We Hiked That…

Posted on January 19, 2015 by 4evamaria

Oh, hello everyone.

I managed to tear myself away from some very important business (ahem, “Game of Thrones”) to get a few things done this lovely Monday.

Photo c/o Gary Lo

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it may be rather belated, but I finally managed to hike Mt. Tam!

I also got to visit the historic West Point Inn, a place that I had long wanted to see. I’m going to preface this whole thing by saying that our hike, round-trip, took several hours and spanned almost 10 miles. I’ve never hiked such a long distance in my life. If it wasn’t for my friends, I don’t think I would have gotten out of bed today, nevermind found the motivation to go on a four hour hike this morning. I’ve been having a bit of difficulty finding motivation in general lately. I’ve just been signing myself for work and events, and dragging myself out of the house to meet the expectations I set for myself. To be quite honest, I wasn’t particularly excited to go hiking today. I went through my morning routine, made myself some coffee, and met my friends. I trudged up the side of the mountain, almost solely motivated by lunch and the promise of a good view. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the running conversation I found myself laughing out loud, saying silly things, and just generally enjoying myself. That’s the wonderful thing about good friends, it doesn’t necessarily matter what shape you’re in when you meet them, just being in their company will turn your day around. A little bit of exercise certainly doesn’t hurt, either. The boss lady told me of a quote she had heard today: “the only thing standing between you and a good mood, is a workout.” It’s completely true, but sometimes you need a little something extra to get you through the days. Oh, and good food, that too.

If you’re ever in the San Francisco Bay Area and need some fresh air and beautiful views, I highly recommend it.

EVA♥

Blonde Again!

Posted on January 15, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

When you spend an unseemly long amount of time in a hairstylist’s chair, it seems only logical that you take incredible awkward pictures of your self, and the monster that your hair has become. It’s not a pretty sight, I must say, which is naturally why I enjoy sharing it with my friends and family! And you, dear readers, of course…Get ready for Adventures in Hair, Part II!

When you go into a salon asking for an ombré dye job, this is the last thing you think you’ll look like three hours later:

OMG! Am all kinds of glamorous. If you want to see more embarrassing pictures of me, just click here for my original ombré post.

Pardon my wibbly, bright selfie. That front-facing camera is quite awful at times.

When I was younger I did nothing with my hair. I mean nothing. I took care of it, of course, brushed it, washed it, and put it up the same way everyday, but, that was it. When I was 17, I finally cut it to a more manageable length and even ventured out and got some subtle highlights. I later grew tired of them and had my hair dyed back to its uniform dark brown, where it stayed for a good eight years. I got restless, and thought of doing something different one day. Blonde seemed the last direction I would ever go in, but I wanted something relatively low-maintenance and decided to take a chance on this whole ombré thing. It certainly helps that, despite being semi-blonde for almost two years, I still get compliments. But, all that processing does make your hair awfully angry. If you, like me, have what I like to refer to as “special needs hair” just slap some of this little miracle cure on:

Photo c/o Sleekhair.com

I like to leave in this treatment overnight and rinse it out in the morning. Rub in some argan oil before you blow-dry and it’s like you have new hair! Bye-bye straw! I’ve also been experimenting with washing my hair less often to prevent excessive damage. Admittedly, this has led to quite a bit of dry shampoo abuse, but it’s going well so far! It could just be all in my head, but I swear my hair stays nicer longer. Do any of you have special tricks for your “special needs hair,” dear readers? Do tell!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on January 14, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

I hope your weeks are off to a good start! My weekend absolutely flew by, and I’m not entirely sure how it came to be Wednesday, but there you have it. I’ve attempted to cram as much work into this week as possible, and I do think I’ve almost succeeded. I’ve been teaching, dancing, and trying to put together a show simultaneously. Yes, it’s that time of year again: the Big Show planning has begun at my studio. This year we’re doing “The Little Mermaid,” or our version of it, anyway. It’s been one of my favorite stories since I was little, and I’m quite excited to be able to put my own creative spin on it. Because I’ve been so busy this week, I’ve really been trying to take good care of myself during my downtime. That being said, I’m planning on having a pampering, quiet evening and going to bed early in preparation for the long Thursday ahead.

So, as always, here’s a peek at this week’s Five Things:

Remember when I said no more jewelry purchases for 2015? It’s come to the point where I’ve started stacking my rings. I’m running out of fingers, people! These are two of my favorites.

I was poking around Target the other day, and found this little book quite out of place. It felt a bit like a sign, so I picked it up and began reading it. Best. Decision. I assumed it would be horribly cheesy, but was quite the opposite. Highly recommend.

You can always count on the cute Starbuck’s baristas to brighten your day. I was joking when I told him to put this on my cup, just so you know.

I give you the ultimate lazy brunch. I planned on taking myself out for a lazy Sunday morning, and found my neighborhood coffee shop much too crowded. Voilà! Take-out waffles.

and, lastly, I was recently informed that my favorite female comedienne, Anjelah Johnson, has a few music videos. This is my absolute favorite:

If you haven’t already seen her Nail Salon stand-up check it out here. Sometimes we just need a laugh.

EVA♥

Trunk Show Fun

Posted on January 12, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

My friend Sarah recently hosted a trunk show for the talented, native-Alamedan Marrin Costello. I discovered her designs this last summer (which I wrote about here), and was so excited to see more. While I haven’t been to many, trunk shows are brilliant ideas- who doesn’t love shopping with friends and a glass of bubbly?

All the shiny things!

My mother was kind enough to accompany me, and immediately bonded with Sarah’s dog, Theo. He proved to be the ultimate good sport, and tolerated us dressing him up in all the jewelry. He looks quite at ease, if anything. While I had my sights set on the ornate gold earrings pictured above, I didn’t plan on leaving with nearly as many pieces as I did. By the end, this included midi rings, a necklace, and a gold bowzer bracelet. A few were gifts, which was a lovely surprise, but the rest were, admittedly, gifts to myself. I also picked up a beautiful Italian leather wrap bracelet for my mother for Christmas, which was much more exciting to buy than the flannel pajamas she initially requested. I love the variety of Marrin’s unique designs- there’s a little something for every facet of your personality. When I’m feeling tough, or like I need a little extra back-up, I wear my spiked bracelets, usually stacked. On more delicate days, my new necklace pairs nicely with my everyday pieces. And, to instantly dress up any outfit, my new gold earrings.

In other news, I’m not allowing myself to buy any more jewelry for the majority of 2015. What about you, dear readers? Do you have jewelry designs (or a particular designer) you gravitate to? Jewelry can be such a powerful, personal thing- I think it’s important for everyone to have a little something special.

EVA♥

The Holiday Hangover

Posted on January 9, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone.

Do you find yourself feeling cold, tired, and generally listless?

Having a hard time getting up in the morning?

Is there an empty space in your house once occupied by your beloved Christmas tree?

Fighting the urge to put Bailey’s in your morning coffee?

Then, you might have….a holiday hangover.

Like me.

Lately, all I’ve wanted to do is stay inside and read, or sleep. Or both, to be quite honest. All that January gloom is attempting to set in, but it’s really nice to know that I’m not alone in this. (And neither are you, just in case you’re wondering!) While many of you were dreading the first day back at work, my schedule was finally slowing down. I’ve mentioned before that the Christmas season tends to be quite a busy one for me, and, because I do so enjoy what I do, a return to my normal schedule is almost disappointing. This, combined with all the cold weather can make me one sad bunny.

I’ve had a number of talks with friends in regards to our 2015 resolutions; usually to be fitter, more put-together, more mindful versions of ourselves. Resolutions are simply a way of injecting a sense of purpose into our lives mid-winter. The holidays are finally over, and there’s nothing to take the place of all that cheer. Even if they were less-than-ideal, they do only come once a year, along with all those fancy seasonal Starbuck’s drinks. So, what the hell January?! What are we supposed to do with you?

So, I started thinking…

The concept of new year’s resolutions are really that far off. This time of the year really should be about you. What do you want to do? Then, instead of just thinking about it, go do it! The other day, a dream of an opportunity presented itself. I made my resolve to go after it, and, not soon after, started to get cold feet. Why? What was I so afraid of? Ultimately, I knew that nothing bad could happen to me. But, I also knew that absolutely nothing at all was going to happen if I didn’t make a move. Sometimes you need to just tell yourself that only good things can come of taking a chance. That’s pretty much all it took for me. Sure, I still had some anxiety surrounding the whole thing, but things like that will only get in your way if you let them. So put on your big girl/boy pants and show January who’s boss.

Love,

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on January 7, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hey y’all!

Anyone else feeling those January blues that tend to set in after all the holidays? I sure am. It’s in that sigh when you inevitably have to go back to work. It’s in the ritual of bundling up before you go outside: hat, check; gloves, check; scarf, check. It’s hard to get into January, quite frankly. Which is why you need your good friends around to tell you you’re not crazy, and to help you unwind with the occasional cocktail. Which brings me to the very first of my “Five Things” of the week.

(Like that segue? I like to pretend I’m smooth sometimes.)

I give you: Karl the Fog. A coffee-based cocktail from Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco. I highly recommend them the next time you find yourself in need of some refuge in the midst of all the downtown SF craziness.

I finally took my Christmas tree down yesterday, but I wanted to share my newest ornament with you, dear readers. Yes, it’s a lemon wedge. It was a gift from a friend of mine, who told me I always had the ability to make life’s lemons into lemonade. It was a sparkling nod to optimism, this silly lemon.

I know it’s not yet Thursday, but this is a throwback to the evening when my friend Kelsey and I rang in 2013. I had a lot of change in store for me, but I didn’t know it yet!

I admittedly like to take photos during the odd moment of calm in the office. Yes, it’s a cliché Starbucks cup shot! And no, that’s not how you spell my name. But, I did get a row of new little gold Bowzer spikes from the fabulous Marrin Costello!

Doesn’t every good family dinner end with a large bottle of the latest pre-mixed cocktail brought to you by a famous rapper? Well, mine did. A family member works for a local liquor distribution/production company, and happens to be friends with E-40. Who knew? The best part of the evening was watching his wife cajole us with lines from “My Shit Bang.” I love these people.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

EVA♥

I’m The Kind of Girl Who…

Posted on January 6, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

This is me. So obnoxiously excited to be at work that I document it in a selfie when no one is in the office.

I’m really late on the “I’m the kind of girl” post bandwagon, I must say. Here I was, thinking I was being all original, when I stumbled across this post from one of my favorite blogs: I Wore Yoga Pants To Work. As many would say, no art is truly original. I started writing this post in the little pink notebook I carry around with me, and it was further inspired by those gals out there who aren’t afraid to be themselves.

I was always kind of a quirky person. It’s only over the last few years that I’ve had the confidence to really embrace it. When I was younger, I found out that it’s a lot of wasted effort trying to be something other people want you to be. Being as true to yourself, as authentic as possible, is pretty much the best way to earn points with anyone. I’m aware that I’m very much a paradox: the clumsy ballerina, the girl who can get all dressed up and still act like to total goofball. I’m a bit of a weirdo, I’ll admit it. But, it does my heart good when people can laugh with me, and find a place in their hearts for someone who’s openly imperfect.

I’m the kind of girl who…

+ eats cake for dinner on occasion. Or a pint of ice cream. When I was 18 and living in Santa Barbara I realized that no one could stop me from doing this if I just felt like it. So I did.

+ talks to other cars on the road while driving. Yes, you Mr. Prius. Make up your mind. Are you turning or going straight? This is San Francisco, and I don’t have all damn day.

+ will work ten times harder at something if you say I can’t do it. Just watch me. Watch me juggle all the things. I’ll put all my heart and soul into it, too. Whoever first told me I couldn’t dance had another thing coming.

+ isn’t afraid of being alone. This wasn’t always the case. When I first moved into my apartment I had a hard time sleeping at night, but now I relish the time I have to myself. I can listen to horrible music as much as I want, and walk around my house in heels and no one is there to judge me.

+ wears vintage/thrifted clothes with my most expensive accessories. I love looking like a million bucks without spending nearly that much. Am so fancy, you guys.

+ bakes when sad. Totally serious. Whether in the midst of a personal crisis or just having a depressing lazy day for no reason. Want a cake? Done. Maybe I’ll throw a dozen cookies in there too. And some scones. It’s a productive thing to put your energy into; at the end you’re left with a bunch of treats and a house that smells delicious. It’s an instant mood booster.

+ will read books and watch movies over and over again. You can always tell my favorites by how beat up they are. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Sabrina” are constants in my life.

+ likes to dance like an idiot out at clubs sometimes. I do the running man, and the sprinkler with inappropriate levels of enthusiasm. If only partially to see peoples’ reactions, seeing as most know I dance for a living. People just need to stop taking themselves so seriously.

+ sings words during conversation. It was during a recent car ride that I noticed this about myself. A friend of mine started laughing hysterically and I couldn’t figure out why. I guess singing the phrase “heli-copter par-ents” while doing awkward robot arm movements isn’t something that people do on a regular basis.

You can’t make this stuff up. It’ s honestly just how I am.

EVA♥

Oh, Hello 2015

Posted on January 4, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Wait, but, seriously…what day is it?

I ask this because the last few (or rather the first few of the year) have been a total blur. Admittedly, I still have that holiday feeling going on in my little apartment. Yes, tree, Christmas lights and all. My last week of December was quite work-filled and while I did quite a bit of shopping, I didn’t manage to get it together enough to by a 2015 calendar. So I still have last year’s hanging on my wall, turned to December, so you could see how this could be confusing.

Ringing in this new year’s was a success, I must say. I always say that I pretty much only need two things to make an evening successful: good food, and good company. I had both. My friend Kelsey decided to come up from Santa Barbara for an impromptu visit, and we decided to celebrate in style with my friend Courtney. This of course translates to applying lots of glittery eye makeup and watching “Magic Mike” whilst eating tacos. (There may or may not have been a “Magic Mike” drinking game involved. Rules: drink every time you see gyrating, and so on…)

Photo c/o Kelsey Tinkham

Our neighborhood bar and taqueria, pre-new-year’s-eve festivities. I’ve discovered the fried chicken taco everyone. Amazing!

It turns out that, out of all my friends, I’m one of the only ones who isn’t afraid of opening a bottle of bubbly. It’s one of my favorite things, actually. I managed to shoot the cork from this bottle of cava across the room! Please also note that while I was inept at taking pictures of my outfit this particular evening, I was, in fact, wearing hot pink pants and my most amazing new shoes.

Photo c/o Kelsey Tinkham

We went out all dressed in black. Like a band. A really classy one. That frequents wine bars.

Post-new year’s countdown. We went home that evening covered in streamers/silly string.

The next morning we did as all good San Franciscans do and spent some time in Dolores Park ringing in the new year with mimosas. I had a hard time keeping up with the conversation, as there were so many adorable dogs running around the park that afternoon. Also, in true San Francisco fashion, there was a rather large drone flying in circles around the park, enjoying its time interrupting people with its loud, mosquito-like whirring. The joys of technology.

Of course, regardless of it being almost 40-degree weather, we trucked over to Bi-Rite for some ice cream as the sun was setting. While I was tempted by the seasonal candy cane flavor, I could no longer feel my feet and figured that ice cream would be counterproductive to the whole staying-warm thing. Look at me! Adulting my way into the new year.

Happy New Year!

EVA♥

It’s like I have ESPN, or something…

Posted on December 30, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

Oh, boy…here comes the gif:

Ahhhh! It’s almost 2015, people! Quick! Isn’t it time to do all of the things that we didn’t get a chance to do this year…or something?

So, according to the lovely Taylor over at The Daily Tay, I’m all kinds of lame for not doing the requisite “2014 Recap” post, followed by a resolutions post. I’m a rogue blogger, what can I say? What I am doing, in a nod to the upcoming new year, is participating in The Other Juliette‘s fabulous link up with Amber, and predicting what this next year has in store for me. To be quite honest, I think the last time I was given an assignment like this, it was 1999, and my 7th grade English teacher made us write a paper predicting what was going to happen when Y2K hit. Yes, I’m dating myself. No, I cannot explain why the majority of people were in a total panic because they thought that the computers wouldn’t be able to count to 2000. Get it together everyone. Anyway, I did take a moment to reflect on what my life might look like in 2015.

So, here goes nothing:

YES

I’ll continue to cram as many ballet/modern dance classes into my day as possible. There’s still room people!
I see many a trip to Las Vegas in my future
I’ll begin the process of getting rid of my “party trick” tooth, and getting the smile I’ve been dreaming about since I was 14.
I’ll continue making life’s lemons into lemonade, and then promptly add vodka for a refreshing twist.
I’ll finally get my kitchen organized, and take my microwave out of the box.
I will take stand-up paddleboarding lessons over the summer.
I’ll visit New Orleans again.
I’ll become an honorary aunt again. Isn’t that one of the perks of having married friends?
Get a new laptop, “fancify” Watch Me Juggle a bit, and get to know some bay area bloggers in real life.
I will visit my alma mater and spend some much-needed time in Santa Barbara.

NO

I’ll take up running for fun.
I will develop a taste for radicchio. It’s pretty to look at, but blech…
The fabulous shoe buying will cease.
I’ll decide that living alone sucks and promptly move into a house filled with people I don’t know.
I will give up coffee in favor of large glasses of water. (haha! That’s funny, right?)

Wait…what? (Maybe)

Get those tattoos I’ve been thinking about for ages.
Travel to England or Malaysia. Or both, why not?
Buy a Kindle. I love the idea of buying books at a whim while traveling/commuting.
Start making videos to post on my blog.
Do that photo shoot I’ve been thinking about for ages. I’m long overdue for some pictures of myself dancing.

…

What do you think, everyone? Doable or totally ridiculous? I almost included “shaving half of my head like Ke$ha” under my ‘No’ list, but thought better of it. I will make no promises.

EVA♥

Baby, It’s Cold Outside…

Posted on December 29, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with all of your loved ones.

One of my favorite gifts: a two-carat diamond! Just what I wanted! Now I can drink my coffee and look fabulous all in one go!

Mimosas: a Christmas tradition.

My silly elf outfit for the day. I felt very cozy and festive in my Uggs and hat, carrying all my family’s presents.

Fun fact: my family has a vineyard in Austria. We opened a bottle of wine from the latest harvest over Christmas dinner.

Beautiful gingerbread cookies, and a glimpse at my holiday work routine below…

Voilà! My Christmas in pictures.

…..

Though some people might feel as if Christmas is long gone, I like to revel in the spirit into the new year. My little tree is still up, and still surrounded by Christmas treats. It’s been quite cold here in the bay area, so it’s easy to stay in and live in your Christmas sweater for an extra day or two. Of course, being a part of the ballet world, Christmas festivities don’t quite end on the eve of the 25th. Smuin Ballet continued on with four post-Christmas shows, and San Francisco Ballet had its final Nutcracker of the year today. Phew! Can you imagine working overtime through your holidays? I know a lot of you consider attending the Nutcracker as part of your annual Christmas tradition, and this makes it the busiest time of the year for dancers. This often means very few days off and no traveling, which in turn translates to no time spent with family. With this in mind, it astonishes me that people call asking us if we have shows on Christmas Eve proper, or until the 31st. Dancing is really hard, mentally and physically exhausting work. The only reason it doesn’t look like it, is because professional dancers are really good at their jobs. Please, do go to the ballet and enjoy with your friends and family, but also keep this in mind. Maybe applaud extra hard? We always love that.

I know the new year is fast approaching, but I don’t feel at all prepared this year! This time last year, I was hellbent on packing as many things as possible into my carry-on suitcase for my New Zealand trip. I even ended up bowing out of my new year’s eve party early as I had a flight to catch early the very next morning. This year, I’m planning on enjoying the festivities with a few good friends of mine and seeing where the night takes me. (Stay tuned for more later!)

EVA♥