Building a personal brand is hard; but it’s even harder in the midst of a pandemic. Mirachelle Anselmo, the mastermind behind Ate Made That, knows that as well as anyone.

Baked goods, at their core, are meant to feel like home—like something your grandmother whipped up to put a smile on your face. Mirachelle is doing just that with her curated creations.

BUDDIES COFFEE has not only become a staple in my Williamsburg adventures, but for others like me. Entering BUDDIES for the first time, I was impressed with the location (it's inside of a pool hall event space), the warm yet casual welcome from Taylor (the co-owner), and the simple menu.

In the late summer of 2014, I finally visited New York for the first time. I took a 17-hour bus ride with a friend and we listened to curated playlists, imagining what driving into the city would be like. I had my list of coffee shops to go to, as I always do when traveling somewhere new. On it were a mix of both Manhattan and Brooklyn coffee shops, but Manhattan definitely had the more developed coffee scene of the two.

I've been dancing around the menu a little bit. For a second, I was obsessed with the pastrami, I would get it every single day. Then I switched over to the cousin of pastrami and got a little brisket, but you have to get the vinegar barbecue sauce and a little broccoli salad—you gotta have something green, always.

I normally don’t find storytelling to be difficult, except when I’m telling your own. Launching the first print issue of Off-Kilter five years ago shifted my perspective of storytelling. I stopped chasing the story and started living it. When I started living in my truth, sharing the stories of other’s truths became that much easier.

In search of ways to improve my at home coffee making skills, I spoke with Phillip Tang. Tang had been a barista for several years in Chicago before the pandemic hit and now he’s currently working as a freelance videographer. Over our respective brews, we chatted about the state of the world, hobbies and interests and, of course, how to make a great cup of coffee.