“While the Chronicle may be subtly trying to transform the phrase ‘it’s all about you’ from an accusation of solipsism into a plea for community engagement, I fear that this ‘journalism of action’ is just one more desperate effort to save a dying industry by catering to people’s most egocentric impulses.”

San Francisco ranks second to Seattle in the number of bookstores per capita, according to the annual literacy survey from Central Connecticut State Univ.

1938 SF Street Map | 1938 East Bay Street Map

I hear it snowed back home. That makes me all wistful.

I can’t dress myself to save my life, but I am fascinated by fashion. I don’t dig shopping all that much, but I love clothes that make me look my best. If I can be artful in clothing myself, all the better. However, this knack for adorning my body in attractive, stylish ways does not come naturally. I need help. I need inspiration. I need blogs like Mai’s Fashionist, which is about “unadulterated street fashion from San Francisco.”

Mai, camera in tow, stops passersby on the streets of San Francisco and asks to take their picture. She asks those whose outfits appeal to her to pose for quick snapshots of the attire they’ve chosen that day. The range of styles that Mai features on her blog are pretty vast. I’m also impressed with Mai’s bravery in asking complete strangers to pose for her blog. I can’t imagine that is easy.

There are other blogs like Fashionist, like The Sartorialist. That blogger focuses on the streets of Paris, Milan and NYC, often choosing models to portray. As far as I can tell, Mai’s subjects are a little more everyday, though no less fantastically dressed.

If you are fashion deficient like me, live in the Bay Area, and want some local color for wardrobe inspiration, bookmark The Fashionist.

While I await the launch of The Yet To Be Named Work Blog, I am going to work some sample posts into the fray here at Sparkwood & 21. These posts will be found in the Bay Area Blogs category for future reference.