Jessica Naomi

New Apt in the Mission

I moved! While I loved my place in Nob Hill, I didn’t fancy the neighborhood too much. NY made me a walking girl, and I wanted to find an apt where I could easily walk to the market, coffee shops, stores, restaurants, nightlife. I found it at my new place in the Mission district of San Francisco. Its right at the heart of everything, and I am thrilled! New place means a clean space to go crazy with decorating ideas :) I LOVE design and home decor so this is going to be a fun project. Im also right in the middle of helping my boyfriend redesign and restructure his house - his place is going to be stunning with the design concept being clean, woodsy, natural, refined and organic. Because of this though, I want to go completely opposite with my temporary Mission apartment and let out the inner crazy girly style in me. Here are some inspiration photos:

Love the glass table with the strong geometric rug

Perfect seagreen vintage mirror. I’ve been looking for a replica for weeks!

Polka dots add a bit of whimsy, and the b/w eiffel tower photo adds a nice touch

Pops of color

Rug really brightens up a room

Fun decorative accent pillows

Bay Area Hiking

A new hobby of mine since moving back to San Francisco has been hiking. Its a fun alternative to working out with amazing views to boot. I never realized it, but there are actually hundred of wonderful hikes around the Bay. Two of my favorite sites to find new hikes are bahiker and weekend sherpa. Check them out, you will discover all these hidden trails right in your own backyard! Here are some recent hikes I’ve been on:

Rodeo Beach

I love hikes with views and this one does not disappoint. Its located a few miles over the Golden Gate Bridge. The trail is right next to a very active beach, when I went it was filled with surfers and folks with dogs. Hike was approximately 4 miles with a bit of an incline (which i like!). Stunning views at every corner. Also fun because I packed a little picnic that I ate on the beach after the hike was over. Another plus: I saw Jake Gyllenhaal hiking this trail when I was there!

Lands End

This hike is super fun and good for beginners. It can get crowded on the weekends, and theres a good reason why. The hike starts off at the Cliff House (near the Richmond), you pass Sutro Baths, and then barely into the first 10 minutes of the trail you see gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The trail is mostly flat, but the second half has stairs and dirt paths. Approximately 2 miles (but I heard you can also hike all the way to the GG bridge and over it)

San Bruno Mountain State Park

This hike is 3.5 miles and ascends up a mountain. Who knew San Bruno had trails like this? Once I reached the top, I was rewarded with a brand new view of San Francisco that I had never seen before. 

Other favorites:

• Angel Island State Park
• Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop

Some hikes I want to check out in the near future:

• Mission Peak
• Castle Rock State Park
• Point Reyes National Seashore: Palomarin to Alamere Falls 
• Tomales Bay State Park
• Point Reyes National Seashore: Chimney Rock 
• San Pedro Valley State Park
• Fort Funston

2012 New Years Resolution

I realize this post is a bit late, but I cant believe its already 2012. This year I spent New Years Eve at a cool bar in San Francisco called Smugglers Cove. Its basically a hip pirates bar with incredible drinks (case in point: the “Batida” which is a rum based drink with condensed milk). It’s also rated one of the best bars in San Francisco. 

My resolution this year is to be a better sister, daughter, friend and girlfriend. Heres to a good 2012!

My SF Abode

Its been about 4 months since I’ve moved from NYC to SF. While I still miss my life in the big apple tremendously (there needs to be a subway system in SF!), I am learning to love my slower-paced life in San Francisco. I like that I am able to bike around town, buy fresh veggies and cook in an actual kitchen, live in a bigger space, and see my family and friends. What also helped me get settled in quickly was finding my awesome apartment situated in Nob Hill. 

Its a 4 bedroom, 2 bath apartment that sits on a hill overlooking the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, and the cable car passes right in front. Not a bad way to wake up! When its not foggy out, the bridge is quite a sight to see (pic below). My housemates are a random group of sweet girls, and we all have a love for home decor, exploring the city, and cooking. Im looking forward to my adventures here!

Our kitchen, where we are trying to do a bi-weekly roomie cooking night

The living room, with a bit of a beachy feel

I love the details of the beach-themed living room

The shared sunroom, which overlooks the GG bridge

My bedroom (work still in progress…. need to find a theme for the room!). Still, I love the fireplace and antique detailing.

Gorgeous view from the sunroom

View from my bedroom window

A Fond Farewell to SF and a Parting Gift

Bidding farewell to San Francisco was bittersweet. On one hand, I was so ready to pack my bags and start a new life adventure. But on the other hand, this last month of goodbye dinners made me realize what a great network of friends I had in SF. Im still getting emails and texts from them checking up on me and ive learned that above all, what matters the most is having good people in your life.

On my second to last day in SF, I planned a dinner in the city with my sister. I got lost (of course) and (so fittingly) was forced to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. A pretty awesome mistake - It was 6:30pm, 70 degrees, and gorgeous out. What a way to send me off. SF wasnt going to let me go without a parting gift, was she?