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Jialin Luh Managing Editor When she isn't nerding out, Jialin enjoys art openings, crate digging, crafting, listening to music in pulsating headphones, watching skate videos and cutting rugs.
With an ear to the ground, this sneaker fiend/bass enthusiast seeks local designers and artists to shine the spotlight on. |
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 | All the Comforts of Home No two visits to Aldea, a hip home furnishings store in the Mission, are apt to be the same. Well, there may be one thing: you are bound to find something that tickles your fancy and may leave the sensory-rich experience with an inspiration for redesigning your home. Store proprietor Johanna Bialkin moved to San Francisco from New York inspired by a project where interior designers and architects redesigned an apartment every six months, and the results are fresh and dazzling.More |  | Gifts for both Dads and Grads Are you frantically puzzling over the conundrum of bestowing a gift upon the dads and/or grads in your life? Give your nails a rest, fair reader, and look no further than [b]Excitations[/b]. This is not the name of an erotic services provider, but a company catered to bringing “the unexpected” to its customers.More |  | Don’t Cut Those Apron Strings Housework can be sexy. Yes, you read that correctly. Recall, if you will, the scene from [b]Anchorman[/b] when Ron Burgundy fantasizes about coming home to his lovely Veronica clad in nothing but an apron after a “hard day’s work” of keeping house? As the countdown to Mother’s Day continues, consider gifting the ladies in your life with a sassy apron or two.More |  | Tasteful Flair for Wear The impending arrival of Mother’s Day may have you scratching your head for gift ideas. You’ve worn out the flower arrangements and already gone the spa gift certificate route (which, by the way, never really gets old). Of course, gifts are not necessary to express regard for those near and dear to you, but a thoughtful gift may serve as a touching reminder of appreciation. If the woman in your life finds joy in distinctive style, fine art and beauty in nature, you will want to explore the jewelry of local designer and craftsman John S. Brana.More |  | Convenience for the Jet Setters With all the new safety regulations and restrictions, traveling by plane today is a far cry from the glory and glamorous days of the jet setting era. Alas, dry your tears, weary travelers. Flylite and PlanetTran are two companies striving to maximize convenience and minimize the headache for you when it comes to air travel. FlyLite suggests: “Never pack or carry another suitcase again”, while earth-friendly airport shuttle service PlanetTran offers a green alternative to car services and taxis.More |  | Exchange Yuck for Yay So inevitably, you survived the holidays with some undesirable gifts. Before lamenting your next foray into eBay, check out SwapThing.com, where you can swap your unwanted gifts for those coveted things you didn’t get.More |  | Lingerie, Passionately It’s no secret that lingerie can work wonders in the bedroom, but quality, beautiful undergarments are also essential to the confident, self-indulging woman’s wardrobe. Nafissa Tayebi’s A La Folie serves up delicious concoctions in silks and laces that cover the spectrum from innocent to sizzling; prepare to be enamored. Though A La Folie is across the bridge in Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping district, the splendors that beckon should inspire a field trip for women who are tired of shopping for lingerie under the stony airbrushed stares of Adriana Lima and Giselle Bundchen.More |  | Keepin' it Real in the Lower Haight On the corner of Haight and Steiner in a space previously occupied by drum and bass record shop The Compound and subsequently Future Primitive, newcomer Lower Hater brings distinctive flavor for all facets of the motley neighborhood and beyond. At once a clothing, housewares and furniture boutique cum art gallery, Lower Hater blends elements of hip hop to punk rock, classy to edgy, and retro to modern in a spot-on collection of goods that must be recognized as pieces of art.More |  | Culinary Concepts With Thanksgiving and all the other holidays just around the corner, it’s easy to stress about food. But it doesn’t have to be that way; whether you are searching for solutions for creating the perfect holiday feast or some more creative gift ideas for the foodie in your life, here are some culinary ideas sure to dazzle.More |  | Start Early... Though we’ve barely just survived Halloween, stores are already inundated with “holiday” imagery and displays. I was in Target a few weeks ago and they were already selling Christmas socks! If you would rather avoid the crowds (Black Friday sales and fighting over the last PS3 console -- no thanks) and instead find unique gifts to bring that warming smile to your recipient, here are a few ideas to get you started.More |
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