Sissy In the City

2005-07-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Stitch This, Beeyatch!

I worked on my first cross stitch project when I was about 10 years old. It was a Christmas teddy bear in a red and white stocking, and I gave it to my grandma for the holidays.

Looking back, I realized that the whole event was decidedly therapeutic. Similar to the fad-tastic knitting, cross stitching's repetitive, soothing motions are a welcome respite from the city life. Unfortunately, most cross stitch patterns look less like the hobby of a fabulous city girl - and more like a floral-kitty-teddy bear tapestry.

Lucky for us, however, there's Subversive Cross Stitch. Using the time-honored American tradition of needlepoint to reflect frustration, anger and cheekiness, the smart-ass cross stitch creations - "Be My Bitch" is a true winner - will have everyone doing a doubletake. And, at $12 for a basic kit, you can stitch expletive-laden decor for every room in the house!

Oh, and if you happen to be looking for a more fashionable way than those so-over yellow bands to support Lance and "Live Strong," the online company offers a "Fuck Cancer" pattern. Fifty percent of the pattern's profits will go to the Live Strong cancer foundation.

Need another reason to dive into subversive cross stitching? First-class shipping is free. Later, beeyatch!

2005-07-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

A Tisket, A Tasket, A New Red Picnic Basket

Summer in SFO is almost upon us. It seems that we have a later start than everyone else - but we definitely have the final hurrah with our unparalleled late summer-early fall sunny days. What better way to celebrate the lazy summer days than with a fabulous, all-American picnic?

Additionally, what better way to have a picnic than with an equally fabulous new accessory - like this non-traditional picnic basket from wishingfish.com? Made of woven plastic in cheery, bright hues, this generously-sized basket is perfect for packing up sodas and sandwiches and heading out for Golden Gate Park, Marin, the beach or your favorite grassy spot.

And, at only $24 (wishingfish also charges $5.95 shipping for the first $25), you can afford to pick up premade goodies. My suggestion? East Coast West at 1725 Polk Street. The Club Sandwich is delish, along with their chive-spiced potato salad.

Don't forget a blanket!

2005-07-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Colorful, Stackable Mugs Make Storage a Snap - and Ridiculously Cute

Zinc Details, a space specializing in modern home furniture and accessories, is a Fillmore gem. The airy storefront is overflowing with unique pieces from established design houses (think Alessi and Jonathan Adler) but also offers local designers and small, affordable buys.

Fitting neatly into that category - and one another - are these cute, primary-hued stackable mugs. Sturdy and emblazoned with simple animal illustrations (I'm partial to the bunny rabbit), these mugs free up cabinet space by nesting atop one another.

There's a special place in my kitchen for kid's mugs - they're the perfect size for small servings of dessert treats like ice cream or pudding. And what could be better an orange bunny mug filled with Half Baked? Hell, I can't think of anything. Stackable mugs at Zinc Details, $12 each.

Zinc Details is located in the Fillmore, at 1905 Fillmore Street. Ring them at 415.776.2100.

2005-07-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

Retro Ice Cream at Sur La Table

The one store in SFO I'm afraid of? Sur La Table, hands down. Nothing else in town lures me in so well - a clean, homey kitchen atmosphere that features a never-ending supply of agonizingly cool and affordable gadgets, dishware, accessories and more.

Stopping in at the Ferry Market, I spied these aluminum sherbet/ice cream bowls in the window and immediately scooped some up. At $3.50 apiece, they were unquestionably affordable and I thanked my lucky stars once more that Sur La Table is in my price range.

Popular in the 1950s and 60s, these super-bright and shiny pieces inject an immediate burst of color into any kitchen. Be careful, however - aluminum must be hand washed and it can be nicked by other metals. I serve ice cream with heavy-duty plasticware to make sure they're protected.

Sur La Table also offers the aluminum pieces online for those without a local store. Simply visit them here.

2005-07-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

Cutesy Pinup Art - Where Have You Been All My Life?

The first time I was lucky enough to spot some of Lisa Petrucci's artwork was on TV show about retro collectibles. She has a penchant for vintage comics and toys - in addition to a self-proclaimed love for 1950s men's magazines and sexploitation. These two interests are obvious in her work, and she creates incredibly cute characters that are also incredible hotties.

Her original artwork is semi-affordable - ranging from $500-$2500 for the pieces she paints on wood slabs (hello, retro rec room!) and sells in her online gallery. Fortunately, there are other ways to share in her adorable craft. Lisa's created a line of different items - stickers, stationery, and the like for $5-$15. Additionally, the kickass clothing company Fine has picked up some of Lisa's designs.

My favorite item for the summer, however, is the set of four Hawaiiana Honeys prints that Lisa is selling online. For $25 (shipping included), you get four 8" by 10" prints that are ready for framing. Ideal for your newly-decorated Tiki bedroom or decor for a luau, Hawaiiana Honeys would be a perfect touch framed in a bamboo or rustic wood frame. Aloha!

2005-07-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

Sissy Homemaker Sunday: Shake Up Your Chocolate Fix

Hanging out at a bar in Vegas and in need of a pick-me-up drink, the bartender fixed me this White Chocolate Martini. I'm not sure if it was the thrill of something slightly new (I've done the darker version), or drinking four ounces of liquor, but the drink definitely made me a friendlier, happier girlie-girl.

The White Chocolate Martini can be classified as rich - but don't worry, you probably only need one to get you going. The perfect post-dinner/post-work/post-wake-up cocktail. Enjoy it!

White Chocolate Martini, as served by Debby at the Mirage
-Three ounces Stoli Vanil (or other vanilla vodka)
-One ounce Mozart White Chocolate (or similar white cocoa liqueur)

Shake with ice and strain into martini glass - garnish with chocolate shavings if you're feelin' frilly.

2005-06-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Rolls That'll Melt in Your Mouth

I've lived in San Francisco for several years now, and although I have absorbed much of the cool quotient, I've never taken a shine to sushi. Friends are often perplexed by this. Sushi is so delicious, so hip, so nutritious - just what on earth is wrong with me?

Imagine my surprise when I discovered Koo-Ki Sushi, a confectionery extraordinaire that creates eerily realistic-looking chocolate and cookie sushi. All these years I thought my aversion to sushi was my fault - when in actuality, sushi restaurants had been using raw fish and roe (yuck!) instead of candy in their creations.

Kidding aside, Koo-ki Sushi is pretty friggin' unbelievable. The confections closely mimic the real thing - thanks to creative innovations like apricot-gummy roe, chocolate kozaras (the small Japanese plate used to hold certain pieces and rolls), and strawberry-flavored chocolate "tuna" slices.

Extravagant works of art in their own right, Koo-ki Sushi is moderately expensive - an adorably-packed "Trio" runs $30 (plus $12 shipping ) - but is also an incredibly unique buy in the over-truffled candy world.

For those in the Bay Area, save on shipping by visiting their San Jose storefront:
830 Jury Ct., Suite 1
San Jose, CA, 95112
1.408.947.8294

2005-06-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

Slow Down and Dial

My cell phone is teeny-tiny. It's four inches high and weighs about the same as my hamster, Beatrix. While my cell is perfect for small purses, talking on the go and the like, it is thoroughly unsatisfying around my office. I want a big phone, a clunky phone. Something I can pick up and yell at people on. I want a landline with oopmh.

Rotary phones, that click-click-clicking communicator of my childhood, are so passe they've returned. With their swanky-60's office shape and methodical, trance-inducing dialer, rotarys are perfect for the throwback home office or kitchen.

If you go rotary, however, remember a few things:

New push-button versions are not cool. A large part of the rotary experience is the kooky dialer. Love it or leave it. If you're in a hurry, use your cordless or cell.
Because you may want to go vintage on this, an eBay search is probably the place to start.
If you do purchase vintage, make sure your phone has been converted to jive with modern-day jacks. Phones from the 50's and 60's worked on a different type of jack. Converted phones are not uncommon on eBay.
Don't forget: your new rotary phone is not only a communications device, but a weapon. If Russell Crowe had a rotary phone, he'd be booked for murder. Think about it.

2005-06-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

One More Reason To Love Jonathan Adler: Hip, Affordable Melamine

Hostesses with the mostesses have been given a great gift this summer - the re-introduction of heavy-duty but exasperatingly cool melamine. It seems as though the hippest designers around have found their dinnerware muse.

Fun patterns and bold colors abound this season for melamine, with folks like Jonathan Adler leading the pack with a variety of dinnerware and serving pieces.

Some Adler melamine pieces are sold through e-commerce sites (see below), but I found the pattern pictured - I believe it's called "Capri" - in the photo at the SoMa Bed, Bath and Beyond. They were fully stocked, with servingware, bowls and the like in addition to the plates. I purchased 12 for an upcoming cocktail party. At about $5 a pop, they weren't free, but definitely a better investment than paper.

Sites selling Jonathan Adler melamine include a*chico and bliss.

Additionally, Adler will be debuting his SFO store this summer in the Fillmore. Look for him at 2133 Fillmore, or ring him at 415.563.9500.

2005-06-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Sissy Homemaker Sunday - Pro Packing

Sissy Homemaker - now featured on Sundays - provides tips on living a girly-girl life, entertaining ideas, cool (I mean it) crafts, you name it. Shortcuts on living an inspired life. Or, at the very least, having fun while trying.

Today's Sissy Homemaker's tip revolves around travel. No doubt you lead a jet-setting lifestyle, and no doubt you bring loads of fabulous clothes, shimmering body lotion and shu eyeshadow.

I do. But on a trip to the UK, my luggage had a run-in with some bad weather and apparently a sudden change in cargo cabin pressure, because when I received it, water and mud had made it inside - and my well-packed and previously zipped cosmetics carrier had belched shu and shimmer all over my Shoshanna.

Fortunately, I had used a packing trick on my clothes. Short of going anal-rententive-chef on my luggage and wrapping everything in cellophane, I simply packed everything inside-out. My Shoshanna dress and other favorites had some shimmer and mud residue on the linings, but not on the patterned perfection everyone else can see.

Granted, your clothes still need to be cleaned - but if you're dressing for a meeting ASAP after arrival, at least your first impression will be clean-cut.

2005-06-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Post Pink

It's difficult to imagine that there ever was a color other than pink. Once a hue reserved solely for us girly-girls and our gay boyfriends, pink has had a comeback not seen since Don Johnson paired it with white suits while fighting crime.
But come this fall, the pink that has served us so well for so long is in need of an evolution. Purple - majestic, rich and saturated - may be just what we need.
My first purple find? This $19 ruched bag from Newport News - get it here.
"Pink Raspberry" is the name of the color, but don't be fooled - the name's just there to wean us off the pink. But not for good.

2005-06-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Living Large in Lady Bug Land

Being a city girl, my first reaction to most bugs - and more importantly, arachnids - is to make sure I am wearing shoes and then smoosh it as soon as possible. Girl-friendly bugs are hard to come by, but we all know that lady bugs are about as girly as the insect world gets. It must be the polka dots.

On holiday and visting a natural history museum, I stumbled across Insectlore's "Lady Bug Land." It's an ant farm of sorts for lady bugs. You send away for the larvae, feed it with special lady bug food and watch them grow into your own little polka-dotted beetles. Release them when they're grown and begin the circle of life anew.

Insectlore's Lady Bug Land. Includes certificate for larvae, lady bug food, and a cozy lady bug habitat. $16.95 and available here: http://store.yahoo.com/insectlore/ladlanwitcer.html .

2005-06-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

Deep-Dish Chocolate Balm for a Buck

What's important here is not so much that the Body Shop is having a decent sale - but that I now have 12 pots of Chocolate-Orange lip butter in uber-cute packaging. One caveat, however - packaging states it's "not a food." Damn.

Body Shop Chocolate-Orange Lip Butter. $1 at the Chestnut Street location, dozens left.