pssst…i just wanted to alert y’all to the fact that On Monday, December 26, my very lovely sponsor, H.D. buttercup is have their Half-Yearly Sale. big discounts if you’ve been hankering for something gorgeous from the H.D. buttercup inventory. both of their entire stores in san francisco and in los angeles have sofas, light fixtures, pillows, tables marked down 20-70%.

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

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.

Hi everyone! As most of us already know, TOAST is without a doubt one of the most beautifully styled sites around. Their new winter wares coming out are styled so well it’s poetic with the old industrial back drops and outhouses with gorgeous models, knits and pj’s to die for. We heart it completely.

i get a lot of requests from y’all for travel tips to san francisco, and i’m always happy to oblige. i’m so proud of this city and love living here, and most especially sharing it with y’all. in fact, if you weren’t aware, i have a category on the blog devoted to san francisco happenings, and several of my favorites listed in the resources section (check out if you’re going to san francisco and you gotta eat). so, i thought i’d start a series rounding up some of my favorite spots for you. this week i’m going to start with my own san francisco neighborhood, noe valley.

and, pssst…there’s a surprise attached to this new 415 series. i’ve got a giveaway coming up that could make this information pretty valuable. that’s all i’m saying at the moment. but it’s gonna be big. it’s gonna be huge. standby.

you gotta eat:

24th street cheese company – just what you think it – a wonderful shop with a ginormous black board listing well over a hundred gourmet cheeses broken down alphabetically by type.

bacco – yummy italian specialties and authentic regional Italian cuisine, just off the beaten path on diamond street.

bernie’s coffee – a super friendly (non-chain) little neighborhood spot to grab your morning coffee and pastry. and they’ve got wifi, and outdoor seating too!

chloe’s cafe – for a top notch breakfast or brunch, and sidewalk tables, visit chloe’s. there might be a line, but it’s well worth it.

contigo – my very favorite and a love letter to Barcelona, serving up amazing spanish tapas. a fun spot to go with a group – try it all!

firefly – a magical and cozy little neighborhood spot serving up great comfort food, including a prix fixe menu Sunday thru Thursday.

incanto – a carnivore’s delight. a unique italian cafe, specializing in various cooking methods of utilizing all the bodily part of the beast.

la boulangerie – a san francisco bakery chain, but a yummy one. lovely french pastries and an excellent spot for coffee and brunch.

fattoush – an excellent little middle eastern cafe.

le zinc – a sweet little french bistro. sit outside on the garden patio and enjoy a kir royale.

lupa – the neighborhood italian trattoria.

noeteca – noe valley’s local cafe and wine bar. a place that will feel comfortable and familiar – a meeting place for friends and family.

noe valley bakery – the local baker serving up cupcakes, fresh artisan baked breads and custom cakes. yum.

pasta gina – my favorite neighborhood grocer – for italian specialties. best meatballs, homemade ravioli and cannoli around. so friendly too!

tataki south – sweet little sushi bar serving up only the freshest and sustainable fish.

the little chihuahua – excellent and super fresh mex, using organic produce and niman ranch beef. try the Fried Plantains Burritos. there’s a little outside patio, too.

shopping:

ambiance – clothing and accessories boutique for women, decorated with a vintage vibe.

curator – a sweet little shop with a line of clothing designed and produced in San Francisco. great jewelry and accessories, too.

lovejoy’s attic – sweet little vintage shop (try their charming tea room across the street, too).

omnivore books – best little cookbook shop in town. and frequent chef lectures are always on the menu. get a signed copy of your favorite cookbook.

phoenix books – the neighborhood new and used book seller.

rabat’s shoes – amazing shoes, like chie mihara’s!

urban nest – one part Parisian flea market, one part haven for pampering yourself, the urban nest is one of my favorite little san francisco shopping secrets.

wink – i love this adorable gift shop. from great bags, jewelry and home accessories to the cutest kids stuff, i always find something i want for myself at wink.

this week’s tips:

1. one thing i always tell visitors – the best time of year to visit is really right now – we get our warmest weather from about october to early november. bright clear, crisp days and not much fog at all. so keep that in mind next time you’re thinking of coming north!

2. be sure and check out My Found Locals page, and look at other Bold Italic profiles for great locals’ favorites, too.

• top image via lockedcog; neighborhood image via thomas hawk.

“I’ve not had an ‘official’ vacation this summer–in fact it’s been almost three years since I took a holiday–but lately I have had the pleasure of traveling extensively for work. Much of that travel has consisted of road trips within my home state of California, from the warm beaches of San Diego to the hot flats of the Central Valley, and from the foggy hills of San Francisco to the desert sands of Palm Springs.”

“So I’m enamored with anything that captures the essence of this vast and varied land and its palette of wood, water, sky, and stone. Chairs that could have been carved from the redwoods of Big Sur or a radio, a a rustic and welcoming wall sconce, and cups hewn from the pines of Tahoe; a vase tumbled smooth by the Pacific’s waves; a mustang running wild at the feet of the White Mountains, or a camp blanket in a native-inspired print from Joshua Tree.”

“Of course every road trip requires a killer outfit: a breezy top, some chill shades, 90′s minimalist heels, a punk-sophisticate bag and a beastly necklace. Then record each day in a journal–because vacation or not, you’ll want to remember this trip!”

get anne’s “it list”: 1. organic modernism edo-b chair; 2. tivoli model one radio; 3. kuksa finnish camping cup; 4. jarlath mellett ceramic object; 5. dietmar busse photograph running horse, 2004; 6. quiksilver campfire blanket; 7. terrain recycled glass sconce; 8. laugh cry repeat block sleeveless top; 9. linda farrow for the row round wayfarer; 10. elizabeth and james clair high heel sandal; 11. pamela love porcupine needle pendant; 12. 5 year diary; and 13. romygold slashed biker tote.

how is it i didn’t know about this online magazine until refinery29′s post on the most inspiring home sites to bookmark now? i was super psyched to be included in their feature, and love the company i am keeping, including collected magazine. billed as “one of the few online interior design glossies that has a unisex style which caters to both girls and guys”, collected magazine is beautiful, no matter who they’re targeting – full of inspiring home tours, shopping guides and luscious photography. thanks for the intro, refinery29.

• photos: collected magazine.

i recently discovered this fab new site (via @renatom on twitter – thank you, rena!) — and it’s all about shopping. but, around the globe! hipshops covers the coolest shops from amsterdam to london, to budapest and brussels — and of course some new york and paris thrown in for good measure. so, say you’re planning your first trip to paris but aren’t sure where to shop, log in, check out, and save your favorites of the latest and greatest on hipshops , all broken down into the shopping categories you love. happy globetrotting!

mint, london.

hay house, copenhagen.

caravan, london.

le petit atelier de paris, paris.

aannex, berlin.

Henrik Vibskov, new york.

ben pentreath ltd, london.

i love souvenirs, but perhaps not in the traditional sense. sometimes i like the kitschy stuff, like the eiffel tower key chains (above). but, my keepsake purchases are usually more useful – something i can use in the kitchen, like the egg cup from merci – i’ll be eating my soft boiled eggs in it one morning and think “ahhh, i got this in paris“. i like those kinds of mementos. nothing was too expensive either…nothing over €27. here’s a look at what i brought back to remind me of my summer days in paris.

some japanese (go figure!) tape from merci; an old photograph of the eiffel tower and a vintage bracelet i found at ew, on rue saint paul; and, naturally i couldn’t resist the photobooth for €2 at bon ton – a beautiful children’s store.

an adorable rose print aline skirt and silk scarf from a small boutique in le marais, which i no longer can remember the name of — mon deui!

some stark white bensimon sneakers from their shop in le marais; some lovely smelling soap from a french pharmacie around the corner from my apartment.

a simply must have, ladurée macarons…before, and after – they’re all gone, but i needed to keep the sweet box!

some simple charm necklaces from merci. one is strung on ribbon, the others on waxed red twine. i think i’ll wear them all together, or wear one as a bracelet.

a sweet print pillow from bensimon that was on sale; and a wooden mortar and pestle i found at the paris flea — can’t wait to grind up some fresh herbs and fondly remember where it came from.

i had to have the kusmi tea, if not just for the delicious tea, but these great tea tins, too. and a vintage tea towel from another wonderful vintage shop on rue saint paul, au petit bonheur la chance — there’s lots of flea market type shops clustered on this street! more to come on my adventures there…

• all photos © sfgirlbybay.

These outtakes from the shopping tour in Rue Issue 3 were too good not to share with all of you. The store is called Mjolk, which is a) the Swedish word for ‘milk’ and b) a glowing mecca of streamlined Scandinavian and Japanese design in the heart of Toronto. You already know I’m dying over that rainbow pompom rug, especially when contrasted against stark white and glossy wood. What is your favorite part?

until next week!
bri from designlovefest

• Photos Flower Child Photography for Rue Magazine.