scoutOUT! - Scrap

Scrap
801 Toland, San Francisco
(enter the warehouse on Newcomb Ave, between Toland and Selby)
Monday through Saturday, from 9am to 5pm.

If Urban Ore fixes your home, Scrap colorizes, texturizes, and wacks-out your home. Tucked away on a side street in the middle of an industrial neighborhood, Scrap is like a crafters wonderland. Prices are few and far between - so the deals are only realised once you are about to pay - that is unless you find some fun scraps of fabric, paper, electric parts or something else in front of the sign that says "from here to door is free!" I love free, but with all that other, better scrap lurking behind the sign, free sometimes isn't for me.

Immediately when you enter Scrap you think, damn, I need to start making stuff! With barrels full of wine corks, boxes loaded with tiny glass bottles, and yards and yards of scrappy fabrics organized in a rainbow of color, who wouldn't wanna be holed up in their house sewing, hot gluing, and scraping away? mmm...

Alex, is that person who doesn't feel that way. Recently we've been visiting some paper and art stores and he gets bored. He's definitely not a craft-man. All the paper is the same to him (even when it's totally not!) and he gets no pleasure in staring at 10 different glues. So, when i told him i wanted him to accompany me to the craft depot, Scrap, rockets didn't go off. And 10 minutes after of arrival, he said, "okay, ready?!" But obviously I wasn't, since I had just walked past the freebies into the retail space. So, bored, he went exploring...

Who ended up with the most stuff? Alex! He ended up finding random book pages that had been ripped out and stashed away in some drawer. Two that he bought were intructional photographs on how to clean an oil spill with hay. Others were patents for things like self-air conditioning rocking chair and chewing gum lockets, german poems and songs, russian drawings of crazy big radishes, and two stones (total $5...i think the lady who checked alex out was into the number 5, cause it probably would have been less had my cashier handled the transaction).

I ended up being more inspired than goods-aquired, but I didn't leave empty handed: 1 adhesize roll of faux wood, 2 childrens books with awesome illustrations, an old san francisco map that's rich in subdued colors, and some fabric that will seam-up to be stuffed (total of $2). And I didn't feel guilty with my Scrap purchase (as I often do at craft stores that offer new goods) because all the items in Scrap, are well, scrap! So if it weren't for this organization, who is kepy afloat from my and other's purchases, then all that scrap would just become a big ol'pile of crap.

intro pictures from other scrap-seekers

picture memories over time

pictured: central swedish woods
(left picture...where's alex?)

there's a feeling a roll of film gives you that digital will never replace. it's a feeling of lost time and memories fermenting - getting more beautiful with age. the preciousness (don't waste that film!) and the waiting are far more rewarding than the clutter, disposability, and flatness of digital.

so here i share my bit old memories with you. memories that are revealing themselves with just the right amount of space in between - when the longing for the fresh, damp smell of the swedish woods arrives.

pictured: bits of regensburg, germany // alex in woods near appelfabriken

pictured: urnatur's magical forest

pictured: die grune ecke farm life, pt 1

pictured: die grune ecke farm life, pt 2

scoutOUT! - Urban Ore

Urban Ore
900 Murray St. Berkeley, CA 94710
Mon-Sat 8:30am-7pm; Sun 10am-7pm

Thrift Stores are great. Garage sales are amazing. Flea Markets can be pretty fun. Urban Ore is...

...a garage sale on steroids
there's something about milling around, searching for the perfect household item that belonged to someone else that's just grand. not only is the thing you are searching for usually unknown to you at the time, but the thing when you eventually find it is going to have a story, a history, and probably be better made (pre-70's usually means quality). it's what makes thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, and now salvage warehouses (aka urban ore) one of my favorite pastimes. and urban ore knows how to bring it on. this place is BIG. they have chairs, furniture, cooking wares, records, books, clothes, bath tubs, doors, door knobs, door hinges, door stops, windows, lights, etc. that you could easily spend a whole day looking for absolutely nothing - and be happy. the mission of urban ore is to salvage stuff before it's sent to the landfill. makes sense and i like it. i love urban ore.

...vintage shopping on the cheap
so this place has its fair share of 'vintage' items that are still a bit too pricey for my pocket, but nonetheless are cheaper than the places on valencia (hispterville) street. so if you're looking for some old ass dinning room set from the 50's this is your place. you might have to clean the cobwebs and fix a wobbly leg - but that's what'll make it yours.

...dumpster diving without the burger king wrappers
while i've never dived in the dumpster, i've always thought romantically of the practice. free stuff is cool, especially when you don't have to steal it (well technically you are stealing i guess...silly laws) and you're helping out the environment too. urban ore's outside area is a bit like dumpster diving. there are broken bits of glass everywhere, rotting chairs thrown about, and more doors and toilet bowls than you could ever imagine. it's amazing. unlike the 'vintage' goods on the inside of the warehouse, the outside area seems to house the cheaper items that haven't been priced yet. for instance take our first visit to urban ore. we found 4 awesome school chairs that definitely needed some tlc, but had a good set of bones. each priced at $3. good deal, we bought one (we're idiots and didn't buy the other 3...i'm still sad about this). next visit to urban ore - the $3 chairs were obviously sold, but some almost identical, a little cleaner sister versions of the chairs were now stored in the inside area - price: $45! ridic. yeah, still cheaper than vintage shops or even ikea (wooden chairs are pricey!), but nothing like that $3 beauty we found. i like the outside area. i like cheap goods that need help and make beautiful.

...what being lucky is all about
the best thing about thrift stores and garage sales is that when you find something awesome, you feel awesomely lucky. you don't usually feel that way when you're shelling out benjies at the flea market or vintage shop. urban ore's outside and sometimes inside areas give you that rush. on our last venture into the unknown we stumbled upon an awesome wooden bench. thing cost $15 and now we have a place to eat in the kitchen. every time i sit down i get that - damn, i'm lucky - kind of feeling. life needs more of that.

image via - you guessed it - google!
(i'm always too excited about the places i find to remember to take pictures in between all the discoveries...call me lame or lazy)

scoutOUT! - ARCH

ARCH
99 Missouri
San Francisco, CA 94107
Weekdays 9am-6pm; Sat 12pm-5pm

On my quest to find some bookbinding materials, i stumbled upon an old friend - ARCH (i had been here once when my brother used to live in sf and we were on a hunt for speciality papers). part artshop, part gift shop, this place puts Pearl to shame. I wouldn't say it can compete with the myriad of paper, book, and art stores collectively in new york, but for one place that's just a 15 minute bus ride away, it's pretty darn great.

They have a nice selection of papers and paper-type things - like cork that's paper thin (bought this!) and glow in the dark sheets (bought this too!) for ya know, making glowy things glow. and they have a 'bulk' paper section with tiny envelops, stickers, single specialty sheet, and more. if you're into making tiny worlds - they have a pretty good selection of model building supplies. and of course there's also your everyday essentials like paint, pencils, drafting odds and ends, etc. the gift part is 1/4 of the store and might be a good addition if you are looking for something to tie to the outside of a present or to go to an open house with. nothing remarkable, but clever enough to not wrap.

i went away with a large piece of davey board, some pvc glue, and everything else i bought but didn't need. ARCH, nice to be reacquainted, you are definitely a place i'll be frequently often.

picture again courtesy of google

READ! LIBRARY! CARDS!

San Francisco Library Cards
"READ" & "My Library"

I just wanted to share the awesome new library cards alex and i received today. oh library-browsing-time, how i've missed you so.

scoutOUT! - Rainbow Grocery

Rainbow Grocery
1745 Folsom Street
San Francisco CA, 94103
9am-9pm, every day

for years i heard people rave about Rainbow, so i guess it's no surprise that the place is like the best thing ever. but unlike places that are the best thing ever in new york - you actually feel like you have the space to browse. there wasn't even a line when we checked out! aaah, again, 1 million is way better than 8.

but the real bonus of Rainbow is the incredible bulk sections. now, i'm not just talking about granola bulk or fruit bulk. oh no. this is bulky bulk.

first you have the spices. sure, they are a bit pricey (we went to another spice bulk store down the street called San Francisco Herb Co. that was much cheaper) but the selection and the set up is what makes it exciting and home-like (it very much has the feel of Flower Power in ny...which i discovered way too late in my ny life to truly appreciate).

next you have the grains. lots and lots of grains. grains i wouldn't even know what to do with. and rice...lots and lots of nice varieties of rice. unlike the spices, the grains are a good deal.

but the real highlights of the bulk are the following sections (keep in mind like half the store - and it aint small - is just for bulk):
- shoyu, oils, vinegars, agave and nut butters
- shampoo, lotion, and detergent (i've been waiting to find a place where i could fill up my dr. bronner's bottles with soap - yay!)
- fresh tofu, raw sauerkraut, and pickles!
- pasta! - fresh and dried

of course there are the standard bulk items like yogurt covered whatever, legumes, granola, and what not. but it's still way better than the bulk at Whole Foods (or Sahadi's for that matter).

and while the bulk items (which i'm sure i'm forgetting half of) are the best thing about Rainbow, the selection of vegetarian geared options is amazing (there goes my savings). there are more fake meats (some are even grain-based if processed gluten makes you feel uneasy) and vegan-this-and-that type items than i've ever seen at any market. until today, i had no idea Tofurky made a pizza. or that you could buy a mini "ham" made from grains. or how scarily real fake bacon from taiwan looks (we bought it!)

on top of having everything i've ever wanted, Rainbow is an cooperative owned business. so, instead of supporting the generic grocers, your money is going to a local place and local people. Rainbow's got it right and alex and i are so excited it's just a short bike ride away!

picture via google

scoutOUT!

one thing about leaving a city you've lived in for 7 years is that you are leaving behind 7 years of hard earned 'local' knowledge. like sahadi's in brooklyn - that place was my go-to store for bulk spices. or that baking supply store in chelsea - i loved that place cause it had everything...even those lobster shaped chocolate molds that should be a staple in everyone's kitchen. and i can't forget those precious food finds like toby's, mama's, or city sub...mmmmm, city sub. after 7 years, i pretty much knew where to go for everything i needed.

and now, i must start all over. i'm hoping this time around will be easier and faster - partly because i'm older and more aware of what it is i need/like and partly because i like exploring and discovering new more than i used to (especially with alex). and third-partly because i spent more time visiting san francisco than i ever spent visiting new york. so i have a few precious gems under my belt already.

anyhow, i've decided it'd be good for me (and maybe you) to keep a digital record of our san francisco finds - whether it be an awesome sandwich shop, a great grocery store, or a shop that sells awesome balloons. these things are important and i don't want to forget them or keep them to myself. so go ahead and get ready to look forward to the new series of posts titled scoutOUT!

image via designsponge

post tour

pictured: variations on alex driving

NY >> NJ >> PA > OH > IN >> IL > IA >> NE > CO > UT > NV > CALIFORNIA...

after nearly a week of driving, alex and i have settled into our new little apartment and boy does it feel good to be home!

pictured: our tiny penske behind a big boy (for some reason i always felt we were the same size as those massive freight trucks, that is until we were at rest stops) // massive trucks can cause massive danger - hence the scary looking 'runaway truck' ramps on mountainside highways

it's amazing, practically nothing went wrong the whole trip. no tires popped, no burning breaks, no sliding trucks. i must say, that penske rode like a beaut (at least from the passenger's chair). the only small blip in the whole ordeal was that somewhere between iowa, colorado, and reno, my credit card number got jacked and someone was having a gas station spending spree on my credit. luckily, amex notified me promptly and we got that all squared away.

pictured: rock crazy...just look at those things!

having now been across the country via train and now truck, there's really nothing like the grand USofA. Each state offers a new surprise in terrain. there's green water, muddy water, clear water, hot water, and super salty water. then there's mountains that are soft, rough, red, grey, green, and dinosaur-esque. it's craziness united.

pictured: glen springs, colorado

and after nebraska, and eastern colorado (that shit looks worse than nebraska) the west is indeed wild. it's amazing to think pioneers trekked by foot, horse, and buggy through such massive, lumpy land and made it across to the other side. it's also mind boggling to imagine the planning and physical labor it took to run telephone and electricity lines - not to mention build roads - through all those streams, canyons, deserts, and salt flats. big dreams used to happen i guess. wtf "the present"?

pictured: colorado western

pictured: nevada is emptiness and scariness all wrapped into one flat-topped shaped state

pictured: utah's salt flats (it's all salt...)

on the other side of natural and man-made wow, is a little place called reno. having now somehow been to vegas 4 times (this seriously makes me sad) i knew what to expect in the self proclaimed biggest little city - old people wasting away money as they smoke and drink their lives away. yep. that's it. depressing. i just don't get the appeal. why spend money on a vacation like that? no thanks. i'll take my RV to nebraska before i do that. one positive of our reno night was the awesome spa bath tub...nothing like soaking away the grime of gambling and greasy food (yeah, alright, we gambled... alex lost $4 and i $3)...

pictured: a night in reno

notes from the road

okay, let's start with the bad stuff.

pictured: CAFO in colorado (zoom in for details) // it was that bad

like i said, iowa was really stinky - poo kind of stinky. and you know that poo smell wasn't coming from waste water treatment centers. it was most likely coming from a CAFO - concentrated animal feeding operation. if you eat animals, then you are helping support these poo-generating facilities that are bad for animals, the environment, and people - yourself included. they are nasty nasty operations - and iowa is smart - they keep them off the road, away from sight. but a smell so wretchid is hard to cover up. colorado on the other hand didn't smell nearly as bad, but had their operations right on the road. we pasted at least four CAFO's on our way to denver. and i'll bet two poodles that those are some of the nicest and cleanest CAFO's around. just imagine what's hidden beyond the grasses and gravel. yick. yuck. gross.

alright, now for the awesome stuff.

if you ever watched peewee herman's big adventure, you probably always fantasized about driving in the west and stopping at dinosaur shaped attractions or hotels shapped like teepees - i know i have. while we haven't spotted either of those two attractions, we have come across some interesting gems. like that picture below. who doesn't love sticking their head in a hole and becoming a whole nother person? we do!

pictured: fort cody, nebraska free museum

or standing next to crazy statues? we do!

pictured: alex meets buffalo bill // nebraska has awesome exit signs // me and some indian lady (if i were a lego, dressed like a native american, i'd probably look like her, no?)

and nothing is better than taking a quick pit stop and finding yourself nest to the most awesomest signs ever. i can't believe these exist! oh america, you are so very special.

pictured: "fresh donuts", "major brand" gas station, "no semis, don't even think about it!"

after 11 hours of driving, we made it from iowa > nebraska > colorado. after a place like nebraska and eastern colorado it was so nice to be greeted by mountains - no matter how hazy they were.

pictured: denver at sunset