COFFEE CREW OF A CUP OF COMMON WEALTH: ALEXANDRA CANADA (PART 1 OF 2)

Alex was born in good old Greenwich, Ohio - a tiny town, right between Columbus and Cleveland, with a population of 1500. She’s the youngest of four children and has nine wonderful nieces and nephews with a 10th coming in May. Growing up, she played for hours outside, pretending she was an adventurer exploring different countries and worlds to which she had never been.

In high school, Alex took a class in Video Production, which sparked her love for media, videography, and photography. Early on she decided to move down to Kentucky after graduating, to major in Media Communications at Asbury University.

While in college, Alex met this random hot guy named Andrew Canada who turned out to be the one person, who unconditionally puts up with her crazy, extreme “extrovertedness” and loves her in spite of it.

They got hitched in October of 2013 and moved to downtown Lexington.

Alex has always had a love for pretty much all things happiness (basically anything that Joe and Sal hate), but she has an intense love for summertime and Christmastime. During the Christmas season you’ll find Alex putting Christmas decorations up wherever she can. She watches ‘The Grinch,’ ‘White Christmas,’ and ‘Scrooge - the Musical’ multiple times every year. In the summer, you can guarantee she’ll do whatever she can do to be outside swimming, hiking, or just sitting in the sun.

Alex started working at A Cup of Common Wealth in May of 2014 and has loved every minute of the coffee slinging, the marker wars, the whipped cream fights, the dancing and singing, the connections with customers, and the relationships with the awesome baristas that have formed into a close knit community and family.

And now, the first ten wonderful questions for Alexandra --- check it out below:

1) What drew you to the coffee industry?

Hands down – the community. I have always loved being around people and making them smile while waiting on them or serving them in some way. Working with coffee is just such a natural way to serve and get to know people on a one-on-one basis, while also drinking pure bliss.

Obviously, extremely shy.  Not a people-person at all.

2) Why A Cup of Common Wealth?

I heard so much about A Cup of Common Wealth for months and loved absolutely everything they were about.  When I was looking for a job, it popped into my head. I went to the website and read every page top to bottom. I fell in love with the mission, the focus on community, the pay it forwards…everything. I wanted very much to be a part of it all.

3) What's your favorite coffee drink and why?

As a former Vanilla Latte (extra vanilla lover), I never thought I would ever say this, but if I can just get an Aeropress or V60 pourover of a good Ethiopian coffee (particularly Coava’s Kilenso) I will be so incredibly happy. Nothing added. Just fruity goodness. If I’m feeling chocolate though, the best mocha I’ve ever had is a Mocha Del Sol.

4) What's your favorite non-coffee drink and why?

My parents lived in England for awhile and picked up the love for tea there, so growing up tea was consumed more often than coffee. London Fogs are great for something sweet and milky, but sometimes just straight black or green tea is so delicious.

5) What's your favorite part of being a barista?

Again, the people.  From the awesome customers, whom I call friends to my incredible coworkers, whom I call family, I love every bit about the community of my job. I love going to work, being greeted by a half dozen or so people I love, and then having a shift full of laughter and craziness all while getting to know people on a deeper level. It’s my favorite.

6) What is one of your guilty pleasures?

On more than one occasion when I was cleaning my house (and I really actually WAS cleaning) I watched almost an entire season of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ on Netflix. And, I loved every minute of it.

7) When is the last time you broke a rule and what was it?

Most likely going 10 or so miles over the speed limit (Sorry, Officer Farley).

8) What's something about yourself that you wish more people knew about you?

I have played the violin since the second grade and won a Concerto competition my senior year of high school with it. I don’t play as much as I used to, but I love to whip it out every now and then.

Mini-Alex posing for the camera before she rocks out!

9) What's your favorite holiday?

Uhhh Duh.  Christmas.  With. Every. Fiber. Of. My. Being. I could write a book on why I love Christmas and why you should too J

10) What advice would you give to your 10 year old self?

Do NOT worry about what other people think about you, because they really don’t matter. Your integrity and love toward others is what matters. Work hard, and really try to truly learn things, so that later on they will benefit you and those around you.