Hi! This is Victoria from sfgirlbybay dropping in on decor8 today while Holly is away. One of the more popular, regular posts on sfgirlbybay is called ‘Unexpected Guests’, and since Holly is a fan, she’s asked me to turn the tables on myself and to answer the questions I so often ask of others on ‘Unexpected Guests’. So without further adieu, here goes. I never realized before how tough this is!

Where do you live?
I live in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of my favorite city in the world, San Francisco.

What is your idea of a perfect day in your city?
This is tough because San Francisco has a lot of diverse things that I love to do. But a favorite day would be waking up early, grabbing a coffee from my corner coffee shop, Tulley’s and heading over the Bay Bridge to the Alameda Flea Market with my girlfriends. We’d shop ’til we dropped, and then probably indulge in one of the yummy grilled sausages with sauerkraut that you can buy there. Then we’d head back to the city and I’d do a little home decorating with my new flea market purchases. After a nice nap, I’d take a long bubble bath with a book and just enjoy the luxury of that. Then I’d dress and head out to meet friends at Zuni, one of my favorite restaurants for a Bloody Mary, oysters on the half shell, Caesar salad and we’d all share Zuni Cafe’s famous roast chicken with bread stuffing. San Francisco is for food lovers, and as you can see, I am one of them!

What don’t you leave home without?
My camera. A comb, lipstick, and my wallet.

What’s your favorite local shop?
I love Nest on Fillmore Street, with Swallowtail on Polk Street a close second. I probably love them equally and would love to have a shop of my own that would emulate their aesthetic. I love the eclectic, vintage and cosmopolitan items they carry.

What’s on your wish list?
I’m searching for the perfect daybed for my bay window. I’d really love an Eames Case Study Daybed.

What’s your favorite bargain find?
My buffet, which I found at a yard sale for $5. It was covered with awful creme-colored paint and I stripped it myself, sanded and refinished it.

What is your biggest interior design nightmare?
I hate that too-perfect look of cookie-cutter furniture from a chain store. Brown plaid sofas and neon beer signs are pretty awful, too.

Who is your favorite artist? And why?
I think my favorite artist is photographer Diane Arbus. I love the way she photographed outsiders, and captured their dark souls with her camera. I also love the work of William Eggleston.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere, really. A lot of my friends are really talented artists, photographers and crafters and their work constantly inspires me. Magazines, other blogs, films, galleries and museums.

Who do you admire and why?
I admire my friends. They are a constant support system for me. I don’t want to name them all here, but you know who are. The people who came to my side through broken ankles, surgeries, the passing away of my beloved dog Cooper - good times and bad. They are the friends that don’t ask what you need, they just show up. I love you all.

What’s the last great book you read?
I used to read a ton, but with the blog it seems I rarely have time to read these days. But I recently read The Night Watch by Sarah Waters which took place during the blitz in WWII and is the story of three women’s lives converging. It was beautifully written, very descriptive, and I loved it.

What’s your favorite film?
Hands down, Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Audrey Hepburn, one of my personal heroes. I also love anything from Wes Anderson, and Sophia Coppola.

If you could photograph anyone in the world, who might that be?
Wow, who came up with these questions, this is tough! ;) I love photographing a special friend of mine and capturing his happiness.

Who would you like to sit down to drinks with?
Jon Stewart. I love him and it would be great to chat with such a smart, funny man. If we could bring along Dorothy Parker, that would be cool, but she’s deceased!

Do you have a guilty pleasure?
I’ve got some pretty cheesy songs on my iPod that I sometimes listen to while working out, or walking… Faith Hill, Britney, nsync. It’s sad, really.

What would you eat for your last supper?
I believe I would like my mother’s breaded veal cutlets with mashed potatoes. For some reason, I can eat stacks of these - it’s quite disgusting.

What is your most treasured belonging?
My cameras.

What souvenir did you bring back from your last trip?
My last big trip was to Italy, and I bought a small oil painting of the countryside from a local artist in Venice. I love it’s soothing colors.

Greatest indulgence?
It used to be books - I could never be just one. I always bought them in triplets. But lately it’s camera equipment.

What is your idea of living hell?
A nine to five job in a bank, having to wear skirts and nylons everyday. And, a tract house in suburbia. It’s just not me.

What are some of your favorites websites/blogs to visit?
I love Poppytalk, design*sponge and decor8 (not just saying that - I find tons of inspiration from these women). I also love dooce, Letters From The Consumer End and The Sartorialist.

Thanks Holly!! xx,
victoria

Thank you so much Victoria for joining us today on decor8! It was fun to get into your head a little so thanks for telling us about yourself and what inspires you. Readers: All photos above are of Victoria’s apartment in San Francisco… Don’t you just love her aesthetic? So pretty! - Holly

(images and text from victoria smith, sfgirlbybay)