The most gorgeous dinner table for an intimate 20 person wedding at Alila Marea Resort.
Viewing entries tagged
San Diego Lifestyle Photographer
My favorite thing about planning a proposal: the stories I hear from the person proposing. Alejandro was no short of amazing things he had to say about Aime, his high school sweetheart, wonderful baker, romantic, hard worker, and soon to be nurse. Even more exciting: his desire to start a whole new chapter together as an engaged couple and eventually as husband and wife. Alejandro, along with help with his mom, Suzette, and myself, ensured every detail was in place, lured Aime out to a beach in Coronado - one they have frequented before and means a lot to them - with a picnic in tow. After getting down on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage, Aime said yes, but the surprises didn't stop there!
After a photographing portraits of the newly engaged couple, I was going to ‘leave’ and said, “Why don’t you two sit on your picnic blanket and I’ll take one last photo before I leave.” I knew what was to come next: BOTH of their families came up from behind them to surprise Aime AND join in on a very special boho-style picnic set up by Posh Picnic. The champagne was popped, glasses were raised, and all of the fixings for tostadas were passed around as two families came together to celebrate the love of Aime and Alejandro!
Suzette, who knew that photographing your family 6 years ago would then lead us to coming back together to plan and photograph this momentous occasion for you all! Thank you for keeping in touch and trusting me to capture this! Alejandro, you are the absolute kindest guy who’s attention to detail is impressive. I loved hearing all of your stories about you and Aime and can’t wait to hear more! Felicidades! xoxo, Evelyn
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!
One of the many things that I rave about my sister, Andrea, is that the girl can cook. As in, "Hot damn! Are these the Nobu seared scallops with jalapeno sauce?! You made these?!" She has mastered how to make the perfect steak and potatoes, replicate many of her favorite high end restaurant dishes, and lucky for us, takes requests from our family. Most impressively, Dre, as I call her, makes most of her magic happen in what she describes as the 'busted kitchen' - old, ugly, and falling apart - that came as is when she bought her fixer upper home.
With this unprecedented 'Covid Season,' where as a family who is quarantining together has adopted the 'let's bake A LOT' attitude, I love that after who knows how many pleas, Dre let me document the making of one of her masterpieces. Like the times we are in, it's about using our resources, as little or as much as they may be, to get by: thank you busted kitchen for giving Andrea the space to get creative to share her love for us through food! Thank you baking for giving us an activity we do collectively (I mixed the frosting, thanks!) and thank you Andrea for taking my request for these Cinnabon copycat cinnamon rolls and for letting me post these photos when we never had any intention in sharing them ha!
Stay home, be kind, and don’t worry about that summer body cause cinnamon rolls trump everything! - Evelyn
There is not one cinnamon roll recipe that calls for throwing the dough in the air, however I asked Dre to do so for dramatic effect. Give it some oomph into the air, girl!
While she let the dough rise, she made the cream cheese frosting that I eventually mixed: my contribution to this project! Ha!
Dre always reminds me that baking is a science: everything really should be exact, even the length of the rolled dough hence the measuring tape!
Ladies and gentlemen, the before, above. Below, THE AFTER. Perfectly crisp, smelling like heaven aka cinnamon sugar.
Viola, homies! Look at those gooey, swirly, crisp on the outside, doughy but not undercooked middle, cinnamon rolls, MADE WITH LOVE.
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).
