Make Lemonade
The Bite
What do you do when life hands you a bunch of broken-down lemons? Some clever folks turn it into the novel stuff on Limonaia's shelves. This homey Russian Hill outpost is packed with unique, handcrafted charmers such as stuffed animals, ceramics, and jewelry made with repurposed materials (keeping landfills smaller and saving energy needed to make new stuff). Grab a one-of-a-kind ring fashioned from old maps (does that say "Bay of Biscay"?) or a rustic tin wall hanging made from oil cans. Some items are produced locally (more coming soon), and imported items are mostly fair-trade. No lemons here.
Wanna Try
Limonaia, 1506 Vallejo St. at Polk St. (415-440-9700). Ethno map rings, $79-$89.
LIKE THIS TIP? TRY THESE:
The Gift Shop Tip
The Fair-Trade Art Tip