Tried & true testimonials: The Biker Boot

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

After three years and countless miles, my beloved Madewell Biker Boots are still the pair I reach for over and over again. The leather is soft and supple and strikes the perfect balance between patina and polish. The soles are still somehow good as new despite how much I’ve worn them—in fact, these might actually be the most comfortable shoes I own. I’ll be wearing ’em all summer (yes, boots in the summer!)—they’re just so perfect for anchoring floaty silk dresses with a little bit of toughness.

Refreshing beauty find: Organic rosewater mist

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

After a friend recently tipped me off to the wonders of Gunilla Skin Butik—an all-natural apothecary line by San Francisco facialist Gunilla Eisenberg—I became instantly obsessed with one thing in particular: this pure, organic rosewater mist.

I’ve taken to carrying it around in my purse and using it whenever I need a little pick-me-up. It smells delicate and flowery, and with just a couple spritzes to the face, you feel as if you’d just come out of the spa. (Insider tip: Use just after finishing your makeup for a subtly dewy look.)

Found in SF: vintage paradise

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

The many wonderful wares to be coveted at the San Francisco Vintage Fashion Expo.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the mecca of secondhand shopping, the Vintage Fashion Expo in San Francisco. It’s a bonanza of vintage clothes, jewelry and accessories spanning just about every era, with upwards of 100 different vendors from all over California setting up camp in a giant exhibition hall.

You can find just about anything there—from high-end designer goods to little treasures lurking in $5 bins. (And part of the fun is that all the prices are negotiable.) Among other things, I scored an Edwardian blouse made of elaborate hand-crocheted lace (pictured at bottom right)—which I plan to wear with high-waisted skinnies and leopard flats)—and a delicate filigreed Moroccan necklace from the ’60s.

Don’t miss the next one this fall, September 23^rd–24^th.

Adorable D.I.Y. gift wrap

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

The other day while surfing Anthology Magazine’s blog, I stumbled upon a post about the wonders of Japanese Washi tape—a masking variety that comes in the prettiest array of colors and patterns. Inspired, I found myself experimenting with wrapping a few books I was gifting to a friend later that day. I grabbed a paper bag, then, in lieu of ribbon, cut pieces of my tape to form geometric, plaid-like patterns. The verdict? D.I.Y. adorable.

(If you don’t already have Washi tape in your arsenal, order it online here or buy some colorful painter’s tape from your local hardware store.)

Flower power: My obsession with orchids

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

There are so many reasons to love orchids—the most obvious one being that they’re incredibly gorgeous. But beyond that, they instantly make any space feel more elegant and alive (which is why, if you come over to my house, you’ll find an orchid in just about every room, bath included). And unlike cut flowers, a potted orchid will last you months and requires basically zero maintenance (I just toss one or two ice cubes on mine every few weeks to keep them hydrated).

I recently took my orchid obsession to new heights with a visit to the San Francisco Orchid Society’s annual Pacific Orchid Exposition. Imagine a cavernous pavilion filled with more than 150,000 flowers from around the world—heaven! There were rare hybrids and prize-winning specimens in mind-bendingly beautiful colors, shapes and sizes I’d never seen before. Happily, there was also a giant sale section with vendors from all over the state.

If you missed this year’s show, don’t fret: Beautiful Orchids offers an extensive range of potted orchids that can be shipped right to your door.

I took home two lush phalaenopsis orchids, one of which had been molded into the shape of a heart—how sweet is that?!

Beauty Secret: Wake up your eyes

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

Aware that I’d been running around like crazy and feeling pretty worn out lately, a dear friend gifted me the most amazing beauty product for at-home relaxation—and the second I tried it, I knew I had to pay it forward. Cushioned, crescent-shape and steeped in algae extracts and botanicals, these under-eye masks have a super-soothing, cooling effect. Leave them on for 30 minutes as you read/surf the Web/whatever. The tingly, refreshing goodness spreads through you, banishing dark under-eye circles and making you feel a whole lot more Zen and pampered in the process.

Gifts For The Fancy Carb Addict

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

One of the best gifts I’ve ever received is also one of the most random: After I had a baby earlier this year, friends sent over a giant box of English muffins from a 100-year-old company I’d never heard of called Wolferman’s. What this had to do with a newborn, I’m still not sure, but inside were dozens of exceptionally thick, dense, chewy muffins that far surpassed any I’d ever had. They come in flavors ranging from relatively simple (sourdough, wheat) to more complex (pumpkin spice, Cheddar cheese, cranberry citrus).

One of my favorite ways to eat them: with scrambled eggs.

I’ve already reordered a ton of times (for myself and others) and have tried nearly all of them during breakfast, lunch and dinner. They’re truly addictive! You can customize a 12-pack (each pack contains four muffins), which is a heck of a lot of muffins. The whole thing rings in at $39.95—which is pretty reasonable considering these nearly 50 muffins will literally be the gift that keeps on giving.

How to Keep Your Dark Denim Dark

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

With jeans, the darker, the better in my eyes—so washing in cold water is key.

A deep, inky jean wash is classic and flattering and looks good with basically anything. For those of you out there who are on the same page, here are a couple of simple guidelines to keep your indigo from fading.

1. Never wash jeans in anything but cold water, and be sure to do so by hand or on the gentle cycle.

2. Always turn them inside out before air-drying. (Don’t even think about throwing them in the dryer—heat accelerates fading!) Helpful hint: If you’re washing your jeans for the first time, add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the water to help set the dye, then wash them on their own to prevent transferring.

3. Most crucially, wash your jeans sparingly. I know some hard-core denim freaks who don’t wash them at all, and while that’s kind of extreme, it’s true that jeans don’t need to be cleaned after every use (or even every other use, if you ask me).

4. Use a mild detergent, and don’t go overboard with it. I like Woolite Extra Dark Care and The Laundress Denim Wash, which also has fabric softener built into it to combat stiffness.

5. Say hello to your everlasting, chicly dark jeans.

Me in my Madewell Legging Jeans—still nice and dark despite being worn constantly for the past two years!

Ice Cream For All Seasons: Bi-Rite Creamery

by Emily Hsieh (S.F.)

My Saturday afternoon ritual: two scoops at Bi-Rite, followed by two laps around Dolores Park to walk it off (and people watch).

One of the best things about living in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood? The proliferation of incredible places to eat—from no-frills taquerias to intimate farm-to-table bistros to experimental gastro-molecular restaurants to hipster Chinese diners. My favorite (and most frequented) culinary hot spot in the neighborhood, though, is a little place called Bi-Rite Creamery.

A true artisanal ice cream shop, BRC is known for having a permanent queue that snakes down the block, filled with people just waiting for a couple of specially handcrafted scoops like salted caramel, honey lavender and roasted banana. And as much as I loathe lines, the stuff here is so good, it’s actually worth the wait (my current favorites are toasted coconut and coffee toffee—made with beans from another local gem, Ritual Roasters). Plus, let’s be real: any ice cream shop that keeps you coming back even in November has got to be good.