I love travelling. The kind described by Matsuo Bashō in his diaries and in Regina Brett’s columns. Minimalistic, like haiku, and mad, whose chaos has to be tamed and brought to a happy end. Even as a child, I used to collect underground tube, theatre and museum tickets – they reminded me of the places I had visited. Later, photographs – a passion of mine – became my travel diary. Then came Mokate – blazing new trails – starting with one of the first Polish TV commercials, “Mokate Cappuccino – a star among coffees”. Repeated trips to coffee plantations in South America. Later, tea – learning at the London tea house Thompson Lloyd & Ewart, creating the LOYD brand “with a touch of magic”, introducing it to “The London Tea History Association” and founding the Institute of Coffee & Tea Market Research – another of my passions. However, the most fascinating journey has been motherhood. My children accompanied me on my travels from their earliest years. To this day, they still remember our escapades to the most remote parts of the world, culinary workshops, learning about new cultures and customs. I want them to be wise, good and happy – that’s what travelling teaches.

I also teach them to “stay focused on the goal and work consistently in a set direction”, as Orison Scott Marden wrote in his work “Pushing to the Front”. The book fascinated me so much at one point in my life that I translated it into Polish and published it at my own expense. It is an excellent guide which confirms that it is worth having an appetite for life. In fact, it all starts with passion. He treats coffee and tea as an art that requires not only knowledge of the product but also imagination. I have always wanted to combine different worlds – tradition with modernity and flavours with history. My inspiration comes from travelling and meeting people who share their cultures.

COFFEE

I love to start the morning with a cup of coffee. I have lots of them, from different parts of the world. For me, it is not only a moment of relaxation, but also a moment of reflection and planning for the day. A beautiful cup makes every morning special.

TEA

My favourite tea is Loyd with cherry, cocoa and chilli. I love the combination of intense cherry with a slight hint of spice. I’m proud to have created this flavour – it’s a perfect reflection of my taste.

KIMONOS

I think silk kimonos are a must-have, it’s my way of giving scarves a second life. They are practical, comfortable and take up very little space in my suitcase.

JEWELLERY

Even jeans and a white T-shirt become more stylish when small jewellery accessories are added.

BALLPOINT

These old-fashioned notes are different from those on your phone or laptop…

SCENTS

Fragrance is very important not only when creating new tea blends, but also when travelling. I can’t imagine going anywhere without my favourite scents – they have to wrap around the whole suitcase…

FLYING

For me, aviation is synonymous with freedom. I love the feeling when I take to the skies. I’m in the middle of a pilot training course and I can confidently say that it’s a dream come true. Every flight teaches me something new and gives me the feeling that the impossible is possible.

HAT

I love hats all year round – how useful they are on a bad hair day.

SCARVES

I have quite a large collection of scarves. It’s amazing how they can change a woman’s look, whether in the office or on the go.

HIGH HEELS

I make no secret of the fact that travelling in high heels can be a challenge, but I love heels. I have visited coffee plantations in Brazil and Inca temples in Yucatan in high heels. High heels are the quintessence of femininity, they always look elegant no matter what the circumstances.

SHORT NOTES

My wallet is always full of photos and ‘love letters’ from my children.

GIANNI

My Gianni has been with me for 2.5 years and he is the only one who can read my mood 100% accurately… He’s the best companion who reminds me of the importance of simple moments spent with loved ones.

PEPPERS

Little bottles of chilli are essential because you never know when you’ll run out of Tabasco!

GLASSES

Sunglasses are like the best make-up… They also allow you to hide when you want to look at someone.

Listened to by Michał Korsun