I’m On a Boat

Posted on March 13, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

They say that you make lifelong friends in your college years, and I have little evidence to refute this. Even though it’s been many years since we’ve found ourselves biking around Santa Barbara, and we’ve all gone our separate ways, my college girlfriends and I still make a point of getting together for “girls trips” over the years. We had our first full-scale reunion here in the Bay Area (see pictures from my post here)a little less than two years ago, and decided we were long overdue another one.

After many months of planning, we all agreed to meet in San Diego, where we had generously been offered a fabulous place to stay right in Little Italy. Last time we got together, seven of us all crammed into my studio apartment, it was totally absurd, but also like an amazing adult slumber party. Anyway, I decided to share a few snapshots of just one of our many recent adventures together: on a boat.

and, look, I was even there too:

We spent a chunk of our Saturday sailing around San Diego. The same family friend of my good friend, Kelsey who had let us stay in their penthouse, also let us “borrow” their boat for a day. Luckily, my friend Maren is quite the experienced sailor, having pretty much grown up on a boat in the Virgin Islands, took charge. (She’s the one standing in the photos above. Most of us remained seated, for fear we might fall overboard…or was that just me?) She’s really made me appreciate sailing- just listening to her describe the basics makes my head spin. I find myself frequently asking her what feels like really stupid questions. “I’m sorry…but is the jib sheet the small sail-thingy?”

We had a little cheese, crackers, and drinks to hold us over for a few hours while we enjoyed the views of the San Diego skyline. I haven’t spent much time in the area, but I have a feeling it won’t feel quite as exciting without these girls. Miss them already.

Have a great weekend!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on March 11, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello dear readers!

I can’t believe it’s already a week since the last “Five Things!” I feel like I begin almost all my blogs the same way, but it’s true. This week I’ve found myself inundated with choreography and planning a gala. That’s right- I’m helping plan a gala. Has there ever been a more hoity-toity phrase spoken? All the legitimate hard work aside, I’m quite excited. Stay tuned to see snapshots on Watch Me Juggle!

In the meantime, here’s this weeks Five Things!

I recently bough two bouquets of daffodils for no reason in particular. They’ve made my house smell so amazing! They’re quite cheerful sight when I come home after a long day.
I showed my new Alex & Ani mermaid bracelet off on Five Things a few weeks ago. I decided she was lonely and bought this starfish to keep her company! I love what it represents.
This may look a rather underwhelming blob of soap, but it’s so much more. This is the new “Honey I Washed my Hair” shampoo bar from Lush. I can’t say enough good things about it; it lathers like crazy, and smells like the most delicious honey toffee. I’ve even rubbed it on my skin in lieu of perfume! I’ve been doing some mild redecorating at my place, and decided that I would put a few of my most favorite pair of shoes on display. It’s an unabashedly girly move, I must say.

I’m a shameless hoarder of shopping bags. This wouldn’t really be problematic, except for the things I buy that live in these bags. I originally needed some very practical things at Lush, which then turned into me raiding the sale section at J.Crew. I like to leave my new things in the bags for as long as possible, to preserve that “newness.” Does anyone else do this?

Until next time!

EVA<3

I Can’t Even Can

Posted on March 9, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

How’s that daylight savings time treating you? I must say, my day was off to a rough start, but so worth the extra hour of sunshine in the evening. I joked that I was, what a friend of mine would call, “baby tired.” You know, the kind of tired that leaves you on the verge of tears for absolutely no reason? It’s often easily cured by a nap and a cup of tea in a quiet room. While I didn’t have time for either of these, in the meantime, I’m doing s rather undignified: I’m typing this on my iPhone. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, I’m feeling less and less like a proper writer, but the words are coming nonetheless. My dear computer’s power cable decided to crap out on me, for lack of a better expression. But, on the bright side, I can now lay down and type simultaneously. Always a silver lining.

Today, I wanted to write something rather ramble-y, mostly inspired by this video:

Like most things that make you laugh out loud, it’s humor is entirely derived from the fact that it’s so true. The stereotypical millennial dialogue that’s peppered with “I can’t evens” and abused “literally,” to describe ever little distraction/injustice is all too common as of late. The blatant irony here is that the melodrama is almost never necessary, that there are, in fact, people who actually can’t. I have little patience with these fully capable people, and while we all tend to throw ourselves a pity-party every once-in-a-while, it should never be this to this extent. It’s sometimes fun to point and laugh at the herbal ridiculous was of other people, but at what point does the narcissism just get sad? You spend your days telling people how you “literally can’t,” so what can you do, according to you? I read an interesting article today on NPR, addressing the fine line between someone having self-esteem and being narcissistic. I by no means have all the answers, far from it, but I think working with kids has made me think twice about these kinds of things. It’s strange how a lot of people I encounter vacillate between feeling as if they’re not enough, to a state where they can’t even be bothered. Myself included. While these extremes make life a little more interesting, I’m looking for something a bit better. Literally 🙂

EVA ❤

Nun Puffs

Posted on March 3, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

Today, I wanted to share a cherished recipe that I first stumbled upon in my junior year of college. It was a Sunday morning, and I was the first one up in the little house I shared with three friends. I knew I wanted to treat myself for breakfast, preferably to something dessert-like, like pancakes or muffins, but didn’t have too many ingredients in the pantry. Luckily, we had a few basics, along with a massive Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook I could refer to for inspiration. I had no idea what these “nun’s puffs” were supposed to be, or how they would turn out, and I certainly didn’t think that they would become a tradition years later. I’ve made these so many times, I’ve memorized the recipe!

Photo c/o Brooke Perisho

All you need is:

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup flour
4 eggs
1 cup milk
A few tablespoons of sugar to taste

Preheat your oven to 375º, and grease a muffin tin. Fully melt your stick of butter in a saucepan, and then add 1 cup milk. When the mixture comes to a boil, add flour, and stir quickly over heat until dough forms a ball. Take mixture off the stovetop, and let cool for five minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Spoon egg batter into muffin cups, 2/3rds full. Sprinkle sugar over each puff and bake for 30 minutes. Done! (Best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. Especially delicious with honey.)

….

My girlfriends and I had planned to whip these together for breakfast during our San Diego adventures, but, alas, the condo we were staying in had no muffin tins. So, we improvised. Turns out, four ramekins are all you need to make a mighty impressive looking breakfast souffle-like thing. They’re something we’ve enjoyed together for years- we even made some for my friend Brooke’s bridal shower! They’re simple enough to whip up at a moments notice, and almost foolproof. Also, it’s a great little recipe to have up your sleeve if you’re looking to impress someone.

So, next time you find yourself with a little extra time on your hands in the morning, try whipping up a batch of nun puffs. Share them with your significant other (ick, yes, I just used that term), friends, or even your neighbors. No one can resist the puffs! And, as to why they’re called “nun’s puffs,” I have no idea. Flying nun reference, anyone?

EVA♥

Where’s St. Helena?

Posted on March 1, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I’m writing from the comfort of my home today, wishing you all a happy Sunday. We had some amazing weather here lately, but not necessarily in the traditional sense. Yesterday, we had a few sudden thunderstorms followed by a beautiful sunset, and today we’ve had our usual sunshine. I honestly feel guilty when I choose to stay in and lay low on beautiful days like today, so I do try to get out and about when I can.

Recently, a few friends and I went up to St. Helena, which, for those of you who are wondering, is a lovely little city in Napa County. And, yes, you’ve probably seen a glimpse of my favorite restaurant and their amazing cheeseburgers in previous posts.

Gott’s Roadside (formerly Taylor’s Automatic Refresher) almost always has a colossal line. What few people seem to take advantage of is the small bar off to the side of the restaurant. It’s become the standard to grab a few menus, as well as a bottle of wine to share while we wait.

We were by far the most fun people standing in line that day. Just saying. Does wine with lunch make it brunch, by default?

After stuffing ourselves, we took a walk around the downtown area, located just a few blocks from Gott’s. We enjoyed the sunshine, and all the shoes we found at Footcandy, obviously.

It’s quite a charming place, littered with boutiques, art galleries, and historic hotels. It’s fantastic for window shopping, and I love to stop by the stores selling estate jewelry to ogle all the unique designs. Oh, and there’s wine. You’ll find dozens of wineries just driving into town. Whenever I find myself with no plans on a beautiful day, St. Helena is my go to for a quick getaway.

EVA♥

What Work/Life Balance?

Posted on February 24, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone.

Today, I wanted to write about a phrase I hear all too often. I still don’t entirely know what it means, to be honest.

As an incredibly smooth segue, here, behold my sad desk lunch!

When I left my last office job, the woman who conducted my exit interview cited my primary reason for leaving as “work-life balance.” What in the hell is that supposed to mean?! I felt a little bit affronted, but it was, in some ways an accurate description. I’ll confess that a more accurate assessment would have been that I felt my soul slowly being crushed working in a cubicle at 6am every morning and that my boss wouldn’t stop spitting his chewing tobacco in my trashcan. That would make anyone run screaming, to be quite honest.

I know that what I chose to do with my life is less than average. Some people think I’m quite nuts to place the large emphasis that I do on teaching ballet, and they’re very much entitled to their opinions. It certainly doesn’t change mine. Sure, I don’t have all of the career perks that most people do. There is no HR department for me to call, and I certainly don’t have someone handling all of my taxes, retirement, and insurance. It’s perhaps easier if you do, but I quickly found out that I could do all those things all by myself. Working independently doing something you love can give you so much more freedom, both literally and figuratively. What’s funny is when you can’t really discern between your “work life” and, well your “life-life.” What happens when what you used to do for fun suddenly becomes your job? Not only is it a shift in perspective, but how do you find a balance when you can’t seem to figure out when one ends and the other begins? People tell us that this is inherently unhealthy, that it is something that needs to be fixed, but could it also be a concept that we’re just hiding behind? As you climb the proverbial ladder of your chosen field, isn’t it natural that you take and more and more responsibilities? I look at so many of the women I know who’ve worked their way to the top, some of whom even own their own businesses. Their jobs are a huge part of their lives (not to say that they don’t have lives away from work), and I don’t see anyone throwing the “work/life balance” thing in their direction. Quite the opposite, it’s mostly praise. Is the seemingly unattainable work/life balance simply a polite way out of an unpleasant work situation, or is there more to it? Perhaps it only exists if you want it to- like some weird career Easter Bunny? I know I certainly don’t have the answers, but I think that everyone has experienced this, in one way or another.

Just like we’ve all been this gif, at one time or another. So, dear readers, what do you think?

….

Until next time.

EVA♥

Decoding Ballet

Posted on February 20, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

So, as many of you know, aside from teaching dance five days a week, I also work for a lovely little company in San Francisco: Smuin Ballet. This last Wednesday, SF software magnate GitHub hosted us for our first ever Decoding Ballet seminar. Seeing as how, over the last few years, my lovely city has experienced a boom of successful young people in the tech industry, I thought it was an intriguing way to develop a connection between the arts and technology.

The presentation was primarily on the process and nuances of creating dance, both classical and contemporary. I love that Smuin Ballet is so not what people typically think of as ballet. Yes, they’re a group of brilliant, classically trained technicians, but the company’s ability to adapt to a variety of styles and genres of dance is uniquely impressive. Founder, Michael Smuin, had a strong presence on Broadway, in addition to the ballet world, and it shows in many of his works that are still performed today. It’s ballet but totally accessible- entertaining as well as beautiful.

Heard enough good things about Smuin? Ok! Let’s get to my inside look of the GitHub offices!

Oh, hey, look! It’s a replica of the oval office. This is the very first thing you see when entering their office space. I’m still wondering if it’s a functional office, or just a great photo opportunity.

Aside from the dancers performing, we also made the GitHub employees get up and dance with us. I though it was so great that they were so willing to get up and dance with the pros!

Product placement anyone? After the presentation, we all headed over to the GitHub bar for a quick happy hour. They ordered pizza for all of us, and promised that they had cut it small because it wasn’t technically part of a “dancer’s diet.” Adorably thoughtful group, those GitHub people.

Here’s the view opposite of the bar. They pretty much have an entirely functioning bar/restaurant embedded in their office. Necessary? I think so!

We all enjoyed chatting and mixing all our happy hour cocktails ourselves! I was quite proud of this concoction: Bulleit bourbon, ginger beer, and lime juice. Yum! I’m hoping we have more of these events in the future- ballet has always been packaged as an almost elitist, hyper-dignified art form, but certainly doesn’t have to be. It’s incredibly encouraging to see all the ongoing progress, while still managing to preserve the classics. Who says tech and performing arts can’t go together? Heck, even if your only involvement is attending performances, it’s never a waste. It’s an uplifting life experience, and there’s always champagne!

That’s all for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on February 19, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I hope this week’s Five Things finds you well. I must say, I found myself desperately wishing for more house in the day, that or the ability to function on two hours of sleep. While neither of these are feasible, I figured you just have to make due. Even right now, I stopped typing momentarily to check in for an upcoming flight. I’m heading to San Diego this weekend for a long-anticipated girls’ trip! Eight of us are hunkering down in a condo downtown, so it’s bound to be lots of fun (which means it’s bound to end up on Watch Me Juggle). So, before I head off to pack, here are this week’s Five Things:

In case you missed my favorite new perfume’s cameo in my previous post, here it is: Flowerbomb. I never thought I would gravitate to such a popular fragrance, especially since a few of my friends already wear it, but I’ve come to love it. I took to wearing a sample that I had hidden away in a drawer, and loved the way it made me feel extra polished on evenings out. A new fragrance can change everything, didn’t you know?

I ventured into Footcandy the other day with my girlfriends for the first time. They have such a fun and fabulous assortment of shoes, and quite an extensive sale section, which surprised me. I think the crystal studded Jimmy Choos on the bottom shelf were some of my favorites!

What work day isn’t brightened up by a Blue Bottle latte? Funny how the simplest things can make you instantly happy.

This is how I celebrated my Valentine’s day with friends. I felt it was a very appropriate start to what turned out to be a very elegant meal.

On a whim, I popped this fresh orchid in my hair when I left to teach class today. It was a surprising little pick me up. Also a good way to spruce up a boring ballet bun!

EVA♥

Everyday is Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 15, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all, and Happy Sunday!

I hope many of you out there are out and about, enjoying your long President’s Day weekend. Earlier I jokingly tweeted that “I think I’m going to have to re-name my blog to ‘Watch Me Watchtoomuchrealitytv, Drinktoomuchcoffee & Shop online.'” Which is pretty much all I’ve done with my day thus far. It’s quickly become my pattern on Sundays, I start out with ambitious plans, only to laze about at home for a good five hours sustained only by coffee. Seeing as my Saturdays tend to be the day I get everything done, whether it be socializing, cleaning, or running necessary errands, I’ve come to enjoy the low-key start to my week.

Seeing as this last Saturday was Valentine’s Day, however, I took full advantage of the holiday with a little Valentine’s-themed shopping and dining. What started out as running routine errands quickly turned into a chocolate and handbag buying adventure. Which, let’s face it, is an all too typical event in my life.

I fell in love with this “Ballet bag” from Sam & Libby. I’ve been looking for a great tote bag to give my Longchamps Le Pliage a break, and this one fit the bill. It even has a little zip compartment at the bottom specifically made for your flats. Brilliant! I also picked up Essie’s iconic nailpolish in Fiji, and a few truffles from See’s.

I got many a homemade Valentine from my students this week. So sweet- they were my favorite by far.

These lovely tulips were waiting for me at my doorstep in the evening. A nice surprise.

And, lastly, Valentine’s day wouldn’t be complete without an homage to my boyfriend: coffee. I finally managed to pick up one of these witty coffee mugs at Target. I had my morning coffee in it today, with my Royal Apothic Hot House Peonie candle making my house smell amazing. ‘Twas a good day. Especially when I decided to smile extra big at the scruffy bakery guy and he doubled my order. I’m a big believer in paying it forward. If someone brightens your day, take it upon yourself to brighten someone else’s. Make everyday a little bit special- like Valentine’s Day.

EVA♥

Things to Do When You’re Bored

Posted on February 12, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I was recently inspired by Youtube gal Nikki Phillippi for this next post. It’s rare that I find myself bored lately, yet, when it does happen, I’m always surprised that I have zero idea what to do with myself. When all your errands are done, and all your social obligations long over, I never know what I can do that’s both productive and…well…relaxing at the same time So, here are a few things that I like to do when I’m feeling a bit restless, or need a little pick-me-up.

…Bake. That’s right. Just bake whatever you feel like. Cookies, bread, cakes, that weirdly complicated shortbread recipe, just go for it. You’ll feel accomplished, your house will smell amazing, and you’ll have something delicious to eat…

…If you’re terribly girly, like me, give yourself an at-home manicure. Similarly, if you’re particularly coordinated, try doing a little nail art! You can find hundreds of simple tutorials online. If you’re not a DIY kinda gal, just go get them done.You deserve it…

…While I love reading, I sometimes find it hard to focus when I’m bored or feeling restless. Listening to audiobooks is a great alternative for those days where you just want to lay in bed and do nothing…

…Go thrifting! I’m very much guilty of doing this. If you’re not one for wandering about aimlessly while shopping, set your mind to something that you really need- anything from coffee mugs to a trench coat. It’s like a treasure hunt!….

…Go on a drive! I’m totally guilty of arbitrarily wanting to go visit an obscure coffee shop or restaurant, and making an entire trip out of it. Sometimes I’ll drive up to the North Bay just for a particular sandwich or into San Francisco for a doughnut. I enjoy getting to my destination as much as being there…

…Nest or rearrange furniture. There’s no better feeling than making progress on your space. I don’t really enjoy the process of cleaning up, but I do so love the end result…

…Call old friends to catch up! This is especially nice if you find yourself having a quite day, and in need of some good company…

…

The list goes on and on! What do you like to do in those moments of boredom?

EVA♥