Gimme Shelter or Gimme CB2

With the continued pandemic of corporate layoffs and the shuttering of stores nationwide to weather our economic cold front, it’s a significant news event to be able to report on the opening of a new retail outpost. San Franciscans have familiarized themselves with CB2 since it opened its doors in Union Square last fall. But the new East Bay location in Berkeley’s 4th Street retail corridor marks a welcome and promising expansion.

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The hip, pop-cultured offspring of parent company Crate and Barrel, CB2 is poised to redefine the mid-tier home furnishings market. Finally, being spend-thrift doesn’t mean you have to settle for Björn’s bargain basement or convoluted DIY-assembly. CB2 features slick, modern pieces in an array of citrus seasonal colors that always pay homage the space-conscious city dweller.

And now, while the efficacy of Team Obama’s 800 billion dollar “recovery” package languishes in heated debate, CB2 responds with its own recession-right incentive. Both Union Square and Berkeley locations will be rewarding one lucky customer a month with a $500 gift card.*  Though many of us may still be in the red, CB2’s got me dreaming in orange.

CB2 opens today at 1730 4th St in Berkeley. (510) 558-0106. Also at 34 Ellis St. in Union Square, San Francisco. (415) 834-9370. *Now through 7.31.09. Enter and view rules at in-store kiosk.

—Michael

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Coffee, unplugged

“The best part of wakin’ up” —and other Folgers-in-your-cup pop culture archetypes— has always suggested the importance of company while enjoying that fresh-brewed cuppa joe. Although many might deject the notion of having their coffee delivered in bed by a decaffeinated but still perky as punch Scott Bakula, the tradition of drinking coffee has always been an intimate affair.

In today’s drive-through mocha-choca-frappa-latte coffee culture, we seem to be singing a much different commercial jingle. With everyone more concerned with where to plug in, the laptop-friendly lifestyle of our coffee houses have gradually put a moratorium on mingling. As Linda Richman might bemoan, what ever happened to coffee talk? And more importantly, what ever happened to a no-nonsense brew?

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Enter Four Barrel Coffee, a new no-frills hub for coffee fanatics that strikes a cool balance of style and substance. Just how “no-frills” are we talking? Well, there’s no pesky Internet to speak of here. Chatting is encouraged, just not the kind that involves your keyboard. The look is a clever mix of industrial chic meets country lodge. Heavy twisted-rope light fixtures and trophy boar heads add a touch of whimsy to the converted warehouse space. Favorite design element: don’t miss the bucolic mural on the floor of the chandelier-lit restroom. The menu is simple and the beans, courtesy of the Portland start-up Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Despite a smart blend of hip design and an expert brew, Four Barrel’s greatest accomplishment yet may be reminding the city what goes best with their coffee— conversation.

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Four Barrel is located at 375 Valencia St. (415) 252-0800. Open seven days a week (Mon–Thurs. from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.).

—Michael

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Just Maybe, We’re Gonna Make It

While some people are finding the president-elect’s stimulus plans less than stimulating, I’m feeling pretty slick and happy myself. My past week’s vacation of sand, sun, and sensational food with a heavy side of wine notwithstanding, I simply can’t argue with Obama’s line of thinking: If we want to revive our standing, economically and globally speaking, we have to start making things again. And by making things,
my friends, the man does not mean a fuss.

Granted, one SF-based designer is making things that make me very much ado,
but only in the most adoring sense. Enter Liz Saintsing and her Vintage Untamed collection, which consists of vintage handbags and accessories that she rescues
and revives by hand. What’s more, each colorful piece features quirky yet lovely one-of-a-kind silk-screen prints inspired by Bay Area nature.

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Not only is Ms. Liz upcycling discarded trash into coveted treasures, she’s keeping the environment free of nasty chemicals like, y’know, cyanide, which we felt like taking during the Bush Administration but now, with Obama on deck and bags, gloves, etc., like these at our service, there’s plenty more having and living to be had.

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Liz Saintsing’s Vintage Untamed collection can be desired online and acquired at Candy Store, 3153 16th St., and Queen of the Meadow, 351 Divisadero,
in San Francisco.

— Kay

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Style Genus: Carl

As fashion has evolved, so has the public’s ability to reinterpret it and make it our own. The classes aren’t as clear-cut as jock vs. nerd anymore. Style genus is where we finally make some sense of our biodiversity in dress. Think of us as cultural anthropologists— for the fashion-conscious. Clothes, after all, do make the man as well as the woman.

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— Michael

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