atmosphere, it’s one of my long-time favorites.

Gracias Madre – the most excellent vegan Mexican food ever. i swear – it doesn’t even taste vegan, whatever that means — but you could have fooled me.

humphry slocombe – crazy good homemade ice cream with equally insane flavors. try the secret breakfast — cornflakes and bourbon. uh-huh.

kiji – probably my very favorite sushi bar and always the most inventive and fresh rolls around. sit in the cozy back corner, i love it here.

local mission eatery – all local all the time. local farmers and local tastes, local vendors and local artisans, local community and local people. a great spot for brunch.

luna park – the food is delicious (i love the salad Nicoise), but my oh my – their desserts? best chocolate chip bread pudding and coconut creme pie i have ever tasted. they deliver through grubhub, and it’s a real problem for me.

mission cheese – cheese, and lots of it. American artisan and farmstead cheese, California beer and wine, and organic produce, coffee, and bread. yum.

Range – nestled in the heart of the Mission, i love this tiny spot. excellent small plates, and super yummy mixed specialty cocktails. i like to grab a bite at the bar.

the royal cuckoo bar – probably my very favorite local bar. it’s super dark and sometimes i could live without the occasional organ player who drops in, but i still love their mixed drinks, and cozy atmosphere. taxidermy and mood lighting.

Spork a former KFC – and a great spot for dinner. try their original recipe KFC biscuits, or the seared sea scallops. mmmmm.

St. Frances Fountain – hipster breakfast hangout in an old fashioned soda fountain. lots of yummy vegan breakfast options, too.

taqueria san francisco – my personal favorite in the world of burritos and carne asada tacos. i used to bring my dad here when he visited. fond memories.

Tartine – a yummy bakery, beyond any bakery you’ve probably ever eaten at. look for the long line around the block — it’s totally worth the wait. have the bread pudding. have it all.

the summit – coffee house meets communal workspace. bring your laptop and you’ll fit right in. stay for the blue bottle coffee.

walzwerk – on the outskirts of the mission, on south van ness, this east german restaurant is the real thing. i love their schnitznel!

shopping:

826 Valencia Pirate Store – author dave eggers’ ode to the pirate. a kid’s store, but great fun for grownups, too. everybody needs a spyglass and an eyepatch. great workshops for kids here, too.

arkay workshop – everything in this store adorable, or handmade or local and it’s all really affordable. great clothing, jewelry and home accessories it makes a great spot for finding gifts.

apartment – i love these guys. there’s many vintage home stores on the Valencia corridor, but this is one of my favorites, and the prices are really reasonable.

belljar – sasha darling’s beautiful mission boutique. the belljar carries clothing, accessories and vintage home wares you won’t find anywhere else. a great little gallery with new openings all the time.

candystore collective – although they do serve up some candy in cute vintage jars, this shop is more about the fashion than it is about about the sweets. really cute home accessories and artwork, too. check their gallery schedule for regular openings.

Curiosity Shoppe – run by good friends of mine, derek fagerstrom and lauren smith, this is also one of my very favorite shops in the city. they do the best job of gathering uniquely beautiful, hand-crafted items, all under their sweet little roof. check their calendar for regular art openings, too.

dog eared books – wonderful new and used bookstore. it has just the right amount of attitude. love to stroll out with a couple of bargain books under my arm.

fire escape farms – cutest name for the cutest gardening store. just what you might think – it’s a great little shop for everything you might need to create your own small, but urban oasis.

hazel & gerties – very likely one of the cutest pet boutiques ever. decorated with proprietor jeannine giordan’s vintage collection of amazing pet paraphernalia. friendly and knowledgeable, too. lucy recommends!

Paxton Gate – science meets home garden, it’s a shop full of oddities and treasures — from taxidermy to exotic plants and belljars. their kid’s shop down the block is awesome, too.

pot + pantry – cutest little cooking shop around. owner donna couldn’t be nicer, and she specializes in new and gently used kitchenware, including products from Le Creuset, and Calphalon. they also carry a small assortment of food products from local artisans.

Rare Device – just like it sounds, every object in the store has its own story, and has been chosen because it is either handmade, well-designed, useful, beautiful or all of the above. part gallery – check their schedule for upcoming art openings.

room 4 – great little vintage shop specializing in mid-century modern. i’ve spied some pretty amazing vintage clothing, lighting fixtures and portrait paintings here, too. owner david is really friendly, and Everything is hand-picked, stylish and seriously affordable.

schauplatz – lovely little shop full of vintage clothing and accessories. super helpful staff with a great eye for style.

stuff – a gianormous collective of vintage and antiques all under one big roof. and there’s parking too. woohoo!

thrift town - the mother lode of all thrift stores, it’s got three floors of secondhand finds. mind you there’s some gonna be a hunting here — where’s there’s a lot of great stuff, there’s a lot of stuff in general, so you’ll need to spend a little time here.

this week’s tips:

the burritophile – if you’re looking for the best burrito in the city – this guy’s tried them all. check out his burrito ratings!

check out scoutmob for loads of local san francisco deals. i share more of my favorite spots here, too.

• photo of foreign cinema via soma magazine.