F21 Finds From San Francisco

I did more window shopping than actual shopping while in San Francisco because 1) I've got some big purchases and another trip coming up before the year's end, and 2) I was too tired to do any serious shopping. Despite these limitations, I knew I just had to pay a visit to the giant Forever 21 on Powell Street. The store fulfilled all my fast fashion cravings and then some as I browsed to my heart's content. I'm modelling the pieces I got alongside stuff from my own wardrobe; the F21 purchases are in bold type. Enjoy!

This red top will look cute with denim skirts and jeans.

I love, love, love this new tie-neck red plaid blouse! It's going to be so versatile as I head into autumn. Here I've worn it with a studded belt (Buffalo), black-and-white sweater skirt (Urban Outfitters), leggings (another new F21 acquisition), and black booties (DKNY via Solestruck.com).

A new cocktail ring to add to my growing collection for less than $5? Yes, please!

This sweet charcoal bubble hem dress just screams Blair Waldorf, especially with the two oversized bows at the back. Not bad for $29.

These heels are new but not from F21; I ordered them from the Urban Outfitters website and had them shipped to my friend Artem so I wouldn't have to pay extra for shipping. Picking them up from the post office and trying them on was one of the highlights of my Saturday in San Fran.

I loved this rose-trimmed top so much I bought it in two different colours, ivory and taupe. Because the fit is rather snug, I think it'll look especially good tucked into high-waisted skirts and bottoms. Here I'm wearing it with my CiCi skirt, Seychelles heels, and Filou acorn necklace.

I love the kitsch factor of this short-sleeved cardigan, which looks especially good with the new leggings and Seychelles heels.

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My San Francisco Trip

Thank you to everyone who wished me a fun trip and offered suggestions for things to do! I had a great time in San Francisco. There are too many adventures and stories to recount, so I'm going to use the technical writer's trick of summing everything up in bulleted lists with plenty of photos in between.

Friday night

• Arrived in SFO airport and discovered the airline had lost my suitcase with everything in it(!)
• Met up with friend and host for the trip, Artem, at his apartment and enjoyed the rooftop view
• Walked up Lombard Street and that high, high hill to the Safeway on Marina in search of a toothbrush, contact lens solution/case, and some groceries

Pier 39

Saturday

• Hung out at Fisherman's Wharf and saw the famous Pier 39 seals
• Ate delicious brownie sundaes from Ghirardelli
• Watched the bakers at Boudin make artisanal breads shaped like teddy bears
• Shopped for saltwater taffy in a zillion different flavours at Taffy Town
• Waited for my suitcase to be delivered
• Went to The Stinking Rose with Artem and his friends to celebrate his birthday and ordered the 40 clove garlic chicken--yum!
• Played pool at Jillian's in the Metreon
• Wrapped up the night with a glass of Guinness at a half-bar, half-Indian restaurant place

Taffy Town

Dinner at The Stinking Rose

Sunday

• Woke up late
• Hiked up to Coit Tower for a spectacular view of the city
• Window-shopped in some cute little boutiques on Grant Street
• Wandered through Chinatown looking at kitschy souvenirs and spectacular carvings
• Sat in Washington Square enjoying an open-air concert free to the public
• Walked up to Alamo Square to admire the Victorian houses
• Browsed the Kunokuniya Bookstore in Japantown
• Meandered down the Divisadero to Godzilla Sushi for dinner
• Saw the late show for District 9

My favourite photo from Chinatown

The Victorian houses at Alamo Square

Monday

• Got lost looking for SFMOMA and walked through the Financial District and Yerba Buena Gardens
• Caught the Robert Frank and Richard Avedon photography exhibits at SFMOMA
• Enjoyed a turkey sandwich and orange ginger tea on the shaded terrace of the Samovar Tea Lounge behind the Metreon
• Rode the curved escalators in Westfield mall
• Shopped to my heart's content at Forever 21 (pics of purchases to come in a follow-up post later this week!), then browsed Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and H&M but was too tired to seriously shop
• Walked up Nob Hill through Chinatown and back to North Beach
• Met up with Artem and his friend, Adam, to decide on what we'll do on my last night in San Fran and Artem's actual birthday
• Walked up to the Zoetrope for drinks and a bite to nibble on (I ordered a glass of rosé), then wound down the night with more drinks at Vesuvio

I highly recommend checking this exhibit out if you're in San Fran!

The Zoetrope, a cafe/restaurant/bar owned by Francis Ford Coppola

Tuesday

• Woke up super-early after last night's drinking, packed, grabbed the largest coffee I could get, and walked down to the pier for my boat (the world's largest hybrid vessel) to Angel Island and Alcatraz
• Met a super-sweet couple from Southern California, TJ and Natalie, who became my tour buddies
• Shivered from the wind chill on Angel Island as I ate clam chowder and drank hot peppermint tea
• Took the audio tour through the Alcatraz cell house
• Returned to the pier on a normal ferry
• Stopped by Trader Joe's for shrimp spring rolls and peanut sauce to go
• Conversed in Mandarin and English with my cab driver on the way to the airport
• Killed time waiting for my flight with some more clam chowder and tea and some fashion mags
• Arrived in Vancouver almost half an hour early, only to be delayed by a faulty jet bridge

TJ, Natalie, and I with our audio tour headphones on

Ah San Francisco...I think I left my <3 there!

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San Francisco, Here I Come!

Photo by Olivander

So, in case you didn't see my tweets on Twitter, I'm flying to San Francisco tomorrow! I'm incredibly excited for my 4-day getaway to the city of hippie culture, Harvey Milk, the Golden Gate Bridge, cute Victorian homes, hilly streets, and quaint trolley cars. And, of course, any trip to an American city involves plenty of cross-border shopping. I'll be away until August 18th, but don't let that stop you from checking back--I've got some good posts lined up.

If you've been to San Francisco before or you live there, do you have any shopping and dining recommendations? If you're a salsero/salsera in San Fran, what are the best places to go to for an intermediate level LA-style dancer?

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