nicole "that chick who used to yelp a lot" c.'s Profile

Did they close? I looked yesterday and the space has been vacated :(
I loved this cute couple and their leather tricks! Their prices jumped in the last few yrs but man.... they'll be missed.

After seeing the swarms for months, we finally bucked up and called to see how long the wait was so we could first hand see what the story is all about. After we told the host we were 4 blocks away, he gauranteed us a table upon arrival (and he delivered). We sat in the toasty covered patio and were promptly served chili garbanzos before our waitress came over.

I tried the Quesadilla de Acelgas and Tamal de Frijoles con Queso y Huitlacoche. The corn tortilla in the quesadilla tasted extremely fresh, as did the green chile. The boyf once again chose the better dish, the Enchiladas Placeras. The enchilada had the tastiest half chicken on the side! Yes, I know it's just chicken but we both agreed it was some of the best chicken we've had in the city (up there with Zuni Cafe!) but the rest of the dish was bland. Besides Tecate in a can and Negra Modela, there were no Mexican beers. Corona? Pacifico? No señor.

I like the Nopa guys, and I sure love this location, but I prefer the food and variety at nearby Green Chile Kitchen.

With the rainy weather of late, I've been having mad cravings for ramen. We stopped in Suzu just before closing time and found a dozen people waiting outside for their name to be called. After 15 mins we got in and quickly ordered. I had the chicken and vegetable ramen and the boyf had the miso pork ramen (which was far better than mine). Note to vegeatarians- there are very few vegetarian items, none which are ramen. Suzu makes a note that their ramen has a pork broth base. Although I don't typically care for pork, the ramen broth is delicious. Go for the gold here and try something new, you'll be glad you did.

Extremely tiny and unassuming tea shop in Japantown mall. As soon as I walked in I greeted with a smile and offered some freshly brewed green tea. it was delicious but not exactly what I was looking for. After seeing a couple varieties of genmaicha and learning from the store owner about the differences, I bought some high grade loose genmaicha tea. The shop owner included printed instruction on brewing the tea, and wrapped it with japanese paper and a seal. He even broke out the fancy ink brush and wrote some characters (that I can't read) on the outside.... the entire time knowing it was coming home with me, not purchased as a gift.
Both the shop owner and the genmaicha are a pure Japanese delight.

Great selection of ceramic bowls & glassware, and tea drinking accessories! I found myself a darling traditional Japanese ceramic loose tea pot (just like the kind at the Japanese Tea Garden!) and it was under $30.
Great gifts for tea aficionados.

I learned today that American Apparel doesn't do refunds- on anything. they do store credit but not on suits or 'lingerie.' Meaning, I can't return the zebra leotard I bought.
I know i know, company policy, but KABLAMMO I take 1 star away!

I sure like this store, especially since these types of indie/vintage boutiques are generally absent from downtown. The decor is hip, and the staff is quirky and cute.

This brings me to.....the clothes.
The front of the store has some cute-ified (altered) vintage pieces. If you frequent other indie shops in the mission & on divis, or you go to the Capsule Festival, you've seen these pieces before. The only difference with Shotwell is they're marked up quite a bit. I'm happy they have these kinds of styles at Shotwell, but I would look around the city to find a better price.
The back of the store has a $22 area of truly thrift store clothes (nothing special). Most of the jewelery in the area was also $22, and there was even a $5 earrings bin.
I ended up purchasing a unique $22 gold chain necklace, $5 gold hoops and a $5 gold chain bracelet. Um ya, i guess I was into the chains that day.

They have a good selection of Cheap Monday washes, but unfortch they seem to only have 1 or 2 sizes of each wash. I'll go back occasionally to see about jeans, vintage boots, and vintage jewelery.

Delicious dinner here. I had the soup du jour (carrot) and roasted herbed lemon chicken with grilled vegetables for my meal. Finished with coffee, apple tarte with crème fraiche, and sweetened mint tea with pinenuts. Every part of the meal was fantastic. The tiny glass of sweet mint tea was so simple, but topped with pinenuts made it completely magical- try it.
Totes great date place- great service, mood lighting and a few french accents thrown in.

Stopped by CC Rider SF today after visiting Charles at Still Life. Since both shops have vintage clothes, I can't help but compare the two.
CC Rider SF has great prices, but less great finds then at Still Life, and the shop itself could really be improved. They may be overcompensating with amount of items, instead of focusing on having quality gems for their customers. I did buy a cheezy vintage sweater for $15 so I cant complain too much...but I think this sore has a lot of potential.
It's just that it's filled to the brim with items and obstacles making for a poor shopping experience. I almost tripped over a ladder on the women's side, and the dressing room was a bathroom cluttered with bags of clothing and a standing steam cleaner. I could only see myself in half of the mirror. Ya, so that part kinda sucked. I saw Cheap Monday jeans on my way out and wished I  had time to try some on. Now I know the closest place to grab jeans in my hood.
So, ya mixed feeling about CC Rider SF. I'm sure I'll swing by when I'm walking down Divis, but it's doubtful I'd make it a go-to destination.

Although I'm happy to have tried Cibo, and am thrilled Phx has more diverse pizzas than it did years back, Pizzeria Bianco still takes the cake (or the pie). Don't get me wrong, both places have cute quaint interiors, delicious food and an atmosphere perfect for a romantic evening. Its just that Pizzeria Bianco has tastier pizza- I'm not sure if it's herbs, the cheese, the sauce, or all of the above. I love seeing the wood fire pizzas come out of the oven while I very patiently wait for mine.  And I hope you're ok with waiting, because you certainly will- for a table as well as for your pizza. Yes, even with reservations you will be waiting. Just get outside and discover the lovely historic homes & shops. It's worth it, I promise you.