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San Francisco Bay Area Recommendations You Can Trust

by TerriAnn
Gemshare App – recommendations from fellow locals. See Cookies & Clogs San Francisco Bay Area Families Group. #sfbay #sanfrancisco #peninsula

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have it pretty good. Temperate weather, great food, a ton of things to do, and a diverse mix of cultures. With so many options, it can be hard to find what you need. How often have you searched for a new restaurant to try, a good dry cleaners, or an auto shop that will do good work for a reasonable price but ended up VERY disappointed? It’s happened to me way too many times to even count.

Some sites that allow members to add a rating and comment can only be marginally trusted as random strangers who comment may be biased or companies can pay a premium to remove negative reviews. Man, it would be so great if you could just get recommendations from friends for stuff like this. Then, you could totally trust their judgement and know that they’ll only want to share the best stuff with their family and friends. Now you can with GemShare.

Gemshare App – recommendations from fellow locals. See Cookies & Clogs San Francisco Bay Area Families Group. #sfbay #sanfrancisco #peninsula

San Francisco Bay Area Recommendations You Can Trust

GemShare is a FREE app available for iOS (Apple) devices that lets you share your personal recommendations of businesses and services, aka “gems,” with your own circle of friends or location-based group. Each group can only be seen by people within a 50-mile radius but works nationwide. You have free reign on which groups you want to join or leave. Members add their “gems” and everyone in the group can benefit from them. Requests for recommendations can be made as well.

Gemshare App – recommendations from fellow locals. See Cookies & Clogs San Francisco Bay Area Families Group. #sfbay #sanfrancisco #peninsula

Had a great experience with a babysitter that you trust implicitly? Share it. Finally found a vet that doesn’t charge an arm and a leg and that your cat won’t attack? Share it. Heard of someone that does wonders with any electrical issue? Share it. Hopefully, others in your group will do the same and you will all have access to the best of the best recommendations in your area. When browsing, you’ll get a list of categories which will then open to a set of sub-categories. You can then narrow your search by location or connection. The app is still new so there are a few kinks to be worked out. Still, it’s a great concept and I hope it grows to a be a huge resource for local communities across the nation.

Join Me in the Cookies & Clogs – SF Bay Area Families Group

Here on Cookies & Clogs, I’ve been sharing some of my family’s favorite places to eat and visit and services to us. I have so much more to share, though, and I’d love to see what you could recommend to me. In fact, we need to take our VW Jetta in for a huge 80,000 tuneup soon. Any suggestions? I’ve also been on the lookout for less-popular activities to do with my teen daughter and her friends. Finding someone that can actually cut my hair in a way that it grows out nicely has been challenging too. So, if you know of anyone good, please add it to my “Cookies & Clogs – SF Bay Area Families” group. Feel free to add as many “gems” as you want so we can all benefit from your fave spots to eat, play, and get stuff done.

Gemshare App – recommendations from fellow locals. See Cookies & Clogs San Francisco Bay Area Families Group. #sfbay #sanfrancisco #peninsula

As an extra incentive, GemShare is offering one of my readers a $125 AMEX gift card. Entering is easy as it’s what you would do anyway to enjoy this fab app. All you have to do is:

  1. Download the GemShare app and create an account.
  2. Join the “Cookies & Clogs – SF Bay Area Families” group. (Tap Network -> Groups -> Browse groups in your area -> Scroll down and select group)
  3. Add three “gems”.

Got it? Basically, give the GemShare app a whirl and enter to win $125 AMEX card. Easy, right? You have to be in the San Francisco Bay Area to see my group (50-mile radius from Hayward, CA) and enter the contest. Well, what are you waiting for! Go find and share some local hidden “gems”!

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39 comments

Penelope Guzman July 21, 2014 - 4:30 pm

This is really cool. I love how that app makes things so much easier.

Raijean July 21, 2014 - 9:13 pm

This is a great way to explore and meet new ppl.

Liz Mays July 21, 2014 - 10:47 pm

That’s neat that people can add suggestions to your group. You’ll probably get a lot of recommendations that way. Cool idea for locals.

Debbie L. July 22, 2014 - 1:41 am

This is a really a nice app – it is so hard to believe and trust reviews on sites. We have had a bad experience a few times.

Robin (Masshole Mommy) July 22, 2014 - 3:48 am

That is a great app! I have never been to the SF area, but it’s great that there is such a resource for people who live there.

Tracey July 22, 2014 - 5:23 am

This is a great app and resource for people that live in this area. It would come in so handy!

Lindsey @ Redhead Baby Mama July 22, 2014 - 5:27 am

It’s nice that you have this. In ATL, we’re looking around via social share sites for great places to go.

TerriAnn van Gosliga July 22, 2014 - 9:04 am

This is a national app so you can set the location to look for groups in ATL too 🙂

Chrystal @ YUM eating July 22, 2014 - 5:47 am

Thats a really cool app. I have used Yelp for the longest time. Foursquare too, but its changing formats. I find that some apps don’t work out too well for me since I don’t live near the larger cities like Grand Rapids and Detroit.

TerriAnn van Gosliga July 22, 2014 - 9:05 am

You have to be within 50 miles of any group. BUT you can just start your own group and add your friends 🙂

Kay Adeola July 22, 2014 - 7:29 am

This app sounds really good and helpful.I have never been to San Francisco before.

melinda July 22, 2014 - 9:21 am

Ive always wanted to go to San Francisco. What a great find

Betsy Mitchell July 22, 2014 - 9:32 am

Awesome app! I’ll have to download it for next time I travel!

TerriAnn van Gosliga July 22, 2014 - 9:45 am

Just remember to change the group location to the zip code you’re currently in 🙂

Debi (Eat Sleep Travel Repeat) July 22, 2014 - 9:40 am

What a great app! I can see how this would be helpful for travelers and locals both!

Shell July 22, 2014 - 9:41 am

The daughter of one of my good friends is moving to San Francisco. I’ll have to pass this along to her.

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Theresa July 22, 2014 - 10:54 am

What a great app! My husband is the one who is way into reading reviews, so I think he would really love this one!

Debbie Denny July 22, 2014 - 1:18 pm

That sounds like a great app. Will keep this in mind.

Beth@FrugalFroggie July 22, 2014 - 2:18 pm

I had not heard of Gemshare. But I would like to have great and honest reviews.

MIckey July 22, 2014 - 2:20 pm

This sounds like a great app. I haven’t been to SF in years and would love to go back again someday.

Terry July 22, 2014 - 3:02 pm

What a a super app for all of us who are planning on visiting or live in the SF Bay area. This will make it so much easier than just trusting that a business or etc is trustworthy.

Krystal July 22, 2014 - 4:14 pm

Gemshare sounds really cool! Thanks for the giveaway!

Amber Conaway July 22, 2014 - 4:21 pm

What a great app! I would love to see something like that for my local area!

Shannon Gosney July 22, 2014 - 5:29 pm

I’ve never heard of Gemshare before! Sounds like a pretty good resource for those living in the San Francisco Bay area!

Katrina July 22, 2014 - 6:04 pm

What a great app, this is will be a really helpful resource for people in the San Francisco area.

Carly Anderson July 22, 2014 - 9:32 pm

GemShare seems like a really great app! I know I love to share my recommendations with my family and friends.

Cam | Bibs and Baubles July 22, 2014 - 10:03 pm

What a cool app. Such a great way to meet new people!

Dina Demarest July 23, 2014 - 5:10 am

that is a great app for people new to the area. Or people looking to find new places like you said. Very cool.

Felicia July 23, 2014 - 5:38 am

It sounds like a great app! I really want to visit that area sometime soon.

Rosey July 23, 2014 - 7:52 am

That is a great app and a great giveaway. You are a gem to have shared it. 🙂

Veronica July 23, 2014 - 8:19 am

I have always wanted to visit San Fran. It looks like such a lovely city

Lori July 23, 2014 - 8:48 am

I love apps like that. They are such a big help whether you’re in the area permanently or just fora short time.

Ashley - Embracing Homemaking July 23, 2014 - 9:41 am

That is a really cool app!! My husband loves San Francisco and would love to visit again and bring the family with him next time. I’ll have to show him this app.

Ann BAcciaglia July 23, 2014 - 10:04 am

Great timing for this post as I am on my way to San Francisco right now. I am so excited to be going there for the first time.

Laura July 23, 2014 - 11:23 am

This sounds like a wonderful app. I usually try to get recommendations from family and friends first. This would be a very handy tool!

Christie July 23, 2014 - 11:56 am

What a neat app for San Fran! Bet you’re finding all sorts of fun new places!

Sarah @ Must Have Mom July 23, 2014 - 7:35 pm

Awesome product, awesome giveaway! These are both right up my alley. Thank you soo much for sharing!

Tess July 23, 2014 - 8:21 pm

A great app for people going there. I’ve always wanted to visit there.

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