How did the vision for Café Index emerge? Was it something you were both dreaming about together, or did it arrive differently for each of you?

Travis: I don't remember exactly where the idea for the tonic bar came from. As we were developing MPI, creating our own line of supplements felt like a natural direction, a way to distill all of this knowledge into thoughtful, intentional products.

After launching our first supplement, UPLIFT, we realized it isn't easy for everyone to commit to taking a supplement every day for a month in order to really connect with a plant's healing potential. We all live busy lives and are constantly distracted. The tonic bar became our answer to the question: how can we create something fun that's a much easier entry point into the world of medicinal plants?

We began developing a menu of cocktails and mocktails infused with herbal tinctures like ashwagandha, maca root, and lemon balm. Around that time, our son was still very young, and with the structured routine that comes with parenting, we weren't drinking much alcohol. So the idea really started at home, making mocktails at night with different herbal tinctures. At first, I was simply experimenting, curious to see how different tinctures made me feel and how well they worked. From there, it naturally evolved into what the tonic bar is today.

How did Medicinal Plant Index first come to life?

Travis: MPI first came to life during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, though the catalyst began a few months earlier when I realized I had developed a gluten allergy that resulted in eczema all over my body. As someone who loves pastries and lives in a city with no shortage of incredible bread and baked goods, it took me a while to come to terms with the diagnosis.

Around that time, I became interested in doing a full herbal detox, which is exactly what I did during the first month of the pandemic. It was an intensive six-week cleanse that included around 30 herbs, all intended to detoxify the body, cleanse the blood, and restore nutrients. Since we were all stuck at home, I had the time to really pay attention to the process and monitor the results. I was honestly blown away by how good I felt and how quickly I began to heal.

That experience sent me down a deep rabbit hole of learning about the herbs I was taking, what they were, why they worked, and how they supported the body. I realized there was an opportunity for a resource that cataloged these plants in a way that was fun, accessible, and aesthetically engaging. Many of the resources I was using felt outdated and difficult to navigate. So what began as an art and web design project gradually evolved into what MPI is today.

 

You both work together, create together, and share a life together.

Do you have any advice for couples who work together? What makes the combination of romance and collaboration work?

Cynthia: I think having boundaries is a very important part of having a relationship that crosses into so many different territories. I can’t say that it’s something I’m very good at, but it’s something I work on, and it’s something that I think, after 10+ years of working together, that I can say has saved our relationship at one point or another. 

Respect is also a critical component of a life together, respecting each other’s POV, artistry, and role in any given project. 

I also think, most importantly, that it’s important to still have fun with each other. Working together is not easy, especially when you are both artists and very sensitive about your POV. But it’s something we enjoy because we have a shared sense of purpose and clarity around what our purpose is here on this planet. So we can be very serious about how we engage in our work, while still maintaining fun and joy in our everyday interactions.

We spoke recently about ritual and how powerful intention can be in shaping a space. When we built the Nin store, we hid love letters inside the columns and did different rituals to welcome the space.

Are there any rituals you’d love to do before opening Café Index?

Travis: Wow, I love that you all did that. It's such a beautiful idea, and that level of spiritual intention is definitely something you can feel throughout the Nin space.

There’s a lot we’re already doing, and even more we plan to do in that vein. One of the first things we did was give thanks to the space and ask for guidance toward the layout and direction that would feel most aligned. We're big believers in limpias and energy cleansing. We did one ourselves, and once we're through the construction phase, we plan to invite a shaman we work with regularly to do a more intensive cleansing.

That said, most of the work we've been doing hasn't actually been in the physical space itself. We've spent a lot of time meditating, visualizing, and practicing gratitude in relation to the space, so that meaningful, inspired ideas have the opportunity to come through.

 

When you imagine the Café Index fully alive, what does it feel like? What will people smell, hear, experience, and leave with?

Cynthia: What we are looking to build with Café Index is a space where your senses immediately sense an energetic shift in rhythm. Earthy botanical aromas are in the air. The room is charged with the buzz of human presence and conversation. A diasporic soundtrack (Jazz, cumbia, reggae, etc) fills the remaining spaces, and everything comes together to create an environment that is intentionally designed to let you exhale.

Once the safety and warmth of the space are felt and understood, we hope that guests can focus on the experience of our offerings. Being nourished by medicinal plants is a privilege and, in its most profound sense, a deeply moving ritual - especially when you consider the history of humanity in relation to plant medicine.

We hope the intentionality, mindfulness, and power of these plants will leave a lasting impression firmly rooted in deep connection and gratitude.

 

What are some of your deepest intentions for the space?

Cynthia: Our deepest intention with Café Index is to create a space for people to be present with themselves and each other, in sync with the ritual of nourishing the body and spirit.

Walking into a café today often feels like entering a co-working space. Everyone is on a laptop with headsets on, and the vibe is decidedly about work and productivity. A place that was once meant for connection and gathering has become another transactional commodity. This, then, is our foundational challenge, creating an intentional incubator for people to come together and simply be with themselves and each other, first and foremost.

Getting that right then allows us to open people’s minds to the power of plant medicine, creating an experience where guests are able to engage with the herbs in a way they haven't necessarily been open to before. The whole point of MPI was to make this medicine accessible to all people in a way that meets them where they are, while also scaffolding their understanding of the power of plants moving forward and encouraging them to see plant medicine in a new way. 

 

One thing I admire about both of you is the sense of community you create around you. In the community there is this sense of genuine care and ease and familiarity that exudes from you both and creates a sort of orbit! 

What does community mean to you? 

Cynthia: I’m honestly having a hard time with the word “community” lately. It’s in every client brief that hits my inbox, and it’s in every brand communication manifesto, and it feels that because of it being co-opted in corporate lingo, it’s lost a bit of its joy as a word.

So lately, when I think about “community” I think about energy. What energies am I undeniably attracted to? What energies make me stay away? What does it feel like, energetically, to be surrounded by people whose energy seems to create a force field that is intoxicatingly good?

My goal in life is to be in harmony with this type of force field as much as I can, nurturing my own energy so that I am in sync with the frequencies that nourish me as much as I nourish them. The people in our lives are there because we show up for each other as family, and share a vision for what we think is possible in life. This energy is truly life-giving, and I am so grateful to be in this portion of my life where I have cultivated relationships that are deeply empowering and inspiring. 

 

Cynthia, you spent an entire year without buying anything new, which really struck a tone for me when you first did it! An inspiring tone. 

How did that experience change your relationship with fashion, consumption, and personal style?

Cynthia: In December of 2023, I was talking to my friend Lou Badger, and she mentioned she was about to start a year-long challenge where she would not buy anything new. I was immediately intrigued and wanted to join her. Coming from the industry, I was feeling deeply disheartened by the consumption and waste I was seeing.

We set rules - we could buy vintage or secondhand, but nothing brand-new, including clothing, accessories, or shoes. The exception was underwear, bras, and socks, but even these could not be fast fashion.

The year was transformative. I started by doing a massive closet sale, cleaning out everything I wasn’t wearing. This allowed me to see what I actually had to work with and where the gaps were. I also created a pile of clothes that needed altering or repairing. Taking those to a tailor helped me create the pieces I felt were missing from my rotation, giving me a solid foundation for the year.

Throughout the challenge, I pushed myself to style things differently, repurpose items I already owned, and truly appreciate the pieces I had chosen to keep. I also utilized showrooms for special events. In situations where I normally would have bought a new dress or look, I pulled from showrooms instead of shopping, or borrowed special pieces from friends.

After the year was up, I actually kept going; it was about 18 months before I bought myself something new. The challenge broke a spell, in a way. I no longer felt compelled to use shopping as a coping mechanism, and the impulse-shopping gene has honestly left my body. It was a masterclass in patience. In a culture that constantly demands immediate gratification, this journey taught me that capitalism is a deeply ingrained system, and one that is fundamentally antithetical to careful, thoughtful consumption.

Travis, what first brought you to earth medicine and natural remedies? Was there a particular moment or experience that opened that path for you?

I touched on this a bit when I talked about how MPI began, but my interest in plant medicine and natural remedies started long before that. I was born in St. Kitts, where many elders relied on medicinal plants to treat their ailments long before the widespread introduction of Western medicine.

I have vivid memories of my great-grandmother tending her garden and making bush tea which is a traditional tea made from medicinal plants and roots that was used to treat all kinds of ailments. She also lived to be 103, so I like to think those early experiences left a lasting impression on me.

 

 

This question came to me much later after spending time with you both…

What do you think the devil is? 

Cynthia: I believe we each have a shadow energy we must battle. We’ve all heard the saying that everyone is fighting their own demons, which just means that we are all doing our best to confront the darkest parts of ourselves. 

For me, the devil represents this internal heaviness, and acts as a personal adversary. While this force can feel malevolent, it is also a vital part of our spiritual journey. Without it, we wouldn't know what parts of ourselves need to grow.