Five Things

Posted on April 20, 2016 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

My Five Things for the week are truly indicative of my life lately. Meaning, that my life has consisted of cold brew coffee/cocktails/coffee cocktails, inspirational Pinterest quotes, snarky T-shirts, and chocolate. In case you haven’t already noticed, I’m a horrible stereotype of a 20-something woman and need to be stopped. But, at the end of the day, at least I’m not accosting you with my crazy outfits from Coachella. You’re welcome.

Prizefighter is quickly becoming one of my favorite East Bay bars. It has everything you might need: snacks, delicious cocktails, and puppies. I often come here over other spots just to play with stranger’s dogs. They do get bonus points for having a section of their menu dedicated to alcoholic iced coffees. Win!

There’s the most wonderful little wine shop that sells European cheeses and chocolates. I like to stop by occasionally and grab lunch there while ogling all their treats.

My friend Rachel recently introduced me to a marvelous new thing: Creme de Violette. It makes your cocktails this beautiful violet color, and tastes amazing! I like it best in my gin and tonics.

Photo c/o Pinterest

Sometimes I wish life could be this simple. Perhaps it’s just up to you! Go get yourself some ice cream and forget about those people, and, although violence is never the answer, I’m sure there are a few individuals out there who merit this quote. Thanks for the wisdom, Frank Ocean.

Photo c/o Thug Life Shirts

A friend recently showed me this t-shirt and pronounced that it was entirely me. I also like hiking, as long as I can wear my yoga pants and bring my traveling latte. I could spend a great deal of time perusing all of the tops at Thug Life Shirts– they’re all hilarious. I could never decide on just one.

Until next time!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on March 31, 2016 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

The last two weeks have been interesting, to say the least. I feel like I’ve finally adjusted to whole “spring-forward” time debacle (who would have thought one hour would make that big of a difference?!), but I have no idea where the entire month of March went. Anyone? Has anyone seen my March lying around? If so, please return it to its rightful owner.

I’ve had a terribly hard time balancing my busy schedule. I’m very comfortable with busy, but when I suddenly have a day all to myself, I find myself going into total retreat mode, talking to no one and having no idea what to do with myself. I cured this this past weekend by visiting the local farmer’s market, baking some brownies, and being generally lazy. Laziness can be wonderful, in moderation, of course. This week’s Five Things are snaps from the nice, somewhat-lazy moments in my week:

I absolutely love lilacs, but rarely allow myself to buy them during the few times I find them in season. This weekend was different, and I’m so glad I did!

I’ve been on a horrible avocado toast kick as of late. I had the very same meal pictured several days in a row, something I almost never do. To keep things interesting, I like making toast with fresh mozzarella, sea salt, garlic olive oil, and tomatoes to accompany the avocado toast.

One of my favorite spots in downtown Oakland has to be Make Westing. I love their garden gimlet cocktails with fresh mint, basil, and cucumbers. It’s like salad in a glass!

I recently had the pleasure of attending the wedding of a former coworker of mine. The invite itself was intended for my mother, but due to a series of unfortunate events, I ended up going instead! I loved the little Tiffany and Co. themed favors at each table, each filled with customized M & M’S. Very cute.

I absolutely love my Nespresso machine (read all about it here!). I got to take advantage of the “self-selection” vault the other day at the flagship location in San Francisco. All I needed was my credit card and my Nespresso key-fob and I went wild! Helping yourself to all the different coffee selections can be quite fun. Let’s face it, it’s probably the only “exclusive club” I’ll belong to for a long while.

Until next time!

EVA♥

Provocative: At the Ballet…

Posted on January 25, 2016 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

I’ve learned something important about myself this year. It’s probably been apparent to some for quite a while now, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with it. I have a confession to make:

I like fancy parties.

I really like fancy parties- even better if there’s a theme. I like planning for these events, debating on what I might wear, down to the lipstick I put in my purse, the strange romantic in me enjoys every last bit of it. I sometimes find myself thinking that I would be content if my entire life were a fancy party, like some sort of weird, poetic limbo. I love the people watching, the mingling, the cocktails; it’s a total respite from my everyday routine. They’re the kinds of events I dreamed of as a kid, and they’re every bit as satisfying as I thought they would be now that I’m a guest. I attended San Francisco Ballet’s annual opening night gala last Thursday, as I have for the last few seasons (I blogged about it here and here). After the dreaded “holiday hangover,” it’s just the thing to get you excited about the year again! The performance is always a treat, featuring excerpts from the season ahead, as well as a few opening night exclusives. This year, there was a crowd-pleasing blend of classical and contemporary pieces, intended on showcasing a number of the company’s dancers (and San Francisco Ballet students) at their best. My very favorite had to be Jiří Bubeníček’s Gentle Memories, which initially premiered at the 2013 gala. I’m a sap, what can I say?

While I, understandably, don’t have too many snaps inside the opera house (*cue Chorus Line’s “At the Ballet”* I’m glad some places are still phone-free), I did get quite a few photos of the evening’s memorable after party.

The blue dress was the winner!

A newly discovered hidden talent of mine.

I like prosecco. Can you tell I like prosecco? Because I do.

If you ask me, no opening night gala party is complete without a bar cart full of bottles of prosecco. I also found myself lingering around the over-the-top dessert table, with piles and piles of handmade truffles. Let’s not forget the oyster bar and the silent disco taking place on the second floor of our picturesque city hall. The theme of the evening was “Provocative,” which was only appropriate, since the entire evening was sponsored by La Perla. I was slightly disappointed there were no La Perla-themed gift bags, but considering I was able to get my hands on a tiny bottle of La Marca prosecco to-go, I was quite happy. I woke the next day with it still sitting in my purse, peeking like a little reminder of the evening before.

Can I go back now?

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on January 13, 2016 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

I can’t believe it’s already year two of Five Things. I have to thank one of my favorite blogs Cupcakes and Cashmere for inspiring me to post my five random photos of the week in the first place. I first discovered her blog during my breaks at my first ever office job, which, luckily, was one of the things that opened up the blogging world to me in the first place. Although, I used to get chastised for using up all the “bandwidth” in the office, it was obviously well worth it. I’m hoping this week’s Five Things provides equal entertainment for you during your monotonous work breaks!

Despite the figurative Christmas hangover, my good friend Rachel and I trekked over to The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus for our favorite afternoon tea. Sitting next to their impressive three-story Christmas tree, it finally started to feel like a bit of vacation.

A few years ago, on a road trip up to Portland, some friends introduced me to the wonder that is candied ginger infused vodka from one of their local distilleries in Bend, Oregon. I enjoy anything with a fresh ginger flavor, so needless to say I fell in love with this right away.

I discovered a magical restaurant and bar in San Francisco by the name of Teeth that serves totchos. They’re exactly what you think they are: tater tots topped with all the fixings of nachos. Perhaps a little indulgent, but they’re certainly wonderful treat after a long, rainy day.

What’s a visit to San Francisco’s Union Square without stopping by Tiffany and Co.? I very much enjoyed their Christmas decor this year- especially the beautiful tree covered in their signature little blue boxes.

I’ve picked up a bit of a Pinterest hobby in the last few weeks. The boss lady and I like to send one another things we think the other would like. This appeared in my inbox the other day, and it struck a chord with me. It’s a good reminder to be your own biggest fan.

Cheers!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on December 2, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

I can’t believe it’s already December.

I’ve had a bit of an unfortunate start to the winter season; the cold has finally caught up with the Bay Area, just in time for my thermostat to stop working. Before you ask, yes, I hit my heater repeatedly in an attempt to fix it. No, it did not work. That being said, I’ve spent many of my evenings at home lately wrapped up in my favorite heated blanket, pinning things on Pinterest for a much longer time than is healthy. I’ll admit it, I’ve finally caught the Pinterest bug and an intervention might be necessary sometime soon (in the meantime, you can find my Pinterest page here). I don’t know about you, dear readers, but I’m just about ready to be done with this year. Hellooooo 2016! To start, I’ll just take a functioning heater.

And with that rambling introduction, I give you this week’s Five Things!

Those of you who know me, know that I spend approximately 50% of my life in active wear or a leotard. Although quite pricey, some of the pieces I have from Lululemon are my tried and true favorites. I still frequently wear the very first jacket I ever purchased from them six years ago. This top, the Swiftly Tech Long-sleeve Crew, is my latest find. And I love the color- cant’ you tell? I somehow ended up in their dressing rooms wearing all violet/navy things without meaning to!

The little island I live on might not have much in the way of nightlife, but we do have one of the very best tiki bars in the Bay Area. If you’re ever around, Forbidden Island is a must. From left to right, I give you the Monkeypod, the Boo-Loo, and the infamous and delicious Painkiller.

Commuting can shave years off of your life, but being able to hop on a ferry and see this lovely view every week certainly makes up for it. Why spend time underground or stuck in traffic when you can bob along in the bay? They even have doughnuts. Ssh! It’s a secret.

These drinks from San Pellegrino have become some of my favorites lately. Bonus: they come in many flavors, all tasty. It’s easy enough to find your standard lemon or orange flavors in the grocery store, but some of my favorites include clementine, grapefruit, blood orange, and this rare prickly pear flavor! This peach-colored can did wonders for perking up an otherwise dull work day.

Oh, hello beautiful shoes. Unfortunately, these were no where near my size, so I had to settle for admiring them. At more than 50% off I started going through the list of friends I could potentially call who wore a size 6 1/2. What a steal! Also, in case you haven’t guessed it, I am most certainly the friend that enables extravagant purchases.

Life is short, buy the shoes.

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on November 18, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

Five Things is b-a-c-k, back!

I’ve been accumulating pictures left and right, and yet life seems to get in the way, as it so conveniently does. I’ve been missing sharing the random round-up of photos from my life, and am looking forward to getting the backlog of blogs out of my brain and onto the interwebs. Of course, what would Watch Me Juggle be without a little spontaneity/chaos? On that note, here are this week’s Five Things:

I had my first pint of porter at Faction Brewing recently. Perched on the edge of the old navy base, Faction a local Alameda brewery with an amazing view of the San Francisco skyline. It’s very much no-frills- a trip to the ladies room requires crossing the brewery’s entire warehouse, but that’s very much part of its charm. I’ve also never had a milk stout quite like theirs before! I highly recommend.

I’ve been exploring San Francisco’s Hayes Valley neighborhood quite a bit lately, and have been enjoying it. You’ll find many interesting characters, restaurants, and bars there, as well as the occasional piece of “burner” artwork. Here’s If you take a peek past this artfully carved gazebo, you’ll be able to see another one of one of this week’s things…

I’m very much in love with Smitten Ice Cream, located just down the street from my office. It’s made-to-order ice cream is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. Pictured is one of their season flavors: sweet white corn and fresh berries. Delicious!

It’s no secret that I do enjoy perusing antique and thrift stores from time to time. I found this funny little collection of “mustache” cups recently. Perfect at keeping tea out of even the most dapper gentleman’s mustache!

Some friends and I had the chance to visit the famed Wilson and Wilson bar in San Francisco not too long ago. A secret bar within a bar, Wilson and Wilson boasts an impressive cocktail menu, handed to you in the form of a case file. It’s detective agency-themed decor reminded me of something you might see in The Maltese Falcon and their in-house infused liquors are really unique.

Cheers!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on April 8, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

Five Things has quickly become the milepost of my week, that and Jenna Marbles’ videos, the joys of Wednesday! This week has been an interesting one, punctuated with sighs from yours truly. It’s a funny thing that I’ve noticed about myself lately. Whenever I find I have a lot on my mind, or if I’m feeling down-in-the-dumps, I’ll let out a big sigh. I didn’t notice it until recently, when the woman sitting next to me on my day-to-day commute started looking at me oddly. I get so preoccupied sometimes I think I forget to take deep breaths. Does this happen to any of you, dear readers? Like many things, I guess it could be worse.

I digress, as always, but Five Things means that there are pictures of puppies and/or cocktails that have come to save the day! Let’s get to it…

I’ve been mildly fascinated with the Parisian-style macaroons at Chantal Guillon in San Francisco, as of late. I really enjoy all the creative flavors, and will one day need to find an excuse to buy a whole box full. They sure are pretty to look at.

Photo c/o PopSugar

I’ve been fascinated with these trendy Flash tattoos as of late. I’m just dying to get my hands on pack and go completely overboard. It’s like semi-permanent jewelry! I can just imagine myself teaching ballet class in a leotard and entirely gold arms. As if my students don’t think I’m quirky enough already…

Adventures of Maddie the Dog return. In this episode, Maddie enjoys being tucked in while simultaneously taking up the whole couch. Bless her, she’s a funny one.

My girlfriends and I discovered another quintessentially hipster bar in downtown Oakland over the weekend. We had a hard time finding the Double Standard, but enjoyed it once we got past the rather foreboding, graffiti covered entrance.

Meanwhile, I introduced the boss lady to some of the finer points of Pinterest, and her pinning enthusiasm has worn off on me. You can find my Pinterest boards here. hey’re a work in progress, and I sense quite a bit more to come! My personal favorite has to be my “Notable Quotes. Quotable Notes” board- it’s where I keep the simple quote above. It’s a beautiful reminder that everyone needs now and again.

Until next time,

EVA♥

Birthday Dinner

Posted on August 11, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

I must say I have missed my dear blog over the last few days. Sorry to be MIA, but, as you might have gathered from my previous blogs, I have been occupied with celebrating my birthday over the last week. Which is totally appropriate adult behavior.

On my birthday proper, a small group of girlfriends and I gathered at Hard Water, a waterfront bar on the Embarcadero. Specializing in bourbon cocktails and New Orleans-inspired food, it was an intimate and enjoyable cocktail hour, although it was quite cold and blustery out.

This top-heavy concoction consisted of bourbon, St. George’s NOLA Coffee liqueur, organic Straus cream, and a variety of other things beyond my comprehension. It also came with this curious little metal straw/spoon, in the manner of those Iccee straws of your childhood. Also pictured are some beautiful pink dahlias I was gifted. True girlfriends are worth their weight in gold, I’ll be the first to tell you.

After a few drinks, I got to check another item off of the Summer List with a late dinner at Foreign Cinema. Two birds with one stone! I’ve never had the opportunity of being at this beautiful restaurant while they were showing their signature films, so this was an absolute treat. I found it a bit difficult, however, to enjoy Casablanca in the full interior of the restaurant and without totally ignoring my date. It was a lovely sentiment, though, and created a really nice ambiance. Being the girl that I am, I did manage to document the lovely festivities by taking gratuitous photos of my celebratory meal before devouring it.

…minus the actual dinner…

When my exotic seafood stew arrived, you see, I decided that it needed to be in my face as quickly as possible. So, I put down the camera and enjoyed my dinner. Bad blogger! However, I did manage to capture the beauty of my cocktail. Typical Eva.

Here’s the fantastic chevre cheesecake I had for dessert:

Topped with berries, brown sugar oat crumble, and a swipe of a white peach based sauce.

I have a feeling that this restaurant will continue to be one of my very favorites for years to come. I was so full by the end of the meal, I was beginning to regret my dress choice. Unfortunately you can’t unbutton any buttons when you’re wearing a dress…#girlproblems.

Happy Monday all! Promise I won’t be too much of a stranger.

EVA♥