East Boston Oysters’ Alexis Cervasio Shares Some of Her Favorite Things

Photo by Tony Luong

Last March, when COVID-19 forced Alexis Cervasio to cancel East Boston Oysters’ coveted oyster and caviar parties—themed bashes thrown by her self-proclaimed “secret supper club”—she didn’t back down from delivering the pop-up’s message of making these delicacies more accessible to the masses. “When [the pandemic] first started, we thought, How can we bring a party to somebody in their home? ” Cervasio says. So wearing a bathrobe, with her hair in a towel, she poured some bubbly and recorded herself shucking oysters.

Almost immediately, EBO shifted to curating packages, starting with the How the Fuck to Shuck kit—a dozen or two oysters, a shucking knife, Chilean pebre sauce, and access to that “terrifying” video. Over time, EBO partnered with local stores to bring dishes from the company’s most iconic parties to people’s steps, including the Parlor Ice Cream Co.’s crème fraîche ice cream and Buenas’ crab rangoon empanadas.

This year, Cervasio hopes to add another outlet for the company’s offerings, with the opening of EBO & Co. Grocery in East Boston. “[It] will definitely have caviar, but it won’t be an intimidating store to walk in to,” she says. “I want everyone to enjoy our store.”

Ahead, discover more of what Cervasio is savoring.

Courtesy photo

Pebre and Chimichurri 

There are always jars of [these sauces] in my fridge from our very best friends at Buenas, of Bow Market. I slather this stuff on everything. Eggs, oysters, tacos…the list goes on. It really spices up your life.

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Pai “Rosehip Bioregenerate” Oil 

I swear by this oil from Follain. I rub absurd amounts on my face before bed, when I wake up, and sometimes in the middle of the day. It not only packs so much moisture and nutrients into your skin, but it prevents lines and gives you an automatic glow.

Photo by Michele Snow

Red Light

I have a red light bulb in my bedroom that I took from one of our events. It’s sexy and soothing, plus the red light really gets your circadian rhythm in balance.

Photo by Ella Rinaldo

Rebel Rebel Wine 

I also can’t stop buying wine from Rebel Rebel—Lauren Friel and her team do such a great job of showcasing every single exciting project by small producers, and because of that, the inventory is constantly changing. I always love crushing anything that Forlorn Hope makes, and I have been a long-time fan of wines hailing from Vermont’s beautiful La Garagista Farm + Winery.

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Project Paulie Beanie

Every day I wear my Project Paulie beanie, no matter what the weather. I have my own EBO x Project Paulie beanie out, and proceeds go straight to the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen. The hat is called “The Giacomo,” named after my brilliant and fun son.

ON FILE

What I’m Reading
There are always at least 10 books open around the house. Currently: The Art of Gathering, Truffle Boy, Be More Pirate, and In the Company of Women. They all tend to have the common theme of alternative thinking and problem solving.

What I’m Watching
Reruns of Broad City because Ilana and Abbi are me and my best girl, Sofi Madison (of Olives & Grace). Everyone thinks that though, right? And Hulu Originals like High Fidelity because Zoë Kravitz is a goddess. And PEN15 for life.

What I’m Drinking
Any sake that Alyssa DiPasquale from the Koji Club tells me to drink because I’m a true umami mami on a quest to discover what it feels like to drink it with foods that aren’t Asian, plus I feel like it’s good for my skin.

What I’m Eating
I am truly obsessed with food from our East Boston neighborhood Pakistani/Indian spot, Mehak Halal. I constantly fear that they are going to close, so I try to order from there as much as possible. I live for their naan and the palak paneer.

What I’m Wearing
Leather pants, in every season. They’re always paired with bright sneakers and vintage finds from Swift & Faire Co. I follow them on Instagram and slide into their DMs often to purchase whatever they last posted.