Daily Gems & other musings — Bay Area

Happy Monday, friends!  With the holidays just days away, we're keeping the Small Business Gift Guides coming - next up:  the best in Coffee and Tea! This round, we're not only featuring some of our very favorite brands for a coffee or tea buzz, but you can visit these locations in the East Bay to enjoy all of these five-star reviewed goodies and pick up your sweet treats in person for all those last minute gifting needs!   Bundts & Crumpets Specialty Teas @ the Mel & Ash Beau-Tea Lounge We've been obsessed with premium loose leaf teas ever since Bundts...

We recently launched our small business gift guide with a feature on Gourmet, Artisanal and Vegan Treats, and we're so excited to share our next installment with more of our favorite brands in organic and small batch wellness!   Flower of Love SF Based in San Francisco just across the bay from our design studio, Flower of Love creates vegan and cruelty free products in small batches that "redefine the standard 'clean up'."  They never use added artificial dyes, fragrance oils or additives to create a product you can trust.  Inspired by nature, Flower of Love believes that nature gives us everything...

Now more than ever, it's so important to us to support our fellow small businesses, so this holiday we're launching a Gift Guide series featuring some of our favorite brands!  Not only have we tried and loved all of these products ourselves, but they are all five-star reviewed and most are currently run in the San Francisco and East Bay Areas.   First up: Maison Bouche! Founded by trained pastry chef Diane Beaty in 2009, we have carried this artisanal chocolate brand in our very own shop since we opened our doors and haven't been able to keep it on shelves...

We recently discovered Aliya Wanek's women's and childrenswear line while searching for local, San Francisco Bay Area sustainable designers, and it's safe to say we were instantly obsessed!  Launched in 2016, Aliya continues to work with Bay Area contractors to make her environmentally friendly garments (when not making them herself!), both things very near and dear to our own hearts.  After scouring her website and adding *many* pieces to our cart, our current favorites include her organic hemp and cotton dresses, minimal, jewel-toned drop crotch pants and comfy-cool loungewear.  We're dreaming of wearing these in the transition from summer to fall, and all season...