Calistoga Event Photographer: Molly's Dinner Party

Molly reached out to me to photograph a dinner party she would be hosting in Calistoga, a small city within Napa Valley, that had been in the making for a long time: Molly wanted to bring together the important people in her life for a weekend of fun and relaxation to celebrate friendships, honor those who she's lost, and her very own birthday! The champagne would be flowing and fresh paella's would be made on the spot on a Calistoga estate.

This was a dream shoot come true: there is nothing more that I love than photographing people interacting at dinner parties, and hello food and wine! I deeply value community and love the idea of bringing people together to share a meal: food brings people together. Sometimes you know everyone at the table, sometimes you don't, but it's always a shared experience amongst everyone present.

These plans, however, were all made pre-Covid, and come the dinner party weekend in mid-May 2020, the decision was made to move forward with the event: the guest list had been significantly reduced in size and all events would be held outside.

As someone who had been strictly quarantining with family in the Bay Area, I felt confident that a long zoom lens would be my go-to piece of equipment in order to maintain a distance, mask on, to capture candid moments of this amazing group of people enjoying time together.

Overhearing everyone's conversation, noting how coming together felt right for them during this tough time, resonated with me as documenting this gorgeous event, laughs and toasts, and the delicious Spanish catering from Nora Cocina Español, gave me a sense of normalcy. For that I am grateful.

Molly, thank you for entrusting me to capture such a special event. Everyone's warm energy gave me life! xoxo, Evelyn

What better party favor than a mini photoshoot for your guests?! The estate vineyards were the perfect backdrop for portraits. Some couples had not been photographed professionally since their wedding, years ago, or had not taken family portraits in ages so this was a complete treat for me to give everyone individual time in front of the camera.

Nora Cocina Espanola, based in Berkeley, did a phenomenal job catering this dinner: look at these Spanish tapas! Not one, but two paellas made on site! Yes and please!

Artelexia and Kettner Exchange Dinner

I am a foodie: I'm unapologetically particular and opinionated about my food, and I say that with a smile on my face! With a few years of San Diego residency under my belt, Little Italy has easily become my go-to neighborhood for the food and dining I love: top notch chefs, a variety of amazing atmospheres, and mouth watering food across the board.

Enter Kettner Exchange: I can come here for a girls night out, date night, or with a group of friends, and I am never disappointed! 

When Elexia of Artelexia told me she would be joining forces with Kettner Exchange to host ArteKEXia. I was ESTATIC: an intimate 5 course meal paired with seasonal cocktails (hello pomegranate palomoas!) and Mexican wine on a rooftop?! Hello and yes! Elexia once again envisioned and created a gorgeous Mexico themed dining space with her fabulous decor: Talavera dinner plates combined with her amazing collection of antique tins from Mexico.

Combine Elexia’s great taste and eye for design, Kettner Exchange’s divine menu*, and a group of strangers brought together by their love for quality and elevated flavors and spirits, and a night to remember was created! Can’t wait for the next dinner Kettner and Elexia! - Your foodie and photographer friend, Evelyn

*The menu was everything. From 'Vuelve la Vida' (a ceviche-type dish made with oysters, chocolate clams, lobster, and octopus) to 'Caldito de Setas' (the bone marrow!), the main course spread covered every inch of the table. Highlights: the huitlaoche (corn mushroom, or 'Mexican truffle') and the juiciest, most flavorful lechon (pork). 

Four Seasons Aviara Rombauer Wine Dinner

Hands down, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts is one of my absolute favorite luxury brands: the service and experiences they provide across their portfolio are top notch. Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad, San Diego falls right in line in providing guests exposure to food and wine experts via the hosting of multi-course dinners complete with beverage pairings. To kick off the fall and in partnership with Rombauer Vineyards, Four Seasons Aviara's latest dinner was a-ma-zing!

With the perfect fall tablescape to set the atmosphere, the four course dinner kicked off and lucky me, I got to hang in the kitchen and see every dish constructed. To see Eat Seasons' Chef De Cuisine James Waters and his team hustle behind the scenes to make these magical dishes come to life was impressive. To taste each plate was an honor!

See, I consider myself a foodie yet do not eat olives or foie gras, but let me tell you: I CLAPPED in place when I tried the 36 Hour Duck - duck confit with fois gras mousse - and said out loud, "I WILL talk about this duck tomorrow. High chances of me still talking about it next week" because it was that good. The mousse was airy and fluffy, throwing my reservations around the consistency of foie gras, out the window. The other courses, including a lobster salad and handmade pumpkin agnolotti - were divine!

The Four Seasons Aviara designers behind the event, the entire Eat Seasons staff, and the experts from Rombauer Vineyards executed a flawless event. Bravo, team, and I cannot wait to see what your future dinners look like and showcase! - Evelyn

Dancing in Merida, Mexico

There was something absolutely magical, something that made me tear up, as I watched this massive group of people across an entire city block - teenagers out on the town, families with children, senior citizen couples that have been together for years that I can only imagine, have endured the ups and downs of marriage - all dancing under the stars without a care in mind. I'm talking, getting down to some cumbias! Without a worry of what they looked like, whether they knew the right dance moves, whether anyone was watching, everyone appeared to be so...FREE.

This sense of freedom is in part what brought me to Merida, Mexico: it had been well over 2 years since I had traveled alone - an experience I'm quite familiar with and flourish in - and I sought to once again be the sole driver of an adventure ahead of me. True to my ways, I mixed my love for finding the best food in town with physical adventures - Jumping into cenotes? Climbing Mayan ruins? Yes and please! - and in watching people dance in the streets in such an uninhibited way, I was reminded that free is how I want to live my everyday life, and how much I love to dance, and how long I've been waiting to dance like no one cares that I don't know how to dance cumbias. 

Below is not a pure travel guide to Merida, but rather a snapshot into what I did in my three short days in this wonderful city, where I did end up dancing. - Evelyn

But really, why Merida?

I love colonial Mexican cities - hello culture, history, architecture! - and Merida is known to be phenomenally safe! While Merida did not blow me away like Oaxaca's culinary scene and surrounding villages left me longing for more, I have never felt safer traveling not only as a single female, but one walking around with a generously sized professional camera and lens. 

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Where I wanted to stay: Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel & Spa

My past life working in the luxury travel industry introduced me to the world of butlers and in-room, personal plunge pools, but it also ingrained the value of experience in me: the exposure to something above and beyond my everyday life that leaves me with a memory or a felt emotion. Rosas & Xocolate is THE best known luxury boutique hotel in Merida, but they were sold out over my travel dates and they are located off of Paseo Montejo, a tiny bit farther from the city's cultural center than I desired.

I still checked out their restaurant, where I had most delicious nopales I've had in a while and their tamarindo margaritas that were on point! The place simply smells beyond amazing and service was top notch!

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Where I stayed: Casa de las Palomas

Location for me is always key! I wanted to stay in a small hotel, walking distance from the center of town, but not where I would step out and into tourist-ville. Casa de las Palomas fit the bill: I could walk to el centro as well as to local bars and restaurants i.e. La Negrita is 2 small blocks away! Each room's double doors open up to the courtyard with pool, which is the perfect spot for midday dips because Merida gets hot in the summer!

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First things first: take a walking tour

Merida's historical center is not massive but having a lay of the land made a world's difference to me and helped me decide what to check out later. Enter Pink Cactus Tours, who offers free, two hours tours of Plaza Grande, San Ildefonso Cathedral, and more. Emilio and Sophia are amazingly knowledgeable about the area and it's historical importance. They are both so warm and welcoming! I'm not cool enough to be paid for any type of marketing, so know this opinion is genuine! 

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Merida Day Tours: Cenotes and Uxmal

I wanted an 'off the beaten path, only a few people know about this spot' cenote experience, but given that I was traveling alone and had limited time, I went with a group tour to the Santa Barbara Cenotes. Upon arriving, I felt a tiny bit of regret: the place looked clean, organized, and civilized. Where was the adventure? Where was the authenticity!? Well let me tell you: I was very okay with clean and civilized! I was not jumping off a vine and splashing down into a pool of unknown water, but walking down man-made stairs and going straight to swimming in this clear, warm water was everything! There is a restaurant on property as well that serves food good enough to chow down on post swim; I recommend the sopa de limon and pic choc!

Given the significant impact the Mayans had on the Yucatan, I knew I wanted to visit Mayan ruins, but the question was, Chichen Itza, farther away from Merida's town center, but what everyone talks about, or Uxmal, also considered to be one of the most important archaeological sites of Mayan culture and closer to town? I went with the later and had zero regrets: the crowds weren't nuts (as they potentially are at Chichen) and I saw and learned plenty about amazing Mayan architecture and life. I did each day tour on different days.

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Cutest Food Hall in Merida: Mercado 60

Give me a place where I can get different types of food, live music, colorful Mexican decor, and throw in cute string lights as a bonus, and I'm in love! Mercado 60, or M60, is an outdoor food hall where you can find everything from Oaxacan tlayudas to pasta while a live Cuban salsa band plays on a Saturday night. Here is where I found both locals and tourists alike yet I returned twice because the atmosphere was laid back and inclusive with communal tables.

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Lucas de Galvez Market

I've been to many Mexican markets and I simply love them: this is where you can taste and buy local fruits and food from locals, and this I did! Highlights: having access to cherimoyas (the green artichoke looking thing below), cold pitaya/dragon fruit juice that reminded me of my times spent in Nicaragua, minced meat stuffed and fried 'kibis' (below, left), and spices galore that I brought home with me!

Nightlife in Merida

What amazed me about nightlife in Merida was how present live music was at every bar I walked into!

Pipiripa: With no sign outside, I walked in simply because I could hear a live salsa band, and I needed to follow this sound! Hanging out here was the highlight of my going out in Merida: outdoor seating, live salsa band with room for dancing, and plenty of space to sit and socialize without feeling cramped. 

La Negrita: By far the most recommended bar to me by locals, I loved how this 'cantina' had both indoor and outdoor seating. There was live music every time I passed by, day or night!

La Fundacion Mezcaleria: Like Negrita, LFM also serves late night food, however on a crowded Saturday night when a rock band is on stage, be prepared to eat standing or very cramped at the bar. Some nights have cover!

Artelexia Frida Khalo Dinner

Feliz cumpleanos, Frida! This week marks Frida Khalo's 111th birthday and what better way to celebrate her than with a Frida Khalo themed, private dinner party hosted by Elexia and her team from San Diego based Artelexia! Combining vibrant, bold colors, textures, and patterns and hosted at a secret location in San Diego, Elexia paid great attention to every table scape detail, including vintage dish ware and tins, hand selected florals and candles galore to set the tone of the intimate event with Frida touches everywhere.

Give me a gorgeous tablescape with well thought out details, and I'm happy. Give me said table combined with amazing food, drink, and people coming together for an evening of celebrations, and you make my heart flutter! Serve Oaxacan queso, tamales, chocolate, and paletas - because I love Oaxacan everything - and I'm in heaven! This event was an absolute dream to photograph and be a part of! Thank you Elexia and team for being phenomenal hosts! - Un abrazo, Evelyn

Look at 'Baby Frida' below! The cutest portrait I've ever seen :)

Queso fresco, queso ramonetti, FRESH tortilla chips, three kinds of salsas, guacamole, and Oaxacan chocolate. I mean, include emoji-heart-eyes! I could have simply eaten this as a meal!