Greetings from San Francisco

I’m back from San Francisco, where I had a lovely time with some girlfriends. We stayed in Noe Valley, where I really enjoyed shopping at WinkSF, Chocolate Covered, 24th Street Cheese Co. and Ambiance.

In SF, we also spent a good deal of time at the Ferry Building, including a fun afternoon with Natalie Zee Drieu of the wonderful fashion blog Coquette. I’ve known Nat a few years, and she was kind enough to take us around not only the Ferry Building but to Japantown’s Kinokuiya bookstore to check out some interesting knit, crochet, and sewing books and magazines. It was really inspiring to talk to Nat about different ways to look at crafting drawn from different cultures. For instance, I’m always surprised and inspired by the innovative ways in which the Japanese look at construction, multi-functionality, and shapes when it comes to clothing. I hope that if you enjoy crafting (or cooking or travel) and you’ve never looked at books from other cultures and countries, you will do so–it’s fascinating to look at these beloved hobbies through the lens of another culture.