What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a freelance writer for a website called Plum Deluxe for $30 per story in 2012-2013.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I took typing in high school.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is another outlet to share news in small bites with beautiful visual media.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Journalism is a form of factual storytelling and community engagement.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I use my laptop, mobile phone, Zoom, email, face-to-face meetings, social media, Microsoft Word, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Who do you wish followed you?
I wish other food, wine, and travel writers would follow me.
Why did you become a journalist?
I have loved writing since I was a child. I always kept a diary or journal and also wrote a book when I was in elementary school (lost it).
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I did not work for my high school newspaper, but I assisted with the annual yearbook.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Pitches will be rejected. It is part of the learning process.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime!
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Opportunities to travel to Bourgogne and Hungary to write about wine.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I receive pitches for products completely unrelated to wine, food, and travel.
What's your favorite drink?
Champagne, of course!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At the gym, wine tasting, or dining out.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, and The Washington Post
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I eat and drink everything I taste and write about.
