Five Things

Posted on May 20, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

After a slight hiatus, Five Things is finally back! This last week, or few weeks, rather, has been a parade of gloomy weather, breakfasts on the run, and re-runs of my favorite tv shows. Not too inspiring, I’ll be quite honest. I have, however, had a bit of time to catch up with some of my favorite blogs before bedtime. I’ve been particularly enjoying The Other Juliette, buy now blog later, and Hello October, just to name a few. There’s a wealth of amazing blogging inspiration out there. Although, there’s nothing quite like writing your own.

On that note, here are this week’s Five Things!

Nothing is a better end to a long day than spending time with a few friends and a couple of chocolate milkshakes. I’ve long written about my “happy place” in St. Helena, and it turns out there’s a little bit of it in San Francisco proper.

I recently treated myself to a manicure with Essie’s A Splash of Grenadine polish. It’s such a happy, orchid sort-of purple I decided to paint my toes to match. On another note, I’m in desperate need of a new organizational system for my makeup. Or perhaps just a little spring cleaning?

I’ve been newly introduced to the popular Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle. It’s such a pretty highlight- I’m sure I probably abuse by generally applying it everywhere.

Swimsuit season is upon us! I recently purchased two new swimsuits at Nordstrom, both from Blush by Profile. I just love their flattering styles and fun prints. I’m determined to get as much use out of them as possible in the coming months, gloom or not!

One of the perks of my work schedule is that I can take the San Francisco Bay Ferry at least once a week, if not more. It’s really a great way to get to and from San Francisco. The ferry typically ventures through the port of Oakland before going under the Bay Bridge and docking at the Ferry Building in San Francisco’s Financial District. This last week, I even had the pleasure of seeing the USS Potomac, FDR’s historic presidential yacht usually docked in Oakland, out and about in the Bay.

Something new every day!

EVA♥

Saying ‘Yes,’ A Story in Gifs

Posted on May 19, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

Things have finally slowed down a bit in the Watch Me Juggle house. And by slowed down, I actually mean come to a dead stop. Anyone else ever experience that dip in motivation that seems to happen after really busy periods in your life, like the holidays or peak times at work? Suddenly, your whole life feels like a Sunday evening, slightly lethargic and underwhelming. The thing is, when you’re used to running around like the energizer bunny, it’s really hard to take that much needed break. As much as I know it’s essential to have some scheduled down time, I have the hardest time just…relaxing. For those fellow “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” fanatics out there, you might call this having the “mean reds.” I, quite literally, have to force myself to stay in and just have some time alone in my apartment.

You would think that sitting down and catching up on your favorite tv series, having some quiet time, or folding some warm laundry wouldn’t be so difficult to get into, but for some reason it is. We’ve also been having less-than-stellar weather here in the Bay Area as of late, so that certainly doesn’t help things. It’s my belief that everyone needs this kind of time to recharge, but, when I finally get the time to do it, I don’t really want to. There’s both a literal and figurative cloud hanging over my head, and it’s endlessly frustrating.

To be totally honest, when I’m left alone for too long, things tend to get really weird fast. I’m talking full-blown making faces at myself in the bathroom mirror, dancing around, dismantling my closet, unnecessary cake-baking shenanigans.

I like to think my being candidly embarrassing is somehow endearing (at least I hope so). Also, the other day I might have just eaten lemon ice cream for multiple meals. Luckily, I have my lovely little apartment to do all this embarrassing stuff in, where no one can see me.

Yes, you…stop judging me with your eyes. I can be a mess in my own home if I want to be.

Fundamentally, I’m kind of a quirky person, I’ve even dedicated whole blog posts to my quirks. I’m not sure if this quirkiness helps or harms my designated alone time, but I guess it does make stuff a little more interesting. What’s the point of today’s post? I’m not entirely sure. I’m just hoping that in sharing, maybe one of you out there feels a little less strange about “saying yes” to staying in, and spending time alone, even though it might not necessarily be the easiest thing. You’re better for it.

EVA♥

Life in the Box

Posted on May 11, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I’ve missed Watch-Me-Juggle-land quite a bit over the last few days. I’ve been juggling the heck out of everything lately- juggling all the things. I’m just glad I don’t have children or a dog, or my poor head might explode. It’s been a whirlwind and great learning experience. I’m writing to you now inside “the Box,” the box office at Yerba Buena theater. It has plate glass windows and guillotine-like sliding doors, which one of my coworkers implied was for my own protection. People are really intense about this ballet-watching business, I’m telling you.

First photo with the new phone! What do you all think?

I look a little tired in the above photo, I’ll admit.

Over the last week or so, I’ve been living inside a box. Either it’s the box of my cubicle, a box office, or my little box of a Barbie house that I go home to every day. I’ve been answering the same questions over and over again, “When? Where? How? Why? When?”…and on and on. Maybe I could make this some ridiculous metaphor about life, but it’s just how it is. I’m pretty much this bunny:

It’s the long days like this that make me appreciate my solitude a hell of a lot more, that’s for certain. When I finally got done with work on Sunday, I felt absolutely no shame in holing up in my house with a quart (yes my friends, a quart) of Loard’s Lemon Chiffon ice cream and Game of Thrones. I’ve also been indulging in the occasional shopping adventures, which I hope to document here at some point. Thus far, I’ve invested in some amazing new swimsuits and some, more practical things, like new work clothes and eye cream. I’ve also developed the nasty little habit of always having my phone in my hand- I’ve even been using it to catch up on my favorite blogs on Bloglovin’ lately since I’ve been on the go so much. At the end of the day, I even use it to watch my favorite TV Land reruns in bed. It’s clearly a party at my place! All things aside, I’ve been neglecting myself a little bit, but they say that the first step is to recognize the problem, right? I’m hoping I’ll do better or, rather, take better care of myself this week. I’d like to think that I have unwavering optimism, but that’s not always the case. I certainly do try though. The boss lady told me to keep my chin up the other day, and there’s something so reassuring about that. When I’m feeling stuck, I try to say that to myself. After all, everything might not always go as smoothly as you would like, whether that be at your job or at home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t walk away at the end of the day and pat yourself on the back for trying your best.

Until next time!

EVA♥

From Studio to Studio- an Interview

Posted on May 4, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

I’ve been here, over-sharing my personal and professional life on Watch Me Juggle for quite a while now. I’ll admit that I’ve dabbled with applying to the occasional freelance writing gig here and there, but not much ever came of it.

Well… I was somehow able to talk my way into letting the ballet company I work for write for their blog. The conversation went something like this:

Me: “Oh, I love writing! I have a little blog where I talk about ballet, teaching, and all the things that I do/eat on a weekly basis.”

Them: “Well, if you ever want to write things for our blog you can.”

Me: *falls over*

….

That’s the very glamorous story of how my writing ended up not just on my little corner of the internet. Needless to say I was very excited about it. As the title of my blog suggests, not only did a submit my writing for a post, it happened to be a post containing my very first interview ever. I decided to sit down with one of my favorite people, dancer Erin Yarbrough, who made such a huge impression on me as my teacher years ago. She’s one of the main reasons I still dance today. Turns out, all you really need is one or two people to really believe in you. Lucky me, I ended up working alongside her in the very same studio I grew up dancing in. And I still learn from her! Pretty cool, right?

You can read my interview with her here, on the Smuin Ballet website. If you ever find yourself in San Francisco Bay Area, make sure you check them out! (I’m not shamelessly promoting my own company here, or anything.)

In other, incredibly exciting new, I got to take company class with the dancers of Smuin just the other day. Had you told my young self that I would be doing this one day, I would have frankly told you you were full of crap.

Look! It’s a picture of Erin & I.

Since my transition to teaching almost daily ballet classes, I haven’t gotten much of a chance to take class as much as I would like. To put it bluntly, I felt totally out of shape. I was just glad I didn’t fall on my face in front of everyone. It made what promised to be just an average day an amazing day. Often I forget just how lucky I am to work in a field I’m so wholeheartedly passionate about. Just the other day, one of my students asked me if I get paid to teach them ballet. I told her I do, but sometimes I forget that it’s my job. I couldn’t ask for better.

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on April 29, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

What do you get when you combined the latest piece of technology (an iPhone 6) with the technological equivalent of a stone tablet (an HP laptop circa 2008)? A blog post that takes two hours to write! Whoohoo! My poor PC has been so faithful, but can’t keep up. It’s like trying to plug a Nespresso machine into a European outlet circa 1956. It’s just not gonna be pretty.

Luckily, there have been no explosions yet and I’m determined to post this week’s Five Things as scheduled!

Remember my Rockstud look-alikes that I purchased a while back? Well, I loved them so much, I went back and purchased a white, patent leather pair. You know, something spring/summer and potentially daytime-occasion appropriate. Heck, I’ll wear them going to buy a latte if I have to. I love them!

Photo c/o @nvbyk

I like to peruse Instagram during my morning commute, and am always stumbling upon new things. It’s a wealth of inspiration, that app. Today, I discovered “New Vintage” by Kriss, which has a little bit of fashion and everyday inspiration. Who doesn’t like looking at beautiful jewelry, anyway?

Image by Jasmine Safaeian

Happy National Dance Day everyone! Since it’s not quite Thursday yet, I bring you a “way back” Wednesday. This was my first dance photo shoot of sorts, it was a windy day, and I jumped around a whole bunch. Jasmine, the talented photographer and fellow UCSB alumn, took individual photos of the entire student company. Unfortunately, this copy doesn’t do the original any justice. A bit wibbly, no?

I’m so lucky to work walking distance from this beautiful opera house. I can’t help but take pictures every time I step foot in it. I’ve been going to see San Francisco Ballet more than ever lately, and already can’t wait for the next season.

Photo c/o Michaela Lynch

This last Saturday, students and staff at my school threw a little wedding shower for our very loved teachers, Erin Yarbrough and Jonathan Powell. We had food, games, and a little Dance Arts Project family time.

Time well spent, wouldn’t you say?

EVA♥

Redneck Jokes & a Fancy Hat

Posted on April 27, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everybody!

A while back I tweeted that my blog should be renamed “Watch Me WatchTooMuchRealityTV/DrinkTooMuchCoffee/Shop.” Not too much has changed. Despite my constantly running off to new adventures, from a thematic perspective, I’m a creature of habit. Ironic? Perhaps a little.

Which is why when my father’s most recent birthday rolled around, I had to take my family along for a return trip to Bar Agricole in San Francisco’s Soma neighborhood. I must say, it’s quite odd to wander around your old Saturday night stomping grounds in the daylight, on a Sunday. While it was quite a bit more of a low-key experience than my first visit, the food was still amazing.

We started with this pan-friend bread and puréed beet concoction that was delicious, and an odd mix of Middle Eastern and Easter European flavors. We also had the lamb special to share, which was obviously fantastic, since I didn’t even bother to stop to photograph it.

We ordered a few desserts to share, and they kindly brought us a plate of celebratory cookies as well! As you can tell, my father likes to close his eyes in every picture I take of him.

The dessert at the far left was a rosemary panna cotta with meyer lemon topping, and the ice cream to the right was a house made orange sherbet alongside avocado-tequila ice cream. Sounds strange, yes? But I firmly believe it’s impossible to make avocado not delicious.

My father’s a funny guy, and very much two sides of a coin, in terms of personality. Growing-up, he was full of the typical dad jokes and watched cartoons every Saturday morning. There was also the occasional telenovela, whenever he thinks no one is looking (he doesn’t speak any Spanish, mind you). On the other hand, he’s a wealth of information who collects non-fiction books, mostly on historical or current events, constantly watches or listens to the news. He enjoys wearing his pakol hat everywhere (the kind of Afghan hat that was described as “a tea cozy” in the movie Amélie) and is mildly obsessed with the squirrels that constantly uproot all the flowers he and my mother plant. Despite having come to the U.S. for political asylum in the late 70s, he has a deep-rooted fondness for redneck jokes that I will never understand. Knowing all these things, my mother gave him both a squirrel-themed and redneck-themed card that made him laugh so much he started coughing at the dinner table. He’s a funny guy, my dad. We’re fundamentally very different people, which doesn’t make things easy, but at the end of the day we have a lot to learn from each other. I can teach my father about his iPhone, and he can tell me all about any historical event known to man. I kid you not. Trouble is, I don’t even know that much about the iPhone.

Luckily, we both can tell pretty good stories.

EVA♥

Out West…

Posted on April 22, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

It’s Wednesday and that means one thing, right? Five Things! Well, I thought I would mix it up a bit. The self-proclaimed foodie in me wanted to do a bit of a thematic “Five Things”…

I recently discovered that my office is ideally located-walking distance from three very different, vibrant neighborhoods in San Francisco. Since Wednesdays tend to be one (of many) long work days, I like to plan the occasional, get-together with my friends when I can. Today, we went to West of Pecos in the Mission district. I’ve walked by this southwestern-themed restaurant quite a few times, and it’s always packed, so we decided there was no time like to present to check it out.

Luckily, we got there early enough to take advantage of the happy hour. Delicious, incredibly chunky guacamole. And I would describe their chile-dusted chips as “high-brow Doritos.” That’s a compliment, I promise.

I also had some of the best corn covered in some sort of amazing chipotle-butter concoction and flowers. I was in love. To be noted, there is no dignified way to eat corn-on-the-cob.

My corn was accompanied by some of their tuna crudo tacos. Really refreshing and flavorful. I almost wish I had gotten the bigger portion!

It’s “my good friend Rachel,” modeling the fabulous tacos. Because that’s what you’re supposed to do at the dinner when you’re a 20-something: take pictures of your food. I have no shame.

We all decided to split some churros for dessert. We all seemed to have different, positive connotations with churros. They always remind me of going to the flea markets in San Jose when I was a kid. My friend Courtney, who’s originally from San Diego, said she would frequently buy churros from vendors at the beach as a kid. They would always instruct you to hold your churro close to your chest. Why? Apparently too many small children found out that seagulls can apparently spot you gleefully waving your churro from miles away, and won’t hesitate to steal it right from your hands.

In all seriousness, those churros and the accompanying sauces were so good, I found myself debating how to discretely lick my plate when no one was looking. Which I may or may not have done. I blame the strong sangria.

In other news, happy Earth/Administrative Professionals Day! I clearly celebrated.

EVA♥

Thrifting 101

Posted on April 20, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about one of my recently acquired, now favorite pastimes: thrifting. Now, I’m not the tradtional “thrifter,” so to speak. You won’t find me wandering about in other people’s flannel, with the hipster swagger many San Franciscans have become famous for. I’m also total rubbish at crafting, despite my love of Pinterest. To give you an idea, I’ve written a little bit about my past finds here.

I’m a fan of saying that I like to look like a million bucks without spending exactly that much. I often refer to my thrifting habit as “treasure hunting.” What makes it so fun is finding fabulous things among the mundane, a pair of Italian leather boots, perfectly preserved vintage dresses, and silk skirts- you name it. I even once found a blouse I was drooling over at J.Crew and considering paying $80 for (on sale, mind you). I ended up buying it for $3. I’ve gained a bit of experience doing all this meandering around thrift stores, so I thought I might share a few of my amateur-thrifter tips with you here.

Ah! It looks like a giant mess, right? Wrong. (Ok…maybe it’s a bit of a mess)

First thing you need to know about thrifting is that you need to be patient, diligent, even. Get in there! Push some things aside and comb through the racks. I go through one hanger at a time so as not to miss anything. Everything is so crammed in together, you never know what you’re missing. Last time I went to the local Goodwill, I found a silk Diane Von Furstenberg dress between something from Forever 21 and someone’s old prom dress. You never know!

Next, pay close attention to the things at the end of each rack. People tend to abandon things that they have found here. Same goes for the distinct gaps in the racks. That Banana Republic sweater might have been too small for someone else, but it could be perfect for you!

If you do find something potentially wonderful, make sure to inspect it carefully. A little makeup on a neckline will come out easily when washed, but some set-in red wine will not. Make sure all zippers are functional, and be extra careful that any cashmere or wool you might find doesn’t have any pesky, hard-to-mend holes.

While I find clothes and accessories to be the most fun, you can’t forget about all the other “treasures” you can find. The books tend to be a total bargain, and it can be really fun combing through the variety of books people have donated. While you tend to see a lot of “trendy” bestsellers and baby books, you do get the occasional, esoteric manual…

Like Injuries of the Knee Joint. So fun!

You’ll probably also find political non-fiction, study guides for every test known to man, and weird, meat-centric cookbooks. It’s the quirkiest library ever! Also, don’t forget about the kitchenwares section. I’ve found the most beautiful etched wine glasses there, and even a brand new French press. So, the next time you find yourself sitting around on a dreary day, consider popping on over to your local thrift store. You just never know what you’ll find!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on April 16, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Of course I’m not writing to you today already in my pajamas, in bed, watching horrible TLC reality shows. And I certainly didn’t do breakfast-for-dinner today either. I’m much to refined for that.

In all seriousness, I’ve heard a number of people (including myself) say that it’s been quite the crazy week. Is it the weather here in the bay area? Something in the air (besides pollen)? I don’t know. What I do know is that it doesn’t feel quite the same without my Five Things. In the meantime, I’m sitting on a number of posts that are long overdue. Remember the 20th Anniversary Smuin Ballet Gala I attended last year? Well, yours truly worked at this year’s very same gala. I’ve also conducted my very first interview ever, and have done quite a bit of thrifting and cocktailing as well. In the meantime, take a look at these five things from my life:

I had my first pavlova ever at my family’s Easter dinner. At first an entirely meringue-based desert seems like it might be a little bland, but I was totally wrong. Topped with lemon and berry mousse, it’s like eating delicious air. Which means negative calories, right?

I scored some fantastic seats for San Francisco Ballet’s Program 7 this week. Go check out The List, if you’re not already on it. Who can say no to $25 ballet tickets?!

While dashing through life, this beautiful rose given to me by the boss lady somehow ended up in a coffee cup. I meant for this to be only a temporary vase, but liked it so much I decided to leave it be. I can’t get over how beautiful the colors look together.

I’ve been hearing a lot about these trendy Quay Sunglasses from Australia. I snapped this selfie the other day hoping to get a friend’s opinion on them, and I must say, I quickly realized they were a little too over-sized for my pea head. I do love how unique their designs are, nonetheless.

It’s been a while since my plus-sized cat, Buttercup, found her way onto Watch Me Juggle. I believe she made her first appearance on my very first “Five Things” ever. She’s so photogenic, I’m convinced she knows exactly when a camera is near.

Until next time,

EVA♥

Because I’m a Lady…

Posted on April 13, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

Today’s post is going to be on the rather rambly side, which is probably not that much of a surprise to many of you, dear readers. I’m sure many of you internet dwellers can relate to the ever-popular lists, like the ones you find all over Buzzfeed? You know, things like “29 Important Lessons Jane Austen Taught You About Love,” or “21 London Street Foods You Must Try.” One of my recent favorites has to be “19 Inanimate Objects That Perfectly Sum Up Your Hangover.” Who has time to think of this stuff? Oh, wait, that’s right people like me….nevermind.

Anyway, the boss lady likes to occasionally send me funny or inspirational little emails, two of which found their way to my inbox this morning. While obstinately insisting on staying in bed, I had some time to read them and was very much inspired. One that particularly struck me came from James Michael Sama’s blog, and detailed the “12 Things You Should Expect When Dating a Strong Woman.” Unlike many similar articles I’ve read, this one seemed, well, realistic. Rather than focusing on over-arching generalizations, everything was refreshingly relatable. In a nutshell: no indecisiveness, flakiness, or disrespect will be tolerated. Of course, you would hope that most of these things would be a given, however, I have all too often found otherwise. I decided that I would elaborate with a few of my own personal, albeit slightly whimsical “strong woman” characteristics:

I’m a lady and I’m true to my word. If I’ve given you my word on something or made plans with you, I’m following through with it. Hence, last-minute cancellations are not acceptable.
I will continually expect the best from people (though sometimes to my own detriment). The people I have in my life reinforce this expectation, they’re all pretty great.
I may walk fast, with my large handbag bashing into you, but I still want you to hold my hand. A true gentleman will also always stand on the side of traffic. This is not difficult.
I’m a grown woman. I can pump my own gas, carry my own groceries, and assemble my own furniture. However, this does not mean that I do not appreciate someone who can lend a helping hand.
I don’t have much to hide. Sure, everyone has their insecurities, but if my face without makeup perturbs you, look elsewhere. I’m comfortable with myself and like to keep similar company.
I think it was Malcolm Forbes who said that “you can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” How you treat the wait staff, children, and the elderly says a lot about you. Rudeness and sullenness is never attractive.
I’m not impressed by material things, name-dropping, etc. I find integrity, passion, and kindness to be the most admirable qualities in a person.

These are, perhaps, just the tip of the iceberg. Ladies, don’t let anyone make you feel badly about having your standards. Even better, if you stick to them, you’ll find yourself surrounded with the kind of people that you really want to be with.

And, because I’m so much of a lady, of course I’ll have to end today’s post with the necessary Karen Walker gif:

Love,

EVA♥