San FranCelia

Fun week in the Bay, as usual.  I have this incredible story about an amazing new boutique I found that every female in this city would love!  Think the dress section at Ambiance with even better customer service and better prices – and I love Ambiance, so that’s telling you something.  I was grabbing coffee with my friend Robyn at Martha’s Brothers (consequently, they make one of the best lattes in the city and are local so go visit – you won’t be sorry) and we happened to notice some clothes on mannequins on the sidewalk around the corner – I got to this coffee shop every weekend, and I had never seen this place until that day!  As we kept glancing over, we noticed that everything out was really cute.  So, leaving my car with 10 minutes left on the meter (yeah, real smart), we proceeded to the store for about 2 hours. 

Kisha Studio is on 3^rd Ave. in between Clement and California St. and opened last April.  They have the best service and the cutest, most fashionable selection I have seen in quite awhile.  You walk in and a sense of calm washes over you.  The woman, Lin, who helped me and is a co-owner, was amazing.  She pulled styles she saw for me in my size (which she could just tell – so cool!  It’s like that “Pretty Woman” moment where the lady at Saks just knows Julia Roberts is a size 6).  I literally tried on almost every dress in the store – they were all that beautiful and flattering.  Each is a Kisha Studios original or from different local and international designers, so you know no one will have the same dress, which in such a small city, might actually happen.  Lin helps you dress so that you can see the full effect, and I could just walk all around the studio looking at different mirror angles.  You get the feeling of being in your friend’s totally out of control awesome closet, it’s that comfortable and fun. 

 I found three dresses that I liked, but one wasn’t in my size, and you know what Lin offered?  To order the dress from the designer for me to try on, and even if I didn’t like it, it was no problem – I didn’t need to worry about paying for anything involved in getting the dress over to her studio – they would simply keep it in the studio for someone else!  I got on their mailing list to receive their info and to hear when the dress came (as a side note, I signed up for the list voluntarily – she didn’t harass me about it once.  When the sales people at different stores try to get me on their lists repeatedly, I almost don’t do it just to be obstinate.  It’s like, what are they?  Life sized telemarketers?!  Not cool.)  Anyways, I left there with 2 dresses that made me feel gorgeous (one I wore to the casino night gala)!  I also left with a parking ticket – remember the 10 minutes for 2 hours?  Lin felt so bad that she gave me 5% off my entire purchase and gave me a fresh water pearl starfish necklace at no cost.  I couldn’t believe it!  I had bought one dress at full price and the other for $35 on sale, and I still got this level of service! 

 This spot is not pretentious or rude in any way, and gives you exactly the feeling you love when going shopping.  I would highly recommend every woman try this spot first when looking for a dressy dress, a cute dress, a casual dress, a nice coat, and even a pretty top.  You will not be disappointed.  I seriously gushed to, like, 10 people that same day, and I usually don’t do that about stores.  Check it out, and have fun!  This place is a find.

I’ll post some pictures of the dresses soon, so keep checking back!

Peace and love XO

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So I’m sitting here with a glass of wine and thought that I need to tell everyone about this amazing casino night I went to on Saturday night.  It was a casino benefit supporting AdvoKids, like I mentioned yesterday, and they put together an amazing night for everyone.  AdvoKids is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending the rights and meeting the needs of children who are in the foster care system due to abuse or neglect at home.  Our friend that invited us works at a law firm.  What a great cause, huh! 

 I got to go shopping and buy this fabulous little grey, Grecian, strapless number that just totally made me feel incredible.  I walked into One Fort Mason, which in itself is a cool building in an old military complex that looks like you’ve stepped out of the 1940s.  You see all these people in awesome clothes walking and lounging among the crystal chandeliers,

 and it’s just so cool.  One room was the food/dance/sitting/silent auction room and the other was the casino.  It’s so much fun to see everyone around you dressed to the nines and totally buzzing on good pinot.  I even learned how to play craps  (2 glasses of wine in, so I was definitely feeling lucky), and I fell in love!  What an addictive game, oh my God! 

 Then we went to get food (of course I have to talk about food), and it was delicious Thanksgiving-esque spread of turkey, stuffing, salad, roles and more.  Tasty.   I always think places like this will be pretentious, but it was far from.  Our friend who helped coordinate the event put together the silent auction and was just so fun and excited!  Everyone was so entertaining and the place was packed to the brim.  I definitely love being in a group of new people.  So many fun characters… haha!  There was this one frumpy looking girl at our craps table who was so random and got wasted by the time the dice went around the table.   She kept screaming her name (asking us to repeat after her) and then at the end of the night, asked us for a ride to her car.  Ok, we think… she can’t be a homicidal killer – they don’t go to benefit casino nights.  During the ride, we find out she’s a teacher.  Aw, makes sense.  She’s just repressed from ever going out, so she’s going buck wild tonight.  She turns out to be the teacher of my boyfriend’s Cal friend, and so my boyfriend dials his number and gives wasted teacher the phone.  Hilarity ensued!  She even kept referring to herself as Senora…  So funny… guess she teaches Spanish?  Haha!

What a fun night.  We saw some good friends and got to be in a lavish world of fancy dresses and craps, so I was happy!

Check out AdvoKids website.  It’s a great cause ya’ll.

Peace and love XO

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Ok peeps, I’ve got so much to catch you up on and tell you about!  I had a really great weekend here in The City where I ate some great food, saw a really long (but entertaining!) movie, and attended a benefit casino night gala supporting Marin nonprofit, AdvoKids. 

Friday night started with dinner at the amazing Ristorante Milano on Pacific in Nob Hill. 

What a remarkable tucked away treat!   You literally feel like you are walking into someone’s house (it’s so small inside!), which keeps the crowd really intimate and exclusive, but not in a snobby way.  I started out with a glass of the red Zinfandel with this specialty vegan Broccoli soup that was actually super delicious – I was unsure with the vegan label, but go with their suggestions – they know.  Then came the Mozzarella con Peperoni.  There is actually no pepperoni on this anti-pasta (haha!  I’m so funny…), but does have grilled red peppers, grilled polenta and of course, mozzarella!  So yummy.  The most amazing thing of the night, however, was the Gnocchi con Salsa Aurora.  Oh my GOD!  It was the most (hands down I tell you!) delicious gnocchi I’ve ever had in The City, and it’s my new Italian obsession, so I’ve tried a lot.  The sauce, the perfect cooking, the flavor!  Seriously, I think I may be having a moment right now writing this – it was that good.  For dessert came the chocolate and vanilla gelato, where the chocolate had little pieces of chocolate cake in it.  Mmm… I think I feel another moment coming on.  For real people, go check this spot out.  It’s perfect. 

I also saw the movie Watchman.  It was really long, so go prepared to sit for a full 3 hours.  And while it’s not on the same level as, say, V for Vendetta, it was pretty good.  It’s about self made super heroes (think Batman) who have been forced underground while the world

 around then is in a nuclear stronghold during the 80s Cold War.  There is one character that actually does have super powers, and he leads the direction of most of the film.  You follow the main characters trying to stop the USSR from blowing the US to bits, to a twist that changes everything -  lots of fighting, sex, and intrigue mixed in, too, for good measure.   I really understood the back-story, the plot was really well explained, and it was an interesting tale.  There was some random nudity/sex scenes that seemed like they were there more for the nerd nation that attends graphic novel-turned-movie showings (they even clapped after “it” was done… I mean, come on), but even that was sort of fun, so I got over it quick (and no one will say I don’t like sex scenes… sex on with your bad selves, I say).  I would wait to see this on DVD though… not worth the $10 and it’s super long so you can’t get up easily and pee like you probably will need to during a 3 hour movie.  

So I just realized this post is really long, so I’ll save the gala casino night description for tomorrow.   It was so fun and well put together, with delicious food and people, so I’ll need more room to do it justice.   

If you check out Ristorante Milano, comment here and let me and others know any other tasty food there – I’m sure it’s all delicious!  

Peace and love XO

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