Mimi Avocado biography

Mimi Avocado was born in Montpelier, Vermont and grew up near the woods on a dead-end dirt road in central Vermont.   Her first writing assignment was a report about buoys in Maine. Even though she had never seen the ocean nor visited the state of Maine, her 3^rd grade teacher (who was from Maine and suggested the topic) encouraged her to write more. She kept diaries throughout her childhood because she was afraid she might grow up to be famous and wanted to make sure there would be plenty of material, should anyone need to write her biography.

Mimi wrote a news column for The Barre Times-Argus newspaper during her high school years, and contributed a series of articles during her summer as an AFS exchange student in Bavaria. She and her classmates were part of a special creative writing program called “The LaMancha Project” through the University of Vermont, and published a literary magazine each year.  Through this program they participated in a video pilot project with Kodak, experimenting with video cameras before they were available to the general public. If she had known she was going to be a blogger someday she might have paid more attention.   Mimi won the Better Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow scholarship for the state of Vermont as a result of an essay she wrote on the future role of the homemaker.  She completed her Bachelor of Music Degree at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music in 1975, majoring in music education (piano and instrumental music) and  minoring in economics. She established a piano studio in a local music store, gaining experience in retail sales and teaching. After moving to California she continued her education with graduate studies in music, business, and economics.

While in Los Angeles Mimi worked as Director of Music Education for several music stores, teaching group piano and organ, working in piano and organ sales, and serving as buyer for the sheet music departments.   She moved to Escondido, Ca in 1980 and started a club for young single adults, where she met a tall redheaded avocado grower. They married in 1982 and soon had four children, two girls and two boys.

While the children were growing up she tried to keep one step ahead by taking computer classes,  graphic communications, and web design through online courses.   She spent many years driving children to school, sports, music lessons, helping with homework,  and volunteering in their schools.

Mimi and her husband own and operate a large avocado ranch in north San Diego county. The ranch has an online avocado retail site California Avocados Direct, serving avocado lovers all over the USA by making their premium fruit available through mail order.   California Avocados Direct connects with their customers through Facebook, Twitter, and an active online community via e-mail newsletter.

Mimi has been Director of Music at Church of St. Timothy since 1987, directing the adult choir and playing flute/piano for church services. She also directs the Glenaires, a pops chorale at La Costa Glen Retirement Community and plays piano and flute with the Coastal Communities Concert Band. She still enjoys teaching piano students in her home studio.

Throughout her life Mimi always hoped to someday become a writer. She found her opportunity to do that when she discovered blogging and began writing her food and lifestyle blog, Mimi Avocado in 2011.   She shares stories, recipes, new discoveries and adventures with a growing audience. Mimi is active in social media, and especially enjoys meeting new people, visiting new places and learning new things.

Mimi welcomes recipe development and writing assignments,  book and product requests, and travel blogging opportunities.