Even though San Francisco is just a train ride away, I don’t often find the time to spend a day there. But when I do, it is always such a treat!
Image from here.
A coffee and a chocolate croissant are a must-have at Cafe de la Presse — a European-style cafe with delicious food and a huge selection of foreign-language mags, including wonderful fashion publications.
Next up is Britex Fabrics — THE place for the most gorgeous fabrics in the Bay Area. As you walk in, you are immediately surrounded by bolts of beautiful Missoni wools on your left and rolls of the most amazing silk prints on your right. As you move down the narrow walkway, you reach the silks and brocades in the back — wow! And this is just the first floor!
Image from here.
Being the sale hound that I am, I always check out the fourth floor, which houses all of the remnants. I always find amazing pieces there. This time, I bought a pretty cotton polka dot fabric; a blue herringbone weave shirting; and a piece of berry-colored suede (for an obi-style belt).
Floors 2 and 3 are wonderful as well — I could spend hours here!
But, I moved on to one of my fave yarn shops in SF — Artfibers! They are in a new space that is so light and bright — a wonderful atmosphere to browse all of their sumptuous yarns.
Image from here.
There were so many choices, but I ended up walking away with a tried-and-true yarn — Zoe — which is a stretchy and smooth yarn with some sparkle that is a dream to knit.
Image from here.
Okay — there is a lot of self-gifting going on here, so time to shop for others!
SFMOMA is a great place to find unique holiday gifts, so I made a stop there for some unselfish shopping. They have great art books, funky desk accessories and wonderful jewelry from independent designers. How cool is this little guy?
Image from here.
Another wonderful place for gifts is the Diptyque shop on Maiden Lane. They have the most delicate and refined scents. Such a treat to peruse the little shop. My fave scents are Baies and Olene.
Image from here.
I can’t leave the city without checking outthe Ferry Building, which is right on the water (views of the Bay Bridge) and houses a number of eateries and specialty food shops. I had to buy a loaf of Acme bread (so crusty and tasty) and a couple of tartlets from Miette.
Image from here.
What a fun way to spend a day … but a warning — sneakers are a must, because there is so much to see and San Francisco is the ultimate walking town!
Sounds like you had a fabulous day! Thank you for sharing these marvellous craft shops and where to go in San Francisco!
You are welcome! The weather was sunny and perfect as well, which made it an even better day. I always dream of jetting off to faraway places, but don’t often take the time to appreciate the places that are local — sometimes it is nice to rediscover these places!