Alex is the boss at Črno zrno, the Black Bean, a miniature but much beloved specialty coffee shop on Gornji trg beneath the Castle Hill in Ljubljana. Črno zrno was the only cafe listed in a New York Times article about Ljubljana.

An American expat who has called the stunning Gorenjska region home for nearly a decade, living just a stone’s throw from the fairytale town of Bled. Together with his wife Laurie, he’s spent the past nine years embracing the rhythms of Slovenian life, surrounded by alpine beauty and warm local charm.

A Mexican writer living in Slovenia now for more than 16 years. He regularly writes columns for Dnevnik, and his stories, essays and chronicles are published in various literary journals and cultural online media. 

Noah's parents, who often visit him in Slovenia.

A dynamic chef, brand consultant and culinary explorer. The creative force behind the popular TikTok and Instagram account @Balkan.Brit

Katja Rebolj is one of Slovenia's few full-time professional foragers, combining the art of traditional foraging with modern scientific research. She forages for some of Ljubljana’s top chefs and leads workshops on foraging, where she educates people on the local plants, their uses, and the importance of sustainability. Her soothing approach to foraging offers a therapeutic experience, blending nature with wellness. Katja emphasizes the importance of Slovenia's biodiversity, highlighting the country as a "true Eden" with an impressive variety of plant species—one of the highest concentrations in Europe. She is deeply passionate about preserving these resources and often discusses endangered species and how knowledge about plants can aid in conservation efforts.

Laurie Bach has been living full-time in Slovenia for about the past nine years. She is an intercultural trainer by profession.

A historian from Canberra, Australia.

Rory moved to Ljubljana about two years ago from California

Sara Terpin runs slovely.eu together with his partner Carlo Ghio. Over the years, this engaging blog and web portal has grown into a trusted reference point for Italian travellers eager to discover Slovenia beyond the tourist trail.

Tanja Rebolj, who is known as the “Blonde Witch of Jezersko,” takes foraging to another level by creating herbal liquors from plants she gathers in her surrounding Alpine meadows. Her approach to foraging is highly intuitive, and she has an incredible ability to spot useful plants that most people would walk past. Tanja sees these plants not only as ingredients for food and beverages but as essential elements of her healing practice, particularly in the medicinal liquors she creates. These include a wide variety of liquors, such as a signature drink flavored with baked apples, rum, and Christmas spices—reminiscent of liquid apple pie. Her schnapps, made from plants like hawthorn and rowan, not only have medicinal properties but are also beloved by those who taste them for their complex flavors.

Tomas Vucurevic, Founder and Managing Director of BRAIND® is one of the leading global experts for Ingredient Branding. He has worked throughout his +25-year industry career in brand & marketing leadership roles for global brands such as Motorola and Swatch. For almost a decade, Tomas was in charge as the Global Brand Manager for one of the world’s most famous Ingredient Brands, GORE-TEX®.  
Tomas is a German expat living in Slovenia and a great friend of Noah