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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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 | Toys that Aren’t Just for Kids For most locals, North Beach is probably not the first neighborhood to come to mind for shopping; it means braving the tourists and sidling past the strip joints. But there are a few gems that could motivate the savvy shopper to venture that way, and Double Punch is definitely one of them.More |  | Art Meets Street and Skate Let's face it: skateboarding, street art and sneakers are each their own nexuses of cool. Stores that specialize in each are certainly not lacking in our wonderfully diverse and artsy city. But if you want to one stop shop or just check out some fresh gear, FTC brings the three elements together with smashing success, and no wonder: owner/founder Kent Uyehara has been in the game for the last 20 years.More |  | Lingerie and Other Treats Across the street from Box Dog Bikes on 14th at Guerrero is the lovely boutique and gallery Porcelynne, where shoppers can find sweet lingerie along with unique clothing and jewelry, all handmade. This boutique showcases local designers, and many of the items here are one of a kind and unique to anything you will find in other boutiques.More |  | Something Fresh and New Nuthugger looks up at me from her perch at the head of the books and zines table with seductive, playful eyes. Golden delicious and Granny Smith apple greens are juxtaposed like a Jolly Rancher sorbet delight begging to be plucked. Unfortunately for me, this tiny vinyl squirrel figurine, part of an artist series, is sold out. It's a good thing there are so many other delights to feast on at Super7, a peddler of worldwide design culture crouched on Post Street in Japan Town.More |  | Bringing Mad Music to the People Mississippi-born Wes Pentz, better known as Diplo -- one half of Philly outfit Hollertronix, M.I.A. collaborator and remix-master DJ-producer extraordinaire -- is coming to town. He who brought us funk carioca from Brazil continues to unleash the freshness with Mad Decent, the name for his year-old record label, his unpredictable podcast, and the much-hyped tour that stops over at Mezzanine next Thursday with Brazilian bands Cansei de Ser Sexy (Portuguese for “Tired of Being Sexy”) and Bonde do Role (“The Roller Coaster Band").More |  | Big Fun for Vegans and Not-Vegans You don’t have to be vegan to appreciate the wares offered by Little Otsu, a cheery shop on Valencia that specializes in sweatshop-free, vegan products, though you may leave with a welcome conscious scrutiny of your lifestyle and buying habits. With the plethora of cute, affordable ethically produced goods at hand, it’s easy to question why we bother with goods that are made any other way.More |  | International local exposure Fabric8 -- the immaculately and whimsically furnished brick and mortar store -- opened in January of this year, evolving from an online-only boutique that has been in operation for the last ten years. Store proprietors Olivia Ongpin and Anthony Quintal created Fabric8 in 1995 to showcase local designers and bring them global exposure. Their offerings include collectible art, clothing, home furnishings, vinyl records, toys and other knick-knacks all with a flavorful spin. Most of the designers are either local or used to be, and many of the products are limited edition.More |  | Celebrate Bastille Day in Style Celebrate Bastille Day in San Francisco’s very own French Quarter -- corner, that is -- on the corner of Clement between 3rd and Arguello in the Richmond. For today only, custom leather work boutique April in Paris is offering its first ever 10% discount on all leather merchandise in the store. Today and through the weekend, French home décor boutique Peche Mignon and baby/children’s boutique Jean et Marie will be offering clearance sales. Joining in the celebration for today only, renowned French restaurant Clementine is offering three dinner specials and a complimentary glass of champagne with order of one of the specials.More |  | Fashionably Functional Bags From its conception in New York in the 50s to present day, the messenger bag has evolved from a drab component of a workman's ensemble to a unisex must-have fashion accessory, all the while never losing its functionality. In 1989 San Francisco bike messenger Rob Honeycutt invested $200 for a used Singer sewing machine, fabric and buckles to craft 50 no-name black handlebar bags he dubbed Scumbags, which would later bear the brand name [b]Timbuk2[/b]. Fast forward to April 2006: the first Timbuk2 brick and mortar store opens its doors to the public after more than 15 years of providing bags to a growing loyal user base.More |  | Haute Couture within Reach The French phrase "haute couture" translates to "high fashion" and is synonymous with several things: highest quality, superb (expensive) materials, unique/custom designs and exquisite detail-often executed by hand. As such, clothing bearing the label is usually the opposite of affordable for most women. However, those of us who are of more modest means are in for a treat: local couturiere [b]Colleen Quen[/b] is opening her doors tomorrow and next Saturday, April 8th for a sample sale you won't want to miss.More |
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