In A Different Form

When asked what her wardrobe essentials are, Seraphina’s choices are distilled down to two items: “Black tee, white tee.” She isn’t one to be fashion- or trend-conscious, either, saying that it doesn’t matter what people wear, as long as it’s comfortable for him or her. As a partner and manager of Kilo Orchard, Seraphina says that her job is always evolving. “Whether it’s the restaurant, or writing, or figuring out new business ideas, the bottomline — and goal — is just to have fun with what you do.” The former freelance writer found a passion for food and had intended to go to culinary school in New York before she joined Kilo full-time, and while she finds her work fulfilling, she finds balancing her work and personal life a “massive struggle”. “Please tell me if someone’s figured this out!” She does try to set aside time for things that are important, and to maintain some sense of structure in her life. “Sundays are church and family time,” she says. “I think you should remain orderly in your life so you can remain free and chaotic in your work.” Outside of work, Seraphim’s been hitting up the climbing gym. “Recently, I’ve been trying to keep a pretty active lifestyle,” she says. “From Yoga to Tabata classes, I’ve been learning new ways of conditioning my body. But everything I practice is really meant to improve me as a climber — balance, flexibility, and strength. You know what they say: the more you practice, the luckier you get.” She seems pretty obsessed about the sport; she falls asleep to climbing videos almost every night. “They’re my lullaby!” Her personal motto at this point is something a little deeper than the usual ‘no pain no gain’. “I would say ‘lean into the discomfort’. Many times we’re inclined to take the easy way out of a tough situation, but to really come out stronger from an experience, we gotta carry the pain for awhile and let it better us, keeping in mind that something greater is waiting on the other side.”