I Didn't Leave My Heart (Okay, I *Might* Have) in San Francisco...

...because I do love that town. I haven't been in around five years, but it's just as enjoyable as ever. I almost didn't go on this trip, which, as much as I wanted to to take, I so did *not* want to take. (My feelings about travel are complicated these days. It's hard to get away when you run your own business...). And it started out badly - flight booked for 10 pm instead of 10 am, two hour delay due to the Asiana Airlines crash last Sunday, so the flight didn't take off until midnight...I arrived in SF about 1 am local time...4 am my time. By the time I got my checked bag, got a cab, and made it to the hotel, it was 5 am Eastern. Can you say exhausted?

But it was a really great visit. I've been several times before, so didn't do much traditional SF sightseeing. I walked around Union Square the first day, Cow Hollow and Chestnut Street the next, spent most of the third day in Hayes Valley with Brett, and the last day was spent in the Mission District, which we LOVED.

One of many murals in the ethnically rich Mission area.

I didn't take many photos because most of the time I was hanging out in cafes or wine bars, taking in the flavor of the local 'hoods. But the Mission made me wish I'd brought my camera along, rather than just the iPhone. I'd been to Union Square, Cow Hollow, and some of Hayes Valley before, but the Mission was my favorite SF area by far.  Cool architecture, ethnically diverse, crumbling (literally) old buildings nearly next door to cute little eateries. Brett and I found tons of modern / retro items that we really loved, but didn't have shipped home (much of it was not exactly in the budget...), ate a bunch of healthy salads and breakfasts, and took in the cool, crisp air and relaxed. 

We split a summer salad (and I had the bottomless mimosas!) at Radish. We stayed longer than planned but it was a nice mid-afternoon break.  :)

I LOVED being so close to Union Square, because it was thrilling to see the urban styling. SF, of course, has its own style, just like NYC or LA. For the first time I brought flat shoes (it's taken a few SF trips to learn this lesson!) and I walked and walked and walked...I loved seeing what the people on the streets were wearing. Market Street is always, always bustling and the energy is contagious. 

The weather was quite chilly - I brought a scarf and jacket (for July?? that dang town doesn't really "summer") but they weren't quite enough in the evenings. And it was windy, which is nice when the sun is out, but around 4 pm each day I was wishing for the wind to die down. I cabbed to Cow Hollow, we rode the bus to and from Hayes Valley, and took the BART to and from the Mission, but once there...it was a lot of walking. We logged nearly (or just over, on some days) 10 miles per day. Ten miles! On those hills! Sore feet, sore backs, sore knees...but so much fun. Such a good break.

Brett and I talked quite a bit about wanting to move back to the other side of the country. It's hard to travel West because it makes me really, really dislike coming home. Not that the other side of this country is so perfect - and there are a lot of things about California that are ridiculously complicated (for living there) but I will never be able to put down roots in the South. The mentality, the land, the aesthetic - I'm so much more matched with the West. And Brett doesn't say much about it, but he is, too.

 

Mid-century chairs at Harrington's, in the Mission. I'd reupholster (of course!) but love the shape. And in excellent condition. 

We saw so much modern decor that just made me happy. I love the design sensibility of the 1950s and 1960s. And it's hard to come by in Atlanta, though I did get inspired to Google around and it appears that there ARE some mid-century-ish shops...not up here in the 'burbs, of course, but ITP. I made a list and will have to find some time to check them out in the near future.

A shot of the Gryphon (I assume it's a Gryphon) on one of the doors at Mission Dolores. One of the very few sightseeing things we did. It had some lovely carvings. This was one of my favorites.  :)

Sadly, no souvenirs. San Francisco and I do not "souvenir" well. Last time I managed to come home with a scarf and a necklace. This time, nada. The problem with Union Square is that it's a lot of stuff that I could buy anywhere...so unless there's something really great that might not be available at home, I just window shop. Cow Hollow (which is where I bought last time) was not working for me, and Hayes Valley was close...but not quite. Also quite expensive, is Hayes Valley. Brett found some toys but I came home empty-handed. I'm okay with that...there's always another chance.  :)

Jewelry Favorites: Rings, Part 2

Just a few more rings today:

Green agate, $5. Yes, at a gem show. Totally different from my usual taste, yet I really like it. It feels very art-gallery-opening to me. Here it is on:

Hard to see in the photo, but there are tiny natural crystals sparkling in the center crevasse.  There's usually a little bling somewhere in my jewelry.  :)

This ring always gets comments. I *think* it's abalone (well, okay, I know it's abalone) but the top is domed and faceted and I don't know how the abalone gets under the dome. Glued to the inside of the ring and then the dome is set on top? Anyhoo, it has a really cool effect.

Everytime I wear it, someone asks about it. It's kind of moody and subtle-ly glam at the same time.  :)

A gorgeous turquoise:

Boulder (Royston) turquoise. I've written about boulder turquoise here and here on my other blog, if you want to know more about it. This was the first time I'd come across it, in Highlands, NC, at a store whose name I've forgotten...and I fell in love with it. I love how the simple setting really lets the stone stand out, and the shank is just as big and thick:

It's one of the most comfortable rings I own, and one I wear frequently.

Last but not least, my own design:

One of the fist stones I ever set. I'd been holding on to it for a while, and once I learned to set stones I knew it would be special. My father gave this turquoise to me and I wear it often and think of him. <3

Jewelry Favorites: Rings, Part 1

Rings are so much fun...and they can be so beautiful. Though in my younger days I wore lots of tiny rings - sometimes rings on every finger - now I usually wear just one statement ring. I've managed to find several special ones over the years:

Love the ornate work - There are little hearts in the corners where the top of the ring meets the shank, and lots of scrollwork down the sides. It looks Asian to me, and I have no idea what it means...or if it means anything. But the detail work is stunning.

And what stone is it?

Amethyst, you say...but it's actually fluorite. Fluorite is a very soft stone which isn't usually put into rings (because softer stones have a tendency to chip and crack...and rings have a tendency to get knocked around). So I'm pretty careful with it.

If you look really closely at the above shot you can see that the support under the stone has some scrollwork details in the center. Really amazing work!

Next up:

From a gem show...there's almost always a small booth with Russian jewelry, beads, ornaments, boxes, and other tchotchkes with the beautiful hand painting that Russia is known for, at every gem show. But you don't usually see the painting on rings. It hit both the "unusual and interesting" markers for me, plus I have a fondness for Russian lacquer work.

It's heftier than it looks:

A pretty thick base and shank. Comfortable on the finger and a nice statement piece. I haven't seen any more painted rings in several years (I assume because the price of silver has climbed so dramatically) so I'm glad I got this one when I did.

And another gem show special:

A little cockeyed because it won't sit up straight by itself.


A stunning piece of rhodochrosite. I don't wear a lot of pink, but I like it as an accent with dark brown, gray, or navy. This is another ring where the detailed metal work is really outstanding:

tiny balls, swirls, and leaves. And the other side:

A little more plain, but still with some personality.

Even the underside is well done:

Cut out back (I assume to keep the price down, less silver = less cost) but interesting structure underneath to support the stone.

Next time I'll show you a few more...

New Orleans Goodies

I just got home from a vacation in New Orleans, and naturally snuck in a bit of shopping while there:

first, this clutch:

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Not a great photo from the web site; much cuter in person. I've been wanting a snakeskin print clutch for a while and this is exactly what I had in mind. 

And these:

slightly blurry shot, but you get the idea. From one of my favorite French Quarter shops, Shoe Be Do, which is always on the shopping list when I'm in NOLA. And I've just damaged my other wood-platform-studded shoes, possibly beyond repair, so I was glad to find these.

And these:

plus this:

both from the French Market, which I usually avoid, because it's full of touristy tchotchkes. But my husband wanted some New Orleans tee shirts, and that's the best place to get 'em. I have been looking for sterling hoop earrings for a while, and a feather ring, so these both were satisfying purchases.

And I have to tell you how much I loved THIS:

I'd bought it about a week before the trip, and I actually ended up wearing it twice - it's a convertible maxi dress / skirt, though I'd only wear it as a skirt (there's no upper support whatsoever) - and it was wonderful. New Orleans is HOT HOT HOT and humid this time of year, and you want to be wearing light and comfortable clothes when you're out shopping. The skirt was perfect and I'm now on the hunt for more of these for the HOT HOT HOT and humid Georgia summers.  :)

Random Yummy Goodnes

Came across these this week; they're definitely for those who embrace color.   :)

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Walter Steiger, still rockin' the 80s rainbow colors. I don't know how easy that comma heel is to actually wear, but I love the silhouette.

And these - practical and cute - came home with me today, from Dillard's.:

I'd tried to love these (below), but they just weren't right on my foot. So I'm glad to have happened across the Dillard's ones. I'm more of a flip-flop shoe girl anyway.  :)

Summer's coming...it's sandal time.  :)

Consistency and Personal Style (Really, Just Another Excuse for Some Yummy Shoe Photos)

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What defines a personal style? I think a lot of it has to do with consistency - knowing and wearing what looks good on you - and buying what you love. Because while what you like may change, what you love never does.

For example (what I love - and have continued to love- over the years):

- seventies styles (flared pants, wedge or platform shoes, suede, braiding, whipstitiching)

- rich, saturated colors (reds, purples, emerald greens, teals, pinks)

- a bit of glam (embroidery, laser cutouts, bead detail, lace - the last two in moderation)

When I look back at my own style over time, it hasn't changed much. Oh sure, I wore short(er) skirts in my twenties, and I played around with trends when I was younger (there are very few photos, but I wore ALL the eighties trends, and dabbled in grunge in the nineties). But my overall style has always edged toward that snooze-fest of a description known as "classic".

My first "real" shoe purchase was a pair of black leather, pointy-toed pumps from Nine West. The heel seemed like four inches but probably was 2.5 - 3 inches (1980s heels weren't all that high). They were just a "classic" black pump that I wore to death at my job. Which is kind of funny as I look back at it - I worked retail for Sears. In the children's department. When I think about how much walking I did in those shoes...thank goodness for being nineteen! My aching feet would never be able to walk that much in heels now.  :)

As to why I was so dressed up for a retail job at Sears....well, it was the '80s. Everyone dressed. Casual Friday was at least a decade away, and dressing down was unheard of. You were expected to dress for work, no matter what. Dress codes were different then...hell, Dillard's didn't even let its female employees wear PANTS until 1996. I put myself through college working at Dillard's and left in late 1994. I wore a skirt or dress - with hose! - EVERY work day. So "dressing up" is what I grew up with.

I bought those first pumps simply because they were "what was in style" at the time. At nineteen, I wasn't thinking about personal style. I just went to the store and bought some inexpensive shoes. But I guess they made an impression on me, because I've never loved any other type of shoe more. I enjoy boots in the fall and winter, and a jeweled, strappy party shoe makes my heart sing, but nothing gives me that deep thrill as much as a "classic", pointy-toed pump.  :)

Currently loving:

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Enzo Angiolini. So much more fun than the standard black pump. 

Also, this Vince Camuto pump in several versions:

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All different, all gorgeous. My favorites are probably the lace ones, but since I already have these, I don't really need another lace overlay shoe. So it's hard call between the two metallics.

And for the hell of it, I am considering these:

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Truth or Dare, by Madonna. I came across these by accident, poking around on the Macy's web site. They're a little out there, but for me they're very 80s Madonna. A bit brash, a bit bright, and a reminder of being young and having your whole life in front of you. I could see them in the Borderline video instead of those yellow pumps.  :) 

And finally...

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The red and the black (the black version is the first shoe at the top of this post) are on their way here! I can't believe I found these and my size was still available. My only concern is that Aldo shoes tend to run a bit small, so I'm hoping these will be the exception to the rule. Rich, saturated colors and a bit of glam...so very me.  :)

Update 3/26/13: The Aldo pumps were terrible. They looked very cheaply made and they didn't fit well at all. And one of my shoe mantras is that no matter how beautiful it is, if it hurts, it doesn't go in the closet. So I returned them both today.  :( 

New Year, New Clothes

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Having a thing for stripes lately.  Just bought the above.

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Not yet...but considering.

H&M, last summer.

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Terrible photo. This looks much cuter and is SO comfy. 

Top to bottom: Old Navy, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic (in navy, though it looks black).