My San Francisco
I'm back from my whirlwind (yet month long) trip to Europe, and realized I never uploaded this one-day guide to San Francisco. I took my friend Cody around town when she was here in May. She returned the favor in her now-hometown of Munich a few weeks ago!
I'm still figuring out how exactly I want to present these little guides, for this one I'll hyperlink locations in the names - let's see how that goes...
I had Cody meet me at the Mill, aka my unofficial office, for Four Barrel coffee and baked goods. We hadn't seen each other in 6 months so after the necessary squealing (mainly on my part) and catching up, we hit the pavement to walk up the newly re-opened Alamo Square.
Alamo Square was socked in and the foggy mist was less than appealing...so down into Hayes Valley we walked. It's one of my go-to routes since it passes lots of Victorian facades. I wanted to show Cody Miette, beyond being *by far* the cutest pastry/candy shop in San Francisco, the sweets are just damn good.
From Hayes Valley we took a quick Lyft down into the Mission. It's also a doable walk, but we opted for the quick ride instead - we wanted out of the fog and into the sunshine ASAP. Whenever I'm showing a friend around the Mission Clarion Alley is a must. It's covered from end to end on both sides in gorgeous murals in different styles, most of which are reflections on social issues (gentrification, cultural appropriation, trans rights, to name a few). Some have been up for years, others are newer additions. Below is one of my favorites entitled "Where we all come from," by Danielle O'Malley. Yes, that's a giant vagina. Yay pastels and witchy-vibes and womanhood!
Keeping with the "yay womanhood" sentiment, I present my favorite piece of public art in San Francisco: the Women's Building.
Officially entitled the MaestraPeace Mural, it's one of the largest murals in the city. It was painted in 1994 as an homage to the courageous contributions of women globally throughout history.
Per usual, it was hot in the Mission, leading Cody and me to take refuge in shops along Valencia street.
Thread Lounge, pictured above, is hard to define. It's an eclectic mix of everything from housewares and clothing to large lighting fixtures and steeply priced knick-knacks. Perhaps the best description is that you've stepped into the genie's bottle: global treasures and lush textures crammed into a singular space. Definitely worth a visit and a browse, I'm never disappointed.
Now, for my favorite...Paxton Gate. Everything a girl could possibly dream of: taxidermy giraffes and wildebeest beside a thorough collection of carnivorous plants. I'm only slightly joking - I really do love this shop. Add "giraffe bust" to the list of necessary items in my next home. More than just a place to splurge on stuffed animals and taxidermy tools, they have more mainstream items like fossils, books, prints, succulents, geodes, etc.
Seriously though, how cool would it be to have a giraffe on your wall? Please don't report me to PETA, I was informed he died naturally. Perhaps I should start with a cowhide rug though?
For those of you less into what Paxton Gate has to offer, I give you Little Paper Planes. Super cute, full of light and little objects curated with care, I love popping in to see what new things they have in store. A lot of the items are by local creatives, so it's also a great place to revel in the creativity and talent of fellow San Franciscans.
I'll round out this installment of my SF tips with the perfect lunch: Ken Ken Ramen. Their lunch menu is short, I think just variations of katsu curry, but it's very very good. And adorable, to boot.
I hope you've enjoyed reading along, sorry I've been so dormant! I'm going to start posting guides and photo diaries from my month long European saga soon...and will make more (likely shorter) guides to San Francisco. I'd love your feedback! What sorts of spots would you like me to share? Tell me below :)
