Author / retoolsf

by retoolsf

Biggie Smalls says, “It’s time to make some wallets!”

Our last mascot was a stick insect named Gustavo. He hung out in the same spot on the back deck for about two weeks. We got a bit used to having him around. And then he was gone.  Before he departed, he was kind enough to sit for this portrait.

Hanging out on the back deck.

Hanging out on the back deck.

We recently came across a stuffed pillow version of Biggie Smalls (!)  and knew instantly that we had found the next .retool. mascot.

The pillow came from a shop called Late Greats that specializes in small pillows of historical figures. Many of them are quite awesome. You can see for yourself here.

Since his arrival, Biggie has been keeping an eye on wallet production.  We’re pretty sure he’ll stick around longer than Gustavo…

Biggie Smalls says, "Get back to work."

Biggie Smalls says, “Get back to work.”

by retoolsf

Noe Valley – A couple of quick food options

Food Options in Noe Valley

You can’t take more than ten steps along 24th Street in Noe Valley without encountering a restaurant.

We wanted to point out two inexpensive spots with vegan options on the menu.

Hahns Hibachi (yes, we know Korean BBQ doesn’t scream vegan options) has jap chae that comes with nicely seared tofu, really fresh broccoli, spinach and carrot mixed in with the noodles. Again, can’t vouch for the piles of meat – we’re just happy that when we’ve gone in for lunch it hasn’t smelled strongly of cooking beef. The Noe location is on Castro Street near 24th Street.

Half a block away, along 24th Street is The Little Chihuahua. Their vegetarian black beans and rice are seasoned well, will fill you up, and will give you a little more spring in your step as you dodge strollers and dogs on your way to the Mission. A close second on the .retool. rating system would be their tofu taco gluten free version, served on a corn tortilla. If you’re super hungry, get both and you’ll still only spend about $7.

by retoolsf

Noe Valley

Get to Know a Neighborhood:

Noe Valley and Fitwell Chiropractic Sports Medicine

Later this month we’ll be vending at the Noe Valley Harvest Festival. To get in the mood, we thought we’d do a series of blog posts about some of our favorite things in the neighborhood.  In this installment, we get a little help from official .retool. chiropractor, Dr. Lisa Covey of Fitwell Chiropractic Sports Medicine.

Here at .retool., we are a pretty active bunch (um. pair).  One of us regularly runs very long distances and is a bit of a fitness fiend. The other of us does Ju Jitsu with guys twice his weight.  Needless to say, our bodies take a pounding.

You might not think it, but sewing is surprisingly hard on the body. With all of our extracurricular activities, we sometimes need a little help to stay in tiptop shape so we can keep making cool stuff.

That’s where Lisa comes in.  Jamye found Lisa several years ago and recommended her to me after a martial arts injury.  Lisa was awesome – warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and very skilled.

Her office is in the heart of Noe Valley and here’s what she has to say about the neighborhood (and about being a chiropractor):

Why did you decide to become a chiropractor?

Before ever being adjusted, it was the philosophy of chiropractic that first caught my interest. The primary consideration of which is that the body has an innate capacity to heal itself. I found that to be totally unconventional, simple and in many circumstances true. Then I was adjusted and the rest is history. I have had the great privilege of being in private practice for 13 years and it’s the people I see everyday that makes my job the best in the world.  I meet and get to know so many amazing, interesting and moving people.

What do you do when you’re not busy with adjustments?

When I’m not busy with adjustments I have a two and three year old at home. Between the boys and my surfing wife we go to the beach a lot. At home we dork around in the garden with the greenhouse, vegetable garden, four chickens and worms. I cook and am currently super excited about a couple of micro green trays I just started.

How long have you lived in the Bay Area?

I have lived in the Bay Area since 1997. I moved here to attend chiropractic school and couldn’t believe it took me so long to get here. It’s home.

What do you like most about Noe Valley?

I like the location.  We can walk to the Mission, Castro and Glen Park. I love the sunny warm weather.  I like my neighbors and the small neighborhoody vibe of Noe.

What’s your favorite restaurant/bookstore/park/etc. in Noe Valley?

Honestly, my wife and children would say Happy Donuts.  But I’m a BIG fan of the farmers market.  I’d go every weekend if I could.  It’s a real luxury to have farmers bringing their fresh from the source goods to our community.

What’s your favorite new addition to the neighborhood?

Kind of new would be Celia Sack’s bookstore, Omnivore Books on Food (Church and Cezar Chavez). Although I haven’t been in yet, I think I really might like the new candy store on 24th… Buttons? [ed. – It’s Buttons Candy Bar]  Oh, and how can I forget the soon to be park on 24th, we are super excited about that.

If you didn’t live in Noe Valley, where in SF would you live?

If I didn’t live in Noe Valley I think I would like to live in one of those officer’s houses in the Presidio.  It just looks so idyllic.

What’s your favorite .retool. product?

My wife recently bought the passport wallet which I use as cellphone case/wallet.  I love it because now I carry only the one .retool. phone/wallet thing instead of two separate items (unless I’m carrying a purse, of course).

—-

Thanks Lisa!

by retoolsf

East Bay Love

Six Places We Like – East Bay Food Edition

Ok, so we have been a little obsessed with food lately. We do have some non-food related blog posts coming up soon, so stay tuned. Until then, why not grab a bite to eat at one of these .retool.-approved establishments? A few of them (Souley Vegan,  Cinnaholic, and Shangri-La) are 100% vegan. The rest have multiple mouth-watering vegan options.

  • Souley Vegan
    One of our all time favorite vegan restaurants. We especially love the everything plate. It’s great for sharing. Or not.
    301 Broadway, Oakland
  • Cinnaholic
    Tasty sweet treats. Vegans like cinnamon rolls (at least these vegans do). Our fave – Classic cinnamon roll with coffee frosting. You can also get frosting shots. Dangerous.
    2132 Oxford St, Berkeley
  • Shangri-la
    Your choice of the daily special in Large or Small.  Always tasty. Always organic. Yum.
    4001 Linden St, Oakland
  • Vik’s Chaat Corner
    Awesome Indian food. Street food prices. You can’t go wrong with the Sev Puri or Mix Veg Pakoras.
    2390 4th St, Berkeley
  • Cafe Tibet
    Savory, comforting Tibetan/Nepalese food near campus. Fun fact: the Tibetan owner will tell you stories about the pictures on the walls (mostly taken in India).
    2020 University Ave, Berkeley
  • Razan’s Organic Kitchen
    Middle Eastern fare including several tasty vegan options like the Mediterranean Plate and Hummus Plate (with Sumac).
    2119 Kittredge, Berkeley
by retoolsf

Vegan Restaurant Review!

Thai Idea

Anyone who knows us at all is aware that we love pumpkin curry. We are a discriminating duo, certainly, but have encountered a few pumpkin curries along the away that strike our fancy. The problem – either they are in a different city… we’re looking at you NYC and Seattle, or they were in San Francisco but are now defunct à la Suriya Thai in the Mission. Yes, I know what you’re thinking – ‘we’re awash in Thai restaurants, fool!’ To you, I say, not vegan ones…

Which brings me to… fanfare please… Thai Idea. Okay, okay I know it’s not a new joint. No one told me about it though, I had to stumble across it in the Tenderloin myself. Jacob was immediately on board for the .retool. field trip. We had Pumpkin Curry, Volcanic Beef, and Firecracker Balls. (The last one was ordered because we’re immature sometimes. Don’t think it’s funny? Go back and read the name again… yeah, we thought so.)

If I tried to describe the firecracker balls to you it wouldn’t make sense. Just order them and be happy. They are salty, a little spicy, and a little bit sweet. I could be all culinary and call them umami but I’m not gonna. They are tasty. Though, in our excitement we neglected to order the pumpkin curry “medium spicy” it had a decent amount of heat and the kabocha was spot on.  The tofu in it was a bit crunchy in a good way and a little bit tart and the veggies weren’t an afterthought, for once. The volcanic beef, as one could probably tell from the name, is more assertive in spice-factor. It’s quite a good sized portion even when splitting it – somehow we persevered.

If we’d had more room, we would have kept eating. No more pining away for Pukk in NYC for me! Wish I’d known about this place sooner.

A distinct bonus was that despite the Sturm und Drang of the immediate area it was quiet and tranquil inside. Eat there, now (or soon) but save us some curry.

Thai Idea

710 Polk Street ( near Eddy & probably under some scaffolding) on the east side of the street.

by retoolsf

Vendor of the Month!

Oaklandish is awesome!

We are super excited to be Oaklandish‘s Vendor of the Month for September.  We’ll be at the store with a wide selection of .retool. wallets on Saturday, September 14 from noon to 3pm.

We’ll talk about why we make vegan wallets, how we come up with our designs, and how to pick the perfect wallet. We may even bring in some wallets in progress for show and tell.  So if you’re in the area, stop by and say hi!

If you haven’t been to Oaklandish yet, this is the perfect opportunity to check them out. They’ve got a great line of apparel and they carry a bunch of products and designs from over 100 local artists and artisans in their store in downtown Oakland.  In addition, they are super involved in the community. They have free public events and give money to local artists and non-profits through grants, donations, and scholarships. Find out more about their community work here.

by retoolsf

Spotlight On: Enflux

Enflux – handcrafted jewelry

Every now and then we like to feature a fellow local artist. This time around, Ashley Reese, from Enflux was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. We love the clean lines of Ashley’s jewelry and we’re excited to  share a booth with her next month at the Noe Valley Harvest Festival.

Let’s get started!

How long have you lived in the Bay Area?

I have been living in San Francisco for 12 years now. I came out to visit a friend and loved it so much I moved here.

Ashley's workspace.

Ashley’s workspace.

How did you get started making jewelry?

I have always been interested in jewelry. My mother had a beautiful collection of pieces from her mother and grandmother, and my father’s love of geology always attracted him to the colored gemstones. I started making jewelry by taking a class at a bead shop on Valencia Street and after that, I was hooked. I continued taking classes in jewelry fabrication and metalsmithing at the Revere Academy in downtown San Francisco.

You use reclaimed metals in your jewelry. That’s awesome. What led to that decision? Where do you get the metal?

In a business where a lot is unknown about how metals and stones are mined, I think it’s important to do what we can to help minimize the negative impact we have on our environment. And luckily, many other jewelers agree. I buy my wire and sheet metal from a company called Hoover and Strong that does their own refining from scrap metals and sells back to the jewelry trade.

What are your go-to tools?

Mmmm... tools.

Mmmm… tools.

I haven’t met a jeweler who isn’t completely obsessed with tools, whether they do it as a hobby or are a professional. I have to admit I have this problem as well. The tools that almost never get put away on my bench are an assortment of pliers, my goldsmithing hammer, my saw, and my half round hand file. I do the majority of my work with these tools. One day I hope to acquire a rolling mill to texture and and customize the thickness of sheet metal.

Tell us a bit about your design process.

I come up with designs in many ways. Usually I draw out ideas first on paper and then when I start working with the metal it turns into another thing entirely. Other times I use a sharpie and draw directly onto the metal to get a feel for it as a finished piece. I’ve even been known to make sand drawings of an idea I have in my head.

New pieces. We love the bracelets!

New pieces. We love the bracelets!

Do you have any new designs in the works?

I’m working on a line of geometric pieces in brass. I’m liking the angular lines at the moment. We’ll see how it goes.

Do you sell your work in any local shops?

I sell at a shop in Hayes Valley called California Made Mercantile (formerly RAG SF) which sells home goods, art, jewelry and clothing made entirely by artists in California.

What’s your favorite local area/neighborhood to hang out in?

Besides the bar hi lo club on polk street for occasional happy hours, I hang out in the Mission area, mainly because most of my friends live there and it’s walking distance from my house. I’m always finding new shops and restaurants there.

Thanks Ashley!

To see more of Ashley’s awesome work, check out her online shop, Enflux, on Etsy.  If you want to see her (and us!) in person, come stop by the Noe Valley Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 10-5.

by retoolsf

Hello, World

.retool. expansion

We’re excited to announce that we are expanding our presence outside the SF Bay Area! We recently sent off bundles of wallets to a couple of really cool looking shops. We just wish we could have made the deliveries in person (did we mention the shops look cool?).

  • City Bird was founded by a pair of native Detroiters (and siblings). In addition to their line of Detroit-themed goods, they feature work by over 200 independent artists, designers, and makers.  You can find them in the Cass Corridor in Midtown, Detroit.
  • Made is located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The store features an eclectic mix of art and handmade goods. They describe their aesthetic as ‘hip, functional, and unique.’ The owner is also an artist and makes glass belt buckles (awesome!).

We’re happy (and a bit proud) to be included in their collections.

Want to see which other retail stores carry.retool. products? Check out the full list here.

by retoolsf

The Big One

New Prototype – Large Wallet (aka The Big One)

Work is well under way on our latest prototype and we wanted to share our progress with you.

This one is for the folks who have a lot to carry and want to keep it all organized.

Interior view.

Interior view.

The Background

It’s relatively easy for us to design mini wallets, because that’s we tend to want to use. However, we fully realize that not everyone is looking to cut down on what they cart around every day and that’s just fine with us. The challenging part for us is to try to design a larger piece that fits within our aesthetic.

We’ve been working on a large wallet for ages, (an embarrassingly long time, in fact). Nothing we came up with felt quite right. Our test versions were either too bulky, didn’t seem to have a good mix of features, or the proportions just seemed off.

We think we finally have it figured out and our prototype is ready for field testing. We’re excited!

The Breakthrough(s)

The welt style zipper pocket is lined with ripstop nylon and has a slot behind it.

The welt style zipper pocket is lined with ripstop nylon and has a slot behind it.

We recently had a request for a custom passport wallet – the customer wanted to add a zippered pocket. I played around for a bit and decided to form a pocket on the outside by folding the seat belt webbing and stitching up the sides (she loved the results, by the way – yay!). I liked the design, too and thought it would scale up nicely (our passport wallets aren’t quite long enough to hold paper money unfolded).

The next issue was the interior of the wallet. I’ve been experimenting with bag linings lately and that really came in handy. I decided to essentially line the wallet with a long strip of Cordura® nylon. Then I added a bunch of pockets and slots to the ‘lining’.

The current test version features one lined zippered pocket on the outside perfect for a smartphone, a bunch of change, small cables, some lipstick, or even some pens. There is a slot behind the pocket for tucking notes.

The interior has 6 card slots that will each hold around 3 cards, a lined zippered pocket with a slot behind it for paper money or receipts, and an additional long pocket for paper money, receipts, or even a checkbook.

Two large slots for paper money / receipts plus another lined zippered pocket.

Two long slots plus another lined zippered pocket.

Six card slots help keep your cards organized.

Six card slots help keep your cards organized.

Stay tuned – we hope to have it ready for production later this summer!