One of my favorite friends lives in New York City– and we tend to convene 1-2 X a year, in Napa or San Francisco or NYC, in between her touring schedule. And I live for her visits…They include late nights/ wine/ discussions of love/ food/ men/ small dogs/ mothers/ fathers/ healers/ vintage shops. She arrives with a whole black bag of lotions/ potions/ smelling salts and rude-smelling leaves that require boiling.
We spend our time together foraging antique shops/ craft stores/ holistic stores and the like— all in search of the next creative project to blow our minds. One visit we made the perfect “break up kit” for surviving heart break– it was glorious + thoughtful; including all kinds of spells/ tinctures/ remedies/ readings/ poems/ elixirs… Another time, we made hand-painted Christmas ornaments, by the dozen. Another visit was devoted to art of old-fashioned, letter writing and the magical ceremonies + rituals + accoutrements that support it.
For a recent birthday, I sent her a glass container filled with dozens upon dozens of well-loved paint brushes used by a local painter, that I had stumbled upon at our favorite vintage store. And for my 40th, she sent me a copy of the HILLS MANUAL OF SOCIAL + BUSINESS FORM– The How-To-Do-Everything book of Victorian America, written in 1865…
I’m going to be in San Francisco in April/May and was wondering if you can name some of your favorite shops there. My husband and I like to find unique stores when we visit new places. Thanks for your input!
sara, of course!
i love bell o’cchio; the new Gumps; nest on fillmore; past perfect vintage shop on union; stuff on valencia; scarlet sage + paxton gate + valencia 826 — all on valencia. this is an excellent smattering of special shops.