Bay Area Life - Northern Sonoma County beach towns, hikes and daytrips
Read moreBay Area Life - Northern Sonoma County Day Trip
One of the many amazing views of the Pacific Ocean from Hwy 1
Bay Area Life: Check out The Bayview
The Bayview is not a frequently visited neighborhood by those who don't live and or work there. I've had a bit of time to explore now that the Etta + Billie studio is located in the neighborhood. Here are a few of my top picks if you find yourself in the Bayview or decide to make a full day of exploring some of its hidden gems.
South End of Bayview
Trouble Coffee - 1730 Yosemite Avenue
THE go to coffee spot. The barristas are incredibly nice (they take the time to learn your name), make killer coffee and have some delightful toast (and fresh coconuts). Grab a coffee and chill in the parklet outside.
CDXX - 5800 3rd Street
Cronut - I've never had the "real" cronut but the CDXX version is DELIGHTFUL. It's fried croissant like dough covered in cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of carmel. YUM. This spot also has good lunch options, really fresh salads and tasty burgers. Worth a visit.
El Primo Taco Truck - Yosemite Avenue & Jennings Street
This place has some of the BEST tacos in San Francisco. Seroiusly, I've tried a lot of tacos. Really fresh, fast and cheap. My favorites are the lengua (cow tongue), al pastor (bbq pork) and the chorizo. I shockingly haven't tried anything else yet but I'm sure it's delicious.
North End of Bayview
Flora Grubb Gardens - 1634 Jerrold Avenue
Gorgeous nursery/garden with incredibly helpful staff and a Ritual Coffee stand on site. Worth a trip to grab coffee, meander the garden and chill for a while.
Building REsources - 701 Amador Street
Inspiring place to walk around and check out the recycled building and landscaping supplies. There are old tiles, windows, toilets, cabinets, almost anything that can be salvaged from a building project. It's an upcyclers paradise. It's also cool to check out the funky planters, fountains and ponds the staff have built out of old materials.
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers - 1195 Evans Street
Way out on Evans, in a building straight out of 1975 is one of my favorite breweries (not a surprise that I've turned some of their beers into soaps). They have a tap room that is open Tuesday - Sunday from 1-10pm, food and music on certain Fridays, and daily brewery tours at 3:30 pm. Definitely check out some of the special limited edition beers on tap.
Retailer Feature: Modern Mouse in Alameda, CA
Why did you decide to open Modern Mouse?
I love all things handmade, and I've always had an entrepreneurial streak. When the opportunity presented itself to bring a handmade boutique to my community, I jumped at the chance. Modern Mouse first opened its doors to the public with a collection of fun, high-quality handmade goods from over 50 starting artists on November 9, 2009.
What helps you decide which pieces to carry in your shop?
We're a little-bit-of-everything boutique, and we look for the most delightful in each category! Our specialty is in local + handmade goods, and we offer a carefully curated collection of stuff we love and think our customers might too. We scour local craft fairs and other sources for new artists and also get new applicants through our online application.
Where do you recommend customers eat or grab a coffee and snack
near the shop?
My favorite place to eat at South Shore is Sushi House -- generous portions of fresh and delicious sushi at great prices. Up Park Street (our main drag), my favorite places to grub are Hang Ten Boiler (mm, crab) and Burma Superstar (tea leaf salad!), followed by a tapioca milk tea dessert beverage from newly opened Bambu.
What's a hidden gem (eatery, shop, scenic lookout, hiking trail, etc.) in Alameda that few know about?
Eatery: Little House Cafe. Scenic lookout and walking trail: Shoreline Park on Bay Farm Island, which is close to where I live. Oh, and the family and I also looove hanging out on the outdoor patio at the family-friendly Rock Wall Winery (yes, a winery in Alameda) on a sunny day!
What is the best part/most surprising part about owning the shop?
Aside from being able to be surrounded by such dangerously tempting merchandise all the time, one of my favorite parts of shopkeeping is getting to meet and befriend such a wide variety of people, from our talented and inspiring artist/crafter/design entrepreneurs to our wonderful customers, and my dear staff whom I affectionately consider a part of my growing family.
On the more surprising end is just how much has to happen behind the scenes to make the business run smoothly. I knew it would be a ton of work but haven't ceased to be impressed by how much data there is to manage, track, report on and analyze, especially given our consignment business model. I should thank my dad for forcing me to change majors from Poli Sci + Rhetoric to Business Administration, and I don't know if our systems could ever have been so solid if it weren't for my lots of backend work by my software developer hubby and sister. It takes a village!
Modern Mouse
2223 South Shore Center
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 814-8830
Mon – Fri 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm