Author: keep up with k.tap

perch

being that i work somewhere that often requires me to see clients back to back to back, there are times where i do not go outside for seven hours at a time.  with that being said, there are few things that compare to having a great meal and some pretty cocktails with a view with people who started off as coworkers and have become some of my closest friends.  if you haven’t already been, you have to add this place to your list of places to go in downtown la – perch.

 

prior to today, i had only been to perch in the evenings.  at night, the vibe is dark and sultry.  seeing it during the day presented an entirely different vibe – it was warm and inviting.  my girls and i sat outside on the covered terrace for brunch and started with some cocktails.

 

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the berry la was pretty much made for me.  it had vodka, st. germaine, berries, lemon and rose and is light, subtly sweet and refreshing.  both amanda and rebecca started off with the penthouse passion which is tequila based with mint, lime and passion fruit puree and described it as tart with a little kick at the end.  we also ordered a bottle of the poema cava brut and i just decided to keep my first glass with the ice and berries because it was getting a little toasty on the terrace + because i love fruit that has been sitting in bubbles.  is there anything better?

 

we shared the baked brie and it did not disappoint, especially with the freshness of the apple pecan slaw.

 

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their take on huevos rancheros was beautifully plated and thoroughly enjoyed by amanda.

 

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i am a sucker for a burger at brunch so i had to try it.  the burger was so juicy and who doesn’t love gruyere cheese and a fried egg?  because i am obsessed with avocado, i had them add it.  the burger is served with fries or a salad – i am going to keep it 100, i pretty much never say no to fries.   i have no regrets whatsoever.

 

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instead of dessert, we opted for another cocktail.  this is easily one of the best drinks i have ever had.  as a blogger, i found it both hilarious and ironic that it is called writers block.  it has grey goose la poire vodka, st. germain, lemon and sparkling wine.  absolutely delicious.

 

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once we wrapped up the eating portion, we headed to the rooftop and met easily the most hilarious security guard i have ever encountered in life.  he also took like 15 pictures of us from various angles when we asked for one which made me so happy because i love an option but don’t want to be the annoying customer that is like, “can we please get some standing shots as well?”  it was such a clear day and the views were gorgeous.

 

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whether you go during the day for brunch, at night for dinner or just to the rooftop at any time for cocktails, this place is an absolute must.

 

i wouldn’t go without a reservation but opentable makes that ridiculously easy.

 

have you been to perch?  what’s your favorite dish on the menu?  and more importantly, your favorite cocktail?

 

xoxo,

k. tap

sol body

there is nothing like a 96 degree day to make you want to show a little extra skin. and while i know i’ve talked about my summer skincare essentials i have yet to introduce you to sol body.

as if i wasn’t already obsessing enough over colourpop cosmetics, these sol body shimmering dry oils have me shook. they have the perfect amount of glitter and shimmer to highlight or apply on any part of your body without leaving a gross residue or making you look shiny/greasy. while it can be worked in with your fingertips, the sol body kabuki brush makes it exponentially easier, feels great against the skin and then you do not have to deal with getting the product off your fingertips afterwards.

pictured above is the “warm gold” which honestly would look good on any skin tone. i can say this confidently because my friend stephanie and i can’t typically share makeup meant for skin because i am a dark skinned black girl and she is a fair skinned white girl. somehow, sol body was the exception.

with my off the shoulder dress showing a bit more skin than i do day to day, it was great to have a little glow. i felt perfectly sun kissed .

do you own any of the sol body shimmering dry oils? if so, which one is your favorite?

enjoy the long weekend!

xoxo,

k. tap

thought of the week: be courageous

for as long as i could remember, my mom has always told my brother and i that “a closed mouth doesn’t get fed.  what’s the worst they can say? ‘no?'”

 

as a teen, i hated hearing it, especially because i did not think she was cognizant of what she was actually asking me to do.  in my early 20s, i hated that i was then cognizant of how right she was.  in my mid 20s, i hated how uncomfortable it felt to vocalize my needs.  and now, in my late 20s?  i hate how long it took me to sack up and just be courageous.

 

while courage may look different to each person, the definition merriam-webster provides is: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.

 

2019 has been full of courageous moments for me.  there have been plenty of times this year where i have been perplexed by how i have accomplished some of the most extraordinary things in my life thus far.  it was as though my friend michelle and i were communicating telepathically.  she reposted this quote from shay mitchell’s page (by the way, go binge watch “you” on netflix immediately – season one was to die for and i am pumped for season two to drop) and it explained so much of my 2019.

 

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“you get in life what you have the courage to ask for”

 

it is simple. it is to the point.  it could easily be my motto for 2019.

 

this year, i have accomplished quite a bit but so much of that required both vulnerability and courage.  i no longer think of asking for help as a sign of weakness – i view it as a sign of strength to be able to articulate each of my needs unapologetically.

 

this year:

i asked for help from multiple people to launch my blog and now, i just celebrated 100 posts.

i demanded respect from all people in my life (if they plan on staying in it) regardless of whether or not we share a bloodline and as a result, my relationships with my family and friends have improved but most importantly, my relationship with myself has improved.

i asked for friends to show up for me in ways that would feel good for me, especially when going through grief, loss or trauma and i swear to you, it has restored my faith in humanity.

i asked my grammy for guidance in some difficult situations and can feel her steering me in the right direction even without her being physically present.

i asked a few of the healthiest people i know what tips they would have for me to lead a healthier lifestyle and i have seen slow and steady results while feeling supported the entire way.

 

here’s the thing: none of those things would have been accomplished if i did not ask.  it was not luck or coincidence that got me to this point in 2019, it was courage.

 

what are you going to have the courage to ask for before 2019 is over?  just remember, you deserve it.

 

xoxo,

k. tap

 

#100

#100.

 

100 posts.

 

it is crazy to think about how long it took me to get this blog going, especially because once i got started, it seemed to move at the speed of lightening.

 

whether you have been reading since my very first post, came in somewhere around the middle to read about my love for this year’s coachella or if today is your very first glance, i want to thank you for reading along + for tuning into my monthly questions with k. tap on instagram live.

 

i have learned a great deal about myself during 2019 and one of the biggest lessons was as a result of me starting this blog: i have decided to no longer wait until i feel ready to embark on a journey that could be magical because the reality is that i may never feel ready and i sure as hell don’t want to miss the magic.

 

this blog feels like my very own baby because it is the first thing i have done in life that belongs entirely to me and is being done just for me.  there are 100 posts with me keeping it completely 100.  there is something so refreshing, authentic, freeing and beautiful about being able to say that with confidence and certainty.

 

i have astounded myself with how my vulnerability through this blog has translated into so many of my relationships with family and friends day to day.  i have also been taken aback in the best way by how vulnerable so many of you have been with me after reading a post that just tugged at your heartstrings.  i really could not be more grateful.

 

i can’t wait for the next 100 and hope you will keep following this journey of mine.

 

with love,

k. tap

 

 

summer skincare essentials

this summer (up until about two weeks ago), i had the luxury of having almost two months off from work.  it was totally rejuvenating to be able to spend time resting, working out, blogging, traveling and just being.  there is something so peaceful about waking up once i feel rested versus waking up to the sound of a blaring alarm clock.

 

many of my workouts this summer were spent outside.  while i typically gravitate towards cycling or a barre class, this summer, i swam every week.  i have always loved the water and it is the perfect workout for a plus sized girl like me because it is low impact while also getting in some activity that uses all parts of the body.  i have a confession to make: i was often doing these workouts with no sunscreen.

 

admittedly, i am one of those women that was fortunate enough to have a pretty low maintenance skincare routine.  i had pretty bad acne as an adolescent and my dad made it his mission to get that shit under control with facials multiple times a month and every dermologica product under the sun.  by the time i was an adult, i was able to just maintain my skin versus having to put in major work to get it to where i wanted.  with that being said, i am turning 30 and have become aware that i can’t have a low maintenance (or nonexistent) routine forever.  i have noticed shifts in my skin in the last year that never happened before, including being more susceptible to sunburn and some dry patches on my face.

 

so here is where my summer skincare essentials came in to save the day (and my face/neck):

 

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ironically, both of these products were gifted to me by friends from high school.  perhaps, we are all becoming more aware of the importance of skincare now that we are all turning 30.

 

the gratitude face serum by zatik was in my love goodly box that i posted about a few months back.  little did i know that it would change my entire skin care routine.  it not only softens my skin and helps with lines/wrinkles, it hydrates my skin.  that is exactly what i need and it doesn’t require a trillion steps.  i am not a morning person so whatever my skincare routine includes cannot take 30 minutes – i am looking for something quick, easy and effective.  i have noticed how much more even my complexion looks after adding this to my daily routine.  over the last few days, i have also started using it at night before bed.  it is light, smells good and i appreciate that it is cruelty free.  special shout out to nicole for improving my life quality with this amazing serum.

 

now, carolynn is my friend that spends the most time in the sun.  so naturally, she is the person that gets on my case the most about not wearing sunscreen.  i explained all of the reasons why i hate it – from it leaving a weird residue on my skin, to making me look chalky, to having a weird scent, to not layering well with my makeup.  she made it her mission to not only find a sunscreen for me but research several that would work well for black women.  the next time i went to her house, i had my own bottle of sunscreen waiting for me.  let me introduce you to supergoop!

 

it is light, colorless, odorless and actually has the exact same consistency of the smashbox primer that i use on any day i have makeup on.  while i have not done this yet, many reviewers said they have gotten rid of their primers all together and use this instead.  all i know is that i have never looked forward to putting on sunscreen and i have never forgotten that i had it on.  it is clearly called the unseen sunscreen for a reason.

 

while i may have a bit of an advantage with skincare thanks to my black ancestors, i know that as i get older, neglecting my skin just isn’t an option.  i could not recommend these two products more.

 

what are some of your favorite skincare products?

 

xoxo,

k. tap