Staff Spotlight: Mara Plato

What is your favorite menu item?

I love pour over coffees! The world of coffee is still so new to me and it is such a fun way to taste all the unique flavors that are out there! I make pour over coffees at home each morning. (However, some days I am less of a purist and I’ll treat myself by adding a dash of cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon, as well as a little splash of maple syrup and milk to my coffee!)

What customers do you miss seeing the most?

I miss everyone’s smiling faces equally! But the hen from the herb shop that I miss the most is the white one that wanders all around the building - I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for fluffy, dimwitted animals.

How are you coping during this time?

I’m doing my best to keep the faith! The ebbs and flows of life make each day different. If you fall, you just have to get up and keep trying again and again. Always hold onto hope and faith as best as you can.

What is your favorite coffee at Snowy Owl?

I love any of the coffees that are more full-bodied, nutty, and chocolatey!

What have you been doing with your time?

I have been spending a lot of time with my friend’s cute, fluffy dog! Sadie’s been getting pampered with loads of belly rubs!

I have also been volunteering some time with local conservation efforts. For those who don’t know, I worked in wildlife conservation for multiple years. I strongly support protecting the beautiful beaches around us and all of the biodiversity around us. So often people see rainforests or other far away places as important wildlife habitats but they do not see our local beach ecosystems as equally important or threatened. So I dedicate some of my time to protecting our local wildlife.

I have also been training for the Lake Tahoe half-marathon coming up in October!

What are a few fun facts about you?
I really, really love foxes. Especially the ones with really, really fluffy tails! One of my dreams is to rescue a fox from the fur trade and to give it a lovely home! I also really love border collies and hope to adopt one someday! I think it’d be sweet to raise a border collie puppy with a baby lamb and bring them up to be best friends together! One animal that I am also enamored with and hope to see someday is the manatee! I love plump, happy animals!

Some of my hobbies include birdwatching, paddleboarding, rescuing upside-down horseshoe crabs, catching sunrises & sunsets, stargazing, collecting wampum, and petting dogs.

For those who don’t know, I have been lucky enough to call D.C., the Outer Banks, Nantucket, San Diego, and Cape Cod home.

My dream is to someday have a farm and to steward my little piece of land in a way that promotes wildlife conservation and engages in regenerative agriculture.