Hey Hayes Valley!

Just got back from a perfect trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. It had just the right mix of planned activities, spontaneous adventures, meet-ups with friends and family, delicious food and of course...great shopping! Although I grew up in the Bay Area, I never really got a chance to explore all the nooks and crannies of this charming little big city. One 'hood that I absolutely fell in love with -- Hayes Valley.

Located between the historical districts of Alamo Square and Civic Center, I had heard Hayes Valley was revived when the freeway was torn down after the '89 quake. The streets are lined with cute, one-of-a-kind shops and sidewalk cafes. Not many tourists (well, I guess we were there, but most people around seemed to be locals) and no chain stores. One of those neighborhoods where people hanging out are either residents or tourists avoiding the touristy parts of town.

Here's a rundown of the shops I heart: Miette, a charming pastry and candy shop; Lavish, filled with adult and kiddie accessories, clothes and goodies for the home; True Sake, America's first sake store; and Fiddlesticks, a kiddie clothing store and sister store to Lavish.

My only regret is that I wasn't able to spend enough time here. But I can definitely come back again...and again...and I can find all of my favorite stores online, too!