Venus Lau is a mindful movement coach, fitness trainer, Reebok model, and the creator of Strength + Flow online workout program. She helps people connect to their bodies with intentional movements, and guides them through creating healthy lifestyle habits to achieve any goal, whether it’s in the body, mind, or soul. Located in Los Angeles, California, she has been training clients since 2007.

So what does this have to do with Quady Wines? Well, we caught up with Venus recently to hear her approach to finding balance in your life, and your summer cocktails!

On living her best life:

As a kid, I played every sport available and even got my own gym membership at the age of 13. My parents would drop me off, and I’d pull out the latest fitness magazine workouts and get my pump on at the gym, haha. The sports I focused on were swimming (competitive for seven years) and golf (played NCAA Division-1 at Baylor University).

Unfortunately, I lost both of my parents to cancer in 2001 and 2005. This tragedy taught me more than a fair share of life lessons, including that what’s essential in life is balance and loving your body, mind, and soul. So I made my love of fitness a reality and became a personal trainer to energize and “awesome-ize” others. Yes, it sucks that I lost both of my parents to cancer, but loss is part of all of our stories. It led me to find compassion and vulnerability to be the characteristics I value most, and I’m continually understanding that. I don’t always say what people want to hear, but I always speak my truth.

This is what balance is all about: looking at the positives throughout the hardship, finding the things you love and shaping your life around them.

On healthy lifestyle choices:

When it comes to lifestyle choices, I believe in everything in moderation. Whether it is the workout itself, how we deal with things mentally, or how we destress; that mind-body balance is essential. I take this same approach when making a cocktail, and you don’t need to go overboard with the liquor. Just find great ingredients, mix them up, and enjoy!

On her favorite summer cocktail:

Mango, basil, and Vya Whisper Dry Vermouth, ahh yes! This combination makes a fabulous cocktail. When I am done with a workout, this is the summer cocktail I like to indulge in. The sweetness of the mango, in combination with the earthiness of the basil, is fantastic. Bring it all together with that Vya, and you now have that crispness as well. Vya Vermouth is an excellent base, and using this vermouth instead of liquor in my summer cocktails helps to keep my alcohol and sugar intake down. I enjoy this summer cocktail whenever I want to relax and unwind for the night at home.

Try Venus Lau’s favorite recipe:

Mango 2B Fab

Ingredients:

3 oz. Vya Whisper Dry Vermouth
Fresh mango juice
Garnish: Basil leaf and a hibiscus flower

Preparation:

Pour Vya Whisper Dry Vermouth into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with mango juice. Slap a basil leaf and use as garnish, along with a hibiscus flower.

Find more fabulous summer cocktails on the Quady cocktail page. Keep up with Venus Lau on Instagram @Venus2bfab or join her in a workout on her youtube channel!