Hey! Take a Walk on the Wild Side
The Mission District of San Francisco has an abundance of restaurants, boutiques and culture. On the one hand you have Mission Street, full of traditional Latin eateries and thrift stores that could occupy an entire afternoon. Then, one street over is Valencia Street, a more modern and, let's be honest, gentrified area of the Mission. You’ll find trendy shoe stores and markets as well as niche furniture stores and bars alike. Whichever street you choose to explore, one thing is for sure, parking is hell and expect to add on an extra thirty minutes to your itinerary to find parking even a few blocks away. On a chilly but sunny afternoon we found ourselves on Valencia, window shopping and exploring new boutiques that have moved into the neighborhood when we stumbled across a shop we had not seen before...
Super Simple shop is, well, super simple. They are, “design-forward, minimalist, and sell handmade objects and items for your home and lifestyle,” according to their site. This store is so aesthetically pleasing and provides endless inspiration for your personal space. At Super Simple you will find artisan candles and incense, coffee table books, unique and alternative lighting solutions and rare furniture such as chairs and bedside tables. Super Simple prides itself on carrying artisanal pieces from local, domestic and international artists and creators who produce decorative as well as functional pieces for those who appreciate the uncommon. After all, who doesn’t love exclusive table ornaments and handmade dish scrubbers? Needless to say, anything you purchase from Super Simple will guarantee to be a conversation starter at your next soiree and your guests are certain to ask you where you got your latest and greatest design ideas from.
After spending an inappropriate amount of money at Super Simple, we worked up an appetite. We head to Doppio on Hayes Street for dinner and a few glasses of wine to end our day of shopping in San Francisco. Doppio is one of those places where you almost don’t even need to order dinner. Don’t worry, we always order dinner but their appetizers and salads are so delectable themselves that we’re practically full by the time the main course arrives. We begin with their grilled brussel sprouts and arugula salad with grilled shrimp and extra dressing of course. These flavors all complement each other so perfectly especially when they’re paired with a couple glasses of their Chianti red Italian wine. These two starters are perfect for you and that special someone, whoever they may be, to share and chat over before the main course arrives. For the main attraction we ordered Marechiaro, a homemade squid ink spaghetti dish with jumbo scallops, clams, roasted garlic in a spicy tomato sauce. We also ordered the House Calzone with mozzarella, ricotta, tomato, mushrooms, Italian salami, ham and basil of course. We couldn’t stop mentioning how we could taste each ingredient so intensely but they were all harmonious with one another. Besides the vibrant flavor, our meal was also so colorful and spirited so of course we had to sneak a few pictures.
The beautiful thing about this city is that you can live here, or you can be a frequent visitor like we are and you will still find new places to explore every time you visit. There’s always a new restaurant, bar or in today’s case, furniture store where you can find new treasures and flavors. This time we learned that shopping pairs well with an elite Italian dinner and that the Chianti wine pairs even better with squid ink pasta. Oh well, the more you know, the more you grow!
xo
SS
SHOP THIS STORY AT NORDSTROM
CALIENTE GIFT IDEAS
Photography: Kailyn Chadwick