Pop Up Hood picks!

Some of you have heard about the amazing Pop Up Hood that is happening here in Oakland. If you're not familiar with it, take a few minutes to watch this inspiring video.

POPUPHOOD from Eva Kolenko on Vimeo.

I'm very excited to be involved in such an innovative and exciting project as part of Crown Nine, one of the 5 stores that opened in December.

Last week I visited the Pop Up Hood retailers with my trusty camera to share my favorite picks from each shop. Come down to Old Oakland for lunch and a little shopping trip. Old + new = the best of both worlds.

Start off your exploration with lunch at Tamarindo, Cafe 817 or old school Ratto's. All three are solid choices and offer outdoor seating for this glorious weather we've been having.

Wander over to Piper and John's General Goods for a modern day general store experience.

I'm obsessing over these dream catchers by Papa LlamaI could live in this perfect top by the PODOLLSStunning lamps by ANK ceramicsGreat vintage picks


Mosey next door to Marion & Rose's Workshop, a wonderfully curated selection of high craft, art and design. The owners are both artists themselves, so they clearly have an eye for wonderful things.
Adorable tea towels by Leah DuncanLove this modern take on veladoras by artist Gina TuzziReally cool products by Juniper RidgePrints by Michael McConnell



Next head on over to the "secret" breezeway that houses Crown Nine, which is the boutique that I'm part of. Crown Nine carries handcrafted luxury good for home & body. We specialize in the wonderful world of jewelry.
The three of us jewelers take turns working the shop!I want all of theses patches by Jen Lorang of AlchemillaBeautiful and useful jars by Vitrified StudioThese amazing clutches by El Hustle are constant best sellers for us


On the corner of 9th and Broadway sits Manifesto Bicycle. I dream of building my bike collection and there are more than a few beauties at Manifesto that I would be proud to own.
This cherry red Linus Dover stole my heart.Must have market tote for the bicycle lover in your lifeThis beauty couldn't help but catch the sunlight.


Finally, around the corner is Sticks and Stones Gallery which occupies a lovely brick lined space. They were in the middle of installing a new show when I was making the rounds, but they have amazingly fun art openings, so definitely check out their calendar of events.

If you still have hours left in your day, explore Oakland Chinatown. I much prefer it San Francisco's version, as it's a bit more tame. You could also hop on the free Broadway shuttle and head Uptown for great food, bar and live music options. Or take the shuttle towards Jack London Square and explore this industrial wonderland (home to my studio) and some of my favorites like Chop Bar, Blue Bottle, and Heinolds.

Secret Shop

I love me some vintage goodies, but don't often have time to do serious thrifting. I often find myself scouring ebay and etsy for cool duds. It's much easier for me to determine the wearability of a vintage piece if I can see it on a person v.s. a ramshackle rack or bin to be sifted through. Taking it one step further is the lookbook. Granted you can't really shop from a vintage lookbook as the pieces are one of a kind, but it does whisk me away to a happy place and give me inspiration for shopping the other items available and styling them in my own way. Love these images from Secret Shop's lookbook. Bonus points: the newest features Frankie Raydar.

all mine

Things have been very busy, as they so often are around the holidays, and even more so when you make something that people want to buy to give for the holidays.

Last week I had a moment to breathe and I decided it was about time that I make my engagement ring.

My fiancé took my advice (good boy) when he proposed and did so with what will become by wedding band. I had my Grammy's gorgeous diamond that I wanted to use, and seriously....trying to find a jeweler the engagement ring of her dreams? Good luck.

My ring is inspired by the heavy Egyptian influence during the Art Deco design period after the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. I've always been fascinated by the mystery that surrounded the excavation, as well as the allure of far away places.

I hand carved my ring in wax and then cast it in 18k yellow gold, my absolute favorite. Two pyramids capture the bezel set diamond, flanked by slithering snakes with diamonds in their heads. Just strangely awesome enough for my taste.

Ahhh, to be in love!