Gabrielle Bratton
Gabrielle gives vintage fabrics—lace, brocade, burlap—a second life as luxurious metal jewelry, casting the delicate textures and patterns into gold, silver and bronze designs. Her couture pieces combine the detail of the original fabrics with the luster and durability of metal for a bold, romantic look. In addition to bridal adornments—think an elegant gold hairpiece made from mom’s lace—Gabrielle creates everyday wear that ranges from finely textured bangles to structured collar necklaces, a show of intricate craftsmanship and modern style.
Gabrielle, who is from Raleigh, NC, received a BFA in jewelry and metals from the University of Georgia, Lamar Dodd School of Art. She currently lives and works in San Francisco while maintaining a presence back home in Raleigh.
Eat: Restaurants + Bars in San Francisco
Breakfast: Jane on Fillmore
Order: Dirty Almond Chai, Green Smoothie and Avo Toast. Bright and beautiful breakfast foods in a cool space with Fillmore Street at your fingertips.
2123 Fillmore Street
415.931.5263
Lunch: Tartine Bakery
Order: Soup or salad and home-brewed kombucha of the day. This is in the same building as Heath Ceramics, an old warehouse with tons of natural light. Visit Heath Showroom and see how they make the ceramics behind the glass wall. Tartine uses all of their ceramic wear to serve their delicious foods and baked goods.
595 Alabama Street
415.757.0007
Wine/Apps: Union Larder
Order: Any wine of your choosing. Ask the cheese monger to help pair a few cheeses, and don’t miss the cured trout dish. Try to get there on the earlier side for a seat by the big open windows where you can watch the cable cars go up and down Hyde Street. This space used to be a garage and was recently converted into the wine bar.
1945 Hyde Street
415.323.4845
Dinner: Nopa
Order: Baked white beans with feta, chicken. All of their sides are great. One of my favorite restaurants of all time. There is something for everyone on the menu. A vegetarian will be just as happy as someone ordering the famous burger. I love the bar and that the kitchen is open. Watching them work in the kitchen is super impressive!
560 Divisadero Street
415.864.8643
Stay: San Francisco Hotels
St. Regis in SOMA but not too far from Union Square. It is right next door to the SFMOMA which has recently reopened. Bring a bathing suit for the indoor rooftop pool with a great view of the city.
125 3rd Street
415.284.4000
Cavallo Point
Next on my “wish list” for a staycation. Located just across the bay in Sausalito, you can take a ferry or a 20-minute Uber from the city. It is supposed to have a great spa, beautiful green grounds and a great view back on San Francisco.
601 Murray Circle
Sausalito, CA
415.339.4700
Shop: Local Gifts + Specialty Shops
Heath Ceramics
2900 18th Street
415.361.5552
Love & Luxe
1169 Valencia Street
415.648.7781
Le Point
301 Valencia Street
415.400.4275
Gabrielle Jewelry
3356 Sacramento Street
By appointment only, hello@gabriellejewelry.com
Play: Things to Do in San Francisco
Walk the city by neighborhoods, wear comfortable shoes and pack a little bag with a warm layer (the weather changes dramatically from day/night and by neighborhood). Start with a cup of coffee in one spot and hit the pavement, then find a little breakfast bite and keep walking. Do this until you are worn out! By the end of a day you can cover some serious ground while getting a real feel for each neighborhood, some beautiful views and trying all of the good coffee/foodie spots.
Don’t be afraid to get out of the city. One of my favorite things about San Francisco is that everything surrounding it is so accessible. Rent a car and explore the entire Bay Area. Drive over to Berkeley and Old Oakland. Take the ferry to Sausalito then walk the bridge back into the city. And of course head up to wine country. My favorite spots for wine are in are Sonoma and Healdsburg.
Sonoma
Ram’s Gate
Boutique winery with a killer view—only 35 minutes from the city!
28700 Arnold Drive
707.721.8700
Scribe
Book a lunch and tasting at their Hacienda.
2100 Denmark Street
707.939.1858
Healdsburg
Little Saint
Great food, right off of the downtown square.
25 North Street
707.433.8207
VML
Pack a picnic and sit in their gardens while tasting.
5610 Dry Creek Road
707.431.4404
Medlock Ames
Very well-designed space for wine tasting. There’s a little speakeasy bar on the backside after 5:00 pm if you get a bit tired of wine and want something with spirits.
13414 Chalk Hill Road
707.431.8845
Pyeatt Taylor
Pyeatt Taylor is the granddaughter of Peachy and cousin of our publisher and CEO, Blair Farris. (The name Pyeatt was Peachy’s maiden name.) Pyeatt left Texas to attend college in California. She met her husband in “The Golden State” and has lived there ever since. A proud mom of three kids, Jaden, Makena, and Mitchell, Pyeatt spends her days driving her kids in circles to their three different schools and activities. She also teaches preschool and tutors underprivileged first graders. Like Blair, Pyeatt inherited the artsy gene from their beloved Peachy. She loves being creative—painting, doing art projects, felting banners, making jewelry, designing scrapbooks and anything else she can get her hands on!
Eat, Stay, Shop and Play in Palo Alto
First stop: Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, one of the most beautiful outdoor shopping centers in the world! Incredible flower displays surround you at every turn. You can shop at high-end stores, eat scrumptious meals, or just relax on cushioned outdoor furniture among the displays of brightly colored roses, tulips, dahlias and delphiniums.
Next I would head up the street to Cafe Borrone where you can enjoy a nice salad, pastry, or best of all, a hot Mexican mocha or a cool creamy frosted mocha! There is a charming bookstore next door, so you can purchase a good novel and enjoy it while you eat.
You can’t come this way and miss out on seeing Stanford University with its beautiful Spanish architecture and red-tiled roofs. Don’t miss the gold mosaic on the exterior, above the altar and in the central dome of Memorial Church built in memory of Leland Stanford Jr. Also a short walk down Palm Drive you will want to see the Rodin Sculpture Garden with Rodin’s famous figures and his dramatic portrayal of the Gates of Hell.
If you enjoy gardens, visit the stunning Filoli, one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century. Enjoy the 16-acre formal garden, explore the historic house, take a nature hike or view an art exhibit. The gardens are redone for each season, but the tulips are my favorite!
I would recommend staying at the el PRADO Hotel right in the center of the small town of Palo Alto surrounded by restaurants and stores. Or try the Stanford Park Hotel which boasts delicious beignets for brunch, fire pits to relax around, and nightly chocolate chip cookies.
My favorite dinner spots in Palo Alto are Evvia, with it scrumptious Mediterranean flair—meatballs, dolmas and incredible lamb shank. We also love St. Michael’s Alley with its delicious “Silk Road” drink with ginger and vanilla.
Stanford Shopping Center
660 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
650.617.8587
Cafe Borrone
1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
650.327.0830
Stanford University
450 Serra Mall, Stanford
650.723.2560
Stanford Memorial Church
450 Serra Mall, Stanford
650.723.1762
Rodin Sculpture Garden
Stanford University, Palo Alto
650.498.1480
Filoli
86 Cañada Road, Woodside
650.364.8300
el PRADO Hotel
520 Cowper Street, Palo Alto
650.322.9000
Stanford Park Hotel
100 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
866.241.2431
Evvia
420 Emerson Street, Palo Alto
650.326.0983
St. Michael’s Alley
806 Emerson Street, Palo Alto
650.326.2530
Beatie and Mike Seidenberg
The Seidenbergs are a Bay Area-based couple raising their children in San Francisco. Beatie and Mike enjoy travel, cooking, art and the outdoors, but their primary focus is on their family.
Eat: Restaurants + Bars in San Francisco
A16
A neighborhood favorite for a long time, and we continue to frequent it—we love the atmosphere, crowd and food (amazing pizza but don’t forget their non-pizza items).
2355 Chestnut Street
415.771.2216
Gary Danko
If you are looking for something a little more sophisticated for your palate, Gary Danko is an excellent choice. Gary and his partner Greg deliver for every special occasion. When our son was born, they sent a meal to the hospital—a memory we will never forget.
800 North Point Street
415.749.2060
Nopalito
Unique and authentic Mexican food in a fun neighborhood. Take a walk down Divisadero while you wait.
306 Broderick Street
415.437.0303
Bi-Rite Ice Cream
The line will say it all.
3692 18th Street
415.626.5600
Wrecking Ball Coffee
I am torn about sharing this place because the line will only grow longer, but they serve great coffee, and the staff is very knowledgeable. I sometimes go twice on weekends!
2271 Union Street
415.638.9227
Jane
All the locations are phenomenal! Amanda knows how to deliver the right product to the right neighborhood. If you are in San Francisco on a weekday, go to the Fillmore location after school drop-off or around lunch.
Jane on Fillmore
2123 Fillmore Street
415.931.5263
Jane The Bakery
1881 Geary Boulevard
415.658.7971
Jane on Larkin
925 Larkin Street
415.931.5263
Here are few locals-only spots that are great for grab and go: Shalimar (Pakistani/Indian food), Spice Kit (Asian street food in SOMA, the South of Market Street area), The City Taqueria on Divisadero, and Cal-Mart grocery store for sandwiches.
Shalimar
1409 Polk Street
415.776.4642
Spice Kit
405 Howard Street
415.882.4581
The City Taqueria
1836 Divisadero Street
415.346.3515
Cal-Mart Supermarket
3585 California Street
415.751.3516
Stay: San Francisco Hotels
Inn at the Presidio
I hear good things about this hotel—described as a verdant oasis within the desert.
42 Moraga Avenue
415.800.7356
The St. Regis
Great location right by the new SFMOMA with a beautiful lobby.
125 3rd Street
415.284.4000
The Four Seasons
Beautiful hotel with access to a world-class gym; Sports Club LA is located in the same building.
757 Market Street
415.633.3000
Shop: Local Gifts + Specialty Shops
Fillmore Street
Begin your adventure at California and Fillmore and start wandering—lots of great finds!
Hayes Valley
Very hip area with lots of neat boutiques selling shoes, clothing and more.
Outer Sacramento Street (start at Divisadero and head west)
Housewares, design, furniture and designer clothing, all found within a 10-block area.
Play: Things to Do in San Francisco
Crissy Field
Walk from the Marina Green to the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s truly awe inspiring, and you will see runners, bikers and walkers. Stop at one of the coffee trucks or The Warming Hut near the bridge.
Hayes Valley
Walk around this area and enjoy tons of cool stores, a playground and an outdoor beer garden.
Biergarten
424 Octavia Street
415.252.9289
Don’t miss the Saturday farmers market at the Ferry Building. Go early to avoid the crowds and see the chefs shopping. A great place for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (at the base of Market Street on the Embarcadero)
415.291.3276
Alcatraz
I know it sounds like a cliché, but the tour of Alcatraz is wonderful. The view back to the city is unique and great. Book early as it sells out 365 days a year.
Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing
415.981.7625
Museums
Take your pick—SFMOMA, Academy of Sciences, de Young, etc. They are all interesting, and I especially like looking at the juxtaposition of the de Young and Academy of Sciences across from one another—two of my favorite architects side by side.
SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art)
151 3rd Street
415.357.4000
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
415.379.8000
de Young Museum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
415.750.3600
Other fun ideas
Take a ferry to Tiburon or bike to Tiburon and take the ferry back.
Check out the Presidio by walking around the area near the Golden Gate Bridge towards Baker Beach.
Visit Golden Gate Park on a Sunday when the roads are closed.
