• About
  • Contact
  • Design Services
  • Dear V
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Amazon Store
  • SHOP MY LTK!
  • Home Youtube
  • Living Youtube
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

House of Valentina

House of Valentina

Designing the art of living

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shop My LTK
  • Amazon Shop
  • Youtube
    • Home Channel
    • Living Channel
  • Recipes

Weekend Pairings: Spiked Espresso Tonic and Out of Africa

March 10, 2023 · In: Cocktails, Travel, Weekend Pairing

I’ve been captivated by Africa ever since I was 4 years old when I met a woman who lived there. The adventures she told me about lit the fire of my dreams to explore Africa for myself. For years and years I collected photos out of National Geographic magazine (I begged for a subscription every year for my birthday!) and filled my walls with images of giraffe and monkeys and my personal favorite, the lioness with her cubs!

My parents, realizing I was hooked, let me borrow a copy of Out of Africa from Blockbuster. It was one of the first movies that ever made me cry. I didn’t even know that Meryl Streep and Robert Redford were considered handsome or famous. To me, they were my heroes, and I felt their love and their grief as if it was my own.

My dreams shifted quickly from merely hoping to visit to wanting to move to Africa. After traveling to South Africa when I was 16 and going on a safari, I was utterly HOOKED! Seeing lions and zebra and wildebeest in real life was everything I imagined it would be and more! A few years later I found myself living in North Africa, sipping mint tea and riding camels. And do you know what the craziest part of it was? It was just as wild and exotic and intoxicating as the movies!

This weekend we are packing for our trip back to Africa (after moving away 12 years ago!!). It is such a big moment so I decided to make even the prep an adventure and wanted to invite you into the fun! I will be curling up in bed and watching Out of Africa. I’ve got a spiked espresso tonic and hazelnut bon bons on the agenda as well! So cheers! Cheers to the weekend and to celebrating living our dreams… African-style!

SHOP THE LOOK

No related posts.

By: Valentina Fussell · In: Cocktails, Travel, Weekend Pairing · Tagged: interior designer, Travel

Join our newsletter.

Sign up to receive designer tips and tricks, shopping guides, and more.

Some of the links above are affiliate links, this just means I receive a small percentage of commission and it doesn’t cost you any more on your possible purchases. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

My Spring Break Swimwear Checklist

Primary Sidebar

Connect

Search

Featured Posts

Our New Series Premiere!

Join our newsletter

  • Gift Guides
  • Interior Design
  • Fashion
  • Travel
  • Entertaining
  • Weekend Guide

Archives

Follow Along

@thehouseofvalentina

Yayyyy! Our new home design show is premiering ton Yayyyy! Our new home design show is premiering tonight on Amazon Live!! Watch my brand new Amazon Live series, Lakeside Luxe for Less with House of Valentina on your TV, TONIGHT at 8 PM eastern on the Amazon Live Channel on Prime Video.

On your TV open the Prime Video app and search “Amazon Live”
I’m so excited!!!! My new show #LakesideLuxeForL I’m so excited!!!! My new show #LakesideLuxeForLess is coming to @amazonlive on Thursday October 9 at 8pm ET! Get ready for budget-friendly luxury design tips, family moments, and of course - amazing Amazon finds ✨ Search ‘Amazon Live’ on Prime Video to tune in!
Eeeekkkk!!! The HOLIDAY shop is open on AMAZON and Eeeekkkk!!! The HOLIDAY shop is open on AMAZON and it’s packed with stunning but budget friendly finds!!! Why not make this the best Christmas yet?! 👏🏽 🎄 ✨ 

Comment HOLIDAY to get the links!! 

#houseofvalentina #amazonhome #christmasdecor #amazonchristmas #christmasiscoming #christmastree #christmasdecorations #amazonfinds #viral #viralreels #viralproducts #amazondeals @thehouseofvalentinaliving @amazonlive @amazonhome @amazon @thehouseofvalentina
😭😭it’s just so good! 🍂 🎃 🐶 Comm 😭😭it’s just so good! 🍂 🎃 🐶 

Comment FALL to get the links! (& find more inspo!) 

Guys!! I’m so happy right now I’m about to cry! The cuteness factor is off the charts!! I’m so excited to see our vision for our fall porch come together complete with pumpkins from the pumpkin patch!! 

And can we talk about Louis in his adorable fall sweater?! And the wreaths (they are faux!!!) and the lanterns and the flickering pumpkins?!!! 

If you could die from cuteness overload I’d be a goner! Hahaha but thankfully it looks like I’ll be holding on for a few more days and greeting our kids as they come home for fall here and it won’t be long and this will be getting a little Halloween overlay for trick or treaters! 

To me, these are the greatest moments of life. Creating a home that says “welcome home!” I hope in our own little way we can inspire you as well! As always, sending so much love from our home to yours! XxV

#houseofvalentina #fallhome #fall #fall2025 #fallporch #falldecor #falldecorations #potterybarn #crateandbarrel @potterybarn @crateandbarrel #potterybarnstyle #amazon #amazonfinds #amazonhome @thehouseofvalentinaliving @thehouseofvalentina
Eeeekkk! I’m soaking in all the heavenly feeling Eeeekkk! I’m soaking in all the heavenly feelings of Fall!! 🍂 

Comment FALL to shop our fall faves!!

#houseofvalentina #fall #falldecor #fallvibes #falldecorations #falldecorating #autumn #autumnstyle #autumnhome #autumndecor @thehouseofvalentinaliving @thehouseofvalentina

Footer

  • Shop My Faves
  • Youtube
  • Patreon
  • Design Services
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Some of the links above are affiliate links, this just means I receive a small percentage of commission and it doesn’t cost you any more on your possible purchases. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · Theme by 17th Avenue

We use cookies to provide you with a great user experience. By using our website, you accept our use of cookies.