hey bay area internet

Posted byTara 70 Comments on hey bay area internet

i have already gotten advice to hit flax art and blick art materials. but i would love to find another cool paper/journaly/cool stuff place to spend money at.

or ANY cool shops, period. little places i wouldnt know about unless i lived here? im in the city with birthday money and time on my side. tell me what to do!!! :)

thanks for all the birthday wishes. its official. im (shhhhh) 3-0.

oh and check this out-im a little hyped up and goofy right now-forgive me. this morning i was waiting outside my hotel for a ride and someone comes out the building across the street and walks up to me. she introduces herself and says she recognized me from 2peas and couldnt believe she was seeing me outside her window. how totally crazy and random is that? such a small world. hi janet!!

oh-AND emily organized this amazing little memory book for me-with letters and beautiful things all put together from my friends and family. i pored over it forever this morning and have looked at it about 50,000 times since. i will definitely have to show it off when i get home. thank you everyone who made something for me!

i am having the best birthday. i think i will have to come up to san fran every year from here on out.

okay, so lay it on me. hook me UP internet!

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70 Comments

  1. Hi Tara,
    I was just in SF this past weekend. I went to a great bead and charm store called Beads and Baubles. There’s also Scrapbook Territory (both of them are in Berkeley, a quick BART ride away from the city). Hope this helps!
    Kyra aka 2Peas 80sQueen

  3. oohh…there are so many great places in the city. 2 of my fav stores in SF are Therapy (in the mission) and Flight 001

    let me know if you might want to meet up…i have some birthday money too…and i already have the purse picked out i’m getting at Flight 001

    plus i have new glass necklaces :)

  6. Your gonna think I am a dork….. I was just telling a friend that if I won the Lotto I’d fly you up here and have you do a photo shot of my family at the Marin Headlands and my favorite park in Mill Valley. Well, your in the City but…. I haven’t hit the Lotto yet… So close yet… so far!
    I don’t know of any cool paper places but, if you haven’t gone into Mill Valley you should! Tons of cool places to take pictures! The old train depot is a cool coffee and book store…. Mill Valley is where the first Banana Republic store was opened… And the Sweetwater is a awesome, old, funky, place to hear good bands. I’ll stop now….
    Hope your having a great time! Happy Birthday!
    Sharon

  9. I’m seconding the paper source, which is also in a cool neighborhood. Apparently there is a really awesome ribbon store too, but I never make it there for some reason. I’ll try to find out where it is from my sister. Oh, and whoever told you FLAX rocks. . .they are oh. so. right!

  10. I would like to say thirdly – Scrapbook Territory in Berkeley.

    But one of my favorite places is local to me and it is a quick 45 minute drive from S.F. – My Daughter’s Wish in Walnut Creek.

    http://www.mydaughterswish.com/

    I think you’d love it. Also, there was a place I still haven’t been to but heard about in Scrapbook Answers. It’s called SCRAP.

    http://scrap-sf.org/contacts.htm

    The word SCRAP stands for – Scroungers’ Center For Reusable Art Parts. I heard it has all these great things that have been recycled for art. One day I hope to go. Maybe you’ll be there before me and it is in the city.

    Have a great time!

    -t.

  12. Hey! Look at that – Sharon and I are thinking about the same things! I live in Mill Valley and there is a GREAT fabric/notions shop downtown called Ambatalia. The owner is crazy fun and she is named Molly. There are vintage fabrics/buttons/finds as well as organic fabrics, Amy Butler, Japanese fabrics, etc…

    If you don’t plan to leave the city, Hayes Valley is always great. Good luck, have fun and Happy Birthday!

  14. If you can get over to Danville Stamper Warehouse is great. A lot of scrapbook stuff, stamping stuff and other unique fun stuff.
    You should head over to Napa not that we have any scrapbook store but it is a great time to visit the vineyards and only about 45-60 min away. If you do and need any suggestions email me and I would be glad to help. Oh and if you feel the need to take any family portraits while here I could provide you with a family.. lol :)
    Have a great Birthday!

    Christy

  15. I don’t have a recommendation for a paper place but I do have a restaurant recommendation. Cha Cha Cha’s on the Haight is my favorite. It is one block away from golden gate and there is parking right across the street ($5?). It has the best tapas and sangrias ever. I know you and emily would LOVE it. It gets really crowded but if you go a little early on a weeknight it won’t be bad. And it is worth the wait!!

    http://www.cha3.com/

  18. Happy Birthday :)

    You got some cool ideas, I do not have anything to add on the paper front but hey come down to Half Moon Bay, Main Street is really cute :). Plus I could hook you up with a nice fishing boat to shoot some pics on ;) Plus Mavericks is right here too.

  20. Gotta hit BART and get over to Berkeley! I love the city, but there’s always such a special buzz in college town…a unique funkiness you won’t find in the city. Funky finds and art at their best! Enjoy your stay! You sure hit a ‘great weather’ streak!!

  22. Hi,
    I used to love Mendel’s on Haight St. near Ashbury and Pearl on Market at the end near the Embarcadero. I moved from SF 5 years ago so things might have changed but I think those places will still be there. Have a great birthday and enjoy San Francisco it is really beautiful this time of year.
    cindy

  28. It isn’t a paper store but you need to visit Amoeba Music on Haight. It is amazing the music they have there. Plus they have tons of used CDs and DVDs so you can get them super cheap. It was one of my favorite places we went when I was there in May. Oh, and Happy Birthday!

  33. my favorite sf places :

    – timeless treasures : 2176 Sutter Street
    cross between a salvadge and antique store they carry everything from old numbers, signs and letterpress stamps to glassware and local artist goods. i always stop by when i come to the city. always.

    – building [re]sources : 701 Amador Street
    great salvage place with tons of architectural elements

    – the legion of honor : at lincoln park
    fabulous view of the golden gate and the entry to the bay. there are some trails to hike on at the point and the art inside [as well as the building] are amazingly beautiful

    – the steps of rome : 348 columbus ave.
    fabulous italian cafe in north beach with the best tiramisu ever!

    but best of all … have fun.
    happy birthday!

  34. I don’t know much about SF, but I have ordered from Flax Art before and since have promised myself if I ever get to SF, that is the first place I will go.

    Their stuff is very artsy and funky. I bought my father a door mat that looks like one of the man hole covers in Paris after he took a trip there. He totally loved it and has it at the bottom of his stairs.

    Happy late birthday wishes! Welcome to your 30’s! It isn’t as bad as you think, and this comes from someone who is staring down the barrel of 35!

  37. Tara,
    I have a feeling you would really enjoy North Beach! Amazing italian joints, the coffee houses where the Beat Poets hung, and really cool & interesting shops in the surrounding side streets and alleys. Really fun exploring. Its a nice, FUN (longish) walk to and from Union Square… through Chinatown (also fun and trippy).

    For some nice, upscale boutiquey shopping try Union Street, close to Van Ness. Union Street Paperie was really fun the last time I was in there.

    You already know about Flax, and you should walk around Market for some interesting eye candy.

    Pearl Art is REALLY cool too.

    Have fun!

  38. Happy Birthday Tara, the big 3 0 hey? Oh well, you have a way to catch me up yet!!

    Glad you are having a fab time in SF. I’d just love to visit one day. I love the sound of your memory book from Emily, I’d have been so touched.

    Jen from UK x

  43. Tara, I have no comments, except that if you find anywhere GREAT — PUH-LEEEZE post it on your blog. I live in the South Bay, and sometimes I’m kinda scared to go up into the big city and find the cool places (because I have to drag my 2year old with me) — SO….. anyway, thanks for being my scout. :)
    Oh well, there’s the Cheesecake Factory on top of Macy’s in Union Square, but that’s about where my personal adventure ends (and DID you know that Macy’s is the largest one west of the Mississippi). FAct.

  44. Happy Birthday Tara. San Francisco is awesome… i love living here!

    Definitely check out Flax, Blick and/or Paper Source. If you go to the Paper Source on Chestnut in the Marina district there’s a bunch of little fun shops & good deli’s and restaurants.

    I love the Community Thrift store on Valencia near 17th street. You can hit up the little boutiques stores on Valencia too like Therapy and get yummy mexican food at Pancho Villa.

    You already know about the ginormous Old Navy on Market. :)

    I agree with 4th street in Berkeley. They have a Crate & Barrel Outlet, japanese paper store, PaperSource, Anthropologie, Scrapbook Territory, Aveda and a great deli. A fun little place to walk around.

    And the best of all… go to the Tonga Room in the Fairmont Hotel for happy hour. From 5-7pm Mon-Fri they have an incredible all you can eat pan pacific buffet with egg rolls, chow mein, ribs, won tons and much more for only $7! and you’ll have to sip on a scorpion bowl. if you’re there long enough you’ll catch the rain. yes, it rains inside the Tonga Room! besides that the Fairmont hotel is beautiful.

    have fun!!

  50. Hi Tara, Happy Birthday. You should try to check out Taqueria Can Cun in the Mission District. The BEST Burritos in the City. I am an SF girl and usually head out to Scrapbook Territory, or My Daughter’s Wish in the East Bay for scrapping supplies. If I need basics to get through to the next shipment or trip out of the City, I go to Pearl Art.

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