SFMOMA Store - San Francisco Airport

With the additions of the SFMOMA store and Sephora, shopping is improving considerably at the San Francisco Airport. The restaurants are improving too, but that's another blog.

The SFMOMA store has lots of cute toys, books and decorator items. It's a good place to spend your last US dollars or to buy last-minute gifts for arty people back home. Most of the things are designer-inspired & certainly beat a key chain or t-shirt grabbed on the way the the gate.

Spitalfields Market - Spitalfields

It seems that much literature mentioning Spitalfields focuses on poverty and deprivation. Children of the Ghetto,
Jack London's melodramatic The People of the Abyss and then there's The Satanic Verses. True, it has been the site of large cemeteries, starting with the Romans. True, the name came from some illiterate pronunciation of hospital. However, now the area has become so gentrified that it is no longer a haven for the poor, the disenfranchised and the artists. They've all moved to Hackney.

There is one place, though, where artists abound: Spitalfields market. Open every day except Saturday, it's the place to buy and sell handcrafted clothes, bags and bric-a-brac, as well as vintage housewares, books, records and general truclaments. Usually the artists, themselves are selling their wares so if you need another size or want something in a different colour, they are often willing to accommodate you. Last time I was at the market, I bought a necklace that was a bit to long for me, so the designer sized it on the spot.

Old Spitalfields Market
105a Commercial Streeet
Spitalfields, London E1 6BG

Monster Dolls are Absolutely Fabulous at Habitat -- Kensington

Adena was wrong, babies and Lacroix sometimes do go together. These dolls designed for Habitat are sold as toys for children, but this little monster would like one for herself. Like everything else at Habitat, they are quite expensive. That's all relative, though. Could you get anything else by Lacroix for £35?

26-40 Kensington High St
London, W8 4PF
020 7795 6055

Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market -- Embarcadero

I love the Ferry Plaza Farmers' market. True, it does attract a bunch of tourists, pretentious "foodies" and yuppie gourmet wannabees, but who cares? Of course they're going to go where many chefs in the city pick up their produce.

The truth is, though, vendors are required to use sustainable farming methods, follow standards of animal treatment, pay their employees decent wages, and, of course, farm in an ecologically responsible manner. It's not all about what you put in your mouth. Then again, it is all about what you put in your mouth. Shoppers can buy something delicious, without the harmful chemicals, in a picturesque setting and still be socially responsible. If the prices are a bit decadent, at least shopping here is socially responsible decadence.

Buying eggs laid by happy chickens, beaks intact makes me almost able to stomach people like the woman I saw a month ago, prancing along with a large wicker basket, as if she was frolicking through the fields, gathering daisies in a Swiss meadow.




Ferry Building
Embarcadero
At the base of Market Street
San Francisco

Off the Rack Bridal at BHS -- Oxford Street

When my sister was preparing for her wedding, I went bridal gown shopping with her. We hit several fancy wedding boutiques in San Francisco. At these boutiques, the bride-to-be, dressed in the appropriate bridal underpinnings, stood on a platform in a vast changing room while an attendant fetched and carried gowns and accessories, and helped my sister try them on. Mum and I sat in the chairs provided for the bridal party and other hangers-on, and watched our own private fashion show, mouths agape at the prices, which ran into the tens of thousands. I can see how anyone who ever had young-girl fantasies of being a princess could be sucked in to the faux couture of a beautifully made wedding gown, shown in a beautiful setting.

My fiscally responsible sis did not buy a gown at one of these boutiques. She ended up finding a very pretty dress in some off-price place in Santa Ana or Long Beach. It wasn't fru fru, layer cake, or overly shiny. She was a beautiful bride in a simple age-appropriate design that did not look bargain-basement.

Ten years later, on the way to indulging in one of my favorite breakfasts at British Home Stores, I walked past the bridal section. There was nothing like this in America when my sister was looking for a dress, rows and rows of bridal off the rack, including gowns, bridesmaids dresses, tiaras, the lot. I can't say they were nice, but they looked a lot better than the prom dresses at Sears. A bride-to-be on a budget can buy a whole ensemble, a dress, a veil and shoes for £200, now that's chavtastic.

252-258 Oxford Street
London , W1C 1DL
020.7629.2011

ApparelAmerican Apparel -- Haight Ashbury, NOHO & Lower East Side, Notting Hill

I don't know what appeals to me most about American Apparel, it's sweatshop-free policy, the quality and fit of the clothes, or its slightly salacious ad campaign, including the ads in Butt Magazine. They bring to mind the short-lived campaign by Calvin Klein years ago with Miss Moss saying "It's torture."

The long sleeved, long v necks are a staple to my wardrobe. I don't wear them the way the models wear them, as dresses. For me, they make nice long, slimfit shirts.


1615 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
415.431.4028

712 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
646.383.2257

183 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
212.598.4600

Costco -- SOMA

Unlike the experience at most warehouse stores, shopping at Costo can be shopping for pleasure, if you can find a way to avoid the crowds. Amongst the usual fare of over sized packages of toilet paper, pork loin, and tires, treasures lurk: Veuve Clicqot by the caseload, iPod Nanos, the occasional nice piece of jewelry and a few heavily branded purses.

450 10th St
San Francisco, CA 94103
415.626.4388

Teenage Row - Tanforan Mall

It is sheer genius to put the teenage stores together at Tanforan Mall. Of course, one could argue that the whole mall is teenage haven, but some shops, such as Hot Topic, Pacific Sun, Zumiez & Shoe Palace are especially alluring to teens and the mutton dressed as lamb brave enough to shop there without a young person in tow.

Tanforan Mall
San Bruno, CA 94066
650.553.5100

Picketers at Bristol Farms -- San Francisco Centre

The picketers are still at San Francisco Center, protesting Bristol Farms' no union policy. It doesn't seem to be deterring shoppers, though. Bristol Farms seemed as busy as ever. Why do people cross picket lines? Is it concious opposition to unions? apathy? the feeling that one small purchase won't make a difference? Do tell.

845 Market St - Suite 010
San Francisco, CA 94103
Westfield San Francisco Centre
Bart Level
415.979.0106

Nan Kempner at the MET - Upper East Side

A Women who said she wanted to be buried naked so she could shop in Heaven certainly deserves to be mentioned as a patron of shopping. I wonder if this was a serious request, or just something said in jest? I suspect the latter, but that doesn't diminish her love of fashion, or of clothes.

The Costume Institute's exhibit, showcasing Ms. Kempner's extensive wardrobe in the basement of the MET, is a testament to what can be done with a credit card. It is said that she did not rotate her clothes out for the seasons, but liked to keep her gowns, riding habits and resort wear handy, along with the appropriate suits the lady who lunches needs. All I can say is she must have devoted quite a bit of prime Manhattan real estate to closet space. If you appreciate vintage designer wear and costume jewelry from the 70s and 80s, the exhibit is a must-see.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
Fifth Ave at 82nd Street
New York, NY 10028-0198
212.535.7710

Macys - Union Square

I love the fact that the tree at Union Square is still up. The juxtaposition of the Christmas tree and the palm tree make a nice California contrast to the East Coast flagship. In fact, compared to the San Francisco Macy's, the 34th street store looks like a hot mess.

Union Square
San Francisco, CA 94102

The Five and Dime - Laurel Village

The Standard 5¢ & 10¢ is one of my favorite stores and one of the last of its kind in the city. Of course nothing costs a nickel or a dime, but shoppers can find almost anything, including cooking supplies, craft supplies, garage sale labels, toys, cards, stationary, school supplies and those strange hardware items needed for Victorian houses that are impossible to find at big box stores like Home Depot. There's a sign on the door saying "Be a local, shop local." I hope people do.

Laurel Village Shopping Center
3545 California Street

No Photos Allowed - Santa Rosa Plaza

I was panhandled at the Santa Rosa Plaza this weekend. Living close to the Haight, I'm used to being panhandled, but I was taken completely by surprise when it happened in such a suburban setting. This was no street urchin. The girl who asked me for money looked like a typical suburban teenager, with converse shoes, Levis, a hoodie & salon highlights. She looked clean and well-fed. I though she was asking for change for a dollar, so when she said "I just need to buy a hamburger," I was completely taken aback. What's that about? Have parents stopped teaching their children that it's rude to ask strangers for money?

This mall seems to attract a disproportionate amount of teenagers. Is it the only place for kids to go in Santa Rosa? The stores could certainly be a draw to this audience. The stores are pretty typical mid-level retail with a high emphasis on teenwear: Forever 21, Hot Topic, Torrid, Gap, Express, and a few blah staples: Bath & Bodyworks, Victoria's Secret and Lane Bryant. The anchor stores are a bit grotty: an old, unrefurbished Sears, a low-end Macy's and an OK Mervyns.

Mall security is fairly vigilant. I was told not to take any pictures for "copyright reasons." What's behind that weird rule? How does taking pictures of mall stores violate copyright? It's not like sneaking photos at a fashion show in Milan to copy in a back street sweatshop.

1071 Santa Rosa Plaza
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Bloomingdales - Soho

Bloomingdales, Soho is the chic, skinny sister of the flagship on 59th. It has all the elements of the original, the checkerboard floors, the pink beauty bar, the diverse range of designer lables. The Soho Bloomies is streamlined, though, edited to reflect the neighborhood it's in.

504 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.729.5900

Bolex Anyone? -- Chinatown

If you've been wondering where the vendors of fake Rolexes disappeared to, They're alive & well, hawking their wares out of briefcases at Canal & Broadway. I am NOT advocating buying the wares of these shifty-looking characters, just making an observation.

Canal & Broadway
New York, NY

Arthur Avenue Retail Market - Arthur Avenue

rolling cigars
Italian delicacies

If you crave authenticity in a world of Pottery Barns and mall pastiche, go to Arthur avenue in the Bronx. One of the great gems is the Arthur Avenue Retail Market. Fresh cheese, fresh bread, fresh veg, fresh meat (including rabbit) and fresh cigars can be bought at a good price. Apparently, Mayor LaGuardia opened the retail market in the 40's to get the pushcart vendors of the street, out of the elements. It's still going strong.

2344 Arthur Ave
New York, NY

Orchard Street Corset Center - Lower East Side

It's easy for those with small perky breasts to buy cute bras. From Victoria's Secret to JCPenneys, to La Perla, every mall and high street is brimming with them. Likewise for buxom gals built like prison matrons, with big proletarian backs and large motherly bosoms. They can find the appropriate Cross Your Hearts at any Mervyns, KMart or JCPenneys. But what about those of us who have normal size backs but larger-than-usual fronts? Even Nordstrom doesn't special order anymore.

Orchard Street Corset Center to the rescue. It's one of two places I can find bras in my size, the other being M&S. This old fashioned merchant is not for those who like slick merchandising and a leisurely browse to see what styles are in. The bras are hidden in boxes, in shelves lining the walls. The fitting room is a curtain, strung up across the stock room. All is overseen by Ralph, the king of customer service, and his wife the chief fitter.

When customers walk into his shop, Ralph sizes them up and tells them if they are wearing the wrong size brassier. One one shopping trip, I dragged my modest sister-in-law, Angel, in. As she was mumbling her size, Ralph stopped her and said. "No, this is the size you are." She tried to disagree but he countered with an authoritarian "I see everything," held a suitable size up and called for his wife to sweep Angel off to try on the proper bra. He was right. While she has not ventured back to the shop, Angel does admit that the bra she bought that day is the most comfortable one she owns.

One thing I should mention: The owners are Hasidic, so the shop is closed on Saturdays.

157 Orchard St., Between Stanton Street and Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002-2214
212.674.0786

Kate's Paperie - Soho

The Christmas decorations at Kate's Paperie in Soho, are simple, yet quite beautiful and appropriate this year: a large paper snowflake covering the whole ceiling.

561 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.941.9816

Purdy Girl - Soho

Purdy Girl is a cute boutique that feels like the really large closet of a stylish friend, a few well-picked vintage clothes, a nice collection of mid-ranged clothes from small designers, a few small brands and some lovely costume jewelry made by local artists.

Macy's - 34th Avenue

The blindingly extravagant Christmas decorations don't translate well into photos, but the glow was visible for blocks before I could even see the store. This year, the poinsettia extravaganza inside was even better than the decorations outside.

Lord & Taylor - Fifth Avenue

This store is for chic grandmas, with three restaraunts, nice, comforable places to sit down and a lavish collection of clothes, such as Eileen Fisher, for older women who don't mind spending a little money to look good. Their Christmas ornament selection, while not as eye-popping as ABC Carpet & Home, is well worth a look during the Christmas season.

Bûche de Noël at a Stop & Shop near you

The Bûche de Noël has now gone mainstream. When I saw Entenmann's "Yule Log" at the grocery store a couple of days ago, I felt a twinge of sadness. Does this mean Bûche de Noël will no longer be special? Will people be able to tell the difference between one you've slaved over for hours and one you've grabbed from the grocery store shelf?

Watch out Billy's Bakery. Red Velvet cupcakes are next.

Billy's Bakery -- Greenwich Village

Do not try to buy a cake here the day before Christmas Eve. You will be turned away, even though there are several cakes on display, ready to be sliced. Do not try to order a cake to pick up the next day, especially if you already tried to buy one minutes before. You will be sent away with nothing but a cupcake. The cupcakes are fair to middling, but the frosting is fantastic. It's good enough to convince me to go back again and try the red velvet cupcakes on a day when they're not sold out, or annoyed by too many pesky customers.

Note to self: Next time wear all black and affect an air of disinterested aloofness.

Myers of Keswick -- Greenwich Village

Myers' claims that they sell the only Cumberland sausages made in the USA. While I don't know how true this is, nor have I tasted them, this British grocer has a nice selection of canned and drygoods, including strange selections like Mexican-style baked beans. The deli counter look fantastick and is stocked with fresh made mince pies, pork pies, sausage rolls, and meat and vegetarian pasties.

634 Hudson Street
(between Horatio and Jane St.'s)
New York NY 10014
212.691.4194

Nelson Antiques - Chelsea

Nelson Antiques is run by a lovely couple who have been in the neighborhood for donkey's years, Christmas ornaments, figureines, decco lamps and 50s-style tea sets are among the treasures to be found in this small shop crammed to the brim with tchotchkes.

184 Ninth Ave. (Near 22nd St.)
New York, NY 10011
212.989.6910

Sermoneta Gloves -- Madison Avenue

Ahh, Italian-made gloves. At a fraction of the cost of Missoni, Sermoneta's first and only shop outside of Italy sells hats, scarves and lovely tailored gloves leather gloves. Known for their primary colors, they seem to be going away from the 80's this season with more muted shades.

609 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
212.319.5946

It's an Andy Warhol X-mas at Barneys -- Madison Avenue

I love Simon Doonan. Who else could make a bust of Andy Warhol out of a bunch of cookie jars and Russell Wright crockery?

Madison avenue and 61st street
NY, New York
212.826.8900.

X-mas at Saks - Fifth Avenue

We are all unique masterpieces, just like the snowflake; at least that's what the story on the windows at Saks Fifth Avenue says to all the gawkers. Click on the photo to read it yourself. I didn't bother to read the whole story because it was split up on separate windows, corresponding to the scene depicted in each window, and frankly, I couldn't stomach standing in the long Disneyland-like lines to look at a bunch of naff dioramas.

611 Fifth Avenue, at 50th Street
NY, New York
212.753.4000

Santaland at Smith Haven - Lake Grove

This is the first grotto I've seen this season. Where have I been? While the Santaland is nice enough, it's not magical. However the Father Christmas more than makes up for the shortfalls in Santaland. His beard, his rosy cheeks and his Santa-like physique make him the perfect candidate for the jolly old elf.

Smith Haven Mall
Rt 347
Lake Grove, NY

5-7-9 Shop - Lake Grove

Often, when I'm taking pictures for this blog, kind hearted passers-by offer to take my picture in front of whatever store I'm photographing. Sometimes they'll want to be in the picture too. When I was taking a picture of the 5-7-9 shop at Smith Haven mall, this character insisted on being in the photo. He's certainly not a customer, but somehow, he fits.

Smith Haven Mall
Rt 347, Lake Grove
631.979.9003

Feria Ubana - Inner Sunset

This is more like it.

Held at the Canvas Gallery on Lincoln Way, this Urban Fair is what I expected at Pandora's Trunk last night. Those who like jewelry and accessories hit the jackpot. Handcrafted baubles with a modern aesthetic shared table space with Victorianesque pieces in strange proportions.

Among the gifts for wry children, stuffed monster dolls, made more for parents than their kids, were among my favorites.

The only things that were a bit dodgy were bags made out of reclaimed materials, straight out of ReadyMade magazine and pillows in burnt out velvet that may be good for those who like to decorate with gargoyles.

I went with good intentions of buying Christmas presents, but left with gifts only for myself.

Canvas Gallery
1200 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122
415.504.0060

Pandora's Trunk - South of Market

I expected some sort of Punk Rock craft fair, but what I got, instead, was a bunch of baby clothes for adults and grandma does Blade Runner. Didn't rave clothes go out in 1989? They should have handed out whistles. I felt like I should go to the Hacienda to see Madonna perform.

While the concept was cute for some of the crafts, they weren't particularly well-executed, nothing I would buy to give as a Christmas gift.

At er reading about Art Basel Miami, though,I have to say it was refreshing to go to an art show held by real starving artists. They didn't even look askance at my H&M velour sweatsuit and scraggly hair, drenched by the deluge outside.

I've heard of red-hot sales, but this is ridiculous -- Great Lakes Mall

Picture this: A fire breaks out at your favorite Dillards during high-holiday shopping season. Do you grab your loved ones and run out the door, greatful to be alive and unharmed, or do you continue shopping, taking advantage of the blinding smoke to grab the goods away from your fellow bargain hunters? That's exactly what shoppers did at Dillards in Mentor, Ohio. The fire was severe enough to cause $130,000 in damages, but it didn't deter customers intent on finishing their holiday shopping.

This reminds me of the year I worked at Macys during the Christmas rush. The power went out and instead of leaving the store, customers were annoyed that we didn't have flashlights or mechanical cash registers to ring their purchases up with.

Full story on the fire at Dillards

7850 Mentor Ave
Mentor, OH
440.255.5651

Apple - Union Square & Oxford Circus

Have you ever noticed how many times the word "love" comes up when people talk about their Macs? If you type the phrase "Why I love Macs" into any browser, 100s of sites will come up. People put things like "mac user" on their MySpace and FaceBook profiles, on their blogs and on personal ads. A quick search on Tribe turned up groups devoted to Gay Mac users, Lesbian Mac Users, Black Mac users, Mini Mac, Old Mac, Burning Mac. HMMM - I wonder if there's any crossover? This brings me back to my question. Does Mac inspire this type of devotion with clean, sexy design, or are the types of people who gravitate to the more intuitive usability of the Mac more right-brained and naturally more in touch with their emotions?

My irrational love for my Mac, carries over to the Apple store, one of the few places offering free wireless access in the city. The Apple store at Union Square is almost identical to the Regent Street store, my home away from home in London and also one of the few places to find free wireless in London.

One Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
415.392.0202

235 Regent Street
London, W1B 2EL
020 7153 9000

Top 10 Worst Places to Shop in the U.S.

In no particular order:

Ross -- There's nothing good about this chain. The stores look like someone's garage.

Marshalls / TJ Maxx -- See above, plus I've never been to a Marshals with a clean bathroom. They are filthy, even first thing in the morning. If the employees use those toilets, I don't want to touch anything in the store.

Big Lots -- Don't believe the TV ads. This place is depressing. It should be called Big Jobs.

Walmart -- Complete lack of corporate responsibility. If price is important to shoppers, there are cheaper, better alternatives.

Ann Taylor / Ann Taylor Loft -- bland

Barnes & Noble -- Terrible return policies and filthy bathrooms. This is especially disturbing since most Barnes & Nobles have in-store cafes.

Old Navy -- Cheap teenage wear made of cheaper fabrics. This season, the color palette seems to be mud. If you want cheap throw-away wear, go to H&M or Forever 21. At least those stores change their merchandise frequently.

The Disney Store -- More cheap crap from China. It seems that the nice Disney-themed things are sold elsewhere.

Victoria's Secret -- Cheap, poorly made underwear for those with small tits. The bras aren't even cute. They belong in a Tijuana bordello.

Pottery Barn -- Over priced junk made in third word countries. Plus, they lose points for being everywhere, adding to the blandifying of America.

Smelling like Paris at Macy's - Union Square

I've been to Paris in the summer, and all I can say is that I would not want to smell like that. The same goes for Paris Hilton. Does anyone really want to smell like her? What about Britney Spears? If all those photos of her going commando in various miniskirts are to be believed, she's a worse hoochie than Paris. Yet, they both have their names on perfumes. Why would Macy's waste valuable Christmas window real estate featuring photos of celebrities who endorse perfumes? Will the marketing spin ever end? Are we, as consumers, so stupid that we think the people on our lists will like this kind of swill?

It may seem like I'm picking on Macy's, lately. I actually love the flagship stores, San Francisco and New York. The Manhattan flagship is an institution equaled by no other, and, since the renovation a couple of years ago, the San Francisco store is even better. Unfortunately, Macy's doesn't successfully carry the brand throughout their stores. The Santa Rosa Macy's, is just not equal to the San Francisco Macy's, neither is the store in Corte Madera, Westminster, Long Island..... you get the point. This is why a pedestrian store, such as Nordstrom has just a high reputation among those who say they are "born to shop." The Nordstrom in San Francisco is pretty much the same as the one in Walnut Creek. The Scottsdale Nortstrom is similar to the one in Roosevelt Field. Macy's' flagships far surpass the others, but out in the suburbs, shoppers are subjected to rows and rows of, Inc, Charter Club and all those other house brands Macy's has manufactured in China. Eventually, it will be like Marks and Spencers, selling only house labels. I'm not sure why Macy's does this, but it seems to me that they underrate their customers. Are we really going to think we're in Manhattan where we're shopping at a low-end Macy's in Colma? I think not.

170 O'Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.397.3333