meet: chrissy usher saavedra

Every once in awhile a new friend walks into your life and you instantly connect. Life, for one reason or another, sets your paths at an intersecting junction, and gives you a stretch of time to share with one another. 

About six months ago, Chrissy Usher Saavedra and I met at that point in the road when she set foot in the halls of Free People's BLDG 25 office and floated right by my desk. I looked up, not thinking twice, and immediately smiled and introduced myself. There was no looking back from that moment.

I've since been getting to know Chrissy, learning more about her each day, and often stopping by her desk for a few laughs to break up the intense work day flow. She's a whacky soul with one of the biggest, loving hearts you'll ever come across. I admire her utter desire to be good and warm towards everything in her life. She truly cares about other people, and is unapologetically herself at all times.

Getting to laugh with Chrissy has been an honor. Dinners with her and her endearing husband Manuel have filled me up with happiness. They are simply fun and uplifting people to be around. I'm so excited to build a friendship with their two amazing souls as we continue to share this little junction in life. 

It just goes to show, you'll never stop meeting new people who amaze you. And how happy of a thought is that?

Now, let's get to know Chrissy a little better. ;)

Growing up in Colorado I learned to love adventure in the outdoors, anything from camping, to hiking, to snowboarding! // My mother is my best friend and I am her biggest fan.  She is the most inspiring person, one I hope to be just like when Manuel and I have babies. I love her. // And my dad is an extremely talented business man, who would do anything to enhance the success and happiness of his family. He is a very supportive Papa and has always allowed me to follow my heart even if he didn’t agree. // Living in New York was the most challenging and exciting period of my life thus far.  It taught me a lot about my passion for theater and fashion and introduced me to some lifelong friends and the love of my life. // I came to Philly for this amazing little piece of heaven called “Free People, BLDG 25” and I haven’t looked back.  Although I do sometimes miss the late night pizza and New York City buzz! // If I wasn't working at Free People I would be back in Colorado, close to all of my friends who are having babies so I can be Aunty Chrissy, living in Denver with my husband, and Gatsby (of course) looking for the next step in my career.  Getting my masters?! Who knows! // My life has been dramatic, passionate, emotional, exciting, and driven by listening to my heart. It’s crazy to think I’m married to the most amazing man and working my dream job…in Philly. // I laugh the most when I’m with my family.  There is never a dull moment and always a little drama when we are together. We always find ourselves sitting on the kitchen floor at 1 o’clock in the morning, eating mom’s leftovers, drinking a beer, rolling around laughing at the most absurd things. I love them. // The most exciting thing is being on stage, performing in front of a packed house on opening night.  I admit that I miss this so much. // I adopted my dog and he completes me. Ha, but seriously. His name is Gatsby, he is a sweet little baby love, who has taught me a different kind of love, and I can’t imagine my world without him in it! // When I wake up in the morning this is a hard one to say without making myself sound like a dirty Colorado hippy. // I’m so inspired by artists.  Anyone who lives for the passion of their art, whatever it may be.  People who are artistic live such extraordinary lives that are filled with so much hunger for artistic success. // I would want to be famous for my acting.  Always and forever, I will always have the dream to become a famous actress. // I will always remember my golden retriever Sabrina. I never thought I could love another animal as much as I loved her. She was by my side throughout my whole childhood and early adult life. She will always have a piece of my heart. // If there is one thing the years have taught me it has to be that mom and dad are usually, almost, always right. They lived it, they see it, and they get it! But you have live and learn in your own way. // In life you have to follow your passions.  I have lived my life basing everything off of my heart and listening to my gut.  Also, you have to find the little things in life that make you smile; those are the moments that get you through each day. // The last movie I watched “The Adams Family” tis the season right?! // Saturdays I usually sleep in really late, take Gatsby to the most amazing dog heaven dog park in Jersey, do a little shopping(because I am ADDICTED) and have date night with Manuel if he is off. // One day I will find my way back to Colorado to be closer to my family and friends, buy a house somewhere in Denver, and own my own business.  Manuel and I want to open our own yoga studio attached to a restaurant. Ha, I am a dreamer…remember this. // Not many people know that I have a phobia of fruit. Probably because this is an embarrassing “fun fact” that makes people judge me more than they already do! // You can never eat enough chocolate. Nuff said. // I couldn't live without my husband, Gatsby, my family, and my childhood blanket, which I still sleep with…every night. // The best feeling is being understood and loved. That is so cheesy but nothing feels better than someone 100% understanding you and loving you for who you are. // People say that I am super goofy, loud, and dramatic. I would have to agree. // My wardrobe consists of mostly Free People, Urban Outfitters, some pretty awesome vintage finds, and a lot of jackets. // Without fashion…haha that’s a good one. // Right now, I really want to get back to Colorado for the holidays.  This is the best time of the year and I always start planning months in advance. //

navigating the greensgrow cheese fridge with katelyn repash

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

Last week I had the great pleasure of sitting down to talk cheese with Greensgrow’s new Fresh Food Assistant Manager, Katelyn Repash.

Katelyn came to Greensgrow this season fresh off a line of great experience. She began to meddle in the local food scene while attending Dickinson College; from there she worked at a livestock farm in Emmitsburg, MD and spent two years apprenticing at Charlestown Farm in Phoenixville. This past winter she made the big move to Philadelphia, and found herself in a brief stint with DiBruno Brothers before coming to Greensgrow. Needless to say, this girl knows the local farm scene, and a heck of a lot about cheese.

And a good thing too because Katelyn has taken over the dairy fridge. This summer she’ll be bringing in new farms and varieties to delight our little Greensgrow senses. For all you Calkin’s and Keswick Creamery fans, no fear. She’ll be keeping the staple producers in good stock, but keep an eye out for fun new varieties such as the Keswick Wallaby, a mild aged cheese that will melt in your mouth…or on your mac n’ cheese. After bringing a few varieties home myself, I personally got excited about the new Keswick Creamery Dragons Breath. Made with three different kinds of hot peppers – habañero, birds eye, and jalapeño – it adds the perfect amount of creamy spice to set your cooking on fire. One to keep an eye out for in future CSA’s is Stoudt’s Lady Bell Swiss. The brewery turned cheese maker has smoked this Swiss variety, and Katelyn describes the flavor as, “kind of bacon-y, a little gouda-y, but not as sharp.” 

No matter which variety you’re going to try next, you’ll want to make sure you taste them at the optimal temperature. For most aged varieties, such as Ely Farm’s Washington’s Crossing or Calkin’s Creamery’s Cow Tipper, Katelyn suggests letting the cheeses reach room temperature; while fresh cheeses such as Wholesome Dairy’s Ricotta are best consumed cold or baked in an oven.

Now, let’s get to a Q&A with Katelyn!

If you were going to make a five cheese cheese plate with all of the options in the Greensgrow fridge, which would you choose, and what would you pair them with?

I typically go for sweeter, mild, and nutty cheeses if I’m eating them by themselves. If I had to build a cheese plate the lineup would be Wholesome Dairy Ricotta, Washington’s Crossing, Firefly Farm’s Merry Goat Round, Calkins Cowtipper, and a fresh chevre. These all lean towards flavors that are sweet, nutty, and/or fresh, and are the go-to cheeses if I’m building a cheese board for dessert.

Some of my favorite cheese pairings involve our classic farmstand items as well as new and occasional items. Recently, I’ve been wild about Washington’s Crossing cheese from Ely Farm. I like to eat it paired with a fruit jam like those we sell from Fifth of a Farm. I’ve also been curious about coffee and cheese pairings, and I often add a fresh cheese like quark, chevre, or ricotta to my weekend brunch spreads with some maple syrup to compliment the freshly brewed Rival Bros. coffee. We’ve also been trying out some new Epic Pickles flavors and their sweeter pickles really compliment the spicy cheeses such as Keswick’s Dragon’s Breath (pictured above).

You’ve brought some new farmers to the selection, which is one that you are particularly excited to be carrying and why? 

I’m really excited to start carrying goat’s milk cheeses from Yellow Springs Farm. When working in Phoenixville last year we were a host site for their CSA, so I have tried out many of their cheeses. I think they have some unique items. They do a lot of aged goat cheeses with very interesting rinds. This week we will have their chevre flavors as the first CSA cheese for the season, and then we’ll start stocking their cheeses in our retail fridge! They also make a goat’s milk yogurt that’s very light and fresh and we’re hoping to stock that as something new on the farmstand!

What is something that excites you about the local cheese market? How do you think it stands up against others around the world? 

The most exciting thing, to me about the local cheese market, is the wide variety of styles being produce within a radius of 150 miles. In any given week, we’re able to bring in local goat, sheep, and cow’s milk cheeses in nearly any style we could imagine (from classics like cheddar and ricotta to inventive alpine and brie styles). Some farms have their own signature cheeses developed specifically for the milk they are using. Since we’re not known for a particular cheese regionally, there’s a lot of freedom to try new things and there’s always a customer base looking for unique dairy items.

Which cheese in the fridge is your personal favorite, and what is the best way to use it?
My favorite cheese in the fridge right now is Washington’s Crossing from Ely Farm (pictured above). Lately I’ve been shredding it finely to add to sauces or roasted vegetables. It adds a creamy, subtly sweet flavor when blended into sauces. Over the weekend I made a dish with leeks and pancetta in a white wine cream sauce, and I threw a half cup of shredded Washington’s Crossing in at the last minute to melt – it was perfect!

So what’s the wild card – the one that people might hesitate over, but absolutely need to try?
The wild card in general is anything with a bloomy rind (brie and camembert style soft cheeses). We rotate which ones we bring in and try to only have one or two at a time because we know customers are hesitant without sampling them first. Bloomy soft cheeses can be a gamble because they have a strong flavor. I’d still encourage people to try them – it’s a worthwhile risk. Two that we’ve stocked recently which I really enjoyed were Noblette from Calkins Creamery and the Merry Goat Round from Firefly Farm. I’m hoping to bring them back soon. They are great cheeses for entertaining, and we’re always happy to pass on the backstory about our farms to our customers – they both have a story to go along with them!

Thank you, Katelyn! And thank you, Greensgrow, for letting us explore the cheese fridge!

everyone meet: shelby robinson

Today, millions of people meet each other on the internet, but myself, I'm a novice. I've never tried internet dating, or joined a chat room. I never thought it was a way in which I should meet people. Now, I'm finding out that it in fact can be a great way to open new friendships.

Each and every week I share my beliefs, my photography, my interests, and peeks into my life here on Numie. What I do serves the same purpose as a diary, and at times I don't even notice that it reaches other people. I do it for myself - to document moments, gather inspiration, and to work out thoughts. That bubble of ignorance has kept my work genuine, and slowly but surely, like-minded people have taken notice. People that I in turn, am also inspired by. 

And that, is how I met Shelby. 

Shelby and I have been fans of each other's work for some time now. It started with little comments on each other's blogs, developed into hearts on Instagram, and then turned into emailing. Finally - oh finally! - it became a meeting in person. Shelby came to Philly, so we decided to meet up and go where I find myself almost every weekend: Queens Village. We grabbed lunch at my favorite cafe, Redhook, shopped Philadelphia's best boutique, Moon & Arrow, and then grabbed some quick blog supplies at the independently-owned health & grocery store, Essene. 

Although we live hundreds of miles apart, I'm so happy to have met this girl. She oozes with a creativity that I find fresh and inspiring, and has exciting experiences to share in conversation. If it weren't for Numie - for putting myself out there - I never would have met her. I must thank the internet and social media for introducing us. It opens my eyes to the beauty of blogging - the beauty of being genuine and finding others who are as well. 

But enough blabbering, let me introduce you to this lovely girl! Everyone, meet Shelby.

Shelby, my love, you just graduated college, what is next?

Yes! Right now I am trying to soak up all of these good feelings and discover the next adventure that’s pulling me its way. I am exploring a few opportunities to teach English abroad, specifically in Asia. I have this deep desire to fill up my passport so going abroad to learn and grow feels so right.

We’re both souls bitten by the travel bug, and immediately connected over that. What places top your list to visit in the next year?

I have always enjoyed connecting with people who have the same desire to travel. Two places I am really looking forward to exploring this year are Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (Lake Superior is unreal in the summer) and Asia (Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan) as I mentioned before. There’s something so culturally different and intriguing about Asia that draws my heart in.

 In talking with you, I kept getting glimpses of what a rad lady your mom is. Tell us a bit about her, and what your upbringing was like. How do you think it has shaped you as human being?

My mom’s creativity, selflessness and kindness are the things that inspire me the most about her. When I was younger, there were always small projects going on at our home, from painting and fixing up old garage sale finds, to decorating with fresh-cut flowers and building forts in our woods. Exercising your creative spirit was always encouraged - as well as taking time to connect with nature - and I am so thankful for that. I think this ultimately made me realize the importance of nurturing your creative soul and also why I chose to go into a creative field.

It seems like you’re always working on cool creative projects. What is one that you’re focusing on right now?

I recently got a DianaF+ lomography camera as a graduation gift that I have been playing around with. Film photography is so different from digital photography! It really allows you to get back to the basics of what photography is meant to be – simple and powerful. Once I get the film developed, I plan to create a small book to remember some of my favorite memories of summer. Artifact Uprising has these beautifully designed books that I am obsessed with and must get my hands on!

And what is one that you’ve worked on in the past that you’re really proud of and would love for people to check out?

The creative outlet that has been the most powerful and meaningful to me is Instagram. It’s just one big, ever-changing project, and I am so amazed by the beauty of the Instagram community. To me, it’s a collection of positive and talented and beautiful people from all over the world just trying to share good vibes. I am so blown away by how much I’ve learned and how my creative spirit has expanded. An ever-changing and growing project, in a way.

In a snapshot, what does your perfect day look like?

An early morning filled with yoga and a yummy breakfast with French-pressed coffee would be so ideal. I would spend the rest of the day exploring some of my favorite places around me, either on Lake Michigan or further north in Charlevoix, taking photos and walking the beach. I live for simple days like this: my camera, good people and the outdoors.

Lastly, I’d love to know, who’s playing on your headphones these days?

I have been revisiting a lot of classic rock lately! Tons of Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles and James Taylor, as all of these jams remind of me of summer and road trips headed north. My good friend Katie also just introduced me to Sylvan Esso’s latest album….and I am totally hooked.

Thank you, Shelby!

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Be sure to check out Shelby's blog & Instagram!

dyl

Even if she doesn't mean to, she will brighten up any experience by putting a smile on your face. Dylana Suarez is a friend that I know is a rare breed. She's absurdly light-hearted -- easy-going and just so fucking funny, you have no idea where she came from. Opening my email, and reading her responses to these questions, I laughed, I agreed, and I nodded; all things that I am happy to find in a a friend. She isn't lying when she says she's optimistic, Dylana is always dependable to be looking on the bright side. As easy as it is to say, it is as equally difficult to do, and so it is appreciated. I can't say enough, read on...

//Growing up in California has made me a very relaxed person. Because of my home, I appreciate miles and miles of endless space and beautiful weather. I think I smile more because I am from California. I secretly want to be a San Diego beach bum. Cali love foreva. // My mother is like like my sister. Not a secret goes unshared. // And my dad is a lovable rock star at heart, that will jump over mountains and seas for the the people he loves.// I started blogging because I wanted to inspire and be inspired. And I wanted and needed an outlet to share my passions. // My life has been full of ups and downs, but has always been wonderfully surprising. In the end, optimism always brought me back up from anything. // I laugh the most when I'm with my friends.// The most exciting place is Malaysia. You never know what to expect. // I bought my camera nearly four years ago and haven't set it down since. That camera changed my life. // I take pictures because I like to capture the beauty in everything. // When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is rub my eyes and stretch and look forward to an interesting day. // I keep fit by moving my body to the music I love. // Writing is comforting, nostalgic // I would want to be famous for doing a lot of different things and putting ideas together that others can be inspired by. // I will always remember to look on the bright side of things. // In life you have to dream big and not follow the crowd. // The last movie I watched was Clueless (duh) // One day I will see the whole world. // Not many people know that I have two metal rods running along my spine, and that the scar from my scoliosis surgery is my symbol of strength.// You can never eat enough Vietnamese pho. // I couldn't live without my family. They are my heart and soul. // The best feeling in the world is complete and utter happiness. Some people just need to... chill. // People say that I am funny and charming. // If I wasn't working at Free People I would be traveling the world and taking pictures. // My wardrobe consists of a lot of color, pattern, and texture. // Without fashion life would look a little too boring. // Right now, I really want to eat some cereal but am too lazy to get out of bed and go downstairs to get it. Wanks.//

I'm sure you already do, but follow Dylana @ Color Me Nana