About

Never in a million years did I think that I would start a business.

My best friend jokingly said, “This is just a hobby gone horribly wrong!” Those who know me well know that I was always happy to be a city planning wonk in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Those who know me really well also know that the perfect gift for me would be anything related to cooking–be it a new set of dishes, bowls, or dessert plates since I do love to cook and entertain.  My husband confessed that I am the easiest person to buy a gift for, since something from Villeroy & Boch or Le Creuset has never failed him.   In fact, on the way back from our honeymoon in Paris, I was hoping he’d give up his seat for the 8 dinner plates, and 8 soup bowls I had just purchased. He didn’t.

Things change. Situations change.  Cities change. I changed.

I relocated to Hong Kong and fought the move. How could I EVER leave the San Francisco Bay Area?

I did it anyway, and worked in Hong Kong and various cities throughout Asia (Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore, and Bangkok) and continued my work as a city planner.  While the travel opportunities were amazing, I felt like I wanted to do actually produce and design something more fun and creative. Then, the recession hit and I decided to stop pursuing the next big contract. I took it as an opportunity to explore and I cashed my last paycheck to do a mini around-the-world trip by myself, meeting friends and friends of friends along the way.

Inspiration hit me hard in Stockholm.  Oprah would call it my “ah-ha” moment. I was exploring the city and just wandering the narrow streets and bridges. It was like I was trying to remember everything, but I knew I couldn’t hold it all in my head, it was too overwhelming…..breathtakingly beautiful.   I wanted to map it out in my head, all the places I’d been on this trip, but knew I couldn’t. Not with the food, the sights, the smells, and the cool breezes, and sunny days.  Pictures weren’t even going to cut it. I went home to Hong Kong and gushed about all this to my husband. He said that was nice, and wanted to know what I was going to do with it.  Good question…. Well, I decided, I’m going to use my city planning background and my love of cooking, food, and tableware, and just mesh these elements into one!

Good answer.

And that is how August Table was started – placing different cities onto plates. So, you can live in one city, but have breakfast over another city without ever leaving your home. In my case, I’m always missing San Francisco.  As a result, my first complete series is San Francisco featuring the neighborhoods of the Mission/Castro, Glen Park/Noe Valley, North Beach, and South of Market.

I know there are other folks out there who miss the cities they have visited or used to live in. Sometimes you just want to have something that reminds you of that city, but you’re looking for something classy and not necessarily touristy, something a little more subtle and personal.  When a sweatshirt or a bumper sticker doesn’t quite capture how you feel, perhaps a more grown-up memento is a better way to go.  This is my motivation for starting August Table.

So, send me a blurb about your favorite city and tell me why you love it.  You could inspire the next series of plates (as well as send me on my next big travel adventure!)

Cherry Chaicharn, a former city planner, currently resides in Hong Kong where she has created a chic line of tableware.  Cherry credits her inspiration to her world travels, but especially to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lived for over 20 years.