Mel the coffee champion of the world

Justin: Can you juggle?

Mel: No. 

Justin: What did it feel like to win the Aeropress championship?

Mel: Winning the Aeropress champ, um it felt unreal, it was the first time ever competed in the aeropress champ after a year of competing in like, SCA competitions from cup tasters to latte art. Then I competed in the aeropress champs, I trained by myself, I wasn't really sponsored by anyone. I just wanted to do it for fun and I decided to compete because I just competed in the latte art comps which was really stressful and I wanted to do something fun. I did not expect to win at all, and it felt really rewarding, winning, because it’s blind right…it’s blind cupping. People point at their fave brew, so it gave me reassurance in my ability but also it felt unreal for a year straight. Like when people would say Mel was (or is) the Aeropress champ it was really hard to not cringe and be like oh yeah I did do that.

Justin: Do you get nervous and how do you deal with that?

Mel: Of course I get nervous, everyone gets nervous, I think getting nervous about a competition is way different to getting nervous in real life with real life problems. What do I do…I try to remind myself that the reason I'm nervous is because I care. So if we are talking about competition, what I think is that I’m just doing the best I possibly can and that’s all I’m asking of myself. In real life I tell myself that I'm trying to control the things that I can and the ones I can't, there's no point in being nervous about so…basically I gaslight myself.

Justin: What is your silliest tattoo?

Mel: I have death before decaf, tattoo’d on my arm.

Justin: What is your most significant Tattoo? 

Mel: Um probably my most significant one, I have a heart on on my sleeve, it was also my first tattoo. It’s an anatomical heart that I drew then I asked the guy to put it on and there's five figures around it that represents me, my mum and dad and my sister and brother.

Justin: What's your favourite style of nails you’ve ever had? Who did it and how did it make you feel?

Mel: So fun fact, I actually don't get my nails done that often, it's a new thing. I'm really enjoying doing it now since y’know I've been unemployed. It's made me feel a bit better about myself, um so I have done it because of that.

My fave style is the one I have on right now, it's done by this girl she’s called Lisa Nailden (SP) on Instagram, sick, love it. It’s expensive but I love it, literally the prettiest my nails have ever looked and it makes me feel like a bad bitch.

It makes me feel girly and cute.

Justin: Do you think London/England is better than Italy?

Mel: Ok the Italy UK question, it's a hard one for me because I never wanted to live in Italy. Ever since I was a little girl, I never saw myself in Italy long term full-time and I think part of it is because - not saying every Italian is racist obviously - as an immigrant you see it way more. Um, I see it in the way they speak to my father, I see it in the way they interact with my mum and I don't like it. The only reason nobody fully did it with me (that i noticed) was first of all, I'm a mean bitch and second of all I can speak fluent italian. You could not tell me from them.
If you only heard how I speak you couldn't tell I wasn't originally italian, well you can with my parents obviously. The same way you can that I'm not from here [UK], because I moved here when I was 20. Well same with mum and dad, they moved to Italy around 20.
I feel like London is not the same as England. I mean that sounds like a dumb statement but what I mean is London is like its own place and London can make you feel welcome when nowhere else can. If that makes sense. I feel like I never felt like I belonged in Italy, I felt like I belonged in London way more.
I feel like now I'm getting older, I understand that London is not forever and I would like to find somewhere else, but I also don't think England is where I wanna be forever.
This isn't what you asked okay but this is what I'm giving you. I loved Scotland. Been to Scotland a couple of times and I really like it. Um the only issue I have is that I can't just be in the cold all of the time, I need the seasons. So the ideal for me would be being between England and a tropical country like…latin american… I don't know.

As a side note, Mel would like you to know she truly hates Monopoly, it’s a baby capitalism board game and she hates it.