Most people will spend Black Friday as an exercise in masochism, crowding up those bastions of consumerism known as malls. You, on the other hand, can do your Christmas shopping in the sanity-preserving confines of a quaint art boutique. On Friday, Nov. 28, Giant Robot will be offering 20 percent off most items, so head out to 618 Shrader St. instead of the Westfield. Details at gr-sf.com. --Oscar Pascual
Photos by Janine KahnThe economy's in the crapper, but Union Square was bustling with folks elbowing each other out of the way of a bargain earlier today. Here are some of the sights we saw as we walked down Powell and Market streets, and inside the Westfield Mall: Signs strategically placed outside the Gap store had shoppers feeling patriotic.Families with bags of loot flowed down the Westfield escalators.The food court was so packed that people ended up lunching on the floor.
Meredith BrodyCupcake maker Kingdom of Cake is one of 10 new vendors.On Monday last week, the Earth Island Farmers' Market in the Metreon (101 Fourth St. at Mission) expanded into the former Sony PlayStation store on Fourth Street, adding more than 10 new vendors. The market opened in mid-May with some two dozen prepared food stalls and produce sellers in the space on Mission that once housed the Discovery Channel Store.
"The PlayStation space was always part of our plans," organizer Ma
