A Fair to Remember- visiting North Beach's hidden gem

I had to take a break from the work, the classes, projects and proposals... I've been feeling a little overwhelmed. So I grabbed my new intern, B, and headed for the annual North Beach Festival for a break and some fresh air. Little did I know we'd skip the event when we saw this  adorable banner, A Fair to Remember, stretched across Jack Kerouac Alley between Vesuvio Cafe and City Light Bookstore on Colombus Avenue where North Beach, China Town and the Financial District all intersect.

[caption id="attachment_1094" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Beautiful day, perfect location, gorgeous view... this is why I love San Francisco!"][/caption]

We jumped right in, first, to learn more about the event...

[caption id="attachment_1090" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Click this photo or go to www.afairtoremembersf.com for the details"][/caption]

Turns out, local creatives have been setting up shop here the third Sunday of every month for a couple of years now. And many of these vendors also have shops on Etsy.com. How did I not know?! I take a deep breath and we head down the alley to see what we can find...

[caption id="attachment_1095" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="There's usually live music to enjoy while you shop..."][/caption]

We enjoy the music as we peruse one adorable vendor spot after another...

[caption id="attachment_1096" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="I love Mary Marie Knits playful spin on knitted art and goods. Click this image or go to www.marymarieknits.etsy.com"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1099" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="I didn't get a photo of Meagan's table, but trust me- you'll love her handmade and custom rubber stamps. Click this image or go to www.brownpigeon.etsy.com to see more of her beautiful products."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1100" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Kristina Basgen creates stamped hand towels and other lovely things to promote eco-friendly goods and local foods"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1103" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Packed in used berry containers- Kristina's creations really are almost good enough to eat."][/caption]

We saw t-shirts, hand made soaps, and vintage goods for sale... all under the windows of local residents...

[caption id="attachment_1114" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The fair flags drew my eyes to the hanging laundry above our heads. Somehow it all works"][/caption]

And in honor of taking the road less traveled we ordered drinks for each other at Vesuvio's for a rest before heading back to work. I ordered B a Captain Morgan and ginger ale. She came up with a Harvey Wallbanger for me- and I'll admit, it did have nostalgic charm to match our adventure.

I don't know if this is the right venue for me, but I admire these creatives putting their ideas into to form and taking them out into the world. It has me thinking about where, when, how to bring my pillows and fabric to market... what do you think? Local venue, etsy, boutiques, online, find a rep... feeling overwhelmed by the options, so for now I'll get back to the proposals and projects. Making Room for More is about stepping out of your comfort zone for sure. But it's also about taking everything in stride and working through the details as you expand your capacity to handle More in your life. I'm on my way. Hope you are too!