Dear Diary,
My baby niece is the world’s cutest baby. It’s been scientifically proven and I have many pictures as evidence if you don’t believe me. I went up north for her first birthday about a month ago and enjoyed a weekend of family, fun, and adventures in the Bay Area. I grew up calling San Francisco “the city,” we went there all the time. So whenever I go back it feels a little like going home. It feels so comfortable and familiar there. My brother, his wife, and the my adorable niece live in Sonoma County (about an hour north of the city). I spent a few days up in Wine Country with them before heading back down to San Francisco for shopping, staring, and sweating my way all over town (Sidenote: it was actually warm there. Which never happens during the summer months in San Francisco).
I stumbled upon a store called Monument in the Mission, which turned out the be the most beautiful store in the whole world. Tons of vintage pieces, all restored to perfection.
Monument has a store on 1stdibs if you’d like to see their amazing inventory.
Harrington Galleries also had some cool stuff. Like the glamourous chair below.
This wonderful tansu was at Therapy.
Tradesmen had a ridiculously cool Japanese fish windsock. Unfortunately, that store is never open and everything in there costs $500,000. Sad.
FSC Barber Shop had beautiful “Apothecary” typography in the window.
Did I find anything at this store? NO. Did I like their sign? Yes.
Voyager was a lovely store filled with fancy travel items, notebooks, and clothing. While we were in there, some dot com dude was trying on $500 hippie pants asking the sales associate if they made his butt look big. It was amazing.
I met up with some of my friends at Daytime Realness, which is a super fun party filled with drag queens, hipsters, and haircuts just ugly enough to be cool. It was ridiculously fun and I would go back over and over again if I lived in San Francisco.
How amazing is this disgusting sweater? I’m serious. I want it.
No trip to San Francisco is complete without a ride on BART. Especially if you get lost like I did. Luckily I ended up in the scariest part of Oakland, which was fun.
After all the shopping, playing, and loving, my sister took me for a walk at one of the most picturesque hills I’ve ever seen in my life, Bernal Heights Summit.
The trip to the city warmed my heart and was filled with LOLs, ROFLs, and even a few BRBs. Fun!
Love,
Orlando
you are disgustingly good looking, and I want to marry you.
signed some creepy girl from the internet.
Thanks a lot Orlando. I just discovered hommemaker via Emily’s blog, and am officially obsessed with you two…mostly because I’m a gay former mormon design dork, but more importantly because of the endless posts about thrifting, flea hunting, diying, upholstering and endless arranging and rearranging. And, of course, your into Hot Chip. Sheesh!
your niece is so cute!
And I just walk by those stores. Hello! I am going in next time.