Birthday Dinner

Posted on August 11, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

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

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

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

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

…minus the actual dinner…

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

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

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

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

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

EVA♥

Things It Took Me 27 Years to Learn

Posted on August 5, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

My 25th birthday. Possibly the best birthday party ever. Almost all of my favorite people were there.

This was what 26 looked like. Swimming with sea turtles, hiking in a bikini, and a sand birthday cake.

Today I am officially 27.

While I’m not currently sunning myself in Hawaii or Las Vegas, I’m celebrating nonetheless. As I’ve previously shared with many of you, 27 is my “scary age.” Yes, I’m aware this is illogical and absurd. 27 is not 30, or 40, but for whatever reason, I’ve anticipated this year since I was young. While 26 was perhaps more of a milestone (Hello health insurance!), 27 always seems to mark the beginning of one’s late-twenties. To me, it’s always signified going to bed a responsible hour, investing in an IRA, and attending copious amounts of baby showers. You know, that time when the universe yells at you to wrap up all the fun you’ve been having. Silly, I know.

One of the many distinct memories I have of this day last year is that right when the clock struck midnight I was startled awake by Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” blasting through the speakers of my girlfriend’s iPhone. On a side-note, I had had the song stuck in my head since arriving in Hawaii, and kept singing “Let’s go to the beach beach…” over and over again. It seemed appropriate, and had soon turned into the theme song of our trip. So, in the dead of night and half asleep, I was asked to recall the the one thing that it had taken me 26 years of my life to learn. That year, I learned what it meant to truly go on vacation.

So, to continue with the ritual, today I will share with all of you some of the things it’s taken me 27 years to learn…

Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s okay. Not everyone has to like you. All that matters is that you like the person looking back at you in the mirror.

You can not jump into a swimming pool wearing fake eyelashes. It’s not a good look. Just don’t do it.

Thrift stores are amazing. Who doesn’t love paying $20 for $400 boots?

Going to the gym, yoga, dance class…whatever you enjoy doing, is an investment in your mental health as much as your physical health.

You don’t need a bottle opener to open a bottle. Keys, the side of a barbecue, and the corner of a coffee table are just as effective, if not more labor intensive.

The $20 handshake is a real thing. Depending on the occasion, it works marvelously.

Your iPhone charges faster while in airplane mode. A tip I picked up from a handsome stranger while on a layover in the Honolulu airport.

Money is fluid. It will always come back to you. Maybe not right away, but it’s there.

On the same note, you will never regret money spent on travel. You’re literally buying yourself memories and life experience, not to mention stories to tell the grandkids.

I can drive on the other side of the road. It’s scary, but I can do it!

Spending the day at the pool is an acceptable way to spend the day. The same goes for spending the day snuggled in bed.

It’s most definitely better to have quality people in your life that you can depend on, whether it’s in times of emergency, or just on those days when you really need a hug. Quality trumps quantity, any day.

…

Happy Birthday to me! Here’s to another good year.

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♥

Five Things

Posted on July 23, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello all,

Get ready for the most random barrage of imagery you’ve ever seen! I realized today that my weekly Five Things has intermittently become a dumping ground for the photos I have sitting on my laptop, waiting to be used, but completely without context. It’s not a bad thing necessarily- unless it’s driving you nuts, dear readers. Those of you who know me outside of my blog, know that I like to talk about whatever pops into my head during any available moment of silence. I realize that this results in the most disjointed conversation ever, so much so that I like to preface some of my statements by explaining how I got there. This isn’t at all strange, I’m sure of it.

Unfortunately, I can’t really preface this week’s things with any kind of explanation, other than the fact that they’re a conglomeration of things I’ve come across in my immediate, everyday life that have stood out to me. Now, I realize that many bloggers out there have similar routine lists on their blog; it’s reassuring for me to recall how much I enjoy reading those, and hope you find my posts equally amusing/intriguing/entertaining, or whatever adjective floats your boat!

First off is a shot of the LA sky through the vine and fairy light covered gazebo that housed my friend’s birthday party for the majority of the day on Saturday. Downtown Los Angeles isn’t particularly green, so this was such the refreshing touch to an otherwise concrete patio.

Photo c/o Shopbop. Click on the link below to check it out!

I would like you to meet my new boyfriend: Mini MAC. Rebecca Minkoff states that M.A.C really stands for “Morning After Clutch,” but I enjoy taking this guy out all day. Having been on my wish list for ages, this purse was such an excellent find at the Nordstrom sale the other day I couldn’t pass it up! More than 50% off, mind you. I thought there had been a mistake, that’s how good of a deal I got. It’s my new favorite.

In a little nod to the ever-popular Instagram trend of #ThrowbackThursday, I wanted to post a picture taken what seems like ages ago. This was at a birthday party in San Francisco, and is one of my favorites of our little crew. I’m in a Rachel Sandwich!

So, I was admittedly tooling around Instagram at work the other day and came across this cocktail special at the W Hotel. It’s some sort of birthday concoction that they began serving this last week, for a limited time. I believe it contains vodka, Chambord, and Canton ginger liqueur. Oh, and whipped cream and sprinkles, of course! Though it’s not really my birthday yet, I’m tempted to stop by and ask them for this thing. It’s like the cocktail equivalent of a cupcake!

And, possibly the most random thing of all….

The Enneagram Test

Last weekend’s birthday girl (who also happens to be studying for her PH.D in clinical psychology) introduced us to the above test. It’s supposed to be accurately indicative of all aspects of your personality- how you handle stress, how you see the world, etc. It’s quite an in depth test, but I’m itching to take it and to see how I feel about the results. I know it’s an oddly cerebral thing to include on here, but let me know what you think! It’s certainly got me thinking.

Happy Wednesday!

EVA♥

California Love

Posted on July 21, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I’m still here, I promise! I have to admit, it’s darn hard to make time for writing when the sun is shining outside. Perhaps it’s finally time for me to upgrade the battery on my ancient HP laptop (she’s over eight years old!), so I can write while out and about as opposed to being chained to the wall for every post. Currently, this is my running excuse to sit down and watch “The Bachelorette” every Monday night. Don’t judge me.

I digress, as is usual. I spent this past weekend driving up and down the coast of California, specifically to celebrate my dear friend Rachel’s birthday. Yes, I have two “dear-friend-Rachels” in my life. I got to spend time with both of them this weekend, just to make things confusing. After her relocation to the LA area, I haven’t been able to see Rachel as much as I once used to, but her birthday made for the perfect occasion to pay her a visit. It’s a rather long drive to LA to have to navigate solo, so I made one trip into two, and paid my friends Maren and Xela a visit at their lovely home in San Luis Obispo as well. I’ve grown to know and love that town over the years, so it deserves a post all to itself in the near future.

Aside from a really annoying mishap with Google Maps that took me roughly 90 minutes out of the way from my final destination, my LA visit was pure, long-overdue fun. In a nutshell, there was a penthouse, a rooftop party, and some late night dancing at a speakeasy-themed cocktail lounge. All very exciting things.

The rooftop view of downtown LA.

So excited to push this button.

One good thing about the overcast sky: hot tub time! Undoubtedly the best view from a hot tub, ever! Rumor has it, Johnny Depp lives in that art deco-style Eastern building.

Blue velvet birthday cake. Yummy. I spontaneously broke into a warbling version of Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Velvet” many times that night.

Go through the parking lot and stand in line in the alleyway to find Honeycut. In case you didn’t know, the dancing is that way…

We made a lot of friends. This gentleman in particular had some snazzy sunglasses he shared with the birthday girl.

I drank something called the “Babyface,” which was reminiscent of a smoky strawberry margarita. Even better than the cocktails, though, was the light-up dance floor. Add in a little Amy Winehouse, 70’s/80’s music, and a splash of Lil’ Wayne, and you have a party. To top it all off, I wore my “Ain’t No Wifey” shirt from Dimepiece LA and got a ton of compliments. I even bonded with the club’s bouncer over it. As uniquely strange as I found LA to be in some instances, I apparently fit in rather well. This shouldn’t really be a surprise, since I’m rather strange myself.

Good times.

EVA♥

And the adventure continues…

Posted on June 3, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

Continuing on from yesterday’s post “Portland Adventures,” I bring you the “Seattle Adventures” episode of Watch Me Juggle! Things in Seattle have changed quite a bit since my trip up five years ago. On my last visit following college graduation, my dear friend Brooke was getting married; on this trip, I got to visit her beautiful home and meet her son Cooper, who is now already six months old! Another friend of mine, Kelsey hosted us in her cozy apartment, and took us for a night out on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. I frankly can’t imagine how we crammed so many activities in a day-and-a-half, but we did! We ate delicious food, went wine tasting, went sailing, and perused Pike’s Place Market. I even played skee-ball for the first time in my young life. People seemed perturbed when I told them this: “Didn’t you ever go to Chuck E.Cheese as a kid?!” Yes, yes I did. But, I was far too busy playing in the ball pit to worry about things that involved any sort of hand-eye coordination. Now, dear readers, brace yourself for many photos:

We made life vests look good.

Beautiful views of Downtown Seattle while sailing about.

Apparently the boats have the right of way when it comes to navigating the waters. Sea planes took off on a regular basis all around us. Quite wonderful to watch.

The famous fish market at Pike’s Place. I got to see the fish fly on many occasions!

Huge bouquets at the flower market. I wished I could have taken them home with me…

My very favorite: beautiful peonies.

Hey! Looks like Rachel’s love of ginger finally paid off!

We discovered a welcoming winery near the market that had local wines and board games. What more could you ask for?

Our flights. I had the sparkling wines, naturally. After a game of Apples to Apples (the girls won!), we decided it would be much more entertaining to play with the boy. He was an enthusiastic sport.

Sweetest face ever.

Blurry photo with phantom hand! The decor here seemed like exotic hunting lodge meets carnival. Iiiiinteresting.

Ladies out on the town at Unicorn Bar. As seen on the Macklemore Thrift Shop music video. The bar, not the ladies…

Delicious, but sweet cocktails with very inappropriate names.

I miss it already. Until next time, Seattle!

EVA♥

Portland Adventures

Posted on June 2, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello ladies and gentlemen!

I’m honestly a bit behind on updating Watch Me Juggle as of late. Not that I haven’t been posting, but I’ve had such a busy last two weeks, I’ve had such an influx of material/thoughts/adventures I haven’t been able to keep up! I’m well aware that this isn’t really a problem. So, today’s post features a long overdue look at my time spent in Portland over this last Memorial Day weekend. Also fondly known as: “That time we ate all the things.”

That’s right, dear readers. The itinerary for Portland, aside from spending time with some good friends, was to eat as many delicious, Portland-specific culinary concoctions we could find. We were very successful.

A glimpse at Rogue Brewing Company as we drive by…

The first Portland hipster sighting!

Portland is undoubtedly home to some lovely looking Victorians- not unlike my hometown!

The bar at the Barrel Room. In case you’re unable to find it. Upon arriving here, our unruly group was absolutely convinced that we had annoyed our poor taxi driver to his wit’s end and that he was throwing us out.

A moment between friends.

One of my very favorite stops had to be Salt and Straw. I’m a fan of artisan ice creams on any occasion, and had a big bowl of both honey lavender and sea salt caramel ripple ice cream. A phenomenal combination. This was also the place I’ve tasted one of the most peculiar things of my life: mint leaf and sea urchin ice cream. Yes, it was actually quite tasty.

As an alternative to the ever-crowded Voodoo Doughnuts, our lovely host took us to the delicious Blue Star Donuts. They had a plethora of intriguing flavors, including a Cointreau-laced crème brûlée, with a beaker of Cointreau literally stuck in the donut itself.

Meyer lemon with key lime custard, and blackberry compote with peanut butter powdered sugar. Delicious.

My choice of the morning: Blueberry, bourbon, basil. Breakfast of Champions.

Not pictured are our many forays in to food truck dining- complete with American-Moroccan fusion food in the form of spiced Basmati rice topped with the makings of a Philly cheese steak. In short, even if you aren’t a foodie, I highly recommend spending some time in this part of the Pacific Northwest. Its small town feel and tree-lined streets are beautiful and worth taking in any time of year.

EVA♥

Marina Girl Adventures

Posted on May 20, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

A rooftop snap from my Instagram. Rachel was a perturbed photobomb participant, to say the least. If you squint, you can see the Golden Gate in the background too!

This last weekend, I tagged along with my good friend Rachel to a joint birthday party at San Francisco’s Fort Mason. For those of you that are unfamiliar with San Francisco, the grassy field located in the Marina district is also lovingly known as “Frat Mason.” If 28 year-old Joe College types are your thing, I suggest you spend all your sunny weekends there, ladies. Like it’s sister Dolores Park, Fort Mason provides you with some amazing and hilarious people watching. On this occasion, I witnessed some drunken pinata bashing and overheard complete strangers’ loud, overdramatic gossip that had me stifling giggles.

Funnily enough, what I like so much about the Marina tends to be what I occasionally dislike about the Marina. It’s unlike any other part of San Francisco, home to beautiful views and a mix of old and new money. But, having lived in the Bay Area for so long, I can’t help but think that the majority of people who reside in this part of town are transplants that are, well, suspicious of the rest of San Francisco. Don’t even get me started on what they think of Oakland. I additionally find that the blonde-to-brunette ratio quite disturbing here (hint: yours truly lies in the minority). However, its distinct population and bustling main streets are what make it so fun to hang out in. No where else in the city would a band of girls parading down the street in the middle of the day with speakers blasting Rihanna be deemed socially acceptable. I was one of the people heading that group, I’ll admit it. In short, my afternoon looked like something out of the Selfie music video, except in the middle of the day and without that pervasive beat. If you ever find yourself taking life too seriously, this is the place to go; have a mimosa, maybe get your nails done, and enjoy the views. Admittedly, what prompted me to write this little blurb was a video I came across on The Bold Italic yesterday.

Created by 941 Social Club, it’s a roast of all things Marina. Why? As Bold Italic writer Wendy Steiner says: “because making fun of Marina stereotypes is one of the purest joys of life.” The creator of the video is a Marina resident herself, so it’s all in good fun. I had a good laugh myself, partially because I’ve been to 90% of all the places shown. And yes, that strawberry concoction from The Tipsy Pig is juice.

Love,

EVA♥

Typical Saturday…

Posted on April 14, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

I know I’ve been a bit MIA as of late, but I’m back this Monday ready to go! Sort of!
My Mondays are the equivalent of most people’s Sundays, I like to think that it’s one of the most productive times of the week for me. Which, by default, makes my Saturdays like Fridays. Try to keep up.

I desperately covet my Saturdays; it’s one of those rare days where both my friends and I have time off, and no one has to get up early for work the next morning. This also means that my Saturdays are filled with activities revolving around my favorite question (“What are you guys wearing tonight?!” or, on bad days, “I. HAVE.NOTHING.TO.WEAR.”), which subsequently turns in to a night spent hunting for my girlfriends in some ridiculous venue where the music is much too loud. I’m well aware that I will soon be too old for this behavior to become an acceptable weekly activity. In the meantime, I plan on wearing my most impractical shoes, not bringing a jacket, and staying out much later than initially planned. I’m at this odd age where half of my friends are married property owners, and the other half are drunkenly forgetting their phones in the back of cabs. Meanwhile, cheers to a girlfriend of mine who has figured out how to strap her phone to the inside of her purse to ensure that this never happens again. The wonderful thing about living near so many great cities is that there’s never a shortage of things to do, or new places to explore. Following a long day at the studio, this last Saturday involved a little brunch with one of my most favorite ladies complete with blood orange mimosas. With a brief interlude of shopping and a quick nap, I drove in to the city while my friend did her makeup in the passenger seat. (Take note world: we’re intelligent, can multi-task, and show up on time looking more than presentable.) Possibly one of my favorite moments of the evening took place at Bergerac, where we watched a man in a leather butcher’s apron cut a large hunk of ice from a collection of ice blocks at the end of the bar. For a Manhattan, of course. You can’t have an artisan cocktail in San Francisco without a giant ice cube- it’s just not done anymore. After a drink, an aerial acrobatics show, and much dancing/running around, we deemed it a successful evening and eventually made it home. These activities are often repeated to varying degrees every Saturday- it’s good to have a routine, am I right?

I’ve sometimes received criticism for booking myself within an inch of my life. I’m going to readily admit that I’ve double-booked myself on more than one occasion. I almost always say yes to things that I’m invited to, regardless if they’re happy hours, dinners, or networking events. Honestly, I’ve never spent an evening out-and-about and consequently wished I had stayed at home. Even on the worst days, I can find a positive experience or interaction that makes staying at home in bed seem like a paltry endeavor. Look at it as life experience, at the very least. I’m going to sound like a broken record, but you’re only young once…

EVA♥

Oh, hello Thursday.

Posted on April 4, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

Wait…I know it’s Friday. As much as I want to believe it’s Thursday, it’s not. Today is my last official day of Spring Break. I’ve spent most of it in the studio, or cleaning. And, let me tell you, if you’re ever trying not to eat that pint of Ben&Jerry’s in your fridge, go clean your toilet. You’ll never want to eat anything, ever again. Just saying. So, now that I’m entirely covered in dust bunnies, and my shoes are organized, I decided to take a little blog break.

I went out last night!

(Pause for reaction)

In all seriousness, a good friend and I caught the Academy of Sciences Nightlife event last night. Not quite Vegas level debauchery, but I have a feeling that it might have been for some people. By the time we left (around 9:30pm, mind you) we passed groups of women with their shoes off. And something that looked like a three person piggyback ride. I don’t even know. All in all, it was a pretty fun night- one of those rare events that you can take almost anyone to. Throw some cocktails in the mix and you have quite a fun evening. On the other hand, I’m not promising that you will have any great scientific epiphanies. After one cocktail in the aquarium, staring at fish for much longer than is normal, I caught myself saying: “Look! It’s like those fish are on the ground. But they’re not…because we’re on the ground, and they’re in the tank. See.”

Am scientific genius. With degrees.

Anyway, despite this not being my first foray in to Nightlife, this was the first time I managed to take some decent photos, and see most of the exhibits in one go. The San Francisco Film Festival teamed up with Nightlife, and were having screenings in the Planetarium along with various independent film projections throughout the academy. There was also a lovely photobooth set up, with some of the best photobooth accessories ever. I naturally grabbed the bunny ears, and a ukulele (which I promptly forgot about). The results were hilarious, but shall never grace the internet should I have anything to do with it.