An Interview With Jennifer Koshak

This week I get to talk to the lovely blogger, Jennifer Koshak.  What do I like about Jennifer and her blog, Unfoldandbegin.com?  Jennifer makes me feel happy – her love of life and having fun is contagious – and we share the same motto, that “Laughter is the spice of Life”.  Jennifer has two cats, like me – however, she is allergic to cats! And, what’s more, her husband is a chef and chocolatier!  Hello Jennifer!

Hello! My name is Jennifer Koshak. I’m a blogger from Connecticut in the U.S. I used to work as an Operations Manager for Verizon Wireless until our office location was closed in March of this year. So, I’m currently blogging full-time (dream job) while also looking to see if there is a job that I absolutely WANT to have. For instance, I recently applied, but didn’t get interviewed, to a company that wants to bring coding education to kids in inner city schools. I don’t code which is probably why they didn’t even interview me. But coding will be important to future jobs and I would have loved to have been a liaison between the company and the schools.

My husband is a chef and chocolatier. At one point, we owned a chocolate shop where he made truffles and caramels and other delicious goodies using Belgian chocolate. My self-appointed job title was CET or Chief Executive Taster. We had fun naming chocolates like the Nutty Friar which was made with Frangelico and crushed hazelnuts. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, which was an 80% dark chocolate truffle and my absolute favorite, Sinfully Delicious which was a salted, chocolate caramel either in dark or milk chocolate. I would have rolled around in that stuff if I could have. To this day, I have never found a better tasting caramel.

I was also an active yoga teacher up until a few years ago. Then I started working full-time (having had the luxury of being a job/share employee and only working 25 hours a week at my company.) Because of the full-time work, I had to give up my yoga classes which were during the day.

You started your lovely blog, Unfoldandbegin.com, 4 years ago. What was the inspiration behind starting your blog?

I love to write. You can’t stop me. I write in three or four different notebooks each day. I buy notebooks and pens like other people buy books. I wanted to blog for years and actually did a couple of years earlier when I started a blog and then deleted it a few months later. Mind you, no one had even read any of my posts but I was afraid they would!

I found thinking up a blog title really difficult – I settled for something simple – but tell me, what made you go for Unfold and Begin?

At the time that I started my first blog, I called it Unfold and Evolve because I was writing about my yoga journey and what I was learning about myself. One of the reasons why I deleted it was because I felt the title was too pretentious—evolve? What right did I have to say that I was evolved? That’s how much I was getting into my own head about letting people know the real me.

So I deleted it and then a year later, I decided that Unfold And Begin was a better title. The “Unfold” part was of course, about opening up to others. The “begin” was that I was taking baby steps to put myself out there. That meaning has since evolved (ha…there’s that evolve word again) into trying new things—beginning something new, being open to learning, to trying and to your creativity.

Being a blogger you need to have regular interaction on social media. What social media outlet is your personal favourite? What social media tends to attract more readers to your blog? What is your least favourite & why?

Oh wow. This is a tough question. I love Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter but of the three of them, I guess Facebook must be my favorite, because I’m on it the most. I’m also starting to use Instagram more. I didn’t know what to do with it at first since it’s so visual and I’m a writer. But I’ve started learning. Stumble Upon, Pinterest and Facebook drive the most traffic to my blog in that order. I feel guilty about Stumble Upon because I don’t personally use it that much (and really just have a basic understanding of it.) So while it drives the most traffic it’s also my least favorite since I don’t really get it or use it that much.

What do you like most about blogging?

Besides the writing? I love “meeting” all the people I’ve met through blogging. I found a fellow blogger in the town that I live in (which is a very small suburban community) and we’ve met a couple of times at a local coffee shop to share blogging tips. I also like a lot of the blogging Facebook groups that I participate in. My favorite group is small and we’re like a family that is spread around the world. We’re all very friendly, support each other when help is needed and make fun of each other like only family can.

Apart from being a blogger, you are a yoga teacher and your husband is a chef and chocolatier… so let’s talk food… what is your favourite meal? What food genre is your favourite when eating out?

OMG! Food! I love food as long as someone else is making it for me. Not only is my husband, Chris, a chef, but he went to the same school (the Culinary Institute of America) that my father went to. As far as I’m concerned, men belong in the kitchen. Even my ex-husband was a cook in his father’s restaurant. Chris jokes (only it’s not a joke) that when he met me my refrigerator only contained milk, beer and condiments. When he opened the freezer it was all frozen dinners just lined up in a row.

Every Valentine’s Day, my husband rotates between my two favorite meals that he’s ever made me: Filet Mignon in a Puff Pastry or Lobster Newburg in a Puff Pastry. I don’t know why they are better in the Puff Pastry, but they are. Just to make this even more special….my husband is allergic to shell fish. He cannot taste the Lobster Newburg, but he makes the BEST that I’ve ever tasted (and that includes what my father used to make.)

As for food genre? I really have no favorite. While I grew up in a household that required you eat everything on your plate whether you like it or not, I have a different rule. You don’t have to eat anything you don’t like, but you do have to try it first before you can declare you don’t like it.

I know that you like trying new things, having fun and laughing – so, if you could visit any place in the world, money no object, where would you go & why?

Money is no object? That’s such a hard decision. I’d love to go to a lot of different places, including Base Camp on Mount Everest. But if I had to pick just one thing, I’d love to go on a safari in Africa. I love zebras. Their color and pattern just fascinate me and I would love to see them in their natural environment. Oh, but then I would also love to go to every beautiful, warm beach in the world.

Jennifer & her mum

Alot of bloggers I know are also bookworms… are you one? What genre of book do you like reading? What book(s) are you currently reading?

YES! I love books. I used to buy actual books, but I’ve recently downsized and found that I even gave up my beloved Harry Potter collection, because I’m a Kindle and Audible girl now. Have you heard the Audible versions of Harry Potter? They are fantastic. I used to eat mysteries and suspense for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My sister and I would share these books. Recently, I’ve gotten into biographies and seem to be interested in old film and comedy stars. I finished a biography of Dean Martin written by his daughter and an autobiography of Dick Van Dyke. I’m currently reading Jerry Lewis’ autobiography and since I like trying new things, I Dare Me by Lu Ann Cahn about her year of trying one new thing a day.
And yes, I usually have two books going at the same time. I have a different set of books on my Kindle than I do on my Kindle App on my phone. When I get stuck waiting, I can pull out my phone and when I’m curled up on my couch, I use the Kindle.

Have you got a favourite style icon, past or present?

Not really, when I was growing up though, I was fascinated by Twiggy’s look. And when I was in High School, the whole Annie Hall look. I wore a man’s suit jacket into school a couple of times.

I like dresses from the 1950s; tunic dresses of the 1960s; the hippy styles of the 1970s; the colours of the 1980s… what decade of fashion are you drawn towards? Which popular styles of any decade didn’t/don’t float your boat?

I guess I’m more drawn to the late 60’s/early 70’s flower child look. Jeans, flowing shirts and sandals. I hated the satin anything of the 70’s and the fakeness of the neon 80’s. I was more comfortable with the grunge of the 90’s.

Jennifer, circa 1980, in cords, jacket & platform boots! 

My favourite colour is green although glancing at my wardrobe most of my clothes are shades of blue! What is your favourite colour?

My favorite color is yellow. But it looks terrible on me. I stop in my tracks when I see someone with a yellow shirt or jacket. I did paint my living room a sunset yellow to make up for not being able to wear it.

I have a passion for music – I listen to most styles – what genre floats your boat?

All music except country. I love rock, soul, blues and New Orleans style jazz that’s a little heavy on the clarinet. I also love the old electronic music of the 70’s. Rick Wakeman’s Six Wives of Henry the VIII and Bo Hansson’s Lord of the Rings. Isao Tomita’s Snowflakes are Dancing album blew my mind. It’s this electronic music that I listen to when I’m writing.

Describe your perfect day.

Is this real or fantasy?
Real, up by 5:30am and writing for a couple of hours then going to the gym on some of the days, then writing or social media, throw in taking care of my mother throughout the day and some self-care like a mani/pedi or massage or reading or even an afternoon movie. Fantasy, that gym would be replaced by a warm beach.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Yoga pants, jean shorts or anything similar and Birkenstock sandals or Skechers in the summer. Jeans, fleece and LL Bean wool clogs in the winter…unless there is snow on the ground, then it’ll be Merrill ankle high hikers. (When I eventually move south to a beach town, the winter options won’t be needed.) I was in a car accident a couple of years ago that left me with severe back pain when I stand too long. I’ve found that the Birks and the Skechers are my best options for providing additional support.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

You mean besides Amazon for moleskins notebooks? I’m a fan of Zappos, get most of my shoes through them. Although it might not seem like it, shoes are important to me because I need to wear the ones that will support my back the best.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I need to buy a new pair of Birkenstock sandals.

Boots or Shoes?

Neither. I’m all for sandals as you may have noted. Although, before the accident I liked to hike and once this back is healed, I will hike again. Then Merrill hiking boots are added to the list.

Links you would like to share e.g. Blog/facebook/twitter/etc

Blog: http://UnfoldAndBegin.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/unfoldandbegin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/UnfoldAndBegin/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unfoldandbegin/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unfoldandbegin/?hl=en

Thanks Jennifer for chatting to us!  I must say I adore chocolates and I would have loved to have tried the Sinfully Delicious – dark chocolate with salted caramel just sounds like heaven to me. I would love to be a chocolate taster sampling different flavours. My favourite place to eat chocolates is in bed, with a good book ( and  with my husband by my side sharing them too! :)) So, dear readers, do you like chocolates? What flavours would tickle your fancy? Do you eat chocolates in bed too?  Do share your secrets…

Linda x

All photos published with kind permission of Jennifer Koshak

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