Suding//Murphy, a real estate firm, had Welcome pop-up for a broker's caravan at The Knoll - a beautiful development designed by Edwards and Plunkett (the guys responsible for the Arlington Theatre). The cart looked like she belonged, perched in front of the mansion on top of the hill next to beautiful redwood trees. I brought mini croissants and blueberry almond scones from my FAVORITE bakery in town called Deux Bakery. Bernie the Frenchie, the manor mascot, was there to provide cuteness and comfort. #puppiesandcoffee
Homespun at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm
Dos Pueblos has become an amazing event center for artisan pop-ups within the past couple of years. With greenhouses scattered on the property, there are many beautiful spaces to hold fun events in. Homespun has become an annual twice a year event. I was invited to do the coffee at Homespun this time around. I teamed up with Dart Coffee, a local roaster from the Funk Zone. They gave out samples while I pulled shots. As always, it was a fun collaboration with those guys.
Echo Park Craft Fair
Canyon Coffee and Welcome teamed up again for another weekend of LA festivals. It was a huge turn out in Silverlake, with all sorts of talented artists bringing authentic and unique goods to sell. As soon as the machine (Fran) was turned on we had a line non-stop the entire day. Leaving us very little time to hydrate/eat/go to the bathroom. But we LOVED it. It's great to see people excited about what we have to offer; teaming up with MOON JUICE to make Sex Dust and Brain Dust Lattes. And ZenBunni for Hot Cocoas and Mochas. The BEST part about our collaboration was teaming up with EMK Ceramics and selling the beautiful thrown mugs she made.
Art and Hot Cocoa
My partners-in-coffee and I teamed up for another front yard hang out in the Funk Zone for an artist's open house. Dart Coffee, Welcome Coffee, and Carter Paul Wines came together to show the guests our coffee roasting process, while I was making gourmet hot chocolates. Carter was pouring his tasty wine and (secret menu) moonshine as well. Too much fun!
Saving the World...with Espresso
I would like to think that the caffeine I'm providing is going to help stimulate saving the world. I had the honor to be involved in an incredible gathering of 150 people from all over the world: scientists, philanthropists, inventors, artists, policy makers, business leaders, engineers, and more. They met in Santa Barbara following a speech given by General Wesley Clark at the Granada, to discuss their ideas on how they can implement policy change to stop global warming.
Ballerinas and Coffee
I had the pleasure of popping up at the Santa Monica Broad stage for the 44th Annual Nutcracker from The Westide Ballet. Many hot chocolates were made for the kids. The parents loved having the option for a good coffee to sip on. Caffe Luxxe provided the beans for me to serve. Overall, it was a fun weekend to be a part of such a legendary event.
Mercado Sagrado in Topanga Canyon
Welcome did a collaboration with Canyon Coffee, an adorable and talented pair from Santa Monica who roast and distribute their coffee beans all around LA. So it was the 3 of us taking on an entire festival. There was a non stop line both days for a consistent 8 hours straight. We teamed up with Moon Juice to provide "Ayurvedic Lattes" to the crowd which we called "Sex Dust and Brain Dust Lattes". Everyone LOVED it.
A Beverly Hills Wedding
I team up with Caffe Luxxe and attend events on their behalf. For this event, I got to make coffee for Natalia and Eric. Natalia is obsessed with Caffe Luxxe, and really wanted to have their coffee at her wedding reception. The party was held at the GORGEOUS Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills.
Educating about the Coffee Industry
I was the guest speaker for Rad Night, an all women event held once a month at Muni Wine in Santa Barbara. Every month a guest speaker presents their expertise and knowledge about what they do. I gave a powerpoint about the coffee industry and set up a "cupping" contest.
“We began Rad Night because we wanted to create a space and time for women of all ages, interests, and lifestyles to come together to learn, create, or experience something,” explained Pereira. “We saw the need for women to intentionally take time for themselves, to meet new women, and to grow community.”
The $10 event is held the first Monday of every month 7-9 p.m. at Municipal Winemakers, where women socialize before sharing a new experience.
It was a very empowering experience to be a part of. If you're a woman, GO.
Latte Art Competition
The first ever Santa Barbara Latte Art Throw Down 2016 was held at SBCast for First Thursday. A customer of mine and I brainstormed a fun event for the locals of Santa Barbara to become more informed about the coffee industry. We thought that by hosting a competition, it would peak people's interest and allow them to become more consciousness of the thing that most people drink every single day. It was a really fun event for the competitors, coming in from Handlebar and The French Press. There were judges, an MC, live footage of the latte art pours projected onto the wall for the crowd, AND an AX as a trophy. Willie from The French Press was the winner.
