Touch the Heart

Posted on November 10, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I hope you’re doing well, dear readers. The same cannot be said for my little laptop. While she’s still hanging in there, trying to type with both the “n” key and spacebar sticking is incredibly difficult. Sometimes, she also likes to shut down for no reason. I mean, really- how am I supposed to read all the trivia on IMDB when I’m watching a movie on a Friday night?! (Does anyone else do this?) Rude.

Photo c/o Maren Masterson. Dim sum is a must when my girlfriends come to visit!

To the left are some of my favorite sweets: jin duei, or, as I like to call them “sesame balls.” So delicious! Some might have made their way into my purse for later…just saying. I have no shame.

Today, I wanted to write about a little meal that has become near and dear to my heart: Dim Sum. Roughly translated to “touch the heart,” this Cantonese meal is meant to bring people together, even if only over a quick cup of tea. For those of you that aren’t familiar, the dishes are designed to be shared, and are usually carb-heavy in the form of dumplings, buns, or noodles. I love the social aspect of the meal- which is even better if you have some adventurous friends who are willing to try new things. For me, dim sum has become synonymous with comfort food; I tend to stuff myself excessively while attempting to try every dish that comes rolling up in the cart. That’s the other thing: if you appreciate a quick, grab-and-go meal, then dim sum is for you. I usually have food on my table within the first minute of sitting down, I kid you not. First time diners beware: it can be overwhelming if you’re not steadfast on what you do/do not want to eat. Don’t feel bad about declining or asking for something specific! On the other hand, should you find yourself at a table without food for too long, a generous server might just decide to give you whatever they have in their hand. I speak from experience.

Depending on the restaurant, or the people you’re with, there’s always something new. My most recent and favorite discovery has been egg custard buns. I could have these sweet, soft bread buns with a crackly, pineapple-like top filled with egg custard for breakfast every morning! Best when served warm, of course.

Who else would have dim sum every day, if they could?

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on November 5, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone, and Happy Wednesday.

Five Things is back! This week features lots of dessert, some inspiration, and a few giggles. You know, the usual. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but it’s important to remember all the little things that make you happy. It’s my #1 cure for any and all anxiety life might chuck at you. When I’m having a bad day, for example, I like to curl up at home and watch Golden Girls reruns. Yes, that’s right. I am a frequent Hallmark channel-watcher. Top this off with some take-out comfort food and maybe a bubble bath. Even better, watch re-runs in the bath. I do that too. Don’t judge me- we all have our things!

Anyway, first off is a fabulous pumpkin flan that I had for dessert last week. Imagine rich, crust-less pumpkin pie. YUM!

{Please forgive the grainy photo- it was all that ambient lighting in the restaurant!}

{The view from the Starlight Room, post all-night dancing. Mark of a good night.}

{I was feeling a little crafty the other day, so I whipped up a little cinnamon crumb coffee cafe. I literally had cake for breakfast multiple times in the week.}

{Love….I probably should have picked this up from the Urban Outfitters book section, to be quite honest.}

and lastly, if any of you remember Jimmy Kimmel’s past holiday pranks, here’s this year’s Halloween prank.

{Both horrifying and hilarious at the same time. Ah, the joy of children.}

Hope everyone is having a good week thus far!

EVA♥

The Whirlwind

Posted on October 20, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I hope your Mondays treated you well. Mine was quite the doozy, if I may. I may have fallen off the daily blogging bandwagon (it’s really hard blogging on Sundays!), but there are still plenty of adventures to write about! This last, very busy weekend, I had a wonderful time running about San Francisco. One of the highlights was a girls’ afternoon tea at the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus.

The famous stained glass dome.

Afternoon tea isn’t complete without a glass of good champagne, obviously.

My goal was to finish the entire tub of strawberry butter that came with my popover. I didn’t meet it, but I came awful close!

A chicken consomme amuse bouche. The cup isn’t nearly as big as it should be.

A tower of treats.

Delicious Dammann Frères black tea, flavored with strawberries, rhubarb, and flower petals.

The inside of my strawberry macaron. And the mess I made of my scone.

Lovely ladies!

Photo c/o Patrick Baron

It’s been years since I’ve visited the Rotunda, and I’ve missed the ceremony of the place. Let’s face it, I love any excuse to strap on my Vivienne Westwood barbie-looking shoes and eat delicious food. I first discovered their luxurious tea service back in high school, when my girlfriends and I would giggle over the same pot of tea for hours on the rare weekday off. I may be 10 years older, but little has changed. Ok…well, there’s the champagne addition to the tea service, but that’s about it!

I ended the week with a little city adventure, and got to take in the beautiful view from the top of the Lyon St. steps. We’ve also been unbelievably spoiled with beautiful weather as of late, and it’s a rare occasion indeed when you find yourself wandering out and about without a jacket. It’s one of the things I love about living in the bay area. Despite the fact that I’ve considered San Francisco my stomping grounds for most of my life, I’m still discovering new places, and there have been no two weekends alike. While I’m always a bit sad at the end of the weekend (hello Sunday Phenomenon!), it’s been a great kick-off to what looks like a promising week.

EVA♥

Fall List

Posted on October 14, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Remember my Summer List? Well, here’s the fall edition!

I had quite the busy summer, and while I didn’t manage to buy myself a new swimsuit, visit the Hippie Tree, or go paddle boarding, I did have a summer filled with visits to the farmer’s market, the Alameda Art & Wine Festival, and plenty of sundresses. You might be able to recall that I also wrote about my day in St. Helena, and my beautiful birthday dinner at Foreign Cinema. I would consider my summer a success. Yet, seeing as fall is one of those proverbial in-between seasons, I didn’t expect it to be quite as extensive as my summer list. Here’s what I have so far:

…Drink as many Starbuck’s pumpkin spice lattes as possible…
…Wear my favorite warm sweaters…
…Carve pumpkins…
…Go apple picking…
…Do something, anything for Halloween, in a fantastic costume…
…Have a girl’s afternoon tea at the Neiman Marcus Rotunda…
…Attend Off the Grid, Twilight at the Presidio…
…Buy an absurdly large bag of Halloween candy, all for me…
…Wear lots of dark, berry-hued lipsticks…
…Dance as much as possible (as usual)…

While I’m sure that many ladies have those pumpkin spice lattes on the top of their lists, it’s relatively respectable, right? I’m working on those Halloween plans, and the afternoon tea reservation is already made. So far, so good!

Happy fall!

EVA♥

Fall Recipes

Posted on October 13, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

Congratulations on surviving your respective Mondays! After an action-packed weekend, I’m soothing my soul with home cooking and a rerun of The Notebook on Lifetime. Yes, yes, I’m a giant cliché

Photo c/o Smitten Kitchen

Now, while Fall doesn’t seem to have reached the beautiful Bay Area as of yet, I wanted to share one of my favorite comfort food recipes with you today for Blogtober! I made this for the first time two years ago after coming across it on the fabulous Deb’s website: Smitten Kitchen. I can’t wait for it to cool down enough so I can make it again! It’s one of those hearty, potato-based soups, and while it feels incredibly indulgent, its primary base is simply chicken broth and a whole ‘lotta sweet potato. Healthy and full of flavor!

I amended it a bit because I had a hard time coming across fresh chorizo, so I used Trader Joe’s chicken andouille sausage instead, which also packs quite a punch. I also like that it’s a one-pot meal, so clean up is really minimal.

According to the recipe, you’ll need:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10- to 11-ounce fully cooked andouille sausage, sliced.
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach

Simply sauté the sausage with a generous amount of olive oil in the stock pot you plan to cook in. Remove the sausage and add in onions and garlic until translucent. “Add all potatoes and cook until beginning to soften;” then add broth, and simmer until potatoes are fully soft. Smash potatoes with a potato masher (a large fork will do the trick as well) and stir in sausage. Add in spinach and cook until just slightly wilted. (Deb’s original recipe called for a remaining tablespoon of olive oil to be added, but I always skipped this step.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

If you prefer a creamier soup, I’ve been tempted to stir in a spoonful or two of sour cream, which I think compliments the spiciness nicely. The Afghan in me can mix yogurt or sour cream into pretty much everything. I’m always looking to expand my repertoire- what are some of your go-to Fall recipes? If you’re on the lookout, I can’t recommend Smitten Kitchen enough. It’s a wealth of amazing recipes, complete with beautiful photos. I have yet to come across one that I don’t like.

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on October 8, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

It’s still Blogtober, but I’m going rogue today! And, by going rogue, I mean I’m doing the exact same thing I do every Wednesday: Five Things! Yes! It wouldn’t be a normal Wednesday without it. Let’s hop to it!

What’s a Watch Me Juggle post without an ode to doughnuts? Lucky for me, my favorite little SF doughnut shop has a kiosk walking distance from P’s house. (Yes, I’m calling him “P,” I’m not quite that clever yet.) When you walk up, they have all their flavors on display in a pretty cake stand. On this day, I opted for something out of left field: a gluten-free doughnut. Now, before you accuse me of jumping on that bandwagon, it was the only chocolate-y one there, with raspberry glaze. So good!

I discovered this gem hidden on my phone this week! A little throwback to this summer’s St. Helena adventures at the Castello di Amorosa.

In the beginning of the school year, I introduced the boss lady to the world of Instagram. We celebrated this last week’s World Ballet Day by watching the livestream of San Francisco Ballet’s rehearsals in the studio, while documenting it, of course.

The lovely crepe dessert from a mother-daughter lunch last week out in Pleasanton. Filled with warm, crushed berries, it was one of the best desserts I’ve shared in a long time.

Photo c/o Bath & Body Works

I recently splurged on one of my favorite fall-scented candles. I know, it’s a silly little thing to consider a “splurge.” I must say, Bath & Body Works does their seasonal scented candles right! What I love about this particular scent is that it’s not horribly sickly or overwhelming, like some scents can be.

EVA♥

Tuesday is Sangria Day

Posted on September 30, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

For almost a year now, my Tuesdays have become “Taco Tuesdays.” It’s turned into so much of a tradition that, when skipped, I am beset with strong cravings for Mexican food. Yes, I must now have weekly tacos. As most of you know, tacos are best paired with a cold cerveza or a margarita, but I decided to get a little creative and whip together a sangria for the latest get-together with my girlfriends. It’s an impressive addition to any party, but also quite simple to put together!

Yes, those are my polka dot boxer shorts in the corner. Who gets all dressed up to make a mess in the kitchen?

Going off of the assumption that sangria is primarily made of wine, fruit, and some sort of liqueur, I threw together a big pot of the stuff one morning, and let it “marinate” until dinnertime. It was totally experimental, and luckily turned out to be delicious! All you need is:

1 orange, slightly crushed to release juices
1 apple
Any seasonal fruit you would like! I used a nectarine
1 bottle of red wine
1 can of delicious bubbly something (i.e Hansen’s mandarin lime soda, or flavored San Pellegrino)
1/4 cup of Triple Sec
1/4 cup of citrus-flavored vodka (optional)

Chop up all fruit into bite size pieces, cover with wine and liqueur; stir, refrigerate, and let rest for 2+hours. When ready to serve, top with soda or sparkling water and enjoy! I know, it’s incredibly high-tech. It’s also foolproof as long as you taste as you go. Should you prefer a stronger sangria, you’re welcome to edit the recipe to your liking. You could also easily make a non-alcoholic sangria with a grape juice, or, even better, lots of kombucha! And, let’s not forget: it’s an easy way to make your after work cocktail count as a serving of fruit.

Adulthood is basically a bunch of life-hacks in disguise. Oh, and sangria.

EVA♥

Life Lately

Posted on September 22, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone,

Today is the first official day of Fall! We’re obviously horribly spoiled here in California, because rather than the autumn chill I expected this morning, things are typical: 70 degrees and sunny. The grass is always greener I suppose, because I’m dying to pull out all my soft, over-sized sweaters and boots. We may not have the traditional autumns here, with only a few turning leaves, but I’m looking forward to a little much-needed rain and chill.

A weekday morning hike in Tilden Park filled with beautiful views.

Shrimp on my pizza at Jupiter in Berkeley.

Nighttime sight-seeing on the Cal campus with family.

Hers & His at Capone’s Speakeasy in Alameda.

Photo c/o Patrick Baron. I mean…c’mon, I wish my camera was this nice!

Beautiful chandeliers at Capone’s.

I feel as if I’ve been rather quiet on the blog front lately, and that’s primarily due to the fact that both my phone and my computer are on their last legs. I awoke this morning to a cryptic message that my iPhone storage was just about at capacity, and I’m pretty sure I’m the only blogger and 20-something in existence that still uses an HP laptop circa 2008. No exaggeration; my battery is so shot that I’m constantly chained to the outlet with a frayed cord that looks slightly like a fire hazard. It’s definitely time to upgrade.

In other news, I’ve been attempting to find that “work/life balance” everyone’s always talking about. When I’m not working much, all I want to do is work, and vice versa. I’m still jumping through hoops trying to get myself into teaching at the local public schools; I look forward to the day when I can write about my first day and my experiences there. In the meantime, I’ve been trying to be out and about, but in a different way. Not so much “cocktailing and sample sale-ing,” but more family dinners and calm walks with friends. This is, of course, not to say that I’ve removed myself from the local nightlife completely. I recently visited the long-anticipated new speakeasy, which, despite some of the not so stellar things I’ve heard, was a pleasant surprise! It gets the requisite bonus points for being walking distance from home. I’m attempting to become more of a homebody into the fall and winter, so this is the closest I’m going to get. That and visiting other people’s’ homes. Good food, good company, as I oft say.

Happy Autumn!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on September 17, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

Between running boring, adult errands (fingerprinting and insurance, anyone?), watching complete drivel on Youtube, and teaching what feels like constant ballet classes, I’ve come across a few little gems throughout the week. First off, I’ve been lucky enough to have a mailbox full of notes recently, which is a refreshing change from the junk/bills I usually get. Below is one of my favorites:

My friend Emily sent me this surprise “just because” postcard in the mail! Love the diamond in the middle. She knows me so well.

I’m relishing the last remnants of summer with my produce lately. I cut into this beautiful nectarine the other morning and its natural heart shape made just me happy.

Apparently Yan-Yan now has “educational” phrases on each cookie, stick…thing. Star+Fish.

Also, I have giant hands. It’s not an illusion at all.

The most delicious seared ahi tuna and avocado taco at Garaje in San Francisco. I highly recommend.

and finally,

15 Career Tips from Smart Women

as featured on the amazing, and oft-frequented Joanna Goddard’s blog, “A Cup of Jo.” I think my favorite tip is from Hilary Rodham Clinton on the “perfectionist gene.” It’s something that I can wholeheartedly relate to. Do you think men worry about wearing the wrong shoes in a meeting? Um, no. Go forth, ladies, and conquer!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on September 10, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

I’m gonna be frank: this first week back to teaching is rough. I’m sure many of you can agree with me, perhaps not on the teaching front, but on the fact that it’s always a bit of a stretch when returning to a long-established routine. No matter- I’m so excited to get back to dancing everyday. The excitement is exacerbated when you consider that you’re greeted with so many familiar, equally excited faces. But, even excitement can’t discount for the fact that I come home every evening entirely wiped out. So much so that even lifting my fingers to type this seems like the biggest chore.

Totally kidding.

I try to write a little bit before bed everyday, even when I don’t entirely feel like it. Like any routine or ritual, it’s wonderfully grounding, and somehow makes me feel like I’ve done something good and productive with my day. With that being said, let’s get to my weekly Wednesday ritual of Five Things!

A beautiful mural I found while taking a stroll near the Haight in San Francisco. I take such beautiful old homes for granted sometimes. Reason #749 why living in the Bay Area is wonderful.

Did you know, readers, that I have some mean cappuccino-making skills? Because I do. Back in my college days you would get a latte if ever you visited my cozy home.

A refreshing breakfast of raspberries, almonds, and vanilla yogurt from this last week. My favorite combination has always been freshly cut strawberries and Trader Joe’s vanilla bean yogurt. So yummy!

A hallway selfie, and Outfit of the Night (OOTN). I was particularly impressed with myself that evening, as I managed to throw this ensemble together in 5 minutes. No joke, I even timed myself! I have my trusty Le Pliage bag from Longchamps, denim blazer from Juicy Couture, my favorite tank from H&M, skirt from J.Crew, and sandals from DV by Dolce Vita. I even managed to haphazardly slap some makeup on my face before running out the door.

This is the part of my blog that features insufferably cute things. This week, we see The Adventures of Charlie Bronson the French Bulldog. I have a bit of an obsession with Frenchies, in case you haven’t noticed. Especially Frenchies with “real person” names. The baby also ups the cute factor. So cute, you may not want to look.

EVA♥