Fifteen years ago, the thought of finding one of San Francisco's ultra-chic corridors in Hayes Valley would have been considered absurd. The area, bordered by the Van Ness performing-arts district and the Western Addition around Laguna Street, was a seedy reminder for opera and symphony patrons of the city's homeless and drug problems. But over the past decade, Hayes Valley has developed into a haven for haute couture.

Sights & Culture
Octavia Boulevard & Hayes Green: The newly widened Octavia Boulevard replaces the demolished Central Freeway and by 2006 will be flanked by new retail space and affordable housing. The median is being developed as a community park called the Hayes Green.
Hayes Valley Alleys: From the shotgun style flats and flowering vines of Lily Street to Ivy Street's hidden garden, here's a brief Hayes Valley amble.
Bucheon Gallery: Bucheon has added a bit of color to a space that once upon a time was a "black hole," or a neighborhood dumping ground. Exhibits of mixed media and contemporary art change every five weeks.
Octavia's Haze Gallery: Glassworks of varying shapes, textures and colors line the interior of this corner shop. The works, all unique, are mainly produced by Bay Area, national and Italian artists. Octavia's Haze Gallery also spotlights paintings by national as well as local artists in exhibits that change every 45 days.
Polanco: Polanco heads south of the border for its displays, which focus on Mexican folk arts and fine arts, as well as antiques. Established Mexican artists are represented, as are young artists, mainly from Mexico City and Oaxaca. Though special exhibitions run only every couple of months, the gallery is always filled with colorful Day of the Dead art, masks, religious crosses, ceramic plates, silver jewelry and various trinkets.
RAG--Residents Apparel Gallery: RAG features more than 20 Bay Area designers, mostly focused on women's clothes, but men's options are available. Each designer rents floor space and can post a biography with the designs. Many hail from other locales, such as Belgium, Brazil, London, and the Midwest, but all reside here now. Some of the designs are one-of-a-kind, while others are limited production.
Tinhorn Press/Gallery: Since 1994 Terry Chastain and John Gruenwald have bunkered down beneath Momi Toby's café with their stone lithography facilities. Though much of the machinery is still below the café, now the two artists have also moved across the street to open a combination working printshop and gallery. It's possible to watch the creative printmaking process on an etching press, which sits in the middle of the gallery, and also view the two artists' finished works.
Velvet da Vinci: One of the first galleries to open on the block more than a decade ago, Velvet da Vinci is renowned for its contemporary metalwork. Some of the pieces hanging are accompanied by explanations from the artist. Aside from walls of everything from metal fish to abstracts, Velvet da Vinci focuses on contemporary art and one-of-a-kind jewelry.

Courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle