Month: January 2019

drybar obsessed

i cannot say enough wonderful things about drybar.  my obsession started back in 2012 when i was sick and tired of straightening my hair on my own – my arms would hurt and it never seemed as sleek as i would want it to be.  then, i discovered drybar.

 

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now, let’s rewind a bit so you have a little context about my hair journey.  i have been getting my hair relaxed since grammar school.  it was less about wanting my hair to be bone straight and much more about wanting my hair to be more manageable.  my mom hated that she felt like she was hurting me when she was combing my hair every morning.  i was happy to no longer be in pain and to also have the time spent on my hair reduced significantly.  i have an amazing hair braider (erika) who has been doing my hair since i was two years old.  i basically just alternate between getting my hair relaxed and wearing it straightened or getting it braided.  before anyone comments on the “horrific” impact of “creamy crack”, you can save your energy.  not only is my hair thicker and stronger than ever but i am not interested in wearing my hair in its natural state.  i respect your natural hair and you should respect my processed hair, especially since it is on my big ass head. thank you, next.

 

the time when i struggle most with my hair is about 7-10 days after i initially get it relaxed.  it is then time for a proper wash – for those of you unfamiliar with black girl hair care, most of us are highly advised to not wash our hair more than once a week because it totally strips it of the natural oils and makes our hair brittle.  i would say this is even more important for someone like me that gets their hair relaxed because i want to be sure i am keeping my hair as healthy and happy as possible.  so instead, i typically use my favorite drybar dry shampoo because it is light, fresh and absorbs any excess oil without stripping my hair.  you can purchase it from drybar or if you are a nordstrom junkie like me and love getting points, you can purchase it here.

 

but here’s the thing: washing means blow-drying and blow-drying means straightening is needed and i am already tired just typing all of this out.  my hair is thick and it takes me at least two hours from the start of washing my hair until the time  i straighten the last piece.  i am typically in and out of drybar in one hour or less.  there are few things i love more than efficiency and drybar has that down to a science.  you can make your appointment online in seconds and give them any necessary info about your hair so they can try to match you with a stylist that is the best fit for you.  the desk staff is friendly at every location i have gone to and you are offered a variety of beverages, including a complimentary glass of wine or champagne.  who does not love that?! especially after a long day at the office or to kick off your weekend.

 

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something i truly appreciate is you see a bit of everyone at drybar – both men and women work there.  there are people of every race and the employees seem comfortable being their most authentic selves.  as a result, the clientele reflects that.  being able to pay $49 to be pampered and have a blowout that can last up to 10 days is well worth it.  trust me!

 

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xoxo,

k. tap

it’s wine wednesday!

because i like alliteration, wine wednesday seemed like a decent title but if i am keeping it 100, wine could (and should) be had daily.

 

my favorite winery in napa hands down is domaine carneros.  while i tend to gravitate towards sparkling wines and anything on the lighter end of things (pinot grigios, rosés, etc.), domaine carneros also offers some amazing reds, specifically, pinot noirs.

 

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after going to this winery on several occasions to celebrate everything from birthdays to bachelorettes to simply being alive, i figured i might as well get a membership.  i was even happier with this choice now that i live in la again (as opposed to the bay area, where napa was more accessible).  there are multiple tiers of membership which you can find out about here.  i currently have the classic sparkling membership which includes two bottles of sparkling wine every other month and a magnum sized bottle of my favorite sparkling wine during the holiday season.  not only is it something to look forward to coming home to but the other perks include free tastings when i am at the winery, a private seating area (both indoor and on the terrace) on the weekends when it is beyond busy and discounts on bottles whether i purchase one or an entire case.

 

both the views and the customer service are unparalleled.  on your next trip to napa, be sure to stop by.  if you are like me and hate waiting for a table, call or go online a couple of weeks ahead of time to make a proper reservation.  if napa is too far for you to travel, order a bottle of the 2015 brut rosé sparkling or the 2014 vermeil demi-sec sparkling.  trust me, you will not be disappointed.

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mac & cheese

whether you are a person that cooks daily (like me) or a person that cooks once a week, i have found that pretty much every person has a go to dish that they love and are even confident enough to serve it to guests.  for me, that dish is a baked macaroni and cheese.

growing up in a household with parents and grandparents who cooked regularly, specifically, a grandmother with midwestern/southern roots, we were all about soul food.  when i was in fifth grade, i went to a friend’s house after school and mentioned i was hungry, she told me she could make us some mac and cheese “real quick”.  i was shook.  i had never seen mac and cheese take less than one hour start to finish.  this was the day i discovered that easy mac existed.  now, as a tipsy college student, easy mac definitely did the trick.  pushing 30, i now want something more substantial and would like to cook with ingredients that are actually easy to identify.  so over the years, i have tweaked the mac and cheese recipe my grammy and mom served to us as kids.

for me, meat is not a necessity to make something a meal.  i am happy having mac and cheese by itself or paired with a salad + some cornbread with honey butter. now, if i am cooking for guests, i normally pair this with both fried chicken and a baked bbq sriracha glazed chicken, something green (i lean towards steamed broccoli with garlic and lemon or a caesar salad with bacon and avocado) and the aforementioned cornbread.

while this is called mac and cheese, i actually use medium sized shells because i noticed they cup all of the cheesy goodness in a way the small elbow macaroni i grew up on could not.

*warning – i do not measure when i season – it is more of a feeling but i am happy to do this via instagram live if that is something you all are interested in at a later date

now, onto the ingredients/necessary cookware:

one box of medium sized shells (do not buy whole wheat – the brand does not matter)
one stick of butter (plus an extra sliver)
one can of campbell’s cream of mushroom (be sure it is not low sodium or low fat)
2% milk
2 cups of grated pepper jack cheese
3-4 cups of colby jack cheese
garlic salt, black pepper and seasoning salt
a rectangular pan that is well coated with pam or your cooking spray of choice
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the recipe is fairly simple:

when you put the water on to boil your pasta, turn the oven on to 350
pour pasta in to pot once boiling with a sliver of butter and a couple dashes of garlic salt
cook until finished (more on the firm side since it will be smothered with ingredients and baked)
take coated pan and pour drained pasta into pan
add can of cream of mushroom (save can)
slice stick of butter and evenly distribute within the pan
pour milk into can until full
add to pan
add pepper jack cheese to pan
stir until mixed
season with garlic salt, seasoning salt and black pepper
stir again
add light layer of black pepper
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cover entire top with the colby jack
bake for 35-45 minutes depending on the oven (for my oven, i do 38 minutes)
let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving
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one of my favorite things about this dish (aside from how delicious it is) is that it does not turn my kitchen into a disaster, it reheats so well (especially because there are no breadcrumbs) and takes about one hour from start to finish.  there is something about mac and cheese that is good for the soul.
if you decide to make it, let me know how it goes!
xoxo,
k. tap

popped that cherry

hey there! for those of you who i do not know personally, allow me to introduce myself.  my name is kristin tappan but those closest to me call me one of a trillion nicknames they have created for me – the one that has always stuck is k.tap.

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i am a 28 year old, sarcastic, well educated, los angeles based, plus-sized black woman who was finding that there were not too many blogs out there that not only represent women like me but offer a unique perspective on the topics i care most about.  that brings me to two important questions you would likely want the answers to:

why am i starting a blog now?

i met with my friend (since elementary school) hayley back in 2015 to discuss starting a blog.  she had an awesome blog (i would now classify it as extraordinary – you can find her blog here) and i wanted to know not only how she had grown such a following (that was truly authentic) but what kind of time and energy she was putting in behind the scenes.  hayley was incredibly candid and let me know that it was like having another job if it is something i was going to be serious about.  i do not halfway commit to anything.  at the time, i was in the middle of a graduate program to get my masters in counseling psychology and working multiple jobs (to both pay the bills and be able to afford the amount of concert tickets i like to buy).  i knew i could not produce a shit product just for the sake of having a blog.  as i often tell my clients, patience is a virtue.  i also talk to them about only getting out of something what you put into it.  i knew i needed to wait not only until i wrapped up my program, but until i was settled back in la (did both undergrad and grad school in the bay area).  now that i have been back for a little over a year,  am settled in an apartment that will likely be my home until i am ready to buy and am putting those degrees to good use working as a counselor, i figured i would go ahead and pop that cherry.

what can you expect to read about?

as of now, you can expect to read about seven topics:

beauty – everything from my 10 minute makeup routine to managing relaxed hair (i love the creamy crack – sue me!) to my favorite products

fresh + fitted – best places to shop that are size inclusive, my favorite athletic attire brands and how to buy pieces that are multifunctional

good reads – my favorite book at the moment along with the message to carry with me

head + heart – anything that is going on in my head and/or heart from thoughts of the week that resonated with me to appropriate boundary setting to love languages; you name it, i will cover it

home decor – where to find the best throw pillows and accent pieces for your space, how to create an inviting atmosphere, best places for a fresh bouquet (a necessity, in my opinion), etc.

travel bug – from concerts to weddings to weekend getaways, this will capture what i did, what i would recommend and how i believe traveling is truly the key to work/life balance

yummy – from my favorite recipes to my favorite restaurants, anything delicious (and not always nutritious), you can find here!

i may add more topics (if i feel this is not quite enough or if i get requests to write about something that does not fall under one of these umbrella topics) – we will just have to see how this journey goes.

special shout out to both hayley and gracelyn for being inspiring, encouraging, patient and motivational during this process.  and to my readers, thank you in advance for experiencing this with me.  it is definitely an experiment in vulnerability that i am praying goes well.

xoxo,

k.tap

p.s. click here for a few fun facts about me.

photo cred: gracelyn bateman – instagram: glynbman

 

 

 

fun facts

zodiac sign – aquarius

myers briggs type – intj

favorite color – in life, green; to wear, goldenrod yellow; for my hair, purple; neutral, gray

pet peeve – overuse of capital letters (or capital letters in general)

favorite food – sushi

favorite animal – elephants

favorite game – monopoly

favorite pastime – concerts/music festivals

favorite way to decompress – candlelit bubble baths

random fact – i am a twister champion and my flexibility is still on point (i can do a full split)

favorite drink – if it involves vodka, champagne or rose, count me in

favorite number – 13

thing i could not live without – my planner (pen + paper is better!)

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*photo taken by gracelyn bateman – instagram: @glynbman