paper + fashion

Gap window at Powell & Market.

i've always loved looking at shop windows. for me, they often bring something fun or magical or an over the top feeling to a store. sometimes, the clothing may be rather shoddy or overly trendy, but the windows are always fun to look at when done creatively. ever since i was a kid, i wanted to decorate shop windows, so i decided to keep an eye out for really cool shop windows around downtown san francisco.

this gap window pretty much made me want the tissue paper flower/lanterns/whatever they are called. i didn't even bother to look at the clothes...instead i found the luna bazaar website - they call them rice paper daisies and they come in a rainbow of colors. apparently they are great for weddings, but wouldn't they be awesome hanging from the ceiling or taped onto the wall in my bedroom? i'd buy a few in different colors and sizes, then tack them up on a wall for an eclectic look.





Club Monaco store at the Westfield Mall.

I rarely step into Club Monaco, if ever. But i loved this huge collage of postcards, all having the same yellowed vintage and blue feel. I think it's cool when i can be inspired by shop windows and file that idea away for decorating my own place. (someday...)



Up close, it looks like they used tons of metal thumb tacks. an alternate idea would be to use japanese tape or masking tape for a casual look, or to collage a large canvas with a ton of old postcards. a cork board would also work well, too. i find that i love to collect old postcards, but they always wind up in a small kraft box or in my mailbox, so displaying my collection this way would be wonderful.

the candy shoppe

Miette in san francisco's hayes valley is the kind of candy shop i always wanted to wander into when i was a kid. i love that the whole shop is like a compact pink bakery box, with beautiful floral wallpaper lining the walls, cake stands and a rainbow of candy in glass jars. my favorite thing about this shop is that it's truly a feast for the eyes. i like to take my time and look at all the candy, whether it is for the color, shape, texture. i also adore looking at vintage packaging, with the ornate type, pastel colors and i think good packaging always elevates any object into a gift.

paint palettes

sometimes i think paint palettes are accidental works of art. in the beginning i used to wash them, scrub them even, but now i realize there is no need. the layers of color remain vibrant and it is a chaotic, colorful mess.

How to ride the bus in San Francisco

this is a short short story i wrote awhile ago. i dug it out from folders in my computer that i haven't looked at for months and i actually kind of like it.

How to ride the bus in San Francisco
Expect that you’ll be waiting for the K Ingleside streetcar every morning. And that your feet will hurt. Your new shoes will pinch and make you regret your unfortunate footwear choice. You stand on the little concrete island watching the traffic rush by. Every day at the bus stop, there will be the usual suspects waiting alongside you. Partners in waiting, you think. And then you wonder if their feet hurt too.

When the streetcar finally arrives, the doors slide open and you rush to your favorite seat. It’s the one in the back where you can prop your feet up. This set of seats is usually empty, but not today. Someone slides into your seat. You know it’s silly and childish to have a favorite seat. But it bothers you because you are stuck sitting in between 3 other people while you are trying to read a book but the guy next to you has music buzzing so loudly, you wonder why he isn’t deaf yet.

The driver stops and speeds up, stops and speeds up. It’s a jarring ride with elbows and backpacks and the excuse mes. Sometimes you would like to fold yourself up as if you were an envelope. You fidget like a four year old and wish the bus would go faster.You close your eyes and try to shut out the swishing noise when the streetcar enters the first tunnel.

But when you open your eyes, you hear “Passengers, please take out your valid transfers or passes,” and you think, oh shit.