Earlier this month, I took advantage of some free air miles I’d earned since moving to NYC, and flew out to San Francisco, to visit some friends and do some sightseeing.
I loved all of the amazing architecture around the city, especially all of the old Victorian houses, and the Painted Ladies around Alamo Square Park.
Cynthia from Style Wylde in front of the Painted Ladies
Aleister Crowley’s old house. Creepy!
A new friend.
I was lucky enough to catch the Alameda Point Antiques Fair that weekend, where I picked up some amazing vintage pieces, like an old kimono, a sari, and some Japanese paper art prints.
There was plenty of cool old “junk” for sale.
My friend Eliza modeling an old hat.
…and a fur coat
A much different kind of fur coat.
Metal menagerie.
A wannabe Marty McFly, hitching a ride.
Eliza’s dog Colonel Mustard, post-flea trip.
Later in the week, I did more sightseeing:
I managed to battle the Muni (bus system) and get to the Golden Gate on my own!
Australian tourists took my photo.
I walked half-way across the bridge.
I didn’t jump.
Alcatraz
Then I made it to Chinatown:
Bought plenty of souvenirs. But not this strange pillow I saw on display.
Met a lion.
Cute little street car.
The tiny little underground map.
A 1 car train!
Dolores Park
Acrobats in training.
Not pictured: the hippy drum circle playing in the park.
Hippy or Metal-head?
I met up with Julio (who I’ve known since 2005, via my first blog, but had never met in person!) for some insanely cheap vintage shopping:
Sadly, he did not buy this jacket.
I took home 2 old lacy lingerie inspired tops and a dress –all for TEN DOLLARS– via a vintage by the pound store.
On our way home, we stopped by Clarion Alley to photograph the beautiful street art that lines the entire alley:
We saw quite a few artists in action:
While it’s safe to say things like thrift shopping and even street art are better on the west coast, by the end of the week, I couldn’t be happier to be a New Yorker, and be heading home. I missed the big city, the ease of (nearly) all-encompassing public transportation, and the hustle and bustle of New York life.
California was fun, but the trip really affirmed by choice to move to the East Coast over 5 years ago, instead of heading out west.
* I also shot some street style while I was on vacation, which will hopefully be up on StyledOn in the near future.
See my full photo album here.
