San Francisco Shopping Outlets | Girls Holiday Tradition

Every holiday season, my friend Jax and I go to the outlets to do our Christmas shopping. We have been doing this for about ten years that it has become a tradition of our friendship. 

I start dreaming about our girls shopping trip as soon as fall arrives. It is an all day affair of shopping till we drop with  wine and tapas break in between before resuming shopping again.

For years we went to Petaluma Shopping Outlets (and one year in Napa Outlets) until we discovered San Francisco Premium Shopping Outlets about 3 years ago. We decided that it  is our new place from then on. It is closer to where we live. It is just 30 minutes away vs driving almost an hour away in traffic! And this outlet is new and shinier compared to Petaluma that is quite old. San Francisco Shopping Outlets is not in San Francisco. It is located in Livermore,CA which is a suburb. 

I look forward to this one day a year not just to shop but to enjoy hanging out with Jax doing what girls do when we get together after not seeing each other for almost a year. She picks me up from my house at around 9 am. The catching up and gossiping start until we get to the outlets.  We often start at Saks Fifth Avenue and work our way to our favorite stores. We take a break around 1 pm to go to Coco Cabana to order a bunch of tapas and drink wine. Then we hit up the outlets again until we can no longerfeel our legs.

Jax and I go in and out of stores separately then text each other to catch up. This gives me to get a little bit of "me time" just taking in the beauty of the place. Even though it is a mall, on a week day, it offers serenity with its many nooks and crannies to sit down and relax. It even has fireplaces to warm up. One of my favorite moments as well is drinking Starbucks holiday coffee before I start shopping or in the afternoon as I rest my legs.

This year has been another successful shopping trip with Jax. Our yearly trip is a big part of my happy holiday tradition.  We enjoy it so much that we are planning to go back in the spring. We'll see.

Below are my favorite stores to indulge my inner fabulousity:

• J Crew -- This my favorite store to get scarves, pj's and sweaters.
• Ann Taylor Loft -- Sweaters, skirts, etc
• L'Occitane -- For my face and hand cream needs
• Banana Republic -- More sweaters
• Yankee Candle Company

 And stores to spoil the people that I love:

• Ralph Lauren -- For Mr Sweetie's polo shirts and pj's
• Coach -- Need I say more?!
• Kate Spade -- Their sales are phenomenal. We are talking 70 percent off then another 20 percent. This is my fave place to get purses and accessories for my girlfriends and sisters.
• Banana Republic -- More sweaters
• North Face -- Coats for the teen nephews
• Baby Gap -- Baby clothes for my baby nephew

I got my shopping done in one day plus a little bit more online shopping at home. At around 6 pm, Jax dropped me back off at my house. What a lovely day of shopping, wine, coffee, delicious food and friendship!