Life Lately

Posted on February 4, 2016 by 4evamaria

Hi all!

I was scrolling through the camera roll on my phone the other day and suddenly realized that I had accumulated a number of memes, all with a bit of a theme. It’s been a while since I’ve done a “Life Lately” post on Watch Me Juggle, so here goes nothing!

….

Like most people, I spend at least half of my time in front of some sort of little screen, which can be exhausting at times, to say the least. Sometimes it’s for work, sometimes it’s for fun, but I feel like I’m plugged in at all times. I’m most definitely one of those people who likes to have background noise, which has somehow turned into having one or more devices running at any given time- TV, laptop, iPhone, sometimes all three. I recently stumbled across Tony Schwartz’s article in the New York Times that talks about our “addiction to distraction,” and suddenly feel much less like a crazy person. Apparently, spending so much time online and connected to social media can legitimately unbalance you. Are any of you plagued by this same need for distraction? It can suck, sometimes.

Photo c/o littlelessy.com

Going forward, I’m hoping to unplug a bit more. Read more. Do more yoga.

I’d like to say that I’m adept at juggling (hence the blog name, ha!) but a lot of the time, I feel as if I fail epically. I honestly enjoy being busy, but sometimes I realize I busy myself with total nonsense, rather than things of quality. In those moments when I find myself with nothing to do, rather than enjoy, I feel the urge to find more things to juggle. You know…Watch Me Stare at-my-phone-do-dishes-make-coffee-perfect-my-eyeliner-technique-while-mentally-deciding-what-else-needs-doing-dance-around….

For example, most normal humans have an alarm set to wake them up in the mornings, yes? Well, I recently had to set an alarm for myself as a reminder to go to sleep. Somehow, 10:45pm hits each night and I suddenly get the urge to watch every video ever created on Youtube, while spontaneously planking in my living room, baking cookies, and dancing to trap music like it’s not a Tuesday night. I usually wake up feeling like death the next day- big surprise. You think I would figure it out, but your guess is as good as mine. Thank goodness for the Nespresso.

In other news, I seem to have become an utter magnet for odd behavior as of late. Let’s call it confused serendipity. Running into people I haven’t seen in ages, ridiculous emails at work, general weirdness you name it. Just today, I received a “receipt” in my inbox for a supposed purchase that was paid for in….wait for it…$675 in meatballs. I’m sorry: WHAT?! How is this happening?!

It’s the odds of strange things like this happening in succession, and to me in particular, that is baffling. I couldn’t make some of this stuff up if I tried. Luckily, I have side-eye Chloe, who’s reaction is appropriate for all occasions:

Please make it stop, kthanks.

On a more positive note, I have been able to see quite a bit of the ballet this season, and have been enjoying it immensely. I’m hoping it kick-starts what feels like my rather sluggish creativity. Although, after last night’s performance, I did have a dream that one of the San Francisco Ballet dancers invited me to a swanky party, and then called me “chubby.” Not exactly morale-boosting.

Oddly enough, it helps to have some great people around that feel the same way about things. I feel as if I’m very much at an age where, if things are going differently from the way you planned them, you don’t advertise it. But, it’s reassuring to know that the people I’m close to can tell me that they’re sometimes unsure of things, or have equally bad days and can commiserate with my attempts at positivity (see above!). I recently went out dancing with a few of my girlfriends for the first time in a long time, and had so much fun- yelling along to the lyrics of the songs, laughing, meeting new people. Life may never be totally perfect, but I’m glad I am where I am, knowing nothing is ever set in stone, and doing whatever makes me genuinely happy is tantamount to living well.

In the meantime, you can always make yourself a cocktail while you get it together.

Cheers!

EVA♥

I Wore Shorts in December

Posted on December 15, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

In order to combat all the upcoming holiday craziness, I recently decided to get away for a mini-vacation. I took a long weekend, and paid my good friends Emily and Tucker a visit in Tempe. As I type this, it’s about 45 degrees in the Bay Area, and the newscast playing in the background is warning us of an impending storm. To say I miss the warmth and the sunshine is an understatement.

I was tempted to title this post “Oops, I’m in Arizona,” but I may or may not have already written that one. (Upon further investigation, I give you Oops I’m in Arizona, documenting last year’s travels. Am full of predictable nonsense, what can I say?)

I showed a friend of mine the above picture, and she said it seemed like I was really in my element, enjoying the sunshine. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I’m no stranger to cold and damp winters, but, if given a choice, I would certainly opt for summer all year round. So, when I found myself in warmer weather, I did what any normal person would do and refused to put pants on for the entire weekend. I also immediately regretted the amount of black, leather, and flannel clothing I had packed. There’s nothing quite like traveling to make you reassess your style choices.

Don’t get me wrong, my travels weren’t all about finding nicer weather. There was, of course, plenty of good food and drinks to go around as well. Should you find yourself in Scottsdale on a Friday or Saturday night, I highly recommend Counter Intuitive. Apparently the theme of the bar changes every few months or so, but we happened to catch it during an Asian-fusion period. Here, you’ll find everything from a tropical boba cocktail, to the “Six Demon Bag” drink, that contains “fire, and all that kind of thing.” This was my favorite, although I was sad to find out “fire and all that kind of thing” was not an actual liqueur, but a Kung fu movie reference. Aside from the fantastic food and drinks, we ventured out to explore nearby Tucson, which I would astutely describe as a sort of hipster, desert-cowboy-land. My favorite, and most random adventure however, happened to be our stopover at an ostrich farm just next to the I-10, on our way to Tucson. Yes…there were ostriches, but there was so much more! Donkeys, and goats, and lorikeets, oh my!

This is my friend Emily’s excited face.

Excited face #2

When I ran out of nectar…a bird decided to perch on my head. Perhaps birds are next year’s new fashion accessory?

Please note the sign. Apparently, I still thought it was a good idea to feed them directly from my hand. Fun fact: an ostrich’s eyes are larger than their brain. I couldn’t help but think they were eerily reptilian- like standing next to a dinosaur, really.

We topped off the day with giant, fluorescent margaritas at Guadalajara‘s in Tucson, where they make their salsa tableside, just as you like it! If you’re ever in the area, this is a must-see, either before or after wandering through the vintage shops lining 4th street.

I’m very much looking forward to the next time I find myself packing a bag and leaving some of my worries behind, if only for a brief moment in time. There’s something about a plane ride that can feel like a reset; it’s perhaps not the most “magical” experience in and of itself, but the destination is always worth it. I have to admit, I’m very much looking forward to my next trip. I don’t go on adventures nearly enough!
Until next time,

EVA♥

More Uses for September Vogue

Posted on November 12, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this blog is going to be about exactly what you think it’s about. If you’re a fashion consumer, fashion photography buff, or voracious ad reader (anyone?) you know that the yearly September issue of Vogue is quite something to behold. Each year, I enjoy flipping through this phone book-sized, 500+ page magazine. Some people, however, may not appreciate the fact that they’re now saddled with what feels like seven pounds of very fashionable paper. A friend of mine recently visited, looked at the magazine sitting on my bed and wondered out loud “Oh my god…why is that Vogue so big?” It’s big because I’m extra special, and I obviously needed it that’s why. Sorry, not sorry.

But, what exactly does one do with this behemoth when the month is up? Sure, it’s technically still in season, and I’ve flipped through it more than a few times, but there just has to be more to it than this. So, I decided to make the most of my September issue of Vogue and re-purpose it a few (albeit not the most traditional) ways. Here are some of the things I’ve managed to use my giant Vogue for!

A manicure station

As you can see, it makes for a great set up! I’m the kind of single-gal that likes to paint her nails in bed, usually while watching horrible television. The trouble is, it’s often quite hard to balance those bottles of polish with one hand while attempting to paint with the other. I’ve (quite embarrassingly) spilled polish all over myself doing this before. Enter Vogue and voilà! You now have a stable work surface that can go anywhere you do!

A TV tray

Like to snack while watching the latest on Netflix? Tired of getting crumbs everywhere or spilling your drinks? Well, no need to worry any longer if you have a September issue of Vogue! It can balance your morning breakfast and coffee in a heartbeat, too. If you’re feeling particular ambitious, you can open it up and have a read while eating!

A bar

This use is very similar to the last I listed. Although quite different. Because no one actually wears those hats with the beers attached to them. Be normal and put your beer down on the giant magazine propped up on your duvet.

A bed “paperweight”

This is perhaps my most/least creative use for my Vogue. What, exactly, is a “bed paperweight”? Maybe I’m a rather odd human in that I sometimes feel like my lovely, full size bed is “too big.” Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to lie diagonally across my bed with my arms and legs spread out like a starfish, but sometimes I want to roll myself up as tightly in the covers as possible. If you’re the kind of person that flails about in your sleep, put that Vogue next to you. You’ll have some lovely, before-bed reading material, and you won’t find yourself hanging off the other side of your bed in the morning. That sucker is heavy- you’re not going anywhere.

A lazy desk

This is a tried and true magazine-recycling strategy. Need to write a note? Prop up your laptop to stop it from overheating? No problem! It can also replace your clipboard, however, you’ll probably need quite a bit of upper body strength to carry this thing around one-handed for any period of time.

A pillow

Really, Eva? A pillow? Yes. I only say this because after one long and particularly stressful day, I found myself lying around and attempting to read my Vogue; 2 hours later, I woke up with my face pressed against the shiny cover. It’s surprisingly inviting in a pinch.

Or you know, you could just recycle it like a normal person, but where’s the fun in that?

Just saying.

EVA♥

All Work And…

Posted on October 27, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Isn’t that the saying? I’m pretty sure there’s a second part to that, about all play and no work, but, really, who does that?

(No, seriously, if you know how to do that please let me know.)

On the contrary, I’ve found myself doing what feels like utterly nothing lately, which is incredibly unlike me. I’m one of those strange people who likes being busy quite literally all the time. I work 6 days a week with little complaint because I get to work in a field I absolutely love. Unfortunately, this leaves me with very little time to do much else. The last few weeks, when the end of the work day rolled around, you could most likely find me doing this:

jennaplank

In various places around my apartment. Just…planking.

Sometimes it would be planking in the bath, sometimes I decided to plank while staring at my phone, or while watching a Harry Potter marathon on TV, but that’s about as exciting as it got. I literally did nothing, just because it felt like the most appropriate thing to do at the time. So, why share this embarrassing state of events? Well, I always like to think that it helps to feel like you’re never alone. I’m sure some of you, dear readers, could out-plank me any day. Heck, even while I was poking around online, looking for fantastic gif-inspiration, I came across The Broke Millenial’s blog on Burnout. See! We’re definitely not alone. Sometimes you just need to come home and have some night cheese, like Liz Lemon! Or take naps on a Saturday, for no reason.

At first, I began to think that there was something legitimately wrong with me. I would perpetually drink coffee throughout the day to keep me going, and then come home and crash at night. The kind of crashing where you fall asleep upright with all the lights in your house on, still wearing a face full of makeup. Throw in an ibuprofen or two and you had a typical Wednesday for me.

So how do you, dear readers, handle this proverbial “burnout”? This past Saturday, I finally decided to unleash my inner Karen Walker and headed outside of my apartment at night in pursuit of a cocktail. I spent some time with a friend of mine and engaged in people browsing, as you might call it.

This certainly jolted me awake, albeit while ironically staying out much later than I should have. Now, I wouldn’t credit one cocktail with giving me my spark back. Although it’s not the most deep wisdom I can impart on you, sometimes you really do need those moment of doing absolutely nothing. Those moments might even spread over the span of several days. It’s very much the small things I started doing for myself that helped me get back, both literally and figuratively, on my feet. I let myself have that extra cup of coffee, I made time to read that silly paperback, and spent a Saturday night in my pajamas painting my nails. Most of all, I didn’t let myself feel badly about it. Sure, sometimes that voice in your head just wants to point out all the things you’ve been doing wrong, or all the things you should be doing- don’t let it. I’m here to tell you it’s stupid and it needs to get over itself. You can take a nap today, and come back with a vengeance tomorrow. Things aren’t always going to go the way you imagined, but you’re doing your best. After all, in the words of Mindy Kaling:

Image source: giphy

Until next time!

EVA♥

That Voice No One Likes

Posted on August 11, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

It’s been the usual in Watch Me Juggle land. All the juggling! Yet, despite having many fun and exciting things to do, places to go, and people to see, I’ve noted the little “Negative Nancy” voice in my head that likes to inject her fabulous commentary to everything lately. Take a few of the following scenarios for example:

Trying out a new trend? “Yeah, you look really stupid in that,” she says, “Your friends have children, seriously, put a real shirt on.”

C/o SNL/ giphy.com

(Just in case you didn’t know, Nancy is a dead ringer for Rachel Dratch as Debbie Downer.)

Wake up feeling motivated and plan a workout? “You’re way too old for that, seriously, look at your face in the morning. You might scare children. Stay inside. Eat a doughnut. Eat six doughnuts, who cares?!”

That guy you like not text you back in the acceptable 35 second time frame? Nancy says: “He totally got your text. He just thinks you’re really lame. Oh, and annoying.”

Open your mouth in the meeting, and the person in charge threatens to hit you with a stick…wait, no, that actually happened. But Nancy adds that, like she said before, “you’re obviously really annoying.” Just in case you already didn’t feel like a bozo.

C/o NBC via college-life-crisis.tumblr.com

For lack of a better descriptor, Nancy is an ass and no one should ever listen to her. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way- everyone has that voice, though it might take on different forms. Who doesn’t remember seeing a cartoon from their childhood with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other? It’s the age-old “Should I?/Shouldn’t I?” dilemma. Who and what, for that matter, should I be listening to? Unfortunately, the theory behind these cute cartoons can’t be left behind in your childhood- odds are they will follow you around for quite sometime. I don’t think there’s too much rhyme or reason to when the negativity creeps in, but it somehow does. As someone who manages frequent anxiety, the absolute worst seems to be when nothing, in fact, is wrong. It seems like a terribly sad thing that I sometimes can’t enjoy the little things going well in life. For example, I was in a fantastic, productive mood the other day, coming home after running some errands; there’s Negative Nancy, reminding me of the latest mishap, or presenting some worst-case-scenario. Sometimes it’s as ridiculous as “Oh, you’re happy now, but remember, you have to go to the dentist in a month!” or “Hey, you never know when you might get hit by a bus!” I wish I was making this stuff up. It’s the classic good-versus-evil, glass half-empty of half-full metaphor that we all know and love. What makes me feel better, even in the lowest moments, is that so many people can relate. I’d like to think that even Beyoncé has those days. (She did have that one mishap with her bangs a while back, if you do recall.) Then again, even Michelle Obama wants to be Beyoncé, so this might be a total assumption on my part.

C/o fiercegifs.tumblr.com

What helps me the most in these moments is being the anti-Nancy, so to speak. Turn your focus to something inherently positive, even it’s a simple, good cup of coffee or the latest dog gif making its rounds on the internet. Reach out to a friend, someone you trust, or go for a walk. I know none of these things are revolutionary or extraordinary methods of problem solving, but they tend to help when reason goes out the window, and they sure do make Nancy pipe down for a while.

Or you can just pretend to be your own version of Beyoncé in the meantime. That sounds like a plan, right?

EVA♥

Almost 30.

Posted on August 6, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Yesterday, I turned 28.

Yep, no denial here. 28. As many times as I joke that I’m 21 or 22 (people believe me, which is slightly awkward…), I’m really almost 30. I had a full day of completely indulgent things that made me happy- I got my hair blown out, went to tea at Neiman Marcus, had a glass of champagne with my mother, and a big family dinner. I’ve been told before that no “adult” takes their birthday off, so I ran the risk of feeling like a kid, and took the day off anyway. No adult thinks that their birthday is something to celebrate, apparently.

You see, I’m almost 30. I have friends who are married, friends who have children, friends who want to buy houses. Every year, my friend Rachel asks me what she calls the “‘Birthday Question:’ What has it taken you __ years to learn?” This year, I shared something that I know to be true, yet I still think I’m learning it, if that makes sense. It’s a bit like that saying “comparison is the thief of joy.”

Many of us start our adult lives the same way- high school then college, graduation then a job. What people don’t tell you is that everyone’s lives tend to go on their own course from there. Some of your friends will leave the country, some of your friends will have babies, some might join the army. There’s no right or wrong way to go about things. Comparing your lives at this point, is pretty much an exercise in futility. Other people might try, even if you don’t. They’ll compare your life to how their’s was or is. So, that’s what I learned this year. Or what I’m trying to learn.

Sometimes I think about what my life would look like if it had gone differently, or gone the way I thought it might when I was a teenager. And it makes me sad to think about- I certainly wouldn’t be the same person I am today. It still seems funny to say that I’m proud of the things that I’ve done- I work in a field I love, I have a place I can call my own, I own some beautiful shoes, and, as of yesterday, a brand-new Nespresso machine (Yay! Fancy!). This month, I have plans to go to Vegas and Washington D.C. Just for fun, and to see new things. I’m like a real adult. Who knew?

I’m almost 30, and I think it’s hard to be grateful sometimes, but I try everyday. I think it’s human nature to fixate on the one thing that we don’t yet have, or the things we think we’re missing. I’m almost 30, and I’m trying to make myself into the person that I really want to be. No one’ going to do it for me. At my birthday dinner yesterday, I had ten people there to celebrate, many of whom have known me since before I can remember. We had some really good food, told stories, and I laughed so hard, I thought I might wet my pants. People from all over wished me a happy birthday. It made me feel special, but not in that little-kid way. I have a fridge full of mini cupcakes, but also a really nice bottle of brut rose.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

EVA♥

National Junk Food Day

Posted on July 21, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hey everybody!

It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for, right! It’s #NationalJunkFoodDay!

You know I put that spoon down just to snap this photo. I’m not ashamed.

Despite the fact that I feel like this “holiday” was made up entirely for its hashtag-ability, I started thinking about it a little more this evening. These last few days have been completely nuts, for lack of a better expression. You’ll hear more about it very soon. It started with a five hour hair appointment, a 2 hour trip to Santa Cruz, three friends staying in my studio apartment…and, oh yeah, two weddings on Saturday. There were a few things in between that general mess, but that’s really the gist of it. After all the chaos, I desperately needed some quiet, me-time. Things started out pretty well yesterday, I made it to the office in one piece, squeezed in some grocery shopping, and even made a delicious dinner. Then I settled in for what turned out to be an ice cream-fueled Bachelorette marathon. (Sorry not sorry.)

One of my favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan, has pretty much made a living our of making cracks about food. He’s hit on all the popular junk foods, most notably: Hot Pockets, Ben & Jerry’s, and McDonald’s. (Seriously, click that McDonald’s link, he’s pretty funny.)Most of his stand-up is light-hearted and easy to relate to- the desire for unending fries, the societal shame we tend to feel after indulging. Gaffigan brings up a really interesting point, though. We all have our own “McDonald’s”- those junky things in our lives that don’t really do us any good. Be it reality tv shows, cheap clothing, or trashy magazines, they’re all junk food, really. I’ll be the first one to say that there’s a time and a place to partake, and only in moderation. Sometimes you just need to do a few things for yourself; I like the occasional cheeseburger and cringe-worthy tv. It’s like hitting the reset button on life every now and then. When you’ve reached your fill, you can snap back to living your normal, non-junky life. And while you won’t find me in line at McDonald’s anytime soon, in reality, I’m probably just sitting at home with a face mask on, drinking beer, eating pretzels, and not caring about what anyone thinks. Happy National Junk Food Day.

Cheers,

EVA♥

Dear Fashion Bloggers…

Posted on July 14, 2015 by 4evamaria

Dear Fashion Bloggers,

I love you, but you’re bringing me down.

I appreciate your fabulous, artfully staged Instagram feeds (like this one), but, let’s be honest, when I attempt anything like it, this is what I get:

My roommate/boyfriend/husband isn’t a professional photographer. I have to use some very awkward angles and the timer on my phone if I want to get anything done.

Hey, maybe my life isn’t that Instagram-able, but this is what it looks like 80% of the time. I wear yoga pants, have bed picnics, and have nothing to hide.

Dear fashion bloggers, I love that you feel comfortable sharing all aspects of your life with us, but sometimes I don’t necessarily want to know that your new dress from Nordstrom is really bad for breastfeeding. Or anything at all about your breastfeeding schedule, for that matter. Your trendy snaps and inspirational outfit ideas are what keep me coming back, and while your baby is adorable, I pretty much just want to know what shoes to wear with my new shorts. Does that make me a bad person?

Dear fashion bloggers, I love following your local adventures. San Francisco has some pretty tricky weather, and so dressing practically is almost always a given. That being said, why are you standing on top of Russian Hill in your $3000 Valentino stilettos? Sure, it might look cool to someone living in Nebraska, but you and I both no there’s no way in hell you’re hiking anywhere in those. On a similar note, fashion bloggers, it’s 50 degrees and Karl the Fog has taken over the entire Bay Area. Seriously, it’s July and it looks like this outside:

Why are you wearing a dress?! Quite frankly, you make me feel very insufficient in my down vest.

Dear fashion bloggers, do you ever repeat outfits?

Or even elements of outfits? I see the same shirt once every three years, and even then it’s a rarity. How big is your closet that you can wear all those outfits and never repeat them. It must be some sort of blog-magic I don’ t know about.

Dear fashion bloggers, I know your blog is your specially curated space where your life is aesthetically pleasing and pictured just as you choose. However, I would appreciate a semi-realistic post, just every-once-in-a-while. If you’re going to post things about your perfectly bred dog chewing up your underwear, surely a real-life post isn’t that far behind. It would certainly make us all feel a little less like plebes.

Dear fashion bloggers, I’m sure you’re sick of this question, but what do you do? Hey, if it’s “just” your blog, then all the more power to you- go out and kick some ass. Many of us ask that question because we aspire to be in your exact shoes someday.

Dear fashion bloggers, how can you travel so much and still look serene and airbrushed? How can you travel so much, period? I don’t get much vacation time between my two jobs, so It’s honestly depressing me. I also always look/feel like a drowned rat when I get off of a plane, no matter how hard I try. I don’t know how you do it.

P.S. Please do continue the Nordstrom, Sephora, and Neiman Marcus hauls so I can live vicariously through you. You’re women after my own heart.

Sincerely,

EVA♥

Taking Stock 3.0

Posted on June 29, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

It’s been quite a while since my last “Taking Stock” post. It’s been an eventful week in the Bay Area, which means many exciting posts to come. In a nutshell, I spent this last weekend at numerous parties, a concert, and even found myself at a comedy club at one point. Don’t worry, I was not the one onstage. (Insert rimshot here.) So I decided to bring it back-to-basics this Monday with a little list.

San Francisco: a city that’s beautiful at all angles. If I didn’t like her so much, I would probably hate her. So darn photogenic. This was taken at the top of Lafayette Park.

Making : weird faces. At myself. For absolutely no reason. You can tell exactly what I’m thinking based on my facial expressions. I am not a natural at poker, that’s for sure.
Cooking : bread pudding. I always seem to have leftover/stale bread lying around, and it seems like such a waste to throw it out. Bring on the kitchen experiments!
Drinking : La Croix. Sure, it’s just water in a can. But it’s also fancy, apricot-flavored, sparkling water! I can get behind that.
Reading : The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan and Kate Atkinson’s Case Histories.
Wanting : a pair of overalls. I’m basically an adult woman that likes to pretend she’s still a kid.
Wishing : I could shake my sometimes constant nostalgia. As they say, “Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.”
Enjoying : leftover tres leches cake from my friend Jessie’s bridal shower. De-licious!
Listening : The Pandora Jim Gaffigan station. It helps get me through my workday, especially when I need a little chuckle.
Waiting : for the Fourth of July weekend to come!
Liking : making small talk with strangers. It’s always nice to get to know the people around you a little better. Need some inspiration? Check out this guide to starting a conversation in 60 seconds.
Loving : Louboutin shopping. I’ve vowed to buy myself a pair before 28. Happy birthday to me!
Bookmarking: place’s to visit in Napa on an upcoming weekend getaway.
Watching : This amazing music video featuring dancers. I must say, I’m loving this trend.
Needing : an organizational system for my clothes that does not involve piling things on a chair.
Smelling : my Capri Blue Volcano candle. I burn it constantly when I’m at home.
Wearing : my DV by Dolce Vita blue suede sandals. They were a steal at $5.
Thinking : about my latest to-do list.
Marveling : at all the exciting goings-on over the weekend. #LoveWins
Feeling : the anticipation. I somehow have plans for every weekend until August. Road trips and vacation, here I come!

…

Today’s blog was inspired by Pip whose blog, Meet Me at Mike’s, I stumbled upon while browsing around A Pretty Penny. Go check them out! Great little corners of the internet.

EVA♥

How to Win at Cars

Posted on June 15, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

Well, it’s been interesting.

Every year, June brings around a number of fun events: music festivals, birthdays, pool parties, graduation parties…you name it. Today’s story begins when my good friend Rachel, who appears often on this blog, and I decided to attend one of our mutual friend’s graduation party here in town. It was a lovely, sunny day and the party was well-stocked with food, wine, and good company. When it came time for us to leave, we said our good-byes, and headed out the door. Our cars were, conveniently, parked right next to each other on the street; everything seemed to be just fine, until I noticed that rather than getting into her car, Rachel was standing by the door just groaning. Obviously not a good sign. Her keys were sitting in the cup-holder, locked inside her car.

What made this situation even better was that there were no spare keys in existence, and, while we could call AAA, ain’t nobody got time for that. So, we did the next best thing. Google.

Apparently, using a wire hanger to break into your own car is a legitimate thing, and I didn’t know it until wikiHow was there to tell me all about it. While I was Googling up a storm, Rachel was on Youtube looking up video demonstrations on how to unlock her Grand Cherokee. We did find this very interesting tutorial that was, while roundabout, seemingly helpful .

Who knew you could unscrew the antenna?! You learn something new everyday. Well, despite our best efforts, we were unsuccessful in getting the antennae anywhere remotely near the door unlock button. We decided to go to Plan B.

These hangers were Plan B, in case you were wondering.

So, picture this: two grown women, parked in a suburban neighborhood, running around with 15 wire hangers and crawling all over the car. Yeah, I’m sure it looked as absurd as it sounds. Luckily, my car is like a closet on wheels, which meant that I had a plethora of random things, including hangers, at my disposal. Rachel’s sunroof was slightly broken and wouldn’t close all the way, so our new plan-of-action was to lower a hanger through the gap in the roof, and fish the keys out of the cup-holder below. Rachel stood below using both hands to keep the sunroof open, while I squatted on the roof of her car like a monkey with my face pressed to the sunroof, trying to see if the hook we fashioned out of three hangers was remotely near the keys inside.

After pushing the keys around with the hook for a while, I managed to snag them. Conveniently, a neighbor who had probably been watching this whole show, decided to come out of his house to ask if we needed any help at this very moment. My response was:

“IGOTTHEM!!! No, uh, thank you…we’re just fine.”

And then I tossed the keys to Rachel and we went out for margaritas.

The end.

EVA♥