DailyCandy San Francisco

Republican Party

2009-11-20T18:00:00Z

The Republic Opens

He says: The Marina’s new bar and grill, The Republic, has twenty American craft brewskis on tap, and 40 more in bottles.

She says: It’s from the Bin 38 guys, so there’s a sweet list of boutique American wines.

He says: Updates on pub grub, like sous vide buffalo wings and a house-ground burger with duck fat fries, rock.

She says: Sustainable ingredients and more refined options, like pan-roasted escolar with soy-ginger glaze, taste even better.

He says: I can watch the big game on an 82-inch flat-screen — starting early Sunday mornings.

She says: They cover up the tube when there isn’t a big game — and my girlfriends and I can order make-your-own mimosas at Sunday brunch.

He says: The comfy leather club chairs make me feel at home.

She says: The lighting in the Redwood-and-copper-accented dining room makes me look great.

He says: I love you, honey.

She says: I love The Republic, too.

The Republic, 3213 Scott Street, at Lombard Street (415-817-1337 or republicsf.com).

Photo: Courtesy of The Republic

More Than Words

2009-11-20T14:15:00Z

Library: Archives of Fashion Vintage Shop

It was Miss Lail with the horsebit belt in the library.

Need a bigger clue? We’re talking about Library: Archives of Fashion, an online vintage shop out of Charleston.

At the helm is Lauren Lail, who sees each fashion piece as a story, together creating a unique anthology.

Designer items share virtual racks with no names, all dangling reasonable price tags and detailed measurements.

Hopeless romantics will be drawn to floral dresses, ruffled tops, and crochet vests. Big sunglasses, chunky belts, and animal prints will appeal to those with a penchant for drama. And boyfriend cardis and blazers offer self-help on days when you’re not feeling your thinnest.

There are times we can all use a cover-up.

Available online at libraryfashion.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Sully Sullivan Photography

The Weekend Guide

2009-11-19T18:00:00Z

What to Do This Weekend

Fashion passes; style remains.

COVET
Chanel Reopens
What: A newly renovated, three-story mecca for Lagerfeld disciples, complete with Cruise 2009-10 Collection exclusives and complimentary makeup sessions on Friday and Saturday.
Why: Loco for Coco.
When: Opens Fri., 10 a.m.
Where: 156 Geary St., at Stockton St. (415-981-1550).

ORDER
Bento415
What: A new delivery service (and Potrero Hill storefront) offering SF-inspired, locally sourced bento boxes made fresh daily, like the North Beach (spicy coppa tramezzino, eggplant caponata with grilled flatbread, and more).
Why: A more inspired lunch box.
When: Opens Thurs., 7 a.m.
Where: 300 De Haro St., at 16th St., ste. 342 (415-355-1269).

BATTLE
Pumpkin Cooking Contest at Omnivore Books on Food
What: Prepare your best sweet or savory creation using pumpkin or pumpkin seeds and let the public pick a winner.
Why: Use your gourd.
When: Sat., 4-5 p.m.
Where: 3885a Cesar Chavez St., at Church St. (415-282-4712).

WITNESS
House of Diehl’s Style Wars
What: Eight designers create garments from vintage pieces and household objects live on the runway in five-minute knockout rounds.
Why: Make it work.
When: Sat., 10 p.m.
Where: Mezzanine, 444 Jessie St., at Mint St. (415-625-8880). Tickets online at sanfrancisco.going.com.

UNWIND
Yoga, Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese Workshop
What: Potentially pure bliss. A yoga session followed by a wine-soaked guided mediation and chocolate and cheese tasting.
Why: Life is like a box of chocolates (while you’re in savasana, at least).
When: Tonight, 7 p.m.
Where: Cocoon Urban Day Spa, 330 First St., at Folsom St., 2nd flr. Reservations at 415-777-0100.

ACCESSORIZE
Colleen Mauer Designs Trunk Show
What: Check out the Bernal Heights-based designer’s entire collection of clean-lined, geometric-inspired jewelry.
Why: No junk in this trunk.
When: Tonight, 5-9 p.m.
Where: Fleurt, 15 Clement St., at Arguello Blvd. (415-751-2747).

Or would you rather get out of town this weekend? Just grab a toothbrush and check out our road trip suggestions at dailycandy.com/guides.

Photo: Courtesy of Chanel

The Weekend Guide

2009-11-19T14:15:00Z

What to Do This Weekend

It’s a dog’s life.

MAKE
Cake for Canines
What: Give Fido a little something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving (or his next b-day) with a doggie dessert mix. For bonus points, get the bone-shaped cupcake pan.
Why: You’ve got a case of puppy love.
Where: Online at puppycake.com.

SAVE
Heidi Merrick Sale
What: The L.A. designer is discounting dresses, bathing suits, skirts, and blouses by 50-75 percent.
Why: It’s going, going, gone.
Where: Online at heidimerrick.com.

USE
Wordnik
What: The comprehensive online dictionary includes pronunciations, relevant quotes, etymologies, and recent appearances on Twitter and Flickr.
Why: Spread the words.
Where: Online at wordnik.com.

ORGANIZE
LobotoMe Notepads
What: Handy checklists make for more efficient packing, grocery shopping, working out, meal planning, and more.
Why: You’d forget your head if it weren’t attached.
Where: Online at lobotome.com.

WATCH
Handmade Nation
What: Artist/first-time filmmaker Faythe Levine traveled across America to make this inspiring documentary about the recent rise of crafting and DIY.
Why: Get creative juices flowing.
Where: Online at buyolympia.com.

EAT
Full Circle Flavors
What: Three lovely sisters in Pennsylvania make chocolaty Amaretto, Limoncello, and Orangecello cakes.
Why: You’re well rounded.
Where: Online at fullcircleflavors.com.

Would you rather hit the road this weekend? All you need is a change of clothes and our road trip tips at dailycandy.com/guides.

Photo: Courtesy of Puppy Cake

What's in a Nombe?

2009-11-18T18:00:00Z

Nombe Restaurant Opens

You’ve been called some choice names after throwing a few back.

Certainly none as sophisticated as nombe, which refers to a person who enjoys the sauce.

That one’s reserved for the retro-inspired izakaya gastropub that opens this Friday in the Mission. From partner Mari Takahashi, sommelier Gil Payne, and chef Nicholas Balla, the casual restaurant celebrates Japanese small plates that should be nibbled while imbibing.

Shareable selections use locally sourced products, such as a chicken meatball with farm-fresh poached egg from Petaluma chickens, or a bitter greens salad with persimmons straight from Takahaski and Payne’s garden. Leaving no trend unturned, there’s also affordable street food served from a window on Mission Street on Friday and Saturday nights.

Don’t miss the extensive sake list (we’re talking 75 selections) that complements the menu.

Wouldn’t want anything wasted.

Nombe Restaurant, 2491 Mission Street, at 21st Street (415-681-7150 or nombesf.com).

Photo: Courtesy of Nombe Restaurant

Under African Skies

2009-11-18T17:00:00Z

DailyCandy Goes to Cape Town

Humming with young boho buzz, Cape Town has emerged from its rocky past as the creative capital of Africa. From high-stakes adventures (paragliding off Signal Hill) to creature comforts (crisp, local sauvignon blancs), the city will leave you breathless.

GPS
While the day away in City Bowl’s historic open-air markets, public gardens, and cobblestoned pedestrian malls dating back to the 17th century’s Dutch East India Company. Tamboerskloof has chic outdoor cafes and prime-time people-watching. Style junkies should head to emerging neighborhoods Woodstock (for design collectives and art galleries), Bo-Kaap (for colorful cottage architecture), and de Waterkant (for a hopping gay scene).

NEST
To experience the social swirl at its best, stay within easy access of Kloof Street. Kick up your heels at Tamboerskloof’s sleek and chic Kensington Place (38 Kensington Crescent; +27-21-424-4744) for primo pampering (like your suite sprinkled with rose petals).

The Airstream Penthouse Trailer Park atop the new Grand Daddy (38 Long Street; +27-21-424-7247) offers a campy-cool vibe in the form of seven vintage caravans refurbished by local artists and set against stunning Table Mountain. Trailers have themes — Afro Funk, Love of Lace, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Sip Castle lager at the rooftop bar and catch a flick at The Pink Flamingo outdoor cinema. Really, now. Who said trailer trash was a uniquely American phenomenon?

INGEST
Native glamazons start the day with Ouma Rusks, the South African equivalent of a biscotti, and yummy meia de leites (espresso with steamed milk) at Vida e Caffe (34 Kloof Street; +27-21-426-0627). For lunch, grab a quiche at Melissa’s (94 Kloof Street; +27-21-424-5540), which has an awesome pay-per-kilo buffet. Thirsty? Sundowners are a Capetonian institution. Snag a harborside table at Cape Grace’s Bascule (West Quay Road; +27-21-410-7100) and choose from more than 400 whiskeys. The largest single malt collection in the Southern hemisphere, it’s a whiskey lover’s wet dream.

INVEST
Share the love with jealous pals back home and swing through the historic Greenmarket Square (54 Shortmarket Street) for authentic African curios like Hutu masks, soapstone giraffe sculptures, and wooden rhino salad tongs. Saturday mornings, the city’s creative cognoscenti descend upon Woodstock’s vibrant Neighbourgoods Market (373-375 Albert Road; +27-21-448-1438). Tarts, curries, and biltong (South African beef jerky) are a must. And make room for one-of-a-kind textiles, vintage dresses, and handcrafted charm necklaces.

DIGRESS
For old-world glamour and traditional Afrikaans fare, stop by Sunday jazz brunch at Steenberg Hotel and Winery in Constantia Valley (10802 Steenberg Estate, Tokai Road; +27-21-713-2222), the oldest vineyard on the Western Cape. (Owner Graham Beck’s brut NV is what the Obamas popped on election night.)

For insider access to vineyards, hook up with Roar Africa. Its people have been in the region for eleven generations, and co-founder Deb Calmeyer can impress the pickiest oenophile. The VIP visit to UK diamond king Laurence Graff’s new winery, Delaire Graff Estate (P.O. Box 3058, Stellenbosch; +27-21-885-8160), gets you into the off-limits barrel room and a sneaky sampling straight from the casks. (The property’s chic David Collins-designed boutique hotel is set to open next year.)

THE REST
No snoozing for you: There’s high-voltage adrenalin and raw wildlife at every turn. Swim with sharks at Seal Island. Ride big waves at Muizenberg Beach. Hike Table Mountain for sweeping views of the city and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Visit indigenous penguins at Boulders Beach. And catch a glimpse of the only free roaming white lions in the world at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve (+27-28-572-1824).

Don’t worry about the eternal flight home. You’ll be sleeping the whole way.

Photos: Courtesy of Kelley McMillan; Courtesy of The Grand Daddy; Courtesy of Cape Grace; Courtesy of Neighbourgoods Market; Courtesy of Delaire Graff Estate; Courtesy of Sanbona Game Reserve

Skin City

2009-11-18T14:15:00Z

Khirma Eliazov Handbags Debut

After your FUPA made an unscheduled appearance at a late-night dance party (followed by its own tag on Facebook), you swore your skin-showing days were over.

But you’ll rethink things when you get a glimpse of Khirma Eliazov’s handbags. The fashion editor-cum-designer uses unusual exotic skins to make them stand out (in a good way).

The carryalls are comprised of Italian leather, canvas, and gold or silver hardware with textured panels made of stingray. Styles include an oversize number for day, a sleek tote you can carry into the evening, and a pouch with a long body strap good for hitting the town at night. All are available in rich fall hues like navy, eggplant, black, taupe, and gray.

The price tags are steep ($240-$1,495 to be exact).

But you’ve considered paying more for tight skin.

Available online at khirmaeliazov.com. DailyCandy readers get 20% off on purchases made today with code DailyCandy.

Photo: Courtesy of Khirma Eliazov

Attack of the Killer Deals

2009-11-17T18:00:00Z

No need to run for cover: These Deals will rock your world.

This Little Deal of Mine

2009-11-17T16:00:00Z

Let ’em shine!

Let's Be Ecological

2009-11-17T14:00:00Z

My, what a big carbon footprint you have! Try these green products with an edge, dear.

Hooker? I Hardly Know Her!

2009-11-16T18:00:00Z

Hooker's Sweet Treats

Friend 1: I have to find a hostess gift.

Friend 2: How about some Hooker’s?

F1: Um, I wasn’t exactly thinking sexual favors.

F2: I mean Hooker’s Sweet Treats, silly. It’s a line of sea-salted, dark chocolate-covered caramels. They’re handmade with fair trade sugar and organic ingredients by a local graphic designer who perfected his very own recipe. Plus, they come in an ecofriendly cardboard box tied with a string, which gives them an old-fashioned spin.

F1: How come I’ve never seen ’em?

F2: They’re available only at a couple of places around the city. Or you can contact David Williams, The Caramel King, directly.

F1: What a pimpin’ idea.

Available at Sightglass Coffee, 270 Seventh Street, at Folsom Street (sightglasscoffee.com); The Perish Trust, 728 Divisadero Street, at Grove Street (theperishtrust.com). For more information, go to hookerssweettreats.com.

Photo: Kelly Ishikawa / Courtesy of Hooker’s Sweet Treats

Get Pumped

2009-11-16T14:15:00Z

Easy Does It: How to Change a Flat Tire

We’re always looking for a reason to hang out with hunks. Especially if it requires flexing, moaning, and pushing.

So it only made sense to find a muscley beefcake to teach us how to change a busted tire for our next Easy Does It how-to video.

Don’t be intimidated by the task at hand: Fixing a flat is actually really easy — and totally beats waiting for AAA or flagging down a sketchy truck driver. Plus, we figure self-sufficiency (especially if you’re in BFE) is always a good policy.

Now it’s time for a little pump and grind.

To submit questions you’d like us to answer in our next Easy Does It video, e-mail easydoesit@dailycandy.com. Feel free to ask us anything (anything!).

Please, Please, Lady Postman

2009-11-13T18:00:00Z

World's Smallest Postal Service

The art of letter writing is officially dead. (Passive-aggressive Post-Its do not count.)

Perhaps a Renaissance is in order. A tiny one, at that.

Postmaster Lea Redmond of the World’s Smallest Postal Service can transcribe any communication into a letter so teensy, you need a magnifying glass to read it.

Redmond sets up a full-service post at a local shop, where she’ll transcribe and package your note. Each letter is sealed with a minuscule stamp of wax inscribed with the sender’s initials, then placed in a full-size envelope outfitted with said magnifying glass.

Sweet nothings can be sent via her website, too, but they’re typed in an even tinier font. Redmond is available for parties and events, and even makes deliveries in full postal regalia.

Making it kind of a big to-do.

World’s Smallest Postal Service will be at The Curiosity Shoppe tomorrow, 2-6 p.m.; 855 Valencia Street, between 19th and 20th Streets (415-671-5384 or curiosityshoppeonline.com); online at worldssmallestpostalservice.com.

Photo: Courtesy of World’s Smallest Postal Service

Let's Take It Slows

2009-11-13T14:15:00Z

Split Pea and Okra Fritter Recipe from Detroit's Slows Bar B Q

You’ve never been the type to fritter things away. Until now. Down at Slows Bar B Q, Detroit’s destination for all things slathered in saucy sauce and washed down with craft beer, chef Brian Perrone’s split pea and okra fry-ups make a scrumptious start to any meal.

Split Pea and Okra Fritters
Makes 25-30 fritters

Ingredients
2 c. green split peas, cooked and cooled
4 c. baby spinach, packed
½ c. hot sauce
¼ c. buttermilk
6 eggs
2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
¼ c. yellow cornmeal
3 c. all-purpose flour, plus a little more
8 c. okra, sliced

1. Combine split peas and spinach in food processor, add hot sauce and buttermilk, process until smooth. Transfer to large bowl.

2. Whisk in eggs; add salt, sugar, baking powder, and cornmeal.

3. Whisk in flour a little at a time until mixture is not too loose, not too firm.

4. Fold in okra.

5. Drop by rounded tablespoon into 350º oil, fry until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Serve immediately.

Slows Bar B Q, 2138 Michigan Avenue, at Fisher Freeway West, Detroit (313-962-9828‎ or slowsbarbq.com).

Photo: Courtesy of Greg Holm

The Weekend Guide

2009-11-12T18:00:00Z

What to Do This Weekend

One drink, two drinks, three drinks, floor.

BALANCE
Drinking and Dancing Competition
What: A competition that celebrates dancing with drink in hand. Contestants are challenged to match their cocktails with their partners, their dancing, and more.
Why: So you think you can dance.
When: Fri., 8 p.m.
Where: The Lab, 2948 16th St., at Capp St. (415-864-8855).

MIX
“Cocktail Confessionals with Carlo Splendorini”
What: Splendorini, the mixologist responsible for Gitane’s delicious drinks, leads viewers through everything from properly shaking a cocktail to making his award-winning Castillan Cup in these short videos.
Why: Perfect your shaker face.
When: First three videos are online now; new episodes will be added every week.
Where: On Gitane Restaurant’s Facebook page.

DECORATE
Designer Furniture Sample Sale
What: Top local designers, including Kendall Wilkinson Design & Home, Rue de Grenelle, Martha Angus Inc., and Antique & Art Exchange, offer furniture and accessories at up to 70 percent off.
Why: Deck your walls (and floors).
When: Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: San Francisco Design Center, 101 Henry Adams St., at Alameda St., atrium of the Galleria bldg. (415-409-2299).

FUEL
Sohberts Coffee Cafe
What: SoMa’s dream coffee stop, combining cavernous industrial design with Equator coffee, local art, and Parisian-style outdoor seating.
Why: Coffee talk.
When: Open daily, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: 144 King St., at Second St.

SEEK
Bollywood Game!
What: An urban scavenger hunt for the next Bollywood star benefiting SOVA, a grassroots Indian nonprofit. Bangles, saris, and jewel tones are encouraged.
Why: Jai ho!
When: Sat., 1 p.m.
Where: Meets in the Upper Haight. Sign up online at thegogame.com.

STYLIZE
Fabulous Fashionista Sample Sale
What: More than 2,000 dresses, tops, and more at up to 70 percent off from BCBG and Ella Moss.
Why: Stand under my Ella, Ella, Ella.
When: Sat., 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: Fort Mason Center, Marina Blvd., at Buchanan St., bldg. d, Fleet rm. (415-345-7500).

Photo: Jturn / Flickr

The Weekend Guide

2009-11-12T14:15:00Z

What to Do This Weekend

Drink up.

CARRY
Wine Totes
What: Carry vino in these perfectly sized cotton bags. They’ve got designs just for Bordeaux, Rioja, and Napa Valley wines.
Why: Beats a paper bag.
Where: Online at maptote.com.

MAKE
All-Natural NyQuil
What: The handsome Hot Knives blogger guys devised a recipe using booze, mint leaves, green chili, and ginger that’ll show your cold who’s boss.
Why: It’s good going down.
Where: Online at urbanhonking.com.

SHOP
Castor & Pollux
What: NYC-based store is bringing its equine-themed clothes, accessories, and antiques to the Net. Designers include Filippa K, Acne, and United Bamboo.
Why: Start horsin’ around.
Where: Online at castorandpolluxstore.com.

USE
Cell Phone Radiation Protection
What: These cases purport to be the first of their kind to reduce radiation from your cellular.
Why: Don’t fry your brain.
Where: Online at pongresearch.com.

EAT
Bobbysue’s Nuts
What: Delish organic snacks are the perfect combo of savory and sweet (even the It’s Raining Chocolate variety). A portion of sales goes to help homeless animals.
Why: You’ll love deez nuts.
Where: Online at bobbysuesnuts.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Kate Mathis

Powder Puff

2009-11-11T18:00:00Z

Flourish Skin & Wax Customized Facials

Artificial sweeteners. Crystal Light. Nose candy. Most things that come in powder form aren’t so good for your health (or self-respect).

A visit to Flourish Skin & Wax, aesthetician Andrea Mazzola’s brand new, one-woman studio on Union Street, might turn that theory upside down.

During her signature one-hour facials, Mazzola whips up customized potions for your skin type using both liquid and powder formulas from the medical-grade Osmosis line. She starts with a consultation, then concocts incredible masks that she gently massages into your skin. She might add Vitamin C powder to lift and brighten.

Afterward, your skin looks soft, supple, and glowing.

Which is nothing to sniff at.

Flourish Skin & Wax, 1905 Union Street, at Laguna Street (415-254-3304 or flouishskinandwax.com).

Photo: Helenadagmar / Flickr

Future Perfect

2009-11-11T17:00:00Z

Top Ten Destinations for 2010

Last week we announced our partnership with Black Tomato. Today we’re showing what it can do: get you to the destinations everyone’s going to be talking about next. (P.S. to those who haven’t booked holiday trips yet: Look. how. easy.)

Here are the top ten for 2010.

Colombia is the perfect cocktail of sea (Caribbean), mountains (Andes), and rain forest (Amazon). In Cartagena, check into Sofitel Santa Clara, then wander cobbled streets to gaze at brightly colored buildings, watch spectacular sunsets from Cafe del Mar on the harbor, and have dinner at Club de Pesca (order mahimahi). End your visit snorkeling crystal blue waters while recuperating in a stunning ecohab in the cliffs above the Parque Nacional Tayrona beaches. Details.

Safaris always deliver, especially in Botswana, where the flood plains of the Okavango Delta are home to elephants, lions, wildebeest, giraffes, and buttloads of wild cats. Bond with the beasts from a different perspective on HMS Zib, a spanking-new houseboat that cruises the river. At Zarafa Camp, you can sleep in a four-poster bed, relax in a free-standing copper tub, and snooze by roaring open-stone fires. Details.

If you want to turn a classic on its head, set your compass to the land Down Under, which has so much more than the well-publicized East Coast. Western Australia has laid-back charm, beautiful beaches, and rugged landscapes. Start at The Richardson Hotel in Perth, then head up the coast to Ningaloo Reef to swim with whale sharks, surf alongside dolphins, and take in mesmerizing sunsets at wine tastings. From the ecotents at Sal Salis, it’s a quick kayak ride to the reef’s fish, turtles, and manta rays. Details.

Since Turkey is outside the euro, your budget will stretch further. European Capital of Culture Istanbul will be throbbing next year and, when combined with Bodrum and Cappadocia, mixes ancient and modern. In Istanbul, stay at Tomtom Suites in the historic Pera area for incredible views of the rooftops and harbor. Or across the water on the Asian side at Sumahan for huge suites with funky fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Bosphorus. Look out Côte d’Azur: Bodrum’s up-and-coming beach hotspots Cesme (your hotel: 7800) and Türkbükü (book Maçakizi) have sugar white sand and emerald waters and are the coolest place to top up your tan in style. In Cappadocia, take a balloon ride tour of the stunning lunar landscapes and ancient caves, then recover from it all at Anatolian Houses. Details.

Rounding out the list: lost cities in Syria, volcano surfing in Nicaragua, spiritual awakening in Bhutan, maharaja living in India, lunar landscapes in Chile, and wildebeest migrations in Tanzania.

The got-there-first bragging rights are yours for the taking.

For more information and help booking trips, go to blacktomato.co.uk.

Photos: Courtesy of Black Tomato; Courtesy of Ningaloo Reef

I Love You, Mann

2009-11-11T14:15:00Z

Elliot Mann Handbags Launch

Your dating life is proof that men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

So Elliot Mann must be from Marnus.

One look at his bags, and you’ll suspect the guy’s too good to be true (he is, in fact, imaginary — inspired by two of the designer’s mentors).

Made out of vintage embroidered fabrics from all over the world, each carryall is a one-of-a-kind creation. All are vibrant in color and pattern with sturdy braided leather handles, and they’re big enough to tote around a laptop and groceries on top of the essentials.

The just-launched online shop stocks only twenty bags at a time, and at $275, expect them to go like hotcakes. Thankfully, inventory will constantly be replenished as it’s sold.

Looks like the planets have been aligned.

Available online at elliotmann.com.

Elliot Mann Bag Collection

2009-11-11T14:00:00Z

One-of-a-kind showstoppers, Elliot Mann bags ($275) have a rich history. Fabrics are sourced from Asia, Nepal, and Peru, with Morocco next on the horizon. They all had a previous existence in some other form — furniture upholstery, curtains, even a monk’s robe.

Get the full story on Elliot Mann.