Santa Cruz Adventures

Posted on May 27, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

(I’ve toyed with calling the few, proud readers out there the “jugglers.” Too facetious?)

Many of us had the opportunity to enjoy our a long weekend this past Memorial Day. I initially planned on lying around my apartment in a semi-comatose state, but the opportunity for a quick getaway down the coast presented itself, and I couldn’t say no. So, my girlfriends and I packed our bags and headed to Santa Cruz for a little beach vacation.

Don’t get me wrong, I was still lying around an apartment, but this time it was beach/pool adjacent with either a glass of wine or a fantastic latte from the local Verve coffee in my hand. I had zero complaints.

Turns out the Santa Cruz Surfing Club was even hosting a surf competition that lasted the weekend. I suddenly felt like a true Californian wandering around the shoreline surrounded by people in wet suits. Even though every morning was overcast, the sun did eventually come out long enough to enjoy it poolside.

I have a special fondness for Santa Cruz since one of my college roommates and her husband relocated there for a few post-college years. Every time I found myself with a free weekend, or a little extra time on my hands, I could drive down and visit them with little or no advanced planning. I’ve come to know the town fairly well, and there are always a few places that I have to visit whenever I’m in the area. There are the beautiful beaches, of course, but also the hip coffee shops, quirky boutiques and restaurants.

There’s Verve Coffee that, besides serving up one incredible latte, has a monkey bread in their pastry case that is so caramelized it borders on candy. Coming from someone who considers a good doughnut appropriate for breakfast, that’s saying something.

My friends also introduced me to their local wine bar, Vino Prima, in their years here. Not only does this wine bar on the pier have a fantastic ocean view, but they do a mean mimosa bar on the weekends.

And of course there’s the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Despite usually being littered with tourists, it still has a certain old world charm to it. You know, the kind of charm that tells adults it’s okay to purchase things like potato chips on a stick or deep-fried oreos.

Of course, there’s always time to hop in a photo booth after too much sun and food to take a few snapshots:

I’m not sure where or what I’m pointing at in that last one. Things always seem to start normal in photo booths for me and then unravel quickly.

There’s nothing quite like a beach vacation to hit the ‘reset’ button on life.

EVA♥

Girls Night, San Diego Edition

Posted on March 22, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

It’s been exactly a month since I’ve seen some of my best girlfriends. The general consensus is that that’s much too long of a time, but, seeing as we live across four different states, hundreds of miles apart, we must make do. As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, we like to have full-scale reunions every year-or-so, and this last one was quite memorable. A different kind of memorable from our last one, where seven of us all piled onto the floor of my studio apartment, but I digress.

Out and about, we joke that we constantly photograph like a sorority. Things have changed a bit over the years, exactly half of us are married, and there are children and post-graduate studies, but we’re still a good-looking group. (Toot too! Yes, that’s some unabashed honking my own horn.)

The weekend wasn’t nearly long enough, but we managed to cram quite a bit in. Walks around Little Italy, good food, a farmer’s market, some sailing, hot-tubbing, long conversations, and, of course, dancing. I’m proud to say we were that big group of girls “standing in a circle around our shoes and our pockets” positively screaming the lyrics of every song in each other’s faces. Yes, that includes “Get Low,” of course.

We had a great view of the city from the condo we were staying in. It allowed for this little bit of photographic magic to happen:

My friend Kelsey’s parents happened to live in another high-rise condominium complex across the way, so we coordinated with them to take a picture of us all standing out on the balcony one day. My fear of heights was tested with this one, but it was so worth it!

Little Italy’s colorful Saturday morning farmer’s market on a Saturday morning. I was surprised at how big it was! Really worth a visit, if you’re ever in the area over the weekend, dear readers.

Colorful friends to go with the colorful market! My friend Devyn has introduced me to Lilly Pulitzer’s fantastic prints, all with their own whimsical names. I’ve been coveting a number of dresses online, but I’ve got my eyes peeled for this fun leopard print!

USS Midway. Not pictured are the people lunching on the stern of the ship. Convenient place for a cafe, I must say.

We teetered from the trolley to the infamous Gaslamp district in our heels on Saturday night.

Shiny, happy people at the rooftop bar at the W Hotel.

It’s important to make time for those worthwhile people in your life. Sure, the distance can be tricky, but it’s nothing a little G-chat and coordination can’t solve. It took us a bit of time to put this trip together, but it was well worth it, and couldn’t have come at a better time. Spending time with friends can be rejuvenating in so many ways. Just being in the same room as these ladies makes me feel better about everyday worries. You know, the things that all of us are preoccupied with on a daily basis. When you find people that can make you forget your troubles, don’t let them go anywhere. Cross an ocean for them, if you have to. They’re very much worth it. If you’re reading this ladies, until next time!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on March 4, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

I’m not sure what it is lately, but I’ve had a number of people ask me about my writing ability. As odd as that sounds, it’s even more odd to attempt to answer a question posed as “how’s your grasp of the English language?” or, even simply “are you a good writer?” Well, I probably spend far too much time crafting well-thought out emails at the office, and I write purely for my own enjoyment almost every day. So, yes, I would hope I’m at least a decent writer. Hey readers, you would tell me if my writing is awful, right?

Right?!

It’s an interesting thing when people you’re just getting to know ask you about your relationship to things you strongly identify with. These are awfully deep thoughts for a Wednesday night, I must say. With that being said, it’s time for Five Things. This week, it’s very food-heavy, what can I say? I, uh, apparently ate some fabulous looking things and thought I would over-share with you all. Off we go!

La Marca prosecco has become my absolute favorite. When I see it on a menu, I almost always order it. So, when my group of girls took over the rooftop bar W Hotel, I skipped the overpriced cocktails and went straight for a bottle of bubbly. They got bonus points for the lovely strawberries perched on top!

I find that photos never do the San Francisco skyline justice, but this was my view of the moon as I waited for my ferry this evening. It was a remarkably clear day, so I couldn’t help but take a picture.

I treated myself to a little Smitten Ice Cream in Hayes Valley this afternoon. I had seen the crowds outside of this place, but never understood the hype. Pictured is their seasonal blood orange and pistachio cookie flavor, that’s made to order. That’s right, every time you order a scoop, they cook it up just for you with their crazy, nitrogen-laced ice cream making contraptions.

Against my better judgement, I made a whole batch of cinnamon rolls for myself this past lazy Sunday. No, they weren’t from scratch, but they were darn delicious, nevertheless.

And, lastly, my cousin Lisa came back from visiting our family with a big bag of chocolates and wine straight from Austria. I’ve been eating Milka chocolates for a long time now, and never thought I would see the day when good, German chocolate partnered with Oreo. Two opposite ends of the dessert spectrum coming together to make something amazing.

Who would have thought?

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♥

Five Things

Posted on February 24, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

This week I have a slightly thematic Five Things lined up. That’s right, it’s Five Things: The San Diego addition.

We were all sitting in a circle chatting, as you do, and my girlfriend Brooke very effortlessly busted out this incredible braided hairstyle. I watched her do it, and still have no idea how it’s done. A bit of braid-inspiration for your day!

My friend Devyn and I spent our last day in San Diego enjoying gelato from Pappalecco’s in lieu of a proper lunch. I had strawberry and the signature pappalecco gelato, which is a combination of chocolate and crushed amaretti cookies. My only regret was that I didn’t get a bigger cup…

A view of the USS Midway just next to Seaport Village. Californians are so spoiled; I still can’t believe this was a beautiful February day.

Look at all this beautiful pasta I found at the Mona Lisa Deli in Little Italy! Never seen striped Farfalle quite like that before. Seems a shame to cover it up with sauce…

and, lastly, if you need a good laugh.

My friend Rachel was having a particularly stressful day at work the other day, which she and a few coworkers remedied by watching ridiculous Youtube videos. I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard. Sometimes a good laugh is all you need.

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on January 21, 2015 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

I must say, it’s really hard to multitask when you want to be 100% engrossed in all of the things you’re attending to. Do any of you ever experience this? I certainly do. It’s, unfortunately, the reason why it takes me at least three times longer than usually to finish whatever I’m writing. It’s because, in the meantime, I’m attempting to watch “Game of Thrones,” make tea, and clean my house . So far, the tv is paused and my hot water has yet to make it into the cup where the teabag is. Hey, I tried.

I did, however, manage to crank out this week’s “Five Things,” so let’s hop to it!

It’s official. I now own work swag. Not only do I love the company, but their hoodies are the most cozy things ever. I’ve been trying not to live in it on a daily basis.

I was looking through some pictures from my hike up Mt. Tam the other day, and lo-and-behold, a photo-bomber! Hi Gary! I just had to share.

My girlfriends and I had a mid-week dinner date at Chino SF the other day. They boast an interesting take on Chinese cuisine. My favorite (although slightly gimmicky) thing was the boba cocktail. Quite refreshing, actually.

Tiny cupcakes courtesy of my friend Sarah. Cute and delicious, although I must say that the ones topped with chocolate chips seemed a tad inappropriate.

And, in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s my new favorite Instagram account:

Photo c/o: @omgliterallydead.

It’s the infamous: Omg Literally Dead. A fabulous 30-something out there thought it would be poignant to spoof all those Instagram-abusers out there, overusing hashtags and all. The photo above was captioned: “Ugh, #Starbucks barista fails again! It’s Skellie, idiots.#starbucksfail #psl #whothehellisskully.” As you can see Skellie is, in fact, literally dead. So take that!

EVA♥

We Hiked That…

Posted on January 19, 2015 by 4evamaria

Oh, hello everyone.

I managed to tear myself away from some very important business (ahem, “Game of Thrones”) to get a few things done this lovely Monday.

Photo c/o Gary Lo

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it may be rather belated, but I finally managed to hike Mt. Tam!

I also got to visit the historic West Point Inn, a place that I had long wanted to see. I’m going to preface this whole thing by saying that our hike, round-trip, took several hours and spanned almost 10 miles. I’ve never hiked such a long distance in my life. If it wasn’t for my friends, I don’t think I would have gotten out of bed today, nevermind found the motivation to go on a four hour hike this morning. I’ve been having a bit of difficulty finding motivation in general lately. I’ve just been signing myself for work and events, and dragging myself out of the house to meet the expectations I set for myself. To be quite honest, I wasn’t particularly excited to go hiking today. I went through my morning routine, made myself some coffee, and met my friends. I trudged up the side of the mountain, almost solely motivated by lunch and the promise of a good view. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the running conversation I found myself laughing out loud, saying silly things, and just generally enjoying myself. That’s the wonderful thing about good friends, it doesn’t necessarily matter what shape you’re in when you meet them, just being in their company will turn your day around. A little bit of exercise certainly doesn’t hurt, either. The boss lady told me of a quote she had heard today: “the only thing standing between you and a good mood, is a workout.” It’s completely true, but sometimes you need a little something extra to get you through the days. Oh, and good food, that too.

If you’re ever in the San Francisco Bay Area and need some fresh air and beautiful views, I highly recommend it.

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on December 17, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hi everyone!

This week marks my last week of teaching in 2014. What?!

It’s strange to look at it that way, but it’s true. I have no idea where this year has gone. I hope all your planning for the holidays has been going well thus far. I’ve managed to put a dent in my holiday shopping but still have quite a few things left to do. Namely, I have yet to get a Christmas tree, but it’s the first thing on the list for tomorrow!

As always, let’s get to this week’s Five Things!

Photo c/o Buzzfeed, Creative Commons

Ah, Buzzfeed- providing endless hours of internet entertainment. I recently found 51 Of the Most Beautiful Sentences in Literature, and I’m pleased to say that I’m familiar with most of them. Although having read Lolita, I don’t quite recall the line above, but love it nonetheless.

I may have a slight obsession with snarky refrigerator magnets. I’m slowly growing my collection, little by little, hoping that one day I’ll have enough to horrify future house guests. This one is particularly witty, if you ask me.

Whilst in Tempe, I spent a lazy afternoon with a friend at a place cleverly known as the World of Beer. Boasting over 100 beers on the menu, I made a beeline for the Austrian section for one of my favorites: Stiegl Radler. It’s an Austrian shandy of sorts, but made with grapefruit soda in lieu of lemonade. Amazing!

Apparently, this is the face I make when eating habañero peppers. Of course, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Never again. But, at least I can check that off of my to-do list!

Meanwhile, back at World of Beer, I give you the largest pretzel I’ve ever seen. They do get points for creative display.

Cheers!

EVA♥

Adventures at The Farm

Posted on December 11, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello all!

So…the last thing I expected to find in the middle of Tempe, Arizona would be a full-blown farm. But, there it was. Surrounded by cacti and mountains, you’ll find the surprising lush Farm, complete with three restaurants and a weekend market.

Cue the photos!

This is my friend Emily. This is also her sassy face.

A giant, fresh-squeezed mimosa to start the day right! Also pictured is the very first Bloody Mary I’ve ever tasted. Pretty darn good.

A fabulous, yet messy breakfast sandwich. I will never be that woman that can eat and not spill. I somehow ended up with egg yolk on my skirt!

….

Yes, you could say I’ve officially jumped on the farm-to-table bandwagon. After walking though the farm grounds, we settled on having a much needed brunch at the Morning Glory Cafe. They had a fantastic variety of options, many of them with a Latin twist. Emily ordered their huevos rancheros- so flavorful! Obviously, everything served was extremely fresh, as we were sitting yards away from fields of vegetables and herbs.

It was a really wonderful way to start the day, very quiet and idyllic. On our way out, I decided to pose by the entrance, which is when the ridiculousness ensued. Emily (my photographer for the day) prompted me to make a funny face, at which point I proceeded to hold my arms out at my sides like an awkward snowman and look confused. Repeatedly.

Click through the slideshow below for your own amusement.

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I’m a really goofy gal, and proud.

Can’t wait for the next adventure!

EVA♥

Five Things

Posted on December 10, 2014 by 4evamaria

Hello everyone!

We’re officially halfway through the week! We’re also apparently expecting a monsoon of sorts here in the Bay Area. Schools are closed for the day tomorrow, and people have begun distributing sandbags. It’s really happening, people. We’re awfully spoiled when it comes to the weather in California, so I’m staying optimistic. Hopefully my commute isn’t too crazy or rain-soaked tomorrow, but, if anything, I’ll have a good story!

On that note- on to this week’s Five Things:

My friends took me to Hopdoddy Burger Bar in Scottsdale a few days ago. Fantastic burgers and shakes! I ordered the seasonal shake of the week, which was the Frozen Banana- banana chips, chocolate, and a little cinnamon. Delicious, of course.

I came away from Arizona with an extra little sparkle this week. I’ve been wanting to get a little forward helix piercing for a while, and finally did it! Yes, it hurt, but only during the actual piercing. We went to HTC Body Piercing in Tempe, and had such a great experience.

Last weekend was the Arts Festival in downtown Tempe. I was able to catch a glimpse of it at dusk on Sunday. One of my favorite things had to be the beautiful, ongoing chalk art on the street.

As many of you know, I have a serious shopping/thrifting habit. I was wandering about Buffalo Exchange the other day, and found this borderline hilarious top. I quickly decided that it needed to be my friend Emily’s latest birthday outfit. What would she be able to wear this with?!

Here’s a glimpse at the streets of Tempe, all lit up with holiday decorations. I love seeing all the Christmas lights out and about. I almost wish we could keep them up all year round!

It’s officially that time of the year. Happy holidays!

EVA♥

Watch Me Juggle

Tag Archives: travel

Santa Cruz Adventures

Girls Night, San Diego Edition

Five Things

Where’s St. Helena?

Five Things

Five Things

We Hiked That…

Five Things

Adventures at The Farm

Five Things