Author: keep up with k.tap

vanderpump cocktail garden

over the weekend, i took a much needed road trip to vegas with my mom for an early birthday celebration. on saturday, we were lucky to have hillary join us for the day as we adventured to the most magical place in vegas – the vanderpump cocktail garden.

it is like stepping into the most beautifully lit forest. the experience was outstanding and the garden certainly had the lisa vanderpump touch. an added bonus? i have never seen a more efficient line/check in process. every single person working there was friendly, knowledgeable and aesthetically pleasing. and of course, the food and drinks were to die for.

if you are familiar with villa blanca, you probably already know and love the goat cheese balls. well guess what? you can get them here, too! we also did the crispy chicken sliders and the truffle potato puffs. not only was everything fresh and decadent, it was the perfect size to pair with a cocktail.

speaking of cocktails, our waitress, ashley, was able to answer all of our questions. she also returned in the blink of an eye with the most amazing drinks for us to try. my mom and i both went with the “please her, caesar!” and hilly had the “puff the magic dragon” – both were insanely delicious. my drink was vodka and champagne based while hilly’s drink was mezcal based. there truly is something for everyone.

both ashley and brandon (another employee at the cocktail garden) were just delightful. we felt right at home. when brandon realized he was in the company of a fellow virgo, he asked my mom what her favorite spirit was. when she replied with vodka, he brought these amazing shots for the table with an edible flower that numbs your mouth a bit and enhanced your tastebuds. my mom was SHOOK. she said that in all of her years of drinking, she has never had drinks this delicious or unique.

it was the perfect way to kick off a week of celebrations and we can’t wait to go back.

have you been to the cocktail garden? if so, what did you get?

xoxo,

k. tap

thought of the week: orbit wisely.

happy saturday! i hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend – lord knows i needed it. anyway, on to our thought of the week…

i have found myself being even more protective over my energy this year. it could be because i am 30, it could be because we are in a pandemic or it could be because my career requires me to give quite a bit of myself from both an emotional and mental standpoint.

while i am fortunate to have both quality and quantity in terms of the relationships in my life, i truly believe that the people closest to you serve as mirrors of who you are. i have also found that i often pick up on the energy of those around me. that includes the good, the bad and the ugly. do you find that happens for you?

i discuss this concept with my clients quite a bit. there is nothing wrong with being protective over your energy. in fact, i encourage it. i came across a quote recently that hits the nail on head regarding the people you choose to be around.

“the people you surround yourself with, are like your planets. orbit wisely.” -rachel wolchin

who are you surrounding yourself with? are they giving as much as they are taking? what is your energy like after being with them?

xoxo,

k. tap

thought of the week: there are many ways to be productive

hey lovelies.  it has been a minute since i have posted.  if i am being honest, i have been feeling depleted for a number of reasons.  i have been shitting bricks over the upcoming election, i am back at work full time (and seeing my students be in rough shape after being out of school for so long breaks my heart), the heat and air quality in california has been actual trash, more innocent black men are being killed at the hands of the police and it just seems like the amount of grief, loss and trauma has been immeasurable.

 

i was asked recently how i would describe 2020 in three words.  my answer?  tumultuous, unpredictable relentless.

 

even with those words ringing true for me, i have seen so many people pushing themselves to “be productive” – but what does that mean?  i think there are plenty of ways to be productive.  every person isn’t spending quarantine learning how to cook, sew, start a business or train to be a body builder.  for some, being productive is carving out time to do things that bring you joy or that are good for you.  maybe it is taking a long bath or having a dance party in your living room.  maybe it is is a virtual happy hour or reading a book.  maybe it is organizing a closet or starting a compost bin.  maybe it is nothing at all.

 

that’s right, maybe it is nothing at all.

 

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“note to self: rest is productive. rest is productive. rest is productive. rest is productive. rest is productive. rest is productive.” -wise words from one of my favorite twitter accounts

 

rest, is in fact, productive.  in order to be able to tackle that lengthy to do list or to have energy to take care of ourselves & others, rest is vital.  sometimes, that is exactly what we need.  sometimes, the dishes, dusting and taking out the trash can wait.  the world will not stop spinning if you turn off your alarm clock on your day off work.

 

how do you define productivity?

 

xoxo,

k. tap

thought of the week: when i loved myself enough

in my early 20s, i viewed self love as something that needed to be tackled all at one time. i wondered how so many people seemed to love every single piece of themselves. while going through my counseling psych program and living, learning and loving through my mid 20s, i realized that it is not only a lifelong process – it is something that needs to be done in steps.

have you ever made a to do list with so many action items on it that you just sat the list down and walked far away…to the other side of the room…and snuggled up on your couch/in your bed? that is what would happen when i was trying to figure out how to love myself more. the list seemed too daunting.

what ended up being helpful for me was tackling one thing at a time. i asked myself what truly made me happy. i did an inventory of the things and people in my life where i invested the bulk of my time. i realized anything that wasn’t reciprocal wasn’t healthy. my late 20s were filled with many difficult conversations and come to jesus moments but here is what i can say about 30: i have never felt better about the people in my life, the path i am on in my career, the things i have modified to prioritize my health and the ease i feel when saying no to things/people/situations that don’t suit me.

this quote sums up where i currently am perfectly:

“when i loved myself enough, i began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. this meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits – anything that kept me small. my judgement called it disloyal. now i see it as self-loving.” -kim mcmillen

don’t allow you definition of loyalty to keep you from your healthiest and happiest you.

xoxo,

k. tap

national relaxation day

it is fitting that i am typing this post from an airbnb in indio, ca on national relaxation day. even with us being quarantined, it is still easy to go extended periods of time without carving out specific chunks for relaxation. not only have i been intentional about carving out time, i have been specific about who i spend said time with.

for me, relaxation is about being with people where our relationship is effortless, bubble baths, being in a beautiful space (sometimes, this is improved when i am not at home), enjoying good food and drinks, and waking up without an alarm clock.

what ways do you like to relax/unwind?

xoxo,

k. tap