Play ball
Parasol at Cafe Flore, BottleRock, Showoff, DanniJoPro, Imsouane, MORE
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Surf rider
JENNIFER HINTON • chief creative officer & co-founder • Carve Designs
Neighborhood you live in: Downtown San Rafael
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
The office of our beach-inspired clothing and swimwear brand is buzzing with creativity. Everyone works in the office on Wednesdays, so it’s always a bit more fun. Music is on to keep the energy alive. People are excited to work collaboratively, and everyone always brings a fun vibe. My finance director makes the best pot of coffee, and we all stand in line for his brew. We have a management meeting for a couple of hours during which all department heads review the week, update sales data and share any info we all need to know.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Friday night with the hubs, I’m hitting Oliver’s Pizzeria on Fourth Street in San Rafael for the best martini and brick-oven pizza in town. This spot’s a gem. A bit of a secret (up above sister restaurant Vin Antico) and feels like I’m tucked away in a cool New Orleans hotspot. Vin, on the ground floor, also has a great bar and snacks menu with fun waitstaff.
How about a little leisure or culture?
This spring, we’ve been hitting Ocean Beach on Sunday mornings for some surf and then going somewhere on Geary for dim sum and Asahi beers. Clement Street is a favorite for shopping all the food markets, plus random knick-knack stores, crystals, thrift shops, and Chinese markets. Haight is also one of my favorite streets to walk — the people-watching there is kind of insane. And lastly, I love the de Young, and often wander the galleries to gather inspo. As a family, we love hitting a Warriors game; I’m raising two basketballers, and it’s become an obsession.
What was your last great vacation?
I spent a week surfing in Imsouane, Morocco. It was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on, and I can’t wait to go back. I went with Surf with Amigas, owned and run by Holly Beck. I met the most amazing women on this trip, and we had luxe accommodations, fresh organic food, and top-notch surf guides. Imsouane has a dreamy point break and a beach break, so there are a lot of fun options for everyone.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A 1947 vintage Dior sewing jacket from Sunset’s in San Rafael.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I always recommend Christina Belli for brow wax/tint and lash tint. I love her. Viva Diva in Corte Madera to buy fun shoes; Golden Island for the best foot massage ever; Nomad for piercings and luxe jewels. And check out DanniJoPro (she’s based out of Tiburon) for epic sports gear for the ladies.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I donate to the NAACP and the ACLU, as well as the Send It Foundation out of Lake Tahoe, CA.
WORK LINKS: Why hiring managers are asking applicants to write poems • Dropbox eschews hybrid work for virtual-only • The US is addicted to disposable work • Master’s degrees are losing luster • Independent contributor work is the new career flex.
GETAWAYS • FOUNDLISTING
The Storybook Coast
Explore Carmel-by-the-Sea, one long weekend at a time
Few places in the world compare to Carmel-by-the-Sea — the quaint town favors whimsical cottages and secret passageways that encourage wandering more than overplanning. Originally an artist colony, Carmel has managed to maintain an endearing charisma and picturesque allure. Days unfold here between the white-sand Carmel Beach, locally sourced dining, and hidden courtyards lined with independently owned galleries and shops. Just a couple hours south of San Francisco, it feels refreshingly analog, the kind of place that rewards lingering a little longer.
→ Book a trip: Carmel-by-the-Sea [spon]
RESTAURANT LINKS: After 22 years, Embarcadero Italian destination Ristobar to shutter • Loquat bakery opening second location in Inner Richmond • Sports bar SoMa Social opening timed to World Cup • Marufuku Ramen expands to Walnut Creek.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Object
Spice, girl
Every time I go to a restaurant and see a dish with salsa macha, I order it. There’s something irresistible about the mix of nuts, seeds, chiles, and oil, and I’ve never encountered an ingredient that didn’t benefit from a spoon of this traditional Mexican condiment. But it never occurred to me to buy a jar for the pantry until I came across Showoff, a new Bay Area brand started by entrepreneur Margarita Flores Vasconcelos.
Putting to work a multi-generational recipe, Showoff features three flavors: Classic Peanut, which packs a dangerous spice punch, the milder Cherry Pistache, and Honey Pecan. All are available in two sizes, a 2-ounce jar that’s ideal for sampling, and a 6.5-oz one (the latter is currently sold out). This is Vasconcelos’ first food venture, and it’s a small, focused operation that doesn’t skimp on cute branding.
Having already sprinkled the different salsa machas on roasted sweet potatoes, burrata and squash, and more, I can attest that all of them are texturally rich, with distinct, nuanced flavors that go beyond the spice. More importantly, perhaps, they gave my dishes that restaurant-quality impressive finish that took them from “I made something” to “I made an effort.” And yes: I may have told a white lie once or twice when asked if I made the salsa macha myself. With a product that good, can you blame me? –Flora Tsapovsky
→ Shop: Showoff, 2 oz, $7.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Better Than the rest
Chris Redd • Cobb’s Comedy Club (North Beach) • Fri @ 760p • Preferred, $46 per
Giants v White Sox • Oracle Park (Embarcadero) • Sat @ 105p • FC117, $152per
Bush • Napa Music Hall (Napa) • Sun @ 10a • BAL $184 per
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Outside Lands dining offerings lean into comfort foods • This year’s Carnaval is all about soccer • Striking out at SoMa batting cage The Natural.
ASK FOUND
And three new PROMPTS for which we desire your attention:
I’m in search of a great knife sharpener. Intel?
Tell us about your favorite garden or plant store for spring.
Oyster Week is in the books. What should FOUND’s next theme week be?
Hit reply or email found@itsfoundsf.com with more answers or questions.
RESTAURANTS • First Word
No shade
The Skinny: Formerly Cafe Flore (and more recently rebranded as a short-lived restaurant called Fisch & Flore), the highly central Castro cafe at Noe and Market just reopened with a makeover from Cow Hollow wine bar owner Jacob Paronyan. The new business, Parasol at Cafe Flore, is a better fit for a long-beloved space and an historic neighborhood.