Store Spotlight - Gallery of Jewels in Noe Valley

Truth - when I moved to San Francisco and started seeking out stores for my jewelry, Gallery of Jewels was on my pie-in-the-sky, gee-I-hope-they-like-me list of places where I wanted my jewelry to be.  Flash forward to now and Gallery of Jewels has carried my work for almost four years! I love working with them. Their support for individual artists and their work shows in the way that they give space to each one, presenting their work in the best possible light. I sat down with Jen Rose, the manager of the 24th Street Gallery of Jewels to ask her about what it's like to work for this 25-year-old jewelry institution. {Editor's note - Jen is an amazing jewelry designer and maker in her own right - http://www.jenrosejewelry.com/ }

Tell me how you got started with Gallery of Jewels:

JR - Almost 10 years ago, I moved to San Francisco. While exploring my new city, I discovered a gorgeous neighborhood called Noe Valley and therein the most magical storefront. Through the carefully decorated front windows, I gazed upon intricately crafted jewelry from independent designers. Everything was so well made, so different, and so beautiful.  At that moment, I knew I had stumbled upon something special. I made it my goal to learn as much about this amazing place as I possibly could. Gallery of Jewels... I was in love!!   Admiring the windows and chatting up the sales girls inside became a favorite pastime and ritual anytime I was in the neighborhood. Several years later, after I left my career in the corporate world to finally pursue my dreams as an artist, I decided to take a chance at applying for a position at this treasured jewelry store. You can imagine my excitement when the offer came through to join their sales team!!  I started at the Pacific Heights location but the experience came full circle when I was transferred to the Noe Valley gallery that had stolen my heart years ago.

Is there something that you are coveting for yourself at the gallery, but haven’t pulled the trigger on yet?

JR - YES!!   The “Jupiter” ring by Alberian and Aulde.  It’s a sterling silver band with two-tone rhodium plating, a 14 karat rose gold setting and three rose cut rubies.  It’s absolutely to die for.  I love the saturation of the stones and how the facets shimmer so beautifully in the light.   Mixed metals are also a favorite of mine, so this would fit perfectly in my collection.

What is your favorite lunch spot in Noe Valley?

JR - So many!  I like to switch it up, but here are a few of my favorites:  Subs Inc, Casa Mexicana, and Paxtis.  By the way – Paxtis has an amazing lunch special.  A slice of pizza, a salad and a drink for $10!  Seriously it’s the best!

Tell me a little bit about the people you work with:

JR - I love my girls!  We work together very well and it really feels more like family. There’s Jenny, the Senior Manager. She’s worked for the company for 16 years and knows nearly everyone in the neighborhood, their families, and their taste in jewelry. She can talk to anyone about anything and sell you some amazing jewelry!  She has a great sense of humor and can make almost anyone laugh with her fantastic impressions and fake accents. 

Then there’s Diane. She’s both the best and worst influence. Just today, she force fed me chocolate...it was worth it. If you are having a bad day, she’ll fix you right up because her happy go lucky attitude is infectious. It’s easy for our clients to sense her genuine nature and can trust that she will lead them in the right direction with their jewelry purchases. She’s also an amazing goldsmith and her talent shines when you put her behind the bench.   

April is our newest addition. She studied at GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and has an incredible wealth of knowledge. She can talk for hours about gemstones and you can really feel her passion when a loop is in hand. If anyone can make stones more interesting and beautiful than they already are, it’s her!

What is your favorite time of the year at GoJ?

JR - The Holiday Shopping Season: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and Hanukkah! We are packed with brand new jewelry from every artist, from top to bottom shelf. It’s the best of the best work that you’ll see the entire year. We rock the sales floor from open to close and the store is never empty and never a dull moment.

Gallery of Jewels has three locations in San Francisco:

Noe Valley
4089 24th Street at Castro, San Francisco, CA

Pacific Heights
2115 Fillmore Street at California, San Francisco, CA

Union Square
427 Post Street at Powell, San Francisco, CA

DIY Editorial Style Photo Shoots

Over the last few years, whenever the topic of my website comes up, I’m often asked “Who does your photos?” People are sometimes surprised that I do all* of them in house. First off, let me say that before I started Etta + Billie, I had zero experience with photo shoots. Over the last four years, I’ve come up with the concepts, worked on styling, scouted locations and even taken a few photos myself. I’ve utilized the existing skills of my employees such as photography and photo editing. Though it’s a serious process and takes some planning, I think an in house photo shoot is completely doable and the most cost effective way to get fresh material for your website and other marketing purposes. Plus, it’s kind of fun. Read on for my tips for doing your own editorial style photo shoot.

Why?

Why are you taking these photos? Are you creating images for your website, marketing materials, press materials, or all of the above?
Once you answer these questions, you’ll be able to start planning your photo shoot. My recent shoot was for holiday and for products that I haven’t yet featured on the homepage of my website. The photos will be used to add fresh content, highlight limited edition product and for marketing materials like holiday postcards.

Etta + Billie Holiday Shoot Set Up

What?

What product are you going to shoot? Is this a seasonal shoot? General product shoot?
The answers to these questions will not only influence what product you are actually going to shoot but also where you’ll take them and how they’ll be styled. Need inspiration for styling a shoot? Get yourself over to Pinterest! Months before a photo shoot, I search certain terms like “editorial” and “holiday” to find image inspiration. I look for shoots that flow with my branding. I keep a private board for all my photo finds, organizing them by season. This makes it easy to reference while I’m setting up a shoot and I can share the images with my staff/photographer so we are all on the same page about the “look” I’m trying to achieve. Once you know what you want to accomplish, you can start making a “shot” list and collect objects/materials you think you’ll need.

Note: Be sure to share your shot list with your photographer.  

Setting up holiday photo shoot 2014

When?

When are you going to do the shoot?
The answer to this question really depends on question number 1 and 2. Think about editing time, vendor lead times for marketing materials as well as any press lead times. If you’re shooting Xmas holiday images and you also want to pitch to press, you really need to do your shoot in June (early July at the latest) since national magazines will be finalizing their holiday issues by the end of July.  

Where?

Where will the photoshoot take place? Is there a certain look you are going for?
Some shoots require simple backdrops (see the photo above - taken on the concrete floor of the loading dock the building where my studio is located), others may need specific surfaces such as a marble counter top, bathtub or a leather couch. For the more complex locations, think about friends or family who may have spaces that would work for the look you’re after. I’ve done at least four shoots at friend’s homes. The key to any location is natural light. Other location options: hotel rooms, airbnb’s or your own apartment.

Note: all the shoots I’ve ever done take far longer than I think they will. Be sure to give yourself at least 4-8 hours depending on how many images you want to get. For my holiday shoot last year, it took about 6-7 hours to get about 4-6 usable images. This is especially true if you are not using a professional photographer and are also going to style everything yourself.

Shane Izykowski's photo equipment + the necessary coffee

Who?

Who is going to do the shoot? Are you going to take photos yourself or hire someone? Will you need help styling or setting up your shoot?
If you have a nice DSLR camera (or access to one) and know how to use it, there is no reason you shouldn’t do the photos yourself. Just keep in mind that this will definitely take longer and you’ll probably still need to do all the editing yourself unless you have a VA or a friend who is will to take that on. If you’re like me and have VERY basic camera skills, consider hiring someone or ask a friend that you know has a passion for photography. Through my network, I’ve found some great photographers that were really reasonable priced. Don’t know anyone with mad photo skills? Consider contacting your local community college, art school or university. There may be a student who is willing to work for less so they can build their portfolio. Another way to reduce cost is to share a photographer with a fellow maker.

Note: if you’re hiring a photographer, be sure that you can check out their work in advance and contact references.

Other bits of advice:

• Bring multiple units of each product you're planning to photograph, just in case.
• Bring more props than you think you’ll need.
• Build in time for a break, especially if you get hangry.
• Overestimate how much time you’ll need for each part of the process.
• Refer to your shot list often. This helps keep you on track and you’re less likely to miss something important

I know there is a lot to think about when setting up a photo shoot but I hope this helps you feel a bit more confident about process. You can do it!

*current images on my site are thanks to the very talented sister duo Lydia & Emilie

Your New Go-To Side: Kale Caesar Salad

It was at a small gourmet marketplace near me that I first discovered the kale Caesar salad. I was dubious about it at first- while I love kale, I've typically found Caesar salad to be heavy and soggy. Despite my reservations, I tried it and was promptly addicted- the kale leaves are sturdy enough to hold up to the dressing, and their bitterness provide a beautiful counterpoint to the dressing's creaminess. Soon enough, I was making any excuse to head over to said marketplace, much to the chagrin of my wallet. I finally decided to try to replicate the salad for myself. I'm super satisfied with the results and hope you are too.

Ingredients

For salad:
Approximately 20 oz. curly kale, washed, patted dry, and tough stems removed
Croutons (you can make your own, I'm lazy so I buy them)
hunk of good Parmesano Reggiano cheese

For dressing (adapted from www.marthastewart.com ):
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4-5 anchovy fillets
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)

Note: Martha's recipe calls for salt- my experience is that the anchovies and Parmesan make the salad salty enough without the added salt, but I would recommend making the dressing and adjusting it to your taste. I also added an extra teaspoon of lemon juice since I like a lot of acid in my salad dressings. Again, I would tinker with the proportions to your liking. 

Directions:

Dump all dressing ingredients except the olive oil into a powerful blender.  Blend until a puree forms. Continue to blend with the motor on low and drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified. Taste the dressing on a piece of kale and add more olive oil if the flavors are too intense. If adding more olive oil, blend again to re-emulsify.

Place the well-dried kale in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing in stages, tossing until the leaves are well coated but not overdressed (you may not need all the dressing). Add the croutons and, using a vegetable peeler, create thin curls of Peccorino Romano to top the salad. Enjoy!