Last month, Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement came home to the Fillmore. It had been more than a decade coming. Ever since the restaurant’s chef and owner Fernay McPherson first launched her business through the incubator program at La Cocina, she’s wanted to open a storefront in the neighborhood that’s been home to her family for three generations. “We searched high and low in the Fillmore for so long,” says McPherson. “It was either too expensive, or I didn’t have access to enough capital, or the landlords didn’t believe in my vision.” She opened up a food truck, instead; followed by catering an ..read more

Dislike the doom loop narrative? Do something about it: Get out in San Francisco and support the local businesses that make this place a vibe. 7x7 Social Club is your all-access pass to the city, with a fresh crop of experiences and deals on offer each month. This May, things are really swinging. Retro Fabulousness We flipped our fringed when we heard the beloved Prohibition-era immersive theater experience Speakeasy SF was back for a limited run. Seriously, what better way to fete the rebound of San Francisco than with forbidden cocktails, cabaret, and tarot readings? Social Club members ar ..read more

For the love of god mom, give her something she’ll adore. We’ve made it easy with our roundup of some of the best gifts from Bay Area brands, artisans, and stores. Just follow our lead and you're sure to be Mom’s favorite well into fall. Happy Mother’s Day to all, including pet and plant mamas! Exclusive Specials on Special Presents This month, 7x7 Social Club members get access to special deals just right for Mother's Day gifting. When you join the club, you'll get Mom a complimentary manicure ($40 value) with a 90-minute custom blend massage at Cow Hollow's Bamboo Spa; 25 percent off reg ..read more

Michelin, those French arbiters of excellence, announced last week the first 124 U.S. recipients of its new key award for hotels. The guide has applied its new system to just seven primary markets for now (California, New York City, Chicago, Florida, Colorado, Atlanta, and Washington D.C.), and it should come as no surprise that California bested the competition in all three of the ratings categories. The state has 31 “special” one-key properties, 17 “exceptional” two-key properties, and seven hotels and resorts crowned as “extraordinary” three-key stays. The elaborate breakfast at SingleThr ..read more

It's all about thoughtful creation in the four-story Dutch Colonial home selected for the 45th Annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase. At the top of the Baker Street stairs, the brick house at 2898 Broadway was built in 1899 by architects Walter D. Bliss and Walter Paville (St. Francis Hotel, James Flood Mansion, and Geary Theater) for Bliss' parents, Elizabeth and Duane "D.L." Bliss. It was a showcase venue back in 1989, and has featured in several films including 2013's Blue Jasmine. Today it has been transformed with a captivating array of spaces featuring moments ranging from nostalgic ..read more

If you’re like us, Annie Jackson is the reason you actually think about what ingredients are in your lipstick, mascara, and moisturizer. About 10 years ago, she co-founded Credo Beauty in San Francisco. It’s now the largest clean beauty retailer in the United States. The company’s Dirty List, which includes 2,700 harmful chemicals verboten in any products it carries, has become the holy grail for clean beauty lovers. Translation: Getting a coveted spot on Credo’s real life (and virtual) shelves isn’t easy…but it sure is rewarding for brands that break through. A Marin County native, who held ..read more

The whispers and rumors are true: A new downtown monthly music festival is finally happening. Plus, nerd out at a special screening of Star Wars while the SF Symphony plays the iconic score live, let your freak out at the How Weird Street Faire, pony up to the bar for mint juleps at Kentucky Derby watch parties, party poolside at the Phoenix Hotel on Cinco de Mayo, entertain the whole family at de Youngsters Day Out, and much more. Have a good one! See on Instagram Horn Barbecue is back, baby. After a fire shuttered the former location, the acclaimed BBQ joint from Chef Matt Horn is risi ..read more

It’s no secret that San Francisco doesn’t exactly make opening, running, and actually staying afloat in the restaurant industry easy. In just the last two months, some of the city’s most illustrious chefs—Michael Mina, Dominique Crenn, Anya El-Wattar—have announced the closure of restaurants with Michelin and James Beard cred. But even as so many celebrated spots are succumbing to the carnage of the culinary battlefield, one beloved Bay Area brand isn’t just hanging on for dear life, it's thriving. With the arrival of Little Original Joe’s in the Marina next month, and a slated 2025 opening ..read more

When I fell in love with a man and moved from San Francisco to San Jose, the city’s restaurants were high on the list of the things I was heartbroken to leave behind. But San Jose, it turns out, holds its own in the food department. They just do things a little differently here. For starters, most restaurants in San Jose are low-key family-owned operations. There are very few show-stoppingly stylish restaurants and, the majority that try, don’t exactly hit the mark. Almost every restaurant, from upscale spots to holes-in-the-wall have televisions, and both downtown and on Santana Row, the sp ..read more

Ever heard of Amadeo “Amador” Pietro Giannini? No matter the answer, you’ve probably walked by his brick-and-marble legacy hundreds of times. In 1908, the philanthropist and founder of the Bank of Italy—the American-born son of Italian immigrants—oversaw the construction of the bank’s San Francisco HQ at 550 Montgomery Street. Fast-forward 100-plus years and Giannini’s still-handsome FiDi building is undergoing a ground-floor renovation set to debut this summer. Meet The Bank at Amador (named for you-know-who), a new members-only club modeled after the European café by day, bar by night conc ..read more