Whether you’re a belly dancer, a makeup artist, a burlesque performer or just a glamorous girl in need of something sparkly and new, the best place to find an array of festive fripperies is MultiKulti on Valencia.
A few months ago, I had a group of girlfriends visiting, some from as far away as Maine, some who live as close as the Castro. We were having a Girls’ High Holiday, and one of the lovelies brought gifts of glitter and false eyelashes for everyone – courtesy of MultiKulti. I hadn’t yet been, and she went on to rave about the fabulous things you could find in cubbies and corners of this magical store. I made her promise to take me to this wonderland of accessories the next time we hung out in the City, and she was more than happy to oblige.
Though the store hours are listed as 12-7 daily, I’ve been there twice when it was closer to 8:00 p.m. than to 7, and the store has still been bustling with customers. Even at the late hour, the owner has a kind smile for everyone, and is happy to help you find something that is perfect for your mood, be it grumpy or goofy. From the colorfully painted rice bowls in the front display to the sterling silver jewelry in glass cases, the glitter-laden hairpieces to the astounding array of fishnets and tights, there is absolutely something here for every girly girl around. Did I mention that they carry NYX cosmetics? It’s a small selection, but perhaps the only place I know in SF that does, so make sure you add it to your list of makeup musts.
But wait; don’t think for one minute that this means there’s nothing for the less feminine among us! Also to be discovered if one looks just a bit more carefully are argyle suspenders and lanyards covered in Jolly Rogers. They’ve got cigarette and business card cases bearing face cards in spades and luggage locks with skulls for keys. It’s the home of any number of motley curios, ranging from the slightly strange to the truly bizarre.
MultiKulti is a great place to while away half an hour or so while you wait for your table at one of the nearby restaurants, or the perfect spot to get the inspiration or finishing touches for your costume for that upcoming party. Don’t be shy – get the glitter, go for the giant earrings, and find those false lashes – you’re entitled to an all-out glam-out, and this shop will not only make it possible, but make it a whole lot of fun.
Finally, there's a place in San Francisco that caters to the need of those of us who have come of age in the era of serious multi-tasking – Brainwash Café and Laundromat.
This may not seem to be a novel idea to you at first, but that could be because you haven't experienced it for yourself. Sure, there are Laundromat combo places everywhere – laundry and fast food, laundry and video games, laundry and…tanning? But you can't usually find really excellent food, cheap beer, and even live entertainment alongside your triple loader. That's where Brainwash comes into play.
I first learned about Brainwash through my fax machine at work. Every afternoon, we get their daily specials via fax, and while there are days where it arrives a little later than most people have lunch, it's usually sitting on the machine well before I've started thinking about my afternoon meal. And this list isn't your standard café fare – we're talking about homemade soups (corn chowder every day, with a second rotating soup), an eclectic mix of green salads, and a variety of burgers, available cooked to order, that get my vote every time. If you're an early riser, they also serve breakfast from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and I've heard a rumor that, before ten o'clock, they serve up a breakfast burrito the size of your forearm for just a few bucks. The entire menu is similarly priced, with excellent ingredients and plenty of variety with no single meal costing more than $9.00.
Now for the entertainment portion of the show – the Brainwash calendar of events is jam packed with musicians, comedians, open mic nights, and more. Many of the events are recurring, so if one strikes your fancy, you can count on that to keep you going while you do your weekly wash. If you're there earlier in the day and either need to work while your duds are tumbling, or you want to check out the latest PlanJam blog, there's free WiFi and plenty of table space and seating between the laundry side and the café.
Finally, if doing laundry just isn't your thing no matter how many appealing reasons there are to hang out at Brainwash, their wash and fold service is only $0.99 a pound with a ten pound minimum. Just make sure you grab a meal to go – even if they didn't do your laundry for you, the food would be worth stopping by.
Everyone knows that Haight St. is one of the most jam-packed shopping locales in San Francisco. What everyone DOESN'T know is that, tucked into a narrow storefront devoid of an awning or other blatant announcement of its presence, is one of the greatest finds for a handbag-aholic or connoisseur of funky accessories – Stuf, at 1612 Haight.
It's not a shop you go to when you've got your four best girlfriends in town; the shop is positively crammed full of merchandise in every available crevice, including the full wall of cubby holes where many of their handbags, totes, and attaché cases live. There are glass display cases in the center of the shop, allowing for single-file browsing along either side and in between. They make good use of the space, with shallow shelves, hanging items from walls and fixtures, and a small walk-in closet type of space towards the back dedicated to sale bags.
Their jewelry and other accessories run the gamut of styles, from inexpensive, brightly colored plastic dangling earrings, to jewel bedecked cigarette cases and compacts. They feature necklaces in a variety of lengths, many with the rockabilly and flash tattoo style themes of swallows, cherries, and the like. In a place of prominence are earrings made from the scales of a fish that is indigenous to a certain part of Peru; the story is on a small card in the store, and while it may not sound like an attractive material for jewelry, it's one you need to see to truly appreciate. Also packed into this tiny store are scarves, belts, and rings – the more you dig, the more treasures you'll unearth during your visit.
As for their main offering, I've never been one to ooh and aah over purses – I have had a few cute clutches that served their purpose and found themselves relegated to the depths of my closet shortly thereafter; I've attempted to carry a shoulder bag to avoid lumpy pocket syndrome and free up my hands (for ease of browsing while shopping, of course!) and more often than not found myself frantically trying to remember where I left the damned thing. Maybe it's a coming of age, or maybe – and more likely, I think – it's all about the bag. Finding one that I couldn't bear to let out of my sight, or off of my arm, took many years of searching… But when I did, it was at Stuf, and it was only after a good hour of deliberation that I was even able to decide between several styles that fit my needs and wants perfectly.
So when you head to the Haight, go ahead and pop into the stores that shout their wares from neon signs and sandwich boards, outlandish window displays and towering awnings, but make sure to keep your eyes open for this little shop that packs a big accessory punch; if you've got a taste towards the eccentric, or a hankering for a new handbag, you'll be glad you did.
Whether you’re a belly dancer, a makeup artist, a burlesque performer or just a glamorous girl in need of something sparkly and new, the best place to find an array of festive fripperies is MultiKulti on Valencia.
Finally, there's a place in San Francisco that caters to the need of those of us who have come of age in the era of serious multi-tasking – Brainwash Café and Laundromat.
Everyone knows that Haight St. is one of the most jam-packed shopping locales in San Francisco. What everyone DOESN'T know is that, tucked into a narrow storefront devoid of an awning or other blatant announcement of its presence, is one of the greatest finds for a handbag-aholic or connoisseur of funky accessories – Stuf, at 1612 Haight.