 | San Francisco Shopping Streets Reviews | Tips 1 - 9 of 9 |  |
 | |  |  | Shopping Streets: Hit the Boutiques | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
Polk Street is a fun place to shop and wander with its neighborhood markets, antique and import stores, specialty foods market and gift shops. It also has a variety of small restaurants - French, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, Greek, Mexican, Indian. Not touristy at all. This is one of our "real" San Francisco neighborhoods. Leave a Comment Theme: OtherDirections: Polk Street, from Beach on the north to Market on the south.Website: http://www.polkst.com
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| | | | Shopping Streets: Chinatown | | | | | |
| | | | Shopping Streets: Fillmore - funkier alternative to Union St. | | | | | |
For cute boutiques and speciality shops, I find Fillmore Street - particuarly the portion between Pine and Jackson - to be far more interesting than Union Street... definitely more so than Chestnut or Sacramento Streets, which were locally recommended for window-shopping. Now mind you, I'm not talking about buying anything, most of this stuff is still way out my budget. But if you love to window shop, this is the street. I think Union Street has become too saturated with chain shops like Armani Exchange and Bebe - places you can find in any large city that don't really add to the character of the street. Sacramento Street seems to be all about high-end children's fashion (what is up with San Francisco's obsession with haute couture for children?!). And Chestnut - I don't know what happened there. I saw at least three closed storefronts on my latest trip in 2006. Oh, sure, Fillmore's got a Johnny Rockets, which made me feel like I was back on Melrose Avenue dodging tourists and other fashion victims. But overall, it has a funkier, more vibrant feel to it. It looks like they also have an annual street fest in October that sounds pretty cool. And as you can see from my photos, Fillmore also provides opportunities for more gratuitous photos of beautiful Victorian architecture.
Visit places like Starlet (1942 Fillmore, pictured) featuring high-end lingerie and stripper-wear such as a $300 corset that the staff doesn't seem to mind you looking at and even trying on even if you don't look like you could possibly afford it. This is also where I found Bittersweet, the chocolate cafe (2123 Fillmore, see my tip) and C & O (2208 Fillmore, pictured), a Mediterranean food shop that specializes in olive oil where you can sample the wares with bits of bread. There's also Kiehl's (2360 Fillmore), one of those skin-care places where you can tell it's expensive because everyone's running around in white coats. ;-> While you're at it, take a stroll down California Street at places such as independent supermarket Mollie Stone's (2435 California).
Oh, $$$$$, I'm sure - I'm not spending money there outside of pastries and chocolate. This is Pacific Heights, are you kidding me?! Leave a Comment Theme: OtherAddress: Fillmore Street, between Jackson and PineDirections: The #22 bus goes along the whole of this route.Website: http://www.fillmorestreetsf.com
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| | | | Shopping Streets: Perfect Afternoon Exploring Union Street | | | | | |
Union Street has it all, and here are suggestions for the perfect way to kick off the weekend with a visit. Begins with the best-brunch-ever at ROSE'S CAFE. Then a stop at GOLDLEAF CHOCOLATIER, the city's best chocolate and most unique gifts (chocolate in every shape: champagne bottles, airplanes, cable cars, hearts...) Next is SUMBODY, great bathcare but with NATURAL ingredients (not the kind of place that makes you feel like you'll never breathe the same again!) On occasions I pick up something from ENCHANTED CRYSTAL and I've found some wonderful, unusual gifts for my husband at the SPORTING COMPANY. KOZO ARTS is the spot for handmade, incredible papers. Other unique shops include KRIMSA (finest rugs, nothing like the shops you've seen before), NOVELLA (a simply marvelous day spa), the ARTISANS for unique San Francisco pictures and framing, and BELLA & DAISY'S for the posh & pampered pet.
What to pick up along the way: Rose's Cafe - Think breakfast pizza! Goldleaf Chocolate - Anything, but especially the fudge and chocolates unless you're buying a gift and then you'll have a hard time deciding! SumBody - A few slices of soap and effervescent bath balls. Enchanted Crystal - Unique gifts and holiday decorations Sporting Company - Gifts for the 'guy who has everything' including some wonderful clothing not to be found elsewhere Kozo Arts - Handmade papers Krimsa - Stunning rugs if you're in the market for one, and if you aren't then some of their wonderful pillows and throws Novella - Look for spa specials on their website and book ahead... they get full quickly Artisans - A picture of the Sutro Bathhouse or some other San Francisco picture that makes your heart throb with happiness Bella & Daisy's - Let your pooch decide! Theme: OtherAddress: Start at 2298 Union (Rose's) down to 1750Directions: Parking is the one challenge. I often park up by St Mary's church (just a block away from Rose's) on a Saturday; offstreet parking is free for 2 hours. Sunday parking is free, so you can find any ol' metered spot and not worry about feeding the meter.
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| | | | Shopping Streets: Shopping Extravaganza! | | | | | |
Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Anne Klein, Donna Karan, Anna Sui et al.
Do ensure that your luggage has enough space. Why? SanFran has LOTS of great shopping! Better still if you can bring along an extra bag in cloth material (like what I did). :-)) If you're coming from Europe or Asia, buy only the American brand products. They are really, really worth it (read: cheap). Brands like Clinique, Prescriptives, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Anne Klein, Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Estee Lauder etc. are really good buys. I gave Calvin Klein products a miss because there are just too many imitations right now in the market (to say it's being flooded is an understatement!). Sorry, Calvin! Happy Shopping!!
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap vis-a-vis prices in Europe and Asia for American-made products. Theme: Women's ClothesAddress: Union Square
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