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A Local’s Guide to San Francisco

2013 March 21
by WWGD

honeyandbloom_sfprint1

I had so much fun doing my local’s guide to San Diego a few weeks back, so I’ve asked my friend Jeanne from Shop Sweet Things to share her favorite haunts in her hometown of San Francisco. Here they are:

Hi everyone, this is Jeanne from Shop Sweet Things and I’m thrilled to be here to share my local’s guide to San Francisco. I’ve been living here for 25 years now and each day I am still discovering new places as well as old ones. It’s becoming such a wonderful and lively city to live in. It is said that SF may soon become a metropolitan city just like NYC, except we have better weather all year round. 🙂

Where to get a facial – If I have to choose between getting a massage or a facial, I always go for the massage. But recently I was pampered by Burke Williams and received their new signature anti-aging facial. It was so soothing and it even included a shoulder and hand massage – which was so needed because I’m on my laptop all day long. The facial itself was purifying. I actually walked out looking fresh and radiant, rather than red (which was my previous experience at another facial salon.) They have definitely changed my mind that getting a facial is equally as good as getting a massage.

Where to get a massage – I wouldn’t mind getting my massage at Burke Williams either, but to maximize your experience in SF, you should probably try International Orange on Fillmore in Lower Pacific Heights. It’s a contemporary boutique spa/yoga lounge and all of their services are worth indulging! Afterwards, step out of the spa and there are plenty of local boutique shops, cafes and restaurants around, all within walking distance.

Where to shop for your man – This one got the stamp of approval from my husband. Whether it’s the style or the quality, he’s pretty picky about his clothes. Recently, I introduced him to Unionmade and he probably just found himself a favorite shop. Lots of locals love this spot and their counterpart, Mill Mercantile, which is the same store but all for women. They also have a nice collection for home goods too. You really can’t go wrong buying anything from these two shops.

Where to shop for your home – Lately, I love to hit up H.D Buttercup. They have great furniture pieces in lots of different styles and I love going there for unique home decor accessories. You would think it looks expensive when you walk in, but realistically, their prices are very reasonable for the quality they have.

Where to shop for your kids – Even though the pieces can be a little over priced here, I love going into Mudpie for my kiddos. It has a vintage shabby chic feel and they carry labels that are not usually found in other kids shops. It’s my place to go if I feel like spoiling my little ones with some unique pieces.

Where to get a sweet treat – This is a toss up for me, if you’re into little bites like macarons, I would suggest you check out Chantal Guillon on Hayes. They have some really unique flavors and the textures are so soft and chewy. For something more substantial like a piece of delicious coffee cake, I would visit the contemporary patisserie Craftsman & Wolves located in the Mission district. They just opened last year and it has already won the hearts of many locals here.

Where to get a cheap eat – When you come to SF, you have to try a bowl of Pho. Turtle Tower serves up the best Northern style Vietnamese noodles and always has the freshest and tastiest chicken stock. Nothing is more comforting than a hot bowl of noodle soup when you get caught in the foggy SF weather.

Where to wine and dine – This is a very, very tough one, especially in SF where there’s a new restaurant opening almost every month! I can easily name 10 restaurants you should try, but I’m going to stick with Cotogna in Jackson Square because it is tucked in a neighborhood that not many visitors outside of SF would know. It’s a very charming, historic little neighborhood between Chinatown and Embarcadero. This spot is great for lunch as well as for dinner. If you ever make it there, I would get the raviolo with the farm fresh egg – the best! Other notable restaurants around there are Quince, Kokkari, Bix, and Bocadillos.

Thanks for sharing, Jeanne! Follow Jeanne on Pinterest and Twitter, too for more fun finds.

*print above by Honey & Bloom*

**editor’s note: an earlier version of this post included a comment that offended some of our readers and for that, Jeanne and I both truly apologize. Anyone who follows this blog and/or any of my social media channels knows how much I love New York and everything to do with it, and I should have been more sensitive to what was intended to be a light-hearted remark before hitting publish. My sincere apologies. We love New Yorkers and everything about your city — in fact, your local’s guide is up next! Thanks for understanding.**

7 Responses
  1. March 21, 2013

    perfect timing. we’re headed up the coast tomorrow!

  2. March 21, 2013

    Thanks so much for having me! Love to take you to some of these places when you’re in SF! XO Jeanne

  3. Amanda Reyes permalink
    March 21, 2013

    I am from New York and the people are very friendly. I didn’t appreciate that snide remark.

  4. Diondra Wilkinson permalink
    March 21, 2013

    I know you didn’t write this article but I am a New Yorker and disagree with your friend Jeanne.
    I was in NYC during 9/11, the city wide power outage, and recently hurricane Sandy. It is a wonderful, friendly city that has endured a lot. I think it is ironic for her to say SF has friendlier people when she makes a point to be so disrespectful in her remark.

  5. March 21, 2013

    There is a difference between SF friendly and NYC friendly. SF people are more outwardly friendly but it’s fake friendliness to save face. People here (I live in SF) all the time pretend they are happy to meet me, and say “let’s hang out sometimes” then you never hear from them again, or they cross the street, pretending they don’t even see you when you come around. New Yorkers are not as outwardly smiley and friendly, but when they do show it, it comes from the heart and they mean what they say. I have so many fair weather friends here in Cali but in NYC I have some amazing people who will do anything for me. I’d rather have that any day, which is why I’m moving to NYC next month.

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