PERFECTLY IMPERFECT — ALLY WALSH

Ally Walsh begins every day with an act of becoming. The hiss of the flame. The hum of the kettle. The bloom of the grounds. The careful alchemy of time and care. For many, the day's first coffee is certainly a ritual, but for the Canyon Coffee Co-Founder, this moment of transformation is a daily opportunity for cultivating mindfulness, for setting intention, for bearing witness to small miracles. We sat down with the businesswoman, model, and all around insanely kind soul to talk about finding space for exploration, balancing passion in a working relationship (her partner, Casey, is the other half of the Canyon Coffee family), and what it takes to feel at ease.

 

Ally wears the Sloan Cardigan in Brush

  

  

  

  





What are your daily rituals and how do you create a sense of constancy and coziness? Are those feelings important to you?

I wake up pretty early most mornings. If I’m up first I’ll bring Casey coffee in bed, then light some incense, write in my journal, or meditate. The morning has always been a precious time for me...I’d say constancy and coziness are at the heart of why we started Canyon Coffee. I think constancy comes to many in the form of routines and habits. To me, what makes a routine a ritual is the intention put into it, seeing the action as an opportunity to do something mindfully. Lighting the kettle, burning incense, making and enjoying a cup of coffee—those things all feel cozy to me!

 

You are a traveler by nature, have the shifts of the past few months made you feel different about wanderlust? How have you scratched that itch in meaningful ways during this time?

Before the pandemic, I was used to being out of town 2-3 times a month! So there has definitely been a marked change in how much I’m traveling. But while I can’t wait to travel again without restrictions, this time has definitely brought out the inner home-body in me. Just as I’m sure I’ll be even more appreciative to travel after this time, I’m also feeling more appreciative of all my books and our home and the long walks I’ve been enjoying in our neighborhood...We’ve still done some traveling, though, mostly through road trips. There’s so much to explore here in California, but also around the US. In the summer, we actually drove all the way to Minnesota to visit Casey’s family and New York to see my family. We did a loop, so we got to see so much of the country. It was so beautiful being on the road enjoying all the open space.

 

You started and now run your business with your partner, Casey. That is a joyful leap and a big adventure, for certain, but how do you maintain balance or barrier between the personal and professional, between your worker-selves and lover-selves?

I have to say I truly love having a business with Casey. It took time to find the right way to operate, and in many ways it's an ongoing pursuit! But I feel that we've found a sweet spot of working well and efficiently with each other, making the most of each of our respective talents while still having our life outside of work—where we turn off the business. We have our distinct roles we own in the business, and support each other in them. We're both free to "turn off" when we want, and also free to bring up new ideas or talk about projects when we're off work. We just respect if/when the other says "Let's not talk about work right now." There are ups and downs of course, but I wouldn't want it any other way :) 

In some ways, I think the little things like cooking together, going on walks, or just doing any typical non-work related activities helps us phase out of co-worker mode and into lover mode.






  

  

 

Ally wears the Wolfe Coat in Cream and Kate Jeans in Putty





 

 

Ally wears the Sloan Cardigan and Kate Jeans

  

  

  

  

 

  





When are you most at ease?

Knowing my family is safe and healthy. A clear mind, taking care of myself mentally, physically, emotionally. Reading Pema Chodron. Long baths. Early evening drives on the PCH, watching the sun set on the water.

 

And because inquiring minds must know: what is your preferred coffee method, both at home and when adventuring away from your own kitchen and how do you take it?

At home, I make a pour over every morning—always Canyon—using our V60 or Chemex set up! We always rotate to move through all our different coffees and also try them out at different lengths from the roast date, to test for how well they hold up over time! Back when we used to go on airplanes, I would always bring our Canyon Instant coffee with me…The past few times I've been camping or on the road, I’ve brought along my favorite kettle and pour-over set-up, and either brought our hand grinder along or just pre-ground a bag of coffee.

 

And black. I like to drink it black to get the full flavor of the bean, and it’s healthy!

 

 

Follow Ally on Instagram here, and Canyon Coffee here. Photos by Justin Chung.

 

  

 

 

 

                                                                                                 Ally wears the Sloan Cardigan and 1930's Bandana in Rosehip

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