Behind the Bar with Sydney
Our “Behind The Bar'“ series highlights one of our team members, celebrating their unique contribution to the Tala experience. We believe the connection across the bar can be meaningful and impactful. Our team puts a smile on the faces of so many each day by simply serving delicious beverages and being an authentic presence in each person’s day. Learn more about what makes each person on the Tala Team unique with this personal interview.
Sydney started working at Tala as a Neighborly delivery driver in the summer of 2022. Long before she was an employee, Syd was a regular at the cafe—partly because her sister Lucy worked with us, but also because it’s where she did homework almost every day after school. After doing Neighborly for a few months, Sydney joined the cafe team and has worked steadily ever since!
Q: How would you describe yourself to someone who doesn’t know you?
A: I’m an open minded person and I enjoy going with the flow, having spontaneous plans, and getting to know people. I am definitely “type B”, 100%.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at Tala?
A: I love the community we’ve built. It makes working here feel like you’re part of a really tight family and it’s a really genuine and positive and encouraging environment. It makes coming to work everyday really enjoyable. I love it!
Q: Is the “tight family” you’re talking about coming from your coworkers or the customers?
A: All of the above. We’ve built a really cool network of regulars and to see them come in and talk to them about what was happening in their life last week, ‘How did the job interview go?’, to build those relationships in a different way is really cool.
Q: What is your favorite drink to make and to consume?
A: I really like making mermaids because I really like using the whip cream! I don’t know why, it’s so fun to me. I used to be a very devout iced honey latte person but recently I’ve been very into the Violet Beauregard with oat milk. It’s so good!
Q: What is your favorite memory at Tala?
A: Before I actually started working here, Lucy bought me to the staff Christmas party and it was just a really sweet and personal thing. It was really nice to be adopted into this family. I was like ‘wow, these people are so amazing!’ I just love being able to experience the relationships they have with each other. It was just a genuine and really kind experience, I loved it.
Q: What do you do when you’re not at work or school?
A: I’m usually hanging out with my friends, going to someones house or going out. We love going on drives or going on walks. I live really close to a forests preserve so I love going on walks through there with my dogs or family or friends. During the summer I love going to the beach and swimming.
Q: What is one topic that will always get you talking when you’re on bar?
A: Music. 100% music. My favorite is when someone comes up to me and asks what song is playing and I explain it to them and then we start talking about music. For example, I always talk to Conner about music and we always share extremely controversial music takes. I love when people come to talk to me about music because I could talk about it for hours.
Follow up: What is your most controversial music opinion?
A: I just really hate Blink 182. I hate them. No hate if you love them but I just really cannot. I don’t know why, it’s just something about them really grinds my gears. I also hate country music too, but mostly Blink 182. But I’ll try anything, give me good recommendations! Unless it’s Blink 182.
Q: Are you a morning or a night person?
A: Oh a night person. I cannot interact with people in the morning because my brain hasn’t woken up yet. That’s why I work in the afternoons! Morning shifts don’t work. I’ve worked a morning shift and it’s really funny, whoever I work with I don’t say anything until like 8 am because I can’t talk to people in the morning. It doesn't work.
Q: What is your favorite movie and why?
A: Probably ‘Good Will Hunting’. I love the writing and the cast is absolutely amazing. I feel like it’s a really fantastic and emotional story about vulnerability. I watched it with my dad a while ago which made it really special.
Q: What is fun fact about yourself?
A: There are a lot of really common foods I’v never tried. I’ve never had a pickle before. Oh! I like to have my salads with out dressing on them. I get a lot of crap for it but that’s just the way I like it. Like a rabbit, I don’t know why but I just love it, it’s so good to me! I love bare, naked salads.
Sydney will be with us until she leaves for Boston University in December of next year. Stop in the cafe on weekends or this summer to start up a conversion with Syd about your favorite music, controversial music takes, or just ask her what she is most excited for as she prepares to end high school and start college in the next year!