East Bay

Oakland Eats: Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

I had the opportunity to eat with lifestyle and food bloggers at Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant back in November, and am shocked I have not shared this post sooner! I love trying out new places and lately I feel I am venturing outside of Berkeley a lot more often for delicious bites.
Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant is located in Uptown Oakland,  1915 San Pablo Ave., and only 2 blocks from 19th Street Bart Station. It is home to rising star Chef Kyle Itani, winner of Knife Fight and the restaurant “seasonally inspired cocktails and regional American food with Japanese sensibility.”

After being seated, our drink orders were taken and their cocktail menu did not disappoint! In case you are interested in trying what I had, its called the Ectoplasm Cooler, made with St. George Spirits  citrus vodka, kiwi ad lemon and is nod to the Ghost Busters-inspired Hi-C flavor. Definitely living up to serving cocktails “with a twist.” 

As starters, we were served a mixed green salad and yonsei oysters. The yonsei oysters were gorgeous and although they have a small shell, the oyster takes up most of the space. They were also topped with sea urchin, salmon roe, and citrus soy. I’ve only started tasting oysters towards the end of 2014, but this is by far some of the best oysters I have ever tasted. These are definitely a must-have if you visit Hopscotch.

The main entree of the evening was the buttermilk fried chicken with a side of greens & shrooms. I don’t think I can describe how amazing this chicken was. I wish I had eaten a whole bucket by myself, but we were served a couple of buckets for our table to share with one another. The seasoning was perfect and made me question everything I had known about fried chicken up until that point. It was cooked well and something I would definitely order again.  
The greens & shrooms were the perfect compliment for the fried chicken, but I heard the chicken is amazing for brunch when paired with their waffles. 

And finally, we came to dessert which was their donuts with butterscotch cream. The donuts are really light and almost reminded me of a beignet. They are coated with sugar and the cream takes these donuts to the next level.
The food I enjoyed at Hopscotch left such an impression on me, that I ordered the Fried Chicken and donuts to share with some of my coworkers last Wednesday through Caviar. If you are in the East Bay, Caviar can deliver some of the Hopscotch goodness to you in less than an hour. You can try it using my referral code for $5 off your first order
On the other hand, you should at least visit the restaurant if you have a chance. The ambiance is great and the food is excellent. I had dinner in their extra space, but I want to go back and experience dinner in their restaurant and potentially enjoy another classic cocktail with a twist at their bar.
Have you tried Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant? I would love to know especially if you have any other recommendations of what to order. Check out my blogger friend Aimee’s post on Hopscotch here for more foodie pictures and details of the restaurant. 

Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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Macy’s Culinary Council Presents Rick Bayless

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Are you ready to wow your friends or relatives this holiday season with your recipes or does the thought of hosting anything make you want to hide in your pantry? Well if you are not ready, or are looking for more ideas or inspiration, you should check out the Macy’s Culinary Council for upcoming chef demonstrations in your area. If you are in the Bay Area, you are in luck because there is an event happening next week!
Chef Rick Bayless will be teaching you how to impress your friends with tips and trick on November 19, 2015 at 6:30PM at the Macy’s in Walnut Creek, CA. He’ll be sharing tips on how to prepare his favorite award winning dishes from his cookbooks and there will be plenty of delicious samples to enjoy!
The event is free and you can sign up through Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/macys-walnut-creek-vip-preview-night-tickets-18893412706

If you happen to spend more than $35 in the Home Department,  you will receive a $10 Macy’s gift card, and a copy of Rick’s cookbook Frontera or Everyday Mexican**, which he’ll sign for you after the event!
Seating is first come, first served, so make sure to get there early. Hopefully I’ll see you there enjoying some of the tasty dishes.
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

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Byer California Grand Opening Celebration

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

I am excited to share that there is a store opening event going on in the East Bay this weekend that is starting today. Byer California is opening up their latest store in the San Francisco Premium Outlets.
The Byer California brand has been around since 1954 and opened its first location in Tejon. This store opening will be their second retail location. The Grand Opening Celebration is from Friday, August 13 through Sunday, August 16.
Grand opening weekend hours:
Thursday, Aug 13: 10am – 10pmFriday, Aug 14: 10am – 10pmSat, Aug 15: 10am – 10pmSun, Aug 16: 10am – 8pm
Celebrity stylist and fashion blogger Brittany Hart will be around offer styling tips and tricks to shoppers.
A Grand Opening wouldn’t be complete without giveaways, and there will also be special hourly drawings for major discounts and giveaways, including daily $100 gift certificates. Make sure to have your phone charged and follow @ByerCalifornia on Instagram to win pieces from their new collection.
I’ll be picking up some new clothes this weekend, so stay tuned for an outfit post featuring some Byer California pieces!
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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A Taste of Agreeno at Pathos

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Last month I was invited to a culinary event at Pathos Organic Greek Kitchen in Berkeley to try out some expertly prepared mezes paired with wines and to see a culinary demonstration by celebrity chef/author Diane Kochillas. This demonstration was intended to highlight a new and healthy risotto by a Greek brand named Agreeno that is coming to the states soon. Pathos has been on my list of restaurants to try ever since it opened in Berkeley, and I was excited to get a taste of it here during this event. Here are some photos Armando and I took from the event and a glimpse of some of the food and wine I got to try.

One of my favorite appetizers were these pieces of grilled octopus.  I also loved how fresh everything tasted. It has definitely convinced me that I need to make a reservation for dinner soon.

I also had a chance to meet Diane Kochilas. She presented her own cookbook as part of her presentation and we tried two different dishes using the Agreeno rice. As I mentioned earlier, Agreeno rice will be making its way stateside soon and I am pretty excited about it. The samples we had were very tasty and it sounds like it is pretty easy to cook. The best is that the rice is cultivated in Greece by Farmers responsibly. Ethically grown food is always good, but it was also cool to learn that they develop a unique flavor by being grown near the Mediterranean Ocean. 

What are your thoughts on Greek cuisine? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions so I have a better idea of what to order when I visit Pathos for dinner!

Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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Rue Atelier Personal Shopping Trip

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

On Monday I experienced a personal shopping trip at Rue Atelier that I won through Boutique Stroll’s Instagram. Rue Atelier is located on 2981 College Ave in Berkeley and I was very excited to have won a shopping trip in a local boutique in the East Bay.

Upon entering the boutique, Armando and I were met with the lovely shop owner Barbara Dryden long with her adorable Frenchie, Gracie. Barbara was an amazing host: she had a bottle of Chardonnay and a box with two gourmet chocolate cupcakes purchased from Elmwood’s Summer Kitchen & Bake Shop a few doors down. I thought it was so fitting to have cupcakes and shopping combined in one afternoon. Two of my favorite things in one afternoon!
Cupcakes and chardonnay aside,  I could tell this Boutique fit my style. The store felt like a walk-in closet, decorated with pretty artwork, a cute rug, and a nice love seat occupied by Armando during the trip. The clothing was contemporary with brands like Nanette Lepore, Trina Turk, Milly, and Paige filling the racks. What is most special about the boutique is that all of the items selected by Barbara to be sold in the store are made in the US.  

Barbara is also a big supporter of local brands such as Quiet Clothing, and has recently rented out her upstairs floor to be a pop-up shop for Belle, curated by Polly Simmons. Next week there should be more items filling the second floor of the shop so I encourage any of you in the East Bay to check it out.

Now this post would not be complete I didn’t share photos of items I tried on or if I shared any of the items I bought. When I entered the boutique my eyes immediately sighted the pink, orange, and tan patterned dress by Trina Turk. I just had to try it on! That was a big mistake because I decided it had to come home with me. 

I thought I was done but then my eyes spotted a royal blue dress on the mannequin, which I also proceeded to trying on. I was stuck deciding between the two, but then I decided to just take both. One is perfect for a day at the office, and the other is perfect for date night. I had 30% off as part of my personal shopping trip prize package, so I treated myself to the 2 dresses and also bought a butterfly print scarf for my mom as another birthday gift for her. 

I had a blast shopping with Barbara and appreciated how we both felt similar about supporting local brands and designers. It is really easy to feel like some clothes are so expensive when compared to items from Forever 21 and H&M, but at the end of the day it feels good to support local, budding designers and designers still making their clothes in the US. It was nice to also be introduced to Rue Atelier, and I know I’ll be back to browse the scarf collection and the dresses Barbara selects to display in her store. I cannot wait to share outfit photos of the dresses I purchased in upcoming posts, so stay tuned.
A big thank you to Barbara for taking the time to talk and shop with me as well as Boutique Stroll for putting up this contest and selecting me! And as always, thank you to Armando for coming along with me on this shopping adventure and taking photos.
 If you are interested in shopping at this boutique, but live too far away and can’t make it to Berkeley, fear not! Just check out Rue Atelier on Boutique Stroll. You can have access to the best boutiques in the bay area right at your fingertips! Just be prepared to see a bunch of things you want from there. 
Until next time,Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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Fashion Friday on the Plaza

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

On Friday I attended Fashion Friday at the Plaza in Oakland for an evening of fun and shopping. I was also very curious with the concept of mobile boutiques. I’ve become accustomed to seeing food trucks in the Bay Area, but fashion trucks!? Where have these chic stores been hiding all my life!? 
This event was made possible by Popuphood. Popuphood is a small business incubator focused on revitalizing neighborhoods block by block. Oakland may be known for many things, but I wouldn’t say Fashion comes to the forefront of that list. Personally, I always think of San Francisco, but after this event it is pretty evident Oakland has style.

The trucks that were present at the event were: Go Go Glam, JasyB, Oaklandish, Stop Shop & Roll, Just Because, The Butler’s Pantry, Topshelf, and Pretty Parlor A Go Go. It amazed me that there were so many trucks related to fashion, and that there was even a mobile beauty salon. Perfect to invite to your home for a wedding or party. There was even a truck that sold for house-ware supplies (Perfect for me since I also like pretty thing in my kitchen!) Having a chic mobile boutique seems like such a great concept. Sometimes you just need the store to come to you.
The highlight of the evening was the fashion show which showcased items from the local boutiques. Here are a few of my favorite looks:

The models make their final pose.

Everyone looked chic and our MC event was very entertaining. After visiting the mobile boutiques and seeing the show, I left with the impression that Oakland definitely has some style cred.
I am hoping to see more fashion-related events in the East Bay, until then make sure to “Like” me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter to stay updated with events in the Bay Area.
Until next time,Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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