San Francisco Shopping Guide - Valencia st

Shopping Guide Map - Valencia st, The Mission (ahhh, feel so much better now I am reunited with my textas!)

The thing with San Francisco, is that everything is quite spread out. It's not as instantly accessible as I expected... you can't just wander around aimlessly and hope to uncover the most gorgeous little coffeeshop or quaint little shopping strip. Instead you have to do a little bit of research... which we kinda learnt the hard way!

San Fran dolls houses! - top and bottom left photos by Joanna Forever on Flickr

No on told us that the best place to hang out in San Francisco is Valencia st. Sure, a few people said we should check out 'The Mission' area... but it took a good frustrating hour or more of traipsing up and down Mission st looking at cowboy boots and dodgy $1 shops to realise that Valencia is where you wanna be!

Street art in The Mission

Anyway, it was so exciting to (finally) discover some of the city’s best loved indie design shops and little creative hubs dotted along this busy main road - including The Curiosity Shoppe, Little Otsu and much more!

...But the absolute highlight of this area was visiting Dave Eggers incredible Pirate Shop at 826 Valencia. If you have no idea what I'm talking about you MUST watch this video. Pleeeaase watch it. 826 Valencia is an absolute inspiration... as is the charming Mr Eggers. It was so so so great to visit this magical little place for ourselves. Photos and other highlights below!

The Curiosity Shoppe - 855 Valencia at

The Curiosity Shoppe - images found on flickr here and here

The Curiosity Shoppe was our first Valencia st discovery... a small but gorgeous little shop filled with all those curious necessities - like stick-on moustaches and knitted apple-jackets. Genius! There's also a cute little exhibition area down the back which showcases the work of local illustrators and artists, and a small but fantastic little library of craft and design books. You can also browse a lot of their current stock on their website.

Little Otsu - 849 Valencia st

The shots above are alas not by me... Little Otsu were re-doing their window display during my visit. Instead these shots of an earlier window display are from a gorgeous set by Sweetiepiepress on Flickr. My shots below.

More gorgeous paper goodies and printed matter from Little Otsu, including the cutest recipe cards (which I couldn't resist!) by Susie Ghahremani.

My heart was all aflutter when I stumbled across Little Otsu on Valencia st... I had heard so much about this fantastic independent publishing house and their collaborations with many talented artists and designers, it was so exciting to visit their store in person! It was also great to see the work of artists and bloggers whose work I've admired for so long but have only ever seen online - stunning screenprinted posters by Claire Nereim (blogged here before), illustrated stationary by Susie Ghahremani and beautiful paper-cut illustrations by Nikki McClure.

It was also lovely to meet Yvonne Chen, founder and co-owner of Little Otsu... she was super lovely and only too happy for me to take some photos to share here! Yay for that. :)

ps) you can also shop online with Little Otsu (gorgeous, unique finds that you won't see anywhere else in Melbourne!)... and they also have a super-cute blog.

826 Valencia Pirate Shop - 826 Valencia st

Pirate Supply Store! So fun!

Pirate necessities - including Peg Leg oil (of course)

Top image - the kids writing workshop at the back of the pirate shop, bottom image - pirate noticeboard - 'have you been impressed against your will??'

Oh my. The excitement. Even my boyfriend had fun at 826 Valencia! And that's saying something. Dave Egger's incredible pirate supply store / kids writing workshop needs to be seen to be believed. You really must check out his TED video to truly understand the magic.

Highlights included witnessing unsuspecting customers being 'mopped' by the cheeky Pirate Store attendant... discovering all kinds of pirate paraphernalia that you never knew existed... and chuckling at all the hilarious instructional notes and signs everywhere. HILARIOUS. You must have a good long browse of the website. Promise?

Paxton Gate - 824 Valencia st

Exterior of 826 Valencia and Paxton Gate next door

One again my fella seems to have made his way into my photo...! This is Paxton Gate - showcasing taxidermied animal heads and strange prehistoric-looking plants!

Right next-door to the fabulous Pirate shop was Paxton Gate - a store which had fortuitously been recommended to me by a reader only a few days before I arrived in San Fran! (Thankyou Melinda!).

Paxton Gate is a unique shopping experience - a very eclectic mix of taxidermy and scientific ephemera such as fossils, crystals, incredible corals and deep sea crustaceans and shells... as well as kooky plant life (think venus flytraps and other almost prehistoric-looking flora). It's all beautifully displayed - you could seriously lose hours just browsing at all the unexpected little details. I don't quite understand their target market, but it seemed pretty popular when we visited!

Regalito Rosticeria - 3481 18th st (just off Valencia)

I try not to include too many random eating-spots in these design/shopping guides... but it just seems so handy to know where to stop for lunch if anyone happens to be re-tracing my steps at some point in the not-too-distant future!

We had such a truly delicious modern Mexican meal at Regalito Rosticiera, I thought it was well worth a mention. The food is surprisingly light and interesting... not your usual heavy Mexican Fare. If you eat meat, I highly recommend the 'Papas con Chorizo' (potatoes with Chorizo). So tasty!

Monument - 572 Valencia st


Monument is a 20th Century furniture store with a fantastic range... kinda pricey but these are quality collectible pieces, beautifully restored and (unfortunately) worth every penny! Well worth a browse... and you can check out their current stock online here thanks to 1st Dibs - an incredible online marketplace which brings together some of the best vintage and collectible design pieces worldwide! It is a truly fabulous website for 20th cemtury interiors especially - if you don't know it, you're missing out!

Clothes Contact - 473 Valencia st

I can't say I usually have the patience for op-shopping (or as they say in the US, thrift-store shopping)... but of the many, many vintage clothing shops along Valencia st - this bustling, colourful little store really caught my eye! The main drawcard seems to be their 'thrift by the pound' policy - ie all sales are charged by weight! They just weigh your items in bulk on scales at the checkout, and charge you accordingly. Awesome! No website I can find... but some more info and customer reviews here.

Farnsworth 20th Century Modernist Design - 393 Valencia st

Another great little 20th Century Furniture store - a little smaller, less showy perhaps than Monument... but no less interesting. Some key collectible pieces (including a wonderfully aged classic Eames leather / rosewood rocker and ottoman - divine!), but also slightly kookier finds including interesting ceramics and other small accessories.

Four Barrell Coffee - 375 Valencia st


OK so San Francisco has this weird thing going on with Coffee. There seem to be a lot of 'high concept' coffee stores around this town... most of which you have to queue up outside for AGES to get a coffee... and also most of which don't really sell many snacks or lunch stuff at all... just coffee!? I found it a bit weird, as I have no patience for the kind of hyped-up, self conscious coffee 'manifesto' thing... but perhaps that's just because we are so spoilt in Melbourne with all the good food and good coffee (which you can surprsingly usually buy in the same place - without even queueing up!!). ANYWAY, it seems San Franciscans are more than happy to wait 15 minutes for a cup of painstakingly produced coffee, so who am I to judge...!

Four Barrell Coffee in Valencia st seemed one of the popular options, and had a shorter queue than most! The space was huge and quite cool and industrial inside - thus even more frustrating when we found out they don't do lunch! :(

Williamsburg with Grace Bonney!

I wanted to do a detailed illustrated map of Williamsburg.. but.. no textas, no time, no scanner. Blah. :( This will have to do for now. The 'M' at Bedford Ave is the subway station - it's just one stop from Manhattan. The loop we walked was kind of between North 7th and Grand sts, with the main drag along Bedford Ave.

OK so, as you guys have probably picked up, I spent most of last week wandering around New York wide-eyed enthusiasm... I can't help it! It's such an inspiring city. But nothing could compare to the excitement of meeting Grace Bonney in Williamsburg last Friday!

YES! How cool is that!? I am still recovering from the excitement!

Grace is totally my blogging idol. Design*Sponge has been such an inspiration to me - both as a blogger and an independent creative business-person. Grace sets the standard for independent craft and design blogging - she's so incredibly prolific, and seems to have an innate ability to curate the site so perfectly - with just enough sneak-peek eye candy, new product and trend news, as well as introducing us to so many amazing emerging designers... not to mention supporting independent business women with her Biz ladies meet-ups and events! Ms Bonney clearly knows a thing or two about efficient multi-tasking.

Needless to say I was a little nervous to meet Grace - and totally star struck of course! But she truly is as sweet as she seems - so warm and genuinely chirpy and smiley and friendly, and so generous to spend an afternoon traipsing around Williamsburg in the rain to show me all her favrouite spots! I felt so lucky to spend a couple of hours in her company. Thanks so so much Grace!

Williamsburg looks like this. It feels a little bit Melbourne (Fitzroy-ish I guess), and a little bit London too - beautiful on a crisp sunny spring day... not quite as nice in the pouring rain...! Surprisingly it doesn't feel much like Manhattan at all.. it has more of a quirky charm and a real sense of community.

Below is a little round up of some of the lovely shops Grace took me to - as well as a few additions I discovered later when re-visiting Williamsburg on the weekend... Most are design-related, although I've thrown in a little coffee (and chocolate) too! Enjoy!

1) Blackbird Parlour - 197 Bedford ave (at Nth 6th st)

Stopped at this lovely cafe on Bedford Avenue near the subway station for a coffee and a chat with Grace before our little tour! They have an espresso machine and make a great cafe latte - something we take for granted in Melbourne, but is often a rarity in New York! The vibe is relaxed, and the decor similar to many of New York's favourite haunts - a little bit dilapidated and grungy, with timber fixtures and vintage pendant lamp lighting.

Blackbird Parlour

2) The Future Perfect - 115 Nth 6th st

After reading so much about this famed Brooklyn design shop online over the past few years, I was eager to visit The Future Perfect! David Alhadeff opened the store back back in 2003, and has since been credited with really kick-starting a the new design scene in Brooklyn.

I was excited to see a mix of local Brooklyn design on offer, as well as famous pieces by reknowned international designers like Jaime Hayon, Patricia Urquiola and others... Grace and I loved the little faceted glacier glasses by David Wiseman for Artel... just a little out of my price range!

The Future Perfect

The Future Perfect

3) A & G Merch - 111 Nth 6th st

Alhadeff's more recent project is A & G Merch - The Future Perfect's more affordable younger sibling! Sorry no photos on the inside... I get shy sometimes! Check out their website for more.

4) Moon River Chattel - 62 Grand st

Moon River Chattel is a stunning shop full of delicate french antique linens, a mix of antique and vintage semi-industrial funiture, beautiful antique and reproduction lighting etc etc. Think Izzi and Popo meets Ici et La... only a bit more pared back... a bit less less colour. Beautiful beautiful. Many more photos on their Flickr here.

They also have an absolutely beautiful little 'secret garden' out the back door... truly magical, like some kind of fairy-tale - the walls covered in lush ivy etc... sorry no photos.. it was private property :( We just peeked through the back window.

Moon River Chattel - top photo by me, bottom photo found here.

5) Sprout Home - 44 Grand st

Sprout Home is another store I've been curious about ever since reading the gushing reviews on various NY-based design blogs over the last few years... it's the most gorgeous little garden shop, filled with cascading foliage and picture-perfect potplants. They also sell stunning individual blooms by the stem. More photos on Apartment Therapy here.

How cute is the pink-leaved plant below? Must try and track this down back home! Sprout Home also have a blog.

Sprout Home

6) Voos - 103a Nth 3rd st

The latest addition to Brooklyn's burgeoning design scene is Voos. Voos sell only locally- produced design pieces, so you're likely to find something truly unique here.

Voos - love those squat little concrete planters! Top image from here, bottom image by me.

7) Mast Brother's Chocolate - 105 Nth 3rd st

...well a girl can't get by on design alone!

Mast Brothers do the lovely wrapped chocolate I wrote about here. These guys are so popular right now, when Grace and I dropped by they had no chocolate left! Instead a team of chirpy locals were congregated around a communal table, feverishly packaging up more chocolate blocks in wrapping paper!

The Mast Brothers are decidedly old-school in their approach to chocolate making - they are New York's only 'bean to bar' chocolate makers, and each bar is handcrafted by the brothers themselves. Oh, and check out their beards! If that doesn't lend an air of old-fashioned sophistication to their business I don't know what does!

Sadly I didn't get a photo... so popped back on the weekend for these shots.

Mast Brothers Chocolate

8) Bedford Cheese Shop - 229 Bedford ave

Grace and I dropped in here because Mast Brothers had no chocolate for us! So we picked up a couple of bars here. Gorgeous deli and stinky cheese shop. Lots of lovely gourmet treats on offer, and a beautiful older-style deli fit-out complete with tiny mosaic tiling on the floor.

Oh HELLO they also have a really cute website. Check it out.

Bedford Cheese Shop

9) Roebling Tea Room - 143 Roebling st Brooklyn

I actually didn't visit the lovely Roebling Tea Room restaurant with Grace... Gordon's friend Glen from Core 77 took us here on Sunday. I loved it! Such a great semi-industrial space - the building is filled with artists's studios on the higher floors.

They have seriously like 50 different types of tea... as well as a fantastic menu of lunch and breakfast treats. But this place is worth a visit just to check out the wallpaper. Super cute!

Roebling Tea Room entrance

Boys food and girls food. (ham, eggs and CHUNKY bread vs. fetta and pink grapefruit salad)

Gorgeous detailing at the Roebling Tea Room - love the sage green colour-palette and wispy wild flowers everywhere.

Couple of other restaurants / cafes that we didn't visit but which caught my eye..

10) Juliette - 135 Nth 5th st, Brooklyn

Just off the main drag of Bedford ave, this cafe's main drawcard is that fantastic generous rooftop space. Wish we had time to visit. Nice review here!


11) Radegast Hall and Biergarten - 113 N 3rd St (between Bedford Ave & Berry St)

I don't really like beer, but the fantastic space and sizzling barbeque in the open-air annex are enough to tempt me... the food looked (and smelled) fantastic. I feel like Little Creatures Dining Hall in Fitzroy had perhaps visited this place and tried their own slightly more polished version...

More great photos of the fantastic beer garden annex here.

Radegast Hall and Biergarten

Surry Hills Shopping Guide

Surry Hills / Darlinghurst map - double click for a larger view

YES finally here is the Surry Hills / Darlinghurst (and a little bit of Redfern) shopping guide! I so enjoyed exploring this beautiful leafy area of Sydney. It has such a lovely, villagey feel... and so many great shops and cafes to discover. I must preface this post by saying that I know there are places I have left out! (Orson and Blake, Afficionados of the Nod... etc etc). I don't claim to be any kind of expert after having spent a single week in Sydney! I didn't get along to every shop I would have liked to... but the places mentioned here are ones I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through, and would recommend to any design-loving Sydney visitor (or resident!).

A word of warning before embarking on a walking tour of Surry Hills - consider your footwear! Like much of Sydney, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst are full of steep hills! Melburnians should be prepared for a serious calf-muscle work-out. (Sydney-siders are probably so used to it they don't even notice).

1) De De Ce
263 Liverpool st
Darlinghurst

De De Ce needs no introduction really - a fantastic, slick, polished showroom, and an excellent range of designer furniture and home accessories.

For those of us who enjoy a bit of design snooping (me me!), De De Ce also have a fantastic image archive on their website, entitled 'Projects'. Here you can search through a library of images of over 1300 stunning residences furnished by De De Ce. (Burley Katon Halliday's incredible Republic 2 apartments are here).

2) Penny Arcade
15 Foster st
Surry Hills

Penny Arcade interior - LOVE those vintage outdoor lounges with the striped yellow cushions!

Penny Arcade has a fantastic selection of 20th Century vintage furniture and lighting. Much of their range is pictured here. I didn't realise until visiting their website that they are an offshoot of the Bracewell fashion clothing company, and apparently also showcase new and vintage fashion pieces along with range of furniture? I am confused, as I saw no evidence of this during my visit! Anyway, fab furniture finds... a must see.

3) Spence and Lyda
16 Foster st
Surry Hills

Spence and Lyda's Missoni fabrics and soft furnishings, and brand new fibreglass Eames shell chairs

The latest eye-catching lounge from Missoni Home... complete with matching cushions, poufs and rug. Nothing if not attention-grabbing! I do love the oversized floral imagery on these rugs... look at the toadstools!

Vibrant pattern, colour and texture from the Missoni Home soft furnishings range

Missoni Home poufs and floral print rug - love this simple, striking design

Spence and Lyda have a fantastic range of contemporary, highly decorative furniture, soft furnishings, textiles and lighting. The aesthetic is uncompromisingly high-end, yet quirky and full of personality. No room for the modern minimalist here! Highlights - a brilliant selection of eye-catching pieces from Missoni Home (love the oversized floral rugs and polka dot textiles especially), and brand new fibreglass Eames shell chairs... which I was so excited by, as I was under the impression they only manufactured plastic these days? I must say I much prefer the fibreglass - such vibrant colours and a texture that just doesn't compare to the plastic version.

4) Koskela
level 1, Imperial Slacks Building
91 Campbell st
Surry Hills

Koskela's light-filled 1st floor showroom

top image - stunning spherical globe lights, priced between $95.00 and $148.00 each including either copper, anodised aluminium or powder-coated fitting

More details from Koskela's stunning showroom - the top image shows beautiful hand-blown glass vases in a soft yellow by Kris Coad

I just adored Koskela's showroom, situated on the 1st floor of an old industrial factory building in Surry Hills. Just look at those windows.... and the battered floorboards and ceiling joists! What a perfect space.

Koskela's own signature furniture range is all designed and manufactured in Australia, and includes an extensive collection of upholstered seating, tables, benches, beds, credenza's and even rugs! Wow! It's unusual and really encouraging to see such an extensive range of furniture made here in Australia. Koskela's signature aesthetic has a clear scandinavian influence - lots of blonde timbers, and classic clean lines. Koskela also stocks a wide range of home accessories such as ceramics, glassware, soft furnishings etc by local designers and craftspeople.

5) Beautiful on the Inside
shop 45, 322 Bourke st
Surry Hills

Beautiful on the Inside is directly opposite Object Gallery in Bourke st. It's a small shop that blurs the line between retail space and exhibition space. The range of contemporary home accessories, lighting and other designer nik-naks is small but carefully selected. The collection is eclectic and kooky - Melissa shoes sit happily alongside ceramics, glassware, doormats(!) and more... it's a quirky mix but it works.

6) Object Gallery
417 Bourke st
Surry Hills

Highlights from the Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award Exhibition at Object Gallery. Top image - Christina Waterson's stunning suspended installation of Plexa Modules. bottom image - Bedrock lamps by Henry Wilson.

I wrote a longer post about Object Gallery yesterday... a fantastic not-for-profit exhibition space showcasing and supporting the work of local Australian designers and craftspeople. In addition to staging 6 annual exhibitions of craft and design here each year, Object Gallery facilitates numerous national touring exhibitions and a further 2 exhibitions at Sydney's Opera House every year, and produces the quarterly Object Magazine - a carefully curated and beautifully put-together publication .

7) Garlands Florist
shop 11, The Chapel @ St. Margarets
423 Bourke st
Surry Hills



I stumbled across the gorgeous Garlands florist whilst waiting for Object Gallery to open! A truly stunning selection of flowers and the odd stylised potted plant... beautiful attention to detail - lush green mosses spilling from each aged terracotta pot, beautifully rusted french-style vintage outdoor tables etc.... gorgeous gorgeous.

8) Lumiere Cafe and Patisserie
shop 13, 425 Bourke st
Surry Hills


Stopped in at the lovely Lumiere Cafe for a second-breakfast! I am not exaggerating when I say that this was the absolute best muesli I have ever eaten! Crunchy toasted nuts, tart rhubarb and a poached pear... SO good. Mmmm. A good review is here.

9) Format Furniture
146 Foveaux st
Surry Hills

Always love a stroll through Format, and haven't had a chance until now to visit the Sydney store. They really strike the perfect balance between slick, high end furnishings and a playful, tongue-in-cheek sense of style... showcasing a great range of pieces by big International companies like Vitra, Established and Sons etc. Love the brave colours and kooky smalls.

10) Chee Soon and Fitzgerald
387 Crown st
Surry Hills

Chee Soon and Fitzgerald's busy, colourful interior

Marimekko fabrics (top) and traditional Japanese silks (below)

painted wooden dolls

Chee Soon and Fitzgerald is a small but fantastically well-stocked shop showcasing a select range of quirky, colourful homewares and textiles from all corners of the globe. They have an extensive range of Marimekko fabrics, and are the Australian distributors for the famed Swedish textiles label. They stock ceramic tableware and vases, African basketry, Japanese fabrics, amongst other decorative pieces. They also custom make soft furnishings and lampshades to order using their range of stunning textiles.

11) Coffee Tea or Me?
536 Crown st
Surry Hills

Stopped in here for a delicious baguette and coffee at lunchtime... a lovely quaint little corner cafe with a French vibe. (We kept noticing that there are so many French people in Sydney - seemed every shop/cafe we entered we were greeted with a fab French accent!) Cute seating out on the leafy street and a tasty lunchtime menu.

12) Ici et La
588 Bourke st
Surry Hills

and 7 Nickson st
Surry Hills (just around the corner)

Ici et La - Bourke st storefront, and stunning striped canvases

Bourke st store interior - filled to the brim with an eclectic collection of furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories.

Nickson st store - a more industrial warehouse-style interior, lots more room for furniture and larger pieces.

Love this vintage button dispenser spotted in the Nickson st store!

More evidence of Sydney's burgeoning francophile subculture... Ici et La is a firm favourite amongst locals for its beautiful collection of vintage and industrial furniture, imported striped deck-chair style canvases (an incredible selection), and general French rustic nik naks. Currently in two locations, the Bourke st store is set to close it doors next year in favour of the larger premises at Nickson st.

13) David met Nicole
382 Cleveland st
Surry Hills

Chinese lanterns and colourful trinkets at David Met Nicole

incredible selection of flea-market ephemera - vintage watch faces, letterpress pieces etc etc

David Met Nicole is a tiny, very (endearingly) cluttered shop on the corner of Cleveland and Marlborough sts, bordering Redfern. The range is an extremely varied mix of both new and vintage finds - expensive Bassike T shirts in the back room hang alongside vintage Union Jack flags, and an incredible mix of flea market ephemera.... things like vintage watch faces (above), the tiniest porcelein dolls you've ever seen, even tinier test tubes with cork stoppers to match, vintage letterpress pieces, and of course the ubiquitous laser-cut alphabet letters.

Whilst the pieces are sourced from around the globe, the aesthetic is unmistakeably 'British' in Style... and is punctuated by a kind of faded, old world glamour.

14) Great Dane Furniture
613 Elizabeth st
Redfern


Great Dane Furniture is well-known for its excellent range of Scandinavian Furniture, lighting, and home accessories. The Sydney store is large and very well-stocked... beautiful timbers and upholstered fabrics in great, rich colours. Also loved the extensive range of lighting on display... I don't seem to remember seeing quite so much lighting on display at the Melbourne store.