Our city is chock-full of interesting people and wild personalities. Overwhelmed by the coolness? Every week we'll pick one standout local we'd love to be friends with to answer seven essential questions about their life in San Francisco.
Nina Tang has that enviable quality of being a badass entrepreneur with really, really good personal style. Her first boutique was the beloved Richmond Rox (now closed) which she opened at 26 while getting her masters from the Academy of Art College. She ran it solo - that means when exams came around she would write her schedule on a chalkboard outside letting customers know when she'd have to close up shop early.
Ready for a more central local Nina opened FAWN a year and a half ago in the Marina. As you can see from the stellar Yelp reviews, both her and her store have a kind of cult following. Seriously, customers mention her by name in a way you don't see all that often in surly San Francisco
Nina stocks a mix of high and low priced pieces, buys local and handmade whenever possible, and exudes a friendliness, warmth, and sweetness unrivaled by most boutiques. She's all about making SF ladies feel adorable, and looks pretty cute herself while doing it. Luckily she has a bit more help in her store these days, and we're so glad she took a few minutes to answer our We Wanna Be Friends With Q&A!
1. What neighborhood do you currently call home? Would you ever move or are you happy in your 'hood?
What makes this city great is each little neighborhood has its own personality. I love my little apartment in Outer Richmond. It has an unobstructed view of the city and it feels as if I'm living on a cloud. My first boutique (Richmond Rox) was in the Outer Richmond so it'll always give me that feeling of 'home'.
2. What's your hands-down, absolute favorite thing to eat in SF?
I eat like a frat boy so you know I love my pizza. My favorite is the Margherita pizza at Delarosa on Chestnut Street. I love the atmosphere there and I get great service from Jen Leddy, who's also one of my jewelry designers at FAWN.
3. What's your perfect night on the town?
I'd put on something pretty for a night out with my man. We'd start out at our favorite little wine bar Fig and Thistle in Hayes Valley where we'd have a good group of friends waiting for us. Then we'd sneak away to enjoy each other's company at Waterbar on the Embarcadero, sitting at the same table where he proposed.
4. When you need a low-key afternoon, where do you go for down time?
I use down time as a chance to get inspired. You can find me at the Japantown bookstore studying their crazy cool magazines. The first thing I gun for is Gap Press Couture to get the scoop on the latest collections. Then I flip through Vivi Magazine, which is chock-full of fashionistas wearing wardrobes on steroids. I always leave feeling recharged and ready to take my work to the next level.
5. What's your favorite place to go on a day trip from the city?
My mother-in-law has a cottage in Marin County with the most amazing garden you will ever lay eyes on. I feel like I'm in a fairy tale living with the Three Little Pigs in the Shire with a secret garden. And the best thing about that cottage is getting there. To this very day the Golden Gate Bridge takes my breath away and reminds me of how lucky I am to be a part of this beautiful city.
Quick-fire round
Burrito or Burger?
Burrito. California Burrito please.
Presidio or Golden Gate Park?
Presidio.
BiRite or Mitchell's?
Mitchells all the way.
Bike or MUNI?
Rollerskate!
Fort Mason or Dolores Park?
Fort Mason.
The Independent or the Fillmore?
The Fillmore.
Baker Beach or Ocean Beach?
Ocean Beach where I watch my husband surf.
7. Three words that describe your life in SF.
A Romantic Comedy.
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