SanFrancisco

Local Luxury: Top Luxury Day Spas in San Francisco, CA

Filed under: Spas

San Francisco has always done things its own way. Whether it was entertainment or politics, San Francisco always puts its own spin on things. The luxury day spas in San Francisco are no different. San Francisco's best luxury day spas are found off the beaten path and not in the ritzy hotels as one would expect.

International Orange Spa
Address: 2044 Fillmore Street, 2nd Floor (Pacific Heights)
Phone: 415-563-5000
Website: www.internationalorange.com
Hours: Monday thru Friday 11-9; Saturday and Sunday 9-7

Established by three Bay Area women, International Orange adds a twist to the archetypal spa. Customers can attend yoga classes before and after massages, facials and other treatments. The trendy spa offers ingenious services, such as rhythmic sequence of acupressure and holistic face lifts. The beautiful decor of milky white walls and cherry wood floors provides a serene ambiance that reinforces International Orange's therapeutic approach.

Kabuki Springs & Spa
Address: 1750 Geary Boulevard (Japantown)
Phone: 415-922-6000
Website: www.kabukisprings.com
Hours: Open Daily From 10am to 9:45pm

Located in San Francisco's vibrant Japantown, this Japanese paradise releases your inner empress through exotic rice exfoliations and massages. Along with a beautiful Japanese communal bath, customers can enjoy private candlelit baths while sipping on tea. Kabuki's focus is on nurturing harmony within the soul and relaxation through water and touch therapy.

Tags: bodywraps, dayspa, facials, local luxury, luxury, manicure, massages, pedicure, salon, sanfrancisco, spas

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Antique Louis Vuitton Bench for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

An antique bench upholstered in Louis Vuitton's signature monogram canvas is being offered for sale by Southall Antiques in San Francisco. Priced at $6,400 and probably not a Vuitton original, the unique, eye-catching object is a 20th century Louis XV style parcel gilt and acanthus carved piece raised on cabriole legs that was apparently re-covered at some point in the famed fabric. Given that Vuitton is very careful with its canvas due to the pervasiveness of counterfeiters, we are inclined to wonder whether the fabric itself is authentic. It is nonetheless an attractive and attention-getting design accent for the right decorating scheme as well as an attractive item for vintage Vuitton collectors.

Tags: antiques, bench, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, San Francisco, SanFrancisco

Hamilton Penthouse, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's San Francisco penthouse has to be one of the most fabulous creations I have ever seen. It sits atop the Art Deco Hamilton building on O'Farrell in the Tenderloin District. The building was built as a hotel in 1929 but it was converted to condominiums in 1962. The crowning glory of the building is a 3,879 square foot penthouse. Socket Site has the story of the apartment which was created for a wealthy heiress by the name of Marcia McDonald. She combined four proposed units on the top floor into one full-floor unit with its own private elevator access. She also added the glass barrel-vaulted solarium with imported Greek-style columns. McDonald didn't finish the unit in her lifetime and never lived there. Instead, when she was told she had to spend another $500,000 to finish it she decided not to an lived in a pair of apartments lower in the building. The unit was finished after her death. The residence has three bedrooms,a library, two working fireplaces, formal dining room, gourmet kitchen and a pair of terraces, one of which has an antique fountain. It first hit the market in November and is still listed at $4.5 million.

Gallery: Hamilton Penthouse

Tags: california real estate, CaliforniaRealEstate, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, hamilton building, HamiltonBuilding, san francisco, SanFrancisco, Tenderloin district, TenderloinDistrict

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Postcard Row San Francisco, Estate of the Day

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

One of the most popular icon images of San Francisco, after the Golden Gate Bridge of course, is the row of Victorian homes in the Alamo Square neighborhood. The Victorian houses along Steiner Street have been photographed so widely that they are known as "Postcard Row" -- and the centerpiece of that postcard just came on the market at $3,999,999.

The four-story view home at 722 Steiner St. has been called the second-most photographed home in the country after the White House and been featured in more than 70 movies and TV shows.

The home was built in 1892 as his personal residence by carpenter-builder Matthew Kavanaugh, who constructed all of Postcard Row. The stained glass window in the living room is a pastoral scene from Kavanaugh's birthplace in Ireland; his daughters were wed in the house. The house has been completely restored and features working gas light features, wood-burning fireplaces; the kitchen, while modernized with Dacor, LG and Bosch appliances, has retained the Victorian-era look with redwood and glass-fronted cabinets and Bradbury and Bradbury period wall paper. There are ruby red granite counter tops.

The second-story living area includes a double parlor with fireplace and turret window, a formal dining room with a large Irish castle replica stone fireplace and framed views of the city. The three bedrooms, two with working fireplaces, are located on the third floor. The master suite has a large walk-in closet and a master bathroom with a jet tub and two-headed steam room-shower. The fourth level attic is finished and may be used as a second master suite or family entertainment room. The home has period moldings and hardwood floors throughout.

Bonnie Spindler has the listing.

[via On The Block]

Gallery: Postcard Row, San Francisco

Tags: california real estate, CaliforniaRealEstate, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, postcard row, PostcardRow, san francisco, SanFrancisco, steiner street, SteinerStreet

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A Gift From The Recession, Fewer Corkage Fees

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Will the fee for opening a brought-in wine bottle in a restaurant soon be a thing of the past? The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article which says that restaurants in the Bay Area, long the holdout on charging corkage fees, are starting to eliminate the charge. This is one thing you can thank the recession for. Some restaurateurs have elected to drop the fees to attract customers in a climate that has restaurants competing for diners' attention.

The Bay Area's higher percentage of corkage fees is an offshoot of its nearness to the winemaking regions of Napa and Sonoma. Locals have easier access to more bottles from small vineyards and are more likely to bring a bottle with them to dine. In this winecentric city some restaurateurs take offense when a customer brings in a wine that is already on the list.

Diners, of course, are in favor of having the fees eliminated but for some restaurants losing the revenue from corkage can make a real difference in the bottom line and there is also the hope that the fee discourages some customers from the practice. These days restaurants need every last dollar they can get and selling alcohol is a big part of that.

If you want to bring your own bottle and are unsure about how to go about it, Lettie Teague from Food and Wine wrote the definitive piece on practice a few years back. The list includes the all important rule #3, don't bring a cheap bottle of wine to a place with a wine list. Bringing your own bottle is more about having a bottle that is special to you rather than trying to save a few dollars.

Tags: corkage fees, CorkageFees, san francisco, SanFrancisco, wine

The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When you're throwing a lavish Thanksgiving dinner, it's good to keep some things simple. The decor doesn't have to be over the top; anything too fancy may appear to be "trying to hard." There are two things to splurge on: The drinks and the food.

While there are endless options for amazing wines and and fabulously presented after-dinner drinks (red lacquer Grand Marnier bottle, anyone?), the main dish says the most about the dinner.

So, what's a luxury turkey? Bypass the supermarket and go for the gold: Designer turducken.

Chef Ryan Farr and San Francisco's chic 4505 Meats have teamed up to create a a totally mouth-watering combination of turkey, duck and chicken (above) which "comes on a bed of root vegetables in a roasting pan and includes an electric thermometer with a preset alarm on it, making it simple for home cooks to follow the directions and pull the bird from the oven when the thermometer beeps." If you're in SF, you can order one from 4505 Meats for $200-$225 (15 or 20 pound turduckens, which will feed 14 or 18) and pick it up in the Portero neighborhood or have it shipped (at an additional cost); just get your order in by November 20.

If you're not in San Francisco, there are a number of other websites where you can get a perfectly good turducken, including cajungrocer, herbertsmeats, or you can even hit up Sam's Club for Tony Chachere's® Cornbread Turducken at a delicious price (but you didn't hear that from us).

For a holiday like Thanksgiving, it's a good idea to let the meal speak for itself. If everyone's enjoying the food, nobody's talking (and nobody's fighting).

Tags: 4505 meats, 4505Meats, ryan farr, RyanFarr, san francisco, SanFrancisco, thanksgiving, turkey

Kirk Hammett in San Francisco, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Today's San Francisco home isn't just a piece of celebrity real estate, it's a before and after. We first checked out the home of Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett in 2006 when it was listed at $12.5 million. At that time the Georgian home in Pacific Heights was so decked out in velvet and wine colors that one commenter called it the "Shady Rest Funeral Home." Even the kitchen was red. The home disappeared off the market but now as the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties column reports, it's back. And it's a whole lot brighter inside. Hammett has had this home for a while. He paid $2.56 million for the home in 1993. The home has eight bedrooms and a music studio and a billiard room with a bar in the basement. The renovation did not change any of the home's beautiful lines and vintage wood details, but those touches are showcased much better against a more neutral palette. The former music studio is now repurposed as a family recreation area and the listing states that the area would be perfect as a home theater. This home is now listed at $9 million.

Gallery: Kirk Hammett in San Francisco

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Tags: celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, kirk hammett, KirkHammett, metallica, san francisco, SanFrancisco

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Party of Five House, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

If the front of this house looks familiar you might be flashing back to the 1990s television show "Party of Five." Charlie, Bailey, Julia and the rest of the Salinger clan lived in this 19th Century mansion in San Francisco. This house on a hill has stunning Golden Gate and Bay views from multiple levels. There are seven bedrooms total. The main level has a reception foyer with 12 foot box-beamed ceilings, stained glass windows and a grand main staircase leading to the upper levels. The main level also features a large living room, formal dining room and an open kitchen and great room with a greenhouse solarium that leads out to the garden. Upstairs the master bedroom suite has his and hers master baths and dressing areas and a home office with wet bar. The top level of this home has a large media/game room with cathedral ceilings, a wet bar with refrigerator and an abundance of skylights and windows. On the lower level there is a garage and storage room. This home is listed at $7.2 million.

[via Zillow blog]

Gallery: Party of Five House

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Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, party of five, PartyOfFive, san francisco, SanFrancisco

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Montblanc Boutique In San Francisco Private Sale (You Are Invited)

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Events

Most of what you need to know is right there in the invitation. The Montblanc boutique store located near Union Square in San Francisco is having a two week private sale. What does private mean? That you are invited, and others aren't of course. Sales such as this aren't scheduled to my knowledge, and mean that there are deals to be had at the impressive Montblanc store. Among the included items are watches, pens, jewelery, and their fine leather goods. Did you know that Montblanc makes really nice wallets? Even belts and bags I think. If you are nearby and have been looking for the right time to incorporate some new Montblanc in your life, this is the time.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: boutique, montblanc, pen, sale, san francisco, SanFrancisco, store, watch

Another Twitter Home On The Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The Twitter guys are definitely on the move. Earlier this year, Biz Stone listed his Berkeley home for $575,000 and it sold quickly. Now Evan Williams has put his San Francisco penthouse on the market. One thing is for certain these guys like their nests contemporary. William has a two-bedroom loft in the Heublein Building. The sleek modern apartment is one of three penthouse units in the building and it has 11 foot ceilings. The home has a remodeled kitchen with a wine refrigerator and comes with a two-car garage. The interior has a bit of a rough look from exposed concrete and pipes. A private patio offers city views. Williams has listed his home for $1.498 million. Curbed SF says that he's building a modern home, designed by his wife which should be finished next year.

[via On The Block]

Gallery: Evan Williams In San Francisco

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Tags: celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, evan williams, EvanWilliams, real estate, RealEstate, san francisco, SanFrancisco, twitter

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Gap Founders Art Collection Finds A Home At Last

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Big Givers, Wealth

Gap founders Donald and Doris Fisher have finally found a home for their art collection. The pair spent years trying to build their own museum in San Francisco's Presidio but dropped those plans after facing major opposition from residents and city officials. Instead the large collection of contemporary art will have a home at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

It's a huge get for the museum, the collection is a 1,100-piece assortment of works by 185 contemporary artists with many fine pieces from Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Chuck Close and Andy Warhol and could be worth nearly $1 billion. Donald Fisher released a written statement that said in part: "San Francisco is where we raised our family and opened our first Gap store, and we want to give back to the city we love by sharing the art that means so much to us."

The museum is already in the planning phase for a major expansion and the Fisher Collection will be on display in a new wing. Works from the collection will be shown with the museum's existing holdings in modern and contemporary art. The works will go into an art trust and the pieces will be on loan to the museum for 25 years. The first peek at the art will come next summer when some of the works are shown as part of the museum's 75th anniversary celebration.

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Tags: art, contemporary art, ContemporaryArt, don fisher, donald fisher, DonaldFisher, DonFisher, gap, modern art, ModernArt, san francisco, SanFrancisco, sf moma, SfMoma

Fairmont San Francisco Spruces Up Penthouse Suite

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco has unveiled the remodel of their lavish penthouse suite. The $15,000 suite with the gorgeous bay views, a billiard room, dining room, living room, two-story library and terrace is being reopened this month just in time for a wedding that unites two prominent wine families. The suite takes up the entire eighth floor and has three bedrooms. For your $15,000 a night you get the services of a butler, housekeeper, chef, masseuse and personal trainer and the use of a Ferrari California.

[via MSNBC]

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Tags: fairmont, penthouse, san francisco, SanFrancisco

Tom Perkins Buys In At The Millennium Tower

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Venture capitalist Tom Perkins has been in a selling mood lately. He reportedly sold off the Maltese Falcon for $100 million and his long-time Belvedere, California home, which was on the market for $20.5 million, is no longer listed. But Perkins has bought something too. The Wall Street Journal reports that Perkins recently closed on a 4,800-square-foot residence on the 60th floor of Millennium Tower in downtown San Francisco for $9.35 million.

The unit which has views of San Francisco Bay from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge and beyond is said to be the best unit in the building. Another similarly sized residence on the same floor sold in June for $8.1 million. The building's prices were reduced by 15 percent in February. The tower includes a club level with a screening room, pool and pool terrace, fitness club, tasting room, lounge, dining room and fitness center. A residents-only dining room is serviced by Michael Mina's restaurant RN74 which is located in the tower.

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Tags: millennium tower, MillenniumTower, san francisco, SanFrancisco, tom perkins, TomPerkins

Georgian In San Francisco, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

This 1904 Georgian-style home in San Francisco is located in the Presidio Heights area with views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the back terrace. The original graceful lines of the home have been updated with a modern interior that is pretty much flawless. It's hard to find fault with a home this beautiful. Particularly noteworthy details are the dining room with a coffered ceiling and large fireplace, the kitchen with its French doors to the outside and the glamorous red-walled library. Upstairs the master suite has a window that is a perfect frame for a Bay view and also includes a sitting room with a fireplace, two bathrooms and dressing rooms. Outside there is a large grilling area and an outdoor amphitheater with two sets of chairs. This home was listed at $15.75 million just a few weeks ago but has already been dropped to $12 million.

Gallery: Georgian In San Francisco

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Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, san francisco, SanFrancisco

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Winemaker Drops Plans For Presidio Winery

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Another project planned for San Francisco's Presidio has been scrapped. Last month Gap founder Donald Fisher decided not to go forward with his art museum and this month Foggy Bridge Winery has decided not to proceed with building a working winery in a former airplane hangar near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Neighbors had expressed concerns over having a winemaking facility, tasting room and restaurant in Crissy Field, a popular recreational area. The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says that the winery dropped its plans a few weeks ago. The Presidio Trust is hoping that the facility will be used for something more educational and family friendly like a flight museum. Foggy Bridge has not given up the dream of having a winery in San Francisco. The wine brand already features a stylized version of the Golden Gate Bridge on the label.

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Tags: foggy bridge, FoggyBridge, presidio, san francisco, SanFrancisco, winery