So, erm, hello!
Thanks for having a look at my blog. I’m Annabel Townsend, and I started writing all this stuff as a kind of research journal for university during my PhD. I love writing and coffee, which kinda helps in my line of work!
The PhD is about the concepts of wastage and quality in the speciality coffee industry. I started October 2007, and it’s been a very steep learning curve to say the least! My posts are on here vary from frustrated rants about life as a grad student, to mini essays waffling about whatever I happen to have been reading at uni. I am by no means an expert on any of these topics, and as such, I welcome any comments and feedback, and I’d love to hear from any coffee-industry types who could help me out here!
I live in county Durham in the north east UK, I’m 26 and married to the lovely Carl. I live with a small menagerie comprising of my four beloved ferrets. When not buried under small mountains of academic journals, I am usually found in a coffee shop somewhere. I am generally in a state of nearly-manic caffeine-related dehydration and whereas I may sound coffee-obsessed, I do have other interests, honest! I write all the time, fiction and non-fiction, I do Kendo, I also cook incessantly and love learning about different exotic cuisine from around the world. I love to travel and go backpacking whenever I get the opportunity. And as you can probably guess by my picture, I’m a bit of a goth, I have a keen interest in vampirism and collect corsets and giant boots.
I’ve worked as a barista for a few years and also as a chef in a cafe. My ambition is to open my own cafe, hopefully in Vancouver, called ‘Dr Coffee’s’ of course!
If you want to get in touch, please just leave me comments on here! I will probably get back to you unnervingly quickly. Meanwhile, grab yourself an espresso and enjoy!
Hi, Annabel. I just ran across your blog today. I really enjoy it! I hope Costa Rica starts treating you a bit better … and that you serve some good gallo pinto when you open Dr. Coffee in Vancouver!
R U on the move?
yes, we were! Great to meet you today.
Question; what exactly are Nicaraguans, supposed to look like? You stated that the gentleman and the child pictured in the Presto coffee label don’t look Nicaraguan. It is so funny someone educated and with a PHD would make such a comment. Is it cause they are lighter skin? I am dark skinned and was born in the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. My wife on the other hand was born in Managua and her family is very fair skin, we call them white here in the great US. That gentleman in the picture resembles her grandfather, lol! Well, I gotta get back to work and sip my delicious Presto in the gold bag. I laugh when I see all those Starbucks addicts waiting in line for their overprice cup.