In the Hayes Valley [1] neighborhood adjacent to the Civic Center [1], shopping goes uptown, but the unique scent of counterculture creativity makes it in somehow.
This is a fun neighborhood to get your stroll on, checking out the art galleries and peeking in to the boutiques for clothing and upscale housewares, then stopping at one of the lovely cafés for a restorative bite to eat.
The Tinhorn Press/Gallery (511 Laguna St., 415/621-1292) is at once a gallery and an artists’ workshop. All the works you’ll see are rendered on that most common of media: paper. The owners and resident artists can often be found working on their stone lithography and intaglio works. They display their own creations as well as works on paper by select other artists.
Ver Unica (437-B Hayes St., 415/431-0688)is a vintage boutique that attracts locals and celebrities alike with high-quality men’s and women’s clothing and accessories dating from the 1920s to the 1980s, as well as a small selection of new apparel by up-and-coming designers.
Fake fur–covered lights and orange walls contribute to the funky decor at Stitch Lounge (182 Gough St., 415/431-3739, www.stitchlounge.com [2]). The sewing collective sells moderately priced T-shirts, bags, skirts, and dresses.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/san-francisco-and-the-bay-area/sights/civic-center-and-hayes-valley
[2] http://www.stitchlounge.com