Get to know our staff!! (a work in progress)
Name & position: Coby, Barista
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: I’m a big fan of the pumpkin spice Backti Chai,
and the Pink Elephant.
What drew you to Wash Perk: It called to me and I simply followed my destiny
Favorite Book: One Hundred Years of Solitude; Song: Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes – Paul Simon; Music: I’m listening to a lot of Bon Iver and Celso Fonseca, Soul Coughing, Paul Simon, XTC, Jazz, and my friends; TV Shows: The Wire, Arrested Development
What do you love to do the most in your life? Spend time with people who inspire me, design, play music, play in the garden
What are your plans/interests for your future? Figure out what’s next…
What is something customers would never guess about you? I don’t drink coffee!
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? I have been to South Africa to study, Ireland and India to farm, the Middle East to listen, Europe and Brazil to play…and Colorado still remains my favorite place in the world to come home to.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
Name & position: Leah Rich, Barista
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: double shot with sugar and cream
What drew you to Wash Perk: the smell of coffee!
favorite books: vonnegut, alan watts
Favorite Music: rock and roll, folk, bluegrass
What is something customers would never guess about you?: i am learning tight rope walking.
What do you love to do the most in your life? Being outside with nature, living respectfully
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? Yes, i traveled through Hungary, Romania and Greece with friends this past June.
What are your plans for the future: very happy with what i am doing at the moment. eventually want to learn permaculture farming and start a band.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
Name & position: Zoe Leanza, bus-person/register
Favorite Wash Perk Drink:
Plum-chamomile iced tea! I’m still not certain who originally thought to put the two together, but Austin first introduced me, and it’s fantastic.
What drew you to Wash Perk:
I owe thanks to my mom for the discovery. After she suggested our first visit, it became routine to stop for coffee after Saturday work outs at Wash Park Rec Center. (Being a land creature, I would run, and, her amphibian ways persisting, she’d swim.)
Favorite book/song/band/movie/tv show (answer any or all):
My favorite book is either My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult or The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
Currently, my favorite songs are “Kids” by MGMT and “Fireflies” by Owl City, but they change like Colorado forecasts. I’m a big fan of local bands (Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind, & Fire went to East High School, and I find this awesome.) Vampire Weekend, though far from Denver, is also a favorite.
“Little Miss Sunshine” remains the best movie I have ever seen, but “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a close second. Grey’s Anatomy is the only TV show worthy of my academic procrastination.
What do you love to do the most in your life?
Aside from reveling in the satisfaction of a coffee cup scrubbed clean, I love writing. It’s best if I’ve spent some time jumping on a trampoline first, for the adrenaline, and if I have a really awesome pen and a composition notebook. And an incredibly comfortable sofa of some sort. Ideally, all of this would take place on the roof of a parking garage, in early September.
What are your plans/interests for your future?
College, some traveling, a moderate amount of happiness. I don’t know if true love is too much of a cliche, but that’d be cool too. I’ve considered going into medicine, and of course, on the weekends, I’ll make time to be a famous author.
What is something customers would never guess about you?
I was born at 9:31 in the morning. 9+3+1=13. Thirteen is the atomic number of aluminum, which boils at 2519 degrees celcius. 2+5+1+9=17. I will be seventeen in August. Creepy? I think so.
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what?
I have not yet been out of the country, and I reprimand my parents for this every chance I get. It’s one of my most prominent life goals.
———————————————————–
Name & position: Kelly O’Laughlin, Barista
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: Honey Cinnamon Latte’ with Vanilla Soy Milk, but when I need something really sweet, I like a white chocolate honey Kaladi Lavender Mate’ with Vanilla Soy Milk.
What Drew you to Wash Perk?: My wonderful roommate, Emily, first brought me to this residential oasis, and then told me when they were looking for a new Barista.
Favorite book/song/band/movie/tv show (answer any or all):
Song: this week, my favorite song is “watcha say” by Jason DeRulo. Emily and I want to take a hip hop class and learn to do a really awesome dance to this song.
Book: Anatomy of the Spirit by Carolyn Myss or Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Band: Metric/ Flight of the Conchords/ Mika
Movie: Good Will Hunting
Show: The Office and Six Feet Under
What do you love to do the most in your life? I love to play with my friends, which often involves coming to the Perk and lawn parties.
What are your plans/interests for your future? I am applying to graduate schools in London
What is something customers would never guess about you? I am an actor and a yoga instructor. Sometimes I sing mantras into the drinks.
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? I went to a yoga retreat in Mexico, and in 2001 my mom, my sister, and I cruised through Canada on a 64 day cross country trip.
————————————————————
Name & position: Erin Shaw, barista
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: Soy Latte w/ Honey and Vanilla, but honestly, I am a tea-drinker at heart. Nothing beats black tea + milk.
What drew you to Wash Perk: I love that it is small, and independent. I also really enjoy making coffee. I had visited Wash Perk a few times and fell in love with it, so I thought I might love being behind the counter too. And, I do!
Favorite book/song/band/movie/tv show: My favorite movie is Moulin Rouge, My favorite song changes with my mood, but “Let Me Serenade You” by 3 Dog Night is SO good. Classic. My favorite book…that is a tough one, there are too many.
What do you love to do the most in your life? I love to be outside! I could be doing anything, whether it is downtown in the rain, or in the mountains in the sun. If I could, I would be outside 24/7.
What are your plans/interests for your future? Well, I’m done at DU in a year, and I don’t want to grow up yet. I think I will goof around in Denver for a while after school. Then I will move to Seattle and work for an international non-profit organization when I decide to grow up. Whatever I am doing, I want to help fix the world. I know that sounds cheesy and idealistic, but it’s what I really want to do.
What is something customers would never guess about you? I don’t know, I have a lot of little quirks and things. But they would never guess that no president of the United States was an only child.
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? I have travelled to Norway, Canada and Mexico. I went back packing in the Middle of Nowhere, Canada. We hiked from the ocean shore to a peak in the Canadian Rockies. It was some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.
———————————————————————————————–
Name & position: Amber Adams, barista 
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: espresso macchiato with one raw sugar
What drew you to Wash Perk: The passion for good energy and good coffee
Favorite band: Radiohead
Favorite show: I don’t really watch much TV but probably Firefly.
Favorite book: James Joyce’s Ulysses
What do you love to do the most in your life?: Write, read, love, take pictures and listen to music.
What are your plans/interests for your future?: Uh, I was thinking of maybe becoming a hot air balloon operator just after I get my certification as a master sommelier expert. Then I would like to spend a couple of years living with a family of pygmy three-toed sloths in an activist movement to bring attention to their critically endangered status. However this venture will have to wait until after the completion of the 26 mile marathon that I am training to run in support of postal workers’ health benefits. On the side, I am currently translating Les Misérables into klingon and refining my fruit art skills which are both hobbies that I hope to pursue sometime in the future.
What is something customers would never guess about you?: I graduated Cum Laude from Regis University. I am a humanist. Also, according to my mom I saved an entire litter of puppies when I was 14.
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what?: I went to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for a year with the Army Reserves. I am also going to Italy with my family for two weeks in September.
———————————————————————————————-
Favorite band as of this week: Flyleaf
What do you love to do the most in your life? Even though I love being social, sometimes I love to be alone, especially up in the mountains… having my dog with me is the second
best thing.
What are your plans/interests for your future? Let’s just say that my plans are endless and right now I am focused on the present. I want to be in the moment each and every second.
I have lived in two different countries, Ecuador and the Czech
Republic. In Ecuador I was completing a field research project on
drug trafficking in a prison, and in the Czech Republic I was teaching Business English.
Name & position: Kelsey, Barista
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: espresso with honey
What drew you to Wash Perk: the community and consciousness drew me to Wash Perk.
Favorite band: Groundation
Favorite show: Carnival
What do you love to do the most in your life?: is faith and connecting with people.
What are your plans/interests for your future?: i plan to make jewelry, study spanish, and travel.
What is something customers would never guess about you? customers would never guess that i am a republican.
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? I have traveled to Finland for an exchange program.
————————————————————————————————
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: Vanilla Soy Latte’
What drew you to Wash Perk: Initially, the close proximity to my house. Once I entered the shop the atmosphere and the friendship kept me coming back.
Favorite book/song/band/tv show:
Moby Dick/ Almost Home – Resident Hero/ Resident Hero/The Big Bang Theory
What do you love to do the most in your life? Attend concerts and spend time with friends/family.
What are your plans/interests for your future? I want to, someday, write concert/music reviews professionally and possibly own my own magazine someday.
What is something customers would never guess about you? That I have any connection with the shop. I’m incognito!
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? Sadly, I have never been out of the country. Perhaps someday…
Name & position:Kendra Lee, Buser
Favorite Wash Perk Drink:Lavander Marshmallow Mate
What drew you to Wash Perk:The soul of the place
Favorite book:My sister’s Keeper
Favorite song :Take Me or Leave Me
Movie: RENT
What do you love to do the most in your life? Technical Theater
What are your plans/interests for your future? I would like to become a stage director in New York one day
What is something customers would never guess about you?Haha I actually talk to people sometimes
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what?Yes. I’ve been to China for 3 and a half weeks. My mom taught English and I learned some basic Mandrin
—————————————————————————————————————————————–
Name: Austin Evans
Position: Buser
Drew Me To Wash Perk: It’s a family owned coffee shop, and it’s not Starbucks!
Favorites: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Book), Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Movie), Skins (Tv Show)
Love Most: My family.
Future: Entrepreneur and Coffee Shop owner.
Customers Never Guess: I’m only 15
Travel: I’ve been to France and Spain just to visit, and I did a lot of fun stuff.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Name & position: Jennie O; Barista
Favorite Wash Perk Drink: Honey Cinnamon Espresso Macchiato
What drew you to Wash Perk: Community shop serving Kaladi coffee!
Favorites: currently, because it changes…
Song: Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur by Sigor Ros; TV Show: LOST
What do you love to do the most in your life? enjoy new & old friends’ company
What are your plans/interests for your future? maybe serving in Africa again
Have you been out of the country? Where? Doing what? Yes – I’ve traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa as well as South & Central Americas; have volunteered & toured along the way! Lived & worked for an NGO in Uganda for a year.
—————————————————————————————————————–
(from top left) Kelsey, Ash, Amber, Austin and Zoe
