Located across from Union Square with its own fabulous view, this legendary store features some of the finest jewelry in the world. Here you will find two floors of breathtaking crystal, flatware, china, silver, and fine diamond, gold, platinum, and gemstone jewelry. Shop for engagement rings, anniversary presents or something special for a newborn baby. You will see why it is that anything you give wrapped in a robin's egg blue Tiffany's box is sure to be considered an heirloom that will be treasured for generations.
Located in a vintage Beaux Arts building dating from just after the 1906 earthquake and fire, Neiman Marcus is one of the city's most upscale department stores. You'll find all the big names in fashion: Chanel, Jil Sander, Calvin Klein, Salvatore Ferragano, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Giorgio Armani, TSE, Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Christian Dior, Donna Karen, and Yves Saint Laurent. It also features two eating establishments: The Rotunda and the Fresh Market Café.
Shopping here is rather like slipping through Lewis Carroll's looking glass. Dried flowers, French silk ribbons, antique figurines of saints, earrings, odd-shaped vases and an ever-changing selection of curios await you in a carefully arranged jumble. The net effect is rather surreal and, on the whole, pleasant. You will feel as if you have slipped out of the hurry-scurry 21st century and into a dreamy past of perfect gifts.
Bi-Rite Market, located in the Mission District, is a gourmet lover's paradise. The market features a wealth of organic and locally-produced cheeses, baked goods, meat, poultry, fish and produce. They also have an outstanding counter of prepared foods which change daily - the pork belly spaghetti and short ribs & polenta are recommended. If you're in the area, be sure to stop by nearby Bi-Rite Creamery for a tasty ice cream treat (you can find pints of their famous ice cream in the market freezer section too).
Taking on the west coast one store at a time--the designer wares of Bloomingdale's loved by New Yorkers are now in San Francisco. In the expansion of the Westfield San Francisco Shopping Center, Bloomingdale's is pulling out all of its tricks with 35,000 square feet of shopping space. A browse through its second largest store will yield revived Biba 1960s fashion, shoes by Jimmy Choo, exquisite accessories, jewelry boutiques and fragrance for him and her. You won't want to leave this place that soon.
Since the beginning of the 20th Century, Union Square has been the centerpiece of the city's shopping district. With big names like Burberry, Emporio Armani, Macy's and Kate Spade lining the streets, this is the place to go for retail therapy. If you need to fuel up after a long day of shopping, Union Square has a variety of dining options, from the ultra-posh to the quick stops. At the heart of the square, a large open-air plaza is bustling year round with art sales, musical performances and holiday decorations. In the center of it all stands a huge stone monument, which was built in 1903 and crowned with a bronze statue of Victory.
The silver collection at this gallery includes everything from tiny mustard spoons to an English soup terrine, from ornate candelabras a la Beauty and the Beast, to stylish clean lines of a knife-rest, you will find the handiest little mealtime accessories to outshine any sunny day. The owner's personal favorite is a child's gold plated rattle, with a whistle at one end and a smooth pink stick of cool coral at the other for teething, it reputedly fends off colic at a reasonable price! Whether you want classic silverware or a South American Ybarra lion that pours tea from it's scratchy toothed silver spout, the selection here will truly dazzle you.
The Parkers run this family-owned business, and they offer the finest in old furniture. Shiny black mahogany chairs, tables, china hutches, chests and bed frames fill this large space and gleam throughout. The owners specialize in early 20th-century American furniture, mostly from the 20s and 30s, purchased mainly from estate sales and auctions back East. The staff does stripping, repairs and refinishing, thereby making the finished piece practically new. It offers immediate delivery and a 30-day money back guarantee.
Few quality designer stores cater to the business traveler exclusively. Glaser Designs is one such store which specializes in leather bags and briefcases for corporate executives. Besides work bags, it also offers traveler's bags, laptop carriers and so on. A departure from the usual deep warm colors used for business leather items, Glaser Designs successfully experiments with lighter tones for both men and women. They also have a separate product line for corporate gifts like hand-finished wallets and memo jotters.
This high-end guitar shop is the labor of love of Stevie Coyle. Mighty Fine Guitars will not only fine tune your instrument but also has an impressive collection of guitars that can be a collector's pride. You will find new as well as used acoustic guitars that are well worth the price. Learn to play one by the skilled owner. Though this shop is compact, it hosts concerts in the adjacent Lamorinda Music. The Big Room is their 85-seat performance space. Some of their previous listings are Dave Deighton, Michael Chapdelaine, Alex de Grassi, Laurie Lewis, Gurf Morlix and Mike Dowling. The tickets for the live music are reasonably priced.
Shop for the most exquisite diamond jewels at SoMa's Yadav Diamonds & Jewelry. Earlier popular as Diamonds on Web, this jewelry boutique has been selling superior-quality pieces for decades. Be it their finely designed engagement rings, wedding bands, bracelets or dainty earrings, you are sure to find your chosen decorative ornaments in a myriad designs, patterns and styles. The store also provides customized jewelry at the hands of their trained and highly skilled diamond setters.
Located in Union Square among world-famous designer boutiques like Chanel, Prada, Gucci and Jil Sander, Spectacle Shoppe sells designer prescription eyewear and sunglasses that keep it in step with its high-brow neighbors. Here you will find an ample collection of fashion glasses by Cartier, Oliver Peoples, Christian Dior, Bada, and more. There are a variety of modern and contemporary styles to choose from, whether you prefer a conservative look or something eye catching and eccentric.