Photo: Kellyann Hee
As we near July and phase 3 of reopening, the early months of Covid-19 and quarantine are drifting away. March and April felt like the longest months. The confusion, anger, sadness, and emptiness came down hard on each of us all over the world and made us question daily things even more. Then came May and June. With the death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter became worldwide and even those who turned their eyes away before couldn’t this time. Marches have flooded the streets week after week and once again we are all questioning daily things even more.
2020 is a radical year in itself.
Covid-19 and being in quarantine definitely re-shaped all of our lives. A large part of Dialogue is sharing small businesses and cafes that we love with all of you. Once everything closed though, I was at a loss of how to keep shining a light on these spaces I love, (while also trying to keep my shit together.) Keeping it simple seemed key. A few questions aimed for small business owners, coffee lovers, coffee industry professionals, and more. This led to Discuss. For the first Discuss, Interior Designer Kellyann Hee answered a few questions regarding quarantine and coffee habits.
Kristin Sandgren-Jolain
Creator & Editor of Dialogue Magazine
May 25th, 2020.
We discussed that you don’t drink coffee. What do you prefer and love about tea? Do you have any tea drinking routines that you’ve kept or changed during quarantine/Covid-19?
KH: I mean - I LOVE the smell of coffee, even the taste, but my body doesn’t take well to it and feels ill when I drink it, so I will just enjoy a sip of a friends oat milk latte when they insist I taste it maybe once a year :)I am now VERY into herbs, so I drink herbal tea all day instead of water. For about 6 months It was fresh ginger root and turmeric tea - delicious, subtly spicy, and good for the digestive and immune system, then covid hit and tumeric root was hard to find, so I switched to fresh ginger and orange peel - yummy, fragrant, antiviral, and also supports digestion. I’m currently on a lemongrass, rose hip, peppermint blend that I mix myself, it is anti inflammatory, immune supporting, and great for the skin. Now that I am living with my boyfriend I make a BIG pot everyday and we both drink it down. The pot is so big we have to use a ladle to serve it ! It feels incredibly medieval and is somewhat annoying, but also kind of hilarious.
What is one habit or moment you have found to appreciate more during quarantine/Covid-19?
KH: Spending more time focused on ONLY the thing right in front of me. You know that saying, “wherever you go, there you are” - I’ve experienced this on a revelatory level during quarantine, that no matter the circumstance, there I am.. with my same baggage, same fears, desires, patterns of reacting and of emotions unfolding. The plot arch is essentially the same but the details of the story change day to day, week to week..
So now with fewer distractions, I practice appreciating the simple moments more. It sounds stupid and totally cliche, but when I’m just sitting with my tea and experiencing the warming sensation of that cup in my cool hands, the hot velvet liquid almost burning my mouth, warming my throat, esophagus, then my face from the inside out, and allllll the way down into my belly.. that’s when I am free of the patterns of my mind and filled to my fingertips with the experience of living.
Please share any small businesses you’ve supported, or have wanted to support, during this time.
KH: Anima Mundi Herbals, Vincetta Studio, Jewel City Yoga, Kathryn Solie - a magical herbalist on Patreon, Mythic Medicine - a magical podcast on Patreon, and my therapist, who is incredible and also magical.
As an interior designer, what is an integral part of your living space during isolation?
KH: Cozy nooks, which means throw blankets everywhere because it gets chilly here ne ar the ocean, tidied surfaces, thoughtfully placed crystals, incandescent light bulbs in all floor and table lamps, windows and doors that open wide to the outside, and plenty of natural light.
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