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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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 | Used and New Wheels Shine Ever-soaring gas prices, exhausting quests for parking and the promise of sunshine are a few motivators for swooping on a bicycle if you don't already have one in your possession. If you need further inspiration, local non-profit Pedal Revolution and worker-owned collective Box Dog Bicycles have your cruising and commuting needs covered. Whether searching for some obscure foreign bicycle part, a vintage two-wheeler to add to your collection, or a smooth-running workhorse to get you from one side of town to another, these shops offer a variety of products and services suitable for all kinds of riders.More |  | A Haven For Self Expression Hand-made, one-of-a-kind pieces and art articulated into clothing await in an attractive space tucked away inconspicuously on Octavia in
Hayes Valley. Stylish shoppers who venture into R.A.G.—acronym for Residents Apparel Gallery—will find themselves immersed in wardrobe choices both comfortable yet edgy and within reach of the non-superfluous wallet.More |  | Shiver Me Timbers "No whistling. No forgetting to swab. No first mate shall grow his beard longer than the captain, don earrings larger than the captain's, or rock a feather taller or more delightful than the captain's. Cannons shall not be fired in vain. Prisoners must be tied to something. No exceptions!" This is just a partial glimpse of the proclaimed code of conduct awaiting visitors to 826 Valencia, a pirate supply store cum writing center in the Mission district.More |  | A Moto Shop That Welcomes Rather than Intimidates If ever you've had qualms about setting foot in a motorcycle shop for fear of elitism, pretentiousness and attitude, lay your trepidation to the grave. San Francisco's own Scuderia West is an inviting and invaluable resource for novice riders, racers and bike collectors alike.More |  | Demonstrating Self-Control It was not surprising to find that torrential, apocalyptic rainfall did not deter fashionistas from ducking into Minnie Wilde, a diy-flavored boutique brightening up Laguna in Hayes Valley. And while it's hard to resist the charm of the heartsy but not cheesy Valentine's Day display, it was even more difficult to resist spending my entire paycheck.More |  | A Playground in the Haight What do Alice in Wonderland, The Beatles, and an urban fashion/art outfit have in common? Try a walrus. That's right, if you're keen to your surroundings you may have caught the easily recognizable walrus silhouette slapped on many a wall and street sign. According to an unnamed source, the significance of the walrus is its representation of not a single individual, but a faceless collective of people, which embodies Upper Playground's operation.More |  | Vintage Finds of Every Kind Stepping into The Other Shop transports you to a classy kitschy retro wonderland filled with designer furniture and vintage housewares. With the motto "Where you can still afford to collect", this 15-member collective offers a sensually stunning selection of coveted objects ranging from original Eames chairs to vintage art deco-inspired chandeliers to eight-track players, bright Pyrex kitchenware in every color imaginable and just about anything in between from 1950 to pre-Watergate.More |  | Rocking Hard, with a Computer For computer music geeks Steve Taormina and Alan Stewart, opening a computer music shop was, in their words, an "inevitable progression". Serving the whimsies and needs of beginner bedroom producers, tiny basement recording studios and fanatical gear collectors alike, Robotspeak is firmly rooted in the San Francisco computer music community.More |
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