Tag: chocolate
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup 7/7-7/9
It’s almost Friday! ABCey brings you this week’s Weekend Lineup with the top events in the Bay Area for the upcoming weekend! After the long 4th of July weekend, here are some amazing events to keep the fun going!
Pro Beach Volleyball Tournament
July 6-9th | All Day 9am-6pm | Cost: FREE! | AVP San Francisco Open | Piers 30-32
Starting Thursday through Sunday, The Mens & Women’s AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will make its return to San Francisco. Sit back & relax & enjoy some exciting beach volleyball with the scenic Bay Bridge looming overhead.
Friday Nights at the de Young
Friday July 7th | 5-8:30pm | Cost: FREE! | Golden Gate Park | 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA
Friday Nights at the de Young programs are after-hours art “happenings” that include a mix of live music, dance, theater performances & more! The café also offers a special Friday Night menu and specialty cocktails!
French Fry Fest
Saturday July 8th | 11am-5pm | Cost: $5 General Admission, $35 All You Can Drink Craft Beer & Sangria, Ages 10 & Under – FREE! | Soma StrEat Food Park | 428 11th Street San Francisco, CA
SoMa StrEat Food Park and Broke Ass Stuart are teaming up to bring you the Bay’s most delicious food trucks and pop-up shops. Come enjoy some fry specials to the sound of disco funk jams all day!
Refreshments and Resistance: A Benefit for ACLU
Saturday June 8th | 11am-3pm | Cost: $30 | Spark Social SF | 601 Mission Bay Boulevard North | San Francisco, CA
ACLU is a group of professional women who have been awakened to their capacity to effectively drive positive, progressive change in our country. Proceeds will be donated to the ACLU, which works to protect and expand Americans’ freedom to vote. Your donation includes bottomless sangria, mimosas, or a non-alcoholic refreshment of your choice!
Sunset Silent Disco Yoga
Sunday July 9th | 6:15-7:30pm | Baker Beach | San Francisco CA
Yoga at the golden hour with curated music, the incredible SF community, and outdoor yoga teacher and founder Julie Aiello. Come enjoy this picturesque, peaceful, and fun environment for some relaxing yoga. They even supply headphones so you can listen to the teacher + to curated music together!
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What events will you be attending this weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Twitter page!
Sources: SF Fun Cheap, EventBrite, De Young website, EventBrite, EventBrite
ABCey’s #TechTuesday: Candy Mechanics
#TechTuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. In today’s #TechTuesday, we feature Candy Mechanics, a 3D scanning CNC Chocolate machine.
Candy Mechanics
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Candy Mechanics has a created a hand-held portable 3D scanner, which is used to scan a persons head. After this is completed, the scan is created into a 3D model by using a ‘Candy Carve’ to sculpt the head out of chocolate in under 5 minutes! These chocolate treats are the ultimate addition to any event!
These personalized and delicious chocolates are a fun gift that your guests will love! This new technology allows people to create their own face as a 3D chocolate Lolpop. Candy Mechanics also has customizable Candy Cards, which carves personalized letters onto chocolates. Candy Cards and Lolpops would make the perfect party favor for any occasion! Bring these fun chocolates to your next event with their Mobile Candy Card and make your event truly unique!
What do you think about Candy Mechanics? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter and Facebook!
ABCey’s Bay Area Weekend Events: 8/26/16-8/28/16
It’s Thursday, and you know what that means…ABCey Events has the Weekend Lineup with a list of the top 5 Bay Area Weekend events! We have everything from a 10 Hour Dance Event and Rum Festival to a Rooftop Party and of course the start of Burning Man. Don’t miss out on these fun events going on Friday til’ Sunday!
Top 5 Bay Area Weekend Events
1. Once in a Lifetime 10 Hour Dance Event at SF Mint
Fri 8/26/16 and Sat 8/27/16| 5pm – 3am | 21+, no ins & outs| $20 tickets here, cash only at event | SF Mint
Celebrate the end of the work week this Friday! Get the party started with 10 hours of fun, food, drinks, and dance! First, walk into a projection-mapped courtyard and enjoy happy hour drinks from 5pm-10pm! Then, head down to the SF Mint building basement and dance til the wee hours of the morning! With world class DJs, amazing food from The Midway’s own Madame Zola’s Fortune Cafe, and top of the line art performances, you’ll be entertained all night long! Get to this “once in a lifetime” event!
2. 2016 California Rum Festival
Fri 8/26/16 to Sat 8/27/16| Fri 2pm – Sat 6pm | 21+ | $5-$130, Buy tickets here | SOMA Cultural Center
Like rum? Then get to this Bay Area Weekend Event? This festival will give you a chance to taste new rums, discover new brands, attend rum seminars and enjoy great music! You’ll also learn history behind rum and how to differentiate the different grades of rum. But hurry, tickets are only on sale for a limited time!
3. San Francisco: The Rooftop Party
Sat 8/27/16| 4pm-7pm | $25, Buy tickets here | 620 Jones, SF
Meet and mingle with some of the best and brightest professionals and alumni! Don’t skip this popular event to network and connect with other business individuals! There will be plenty of cocktails, and if you’re hungry, there’s a great restaurant downstairs! Also, make sure you stick with the dress code and wear white to celebrate the summer with a fabulous view!
4. SF Etsy Summer Indie Emporium Pop-Up Market
Sat 8/27/16 and Sun 8/28/16| 11am – 5pm | FREE | Ghirardelli Square
Love Etsy as much as we do? Then get to Ghirardelli Square this Sunday to check out over 60 local Etsy artisans. While you shop, grab some of the world famous chocolate and ice cream. If that wasn’t enough, you can hop over to the Lagunitas Beer Garden! There you can sip on some great beer, enjoy great views of the Bay Area, fulfill your sweet tooth, and shop til’ you drop! What more could you ask for?
5. Burning Man 2016
Sun 8/28/16 til Mon 9/5/16| 10am – 12pm | $390+ tickets here | Black Rock Desert, NV
Join over 70k people in one of the most hyped and talked about radical events of the year! Explore with others a magical and unique experience full of music, art, and wonder. Explore the theme camp’s various bars, dj’s, workshops, and open mics, or try some flaming Skee-ball, check out the Hall of Mirrors, or the DIY movie theater! Stop by Center Camp for performances and galleries, the French Quarters Camp for elegant cocktails, sweets, and custom soaps, the Thunderdome for sword fighting, or the Firehouse Camp to paint. And, be sure to hop on an art car!
Will you be attending any of these Bay Area Weekend Events? Let us know below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Top 7 Unique Dessert Ideas for Events
By Jennifer Fong, Kristi Fujimoto, and Jessica Li-Jo
Picture this: You’re at a dinner event with your guests, and everything is going perfectly planned from decor to the music selection. Then, you realize your night is coming to an end. So what better way to end this perfect dinner event than to provide your guests with delicious desserts?! Well, ABCey has you covered! Here are our top 7 unique and creative dessert ideas that will surely leave your guests impressed and blessed!
1. Edible Flower cookie
Are you planning to use flowers as your centerpieces? Although you can decorate your venue with flowers, you can also use them to decorate your desserts! Everyone loves cookies, and shortbread cookies are a popular crowd pleaser. By adding these edible flowers, freeze dried fruit, and candied herbs on top of glaze, you can make these delicious tasting cookies. Moreover, you can make this lavender shortbread so your cookies are even more floral tasting. This creative and decorative dessert will be an excellent addition to your party! Learn how to make them here.
2. Flower Jello
If you want to decorate with more flowers, we have another dessert just for you! Instead of being a plain, clear “raindrop” cake dessert, this dessert is filled with decorations. Having a scary Halloween party or an outdoor floral party? From real fruit and flowers to sprinkles and spiders, the possibilities are endless when it comes to filling these droplets! These edible water bubbles are inspired by Japan’s Mizu Shingen Mochi and can be made with Agar or Jell-O gelatin. Don’t worry put insects and flowers in there because they’re edible and made from gelatin! So click here for insects and flowers, and here for fruit and sprinkles. And your guests will enjoy this unique dessert!
3. Unicorn Piñata Sugar Cookies
Give your guests a surprise with these Unicorn Piñata Sugar Cookies! These multi-colored cookies come with hollow centers that you can fill with your favorite candies. Not only will they add a magical element to your event, but they will also leave your guests wanting more! Set them out on a nice tabletop and watch your guests be delighted upon their first bite! These cookies are especially perfect for any Cinco de Mayo-themed event or kids’ birthday parties! So what are you waiting for? Learn how to make these here!
4. Burger Cupcakes
These may look like those hamburger gummy candies, but they’re actually cupcakes! Each part of the cupcake is made of different types of cake mixes with some frosting to top it all off. In addition, these hamburger cupcakes are a fun way to contrast how usual cupcakes are made! Make these for your next event and maybe even serve some fries with it!
5. Dessert Sushi
Surprise your guests by letting them think that they’re having another small course of sushi. What they won’t expect is that they’re actually getting a dessert! This dessert sushi is made from a thin layer of chocolate pancake that is smeared with warm cream cheese and fruit in the middle. Give your guests these tiny little delights at your events!
6. Chocolate Flower
Continue to wow your guests with this Chocolate Flower dessert! Wrap your favorite sweets and fruits with some chocolate flower petals. Then, pour hot custard and watch the petals bloom open just like a flower! This artistic, yet delicious dessert is sure to leave your guests mesmerized! Also, this is ideal for any celebratory party event! So check out how to make these here!
7.Crème Brûlée Cookies
Cookies are a typical dessert. But when you infuse it with Crème brûlée, you take it to a whole new level. Get the custard that you love oh-so-much combined with your favorite parts of a cookie! This will leave a memorable and tasteful dessert that will allow attendees to look forward to your future events! Learn how to make them here.
Which of these dessert ideas did you like best? Tell us in the comments below or on Facebook and on Twitter!
The 6 Best Snacks to Eat While Working in a Stressful Job
Working at ABCey Events, we know how stressful event planning can be. Sometimes there is not even enough time to eat a proper meal, which can have a negative impact on our health. Instead of grabbing a burger and fries at the nearest fast food place, you could spend your money on much healthier food that also helps you to become more relaxed. ABCey shows you the 6 best snacks to eat while working in a stressful job.
Avocados
Avocados are a real nutrient booster! They include glutathione, lutein, beta carotene, folate and the vitamins A and B. A few slices of avocado added to your sandwich gives you a boost of all these vital nutrients! But avocados are also great in salads or dips. The potassium included in avocados also lowers your blood pressure and makes you feel more relaxed. But be aware that avocados also include a lot of fat and should be enjoyed in moderation.
Bananas
Bananas officially belong to the world’s healthiest foods. Similar to avocados, bananas include a lot of potassium, which lowers blood pressure. They also fill you up quickly and are an ideal snack to eat if you’re in a rush. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Berries
No matter if you like raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries; they are all a great source of antioxidants, which are linked to all kinds of health benefits and promote brain function. Berries are also very rich in vitamin C, which lowers blood pressure and relieves stress.
Crunchy Veggies
Fresh vegetables are always a good snack! Crunchy carrots or celery stalks are simply fun to eat and make you feel refreshed. They are low in calories but high in vitamins, which makes them real feel-good snacks. Additionally, we can dip our veggies in tasteful dips or hummus.
Nuts
Nuts boost our immune system with vitamins and zinc. Particularly walnuts include omega-3 fatty acids that prevent memory loss and keep our brain fit. Cashew nuts are especially rich in zinc, which fights against anxiety and depression. In addition, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts are great snacks for when you’re on the go.
Chocolate
Now that we’ve got the vitamins taken care of, it’s time for a different kind of power snack! Chocolate is a stress relieving snack that triggers specific hormones in our brain which help us to relax. Research has proven the positive effects of chocolate consumption on our mood and stress levels. The darker the chocolate, the more polyphenol and flavonol it contains. These antioxidants help us to stay calm in stressful situations. It’s a great excuse you can use to enjoy chocolate even more in the future!
What is your favorite snack to enjoy when you are stressed? Tell us about it in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter.
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: San Francisco September 13-14, 2014
Do you feel like this week went by incredibly fast and you haven’t made plans for your weekend yet? Don’t worry, ABCey Events has you covered! Whether you’re into science, literature, food, or fashion – we’ve gathered a list of the most exciting events in San Francisco on September 13-14, 2014.
Free Shakespeare in the Park: The Taming of the Shew
Saturday and Sunday | 2pm | Main Post Lawn | 103 Montgomery Street, Main Post, Presidio
The ideal event to bring your friends and family together! Bring a blanket and some snacks and enjoy the funny and crazy plot twists in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shew. A Green Show describing Shakespeare’s background and history precedes the play, which makes this event great for non-Shakespeare literates as well.
Chic Metropolitan Fashion Show
Saturday | 7pm – 1am | 950 Mason St, San Francisco | Cover $30-50
If you are into fashion, you can’t miss the Fast and Luxurious fashion show by Chic Metropolitan this Saturday. Held in The Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel and presented by multi-millionaire Robert Herjavec, Chic Metropolitan will introduce the latest fashion from Colleen Queen on more than 50 models. The Bay Area mash-up band The Rock-It Scientists will be playing at the event. Feel fancy and dip into the world of the rich and famous. Click here for more information and tickets.
Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival
Saturday and Sunday | 12pm – 5pm | Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco | Free entry but chocolate samples must be purchased.
Chocolate lovers will enjoy this weekend’s 19th annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival! More than 30 vendors will be offering all kinds of sweet and delicious samples. The sampling tickets can be purchased here and the money will be donated to Project Open Hand. If you don’t want to spend money on the sampling tickets, there are still plenty of other reasons to check out this event! There will be chef demonstrations from chocolatiers, cupcake bakers and many more, as well as the popular ice-cream sundae eating contest.
California Academy of Science: Free Admission Day
Sunday | 11am – 5pm | 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco
This upcoming Sunday is one of the rare days when the California Academy of Sciences opens its doors for free to the public. Seize this opportunity! Bring family and friends and visit the world-class 400,000 square foot institution that includes an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rainforest.
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: 7.31.14- 8.03.14
We can’t believe it’s August already! The girls at ABCey want to share our top picks for this weekend to kick off the last summer month with a bang! From tech events to chocolate tours, we cover it all!
Featured Event: Eat Drink SF |Friday August 1st-Sunday August 3rd|Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason| We all know San Francisco has no shortage of amazing dining; from food trucks to high class gourmet dinners, this city has plenty to offer! So if you’re a food lover, Eat Drink SF is the event you have been waiting for! The Grand Tasting features over 200 of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, bars, distilleries, breweries and wineries. The weekend festivities also include classes, demonstrations, tastings, competitions and parties throughout the city. Taking place in Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason, bring along some friends and an empty stomach! Tickets are selling out quick so get them while you can! Prices start at $30+
1. Meet, Mingle and Mentor: Box Women in Tech Social| Thursday, July 31| 5:30-8:30 pm| Box HQ 4440 El Camino Real, Los Altos| This is a great opportunity for Bay Area tech women to meet other women in the industry, network with one another, learn more about Box’s Women in Tech group, and look for potential mentors and mentees. The event will include plenty of networking opportunities and delicious food and drinks. We love when women are highlighted and this looks a fantastic event to hear from some of the top women leaders in the tech industry.
2. Hustle Con | Friday, August 1st |Starting at 8:00am| The Brava Theater San Francisco |Hustle Con is a conference about learning the specific skills and tactics needed to start and grow your startup from successful founders. Learn from some of the founders of the hottest startups giving you specific advise to get it done yourself. If you want to learn real skills to grow your company and join a strong community of hustlers, then this event is for you. We love that this conference targets non-techies who think they need to know complicated coding in order to start a business! We agree with their motto, “You don’t have to know how to code to be an entrepreneur…you just have to know how to hustle.” Tickets range from $150-$350.
3. Urban Wine Xperience |Saturday, August 2nd|1:00 – 5:00 pm|Ferry Lawn at Jack London Square| Come over to the East Bay to experience over 20 urban wineries from the East Bay Vintner’s Alliance. There will be a wide array of white, rose, red and dessert wines for you to taste and enjoy. There will also be local eateries that will team up with the various wineries, creating yummy bites that pair beautifully with the EBVA’s wine portfolio. Tickets: $35 Wine Club Members , $45 Advance Tickets, $60 At the Door.
4. The Original San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour|Saturday, August 2nd| 2:00 pm| Embarcadero Plaza, 1 Market St San Francisco| Who doesn’t love chocolate? On this tour you will learn about what makes fine chocolate and sample from a wide array of San Francisco gourmet chocolate boutiques. You will learn about the history of chocolate, its health benefits, and all the latest trends. Everyone on the tour will receive a Chocolate Lover Card entitling you to discounts and VIP treatment at 10 different San Francisco chocolate boutiques! How awesome is that!? Ticket price is $53 per person.
5. Art and Soul |Saturday August 2nd-Sunday August 3rd|Noon to 6 pm|Downtown Oakland|Thousands are expected for the popular two-day event, now in its 14th year, packed with music, food, fun, dance and art in beautiful downtown Oakland. Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, Gospel, Rock, Latin, Turf and Urban/World Dance will take place on four stages. Prices at the gate are $15 adults, $8 seniors (65+) & youth (13-17), 12 & under free.
Will you be attending any of these awesome events?! Let us know if we missed any in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend Lineup 5.29.14- 6.1.14
Here at ABCey, we are always excited when the weekend comes around, and we’re sure you are too! There are some great events taking place all throughout the Bay Area, including music festivals and lots of food. No matter what you choose to do, it’s sure to be a great time!
Featured Event: BottleRock Festival | Friday, May 30 – Sunday, June 1 | Napa Valley | This is the second year of this feature music festival in Napa Valley including 60 bands with tons of wine, food, and beer. The lineup is sure to please any type of music taste with favorites including Outkast, Eric Church, Matt and Kim, and more! Even if the music isn’t enough for you, the signature local food will definitely draw your taste buds in. The food offerings range from sushi to barbecue, and everything in between. Single and 3-day passes are still available for $279.
1. Off the Grid Twilight at the Presidio | Thursday, May 29th | 5-9pm | Main Post Lawn Presidio | Here is a great example of why we love the Bay Area! Off the Grid is a reoccurring event every Thursday until June 26th and is the perfect excuse to leave work a little early this week. This event is free to the public and includes lantern-lit cabanas, campfires complete with relaxing Adirondack chairs, and plenty of food trucks. Come out and relax with family and friends while listening to the free music and taking in a leisurely summer evening.
2. Start Up and Tech Mixer | Friday, May 30th | 5 – 10pm | W Hotel, SF | This event is a great chance to network with other individuals in the tech industry and create a shared network of ideas. We’re very excited about the Start Up and Tech Mixer which will include a variety of speakers and areas for networking with other tech professionals. It’s sure to be a great time with a wide range of participants, food and drinks, and professional development. The event keeps the best of what tech conferences offer to bring a unique tech event to the industry.
3. Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival | Saturday, May 31st | 10am – 5pm |Gourmet Ghetto, Berkeley | This event is a chocolate lover’s dream with the acclaimed Gourmet Ghetto supporting local business and art at the same time! Buy tickets for the variety of dessert offerings and then sample unique chocolate, which will include: goat cheese truffles, a variety brownies, Oreo shakes, Caribbean chocolate soup, and more. The chalk art portion will include a contest between contestants on the sidewalks and will add a fun interactive flare for the event attendees. We’re jealous of all those that will make it out to Berkeley to sample these tasty chocolate dishes!
4. Live 105’s BFD | Sunday, June 1st | 11 am | Shoreline Amphitheatre | We are excited about this Sunday’s concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre for Live 105’s 20th annual BFD concert! The lineup is unique with bands ranging from Foster the People and M.I.A. to Fitz and the Tantrums. This is sure to be a fun-filled day with live music and dancing to pass your Sunday. Tickets are still available and range from $47 for grass seating to $285 center stage. Check out the lineup this Sunday!
5. Walking Distance Dance Festival | Friday, May 30 – Saturday, May 31 | Friday @ 7:30pm & Saturday @ 4pm | Locations Vary | Here is a unique chance to see dance performances outside the theatre! This weekend marks the start of the Walking Distance Dance Tour that will lead its participants throughout the Mission district watching a variety of top dance companies perform. It will be a distinct chance to view a variety of dance styles and blends of music. We’re sure this will be a great way to gain a different perspective of the city with it’s blend of dance, music, and architecture.
This weekend is guaranteed to be a great time with all these great events. The girls at ABCey want to hear what you will be up to! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter.
Brigadeiro: Gifting Just Got Easier
We don’t know about you, but just the mention of chocolate makes us weak in the knees. Here at ABCey, we are always on the lookout for exciting new ideas for our events. Brigadeiro, our latest “handmade” sweet tooth find is a Brazilian sweets shop that makes none other than, well- Brigadero’s! These tasty treats can be described some kind of hybrid between a bonbon and a truffle!
Brigadeiros are the most popular candy in Brazil and are made with condensed milk and Belgian chocolate. It’s a truly national passion – possibly even moreso than soccer. In Brazil, no birthday party, no wedding, no coffee break, no catch up with friends happens without the indulgent treats. They also make great wedding, party favors, or holiday gifts!
They recently announced their launch in our very own, San Francisco, and needless to say, we couldn’t be more excited! Brigadeiros are offered in 21 different and amazing flavors in gorgeous boxes (one bite size ball) or jars (to eat the candy with a spoon). Some of their amazing flavors include: classic, pistachio, honey, coffee, cherry, coconut and the list could goes on! We can’t choose!
Welcome to San Francisco Brigadeiro! Let us know if you’ve tried them in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!