It’s been crazy work times over here, mix that with the holidays and you’ve got a combination for disaster. Luckily, I have many years of dealing with holiday stress under my belt.. The BF and I took a little break over the weekend to check out the Renegade Craft Fair and it was chalk full of crafty goodness. I got some Christmas shopping done and I treated myself to this Son of a Sailor necklace. How are you doing with your holiday shopping? Will I be seeing you at the mall on Christmas Eve?!?

SF Shopping – General Store

I had some friends in town last weekend and we did a whole lotta shoppin’. It was really work related, but the fun was included. Since I’m still relatively new to SF, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite spots in the city. First is the General Store in Outer Sunset. It’s a bit of a trek from the hub of the city, but well worth it. You can grab a cappuccino next door, peruse the shop full of home goods, books, objects, clothes and accessories, then go take a gander at the ocean.

Image via here

Retail Buys

I’ve been pounding the pavement and hittin’ up the retail stores to see if there are any great buys out there for me (and you!). I didn’t want to rush out and just buy everything I needed for the apartment, as I usually like to have a ‘collected over time’ feel, but there are just those key pieces I had to have, otherwise, I would still be living in Box City, USA. Here are a few of my faves…and if you happen to need all these pieces, I think they would all be superb in the same room!

side table, settee, console, chair, rug

Kelly Wearstler Boutique

Oh Kelly…you seem to be killing it.

Ms. Kdub will be opening her first boutique in Los Angeles some time this month and I think it’s safe to assume it will be over-the-top major dramarama. Can’t wait to see what she has in store, pun intended.

Image: Kelly Wearstler

Shipley & Halmos Online Store

Need a cure for the back to work after a three day weekend blues?? Let’s go shopping! Shipley & Halmos has just launched their brand new online store and now you can shop S&H from the comfort of your very own home. There’s a little something for everyone, including the ladies. I love all their Objects, especially that scruffy, little fur face…so creative those boys!

Image: Shipley & Halmos

NY Diary: Day Four

It’s my last full day in NY and what better way to start it off than with breakfast pizza!

Motorino

What is breakfast pizza you ask?? I asked myself the same thing, but without knowing the full details, I was very excited to be starting my day off with something involving breakfast AND pizza! Today was our Brooklyn day and the BF and I met up with friends, Jeff, Lisa, An and Jeremy at Motorino to get some grub. Our friends were hypin’ this place up and I was not disappointed. I was a little weary about egg on my pizza because of a prior experience as a teeny bopper in Paris, but egg on pizza is enemy no more. The fresh farm eggs were cooked to perfection, the basil was aromatic and the crust was thin, light and bubbly…my mouth is watering, yum.

Mast Brothers

After our brunch, we all wanted something a little sweet so we stopped into Mast Brothers. This chocolate shop felt like an old school establishment. They have all there beautifully paper wrapped chocolate bars displayed in the front and you can sample any of their flavors before purchasing. The chocolate making process is in full view for everyone to see and we were lucky enough to get an impromptu tour of the factory even though they were done touring for the day. I felt like I was in Willie Wonka, very cool.

Brooklyn Art Library

Right next door is the Brooklyn Art Library, a cute boutique carrying paper goods, vintage books and small treasures. If you are looking for the perfect notebook, this is the place. The Sketchbook Project was also on display when I was there.

Fresh Kills

I stopped in quite a few vintage furniture stores and Fresh Kills had some great pieces.

Future Perfect

Another furniture store carrying new furniture and some very unique items.

Moon River Chattel

This was my second time at Moon River and it’s hard not to leave this shop without a purchase, even if it’s just some fresh licorice. A lovely home store with a frenchy, vintage feel. I bought a dop kit for my BF. He was happy.

Kiosk

Back in Soho, I wanted to check out Kiosk per a friend’s recommendation. It’s semi-hidden except for the big neon arrow pointing you down a seedy hallway to the shop. Interesting things from interesting places is what they sell and the objects are all displayed gallery style with witty descriptions telling you about each piece.

Blaue Gans

Another late dinner with friends Sammy and Allison at Austrian restaurant Blaue Gans. I had been here before except it was a somewhat blurry night last New Years Eve. I was there for all but five minutes, danced to a some Gaga and was off to the next spot. It was nice to actually sit down and have a civilized meal this time around. The sausage and pretzle were delish, but the spaetzle left a lot to be desired (especially according to my German BF).

Let’s Play House – Ace Hotel

I was so ready to burn some calories at Let’s Play House at the Ace (a monthly night a friend hosts), but after catching up with friends and a few too many glasses of wine and beer, it was not to be. Until next time…

images: Brooklyn Art Library, Fresh Kills, CitySearch, Moon River Chattel, Refinery29, Zagat, Ace Hotel

on February 21, 2011
In Food, Furniture, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Vintage
1

NY Diary: Day Three

It’s in the high 50s today in Cali and it almost feels like I’m back in New York (har har). Not really, but it’s cold enough here to wear one of my super thick knit sweaters (actually it’s my BF’s sweater, really into stealing his clothes these days) and I’m wishin’ I was back in the Big Apple. So it’s my third day in NY…

Cafe Cafe

And I need to get a latte to start my day. It’s my medicine. Cafe Cafe is my go to spot in Soho. Encountered this little cafe when I stayed at the Soho Grand last year and it’s super close to where I stayed this time around. Convenience is key when you are barely awake and functioning. There’s nothing overly fantastic about this place but my BF is very picky about his chai teas and he enjoys it here (just make sure to ask for extra chai). It feels very “international” to me for some reason, hostel-like almost, but not in the gross, finding a used band-aid in the shower kind of way. They have yummy blueberry muffins, too.

Bookmarc

Shopping continues and we make our way over to the West Village. It’s very hard for me to pass up bookstores, so when I saw Bookmarc I was ecstatic. Bookmarc is Marc Jacob’s newest venture….it took me about 1.5 seconds to get it 🙂 I like books and I like Marc Jacobs so it was a match made in heaven. This shop carries a variety of great titles, some out of print, and an array of very affordable MJ goods, such as pencils, notebooks, key chains, wallets, totes, etc.

Castor & Pollux

Women’s apparel boutique carrying modern but feminine lines. It’s a cozy little shop and I walked away with a super cute blue chambray dress.

Elizabeth Bauer

Home store we popped into before gettin’ our grub on. There are unique furniture pieces with some small home goods. This designer loves color and pattern so it was right up my alley.

Gruppo

If you like perfectly cooked, super thin crust pizza than this is your spot in the East Village. A mini blizzard started as we made our way to Gruppo, so to sit down in a warm place and have pizza served to you was heaven. My only critique is that there could’ve been more flavor in the sausage, but I was a pretty happy camper.

Guggenheim

I love the Guggenheim. If I lived in New York, I would probably come here all the time. Although, I’m not an art buff, I have such respect for the architecture and I just love nerding around in museums. I would come here on a weekday afternoon to avoid the crowds, and then I would stop in at Cafe Sabarsky, an Austrian cafe, for some coffee and strudel. It was my BF’s first time here and unfortunately a lot of the exhibitions were closed, but he got to experience the Gugg and we enjoyed some Bauhaus action.

Tretorn

I’m an overpacker. Always have been. I probably brought at least a dozen pairs of shoes last time I came to NY and only wore about three pairs. So this time, I was really good, so proud of myself. Big mistake! I kept my eye on the weather reports, I knew it was gonna snow, I knew the streets would be filled with that black ice, and I still did not bring the appropriate shoes for some reason. So after a few days of slidin’ around town, I broke down and purchased some functional shoes. After an exhausting day of shopping and culture, I was determined to find the perfect pair of shoes. I dragged my BF to a million shops in Soho (such a good sport) only to end up at the very first store we went to, Tretorn. Scored some galoshes and lace up boots, both on sale. Holla.

Ryan McGinness

After resting up a bit, I met up with my BFF to check out the opening night of Ryan McGinness’ ‘Black Holes’ at the Phillips de Pury gallery in the Meatpacking District. McGinness’ ‘Black Holes’ is a series of round paintings on canvasses and wood panels, blasting fluorescent arabesque patterns.

Northeast Kingdom

Ended the night with a late meal at Northeast Kingdom in Bushwick Brooklyn. This restaurant is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, part cabin, part Grandma’s living room. They’re all about local food here and they list all the “farms & friends” that grow and raise their ingredients on a big chalkboard. I filled my belly and took a car back into Manhattan because it was late and f-ing cold. Food + sleep = good times.