A few of my latest articles

I know I said that I’d post every week in 2014. Well, it’s the 3rd week and I’ve yet to write a second post. Whoops! That’s why it’s a goal, right?

It’s been busy, I won’t lie. I’m trying to work smarter (and not longer), but that’s a struggle. There are days when all I want to do is just lie down on the couch and Netflix-binge.

But, in case you’re curious, I have been writing, just elsewhere.

For work, I have the terrible “work” of having to interview roasters and write about them. My two recent interviews have been by Skype and in-person. Each time I conduct the interviews, I realize how lucky I am to be in such a considerate, community-oriented industry. We have some pretty cool people in coffee.

Barefoot Coffee was one of the interviews I got to conduct for work. The roaster was a blast to converse with via Skype and I really can’t wait to meet him in-person.

Located in sunny San Jose, California and in operation for a decade, Barefoot Coffee is recognized as an innovator in the specialty coffee industry. Barefoot also follows a Direct Trade model, where they commit to paying their producers “at least 25% more than Fair Trade price and ensure they are treated fairly.”

My second interview for work was with Passion House Coffee Roasters and it was a bunch of fun interviewing friends. Shannon has been an influencer in my career and it was an honor being able to showcase her roasting skills through my job.

Passion House, as the name implies, was born out of a passion for coffee. “We love what we do, all we want to do is share that with other people,” says Joshua Millman, the founder, roaster, account manager, and customer service manager of Passion House. This same passion is reflected in their coffee and approach to to customer education.

On The Urbaness, one of my favorite Chicago lifestyle blogs, I was asked to write up a guide on coffee shops in the city. I had the freedom to choose the angle and I decided to go for community involvement, which does knock out a few of my favorite shops. There are enough “Top 10 Coffee Shops in the City” lists out there that I thought approaching it from the community angle would be more interesting.

Sipping her way through the city—from Rogers Park to Bridgeport—Jenn highlights seven Chicago shops that go beyond ordinary coffee brewing. Consider each of Jenn’s picks a touchstone—an inviting place you can return to when you need comfort, warmth, or simple sustenance. These shops enrich the neighborhoods that surround them, fostering art and community, and acting as the beating heart of the neighborhood.