What was your first job as a journalist?
I wrote a piece on painting my an awful neon yellow color for my local community paper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes!
How is social media changing news?
Social media is making news more accessible, more instant, and more fluid.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Murphy Brown: no-nonsense, professional, and exceptionally classy.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Gathering and sharing information through print, online, or video.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
will get you laughing
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Personalized, and please spell my name correctly!
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google Docs, LinkedIn
What's your favorite social network?
I am addicted to Instagram but have also found LinkedIn to be helpful.
Who do you wish followed you?
Can I get Oprah in the house? If not, I'll take Anthony Bourdain.
Why did you become a journalist?
Becoming a journalist was a no brainer: combining my passions- food, beverage, and travel with writing and sharing that with the world!
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
The high school I went to in Venezuela did not have a newspaper, otherwise I would have certainly been a staff writer!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
That's a tough one! I enjoy showcasing unknown finds (food & travel) and bucket list spots like my travel story to Galapagos.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be persistent. Stay true to your voice.
When's the best time to pitch you?
24/7!
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I've got some pretty creative ideas - it's amazing how many food holidays suddenly pop up (yes, there is a day for [fill in the blank]!)
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I can't say that I've gotten a bad pitch- sometimes a pitch may be too much of a stretch, an obscure food holiday for example.
What's your favorite drink?
As a sommelier, I'm going to have to day wine!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At a restaurant or on a beach. If I'm lucky, at a restaurant on the beach!
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
There's nothing quite like a good croissant, coffee, and a fresh copy of Sunday's New York Times.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I cover food, beverage, and travel. It's pretty straightforward.
