Five Things

Posted on May 20, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

After a slight hiatus, Five Things is finally back! This last week, or few weeks, rather, has been a parade of gloomy weather, breakfasts on the run, and re-runs of my favorite tv shows. Not too inspiring, I’ll be quite honest. I have, however, had a bit of time to catch up with some of my favorite blogs before bedtime. I’ve been particularly enjoying The Other Juliette, buy now blog later, and Hello October, just to name a few. There’s a wealth of amazing blogging inspiration out there. Although, there’s nothing quite like writing your own.

On that note, here are this week’s Five Things!

Nothing is a better end to a long day than spending time with a few friends and a couple of chocolate milkshakes. I’ve long written about my “happy place” in St. Helena, and it turns out there’s a little bit of it in San Francisco proper.

I recently treated myself to a manicure with Essie’s A Splash of Grenadine polish. It’s such a happy, orchid sort-of purple I decided to paint my toes to match. On another note, I’m in desperate need of a new organizational system for my makeup. Or perhaps just a little spring cleaning?

I’ve been newly introduced to the popular Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle. It’s such a pretty highlight- I’m sure I probably abuse by generally applying it everywhere.

Swimsuit season is upon us! I recently purchased two new swimsuits at Nordstrom, both from Blush by Profile. I just love their flattering styles and fun prints. I’m determined to get as much use out of them as possible in the coming months, gloom or not!

One of the perks of my work schedule is that I can take the San Francisco Bay Ferry at least once a week, if not more. It’s really a great way to get to and from San Francisco. The ferry typically ventures through the port of Oakland before going under the Bay Bridge and docking at the Ferry Building in San Francisco’s Financial District. This last week, I even had the pleasure of seeing the USS Potomac, FDR’s historic presidential yacht usually docked in Oakland, out and about in the Bay.

Something new every day!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on March 25, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hi all!

If you’re relatively new to Watch Me Juggle, there’s a distinct pattern here you might notice. Every week, usually on a Wednesday, I like to do a little post called “Five Things.” Originally inspired by one of my favorite blogs, Cupcakes and Cashmere, these generally feature five glimpses into my life. Glimpses of things that have caught my eye, made me laugh, or made me think- sometimes a combination of all three. Oh, and also “Five Things” sometimes turns into a stream-of-consciousness post that contains everything that possibly comes to mind at the moment. Makes sense, right? We all have to put those things somewhere.

This week’s “Five Things” contains a little bit of everything from my many moments out and about. So.. let’s get to it!

In the wake of the big gala I helped organize at work, I took myself out for a little mani-pedi. I’m the worst when it comes to committing to a color (it’s embarrassing how long it takes me, really), so, I thought it was only appropriate to do a ballet-themed manicure. The two colors pictured are from OPI: I Love Applause, topped with Pirouette My Whistle. Maybe it’s totally crazy, but it made me happy!

On my way to work one afternoon, I decided to treat myself to a little Pinkberry. I don’t tend to vary my toppings up too much. I’m a fan of the chocolate-strawberry combination, if you couldn’t already tell! it turned out so beautifully, I had to be a ridiculous girl and take a picture of my yogurt. Again, embarrassing behavior, I know…

(Excuse my scary dancer feet- they’re not as bad as they used to be!)

My sore feet and I finally caved and bought some “practical” shoes at the Nordstrom triple point sale this last weekend. These are the Silver and Pearl White Gizeh sandals from Birkenstock. I ended up buying the white and love how comfortable they are!

Deal of the day! Nordstrom has been featuring these exclusive, pre-set Mac Pro-palettes lately. If I didn’t already own more eyeshadow than I knew what to do with, I would have absolutely snatched this beautiful, neutral palette up.

There’s a new trend beginning in restaurants: tip-included dining. I experienced this first-hand on my visit to Bar Agricole in San Francisco over the weekend. Carefully-crafted cocktails and a rustic food menu make it well worth a trip. Pictured above is their signature brandy “Sleepyhead” cocktail. Brady, champagne, ginger and mint- delicious!

EVA♥

Overnight Beauty Essentials

Posted on August 15, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone, and Happy Friday!

I wanted to end the week with a lighthearted post, so I decided to let you take a quick glimpse into my Beauty Essentials- the things that I automatically grab for, whether it be a last minute weekend trip, or in anticipation of a late night out, usually followed by an early morning. For all those ladies out there navigating both commuter relationships as well as work, I applaud you. I also feel your pain. There’s is nothing more frustrating than dashing out of the house, ready for your day, only to realize that you’ve forgotten something essential, like a stick of deodorant. I conveniently forgot to include one in the pictures above, but I assure you, I do wear it.

The products pictured above are as follows, from bottom left to right: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Nude, Nars Laguna Bronze r, Bare Esecentuals All-Over Face brush, Burt’s Bees wipes for sensitive skin, Urban Decay’s Naked Basics Pallet, Bare Escentuals eyeliner brush, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, Bare Escentuals Dual-Ended Brush, Mac Select Cover concealer in NW20, and Tarte’s Lights Camera Lashes Mascara.

Seeing as all this goes into my purse, saving space is essential, so I like to pick products that will effectively multitask. While I usually apply a sunscreen and then foundation, I find that Laura Mercier’s beloved tinted moisturizer does a fantastic job of protecting, moisturizing, and concealing minor imperfections. I swear by the Naked Basics eyeshadow palette as it has everything you might possibly need for your eyes, as well as your eyebrows. I like to blend the two brown shades on my eyeliner brush to use on my brows, line my eyes with the black shade, and highlight with the lightest. You certainly get your bang for your buck with this one! And remember, as tempting as it is to use last night’s makeup as this morning’s face, don’t do it! Your clogged pores will later have their revenge. I love the Burt’s Bees wipes because no matter how tired you are, using one of these to take off your makeup at the end of the day leaves you feeling as refreshed as if you had actually taken the time to wash your face. I’m all about the shortcuts, ladies. Whatever makes your life easier.

And, lastly, you’re going to need a fabulous bag to disguise the fact that you are now essentially a bag lady. I highly recommend Longchamps Le Pliage shopping bag. My girlfriends and I like to refer to it as the “Boyfriend Bag.” It holds all your essentials while looking chich, and no one would ever know that last night’s high heels are rattling around in there.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

EVA❤️

The Loot

Posted on August 7, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Life has been crazy, as usual. Today I write to you after a late night commute, culminating in a breakfast-for-dinner concoction that I’m very proud of. I cannot praise frozen vegetables enough; if you have them in your freezer, along with some eggs, you’ll always have a filling, ready-to-go meal. In case you haven’t noticed, many of my blogs are introduced by an assortment of random facts, or a summation of my current state, which is also always random. Many of you may have noticed that I celebrated my birthday this last Tuesday, and, continuing with the “Forever Young” theme, I plan on celebrating this entire week. Here’s a little glimpse of some of the related festivities thus far.

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It’s been a longtime tradition for beauty and fashion bloggers to include “hauls” in their repertoire. I guess you couldn’t necessarily classify some good, old-fashioned birthday shopping as a “haul,” so I deem this the birthday “loot.”

The Fit ‘n Flare dress is from Banana Republic- here. They had a fantastic sale last weekend and it was too lovely to pass up. I was gifted some DV by Dolce Vita shoes, which were also a great find. They paired wonderfully with my favorite black leather jacket. Yes, this was my birthday outfit, and I felt very chic in it. Unfortunately, I was in too much of hurry to take the requisite selfies of myself that day.

The Clubmaster-style sunglasses and my favorite leopard scarf are not new, but I couldn’t help but include them in my photo. I was visually brainstorming outfits, and these staples couldn’t not be included. They are from Madewell and H&M, respectively. While wandering through Nordstrom, my mother and I perused the MAC counter, and I found my favorite new lipstick: Peach Blossom; as well as a fabulous mineralize eyeshadow duo in Spiced Metal. I’ve been wearing these almost nonstop since she treated me to them. Thanks mom! Additional newer items pictured are a refill of one of my favorite perfumes, Unconditional Love by Philosophy, in addition to a little something in a special blue box. The contents of which are pictured below:

Every woman should have exquisite and simple pieces that she can wear everyday, and that will live on her nightstand every night. Seeing as I survived my “scary age” birthday, I certainly have something to show for it. This little necklace is something I’ve wanted for a really long time. I’ve gotten so many compliments, and I’m hardly willing to take it off at the end of the day.

I hope, like me, the voyeur in you enjoyed my first ever “loot” post. Perhaps one day soon I’ll have another!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on July 30, 2014 by 4evamaria

Happy Wednesday all!

We’re exactly halfway through the week, yet I remain convinced it’s Thursday. Don’t you hate those kinds of weeks? They just seem to drag on forever. Between all the work-related gigs, Taco Tuesdays, thrifting, and requisite summertime fun, I’ve been frantically searching for new content and topics to write about. Funnily enough, it’s always the minute I stop making a concerted effort that I have the most prolific ideas. Everyone has a different creative process, I guess. Enough chatter- on to the weekly Five Things!

If you happened to be anywhere near a beauty blog yesterday, you’ll have been made aware that it was #NationalLipstickDay. In a nod to many people’s (myself included) love of lipstick, I recommend that you check out a piece on the lovely Joanna’s blog, A Cup of Jo, where her new editorial assistant executed a “Lipstick Challenge.” Digging in to the depths of her lipstick drawer, she wore a new shade every work day over several weeks. I might just be a huge beauty junkie, but I found this weirdly fascinating. And also now want to own blue lipstick. Yes, it sounds strange, but just check out her look on week two! So pretty.

Yes, here’s a gratuitous sunset shot for the week. We’ve been having the most spectacular sunsets in the Bay Area as of late, so I naturally have to document them as soon as I get a chance.

If you’ve ever been to Starbuck’s, you are totally familiar with the baristas propensities to utterly screw up the most basic names in existence. I get a lot of Ava and April, but never before have I seen a “Hayva.” Extra points for creativity to that one. For more funny misspells, check out Buzzfeed’s 27 Times Starbucks Failed So Hard It Almost Won.

Photo c/o Daybreak & The Bold Italic

Did everyone know that the early morning dance party is now a thing in San Francisco? I happened upon this latest trend while perusing the Bold Italic this morning. For those people who genuinely enjoy dancing, but don’t always have the energy to go out-and-about every Saturday night, you can attend this dance party on a random Tuesday, right before work. Lasting from 7:30-9:30am, next week’s fun offers atypical fare- no cocktails, but coffee, tea, and breakfast treats in abundance. This is way better than running on the elliptical at the gym for an hour. Just saying.

With the big birthday fast approaching, I’ve been frequenting Sosh, an app that I can best describe as a more personal Yelp that’s strictly for social events and activities. While only available for certain US cities at the moment, Sosh allows you to search by the activity you’re interested in- be it happy hours, fitness classes, concerts, or restaurants, within your neighborhood of choice. You can also write reviews and bookmark activities and events you hope to attend in the future. I have 33 events bookmarked currently,inlcuding Dim Sum at Yank Sing, cocktails at the “Vegas inspired” Drake lounge, and an outdoor movie screening in Washington Park. I’m looking forward to chipping away at them very soon!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday!

EVA♥

Lipstick. Lipstick. More Lipstick.

Posted on June 13, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone and happy Friday!

I’ve been sitting on the temptation to do an incredibly girly, beauty-oriented post for quite a while now. I’ve quenched my thirst for all things makeup related on the internet machine for years. I’m not ashamed to admit that my evening ritual often involves watching Youtube beauty videos on my phone while curled up in bed. I find all the products the beauty industry has to offer fascinating- there’s always something newer or better to try, something that will add that extra pep in your step, so to speak. Now, I’m sure there’s many of you out there that think that you can have only so many shades of eye shadow or lip gloss before things become excessive. I’ll agree with you on some level. When purchasing makeup, I never ask myself if I absolutely “need” something, because the answer will always be no. You need things like soap and water, not a $35 tube of YSL lipstick. There’s just something about a new tube of lipstick, though. It can make you feel rejuvenated, more put-together, more special, and braver all at once. It’s an age-old tradition. As Holly Golightly said in Breakfast at Tiffany’s: “a girl doesn’t read this sort of thing without her lipstick.” I’m not sure if I understand the psychology of it, but there’s no denying it’s existence.

The above pictured doesn’t even begin to tap in to my ever-growing collection, but for those of you who appreciate a good, voyeuristic glimpse into someone else’s vanity, I’ve included my first ever swatch for you:

From top to bottom: Mac’s Ravishing, Viva Glam V, Plumful, and Brave. Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in Shade 06 (very similar to Mac’s Impassioned), Mac’s Spice It Up, and Rimmel London again in 107. Not pictured is my Chanel Rouge Coco in Boy, which I must admit is somewhat similar to the Viva Glam.

I must say, I’m rather proud of the color range I pulled out today. I recently felt like a bit of a boob when I swatched a few lipsticks, some expensive others less so, and they were all almost exactly alike. I’m trying my best to not be in too much of a rut when it comes to beauty products. I have most of my twenties to figure things out and like experiment on evenings out while attempting to not look like a child that’s gone through her mother’s makeup. But that’s what I love about it. I was never allowed to wear makeup growing up, so it’s become representative of pure fun, in adult form.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

EVA♥

I Woke Up Like This

Posted on February 4, 2014 by 4evamaria

To echo Beyonce: I woke up like this. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

I know, I know, we’ve all had those mornings where one look in the mirror is enough to horrify you back in to bed. The static bed head, the puffy eyes, the pillow creases, topped off with a vacant expression that says: “YES! I can’t wait to go to work today.” The last year or so, I’ve become all too familiar with this. Let me preface this that I somehow had to make myself look alert and put together at 6:00am. In order to survive the endless early mornings, I slapped together a little morning routine that I did not, and have not, strayed from since. This is the once place in my life that I am admittedly a bit OCD about. I need my morning routine, things don’t feel the same without it. (And everything has to go in a specific order. Strange, I know, but when you’re sleep-walking through the morning, it comes in handy.)

Step 1: Basic Hygiene. Fun things like brushing one’s teeth, washing one’s face, applying deodorant and sunscreen. These are mandatory, I don’t care how early it is.

Step 2: I turn to my fabulous makeshift vanity. You are correct, it happens to be on top of my toilet tank.

Products employed in Step 1: Sunscreen and lip balm. Also pictured is one of my favorite scents: Philosophy’s Unconditional Love.

Please disregard the hole in the wall- I have no idea why it’s there. It’s typically covered by the empty Baijiu bottle that I now employ, rather futilely, as a brush holder.

As you can tell, I am a rather fanatic collector of lip products and also enjoy more than my fair share of Lush. More on that later.

Here’s where you can get really creative! If you’re awake enough, that is. For Step 2, I typically use the below pictured products:

To cut some corners, I enjoy using a BB cream. I can haphazardly apply this and not worry about looking unnatural. I am also unusually attached to my Mac Select Cover Up (I wear the shade NW20). If I had to pick only one product to apply, this would be it. I like to follow this up with NYC Sunny Bronzer, Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in “Exposed,” (for the most natural flush), and Mac’s In for a Treat PearlMatte face powder. I had no intention of buying this, but I stumbled upon one of the last few at the Berkeley Mac and couldn’t leave it. Who can resist those pressed flowers, especially when they give you a lovely glow?

I have to give a nod to Urban Decay’s Naked 2 Pallet; I was wary of purchasing this at first, but it has proven itself well worth the price. I use it every day, sometimes twice a day, and it is very well-loved. I usually top everything off with a bit of Mac’s “Jest” eyeshadow in the inner corner of my eyes to brighten everything up, as well as some of Clinque’s Lash Doubling Mascara.

If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll throw on some of my favorite liner from Mac (in “Prunella,” a dark eggplant shade), along with a quick swipe of a lip product. My current favorite happens to be one of the Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Glow that I purchased while in Auckland. Apparently this is not yet available outside of NZ/Australia, but it’s one of those self-adjusting shades that looks incredibly natural on.

Step 2 typically takes me a little over 5 minutes to complete. I tend to lean toward the more natural end of the spectrum when it comes to beauty/makeup application. Growing up I was never allowed to wear makeup, so when I did, it had to be as indiscernible as possible. The strict upbringing didn’t allow for a ton of fun, but at least it saved me from looking back on year book photos of myself covered in mismatched foundation and raccoon eyes. I guess everything has a silver lining, even with less than glamorous beginnings.

EVA ♥