O'ANNE AND O'DAVE TRAVELS - Shops worth mentioning we encounter along the way


Asylum Down, 300 Broad Street, Nevada City, CA  530.265.9666  Website
As good as it gets for unique batiks, jewelry and wonderful earthy stuff.

Bead It, 1325 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060  - 831.426.0779
Open 11 am  to 7 pm, 7 days a week
One of those rare, find anything you want bead it shops. Be careful, you can walk out with a 4" x 4" bag and a $300 bill. Well, if you are a bead freak.

Beat Museum, 540 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133   415.399.9626 - Website
North Beach, from the norm to the unusual, music, books to tees and buttons.

Bird Nest Tea Shop & Tea Room, 4998 Fifth Street, Mariposa, CA  209.742.4227
If you love tea and real, grand people, you will love this shop. It has become a must stop when we are in the area. The first time we were there, it was the day before the famous Butterfly Fair in Mariposa, we needed tea. We stayed to talk with the owner for over an hour! It started hailing and we watched with our mouths open as hail covered the sidewalks in May.

Britex Fabrics,  146 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94108   415.392.2910 - Website
Open Monday to Saturday 10 - 6, closed Sundays
Four fabulous floors of fabric and notions. Good enough for Stephen Stills, good enough for me. Cheapest fabric was $10 a yard, silk was $145 a yard.

Chefworks, 1527 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95340 -  831.426.1351 - Website
Oh, the joys of a store that carried it all.

Cole Hardware 70 4th Street, San Francisco, CA  - 415.777.4400 - Website
Another "Oh, the joys of a store that carried it all" and then some, in the heart of the city.

Columbus Cutlery, 358 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA  415.362.1342
Open 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, closed Wednesdays and Sundays
A teensy shop, standing area might have been 5 feet by 9 feet. You might be able to see everything in the entire shop if you stay an hour. Since almost everything we do incorporates a cutting implement, we truly appreciate a fine tool. This is one of the finest selections we have seen in a while. Jenny, the owner, is tremendously pleasant and enjoyable.

Cookin', 339 Divisadero Street , San Francisco, CA   415.861.1854
Organized chaos is perfect. Open a room, pile it to the brim with every item you would ever need for cooking, mostly antique or at least aged, add a dog, a delightfully sarcastic shop owner and it's pig heaven.

Creative Water Gardens, 19777 McHenry Avenue, Escalon, CA  209.838.8650  Website
The ultimate in pond and water garden shops, we are so blessed to have them so close to us. Wander thru their acres of gardens (or their stunning website) for hefty inspiration, any of the great staff is very comfy and helpful. You will find their pond equipment, plants and statues al over our gardens.

Dean Floral, 320 East Main, Turlock, CA 95380 - 209.634.4913 Website
Hours: Mon - Fri: 9am to 5:30 pm, Sat: 10 am to 2 pm, closed Sundays
Besides a delightful shop with grand garden and gift items, the women there are service oriented, knowledgable and very helpful for any occasion. Thank you, Linda!

Discount Fabrics, 1432 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA   415.621.5544  CLOSED!!! SOB!!!
The largest selection of fabric, normal weird and really far out I have come across.

Dreams of Katmandu, 1352 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA  415.255.4968 Web Site
Delightful store full of incense, fabrics, masks. New owner in 2009.

Earthsong, 1701 Haight St., San Francisco, CA  415.751.0127 (Corner of Haight & Cole)
Delightful collection of hippie stuff, including killer tye dye skirts.

Gallery This, PO Box 726, Brookdale, CA 831-338-4770 (At the Brookdale Lodge)
Standard elegant tourist until you take a closer look. We left with a floor bong from Bali, silver jewelry and several scarves soon to become dresses. Thank you, Lisa!

Genesis Imports, 1597 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA   415.703.0775
Indescribable wooden carvings, jewelry, incense and stuff.

Green Apple, 506 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA   415.387.2272  Web Site
Used and new books, beyond imagination and open up late, our favorite late night place to browse.

The Hat Company, 1346 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 - 831.458.9585
From standard hats to pirate hats, flamingo hats, downright silly hats. A must see and play stop.

Logos Books and Records, 1117 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 831.427.5100  website
Book and record lovers beware. Eleven hardbound books, twenty two bucks. Nuff said.

Mitsuwa Marketplace, 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA  408.255.6699
A wonderful , large, clean Japanese grocery store. You want it, they have it. Added plus: the long scratchy fabric shower scrubbies we travel to SF for!!

Mountain Feed & Supply, 9550 Highway 9, Ben Lomond, CA 95005  831-336-8876
An enchanted nursery complete with a talking cat, wide selection of everything from pet and farm supply to candles and house delights. Very reasonable pricing on the truckload of unusual plants we now own.

Om Gallery, 1201 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060   831.425.9107  website
Stunning moodful objects for your mind, body, soul and environment.

Pets N Stuff,  217 W Jackson Street, Ione, CA  95640   209.274.4324
A small, out of the way (if you call the end of a short street off a 4 block long main street out of the way) pet shop. Small, but tidy, clean, and just happy. The owner Pam, has a lovely laugh. Normal everyday items and hard to find things for our babies!!! P.S. Simon the cat LOVES the Pit'r Pat snik snaks, right by the register, hint, hint.

Positively Haight Street, 1400 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA   415.252.8747 Web Site
Clothes, posters, you name it. Positively Sixties.

Sierra Azul Nursery & Garden, 2660 East Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076  831.763.0939  website
Another store that warrants 'Warning Warning!" Besides the mesmerizing, spectacular statue display that will take a good hour to see, there are plants rarely found in our areas. Oddities and treasures at really reasonable pricing considering. Bring a large vehicle and serious funds.

Spirit of the Red Horse, Minneapolis St Paul Airport, St Paul, Minn 612.726.9191  Website
Clothes and more to die for.

Tibet Styles, 1707 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA  415.387.0903
A newer store with my favorite bedspreads and heavy but exquisite jewelry. Gone in 2009.

World Market Bazaar, 1233 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 - 831.669.3872 Website
A fantastic collection of stuff, all delightful, import fashion. Plan on being there a while to see it all. Excellent prices.

Yabobo, 107 N Pine Street, Nevada City, CA  530.478.9114
The sister shop of Asylum Down, a store simply chaulk full of import delights, too much to see and drool on in one visit. The fact that a dear old friend I have not seen in over 30 years worked there had nothing to do with our visit, but I now one my favorite pants skirt in all the world.

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