Author: keep up with k.tap

2024 recap

as we wrap up january, something i wanted to share was an exercise i did alongside my dear friend, melissa. at the start of last year, we decided we would write down at least one thing per week that brought us joy. to keep track, we would date each slip of paper before placing it in our respective vessels (i chose a mason jar and she chose a vase) and vowed to open them together the following january. last weekend, we did just that.

we alternated reading each joyous memory from 2024 out loud. some made us laugh until our sides hurt while others stung due to shifts in life circumstances – so fucking much can change in just a single year. there was something so deeply intimate and comforting about reading each memory aloud in the presence of a person who walked alongside me all of last year (and many years before that). i would certainly recommend doing this exercise with a best friend, partner, child, parent, sibling or anyone else important to you. it can definitely highlight the best moments, the things that need adjusting and the growth that is to come.

while writing out all 52 for this blog post would be overkill, i figured the top 13 would be perfect. for those of you that are new here, 13 is my favorite number. not only am i born on the 13th but so are my brother, oldest godson and one of my best friends.

buckle up for the top 13! also, warning: my penmanship is…unique? my dad compares it to graffiti 😂

justin’s first week with the tir (therapist in residence program)
heartfelt birthday brunch with theo, nen, tay, brianna, maria, jess, ale and reens with their favorite thing about me (leaning in to love)
celebrating nen’s 35th (especially with mak, jared, aunt geno and aunt lupe 🤍)
seeing no doubt in vip at coachella ❤️
dad’s text about being in remission (almost one year to the day of me finding out about his cancer diagnosis)
joe’s surprise 60th birthday
hawaii with twin and enzo + tattoo to honor grammy
birthday celebration for nick with mom, karen, anthony, tay, andrew and melissa 🤎
getting to go to belize with galina and witness drew & anastasia get married
friendsgiving potluck (hosted by me)
first weekend in la – breakfast with tracy, cocktails with leighia, dinner with sonny, coffee with drew and stassi, boozy brunch with ram ram and dinner with mishi
nye with frank and misu

while all 52 memories were special, these 13 stood out. all 13 were filled with people and places where i felt safe, loved and understood. i plan on being equally intentional in 2025.

i have already started this year’s mason jar and can’t wait to share my top 13 next year.

xoxo,

k. tap

friendsgiving 2024

before november ends, it is imperative that i share my favorite part – well, at least my favorite part that took place in the u.s. friendsgiving 2024 was one for the books.

thanksigving has always been my favorite holiday – it really taps into my favorite love language more than any other holiday because it is all about quality time. with me being the one to host friendsgiving, it taps into my second love language – acts of service. last year, i spent thanksgiving in a hospital hotel with my dad as he went through a stem cell transplant to treat his cancer. to say i was grateful for a change of pace (and scenery) would be a gross understatement. let’s be honest – i am even more grateful for him being in a healthier space. last year, my christmas cocktails with kristin party was a hit and the girls were adamant that i did it again this year. little did they know, i only hosted that because i did not get a true thanksgiving. however, i figured: why not do both? invites to both friendsgiving and christmas cocktails with kristin went out in august.

because i knew i would be hosting in december as well, i did not want to be totally overwhelmed. i figured if i provided a little charcuterie board, ham, turkey, my baked mac & cheese and stocked the bar, each guest could bring a side dish or dessert they loved. it was the absolute best and now it looks like i will be hosting two holiday parties each year. there is something so special about having so many of your favorite people in one place.

red sangria + aperol spritz station
thanksgiving paper goods from target
stuffing prepared by melissa
caprese prepared by nick
mexican corn salad prepared by joselyn
green bean casserole prepared by ashley
parmesan brussel sprouts with bacon prepared by anthony
mashed potatoes prepared by brianna
cranberry sauce prepared by ocean spray lmao (if it isn't out of the can, i do not want it)
baked mac and cheese prepared by yours truly
ham and turkey from honey baked ham company
pies provided by maria and michael

did i have a mini meltdown when the honey baked ham company cancelled my order the day of just minutes before pickup when i had placed it a few days in advance? absofuckinglutely. did i pivot and place a new order for sliced pieces instead of having to carve into an entire animal? indeed. did that mean i had not changed or finished my makeup when my friends arrived? you betcha! am i relieved my friends are my chosen family who were down for me to spend the time doing my makeup at my dining room table so i could look remotely together for a few photos? GIRL, YES.

me with maria, brianna and ashley
anthony and me

each person there had met at least one other person before friendsgiving however with me having multiple groups, it is always a roll of the dice when combining this many people. i must be the luckiest girl alive because the evening went seamlessly. whether it was politics, sports, upbringing, holiday plans, parenting, dating or anything else under the sun, the conversations flowed effortlessly and people did not need to agree in order for the conversations to be fruitful. nick had each person go around to say what they were grateful for and asked for people to choose one serious thing and one funny one – the answers are permanently seared into my head and my heart. i feel rich with the people in my orbit. i hope you felt the same way this thanksgiving.

what was your favorite part of november?

xoxo,

k.tap

beach house restaurant – kauai

i am lucky enough to have multiple friends who grew up in kauai so figuring out where to go once on the island was a no brainer. from the views to the cocktails to the cuisine, one of the restaurants at the top of my list was beach house restaurant – kauai.

no ka oi – ocean vodka, thai basil, fresh lime, honey-lilikoi purée
fresh focaccia
poke tacos

the no ka oi was light and subtly sweet with a little punch at the end. i am going to try my hand at recreating it at home. while anj is gluten free, enzo and i aren’t so we enjoyed the focaccia without her. there was no way i was going to be in hawaii and not have fresh fish everywhere we went – the poke tacos were to die for. the wonton shells were light and flaky and the ahi melted like butter.

fish and lobster pasta

for my main course, i had the fish and lobster pasta. i thoroughly enjoyed the freshness of the fish, the buttery lobster, the saltiness of the capers and the delightful sauce. i pretty much never say no to a savory dish. the meal was substantial without me feeling stuffed. there is something great about knowing how the meal we were eating was locally sourced. after dinner, we took a moment to take on the water and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

damn, this view is hard to beat. if you find yourself in kauai, be sure to make a reservation at beach house restaurant – kauai via opentable.

xoxo,

k. tap

the libra club

there were many parts of my trip to kauai that i loved but one that stood out most was my tattoo session with mckenzie. welcome to the libra club.

the libra club magazine
chess + checkers
one of the tattoo stations

hillary, one of my dear friends (and fellow aquarians), knew that i was in the market for a couple of new tattoos. when we were at dinner earlier this summer, she couldn’t rave more about the libra club. the moment i walked in, i understood why. so many tattoo shops i have been to have a vibe that isn’t inviting or comfortable. many of them just seem like they are missing a little something. once inside of the libra club, i realized what was missing – feminine energy.

the libra club is owned by a woman and filled with amazing female artists. the space felt light and safe. it was an added bonus that there was great natural light, a/c on full blast (necessary when battling the hawaii humidity) and plenty of cute things to buy. when it was time to get started, i felt completely at ease. mckenzie, the owner, was my artist. i had sent her some ideas ahead of time but also told her i was open to her putting her own spin on it. i truly couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

compass tattoo with flowers

for anyone that knows me, it is no secret that i view connie (my late grandmother aka grammy) as my compass. i cannot even tell you how many times per week i think about what grammy would say when making a decision – whether it is what throw pillows to get to what advice to give a friend to how to handle conflict at work, she always knew just what to do. with grammy in my heart, my sense of direction is exactly where it needs to be. i cannot thank mckenzie enough for creating something so beautiful to honor the most beautiful person i’ve ever known. if you find yourself in kauai, be sure to visit the libra club.

xoxo,

k. tap

thought of the week: standing in the rain

today is one of my favorite days of the year – it’s my wifey’s birthday!

reens + me

reens (maureen) and i met back in 2013 while working at acura. both of us were pursuing degrees – reens was in undergrad and i was in grad school. we joke around about how i really was not looking for any new friends however with her being just as beautiful inside as she is outside, it was impossible not to fall in love with her. we eventually left acura and stayed in touch throughout. it was an added bonus when we found ourselves working at honda together. it was almost eery to be able to work and communicate so seamlessly with someone – it is like we would read each other’s minds.

as if 25-30 hours a week together at work wasn’t enough, we found ourselves doing weekly wine nights, brunches on weekends we weren’t working and traveling together (including a vegas trip we planned for a dozen people where i was there for less than 12 hours before going back to work 🙃). reens helped plan my surprise going away party in 2017 before i moved back to la and even with me being away from the bay, we didn’t skip a beat. when she left the bay to move to chicago for grad school, we really just showed that long distance is doable if you’re down to do the work. never in a million years did i imagine we would both be back in the bay in our 30s but man – i am so happy we are together again. and yesterday, eight of us got together to celebrate our favorite girl.

birthday brunch for reens!

during brunch, i asked everyone to think about their favorite quality and/or memory of reens they would like to share to commemorate the first 32 years of her life and to usher in a wonderful 33rd year (this was initiated by one of my best friends, theo, at my 34th birthday and it was such an unexpected treat). as the seven of us went around sharing what we loved most about reens, there was definitely some overlap in what was vocalized from what a great host she is to how her smile lights up any space she enters to her unparalleled energy – just to name a few. one of the things that stood out the most to me was the way we each talked about how reens has shown up for each of us without hesitation, even when life was throwing curveballs in her direction. when i came across this quote today, it seemed like it was meant for reens (and for my first blog back in months!):

“its about who stands in the rain with you, when they also have a choice to be dry. remember that.”

be sure you choose people who value reciprocity and who are willing to stand in the rain with you.

happy birthday, wifey! i love you endlessly.

xoxo,

k. tap