Member Spotlight—Eliza S.
Eliza S. is a Cole Valley resident, a maker of spicy salsas, and spends every chance she can get outdoors.
Read about Eliza’s microbakery, what brought her to SF, and how she incorporates Tillage into her daily routine.
How long have you been in the city? Tell us a little about your journey.
7 years. I moved here two days after graduating from college to start a job at a diabetes non-profit. Four jobs later I’m still here. I’m currently working at a dementia telehealth start-up.
What should we know about you?
I’m mostly from Minnesota, where I learned to cross-country ski, make casseroles and dessert bars, and got to know all my neighbors. I played D1 ultimate frisbee in college. I’ve since retired to running and cycling and spending all my free time outside. During COVID I ran a microbakery out of my apartment. Now I mostly make all manner of spicy salsas.
How many steps are you away from Tillage?
1.2 miles. I live in Cole Valley and usually walk to Tillage.
What does a typical day or week look like for you, and how has Tillage become a part of that routine?
Wake up, exercise, spend the morning at home taking calls and catching up on some things. When I have a break in meetings, I come to Tillage to work for a few hours. Tillage provides a great opportunity to break up the otherwise routine tasks of my day and get in some much-needed exercise. Being at Tillage helps me focus on things differently than I do at home.
What drew you to Tillage, and what have you enjoyed about being part of the community so far?
I’m not by nature a remote worker, and I don’t want to be alone in my apartment all day. I need a daily routine that allows me to see more human faces—and not on a zoom screen. A few years before Tillage opened, I was looking for a space but couldn’t find any that met my criteria (close in proximity to where I live, right vibes). I found Tillage shortly after it opened, checked it out, and recognized right away that it was exactly what I’d been looking for.
I was immediately drawn to the many plants. It feels consistent with my home to have lots of plants here. And I love how intentional the space looks and feels in every regard—you didn’t import the showroom. Tillage is clearly a labor of love and a labor of the community.
Where's your favorite spot at Tillage?
I like to move around, so I’ve got a few spots. The counter at the bar, the farm table, the standing desk. One place you’ll never find me is in front of the monitors!
What’s your favorite Tillage Gathering?
I make it a priority to attend as many of the art openings as I can. I love supporting the artists and seeing their work.
What does being a community member mean to you?
Showing up authentically in whatever form that looks like that day. Holding an openness to engage. I like being a part of something that’s bigger than the four walls of my apartment—a place where faces become familiar, a place where I belong; not like being in a coffee shop to mooch off of their Internet.
What’s one local spot you couldn’t live without, and what’s one memory you’ve made there?
My cop out is Golden Gate Park. It seems way too big to be a local spot, but I don’t think I could live in this city without being by the park. The park is great for running and biking, birthday parties, picnics, frisbee, visiting the SF Botanical Gardens and the National Aids Memorial Grove. There’s always something new to find and discover. One time I took my parents and we ended up playing ping pong on JFK, but the wind was so fierce the ball was flying everywhere! I’ve made some of my closest friends running in the park.
