silence is golden

This past week I took a vacation with my family for my grandparents fiftieth wedding anniversary. There were thirty-seven of us and to say it was crazy is an understatement. Being one of the oldest of the grandchildren, I can say I have seen the evolvement of my family. One thing I have observed, and this vacation confirmed, is that silence is golden!

Cruisin'

With summer almost among us, there is one thing on everyone's mind...VACATION! It is such a wonderful time to get away and allow yourself to unplug and let go of deadlines. While I love going on vacation, I know i'm not alone when I say I absolutely dread packing. I am currently in the middle of packing and I have realized the terrible truth; I have planned way too many outfits. So, I have made a helpful packing guide that will hopefully ease your packing anxieties (mine too).

but first health

One of my favorite things in the world is maintaining a healthy lifestyle! I love all things fitness, clean eating, and overall health. Durning the summer months it is so much easier to be active because the days are longer and the weather is just perfect.

Authenticity

authenticity:

noun
1.     the quality of being authentic; genuineness

              

As I have grown older I have discovered the importance of living an authentic life. There is something so great about being around a person who lives according to who they truly are. Their eyes sparkle just little bit more, their smile is bigger, and their entire being is so inviting. But what does it mean to live an authentic life?

N7

PC: DevonVP

Small coffeeshops are all the rage lately, don't get me wrong I love my Starbucks and CoffeeBean, but there is something so great about a cozy café! When I first visited N7 Creamery I knew it wasn't like other shops. From their amazing (creamy) ice cream to their delicious Stumptown coffee, it definitely made it to the hotspot list for many SoCal residents including myself.

Trendy Thursdays

Thursday is my absolute favorite day of the week. The anticipation of the weekend and knowing a long week will soon come to an end is so comforting to me. I adore fashion and all things trending so I thought what better way to praise that than dedicating a whole day to it on my blog!

Today's topic is Summer trends....specifically the Hippy Trend (my favorite)

There is no better way to freshen up a wardrobe than picking up a few trending pieces. Summer is the most minimalistic season so it is easy to gather a few key pieces that will completely revamp your wardrobe! A trend that is appearing everywhere is the beloved Hippy trend. I adore this look and with these few key pieces you are bound to be trending.

1. Maxi Skirt or Dress

The simpler the style, the easier it is to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe. While this style is not new, it definitely is a gateway to bohemian fashion.

This particular dress from Asos (Elise Ryan Ruched Maxi Dress) is simple enough to be able to adapt to whatever your style may be.

Urth Caffe

In this sudden heat wave that struck SoCal, nothing sounded better than a nice early trip to Urth Caffe.A time to converse with friends is sometimes all that is needed when you feel a need to reboot. During summer I get feelings of doing nothing more often than not and its easy for me to become attached to the feeling of being alone and it is difficult to reach out to friends I haven't seen for a few weeks. Forcing myself to go spend time with my best friend of 12 years, despite the heat, was well worth it and it reminds me the importance of keeping close friends nearby.

I also tried their yogurt parfait for the first time and I must say it was absolutely delicious and refreshing, topped with a squeeze of orange juice. Alongside I also ordered their Italian Cappuccino (my personal favorite) and their amazing Pistachio Croissant.

Delicious breakfast with great company is the recipe for a perfect day!

Italian Cappuccino

Yogurt Parfait

-Val

Life is just a classroom

They say the hardest part is starting. That is precisely how I feel right now as I am sitting pondering how I should begin this blog post...my first blog post ever! I have so many ideas yet none are coming to mind right now. I guess I should start with what I want my blog to be. "Cup of Val" originated not only because I love tea/coffee and my name is Val (short for Valerie) but rather the feelings I get when I sit and drink my cup of tea or coffee. A sense of warmth, peace, and longing for the day ahead or reflecting on the day just passed. Writing this post right now is giving me those feelings, so I know i'm on the right track. As I have thought long and hard about this for a few weeks I finally decided I want to write about life and the different perspectives i'm exposed to daily. I'm going to use this blog as an outlet for all the new adventures I encounter as well as a way to express my thoughts in more creative ways. I hope all who read this will follow me on this new and exciting journey! Life is just a classroom and I am ready to write all about it.

- Val