Tag: support small business

verde supper club

there is something so beautiful about seeing someone you love pursue something that sets their soul on fire. that is precisely how i felt when dana told me she was going to start a supper club. that is how verde supper club came to be.

when i first met dana, we were in undergrad at scu and she and i shared many mutual friends from her sorority. she was the baby of our group but a piece of her always felt like home. it might have had something to do with us both being la girls or maybe it was that we both shared a love for bringing people together around great food. whatever the case, we have been friends since that very first dinner party back in 2010. i still rave about her mashed potatoes and dana has always loved my mac and cheese. while we both work in our respective fields, we wouldn’t be us if we went pursuing things we were passionate about outside of work. for me, it is this blog. for dana, it is her supper club.

verde supper club is an intimate multi course dining experience with wine pairings. even with me not knowing a single diner, i had the best time. each supper club is held at a different location but all in the bay area (at least for the time being). there was something about it that felt both cozy and airy.

now, let’s dive into the menu.

verde supper club menu

i have to be honest – i was too caught up in conversation to take a photo of the amuse bouche but that doesn’t believe that i did not thoroughly enjoy two piping hot spam musubi bites with sriracha mayo and furikake. for many of us, it was this nostalgic treat – for me, it instantly took me to hawaii; for one of the great people i met, it reminded him of his childhood (as his mom prepared this for him and his siblings). initially, i thought french 76 was a misprint but it was their delightful take on a french 75 with an added mystery ingredient. it did not disappoint!

for our first course, we had hamachi carpaccio. i am a seafood snob – trust me when i tell you this hamachi melted in my mouth like butter! it was served with one of the best white wines i have had in a long time – leo steen chenin blanc 2020. i will be ordering a case before my next dinner party.

first course

next, we had a crab and corn enchilada with this flavor packed green chile sauce and a crema drizzle. multiple people at our table commented on how they had never had a crab enchilada and loved how much crab was stuffed into the tortilla. growing up in southern california, i often seek out crab enchiladas at mexican restaurants. this one stood up as a solid competitor against any crab enchilada i’d previously had. at this point of the night, i wondered if the menu had been created especially for me. dinner could’ve been over and i would’ve been satisfied – lucky for me, it wasn’t. the daou chardonnay the enchilada was paired with complimented it perfectly.

second course

what i loved most about our third course is that it is not an item i would have ordered if i read it on a menu at a restaurant. after the very first bite, i knew i would have been gravely mistaken. the smoked maitake mushroom reuben with beet brined sauerkraut was NEXT LEVEL. the stunning presentation and the variety of textures alone were enough for me to want to have this for lunch daily. i certainly will be asking dana how she prepared this. with the heatwave we’ve been having, this would be the perfect meal on a hot day. and the marine layer pinot noir it was served with? *chef’s kiss*

third course

i wondered if it could get any better than our third course and was assured it could once i had the first bite of lamb with the creamy goat cheese polenta. the orin swift cabernet sauvignon was one i knew i needed to commit to memory because my brother lives for full bodied cab and this was just that.

fourth course

i thought i might not have room for dessert but once i realized it was a cherry cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream, i quickly changed my tune. cherries don’t tend to be a fruit i seek out in desserts – i favor berries, lemons and peaches. after this dinner, my mind has been changed.

dessert

at no point did i want to add a dash of salt, pepper or any condiment whatsoever. dana found a way to make every single bite perfect from start to finish. there was something particularly special about our dinner having so many locally sourced and in season ingredients. it was abundantly clear that every dish was made with love.

while at the beginning phases, there typically are not repeat customers, i am eager to convince dana to let me bring out of town guests to the next supper club. it is something i think every foodie should experience at some point in their lives.

with dana’s birthday being on september 5th, it seemed fitting to introduce you all to her baby, verde supper club. dana – you amaze me regularly. i am incredibly proud of you and my love for you is endless.

xoxo,

k. tap

beautiful boards by drew

yesterday, we celebrated my godsister’s birthday. while we started on the rooftop of ballast point in long beach, we knew ahead of time that we would want to enjoy some time at the beach. in trying to think about what snacks to bring that would be equal parts delicious, beautiful and easy to transport, there was a clear answer: drew’s boards.

i mean, come on. can we just take a moment to appreciate the vibrant colors and the variety of options?

the boards were so beautiful that initially, no one wanted to eat them. everyone was able to get over that eventually because who could resist? there were multiple meats, cheeses, veggies, fruit, honeys, jams and nuts. the variety of crackers and baguettes were amazing. drew also included disposable tongs and forks for the boards because he knew we would be at the beach. he truly thought of everything.

*it was quite windy so we had to weigh down the lids with wine stoppers, plates and utensils

whether you are doing a girls night in, a date night, a beach day, hosting a party or a picnic in the park, these boards are perfect for every occasion. they are totally customizable and priced based on the number of people being fed. i already asked drew if he’d be willing to do a board or two for my coachella group this spring.

you can find drew’s beautiful boards on instagram here.

xoxo,

k. tap

beautiful boards by drew

yesterday, we celebrated my godsister’s birthday. while we started on the rooftop of ballast point in long beach, we knew ahead of time that we would want to enjoy some time at the beach. in trying to think about what snacks to bring that would be equal parts delicious, beautiful and easy to transport, there was a clear answer: drew’s boards.

i mean, come on. can we just take a moment to appreciate the vibrant colors and the variety of options?

the boards were so beautiful that initially, no one wanted to eat them. everyone was able to get over that eventually because who could resist? there were multiple meats, cheeses, veggies, fruit, honeys, jams and nuts. the variety of crackers and baguettes were amazing. drew also included disposable tongs and forks for the boards because he knew we would be at the beach. he truly thought of everything.

*it was quite windy so we had to weigh down the lids with wine stoppers, plates and utensils

whether you are doing a girls night in, a date night, a beach day, hosting a party or a picnic in the park, these boards are perfect for every occasion. they are totally customizable and priced based on the number of people being fed. i already asked drew if he’d be willing to do a board or two for my coachella group this spring.

you can find drew’s beautiful boards on instagram here.

xoxo,

k. tap

aïya candle co.

because you deserve nice things…

have you ever cheered at the top of your lungs for someone you’d never met? that was me when hayet rida announced she was making her very own luxury candle. you all know how i feel about supporting small businesses, especially ones operated by black women. it was a no brainer. i immediately figured out how to preorder. before i even knew what the scent was, i knew i wanted to support her and my gut told me it would be a phenomenal scent. hayet embodies all things a rich auntie would vibe wise so i knew this candle wouldn’t disappoint. meet aïya candle co.

as soon as the box arrived, it was like christmas. i care about attention to detail and clearly, hayet does, too. from the moment i opened the box, it smelled like i walked through a rose garden in full bloom. from the colors to the handwritten thank you note to the white marble and gold snuffer, i was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. my only regret was not ordering two candles from then beginning. you can visit aïya candle co. here.

at the end of a work day, i am eager to create separation between work and relaxation. there are a few things i do as soon as i get home. i take off my shoes at the bottom of my staircase. i strip off whatever clothes i wore to the office. i immediately throw on an oversized shirt snd boxers or boy shorts. i grab one of three beverages (water, sparkling water, wine). and lastly, i light a candle. there is something about it that is both therapeutic and flips the work switch in my head off. do you have any rituals like this?

hayet graciously replied to a dm i sent her over the weekend regarding the next drop. she said while the release date is a secret, it is sooner than you think. pro tip: the best way to track it would be to follow both hayet and aïya candle co. on the gram. i even set alarms when she is launching different items since we are on different time zones (she is chicago based).

i have been drawn to hayet’s authenticity, her unapologetic evolution and her hustle since the first time i came across her instagram a couple of years ago. the older i get, the more particular i am about what i am taking in – that includes who i follow on social media. hayet is constantly dropping golden nuggets of wisdom and has a smile that can light up a room. with me working in mental health, i find myself drawn to people that don’t stray away from the complicated shit. hayet is a real one.

the candle being lit for 30 minutes has totally transformed my bedroom. hayet is working on a second scent. i not only want more of this candle but i know i will be ordering multiple when the second scent is released.

what is your favorite fragrance?

xoxo,

k. tap

never say no to napa!

back in early november, ibi and i made plans to do a quick getaway to napa during the last weekend of january. we had busted our butts in 2020 in ways we didn’t know possible so it was time to let our hair down and celebrate. little did we know that even outdoor options in napa would close shortly thereafter. we were bummed but determined to see one another. lucky for us, on the last monday of january, napa announced they’d be reopening starting that friday. it was official – napa was back on and we were pumped. i quickly rebooked all of our reservations. the first stop? brunch at celadon.

this wasn’t my first trip to celadon and it certainly won’t be my last. we started off the day with peach bellinis. because i knew we would do a little nibbling at the wineries, i wanted to keep this meal a bit lighter. a half caesar with avocado and their calamari (that comes with this delightful chipotle chili and honey glaze) hit the spot.

we realized we were ahead of schedule for our reservation at domaine carneros so we pit stopped at madonna estate. ibi loves a good pinot noir and they have one of my favorites. unfortunately, it was reservation only to be mindful of numbers due to covid. however, when bob realized it was me (i have visited quite a number of times, including in november for kendall’s birthday), he graciously accommodated us. i was sure to tell him we didn’t need a formal tasting – a bottle of pinot noir and a couple of glasses would do the trick. i knew i was going to be seeing marilena the next day for coffee so i picked her up a bottle of their rosé – it’s made with a pinot grape and is subtly sweet. our visit to madonna was short and sweet. i made sure to set an alarm so we weren’t late to our reservation at domaine carneros. with ibi and i both loving bubbles as much as we do, i couldn’t wait to take her. the weather was absolutely perfect!

the tent definitely helped to shield us from the wind and the heat lamps were an added bonus. our sparkling flights refreshing and paired perfectly with our charcuterie boards. before we knew it, we had been there for 2.5 hours!

we were excited to check into our hotel. neither of us had ever stayed at the archer but between recommendations and reviews, i couldn’t wait to check it out! something that really appealed to me (outside of its beauty and central location) is the idea of the double rooms coming with two cal king beds. talk about perfect for girls trip. while there were only two of us, four could have definitely stayed comfortably. there were so many great touches from cute slippers to tasty caramels to high end toiletries to a wine fridge. the list is truly endless. we will certainly be back again.

before even solidifying our hotel choice, i had made us a dinner reservation at this italian restaurant – ristorante allegria. at domaine, our server recommended the mushroom ravioli and i did exactly what he said. i had zero regrets.

if you are headed to napa, call ahead or use open table to make reservations. it will make it substantially easier. the most important thing, however, is your company – ibi and i laughed, cried and laughed so hard that we cried. there is nothing better than feeling reinvigorated after a trip.

what way are you going to treat yourself this month?

xoxo,

k. tap