One thing we’ll gain by leaving the Bay Area will be warm Summer nights! That is probably the thing I consistently miss most about the east coast. Of course we will also be gaining 5 months of snow. The hubs and I joke that we’ll be the fools walking around in sandals going “what is this thing you call snow?” Sadly we’ll be leaving Big Blue (aka the Pacific) and any possibilities for surfing (not that I did that very often anyhow) but I can still keep my Cali style with any of these cute looks from Billabong. You can find these styles online through Swell.

Check out these fun dress designs from MachineMachine all handmade in Hawaii. If you live in San Francisco you can find some of these designs at Mingle on Union Street. I like the simple tube dresses. They’re sexy but with pockets still practical and you can customize them with your choice of vintage fabric. Prices start at $65, not bad for a one-of-a-kind dress!

Wedding planning is a thing of the past for me and I have no regrets but I can’t help but stumble across things from time to time and wish they’d been around when I got married. Don’t even get me started on J.Crew, if their bridesmaids dresses had been around in 2002 I could have saved my BM’s a lot of agony by giving them more flattering options instead of a boring tank style (I stand by the color though, they all looked amazing in red).

I saw these adorable plastic wishbones from Etsy seller Somethings Hiding Here and thought they would make a memorable and sweet wedding favor. We did mini-daisy soaps and I think somewhere in my Moms garage there is a bag full of disintegrating soap. The cute cotton bag and the Best Wishes sentiment complete the package.

Then the other day I caught site of this fantastic sign over at blogger Chere Amie. Please somebody have this at your wedding and invite me!

One of the things I miss the most about our years living in San Francisco was meandering home from work, up and over the hills, to our apartment below Russian Hill. I loved the discovery of a new boutique on Polk, taking a peek at the menu for the latest hipster restaurant on Hayes or stopping into a little sweet shop on Union for a before dinner treat. So last week I came up with a plan. The hubs and I commute home together, so instead of waiting around for him I decided to get a head start and walk in the general direction of the Golden Gate Bridge and he could pick me up wherever I ended up.

This plan led to the best SF discovery I’ve had in awhile, the design boutique Eden & Eden! As soon as I turned the enormous antique doorknob to enter I felt a wave of awe fill my soul. I was like a kid in a candy store, oohing and awing over the ferm Living wallpaper, the stunning Ivana Helsinki clothing and bags, colorful Antoni & Alison cashmere sweaters and my new favorite, People Will Always Need Plates witty mugs and of course plates. The shop has a real international vibe, due to owner Rachel’s British beginnings. There are items from Denmark, Finland and the UK all displayed with the sophisticated eye of a curator. On the Eden & Eden website they have made a select few goodies available for purchase which gives a sense of the diversity and the quirky personality of the shop. Rachel could not have been more kind or easy to talk to, in fact I think I talked her ear off!

If you like what you see at the shop, Rachel and Christiane from ferm Living have joined forces to offer design consulting. I would love to hire an interior designer but have often been intimidated by the thought that a designers taste might take over and my home wouldn’t feel like mine anymore. I was happy to hear Rachel talk about their low-key design services, often reusing items you already own to revise a room or an entire house. It is truly a pleasure to visit this unique boutique, if you live in San Francisco or come visit don’t miss Eden & Eden! Located at 560 Jackson Street at the base of Columbus Ave in North Beach.

Here are some snaps Rachel graciously allowed me to take on my last visit.

Good morning lovely ladies and gents! I spotted these gorgeous silk, cashmere and cotton dresses from the French boutique Les Petites on my new favorite French/American blog Chic City Rats. I need somewhere to wear that cashmere dress with the pleats, il est si sexy et à la mode! (thanks Babel Fish for making me sound French).

I was recently hired as a freelance blogger for a new eco-blog called EcoSalon.com. At EcoSalon I will be covering artisan, decor and fashion items, similar to the things you find here at Little Willow but with an eco-edge. The thing that sets EcoSalon apart is its authenticity. It’s real people sharing how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle without being preachy or crunchy. For example you can find out how to properly wash a pillow (which I am doing as I write this), where to buy stunning recycled glass carafes made from broken windshields or how to get a healthy high from herbal espresso. I am really excited for this opportunity to contribute to the rainbow of “green” knowledge available to women! Feel free to send me suggestions and if my Editor approves, (yes people I have an Editor now, it’s the big time), we’ll write about it!

The Oscars are this weekend! I am so excited as usual. I’ve seen all the movies and have my Tivo cued up so I won’t miss a thing! I will be watching from my couch critiquing the fashions and wishing I had somewhere to be so glamorous. It doesn’t help that I am coveting these dresses from Spanish label Hoss Intropia. The bohemian vibe, the embroidery and the eclectic prints all speak to me. Net-a-Porter carries the label in the US and has some items for sale from the Fall 2008 collection. Keep checking though, they should have these items from the Spring 2008 collection soon.

Lucky you! Echo Design, a family owned biz for 85 years has some really cute beach wear that won’t sink your walleroo. Check out these cotton beach cover ups for $68 and this fun terry hat for $30. My fingers are crossed that this year we really will go back to Kauai!

I am mad for these coats by Soia & Kyo. They are so feminine and stylish with great little details and a sixties flair I find irresistible. The coats are made of European wool and come in plaids and solids. Soia & Kyo are based out of Montreal but you can buy online or check your local Bloomies, Nordies or Macy’s. Prices are between $195-$400.

My next stop at the BB was graphic designer Willo O’Brien and her carefree illustrations. Willotoons is her line of adorable T’s for ladies, babies and dudes. I think I would buy anything she puts on this child he’s so yummy, he looks like he would be a character in the Willotoons cartoon show, if there was one.

I can’t wait for the Bazaar Bizarre tomorrow! I was peeping out the vendor list and came across Rock Scissor Paper and these fun aprons. You can buy them from their website for $35.

I’m trying to put together a list of the vendors I don’t want to miss otherwise I might go haywire tomorrow making impulse purchases before I get to my favorites. Can’t wait!

Or maybe just for my husband….

Limited Edition Letterpress Boston Head Sox Print, $64.95

Lebowski Fest T-Shirt and Sticker, $2-$15

life, the big lebowski and what have you,$12

My friend Cassia, co-owner of the fab Sausalito boutique Green Apples, turned me on to the recently launched online boutique Tobi. The talented gals at Azalea SF are behind it. They have a great selection of designers but what caught my eye was the Eco-Tobi section filled with eco-friendly designers in skincare and fashion. They carry the hottest brands from Bono’s Edun line to Korres, the must have body care line from Greece. These dresses from Doie, made of bio-degradable bamboo jersey have my name written all over them.

I am a huge fan of Sienna Miller and her style and now with the launch of her new clothing line Twenty8Twelve we can all attempt to look as effortlessly bohemian as she does. The collection, a joint effort with her sister Savannah Miller, is really edgy and very Dickensian London this season. I am actually a little disappointed in the lack of color but I’m excited to follow them and see what they do next. In the States it can be found at Bergdorf and Neiman’s but a couple UK sites have the new collection online now. Check them out here: My Wardrobe and Asos.

I have never crocheted in my life but after seeing this cute sweater apron I might need to learn. Seen on this great little site Crochet Me, it includes the pattern and all the instructions you need to make this yourself. I would imagine you could use this pattern to make a real kitchen apron too.

According to this article in the NYT’s, all the crafty babes and dudes of the D.I.Y. scene are ditching the bird as the favored animal symbol and we can now expect a deluge of their newest mascot, the Octopus! A quick perusal of Etsy found this theory alive and well in the form of prints, belt buckles and ties for starters.

Going Green is the new buzz term these days with everything from your undies to your designer denim being nice to the environment. Del Forte and Loomstate are two environmentally-conscious denim lines using 100% organic cotton. You can buy both brands at my favorite online denim site Revolve Clothing but check both sites to find shops in your area that carry their line.

Another great way to find out about beauty and fashion that is good for the earth are these two new sites devoted to healthy living: Vital Juice Daily and the Green Girl Guide. Both sites make it a whole lot easier to live your life and have what you want but be more eco-conscious about it.

Sweet t’s and totes by Amy Tangerine. They are a bit pricey at $70 bucks for a t, but if you’re hip to be cool then they’re worth it.

Remember Kara Janx from Season 2 of Project Runway? She didn’t win but she became known for her wrap dresses which she always wore on the show. Well now you can own one of your own Kara Janx’s designs. They are available for purchase from her website with prices ranging from $170 -$350. I like her brocade mini dresses and of course the knit wrap dresses.

Here’s a cool gift idea for your guy, retro t-shirts, hats and hoodies. 80’s Purple has lots of teams available but I gotta go with the Bills for my hometown team and the Pats for the hubs favorite team.

Do you collect funky t-shirts and like to be on the cutting edge of what’s hot? If so, these Johnny Cupcake limited edition t-shirts are for you! Each t-shirt is numbered and no design is ever repeated, eat em up.

Get it while it lasts, the new Kate Moss collection at TopShop! If you live in the UK, lucky you, you can actually go into the store and buy from a much bigger selection.

People loved the aprons I posted a few weeks back from the Curiousity Shoppe, so here’s some more from Etsy seller Tree Fall Design. Miss Manda also makes cute patchwork pillows and tote bags. Prices range from $32 to $60.

J.Crew has some new duds for Spring. I love their dress selection this season, especially the full skirts. I’m not really sure who can pull off the muu muu dress, but it looks cute on the model and might be nice for an outdoor summer concert. My favorite is the yellow playa dress, which would be perfect for Quinn’s May wedding!

The Brooklyn based boyfriend/girlfriend team behind Hayden-Harnett make fabo to-die-for bags. They also make clothing, like these 60’s style babydoll dresses. I am so in love with their Beatrice bag (the brown floral) but it’s sold out, arrghhh! Go lust here: Hayden-Harnett.