I Don't Want to Grow Up I'm a Super 7 Kid | August 31, 2012

SUPER 7 1427 Haight St San Francisco, CA 94117 Tel: 415-553-6155 Open: 11 - 7pm Daily

     Super 7 is my version of Toys'R'Us. Walking thru the front doors I almost felt like a kid again. Scattered everywhere were vintage Star Wars, Godzilla, contemporary, and Super 7 branded toys. The printed material was better than any Barnes & Nobles with limited edition posters, magazines, books, and prints. And if you aren't into toys they also sell clothing with unique graphics. This shop is worth checking out if you're shopping down Haight St in SF. 

Step Inside the Levi's Tailor Shop | August 31, 2012

The Levi Strauss & Co. flagship store in San Francisco (Union Square) is the Levi’s Tailor Shop, a one-of-a-kind customization area with special goods and services. At the tailor shop you can make your own buttons, choose vintage patches, screen print to fully customize your jeans. Wall to wall covered everything Levi's made- vintage and modern jeans, jackets and more.

I skate For The City | August 31, 2012

FTC Skateboarding
1632 Haight St SF, CA 94117 Tel: 415-626-0663

     When I think of skateboarding and San Francisco I think of FTC: For The City. If you want to know why, here's a little history lesson. FTC was established in 1986 only selling a small collection of skate gear in the back of a ski and tennis shop. By 1994 they opened its own doors to a store on Haight-Ashbury street in SF. They began to evolve and grow towards the city street skating scene, and help put legendary skate spots Embarcadero aka EMB and Hubba Hideout on the map. Today the FTC family continues to grow making quality clothing and skateboard products. Even ESPN Action Sports did a story about them and their family values. 

+ Check out the FTC Artist Collection, includes Keith Haring, Michael Leon, & Doze Green.

Adam Bomb by the Bay Area | August 31, 2012

 The Hundreds
San Francisco
585 Post St. SF, CA 94102
Tel: (415) 817-9912

Finally I stopped by the The Hundreds San Francisco shop, now I have been to all 4 flagship stores! I remember reading about this shop on Post St. with the black skulls everywhere and control center check out area. Inside the store had a dark and ominous ambiance, like I was in a cave with cool clothing everywhere.

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge into Stussy SF | August 30, 2012

Stussy San Francisco 1409 Haight Street SF, CA 94117
Tel: 415-701-7474 Open: Mon-Sat 11 to 7 pm. Sun 12 to 7 pm
+ More Stussy gear for your collection. They hook it up just ask.

The Secret Society meeting is upstairs | August 30, 2012

Black Scale SF
55 Grant Ave
2nd Floor, SF, CA 94108
Tel: (415) 981-9691

     Black Scale rose from the dark streets of San Francisco. Founded by Michael ‘Mega’ Yabut and Alfred De Tagle they summoned a darker streetwear line that was missing in the market. They had modest beginnings but strong collaborations with artists such as Jun Cha, other brands including Amongst Friends, and recently A$AP Rocky and the A$AP MOB.

     I knew Black Scale was something new and fresh in the streetwear scene after seeing their past seasons collections. Instead of bright and colorful designs with "cartoon" characters, they displayed a darker image reminiscent of the illuminati. Now they have a flagship store in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.

Peter Gronquist: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda at Shooting Gallery | August 30, 2012

     Right next to White Walls Gallery is the Shooting Gallery. They were literally connected to each other as you could walk through the wall and stand inside another exhibit. I was shocked when I entered the Shooting Gallery as a monkey pointed a chrome AK-47 at me (photo after the jump). Before continuing my story, initially I wasn't aware of this show or artist but the enormous pieces were so eye catching I decided to share it with you....

Max Rippon (Ripo): Signs, Fines, & Cheap Wines at White Walls Gallery | August 30, 2012

     Now til September 1, Max Rippon aka Ripo has a show at the White Walls Gallery in San Francisco, CA. His show "Signs, Fines, & Cheap Wines" displays his variety of talents using watercolor, ink, graphite, sign painters enamel, oil pastels, and intricate techniques of calligraphy and layering. The fact that Ripo has illegally exhibited his work in over 36 countries across the world, drew me in to visit this exhibit. Although a street artist, he has had legal solo and group exhibitions in cities such as Barcelona, Mexico City, London, and Vienna. 

+ Five of the fifteen works on paper.

The 1984 NFL 49ers were close to an Undefeated Season | August 30, 2012

UNDEFEATED SF 516 Hayes Street San Francisco, CA 94102 Tel:(415) 437-2800
+ New Fall '12 season dropped this same week, things were selling out fast.

Are you the Illest? | ILLEST LA | June 10, 2012

ILLEST Los Angeles
316 East 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 94402
Tel: (213) 626-4578

Before there was the brand, I remember following its counterpart Fatlace long before Illest was born. I started hearing about Fatlace through online streetwear blogs and its involvement with race car enthusiasts. But this is about Illest, which according to their website started in 2008. I think the first time I saw people wearing the Illest logo T-shirts, I thought they were a design from Fatlace. In reality Illest is its own brand and worn only by the illest people. On January 11, 2011 Illest opened up it's LA location store and the lines soon followed.

Made in L.A. 2012 at The Hammer Museum | June 9, 2012

After seeing countless ads around the LAX Airport, Downtown LA, and of course UCLA campus about this exhibit, I decided to stop by. Made in L.A. 2012 is an biennial exhibition featuring works by 60 artists around the L.A. region. It emphasizes on emerging and under-recognized artists, and debuts new installations, videos, films, sculptures, performances, and paintings. The exhibit runs till September 2, 2012. The museum is worth checking out especially if you're in the UCLA area.

Sneakers you won't find in stores anymore | RIF LA | June 9, 2012

RIF LA 334-A East 2nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: 213-617-0252 Open: 12pm-7pm Daily

     Still looking for those hard to find kicks you missed out on Saturday morning because you woke up late? Find them here at RIF LA. Near Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, CA you can locate this shop stacked with shoes from every brand and style. It reminded me of Flight Club but with a different attitude.

+ See any familiar kicks?

HALL OF FAME | Dec 15 2011

HALL OF FAME
449 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036


This is a different Hall of Fame. Inside you won't find famous athletes and their accolades but instead, fitteds and snapbacks of all sports teams and street wear brands. Sitting right next to Diamond Supply Co. on Fairfax in Los Angeles, this is the spot for dope headwear. They even carry their own line of clothing and headwear.

THE HUNDREDS LA | Dec 15 2011

Go on Fairfax and Rosewood to find the original The Hundreds store. I always pay a visit here whenever I'm in Los Angeles, CA. I could literally stay on Fairfax all day if I wanted too. Check out the Graffiti wall across the store covered by Retna.

SUPREME LA | Dec 15 2011

Supreme Los Angeles. Self explanatory, lots of exclusive skate shit.

UNDEFEATED SANTA MONICA | Dec 1 2011

Re-visited Undefeated in Santa Monica, the store had the same set up as last time except with new in season gear. Of course they are sold out of what I was looking for and no sneakers I wanted in my size. Being undefeated is hard.

THE HUNDREDS SANTA MONICA | Nov 11 2011

Barely a year old, The Hundreds store in Santa Monica, CA was a place I had to visit. Unlike their other stores the walls were primarily an industrial white color base making you feel you entered an art gallery, where the artifacts of clothing, footwear, and  accessories are the pieces of art.