$100 to help with your holiday gift list?

Oh hey there- me again. Yes. It's been a while. Yes. All my blog posts of late begin with 'it's been a while.' But I return bearing gifts. Digital, generous, good-for-your-bod-and-soul, pick-what-you-like-type gifts. 

Swanson's been my go-to online shop for several years. Why? They're a family-run company with excellent prices, fantastic customer-service and an incredibly wide variety of products. They sent me a gift card to stock up on some favorites. The gave me a shopping spree to stock up on their current offerings.

My Swanson Shopping Cart Staples include:

YesTo Tomatoes Scrub

PB2

Swanson Brand Green Powder

Enter here!

Giveaway ends at midnight, so jump on it!

A few quick updates!

The wild world of Keelie is as exciting and busy as ever. My life is currently jam-packed, but with some very terrific things!

I work with Jack's Stir Brew- the city's BEST coffee company- doing social media and general coffee-shop fun. 

Our vegan, organic, Kosher pastry kitchen, run by chef Camillo Sabella, is one of the best in the city and it's been a real treat photographing Camillo's creations. 

I've begun working for Mealku- a NYC-based online community that delivers meals personally prepared by our network of home cooks. Think Seamless or Grubhub, but with a lot more love. I'm doing Mealku's food photography- pretty close to a dream job for me. Additionally, I'll be taking over some of their social media outlets. 

Some of my favorite images so far. ANNND I get to taste it all. Life is good. 

Steve's Mac & Cheese with Pancetta and Peas

Guillermo's Woked Chicken and Baby Bok Choy

Gina's Spaghetti Squash with Pepitas, Pomegranate Seeds and Pecorino Cheese

 Anna's Allspice Biscotti

Mariantonia's Venezuelan-style Shredded Chicken

I was recently able to spend a day volunteering with some Mealku pals at The Bowery Mission. We were able to prepare and serve lunch for 300 hungry New Yorkers. 

Nothing like helping others to remind yourself how terrific your life is, regardless of what the world throws at you.

And in non-food-related items, I'm in a really terrific show! The Downtown Loop at 3LD has gotten a lot of critical love. Check us out in the NY Times! We perform Tues-Sat at 8p and have a Sat matinee at 3p. Running until November 16th! Come check us out!

So I'm busy. Super busy. But incredibly aware of how tremendously lucky I am. Life is good, indeed. 

Keelie A. Sheridan Photography Samples

I've recently found the need for a concise sampling of my photographic work- a blog post seemed appropriate. My photography style reflects my eclectic, fresh and unique personal aesthetic. These images will be familiar to regular readers. Stay tuned for some exciting news!

Brooklyn College BFA Acting Ensemble- Brooklyn, NY

 Coffee Plant- Dalat, Vietnam

 Creme Caramel- Hanoi, Vietnam

 Cafe Mocha- San Jose, Costa Rica

 High Tide Sunset- Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

 Guaro Sour at Sunset- Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

 Rose Bud Tea- Brooklyn, NY

 Chocolate Covered Strawberry- Brooklyn, NY

 Maternity Photo- Amsterdam, NY

 Roses- Brooklyn, NY

 Actor Headshot- Brooklyn, NY

 Sidewalk Closeup- Brooklyn, NY

Actor Headshot- Brooklyn, NY

 Fresh Lemonade- Saratoga Springs, NY

 Fetuccini Pancetta- Saratoga Springs, NY

 Chocolate Mousse- Saratoga Springs, NY

 Apple Streudel- Saratoga Springs, NY

 Newborn Photos- Ballston Spa, NY

 Fresh Catch BBQ- Cape Cod

 Nauset Beach- Cape Cod

 Fresh Fruit Bowl- Cape Cod

 Asparagus, Swiss and Bacon Quiche- Cape Cod

 Capt'n Cass- Cape Cod

 Sail Boat- Cape Cod

 Crab, Shrimp and Lobster Rolls- Cape Cod

 Actor Headshot- Brooklyn, NY

 Brighton Beach- Brooklyn, NY

Local Horses- Socorro, Costa Rica

 Actor Headshot- Brooklyn, NY

Starting at the Source- Fair Trade Coffee

If you're a regular reader on this blog, you know that I talk about coffee a lot. I'm an iced coffee fanatic, and getting my Master's degree only compounded that. I think there was a point in time where my veins contained more coffee than blood. All my classmates tried to 'quit' or 'cut back' on caffeine at some point during our tenure, but I am NOT a quitter. Now that I'm done with grad school and navigating the real world, I've settled at around 3 cups or 2 iced coffees a day, which may still seem excessive, but makes me oh-so-happy.

   

I've become increasingly particular over the years about the coffee I purchase, paying special attention to sourcing and production practices. If you've not already seen the documentary Black Gold, give it a watch. It's been almost two years since I first saw it, and I've held up my oath to never, ever, ever purchase a bag of coffee that isn't either Fair Trade Certified, Rainforest Alliance Certified or a sponsor of Coffee Kids- a non-profit that works to improve the quality of life in coffee-growing communities, supporting healthcare, education, food security, capacity building and economic diversification programs. 

I strolled into my local organic food market recently to pick up some java, and walked out with BuyWell Fair Trade Coffee's Peru Cafe Hope- which directly supports women farmers. In addition to their Fair Trade and USDA Organic certifications, they're also Renewable Energy Certified. Talk about setting the bar high. Makes me wanna thank their mamas for raising them right!

I like to try new coffees black at first, even though my drink of choice is iced and sweetened with soy milk. 

Aroma: Earthy, Woody

Taste: Bitter, Chocolatey Notes

Mouthfeel: Medium - Heavy Body

Simply put- one solidly delicious cup of coffee that tastes as good as it's business practices feel.

*RELATED NEWS*

I'm interviewing tomorrow for a coffee company with similar values here in NYC. Fingers crossed. I have some exciting ideas for their brand, and I'm IN LOVE with their products!

***

What do you look for when purchasing coffee?

Do you research sources? For what products? Are some more important to you than others?