Last weekend we went to San Francisco’s Mission District with some friends to enjoy a good Ethiopian meal and walk around a little. During that walk on Valencia Street, we came upon a store called Paxton Gate. I now know the answer to the following questions:

• Where might one find a gemsbok horn?
  
• I desparately need a trilobite, do you know where I could find one?
  
• The thing that’s missing in the living room is a wildebeest head, where might you find that?
  
• Forget Altoids, what about curiously strong peppermint tea?
  
• Pyrite, I definitely need some pyrite…
  

Suffice to say, this store has all of that and more (even garden variety house plants…) It’s a place to feed your inner geek if you’re a biologist, taxidermist, geologist, gardener, or just generally interested in a collection of very interesting and cool stuff in one convenient location. If you happen to be in the Mission, drop by, it’s an experience!