We present to you the best ways to get off your butt and do stuff.
WAY TO HANG TEN: Oakland
Surf Club
Husband and wife duo Max Klineman and Ariana Serrano-Embree launched hybrid concept store Oakland Surf Club out of a deep love for the city and its surf and skate lifestyle. Look for a curated selection of men’s and women’s sporty-casual clothes, surfboards, books, and magazines. The upstairs gallery features the couple’s favorite local artists and serves as a venue for occasional live music shows. Hang ten, brah!
POP-UP
PHOTO SUPPLY: Photojojo
Camera buffs can geek out over all the new and vintage wares at this online photo shop. Last year, the owners hosted a super-secret pop-up store that you could only access by checking in on Foursquare or Instagram. Now, Photojojo hosts occasional sidewalk sales outside of their building on Valencia Street, so you can peruse their plethora of camera and iPhone accessories in person. Keep your eyes peeled for their next curbside presence at Sunday Streets.
BAY VIEWS: Tideline Taxi
Here’s a sexy way to take your date for dinner in Sausalito—book this water taxi service at dusk for unparalleled views of the city and the bay. Tideline is a bit of a splurge (fares start at $30 per couple) and a sure draw for tourists, but it’s still a supercharged way to beat bridge traffic. And it holds up to 12 people, so you can make a reservation for your fam’s next visit now.
ZIP RIDE: Scoot Networks
Your transportation options just got snazzier. The tech-forward Scoot Networks offers a cheap, simple, and very European way of getting around with a fleet of electronic red scooters that are smart-phone activated. Sign up for a monthly membership, and then pick up and return your ride at any of the several Scoot spots. Muni, be damned.
TWO WHEELER: Faraday Porteur
After months in beta testing, Faraday’s electric bike finally hits the market later this summer. Equipped with a manual or electric option (which you can switch on and off based on your tolerance for hiking it up SF’s hills), the vintage-looking bike boasts laser-engraved trim, leather seating, bamboo fenders, LED lights, and a motor with enough juice to get you back and forth across the city, minus the sweat.
Photo via Karl Neilsen Photography
GYM: Dogpatch
Boulders
Mission Cliffs and Planet Granite are facing fierce competition. Premier indoor-climbing company Touchstone has opened Dogpatch Boulders, the largest gym in the country devoted to bouldering—the no-ropes, no-harnesses kind of climbing that’s all about power. The 17,700-square-foot space features walls up to 17 feet high, gentle slabs, overhanging cresting waves, and an 18-foot-tall arch spanning 30 feet that’s the awe-inspiring centerpiece of the gym.
CHILL DAY: The Spa at Mandarin Oriental
You don’t have to book a room at the Mandarin Oriental to take advantage of the new 8,000-square-foot spa, tea lounge, and fitness center serving up holistic, Asian-inspired treatments in suites with private bathrooms. The spa specializes in traditional Chinese medicine techniques, aromatherapy, and Oriental meridian massage. Sign up for a “time ritual” (reserving time rather than a specific treatment so that your service can be customized), book a day’s worth of spa treatments, and leave your phone at home.
ADVENTURE APP:
Mosey
Launched in April by a team of former California College of the Arts grads, Mosey’s mobile web app hosts user-generated Bay
Area itineraries (Google-mapped and all), ranging from an Oakland beer adventure to a Sunday stroll through the Outer Sunset. You can save, sort, and share excursions with friends. Think of it as a guidebook curated by locals and updated in real time.
BOOT CAMP: Bay Area combat Parkour
We’ve all seen it in the movies—running up walls, leaping off rooftops, vaulting over urban obstacles. Parkour is all the rage, and now SF has its own studio dedicated to the sport. Run by instructor Jonathan Philpott, who’s been honing his tricks for nine years, Bay Area Combat Parkour’s indoor gym is a safe (read: padded) place where you can learn the skills while keeping yourself intact.
DIY HAVEN: Makeshift Society
Launched in September by former Rare Device owner Rena Tom, SFgirlbybay Victoria Smith, and Minted brand muse Suzanne Shade, Makeshift Society is a hub for creatives to work together, share ideas, and socialize in a stylish setting with printing and WiFi. Member or not, scratch your DIY itch with events and workshops such as calligraphy and iPhoneography, where you can elevate your smartphone image-grabbing skills.
This article was published in 7x7's June issue. Click here to subscribe.
