Shopping Favorites

Nordstrom Rack is South of Market, 25 555 Ninth St., 934-1211, a fave of Christina Augello and Jewelle Gomez, who say it has the best deals in town. Three blocks away is Fantastico, 26 559 Sixth St., 982-0680, a mecca, says Augello, of event and party supplies including baskets and dried flowers.

The Mission District is a destination for all manner of shopping. Its ambience is cool, its merchandise hot. At Siegel’s, 27 2366 Mission St., 824-7729, Roberto Hernandez says you can buy or rent a zoot suit for a night on the town, plus it has “great hats and old school clothing.”

Michelle Tea recommends the Curiosity Shoppe 28 855 Valencia St., 839-6404, “because I just found the best birthday present for my friend there — a shelf sculpted to look like shelf lichen that grows on trees.” She also frequents Minnie Wilde, 29 3266 21st St., 642-9453, for women’s clothing designed and manufactured in the city. “I just bought the most excellent pair of purple skinny jeans there, plus an amazing feathered headband that is easily the best thing I now own.”

Ben Fong-Torres calls Chocolate Covered, 30 4069 24th St., 641-8123, a reason to check out Noe Valley, “a tiny shop with a wide, wide assortment of chocolates, from vegan and sugar-free to chocolate bars infused with bacon flavoring. Yum!”

The shopping list is long and varied for Jennifer Yin: Ichiban Kan, 31 22 Peace Plaza #540 in the Miyako Mall, Japantown, 409-0472, for inexpensive items for the home, stationery to kitchen utensils; in North Beach, Aria Antiques, 32 1522 Grant Ave., 433-0219, for gems and oddities from around the world, and Lola of North Beach, for stationery and children’s clothing, 33 1415 Grant Ave., 781-1817; The Other Shop, antiques and home furnishings, 34 327 Divisadero St., 621-5424; Cookin’, 35 339 Divisadero, 861-1854, for “recycled gourmet appurtenances”; and Delessio, 36 1695 Market St., 552-5559, where, she says, “They have homemade chocolate and peanut butter bubble wrap — ‘nuff said.”

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