If your character’s in a bad mood, do they prefer to be left alone or have someone try to cheer them up?
Ionna tends to prefer to be alone with Pingu, but even they admit that sometimes they need help processing or comfort. it’s hard to be upset when you have a fluffy dog giving kisses. Sometimes, though, you need to go for a run to cool off. Or you need a friend, some good cannolis, and some dumb movie.
How do they deal/have they dealt with conflict in their relationships with others, past or present?
It’s taken a lot of mishandled conflict for Ionna to learn not only her limits, but that others have them too. And sometimes you just have to feel what you’re going to feel before you can talk about it honestly. Her relationship with her parents is evidence of this.
When she was initially contemplating dropping nursing school, they fought pretty regularly. They were supposed to be setting an example, after all. And wasn’t she just so sure when she started? This was a huge commitment. What was the plan? Did she have one? Was she sure?
They only wanted the best for their child, but it initially felt like a personal slight to suddenly reject such a significant investment.
Ionna felt betrayed by their disappointment.
It was weeks before everything was outlined properly. They decided to present a business plan, a draft of the one she was intending to use for her applications for licensure and permits. The family was able to talk it out properly at that point, and move on, but it took work.
Who or what is your character currently proudest of? Why?
Ionna’s pretty proud of herself. She had a dream and she built it and while it doesn’t always thrive, it is surviving. And she gets to run her business her way, and has the support to do the parts that she wants to do the most. Supposedly, it’s the american dream.
Explain why your character has moved to/stayed in NYC?
She got familiar with the city initially when she started doing her internships with non-profits and charities in between semesters of college. There was (and is) so much need, and while they know there’s need everywhere, they had the connections there to start building their dream of running a point of contact for resources and help out of a bar.
Was it crazy? Absolutely.
Would she do it differently? Absolutely not.
If your character was having a bad day, which of these would they prefer as a means to cheer them up? Their favorite dish, a massage, or some space?
Food. Hands down. No question. Ionna loves food. And wine. But mostly food. Her family was pretty quick to instill that particular love. Family dinners. All-out feasts for holidays and festivals whenever possible. Teaching the basics of cooking at a young age.
Her grandma’s spanakopita is one of the best savory comfort foods.
There’s a section of the menu dedicated to Greek cuisine that’s often designed by Ionna, and like most of the menu, is adjusted seasonally to compensate for the local farms and business support.
What usually jump starts their day? Coffee? Exercise? A Shower? Breakfast? Or something else entirely?
Pingu decides how and, often, when the morning starts. Morning walkies is sometimes morning joggies. And then a shower, unless it’s a gym day.
Does your character thrive in order or chaos?
They eat most flavours of chaos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but even they have their limits. They’re very grateful for their office staff who tend to handle the Order of the bar a bit better.
Would your character say that their parents were/are good at being parents?
Their late twenties into their thirties came with a certain change of perspective. Her parents were definitely parents. Sometimes their choices sucked, but their hearts were in the right places and they never meant any harm. They weren’t bad, but they definitely had the practice to deal with her baby sister and have, in Ionna’s mind, done a lot better in some respects.
What scares your character the most?
After losing her bar? Internally? Being alone. Or having to face hardship alone. They put so much of themselves out into the world that the worst feeling in the world would be to not have anyone there when they need someone most.
What did the last relationship your character was in teach them?
If they make repeated, passive aggressive comments about your profession, it probably runs as a deeper problem and they can either figure it out and get over it, or it’s time to move on. It’s just not worth the time wasted combating their negative fixation on something that’s a core part of her life.
If your character could choose 1 superpower, what would it be and why?
I think she’d want to be super fast. Or the ability to read minds.
What’s something people often misunderstand about your character?
Socially, she’s very awkward without meaning to be, and it’s not really because she’s poorly practiced or anything in particular. They have just ended up three or four steps ahead in the conversation (in her head), and assume the other person has managed to stay on the same page when they’re two and a half pages behind because that’s how time and conversations work.
What is something your character tends to procrastinate on?
Paperwork. It’s boring. It’s not pointless but it feels obvious. It’s necessary. But it’s still boring to such a degree it should be a sin. Ionna doesn’t know what to do when all of her office staff end up having vacations or emergencies all at the same time.
Well. She does. She just hates doing it so it takes three times as long as it really should.
Where does your character like to go/what does your character like to do for inspiration?
When she’s working on menus, they tend to throw “parties.” They are less party and more test bed for future food or drink items. But the guests don’t necessarily know that. It does mean they tend to happen more at season change time once she knows what fresh produce will be available.
There’s always a big spread of lunch and dinner samples, and she tends the bar herself on the condition that it’s dealer’s choice on the drink.
Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.
They still haven’t gotten the mulled pumpkin spice mead to work out properly and haven’t figured out why.
Does your character usually follow their head or their heart?
They lean pretty heavily on their heart to start, but the head does catch up to what’s going on eventually and evens the keel.
Who or what brings your character the most joy in their life today?
Pingu for a who, though Calliope is always a delight to be around. Who condensed sunshine and infused it with that girl?
She also really loves it when a client who’s been referred to support services comes back to visit in a better position than when they’d initially stumbled into their bar. It’s not necessarily a reminder of why they do what they do, but it does bolster their resolve to keep going.
Does your character have a hero or someone they admire or look up to? If so, who and why?
With the perspective of proper adulthood, Ionna’s really come around to admiring her parents. They’ve worked really hard to build what they have, and they didn’t succumb to the desire to continue expanding and end up over-stretching themselves. They decided what they were going to do and how much they wanted to put into it and what they wanted out of it, and then they didn’t give in to the pull to do more than that.
From a business owner perspective, that seems like such an easy trap to fall into. Ionna does want to keep expanding the supports available, yes, but she doesn’t want to fall into the trap of having multiple locations for the sake of profit. That’s not what she’s here for. She’s here to help, to be a safe place for folks to have a good time, and to treat her employees well.
Is your character much of a reader? If so, what author(s) do they like?
They’re less for literature and more for recipe books. But books, not necessarily websites with inane blog posts that drone on for twelve paragraphs too long. Other how-tos are also appreciated, since they like to at least try and do things on their own.
Does your character like surprises? How do they tend to react to surprises?
Ionna likes nice surprises. Less so surprises from Pingu since those are often smelly, if few and far between.
Gifts are pretty important to them, for a lot of occasions. It’s not necessarily common in American culture, so whenever anyone remembers it’s a joy and tends to leave her impressed for a good while afterward.
Is there anything that your character collects? If so, what is it/what are they?
They have a sizeable collection of corks from favoured bottles of wine or bottles from special occasions. Eventually they want to turn it into a table, but they don’t have enough yet.
