Our Story

Born and raised in Northern Virginia, I spent most of my life in Woodbridge. In school I became interested in business and later became passionate about graphic design. Alongside my full-time gig, I worked as a freelancer with dreams of doing it full-time. I was so tired of being a slave to my commute. For two decades I commuted to the DC-area, spending 3-4hrs a day in my car. 

I was with my ex for almost two decades and we started a family late in our marriage which ended too soon. Our first born child died tragically at 26 days of SIDS. Years later we had another child. We both had strenuous jobs and this took a toll on our relationship. In 2016, I chose to leave the marriage, retaining custodial support of our child. It was tough. It was a new world socially. I made mistakes yet the strides I made were big ones that will stay with me forever.

August 2017, at the brink of giving up on online dating, I met Christian. A single father of two. An amazing chef and DJ. A broken soul like my own. Our connection was instant. Our life goals aligned. On our first date we talked of owning a business. Our second date led us into the coffeeshop that we now own. The universe was our guide and the signs were abundant. Every day – the right place at the right time – we met individuals who guided us to the right resources for bringing our dreams to life.

Christian has struggled with sobriety. At a young age, he turned to heroin as a coping mechanism for trauma. Drug abuse is rampant amongst chefs. Christian lost both of his parents to cancer years apart yet years before he himself became a parent. The 10-year relationship with their mother, also an addict, was strenuous and yet they stayed together for the children. They ended their relationship and Christian began a path towards recovery. At the brink of giving up again, he reached out to his children’s mother, also on a path to recovery and now living in Fredericksburg. She bought Christian a bus ticket and he immediately checked into a men’s shelter, entered a Methadone program and obtained work. He managed to balance everything while stepping in to watch his boys while their mother worked.