SFBayStyle

Fashion on the Square Features New York Designer b Michael

Sometimes watching a fashion show is deliciously satisfying, akin to enjoying a glass of smooth, buttery cabernet or a rich dark chocolate truffle. Such was the case at this year's Fashion on the Square, featuring New York designer b Michael.

On Saturday July 25th, show attendees were treated to 20 b Michael couture creations in quiet hues of green, brown, and cream. A-line and sheath silhouettes made for simple elegance with pop in the details, like fluted cuffs and layered collars. Fabrics included pinstripe cashmere, Italian wool jersey, silk brocade, and metallic tweed. For the fellas it was all very dandy in tapestry and brocade jackets. 

Symphonix Gala Preview Event - Educational and Entertaining

It's hard to believe another exciting season of galas and events is just around the corner. The challenge of introducing each new generation to classical music can be daunting, but as one of the premiere arts organizations in the country, the San Francisco Symphony has been working tirelessly to make this happen. Through the symphony's Volunteer Council, they have several Leagues that support the efforts of the symphony organization by helping with concerts, planning events, providing education and raising awareness. Symphonix, the "young professional" (ages 21-45) League plans their own event series leading up to the Opening Night Gala each year. The first of these events happened last week in San Francisco.

Oscar de la Renta Resort Fashion Show in Lake Tahoe This Saturday

Every year, supporters and friends of The League to Save Lake Tahoe flock to a gorgeous estate near the lake to watch one of the finest benefit fashion shows in the country. This year, as in the most recent years,Oscar de la Renta will be the featured designer, showcasing his 2010 Resort collection, with Saks Fifth Avenue producing the show. This will be the 40th anniversary event, which also includes a live auction and raffle of items from the Ritz Carlton, Bulgari, Boucheron, and of course Oscar de la Renta and Saks.

Monkapaws Jewelry

Besides the wine, fried food and cover bands, why are street fairs so much fun? All the handmade jewelry of course! And I have found my festival favorite, MONKAPAWS.

Renee Berlung, the creator of MONKAPAWS jewelry, designs her pieces out of turn of the century typewriter keys, vintage buttons and antique broken china.  The jewelry resembles a modern design of 1920s pieces with a rough but delicate appeal.  She creates necklaces, rings, bracelets, pendants and earings, all of which are eye catching and original.  The jewlery can fit any occasion, from the "first date wearers" to "everyday accents".

Renee's creations can be purchased online, or if you are a street fair fanatic like me, you can visit these upcoming events to see her collection in person.

August 1-2 Freemot Festival of the Arts Fremont
August 15-16 Los Gatos Fiesta De Artes
September 12-13 Mountian View Art and Wine

Cocola Bakery : The Secret Location

 

Tucked away in the industrial zone of Redwood City is a little-known oasis - the French bakery for Cocola.  Foodies who frequent Santana Row and SF probably know the café as another top place to savor pastries and espresso.  And if you're a French macaroon fan, this is your haven.

At my first visit to Cocola, the owner graciously gave my two kids a tour of the bakery behind the tiny retail storefront.  The kids loved seeing the giant-size equipment and the team of bakers turning out the delicacies they had seen in the display cases.  Since then, I've been stopping by whenever I happen to be within a mile of the bakery.

Bebe's Concept Store... A Not So Great Concept?

In January, Bebe, the tight-clothes selling retailer with a price range of about $80 to $200, announced it would open a less expensive concept store in the Bay Area called 2b, with a price range of $29 to $79. This new store wouldn’t exactly appeal to the mid-20s to late 30s clientele who shop at Bebe… instead, CEO Greg Scott said it would cater to a younger demographic (late teens to early 20s). But whoever was looking for clothes similar to Bebe’s in this economy would be a fool to at least not check it out. We can always use more stores like H&M.

So…now that it’s July…what do people think of 2b? 

The ‘Britney Spears of Taiwan’ Gets A Clothing Line in the U.S.

Wednesday, Jolin Tsai, the Taiwanese pop star, was in town at Nordstrom Westfield San Francisco Centre to promote her new clothing line, Seventy Two Changes.

Tsai designed a “pop star meets street” daytime to nighttime clothes with a menswear feel. With lots of tight leggings, loose tops, boyfriend blazers and menswear shirts in slate black, white and light and dark gray, her line fits in well with the upcoming trends for fall '09.

Inspired by contemporary jazz, the modern clothes lean towards a younger crowd while enabling both comfort and a chic look. It works well with the older, more sophisticated L.A.M.B. line to which it's attached.  Not sure what to think?  Stop by Nordstrom and see for yourself.

John Baldessari Exhibition at the Legion of Honor

An exhibition of the collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his family foundation's John Baldessari prints is now open at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

The exhibition consists of a retrospective of over 100 prints by John Baldessari, an American conceptual artist famous for his influential collage-like prints. Baldessari has been creating and teaching art for over 50 years and has won many awards, including the recent 2009 Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at the 53rd International Venice Biennale.

The exhibition runs through November 8th.

Rocket Dog Rescue Coolest Stuff on Earth Sale

 

Rocket Dog Rescue is having a big ol' sale this weekend, July 25 & 26th, with all proceeds helping dogs in need, like Sam. Little German Shephard puppy Sam was hit by a car and left in a ditch. He ended up in a shelter for two weeks with a dislocated hip and broken leg, ouch! But now, thanks to Rocket Dog Rescue he's getting care.

To continue helping Sam and others like him, RRR needs us. So hey, put this feel-good task on your To Do List.

Crossroads Trading Company

The only way I justify shopping is by making room in my closet.  I usually pack up a garbage bag full of clothes that have "expired", and drop it off at Goodwill on my lunch break.  Instead I thought, “why don’t I try to get some cash for them?” I filled two grocery bags full of clothes and took them down to Crossroads Trading Co. consignment store.

Crossroads was created in 1991 by Gerald Block and Chip Gerken, in hopes of offering a great selection of merchandise at reasonable prices for fashion-conscious shoppers.  Now with 24 locations all over the West Coast, fashion-junkies (like me) can buy, “new and recycled clothing and to receive cash or trade credit for the high-quality, fashionable items they sell back to the company."

Express Makes A Fashion Statement: Stop Driving While Texting!

The world is a scary place, and new technology has made it even scarier.  Not only do we need to worry about drunk drivers on the road but there’s a whole new breed of irresponsible drivers – those who drive while texting.

Luckily, an easy way to bring awareness to this new epidemic (you know you know at least one friend who’s texted and driven, don’t lie) is with fashion.  Hey, people check out what everyone else is wearing, so what better way to prove a point?

Fashion on the Square

  

True fashionistas cannot go too long without a fashion fix and it's been a dry summer. But never fear, lovely ones, the withdrawals are coming to an end with the sixth annual Fashion on the Square, July 25 and 26, Intercontinental Hotel, 888 Howard St., SF. 

And what a binge it will be, starting Saturday morning at 9am with a full day of fashion seminars. Topics include: fashion marketing/branding, eco product retail, hair and makeup red-carpet-ready  tips, working with photographers, and a panel of designers discussing their path to success.  

Renegade Craft Fair

 

Renegade crafts? Ah, yeah, we're there! It's the second annual Renegade Craft Fair this weekend, July 18-19, 11am to 7pm, at Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion in San Francisco.  

Over 200 artists from around the country are settin' up and selling their handcrafted wares. One-of-a-kind goodies like clothing, jewelry, stationary, bath products, ceramics, oh my! Think holiday gifts. Think birthdays. Think unique looks pour vous. Also, for crafty types, there will be DIY workshops -learn how to make stylin' bangles, brooches, and earrings out of old toys. 

Happy Bastille Day!

Even if you are not in France, there are ways to celebrate Bastille Day right here in the Bay Area. There is of course the annual celebration at the Alliance Francaise in San Francisco. You can also just drop by your local French cafe, and wish the folks a happy bastille day. I stopped by Douce France for my mid morning snack. There are many La Boulange bakeries scattered throughout the city, and of course we have Cafe Claude. 

I would also like to wish some of my favorite Parisian bloggers, a very happy day. If you want a glimpse into the life of some expats, be sure to check out  The Paris Blog, LA Mom In Paris and one of my favorite Paris tour guides, Richard Nahem, of Eye Prefer Paris.

Happy Bastille Day! Vive la Republique!

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

    

The de Young Museum entrance in 1979

In 1979 the hippie look was nearing its end, Disco was in, gas cost 86 cents a gallon, and the San Francisco de Young Museum hosted the King Tutankamun exhibit to great fanfare. Mayor Gavin Newsom was 11 years old at the time and recalls the crowds and the spectacle. Lindy Sherwood-Combs, Senior Vice-President Northern Trust, says she was slightly older than Mayor Newsom in '79, "I was a kid in Fresno and I came with my parents all dressed up, including white gloves."

Now through March 28, 2010 at the de Young Museum, new generations will have their chance to create lasting memories and get inspired by the wonders of King Tutankhamun.

Eat Shop Guides

Summer travel season is upon us and I seem to add a new guide book to my collection every summer. I have my fair share of Frommers, Fodors, and Lonely Planet books that I love. I even own own the Rick Steve's Europe DVD series. ( That was a wonderful gift from KQED!)

One thing that I try to do when traveling is to shop and eat where the locals do. I support locally owned businesses at home, so why not do the same abroad? Thanks to the eat.shop series, I can do just that.

The series, which now includes thirteen major cities worldwide, features locally owned businesses selected by the writers. The guides are beautifully designed, and make a great gift. If you want to discover cool boutiques, and restaurants wherever you may roam, this is just the book for you - whether you live here or are just visiting.

Follow Michael Bauer

Attention Bay Area foodies.  If you are on Twitter, you may want to follow @MichaelBauer1. The S.F. Chronicle's famed executive food and wine editor is now part of the ever expanding twitterverse.

I am not sure what we will discover, but any excuse to try a new restaurant is fine by me. I am currently attempting to make it every restaurant in Bauer's top 100 list.  Last week was Coco 500, this Saturday, I will be at Nopa.  How many of Bauer's top 100 have you been to?  Check out the list and let us know which ones we should try first.

Don't forget to follow @sfbaystyle while you're at it!

Quivira Vineyards

People often ask me what I do up in Healdsburg with my four children. The wine country has been my family's weekend destination for years. Believe it or not, there is more than just wine to be found in the wine country and even in the vineyards.

One of our favorite places to take a stroll is on the grounds of Quivira Vineyards. Quivira is a biodynamic vineyard. After a stop in the tasting room, take the time to explore the grounds. There are beautiful native gardens, as well as my children's favorites, the chicken coop and farm animals. On our last visit, the vineyard was the home to a pregnant wild pig. We are still waiting to hear whether the Quivira piglets have been born.

Blazers Hot for Summer & Fall

The blazer is experiencing a recent comeback, as it tends to do every couple of years. This is good news for the Bay Area, since layers are always the name of the fashion game here. The latest trend in blazers can be worn in many different styles, textures, and shapes, making it one of the most versatile and wearable items. 

While there are many blazers to be chosen from, the style currently getting the most buzz is the "boyfriend" blazer. It goes hand-in-hand with all of the ambiguous styles floating around lately, including the "boyfriend" jeans and the wispy oversized t-shirts often seen paired with them.

The characteristics of this particular style of blazer include a boxy,oversized shape and rolled or cuffed sleeves. However, the boyfriend blazer is incredibly wearable and updates most basics you already have in your closet into looks that evoke a casual, effortless cool. Be it a t-shirt or a cocktail dress, the boyfriend blazer will seal the deal.

(Blazer to the right is by Organic, and is sold at Shopbop.com.)

Sophie Azouaou Launches Philanthropic Television Show

Sophie Azouaou, owner of Sophisticate Interiors, is the Host and Co-Producer of the upcoming NBC TV show, Touching Hearts, a multimedia project that includes a primetime television airing. Each show is designed to focus on amazing organizations, the philanthropists, the philanthropic corporations, and the people who are in desperate need of their help.

• Pilot will launch Post NFL Kick-off game Sunday Night Football: September 13, 2009 at 9:00 PM
• Re-airing Monday, September 14, 12:30 PM
• Series: Sunday 9 PM prime time sunday night football 
• Re-runs: Mondays 12:30 PM 

(Interview with Sophie after the jump...)