Events – Page 3 – Will Bake for Shoes

Food

20th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival

Posted on October 28, 2015by Brandy Saldana

It is National Chocolate Day, and what chocolate could be better than Ghirardelli? Last month I attended the 20th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival in San Francisco with Armando and even though I shared a few photos of the event on Instagram, I felt it deserved its own blog post. I was really excited about attending the festival this year because I was invited to attend as Media for the event! Armando and I arrived about an hour before the festival started to see how a chocolatier makes a chocolate ghost, to learn about the story behind Ghirardelli and their partnership with Project Open Hand. Proceeds of the ticket sales for the festival go to Project Open Hand, a non-profit that delivers nutritious meals to seniors and those that are ill.

Along with the chocolate demonstration, we were introduced to some new products and were able to take them home with us! The day was off to a great start with the chocolate we received, and before heading down to taste all the chocolate treats, I stopped by Les Mechantes in Ghirardelli Square to pick up a San Fran Cisco hoodie since it was a lot chiller than I anticipated after experiencing a hot week in the Bay Area. The hooded sweater is lined with fleece and figure flattering, so I definitely recommend picking one up for yourself! After that short shopping trip, Armando and I were ready to taste all of the chocolate.

We went through a lot of the stands early on in the day since I had plans on participating and winning the ice cream eating contest. I was selected to participate, but unfortunately I did not win. I made a lot more progress last time, even though I went in with a better strategy. It was fun, but next time I am more likely to watch or spend more time in the Wine Tasting area because I forgot just how much ice cream you have to eat along with the bananas (yuck!) Armando did record the contest, but I have not had a chance to look at it since I have been trying to forget the loss. Maybe I’ll watch next time the festival rolls around to remind myself not to compete!

Armando and I had a blast at this year’s festival, and it was great seeing a lot of different booths. I missed the tent that the wine pavilion had last year, and it felt like there were less vendors in the wine area but it also felt less crowded. We spent the whole day there, so there was plenty to do. For a recap of last year’s festival, you can check out that post here. The raspberry chocolate tarts were my favorites, but so were the mini cupcakes. Of course, picking up the Sea Salt Brownie Ghirardelli Squares were not bad either.
In case this post has you craving chocolate, you can enjoy 20% off your order at Ghirardelli with code CHOCO20. Enjoy!
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Cocktails

Cat Cora Meet & Greet and Pomegranate Martini Cocktail Recipe

Posted on October 11, 2015by Brandy Saldana

As I mentioned in a blog post last week, I attended a Q&A with Chef Cat Cora at Macy’s in Union Square hosted by the Macy’s Culinary Council. I had seen Chef Cat Cora compete in an episode of Iron Chef, and it felt exciting to meet the first female Iron Chef winner and to hear more about her memoir.

Details of her book were discussed, and one vivid description was of her first kiss where she described herself as a human sparkler. What struck me most from the Q&A with Cat Cora was the underlying message of her book “If I can do it, despite all the adversity, you can do it too.” Chef Cat Cora is a positive female role model and is an example of what hard work, dedication and perseverance looks like. Her book sounds fascinating and this was a great way to be introduced to it.

During the event, we were given some bites and recipe cards of the items courtesy of Chef Cat Cora. I had a Greek Cinnamon Stewed Chicken (which was amazing and seasoned really well) and a non-alcoholic Pomegranate Martini. I’ve decided to share the recipe with you since their blood red color may be perfect for a Halloween party and can easily incorporate 1 part of Vodka.

print recipe

Pomegranate Martini Recipe (Non-Alcoholic)by Cat Cora October-10-2015Ingredients5 oz. Pomegranate Juice5 oz. Pineapple Juice1 Tsp. Fresh Lime Juice2 Lime Slices for Granish1/2 Cup IceInstructionsIn a martini shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake well and strain into chilled martini glass rimmed with sugar. Garnish each glass with lime wedge.DetailsPrep time: 10 mins Cook time: Total time: 10 mins Yield: 2 servings

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

Outfit
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- Work

Watercolors

Posted on October 9, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Black Trench Coat Luii | Watercolor Print Dress BYER California | Pink Bow Leather Belt Kate Spade | Navy Suede Ulltra Pumps Steve Madden | Cliff Gray Cedar Street Maise Purse Kate Spade (here) | Bow Bracelets Forever 21 | Jackie Oh II Sunglasses Ray-Ban (here) | Le Rouge 205 Fuchsia Irrestible Lipstick Givenchy (here) | This is my second time wearing this colorful dress that I picked up a BYER CA a few months ago, but I have no photos documenting the first time I wore this. I styled it with a long black cardigan, pink suede flats and used the braided belt that came with the dress, but I made some changes in how I wore it for this occasion. I found the belt at the Kate Spade outlet store when I visited the BYER California Outlet store. Of course, I had to wear my new bag, which has been my latest obsession as of late.

I love the watercolor brush stroke print, and the bright colors. I feel like I’ve leaned towards “light” dresses with bold prints lately, and it is such a difference from the typical dark outfits I used to wear. I think about how much my style has evolved and it has definitely gravitated to pieces I can wear more than once and statement making pieces.

I am happy to announce there is another BYER California store opening at the Napa Premium Outlets this weekend. There will be plenty of deals and Instagram contests going on to help you earn store credit. I encourage you to visit and to share the promo below since you can enjoy 50% off your purchase $50 or more through Sunday, October 11th.

I didn’t see the dress I am wearing listed on the website, but maybe it will be in store? I’ll be stopping by to check in the new spot and to take advantage of the sweet deals going on this weekend. Follow me on Instagram to see what I find!

September Instagram Recap

Posted on October 4, 2015by Brandy Saldana

September was so good for me. I loved all the food-related events and shared more photos of food than my outfits this month. Don’t worry, more outfit posts are coming, but take a look at what I did last month and follow along on Instagram @willbakeforshoes.

At the beginning of the month I was invited to a dinner kicking off the launch of TableRunner. TableRunner is a new food delivery service that delivers fresh, chef- prepared meals made with ingredients that are in season. It is like having a live in professional chef making meals you want for the week. You can find more information on their website, but I was really impressed with how delicious the food was and how easy they made eating one of these meals at home. Just pop it in the oven, plate and enjoy! Their packaging is sustainable and can be shipped back to the company to be reused at no extra charge.

I attended the Brit+Co. RE:MAKE 2015 Conference held at Fort Mason and I had a blast hearing the speakers and having a chance to paint while listening on topics related to being creative. I met Lindsey Sterling and saw her perform live again! This event is one of the few things not food-related on here for this month’s recap, but I did enjoy some delicious food for breakfast, lunch and for our snack breaks. I also had a chance to meet the Founder, Brit Morin, and she liked the Kate Spade accessories I was wearing that day.

Once again, Armando and I attended the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival, this time invited as Media. We attended a workshop in the morning to see how a chocolate ghost was made and received some goodies before setting out to sample all the chocolate we could eat. I plan on sharing a dedicated post of the chocolate festival since we tried so many good things! I might have entered the Ice Cream Eating contest, but you’ll have to check out that post to see whether or not I won.

The weather made another drastic change and gave us a hot weekend when Armando and I attended the Eat Real Food Festival at Jack London Square (a big difference from the weather we experienced at Ghirardelli Square the previous weekend.) Our morning started with some delicious Zeppole donuts and Vanilla Fraiche dipping sauce by Girl Friday Zeppole. We washed it down with some Organic Raw Milk. For lunch we had Coconut Milk Fried Chicken Banh Mih from Bicycle Banh Mih. We ate plenty of ice cream to withstand the heat, but our favorite treat were the Kouign Amann Sandwiches from Frozen Kuhsterd. I enjoyed some delicious cider and went home with a fun souvenir cup.

I had the chance to try some new items for Breakfast. The first was some Oatmeal sent to me by Modern Oats. I plan on sharing a full review, but I have to say I am really impressed with how good this oatmeal tastes. It is nothing like other oatmeals, and is in the prefect container for someone on the go. I also had a chance to try the new Toasted Graham Latte from Starbucks. I was never a Pumpkin Spice Latte fan, but I am all about this new latte. It is perfect to enjoy while being bundled up in layers and enjoying the crisp Fall breeze.

My last food event of the month was hosted at AQ restaurant on Mission Street in San Francisco. Guinness hosted a launch party introducing their Nitro IPA. The restaurant features seasonal menus and decor, and I really liked that about the place. I enjoyed my dinner and liked having a chance to taste the new IPA. I am not sure I would says its my favorite, but I am still developing my taste for beer.

I wanted to take a look at last month’s outfit posts since most of them featured a little bit of blue. The weather was still warm enough for summer dresses, but I am looking forward to the Fall weather here in the Bay Area. Two of these dresses are available for sale in my closet on Poshmark, so pick them up while you can.

Hope you enjoyed my recap for September! Here’s hoping October is even better!

Cat Cora at Macy’s Union Square

Posted on September 26, 2015by Brandy Saldana

I love to bake and have only recently started to enjoy cooking. I am excited to share a fun culinary event that will be taking place at Macy’s in San Francisco, Union Square next Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 at 1 PM. Chef Cat Cora, and co-host Liam Mayclem, will be presenting a special Q&A session about Cat’s memoir on Southern life, Greek heritage, and the meals that have shaped her memories. Chef Cat Cora is is the first female Iron Chef and co-host for Around the World in 80 Plates.
As an added bonus to guests attending this event, any purchase of $35 or more in the Home department will receive a $10 Macy’s gift card and a copy of Cooking As Fast As I Can (which Chef Cora will sign directly after the event!) I know I’ve been looking into finally buying a blender, and this sounds like the perfect time to do that and to discover some of Chef Cat Cora’s favorite recipes.
This event is free in the Lower Level Cellar Kitchen, but don’t forget to RSVP at: https://macyscatcoramemoirs.eventbrite.com. Hope to see you there!

August Instagram Recap

Posted on September 5, 2015by Brandy Saldana

August is my favorite month. Not just because of my birthday, but also because it officially marks the changing of the season. I love warm weather, but I am excited for the crisp Fall and to be able to wear coats and boots. Here is my recap of August from Instagram!

At the beginning of the month, I saw my sister off at SFO as she embarked on her trip back to Japan, this time to teach English. She is doing well, but I definitely miss her. Planning on taking a trip over to visit in the Spring, this time with Armando!

IFB relaunched at the beginning of the month and held their party at Cinta Salon with bites from E+ O Restaurant. I had a blowout done and I got to spend some time with some of my blogger friends. I can’t wait to share photos of how my hair turned out in a couple of outfit posts.

Top Row: Modcloth has a pop-up shop in SF! Tried on some clothes (and sunglasses) in store. It’s been extended to the end of the holidays, so stop by if you are in the area! Bottom row: This month was full of store openings. I was invited to attended the Byer California Store Opening at the San Francisco Premium Outlets and off course I ended up picking up some goodies.

Armando and I attended the relaunch of the NIQUEA.D brand at Papyrus in San Francisco. I won an Instagram contest during the event and took home a pretty bracelet and statement necklace by NIQUEA.D with me.

Cooled off on a hot day with some Talenti Gelato and Frozen Kuhsterd at the San Francisco Street Food Festival.

I worked at Caltopia again and came home with a bunch of freebies. I even won a goodie bag for my Instagram photo of the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Turned 25 this month! Armando got me some Choux Bakery Cream Puffs and flowers. My parents also sent me some flowers, and they took me to out for dinner where I got my birthday chocolate lava cake.

Of course, this recap would not be complete without a blogger brunch and cocktail party. On the left, a look at the Brioche French Toast from La Note Restaurant. I had brunch with East Bay Bloggers Brittany, Melissa, and Julianne. On the right, I spent an evening sipping cocktails and trying on vintage jewelry at the Hotel Nikko Kanpai Lounge with Chelsea, Live Love Moda and Sasha Maks Vintage.

The highlight of the month, was spending a warm afternoon at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to celebrate my birthday with Armando. We snacked on a lot of yummy food and it was the perfect way to end the month.
Hope you enjoyed last month’s recap. There’s already so much going on this month already so I look forward to sharing that soon!
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