How would you describe your occupation? I am the owner of Herbs Love & Yoga. All of the herbal medicine is manufactured in-house. It’s sustainably and mindfully made. I am a master herbalist so I come up with all the formulations. I also teach all of the yoga classes and herbal workshops. A big part of what I’ve been doing lately has been reaching out for collaborations with other small businesses. Before I opened the shop, for the last 15 years, I was a high school biology and chemistry teacher. I’m still using my skills and knowledge I acquired, just in a whole new way.

Who is in your family? My mom is 85. She was born and raised in Italy. My dad is 92. I also have a brother and a sister. They are much older than me because my mother had me when she was 48. I was a bit of a surprise.

Do you have any pets? During COVID, I fostered a cat who I just fell in love with. His name was Jules. We spent all of COVID together, but he got adopted by this lovely woman. I cried for like, two months straight after that. Hopefully, I’ll find another cat in the future.

How long have you worked in Newtown? I moved to Danbury three years ago from Brooklyn. We just opened at the end of June, so we’re fairly new to the community.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love to go hiking. I’ve been spending a lot of time on my paddleboard or swimming — I’m a water baby. I love the water. I love to read, and my true passion is traveling. I love exploring new places.

What is your favorite book? I love Eat, Pray, Love, Where The Crawdads Sing, and A Discovery of Witches. I remember the books based on where in the world I read them. I remember reading Eat, Pray, Love when I was in Italy, and Where The Crawdads Sing when I was in Bali. The characters become your friends when you’re traveling and away from home. I love the book as much as its association with where I am in the world reading it.

Are you part of any organizations in town? I just joined [Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity] which has been really great — getting to know all the other small business owners in town.

Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life? The plants, of course. They have a lot to teach you if you’re willing to listen.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? Mary Magdalene, because she’s such a mystical mama. I would just love to get to know her in her goddess ways.

What is something you can’t live without? My independence. If I don’t have my autonomy, I wither.

What is your proudest accomplishment? In 2010, I ran the Hamptons Marathon. That was a big one for me, because I’m not a runner naturally. I did it for Team In Training, an organization that raises money for leukemia. Each week, you would do two short runs, less than 20 minutes, and then you would do one long run, which would continually creep up in mileage. The body really adapted, and I was able to do it. I ran the whole time.

What is your favorite travel destination? Some of my favorites have been Bali, Thailand, and the Amalfi Coast.

What is the best part of Newtown? The community and all of the locally-owned small businesses. I’ve been enjoying eating and drinking my way through Newtown so much. And, just meeting with all of the small-business owners and doing collabs. Everybody has been so nice, so chill, so welcoming. I really love it here; I’m so glad my shop is here.

What would you like The Newtown Bee to cover in the future? Free community events — spotlighting cool and fun things in the community that are accessible, free, and bring people together.