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.

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.