Sam Kidd Shelton

📍San Francisco, CA | Art Director & Stylist

📝 Editor’s Note

My ideal book genre is ‘non-fiction that reads like fiction’. I’m holding out hope that I can be a history teacher one day.

I highly recommend these two non-fiction books I read during our rafting trip:

1. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing — The book was published in the 50’s to good reviews but somehow quickly lost mainstream popularity. It was rediscovered in a used book story 25+ years later after going out of print. Endurance is now one of the most popular (and well-reviewed) books on Goodreads.

2. A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan — An important read for anyone that cares about American history and how just one individual can change its trajectory.

I like using Goodreads as my baseline for book reviews - typically anything above 4.2 is a must-read for me. Both of these books score incredibly well: Endurance (4.44, 137K+ reviews), Fever in the Heartland (4.38, 30K+ reviews).

I get a lot of my reading recommendations from seeing what my friends are reading on Goodreads. Please follow me so I can follow you back!

---

Without further ado….

Why Sam?

Sam came highly recommended by Milam Miller. Milam shared that Sam is “one of the coolest people I know with exceptional taste in food + bev, travel & hospitality, etc”. He wasn’t wrong and assuming you feel the same, make sure to follow her on IG and subscribe to her substack.

Follow Sam on instagram

Self-Description

Art aficionado, fashion expert, food world wannabe. California resident with a penchant for the finer things in life, like Waffle House. Always in pursuit of beautiful places and things.

Sam’s Recommendations

Written in her own words…

Product

I'm continually impressed with Attersee. They make such exquisite pieces - nothing too trendy, the most luxurious fabrications, things in your closet you want to reach for time and time again, year after year. They'll pop up in boutiques across the country for trunk shows or if you're in NYC they have the most tastefully appointed space on the UES. Beautiful imagery, beautiful pieces - it's a really great brand.

Content

Real Americans by Rachel Khong was an excellent read. A page-turning, multi-generational saga that I had a hard time putting down. The book spans three generations of Chinese Americans and explores identity, belonging, class and family ties - highly recommend.

Well Being

Getting outside for a walk, even if it's just for 15 minutes between calls. When I'm in the foulest of moods it always turns them around.

Favorite vice would be eating my body weight in HEB queso that I willingly check a bag from Texas to bring back home to California for.

Watch

I recently watched the Wild Wild Space on Max and found it really interesting. The documentary chronicles the fast paced, high stakes world of rocket companies vying for government contracts and control of low earth orbit.

Food and Drink

Cotogna is hands down my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I worship at the altar of Michael Tusk, the owner and head chef - he can do no wrong. From not so leisurely outdoor lunches with my toddler to special celebrations, it's the one place I return to time and time again. The only ordering must is to consume your body weight in pasta. The raviolo is a treasured staple for a reason and there's always an assortment of fabulous seasonal pastas as well.

Professional

It's so silly but a handwritten to-do list that sits on my kitchen table keeps me on track. It helps on anxious days when you're spinning and feel like you have a million things to do, and for those aha moments that just as quickly slip away. Things get cluttered on my phone with so many notes and calendar appointments, so it's nice to constantly be referencing and editing a physical paper to-do.

Gift

I gifted jockey adorned whiskey glasses to my equestrian loving dad last Father's Day and they were such a hit all of the men in my family now own them. Pair it with the recipient’s favorite whiskey and it's a pretty foolproof gift.

Music

I've been jamming to Wax Jackets lately. My favorite fly-fishing guide in Idaho turned me onto them. His brother is the lead singer - same lead singer for the band Caamp if you're familiar with them and it's been easy, groovy summer listening.

Travel

The Inn at SingleThread in Healdsburg. SingleThread is a 3 Michelin star, World's 50 Best restaurant and there's hotel above the restaurant with a handful of rooms. If you're a guest at the inn, you get guaranteed reservations at the restaurant and an extremely memorable breakfast. I went for my birthday with my husband and it truly blew us away, which is hard to do. Hack - if you book on a Sunday, you can get around the 2-night minimum.

Amazon

The Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery cleaner has been life changing - by far and away the best household purchase all year. If you have children or pets (or both), it's a necessity. It’s small but mighty and easy to use - my living room couch looks like it’s been professionally cleaned.

Plug

My substack, Sam's Seven.

Want to reach out to Sam? “Please reach out via Sam's Seven or @samkiddshelton on IG.”

---

P.S. from Rambull — One of my favorite recent product buys might also be among the cheapest. My wife and I share our cars interchangeably, which means I carry two large keys. I found this dual-chamber lock in an outdoor store for $5 and it has worked very well for keeping keys together. I recently added a small multi-tool from the same brand that has come in handy for everything from opening boxes to cans.