Events – Page 6 – Will Bake for Shoes

LUNAFEST- Flms About, By and For Women

Posted on September 25, 2014by Brandy Saldana

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Luna Bar. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

Last Thursday, I was invited to attend the world premiere of LUNAFEST at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. LUNAFEST is a national traveling film festival featuring short stories of women, by women, for women. The event is presented by LUNA Bar, whole nutrition for women, and all tickets sales from that night benefited the Breast Cancer Fund.
The film festival—by, for, and about women—has raised 2.5 million dollars to date for the Breast Cancer Fund and other nonprofits around the country. It is also rare in that it is one of the few recognized and heralded avenues reserved for women filmmakers, and enables them to get their films out into the world and to impact and inspire other women filmmakers and their audiences.

I was able to attend the LUNAFEST VIP Reception before the screening of the films and had the chance to hear the songs of the all-female mariachi band Flor de Toloache. I had seen the LUNAFEST trailer before the event and realized when I saw them that they were the band featured in one of the films. They were amazing to hear in person and it was very inspiring to not only hear their music live but also to hear their story and how they are changing the gender norms of mariachi.

I attended the event solo, but luckily I ran into a few of my blogger friends such as Jessica from Fab in Lombardia, Elise from WTFAB! and Aimee from The Ohio Transplant. Jessica and I arrived at about the same time and that made the whole experience for me a lot more fun. We took photos at the photo booth and enjoyed the food, wine and s’mores desserts before we headed in to the theater to find our seats.

After filing into the auditorium and hearing the opening remarks, I was really excited to watch these short stories featuring women in film. All of the filmmakers were in attendance and they took a bow before the screening. This part was pretty inspirational to me because it felt good attending this event and supporting women who are changing the game in film. Out of the 8 films, it is hard to say which one was my favorite since they all featured a great narrative. If I had to pick a favorite film, I would say it is a tie between Chica’s Day and A Good Match because they both featured similar themes of friendship.
Chica’s Day revolved around what appears to be a mother and daughter living a life of luxury having a day of fun with no rules. The plot twist when the father returns home from work at the end is unexpected but really makes you wonder about the deep relationship the woman and child have.
A Good Match featured a girl named Ann who spots her Ex with his new Fiance and his mother at dinner and reveals she does not miss her ex, but instead misses her ex’s mother. She then sets out to give her relationship with her ex’s mom another try. The film seems to ask if splitting up with an ex means the end the relationship with your ex’s mother.
After viewing the films, attendants had the chance to meet with the filmmakers and ask questions I met with the woman behind the lens of A Good Match, Lyn Elliot. I was able to express how easy it was relating to the main character Ann and how people do have some type of expectations of what a persons mother will be like. If you get along and become friends, shouldn’t the friendship continue even if the relationship with the boyfriend runs south.

I am very happy I had the chance to attend the LUNAFEST festival and would definitely recommend checking out their website for tour dates to see if they’ll be in your city next. You can always request to host LUNAFEST in your city if you don’t see a tour date near you anytime soon and this festival can benefit local charities along with the Breast Cancer Fund. You’ll definitely feel inspired when you leave the screening.
I left the event thinking about the women in my life and which of them inspires me the most. Is there a woman that is game-changer/inspiration to you? I’d love to hear about it and if you plan on attending LUNAFEST. I’ll be sharing who I think is a game-changer in my life in my next post.

Until next time,

Food

19th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival

Posted on September 14, 2014by Brandy Saldana

I was super excited to learn about the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival happening this weekend at through an ad while I was riding on BART last week. Armando had the day off and got us two tickets for chocolate and wine tasting. I am a big fan of chocolate and will rarely say no to a sample of sweets, but I also love using Ghirardelli cocoa powder and chocolate chips when I bake.
The festival took place today, but will also be in full swing Sunday, September 14th. Tickets for both Chocolate & Wine Pavilion are $50, but were $40 if you bought them online before the event. The regular Chocolate Tasting ticket is $25 at the door, but buying early online could have saved you $5. We opted to go with the Chocolate & Wine Tickets since it came with a ticket for 15 chocolate samples AND a ticket for 12 samples of Wine and Chocolate. (Side note: 12 samples were for either chocolate/dessert or a wine at the Pavilion.)

Armando and I experienced an array of chocolaty confections within the first hour of the festival. Among our favorite treats were the chocolate covered s’mores bars, chocolate cookies sandwiched with peanut butter whipped filling, Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundaes, chocolate milkshakes, raspberry chocolate tart, and Ghirardelli liquid chocolate to name a few.

The festival features a silent auction, chef demonstrations and the new Chocolate Market Place where a chocolatier was making chocolates and had some more decadent samples. I will admit, the biggest attraction to me was the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Eating contest held at 2:30. There were three sets of contests, one for 5-8 year olds where they ate 2 scoop sundaes, one for 9 – 12 year olds that ate 3 scoop ice creams, and the 13+ group where they took on The Earthquake sundae – an eight scoop ice cream sundae with 8 dollops of whipped cream served on top of a pie tin. Of course, the sundae also came with bananas, strawberries and Ghirardelli signature Hot Fudge and Caramel sauce. In each contest, 6 participants were selected from the crowd and…..I was one of the participants for the Earthquake Sundae eating contest!

I was super excited and a little bit nervous. I had won a pie eating contest before, but ice cream was going to be a challenge. I had ordered one of these before, but had split it with 4 other people, so I was skeptical about eating it and finishing it on my own!

It was a close race, but in the end I did not win. I may have tied for 2nd place, but I had trouble stomaching the bananas (not a fan.) The winners walked away with big baskets of Ghirardelli Squares, but as a consolation prize I took home a big Ghirardelli chocolate bar. I gave it my best and I was stoked to be able to participate, although I had a moment where I questioned whether this was a good decision! I had to wash my face afterwards, so I was glad I had not put on any powder foundation this morning. I appreciate that towels and a water bottle were brought out to all the participants too, but now all I can think about is how I need to do some Zumba or swim tomorrow to work off this sundae. At least I got a few servings of fruit today.

After the contest, we still had to visit the wine pavilion, and it was hard finding that appetizing after consuming enough dairy for the week. But we made our way there and I liked that throughout our tastings we received items that were packaged so we could save them for later. If you are going to the festival, I would recommend splurging and getting the Chocolate & Wine Pavilion tickets. Although 15 samples actually turn out to be a lot, the 12 extra allowed for us to try cupcakes by Frost Cupcake Factory (winners from Cupcake Wars), macarons, wines, Negro Modelo paired with Salsa and Chips and trying even more decadent chocolates. It is also important to note that all the profits of the ticket sales benefited the charity Project Open Hand, an organization that provides healthy, nourishing meals with love. We bid on a chocolate gift basket during the Silent Auction since the proceeds would also go to Project Open Hand, but we were outbid! It was a little bittersweet, but in the end I am glad more money went to this good cause.
Some tips if you attend the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival:
1.) Have your ticket ready (and I.D. out for Wine Pavilion tickets) and stand at the appropriate line before the festival starts. If you don’t have a ticket, stand at the Purchase Ticket Line.
2.) Buy or take a tote/small backpack. I got a cute Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival tote ($15) at the event and filled it up with lots of samples that I didn’t have to eat right away as well as filled it with other prizes I won.
3.) Take a small food container. 15 samples does not sound like a lot, but trust me, you will start to feel full about halfway in. We stayed until the end of the festival and some vendors were giving away lots of samples (hello chocolate dipped brownies.) We had a makeshift container, but it might be good to have something small so you can take advantage of those freebies to enjoy later.
4.) Check out the Silent Auction booth! There are so many great prizes and you might get a great deal on something that is normally out of your budget. Make sure to check back when it is scheduled to be over to see if you were the winning bidder too!

Hope you have a chance to make your way over to the festival. If not, make sure to add it to your bucket list and attend it next year!
Side note: for fun, we also had a chance to guess how many mini Ghirardelli Squares were in a jar for a chance to win a $200 Ghirardelli gift card at the festival. How many squares do you think are in the jar? (I guessed 2014, but I don’t think I am even close!) Would love to hear your estimate even though there is no prize.
For more info on the festival you can visit their website here.

Alyssa Nicole F/W 2014 “Cold Like the Stars”

Posted on September 7, 2014by Brandy Saldana

In the beginning of July, I was invited to a preview show for designer Alyssa Casares’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection on the rooftop balcony of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. While it was the middle of summer for the rest of the world, San Francisco was slightly chilly with a light fog rolling in. This set the stage for the presentation of the “Still Cold” collection inspired by cold stars and the midnight blue sky.
If you recall from my last Alyssa Nicole collection post, you’ll know Alyssa Casares is a local designer custom making her pieces in America. Her last collection was titled “White Noise” and featured beautiful contemporary designs in shades of white. This collection was inspired by stars, starlight and midnight shades of navy and black.
While I loved her Spring collection, I am head over heels in love with the Fall collection. Navy is one of my favorite colors because it is timeless, and this line features a lot of fun pieces in a classic color palette. I loved that the white organza flare wedding dress was made into an evening gown when made in black. I absolutely adored that there was a cute cocktail version. Alyssa’s designs are versatile and are a definite must-have in my book. I am still debating what piece I should invest in, whether it should be the starlight inspired metallic coat or the bell sleeve A-line dress?
You can shop for the full Fall 2014 collection on Alyssa-Nicole.com and even shop some of the pieces from the Spring collection that are on Sale. Thanks again to Alyssa for the invite to this rooftop soiree with my blogger friends and for an amazing presentation.

GODIVA Happy Hour

Posted on August 9, 2014by Brandy Saldana

A few weeks ago, I attended a small tasting event at GODIVA in honor of their latest masterpieces: the Trufflelata shakes and Soft-Serve. I had Armando (willingly) join me to try out the shakes and soft serve and we hung out with my fellow blogger friends +Chelsea Pearl (ChelseaPearl) and +Jennifer Henry-Novich (Just Add Glam).
The Trufflelata milkshakes earn their namesake by having actual chocolate truffles blended into the shake. It’s like eating a truffle with every sip. I was really excited to be tasting all 6 of the flavors they currently have available. First, we started out with a sample of the Chocolate Lava Trufflelata. We then went down the list and tried Salted Caramel, Strawberry Creme, Hazelnut Crunch, Milk Chocolate and ended the the Trufflelata tastings with the Oreo truffle. It was definitely hard to pick a favorite, but mine would be a tie between the Hazelnut Crunch and Salted Caramel Trufflelatas. Armando really enjoyed the Oreo Trufflelata.
After we finished the Trufflelata samples, we began sampling the 3 soft serve flavors. First up was the White Chocolate Vanilla Bean, where you could smell the yummy Madagascar vanilla. Next was the Dark Chocolate, which reminded me of a cross between fudge and pudding. The soft serve is thick, which was a nice surprise for me and Armando. We both enjoy a good soft serve treat and will grab one from Burger King or Dairy Queen every now and then, but GODIVA soft serve is truly decadent. We both loved the Swirl flavor because you get the best of both worlds.
After our tasting, we all had the chance to order a complimentary shake or soft serve cone. Most of the attendees opted to go with the cones, and Armando and I requested a full-size version of the Swirl on a praline nut chocolate dipped waffle cone. The result of the soft serve with the waffle cone was truly decadent, and my sweet tooth was completely satisfied.
Now while I got to stuff my face with yummy treats, it doesn’t mean you can’t do the same! GODIVA hosts Happy Hour at participating boutiques on Weekdays from 3PM – 7 PM where you can buy either a GODIVA Trufflelata or Soft Serve and get the second one 50% off. While you enjoy your treat, post a photo of your GODIVA summer fling with #GODIVASweeps to enter for a chance to win a year of GODIVA! (More info here.) The contest ends September 1, 2014 so hurry on over to a GODIVA nearest to you and get to snapping.
And, as if you can ever get enough chocolate or freebies, check out Just Add Glam’s GODIVA giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 5 $25 GODIVA gift cards.
Hope your weekend is sweet so far,Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER |

Beauty

“Freshen Up for Spring” with Sasha Maks and Beauty Company

Posted on April 18, 2014by Brandy Saldana

I was asked to make cupcakes for an event earlier this month for Sasha Mak’s Vintage spring trunk show hosted at the Beauty Company. I enjoy making cupcakes when I can, but it is always different when I am making them for somebody. I worry about whether they will be what someone was hoping for and if they will all arrive in one piece to be admired. I am happy to report that these were a hit not only because they were pretty, but also because of how they tasted!

I am always excited to see the vintage jewelry Sasha has on display, and this event did not disappoint! She styled guests with her pieces showing how they could be layered and take an outfit to the next level. I love how she mixed the gold collar necklace with a long chain necklace on Witty Fashionista style blogger Victoria. You can always buy some of her pieces on her website Sasha Maks Vintage. (Sasha also provides personal styling if you are interested in contacting her for her service here.)

With cupcakes, snacks, and gorgeous jewelry it seems like nothing else could make the night better, right? Wrong! There was also a braid bar, with hair stylists Alix Garcia and Katey Smith glamming all the ladies out with waterfall and french braids. Below, Alix is braiding the hair of Beauty Company owner Sherri Ziesche and my hair was braided by Katey.

I had fun hanging out with my friends, trying on some jewelry and getting my hair done at the Beauty Company. I love getting my manis and pedis at the Beauty Company since that is where I was introduced to Floss Gloss and I was excited to leave with a goodie bag that contained a few beauty samples. Among the samples were some bath salts from Sherri’s own line Ziesche Modern Apothecary. I am excited to use them since they are all natural, made locally (in SF) and smell amazing.
Hope you enjoyed my short event recap and special thanks to Jennymay for taking such great photos. You can check out more of her work here. Thanks for reading and until next time,

Brunch with Alyssa Nicole

Posted on March 29, 2014by Brandy Saldana

The best way to spend a Saturday in the Bay Area is to enjoy brunch with your girlfriends. It is made even better when there is a fashion show getting you excited for Spring. I attended the launch of Alyssa Nicole’s demi-couture clothing line “White Noise” in February and fell in love with the whimsical and romantic designs in white.

Alyssa Casares is a young designer who launched Alyssa Nicole with her mother, Sonia Casares, in 2010. This demi-couture collection was inspired by the concept of white noise. The pieces reflected a romantic and crisp look with a twist of dark whimsy. I adored the peplum two-piece suit and especially adored the the trumpet flared dress in the same sparkly fabric. My blogger friends and I sipped mimosas as we say 16 looks displayed in total.

I loved the wedding gown that came at the end of the fashion show and felt it had a great silhouette and detail. I’ve been watching a lot of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix and, despite not even being close to getting married, I definitely can’t help but think it really compares to the gowns I’ve seen on the show and can see some of the other gowns/dresses being great alternatives for a more modern, contemporary bride. With all the various cuts and flowy nature of the looks, I feel very inspired to wear all white despite the recent showers overtaking the Bay Area.
I love to support local designers and Alyssa Nicole is designed and handcrafted in America. To shop the collection you can the full collection here.