(Image above: Renegade Craft Fair sign, mini toast friends from Wonder Thunder, crayons from Kitty Baby Love)

Last month, Emily and I went to the famous Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco to see the latest in handmade fashion, accessories, homewares and more. Held in a beautiful venue right by the bay, and populated by over 300 indie crafters, it was an amazing and inspiring experience. We shopped for ourselves (who could resist?) but also found some great new designers to showcase right here on ModCloth (coming soon!).

Read on to learn more about the crafts and fashions at Renegade!

(Image above: crafts from My Imaginary Boyfriend, Mary Beths Art and i made you a beard)

I really love craft fairs because they have it all. Anything you could ever want, from a pretty but practical tablecloth to a totally impractical but AWESOME rainbow felt beard. We scoured the entire fair, stopping at each and every booth, to bring you our favorite finds. I know, it’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it. Check these artists out!

• Adorable handmade kitty crayons from KittyBabyLove

• Hilarious felt beards from i made you a beard

• Incredible roll-on perfume from mi SPA (my favorite is Ume!)

• Beautiful prints from The Black Apple

• Unique tees & votives from maryink

• Old school video game inspired jewelry from Pixel Party

• Pretty printed tees from supermaggie

• Ladylike jewelry from oh, hello friend

• Cute stuff from Hamburgerpanda

• Log pillows & more from My Imaginary Boyfriend

• Funny animal illustrations from Berkley Illustrated

• Delicious food scarves & plushes from TwinkieChan

• Recycled book journals from Ex Libris Anonymous

• Charming bear prints from 3 Fish Studios

Along with the cute crafts, we also spotted some cute attendees!

We adored these lovely ladies’ style. In fact, Tomoko, who’s wearing a vintage dress on the right, is also a designer and boutique owner! If you’re ever in Berkely, CA, pay her a visit.

As Susan, Sari and I are getting reacquainted with our Pittsburgh surroundings, one thing is for sure: we miss Berlin’s cuisine! From soft pretzels to eggplant roll-ups, we sampled some of the best that Europe has to offer. But as Sari mentioned in her Top 10 post, one restaurant stole our heart – Gorki Park! Its farmer’s breakfast for two was the perfect start for a day of vintage shopping. We couldn’t go just once!

Read on to hear more about the food and nightlife we experienced in Berlin!

The great food wasn’t the only aspect of Gorki Park we fell in love with. Its cute Russian decor was unlike anything we’ve seen in the US. An open dining room, assortment of old photos, and some kitschy Soviet accoutrements  set the mood for a uniquely European experience.

And while we were hunting down the next great vintage shop for us to explore, we were faced with a choice: should we continue on down the block, or wander into this interesting urban cave? Needless to say, we chose the cave!

At the end of the hall, we found a beach oasis, complete with a ping pong table, bar, and sand beneath our feet! This cute little cafe was called Studio 54, and we gladly spent an hour sipping cocktails and listening to their “Best of Micheal Jackson” as we strolled through the cluster of art galleries the space housed. There was even a drink bus!

Finally, after some searching, we found ourselves at Magnet. Boasting two dancing rooms, two bars, and a cute outdoor area, we danced the night away in German style. Sari looks so great in our Frassy Dress, and Susan is stylin’ in our Paisley Full of Pockets Dress. I was wearing vintage (shhhhhh).

This was just a taste of the great food, nightlife, and art we experienced all around us in Berlin. I can’t wait until the next Bread and Butter. Stay tuned for a preview of what we’ve ordered! Do you have any hot Berlin tips for us? Let me know! Thanks for reading, and happy shopping!

Bread and Butter

If you are like me you dread the airport. Long security lines, crappy food and uncomfortable seats (not to mention those check baggage fees) but what if you were going the airport not to board a long flight but to shop for amazing clothing?  Well, that’s exactly what we  just did!  This month the ModCloth buyers traveled to Berlin, Germany to attend Bread and Butter, the premier apparel tradeshow for all of Europe.  The event was held at the now non-operating Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.  There they transformed airplane hangars  into showrooms, waiting areas into restaurants and the tarmac into exhibitor tents!  The baggage claim carousel was even operating but instead of holding luggage it help tote bags and tradeshow maps.

Keep reading to hear more about Bread and Butter

We found some great brands at Bread and Butter from everywhere from Copenhagen to Korea. Some of the brands we had seen before but luckily for us (and for you ModCloth shopper) for some of these brands we will be the first people they are working with in the United States!   That means ModCloth with soon be the exclusive source for some very cool European and Asian designers you wont’ be able to find elsewhere! We really hope you will enjoy the items we picked as much has we enjoyed finding them!  Until next time, Auf Wiedersehen!

Image from Street Peeper

I’m really inspired by the bold colors of this girl’s dress, and I love the simplicity of the wrapped style offset by ruffled sleeves. She looks like a pretty little circus clown with her hat and bright red corsage. Her simple black accessories work perfectly with her vibrant dress. To add a splash of color to your wardrobe, try the Orangerie Dress in Crystal Palace and pair it with The Cover Girl’s Derby, The Fabulous Purse, Black Mamba Flats and the Flower Box Pin.

This edition of tales from the road comes from none other than Pittsburgh favorite Gooskis! This Friday, I was lucky enough to wander into the best dance party I’ve attended in years, hosted by Slavic Soul Party. The Balkan-inspired band hails from none other than New York City, where they’ve brought the party time and time again.

Read on to hear more about our booty-shaking Friday night!

Boasting a full horn section, matching t-shirts, and a sultry siren of a singer, their Gypsy beats and American funk anthems had the entire crowd dancing! Pandemic DJ’s Pete Spynda and Caulen Kress kept the crowd rocking between SSP’s two high-energy sets.

And we all know that ModClothers love a good party – I found writers Turi and Hannah among the dancing masses! I can’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun (and my Leather and Lattice flats keep me cool and comfy as I rocked out)! What’s going on in your home town? Let me know! Thanks for reading, and happy shopping.

Later today I will be hitting the road for a 12 hour drive to the tiny town of Manchester, Tennessee, with a few friends and my camping equipment crammed in to a very Cheech and Chong-esq conversion van. The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival kicks off tomorrow, and this year is going to be siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick! Four days, Eight stages, over 150 bands and 80,000 people. I am so excited that I can barely contain myself!

Are You Going To The ‘Roo? If you are, my friend, you are in luck! I have in my possession three fabulous tote bags filled with goodies, and one of them could be yours! Yes, our Hide and Chic scavenger hunt is making its way down to the farm for the Hide & Chic: Bonnaroo Edition! I will hide one tote a day (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) in various locations inside Centeroo. Make sure you are following @ModCloth on twitter because I’ll be tweeting little clues to help you in your pursuit!

Can’t Make It? Don’t be bummed!! You can still get in to the action by saving 25% off some of our fave festival duds (such as the oh-so-chic Mara Headband) during our BONNAROO SALE!!

Update on 6/11/2009: The Bonnaroo Sale might have ended last night at midnight, but you can still check out these items that are on sale now!

[From left to right: Boston Common Park, Harvard Campus, Swan boat on the Boston Common Lagoon]

I have always attempted to use the long Memorial Day weekend as a chance to explore other cities and after stumbling upon $79 round trip tickets to Boston late one night, I knew Bean Town must be my next excursion!  Lucky enough to have perfect weather and a friend to stay with, I was on my way! The first day in Boston, we explored Cambridge.  Harvard’s  Campus,  Twisted Village Records, and a late night showing of  400 Blows (Tommy Lee Jones was in attendance) at The Brattle Theater were a few of the things on the itinerary for day one.

Keep reading for more of my Boston adventure..

[Friendly Toast- The decor is amazing!]

The next few days were spent exploring the rest of the city.  We spent an afternoon in Boston Common Park, where we took a cute swan boat ride in the lagoon.  We had tasty brunch at Friendly Toast, which is the cutest restaurant I  have ever seen!   We walked Newbury Street and had awesome beer and vegetarian food at the Other Side Cafe, and we capped off the weekend with a Labyrinth Sing and Quote Along in Coolidge  Corner.  All and all, I give Boston a big thumbs up, and I would definitely go again (the next time $79  plane tickets come my way that is)!

Last weekend, I spent a little time in a new city visiting some college friends. It was a ton of fun to catch up with them and see some new sites! Here’s what I learned during my trip to San Francisco…

• 1. Dolphins swim under the Golden Gate Bridge.
  Yep, it’s true. I saw them. They were leaping out of the water and everything!

• 2. The intricate workings of cable cars are fascinating.
  I have been very undereducated about cable cars! My hubby wanted to go to SF’s Cable Car Museum and I hesitantly obliged, only to find that it was quite interesting. (There are cables continually running under certain streets, and the operators have to grasp these cables in order to move the cars.) I highly recommend this free museum!

[clockwise from top: 3. doggies with neckties, 2. the Cable Car Museum, 6. my hubby and I at the Fisherman's Wharf,  5. Haight-Ashbury]

• 3. People make neckties for dogs.
  As we were hiking up a street, we stumbled across a doggie boutique, and decided to buy something for Reese, since she stayed with her grandparents over the weekend. Some items were way cool, like this treat puzzle, and my favorite- the doggie collar necktie. It was totally adorable, but a little pricey. I’m hoping Liz can make one in a DIY post someday!

• 4. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop gives away free chocolate squares.(And, if you go through the shop a second time, you get a second square!) Neal also spotted Tracy Morgan as we were walking through the Fisherman’s Wharf area… I saw his back.

• 5. Some people wear floral spandex.
  Ok, so I had to check out the vintage fashion on Haight-Ashbury. I found some great pieces that might just pop up on the site some day(!) And I also saw some bold statement-making street style. Uniqueness was being embraced on this historical hippie street. That’s right, feel free to wear your floral spandex, ma’am. I wore a two-day old sweatshirt.

• And that would be number 6. SF was not as warm as I had expected!
  What valuable life lessons have you learned while traveling?

The buying team has been on the road for the last few months in search of the best and the brightest for ModCloth.  So far this season, we have two trips to LA, a gift fair, a shoe trade show and two apparel trade shows under our belt, and we think you will be happy with the results (preview some of our finds on Flickr)! In ‘Tales from the Road: Tradeshow Roundup’ I’ll be sharing some trip highlights!

Keep reading to hear about Michael Ian Black’s show and an infamous chocolate martini!

On our last trip to New York City, we had the privilege of seeing Michael Ian Black perform. It was at a little comedy club called Carolines on Broadway, and we were ecstatic to be seated at the table right in front of him.  Fans of everything he’s done (from Stella to Wet Hot American Summer and even those Sierra Mist commercials), we had high hopes and Michael did not disappoint.  He had a going bit in the set about a chocolate martini on the menu, which was hilarious. (He even let me try it after the show!)  He commemorated the night by writing a blog post about that chocolate martini. I commemorated the night by taking a photo.

[Photo Op: Michael Ian Black letting me try his Chocolate Martini]

    [Image above: Banh Xeo Chay at Pho Cafe]

Tradeshows make up the bulk of our buying experience, but also we like to sprinkle in trips to Los Angeles every few months to visit the massive L.A. wholesale district and vendor showrooms.  Being sophomoric Los Angeles visitors, we already have a few favorite spots in L.A., but we are always looking for new and interesting things to do. Any suggestions, Angelenos?One of our favorite dining spots is the delicious Pho Café.  Nestled in a tiny plaza, Silver Lake, this unmarked Vietnamese restaurant is a true hidden gem. The Banh Xeo Chay (crispy mushroom and egg crepes, served with mint peanut sauce, sprouts and rice paper for wrapping) are worth a trip to L.A. for!   

After dinner we headed for drinks at the Cha Cha Lounge. This eclectic hang-out has dim red lighting, sombrero-covered ceilings, a photo booth, and some of the finest velvet paintings I have ever seen. We had heard some rumors of celebrity sightings (Ryan Gosling has DJed there before), but it was a low-key night at the Cha Cha. However, coincidently, the DJ ended up playing a track from fellow friends and Pittsburghers, The Modey Lemon.

Velvet Painting of Richard Pryor at Cha Cha Lounge 

Over all it was a successful trip. We can’t wait to go back, especially since next time we are taking a day trip to Disneyland!