the hoppy life

[callawalker]

CAROLINE WALKER. 44 YEARS OLD. CISFEMALE. SHE/HER is here! They’ve lived in Cascade for SEVEN YEARS and currently reside in SHASHTA HEIGHTS. CALLA is a CO-OWNER OF BIG-FOOT BREWERY and frequently hears that they look a lot like MINKA KELLY. Funny, huh? If ever caught by Letterboxd, they’d say PRACTICAL MAGIC is in their Top 4 and the theme song to their life’s soundtrack would be MEET ME IN THE WOODS by LORD HURON.

OVERVIEW

Full Name: Caroline "Calla" Ann Walker

Birthday: September 26, 1981 (44 years old)

Birthplace/Hometown: Fort Worth, TX / Santa Cruz, CA

Current Residence: Shashta Heights (3Bd, 2Ba) since August 2019

Occupation: Co-Founder & Director of Hospitality, Bigfoot Brewery

Education: B.S. Hospitality Management & B.S. Business Administration, University of Cascade

Family: Vivian Gibbons (Grandmother) & TBA Walker (Son)

Relationship Status: Single (Heterosexual)

Personality: Warm. Optimistic. Opinionated. Fiery. Kind. Frugal. Patient. Nurturing. Independent. Resilient.

CALLA'S STORY

Was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to parents who believed that success in life came from planning and sticking to a rigid timeline. Excellent grades get you into a prestigious college. A practical degree provides a sustainable career. A great career will bring you a marriage, kids, and with that, the perfect life. Unfortunately for her parents, that never happened the way they envisioned.

Calla was social from the moment she could talk. Loved people more than fishing after accomplishments and compliments. While her parents complained that she was becoming too much, her grandmother, Vivian, adored her. In a way, she rescued Calla, flying her up to spend the entire summer with her in Santa Cruz. They were her favorite part of the year: gardening, cooking, playing cards, and listening to old records. It was perfect.

All was well until it wasn't. The summer going into her senior year, Calla learned she was pregnant. Disappointed and not wanting to deal with public embarrassment, her parents shipped her back to her grandmother hardly speaking to her ever agin. Thankfully, Vivian never treated her like she was a mistake. She helped. Every day. Calla was able to finish school, work a job, and prepared daily for the impending journey of motherhood. When she held her son for the first time, she smiled.

The next eighteen years belong to raising her son. Calla worked constantly, trying to build a life for them. If there was a hospitality job in Santa Cruz, she probably held it at some point. The one thing Calla was excellent at was making people feel seen and welcome. With that came consistent and steady promotions. Despite how successful she became, her priority remained the same: her son.

Every decision centered around him. Money was tight, and her schedule was exhausting, but her son never knew anything but laughter, honesty, joy and love. Calla was proud to raise, alongside her grandmother, a bright, curious, funny, considerate, and boy who turned into an independent young man. When he graduated from high school, she finally let herself take a deep breath she’d been holding in since he was born. For the first time in years, she had room to dream.

At thirty-seven, she enrolled in college and moved to Cascade, California. Sitting in classrooms with students her son's age was intimidating but empowering. She earned dual degrees and, at the same time, befriended a Cascade native who was working in the brewing industry. Together, they came up with a vision. Not simply opening a brewery, but a gathering place for all member of their community. In 2020, they took a leap of faith, and the rest is history.

Today, Bigfoot Brewery is one of Cascade's favorite gathering places for both locals and tourists alike. She loves to see families stop by after their kids games or performances. To witness the university students celebrating finals and graduation. Her favorite by far is hosting events from trivia night, live music, to corporate functions, and weddings. At forty-four, she finally has something that's all hers. She's built it from the ground up with her blood, sweat, and tears. Her son is thriving. Her grandmother is still schooling people in cards, and the brewery is continuing to grow. She wakes up grateful every morning and wouldn't wish for things to have turned out any other way.

*Headcanons & Connections

[darrowhawthornes]

closed for: @callawalker

where: bigfoot brewery

By the third question in a row that he had no idea what the answer could be, Darrow had given up on partaking in the trivia part of the trivia night he was attending.

He's propped up at the bar instead, mid-way through his fourth beer of the evening as he waits for the questions to cease for to greet the host. Once he made eye contact with Calla, he waves and then waits to once again make her the keeper of his conundrums.

"Good quiz," He says when she's within earshot, his overturned and doodled on answer sheet implying otherwise as he uses it as a makeshift beermat, "I need your help with something."

[callawalker]

The crowd numbers on any given night were variable, if not consistent. Operating seven days a week could be taxing, but they established such a sustainable, well-oiled machine amongst the staff that people were more than excited to come into work. Calla could be found all over the establishment. Bartending, hostess, runner. She's done it all, and no job is deemed too small for her to fulfill. Thankfully, tonight she got to simply play owner, going around and catching up with patrons she hadn't seen in over a week, as well as with her regulars. Making her way behind the bar to pour a celebratory beer for a friend's new job promotion, she offered a wave to Darrow in passing.

"Oh yeah? And how many brains does an octopus have?" she smirked as she congratulated Louis with the beer before redirecting her attention back to Darrow. "How much do I need to mentally prepare myself for what's about to come out of your mouth?"

[callawalker]

WHO: Mitchell Lovelace-Torres ( @mitchieslvlc ) WHERE: Bigfoot Brewery

Another quarter two was closing out, and all Calla could do was thank the universe. If you asked her five years ago if she thought she would have a successful business in a place where she could call her own and her home, she would laugh. This was a fever dream, and she prayed that she would never wake up. Between the lunch rush and happy hour, Calla was trying to get a few items off her checklist, one of them being a check-in with Mitch. He had been a tremendous help getting fresh-baked goods in during their Sunday brunch over the last year. With an impending menu change, she wanted to see what he could bring to the table. "Hey, mister!" she smiles, looking up at the baker joining her. "How's your day going? Want something to drink?"

[micah-sebastian]

Where: The Niner Who: anyone! @cascadestarter When: Later Evening

"Jeeez, who knew a little weed would offend so much." And this was why the suburbs were her least favorite territory, always someone who just didn't get it, "Not my fault your ten year old got a little loosey goosey on a contact high. Isn't this the World Cup — better question is why do you have your kid at a bar."

[callawalker]

"Nope, nope, nope," she said, steering the fiery redhead from the mama bear that was all about to rip out her claws. "Micah, I love you, but I swear you can't help but put your foot in your own damn mouth!" Now, Micah wasn't wrong at all for questioning why the kid was at the bar after 9 PM. Calla thought the same. "Why do you love riling people so much? You've got to stop!"

[oftillyjones]

"Can we please agree that my life has been written by lemony snickets, because I keep remembering the guy who I thought was very cute and ended up getting a whole jug of sweet tea poured over his white shirt because I was flirting a little too close to the sun," Tilly sighed, rolling her eyes as she recounted the events. "I'm sure the guy wasn't thrilled about being signed up for a wet t-shirt contest, and while I didn't hate the view, I am forever mortified and should be banned from talking to any hot person in fear that I'll trip and set off a chain of catastrophic events," @cascadestarters

[callawalker]

"I'm trying to wrap my head around the physics here of how the entire jug of sweet tea landed on this poor guy, Tilly." Calla was trying to stifle a laugh because she truly could not envision how such a moment could occur to anybody, let alone be on the receiving end. She's heard of wine being  intentionally poured or tossed on another, but not a jug of tea. "Well, let's not assume all hope is lost. Maybe the person you're meant to be with someone who needs a jug of lemonade poured all over them for it to click," she teased. "You're beautiful. You don't need to try to garner any man's attention, you hear me?"

[nessagates]

open to: anyone! (0/5) @cascadestarters where: Got a Dime?

"Look, I'm not saying it looks bad on you, I'm just saying maybe it's not your color?" Nessa stands outside the unisex changing room with her hands on her hips, deep in concentration. She took her job as fashion advisor very seriously. "Like, raspberry type pinks look awful on me. You just have to trial and error these things." A woman clears her throat behind them, seemingly impatient to use the sole changing room of the thrift store, but Nessa doesn't budge from her spot. "When I sew an outfit, I have to try it on like fifty times. Probably because I measure it wrong the first time, but hey, trial and error!"

[callawalker]

"Well, excuse me!" she scoffs jokingly. Nessa was not wrong by any means. This chartreuse dress was downright unflattering. Why people needed to have themed colors for weddings nowadays truly bothered her spirit. Not only did they have to bring a gift, pay for a hotel, and arrange transportation for an event three hours away, but they also had to dress in alignment with the aesthetic, or they would be booted at the door. "So, how does one go about texting a bride that their color palette is not suitable for me? Do I just sneak it with a darker green?"

[callawalker]

WANTED CONNECTIONS

THE SON (0/1) : Connection listed on main!

THE BUSINESS PARTNER (0/1) : Connection listed on main!

THE COLLEGE FRIENDS (0/2) : You met Calla when she was thirty-seven, balancing homework, opening the brewery, and motherhood. You admired her determination from day one. She became everyone's unofficial class mom, showing up with homemade muffins during finals and cheering louder than anyone at graduation.

THE REGULARS (0/5 ) : You don't even need a menu anymore. Calla knows your usual drink, asks about your family, remembers your dog's name, and notices if you haven't stopped by in a while.

THE UNEXPECTED ROMANCE (0/1) : You've only known Calla since she moved to Cascade, but you've slowly become one of her favorite people. Maybe it starts as coffee after closing the brewery, helping with weekend events, or volunteering together. This would be the first relationship that arrives when she hasn't been looking for one.

THE PERSON SHE HELPED / IS HELPING (1/3) : You walked into Bigfoot Brewery at one of the lowest points in your life. Maybe you were new to town, grieving, recently divorced, struggling financially, or simply lonely. Calla never tried to fix your problems. She just kept making sure there was a seat for you at the bar. (@darrowhawthornes)

HEADCANONS

Almost everyone in Cascade thinks her legal name is Calla.

Has a habit of absentmindedly touching people's shoulders when she laughs.

Knows over two hundred regular customers by first name.

Keeps dog treats behind the bar because so many regulars bring their dogs.

Every birthday she bakes the employee's favorite dessert instead of ordering a cake.

Has a giant collection of vintage mugs that never match.

Calls almost everyone "sweetheart," "honey," or "darlin'" without realizing it.

Volunteers at support groups for young parents once a month.

Still calls her grandmother every Sunday evening, no matter how busy life gets.

Keeps a framed graduation photo of herself and Noah in her office. People often assume it's his graduation until they look closer.

Makes the best grilled cheese in town. People will text her and ask if her weekly if she's making it at her home for them to come over and indulge. Despite the consistent request to put it on the brewery menu, it's going with her to the grave.

If someone looks like they're eating alone because they're lonely rather than by choice, she'll casually introduce them to another regular.

Loves making playlists for every moment. Autumn. Rainy days. Redwood hikes. Brewery closing. Laundry folding. Journaling.

Has a habit of saying, "We'll figure it out." It's the same phrase her grandmother repeated to her throughout her pregnancy.

[drexmwomxn]

[quotethat]

“Don’t settle. Don’t finish crappy books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it.”

— Chris Brogan

[04k96]

[dailyflicks]

Molly’s Game (2017) dir. Aaron Sorkin