Hey Brooklyn

Episode 63 – Genius Organizing, part 2

amber — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:44:45 +0000

Here it is! Part two of Julia and Nicole from Genius Organizing! Thank you to everyone who sent questions in!

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Julia and Nicole want you to get organized! The two formed Genius Organizing, a company that will come to your house and help you get your life on track. We collected questions from the listening audience and had these ladies answer all your burning home organizing questions for this totally unique episode of Hey Brooklyn. They were so thorough, and the answers were SO good, we’re making this a two episode extravaganza.

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Episode 62 – Genius Organizing, part 1

amber — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:15:55 +0000

Julia (l) and Nicole (r) show off their snazzy label makers!

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Episode 61 – Mike Grubbs from Wakey!Wakey!

amber — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:02:56 +0000

Mike Grubbs is the lead singer of the indie pop band Wakey!Wakey!, and fans of One Tree Hill will recognize him as Grubbs, the bartender he plays on the hit show. In our interview he gives us an answer to the question “What makes pop music pop music” and doles out excellent advice to aspiring musicians. At the end, he plays a few songs.

Buy his latest album Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said the Last Time I Saw You here
Read his blog: grubbs.tumblr.com
Follow him on Twitter: @WakeyWakey
See the iPad commercial where the music of Wakey!Wakey! makes battery life and silicone insulation sound inspiring here (it begins at 5:05).

Episode 60 – Amelia Robinson

amber — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:14:07 +0000

Amelia Robinson started playing piano but realized that a ukulele was easier to fit on a plane! Now this native Park Sloper lives in London and has performed in Qatar, a Middle Eastern country where she was part of a collective of several touring musicians. She has a service where she writes songs custom songs for people for very special occasions.

You can find her web site at AmeliaRobinson.co.uk
and reach all of her other websites from there.

Episode 59 – Great Elk

amber — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 05:00:21 +0000

Patrick (left) and Paul

Great Elk is one of those great Brooklyn-based bands with a folksy vibe; their sound is the result of years of collaboration between primary songwriter Paul Basile, a New York native, and guitarist Patrick Hay, a Virginia transplant. They play a great set for us live in the studio!

Their self-titled EP goes on sale June 22 and the release show is June 24th at the Mercury Lounge with Chris Cubeta & The Liars Club – you can get tickets for it here.

On MySpace

On Twitter

Episode 58 – George Motz

amber — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:00:02 +0000

George is the filmmaker behind the documentary Hamburger America. This 2005 film, and it’s subsequent spun off book in 2008, has made George one of America’s foremost hamburger experts. He’s switching from turf to surf and is doing a film on oysters this year for the New York City Food Film Festival, an event that he co-created with Harry Hawk four years ago. It takes place this June 23 – 27 in “non-traditional screening venues” all over the city, and is a multi-sensory event; you will be able to eat the food as you watch it on screen!

In this interview George also gives his quick-and-dirty tips for the best burger and gives us his picks for some of the best burgers in Brooklyn.

hamburgeramerica.com
GeorgeMotz.com – Be sure to check out his hamburger photography! It’s so awesome!
@motzburger
@foodfilmfest
NYCFoodFilmFestival.com
George’s Book: Hamburger America: One Man’s Cross-Country Odyssey to Find the Best Burgers in the Nation [DVD]

Episode 57 – BoneGunn

amber — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:39:54 +0000

This week’s interview is with two of the members of BoneGunn; Bryan Kane and Charles “Charlie” Kessenich.

BoneGunn is an experimental band that “lives for the gaining of experience”. Their combined shared experiences (plus maybe a little bit of former LSD usage!) has made writing songs an eclectic experience for them. As for the name? They told me that you can make up whatever story you want for it.

Their background of writing Irish folk music definitely shines through in the two songs they played for us in-studio (well, technically, they played three songs for us in-studio… they got ahold of little toy piano we keep in the sound booth and sang a ditty that I thought was too cute to edit out). We also included Medicine Ball, a more rocking track off their self-titled EP, available on iTunes.

The band has started a project called “I Made an Art” with friend Anthony Dugo. There’s an art and music space at 53 Richards Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and once a month “I Made an Art” takes it over to put on “an eclectic mix of artwork, music and strange experiences.” Their mission statement goes on to say: “Our goal is to maintain a comfortable, open-minded atmosphere that encourages mixing genres and artistic styles, communities and creative minds.” The next all-day event is June 12 and artists interested in participating (plus folks looking to check it out) can go to the website (link below) and email info@imadeanart.com

Bonegunn.com
On Facebook
@bonegunn

IMadeAnArt.com
On Facebook
@IMadeAnArt

Episode 56 – Tamar Madmoni Reich

amber — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:37:31 +0000

Tamar is an Israeli born and raised actor and dancer who began to search for an all-woman studio to pursue her passions after becoming Shomer Negia, a Hebrew term for the belief that one should not touch a man who is not one’s husband (she personally allows for a handshake). With this modesty came also the idea that women of all faiths might be more comfortable dancing and acting in a space that is made specifically for women only, and so she opened the Taliah Performing Arts Center earlier this year.

The studio is at 303 Bond Street in Brooklyn, and classes run on a semester basis. See the website for scheduling and details.

You can become a friend on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and see photos from the studio on Flickr.

Episode 55 – LaStrada

amber — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:47:54 +0000

Daniel (left) and James

Daniel and James are two of the members of LaStrada, a band that had a hard time describing their sound as strictly “indie” although that’s probably the closet definition that fits. They say they are “an energetic rock/pop with strings, accordion, guitars, drums, whistles, circus animals, puppeteers, loud voices, etc.” That fits, too.

You can catch them at the Bell House in Brooklyn on May 29, and heads up to local musicians: they are looking for a second violinist “that can shred” to join them.

Highlights of this interview include hearing about their unusual writing process, and the story of how they found Faten Kanaan, the artist that painted their album artwork. It is a totally New York City tale that takes place the most unique of New York City spaces: the subway.

Their self titled EP is available now, as well as their new full-length album New Home.

@LaStradaBand follow them on Twitter
Myspace.com/LaStradaNYC listen to more tunes on MySpace

Episode 54 – Este Lewis

amber — Fri, 14 May 2010 07:18:27 +0000

Would you want a wall in your house covered with sticks of bubble gum, bandaids or cheese crackers? Artist Este Lewis is a photographer and print maker known for her quirky wallpaper using every day objects as the design. (Some pictures are below, and you can go to her website to browse the entire delightful portfolio). The effect is one of the viewer being “enveloped in a non-obstructive way” by the design.

Find out how she started with beets, carrots, and tea bags, and hear abut upcoming collaborative projects with other artists at Dydrm (pronounced “daydream”).

Also, a big thank you to Liz Libre from Linda and Harriett for blogging about Este, which is how I heard of her.

Episode 53 – Lauren Fairbanks from LifeStyler Magazine

amber — Fri, 07 May 2010 05:27:35 +0000

Lauren Fairbanks is the editor of LifeStyler Magazine, a website that discusses living realistically in NYC. She is not necessarily anti-glamor, rather, she talks to other people in their 20′s and 30′s about living a financially responsible life with a realistic budget in NYC.

An interview highlight for me was when she explained Groupon – a website many savvy people know about and love, but one I hadn’t gotten around to understanding. Her website is full of great resources like this, as well as sillier things, like cheap beer, and much more serious things like setting up a retirement account and resume writing tips.

The website is LifeStylerMag.com

Follow her personally on Twitter, @laurenfairbanks and LifeStyler Magazine, @lifestylermag

Facebook.com/lifesylermag

Episode 52 – Lee M. Frank and Rachel Anderson from NachosNY.com

amber — Sun, 02 May 2010 16:58:36 +0000

The folks behind Nachos NY are “On a quest for the best nachos ever”. Founder Lee Frank’s devotion to the salty, cheesy snack was legendary before they started (he even had a tee shirt proclaiming “I heart Nachos”), and this wealth of appreciation and knowledge served as a spring board to a bustling website for all things nachos in New York.

Make sure you grab a pair of tickets to the Guactacular at the Bell House happening on Cinco de Mayo!

Follow them on Facebook + Twitter

This episode of Hey Brooklyn is sponsored by:

Episode 51 – Danny Ross

amber — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:00:55 +0000

Danny Ross, left, pictured with guitarist/vocalist Carl Basler

Danny Ross started piano at a young age, moved to guitar, and went to college for a pop music degree. He wrote his album “One Way” in college and it is available for download (with a “name your own price” option). He talks about creative process, the dynamic of his structured job with a Congressman as contrasted to the non-structured life of a musician, and he offers some excellent thoughts getting into the music industry today.

At the end Danny plays three songs, including a world premiere!

Become a fan on Facebook and hook up with him on Myspace, or go to DannyRossMusic.com for the latest tour information (and to buy an “I Was a Winner at Danny’s Bar Mitzvah!” tee shirt).

This episode of Hey Brooklyn is sponsored by:

Episode 50 – Jeffrey Wilson

amber — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:33:41 +0000

Jeffrey Wilson runs 2d-x.com, a website that primarily reviews simple 2D games and interviews their creators. This one-of-a-kind interview delved into the world of gaming, and we cover a list of geeky things to do in Brooklyn. Non-gamers need not glaze over just yet; you might be surprised to find out that you actually ARE a gamer – I certainly was, in a moment where Jeffery laughingly got me to come out of my “gaming closet”. I also sang the theme song to Super Mario Brothers.

They have a Facebook fan page, but you’ll find Twitter to have more current information.

@2dx
@jeffreylwilson

The games we discuss Rayman Raving Rabbids for the Wii and Flight Control from Firemint.

P.S. Nerdy gals! Jeffrey is 35, single, and really, really cute. Just sayin’!

This episode of Hey Brooklyn is sponsored by:

Episode 49 – Robicelli’s Cupcakes

amber — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:55:08 +0000

Allison and Matt are gourmet pastry chefs who got married in a White Castle. That tells you a LOT about this really fun couple of bakers. Their cupcakes are high-brow creations – most are five to six steps in the making – with low-brow names; the “Bluth” is (of course) a banana flavor cupcake and a reference to Arrested Development (the best television show ever).

They started a business, opened a store, closed their store because the economy got bad and they wanted to see more of their boys (and each other), and now they run a wholesale business selling cupcakes to local stores.

There’s a “bonus track” at the end, after the credits, where they dish on “the best thing to ever come out of White Castle” and their off-beat wedding.

The best way to keep up with these two is by following them on Twitter, @Robicellis, and you can also become a Facebook fan. Make sure to tune in to their Twitter feed for announcements of fried cupcake events. Take it from me, deep fried cupcakes are NOT TO BE MISSED!

Episode 48 – Nathan Manske

amber — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 23:14:21 +0000

Nathan Manske collects true stories by gay people from all over and publishes the writings on his website I’m From Driftwood. Nathan started IFD as a way to collect the personal stories of the LGBT community. He maintains strict standards of materials submitted: personal essays only, which keeps the site apolitical and human. Nathan also conducts video interviews and posts them on the site, too.

We talked about the struggles some people face when coming out and living their lives honestly. One of my favorite points in the interview is when we discus how “being mundane” and having a normal life is such a huge goal for a lot of homosexual people.

ImFromDriftwood.com

Become a fan on Facebook

Episode 47 — Rescue Chocolate’s Sarah Gross

robblatt — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:06:02 +0000

Rescue Chocolate is a vegan company using the finest ingredients and run by Sarah Gross. It is “the sweetest way to save a life” – 100% of the proceeds go to dog rescue organizations.

Sarah’s love of chocolate and dogs comes shining through this interview. Listen as she talks passionately about many of the issues that face “homeless pets” today (a term that she introduced to me, and which I think is so powerful. It’s a good reminder that a lot of what we might normally call “strays” would be excellent as pets!)

There are special treats for Easter and Passover, too, on sale for a limited time: A dairy-free cream egg and a matzah-shaped kosher-for-Passover chocolate bar.

Visit RescueChocolate.com to order online or find out where you can purchase in stores around the city.

Become a fan on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter, @RescueChocolate.

P.S. A note about the Pick Me Pepper bar, should the combo of pepper and chocolate be raising your eyebrows: it is delicious. Sarah brought us one, and Rob and I ate it in one sitting! It’s an excellent chocolate for people who don’t like the super-sweetness of a plain dark chocolate bar.

This episode of Hey Brooklyn is sponsored by:

Episode 46 – “B” from STFU, Parents

amber — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:07:12 +0000

“B” started a blog chronicling all of the over-sharey, eye-roll inducing updates some parents put on social networking sites, particularly Facebook. Readers are invited to send in screen shots of their childbearing friends’ TMI updates and photos – the ones where they share things that make their friends say, “STFU!”

Reoccurring themes include poop, diaper blowouts, graphic birth photos, and a topic that is particularly disturbing: gleeful, graphic descriptions and photos of placenta consumption.

I also “B” to talk about the infamous “Anit-freeze salad incident” and the phenomenon of “mommy jacking” on status updates.

You can read her blog at STFUParents.tumblr.com, follow her on Twitter, @STFUParents and send your own submissions to STFUParentsBlog @ gmail . com.

One Year of Hey Brooklyn

amber — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:29:24 +0000

Wow. What a year!

Thank you, a million times, to all of the listeners who tune in each week. It is amazing to me that my little project has touched so many people and inspired so many wonderful emails and tweets and conversations. I am humbled.

It was a year ago that we launched at SxSWi! I’m here again in Austin, TX, running around – if you’re here too and you see me, come give me a high five and get a Hey Brooklyn sticker! They are cute, tiny little guys you can put on your laptop. You can even have two.

It’s been 45 episodes, a few thousand downloads and 150 Facebook fans!

Thank you to all of my wonderful guests. My goal was to create a show that will inspire others to be great and creative, and, based on the emails I’ve gotten from encouraged listeners, you have.

Thank you to all of the old friends who listened and told me “I could do it” when I was having “one of those days”.

Thank you most of all to my dear husband Rob Blatt, for recording and producing the show every week. You rock my world and I love you.

Here’s to year two.

I’ll be back next week!

- Amber

Episode 45 — Ryan Greer

amber — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:05:16 +0000

Ryan Greer owns an apparel company called Flux. He started his company with $400 – rent money – that he used to buy and silkscreen a run of 100 tee shirts. Then he hit the streets to sell them. It worked; they sold and he was able to pay his rent and produce more tees. Now he has several silk screens in a studio space and recently expanded his company to include bags and wallets as well.

This former art model has the entrepreneurial spirit that dictated he wanted to move away from having his worth determined by someone else, a concept we love here at Hey Brooklyn.

Catch Ryan at the Brooklyn Flea on weekends, on Etsy at FluxProductions.etsy.com and on the street in Manhattan “sometimes, somewhere between Greene and Wooster on Prince Street”. If you see him, tell him Hey Brooklyn says hello.

Episode 44 — Dennis and Kelsey Kleiman from Stomping Ground

amber — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:33:01 +0000

Dennis and Kelsey have reinvented the stiff-smiled school picture, replacing them with genuine portraits that capture the joy of childhood in fun, happy photos. Each child gets about 3 and a half minutes in front of the camera (as opposed to the usual one-take shot) and is allowed to bring favorite toys, dress in fancy costumes and act as silly or as shy as they’d like. Flip through their portfolio for a whole batch of charming, happy kids!

Kelsey visits the school a few days before picture day with a Dennis-the-photographer puppet to get the younger kids excited and warmed up to the idea. They brought him along to our interview to show me. (During our photo session with the three of them we got a few chuckles out of the construction crew nearby!)

Isn’t the resemblance funny?!

StompingGroundPhoto.com

Episode 43 — Stephanie Thompson

amber — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:00:01 +0000

I met Stephanie at a house party she was throwing for previous Hey Brooklyn guest Ken Wheaton, and she gave me a gold star. She does this for a lot of people she meets, people that need to have a gold star because they’ve made an effort, they’ve tried, or they’re trying. It’s a sparkly yellow foam star, just a sticker, but it meant a lot to me, and brightens the days of others who get them, too.

She keeps a blog called Gold Star 4 Trying where she chronicles this effort to make the random strangers she meets every day a little happier, and talking to her was so, so good.

GoldStar4Trying.com

Stephanie is new to Twitter – she is @SaysSteph

Episode 42 — Jess Draper

amber — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:34:52 +0000

5th Avenue in Park Slope is some of the best shopping in Brooklyn, but when it comes to clothes, you’re more likely to find a party dress than a pair of Levis. It was a welcome change, then, when Alabama native Jess Draper opened Hog Mountain 192 5th Avenue. It’s clothes for manly men! They also have a beautiful collection of handmade ties and general store items like soap and deodorant. Jess has also created a few “man outings” for customers coming up – go cart racing, golfing and paintball trips! Stop by the store to sign up, and get a handcrafted silk tie.

Doesn’t he look dapper with this orange striped scarf? You can get one in-store.

Become a friend on Facebook or visit the store’s website HogMountainStore.com

Episode 41 – Pearl and the Beard

amber — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:19:16 +0000

Emily Hope Price, Jeremy Styles, and Jocelyn Mackenzie
This trio of musicians met in the “elevator of life”, and good thing! The music is uplifting, warm and engaging; you will want to want to sing (and stomp!) along to their song “Oh Death!” (And yes, Jocelyn was actually standing on a chair while we recorded this song.)

PearlandtheBeard.com

follow them on Twitter: @pandtheb

God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson for sale in MP3 form on Amazon.

Buy the physical CD from TheFamilyRecords.com or at one of their shows. Check the tour schedule to see when they’re coming near you.

Don’t forget to enter the Troop Beverly Hills: The Experience ticket giveaway!

Episode 40 — Shana Faust

robblatt — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:00:14 +0000

I wasn’t sure about everything that “being a stylist” entailed when I first contacted Shana, but I knew that her portfolio inspired me to create something beautiful of my own. I also knew she was definitely someone others would want to hear from!

She has a cool career path and is currently a freelancer working with all sorts of different clients. She is also working on a weddings DIY book with the ladies from the stationary outfit Hello Lucky.

Visit her gorgeous portfolio, and keep your eyes peeled for her book coming out later this year.

Shana asked me to use her author photo for this post, so we’re getting a sneak peak!

This episode of Hey Brooklyn is sponsored by:

Episode 39 — Matt Timms

amber — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:00:07 +0000

Matt Timms is the host of a series of “takedowns”, or casual cookoffs for amateur chefs. Most take place in Brooklyn, and he has plans to expand to other cities this year. The “takedown” is a laid-back response to typical cookoffs with rigid guidelines; a quote from his blog reads, “At the Takedown, we embrace chaos.” In other words, the rules are pretty flexible.

The first was a chili competition that quickly spawned others, including December’s fiercely competitive Cookie Takedown. Bakers showed off family recipes and original creations while audience members tested and voted for their favorites. (Tied for first place was my good friend Emily with her warm, gooey, caramel and sea salt cookies. You should make them. They are awesome.)

Matt has developed a hotsauce, too, called the Facemelter which you can buy at Chilli-Takedown.com, Marlow and Daughters and Soft Spot (it goes great in chili, but not on cookies). Matt also hosts a trivia night at Soft Spot on the first Tuesday of every month with Matt Langland.

Follow the Twitter account of the Chili Takedown: @chillitakedown

Episode 38 — The Bloodsugars

robblatt — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:00:36 +0000

The Bloodsugars have released their first full-length album I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On available for MP3 download or purchase of a physical CD on their website. We were only able to get 3 out of 4 band members together, but they played for us as a trio anyway.

I loved these guys, and I really loved their advice to budding musicians: “Be real, and that’s beautiful.”

Episode 37 — Laura and Dina from Hey Girl Hey

robblatt — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:00:44 +0000

In the studio this week is Laura and Dina. These two hip ladies are fellow podcasters, and their show, Hey Girl Hey, is a hilarious mixture of celeb gossip and girl talk. Their description is: Think Overheard in New York, meets In Touch, meets Taxi Cab Confessions. It’s a saucy, sometimes raunchy, and always fun. I love these gals!

You can listen by typing “Hey Girl Hey” into iTunes or on their website HeyGirlHeyPodcast.com

Episode 36 — Ken Wheaton

robblatt — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:00:58 +0000

Ken Wheaton discusses his job working for AdAge and his latest book The First Annual Grand Prarie Rabbit Festival available for pre-order now, in stores next week on December 29. As a special treat (and Hey Brooklyn first) Ken read a selection from the book – it’s at the end of the interview.

Join the book’s group on Facebook, read Ken’s blog (it’s hilarious!) and follow him on Twitter, @KenWheaton.

I forgot to take a photo of Ken (lame!) so he sent me this one of him drinking a beer in argyle.

Episode 35 — Seth Olenick

robblatt — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:00:45 +0000

Seth takes amazing, quirky portraits. Check out his tumblr account, Shits ‘N’ Giggles, to see his current 3-year project. He’s shooting portraits of the younger generation of comedians – Demetri Martin, Samm Levine, John Hamm, Charlyne Yi have all been in front of his lens – and he has plans to turn them into a book.

Seth is a great guy, but I was still nervous about turning my own camera on a photographer! It was cold and dark out, so we shot in the hallway of the studio, and he literally climbed the walls. I tried to get my shots in before the security guard yelled at us. We made it, but barely!

Episode 34 — Stephen Valand and Erica Shea of the Brooklyn Brew Shop

robblatt — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:00:24 +0000

Stephen Valand and Erica Shea started the Brooklyn Brew Shop, a company that makes gallon-sized, apartment-friendly home brew kits. I asked if they were nervous about starting a company in a recession (they’ve only been in business since July 2009 and quit their jobs to focus full-time on beer), and Stephen answered that working in their regular jobs was scarier. I love the entrepreneurial spirit!

I found out brewing quality beer in your house is not expensive, complicated or smelly with one of their kits, and they offer a variety of flavors already pre-measured.

You can catch them at the Brooklyn Flea and at the Flea’s holiday market, Gifted (tell them Hey Brooklyn sent you!) or order online.

Follow them on Twitter, @bklynbrewshop.

Episode 33 — David Zweig

robblatt — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:00:30 +0000

David Zweig is a musician and an author, with a documentary film brewing in his brain: another awesome multi-creative in the studio! I got some good advice out of him for young musicians and young writers.

We discussed his debut novel, Swimming Inside the Sun. Set in the early 2000’s, shortly after 9/11, the book follows Daniel Green, a 27-year-old New Yorker reeling after the loss of a record deal. I won’t give too much away, but I’ll say this: the novel is so well written that, while reading, I literally rolled my eyes and got annoyed when I felt the character was being annoying. It is such a pleasure to read a book that made me feel so much, and fascinating to read a book that made me a little angry at the character.

David got into the ins and outs of writing, the underlying themes of the book (especially Dan’s self-awareness), and our interview became an in-depth look at the process of writing.

DavidZweig.com is the “hub” of all things David Zweig, including his music, and you can use buy his book from Amazon.com

Episode 32 — Amy Cao

robblatt — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:12 +0000

Amy Cao is a food writer who can’t cook! Instead she writes about other people’s food on her website Amy Blogs Chow and sticks to making quick treats that are “stupidly simple”. In addition to her own site, she writes for Zagat and offManhattan and is a free-lance writer for several other food publications.

Embedded is her recent video explaining how to make a pumpkin pie milkshake for Thanksgiving. You can follow her on Twitter, @AmyBlogsChow, and watch her YouTube series called “Stupidly Simple Snacks” on YouTube.

Amy’s photo is a press photo, and was not taken by me.

Episode 31 — Kheedim Oh

robblatt — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:29 +0000

Kheedim Oh has been in the studio before – he’s a member of the rap trio the Beatards, episode 17! When he’s not rapping, Kheedim is cooking up batches of kimchee using an old family recipe. After his friends encouraged him to sell it, he started Mama O’s Kimchee, a name with a nod to his mom who taught him how to cook in the first place.

In our interview I found out what kimchee actually is, got a crash course on preparation, and found out why Mama O’s is so much better than the mass-produced kimchee often commercially available.

You can buy Mama O’s Kimchee at different stores around New York City:
Jeffrey’s in Manhattan
Marlow and Daughters (Williamsburg)
Foragers (DUMBO)
Stinky’s Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens)
Get Fresh Table and Market (Park Slope)

Better yet, come out to meet the chef at Greenpoint Food Market on November 21st, 2009, the Hungry Filmmakers event on December 15, 2009 (hosted by episode 28’s Cathy Erway!) and at the New Amsterdam Market on December 20, 2009!

Episode 30 — David Wingo — Ola Podrida

robblatt — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:04 +0000

David is a self-taught film score composer and a singer songwriter, an unusual combination that stemmed from both his natural disposition and working with childhood friend, filmmaker David Gorden Green.

The latest film he’s composed for, Gentlemen Broncos, is in theaters now and his second album, Belly of the Lion, comes out on Tuesday, November 10, 2009. It is phenomenal.

In our interview I got the story on his quirky band name, and this story involves a mouse costume. He also talks about overcoming hurdles in creativity, something I specifically asked him in hopes of inspiring young musicians (and maybe some older ones, too).

You can check out OlaPodrida.com for more information including tour dates, listen to some songs on MySpace, and become a fan on Facebook.

Episode 29 — Fiona Bloom

robblatt — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:00:23 +0000

Fiona Bloom is a British-born lifestyle marketer and marketer for new up-and-coming musicians, authors and artists. Her story is very interesting: she was classically trained on piano and was drawn to hip hop! She writes for books, she networks with stars and she reads to little kids for fun. You’ll be swept up by her enthusiastic spirit.

Follow her on twitter: @fionabloom and visit her website thebloomeffect.com

Episode 28 – Cathy Erway

robblatt — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:02 +0000

Cathy Erway is the blogger behind Not Eating Out in New York in which she chronicled the ins and outs of her stint boycotting restaurants for two years – not easy to do in a city known for it’s great eateries. In the process she learned to cook for herself and started Hapa Kitchen, a supper club with a penchant for fusing Asian and American cuisine (Hapa is a word for someone who is half-Asian; Cathy’s mother is Chinese and her co-founder Akiko Moorman is half Japanese.)

Now she is writing a book about her experiences which is due out in February of 2010 and has a radio show on the Heritage Radio Network called . It’s about love, dating and food that airs Fridays at 3pm.

Follow her on Twitter: @cathyerway

Episode 27 — Amy Braunschweiger

robblatt — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:17 +0000

Amy Braunschweiger is a freelance writer who is the author of the recently published Taxi Confidential: Life, Death and 3 a.m. Revelations in New York City Cabs. For those of us who love stories, this collection of anecdotes from the brief and temporary relationships New York City cab drivers have with their passengers is deeply satisfying. Talking to Amy taught me how the industry has changed since the 1970’s (these stories span for years!) and I got the fascinating story on how she collected all of these wonderful tales. Also, the question that every Brooklyite wonders is answered in this interview: I found out why cabs never want to go to Brooklyn. The answer is more complex than I thought.

Amy also dished on her next project, in which she will write about Walleye fish!

Episode 26 — Erica Reitman

robblatt — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:00:15 +0000

Erica writes the popular, snarky Park Slope blog Fucked in Park Slope. Since it began in November of 2008 it’s grown to a group of 8 – 10 writers who are “equal opportunity judgers” of the people in Park Slope, both “Breeders” (those with “bebes” and toddlers) and “Ballers” (the kid-free and loving it crowd). They keep up with local events and even host a few of their own.

You can follow them on twitter: < href"http://twitter.com/effedparkslope">@effedparkslope and online at FuckedInParkSlope.com

I forgot to take a photo of Erica, so she sent me her wedding photo. Cute!

Episode 25 — Daniel Delaney from VendrTV

robblatt — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:00:32 +0000

Daniel Delaney is the host of VendrTV, a weekly video podcast about street carts around the country. His show is so fun! He talks to the vendor about their food and the location, highlight the unique aspects of each.

You can catch VendrTV by going to vendr.tv or typing “vendr” into iTunes. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter; he’s @DanielDelaney and VendrTV has it’s own account: @VendrTV.

Episode 24 — Rachel Lee Walsh

robblatt — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:00:40 +0000

Rachel Lee Walsh is a charming folk singer with a warm, soothing voice. She’s a musical story teller; her lyrics are straight forward and well written. I appreciate this so much.

We talked about her upcoming album, which she is funding via fan support. If you’d like to help her make her next full-length CD, you can go to the donation section of her website and chip in. (There’s lots of cool extras to people who donate larger amounts). To give listeners a taste of what the new album will be like, she’s released an EP of three songs from the album, and you can listen to them here.

Her main website is RachelLeeWalsh.com, and you can follow her on twitter: @rachelleewalsh and be her fan on Facebook.

Episode 23 — Anna Jane Grossman

robblatt — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:00:21 +0000

Anna Jane Grossman is a freelance writer, journalist, and author of two books including the recently published Obsolete: An Encyclopedia of Once-Common Things Passing Us By.

We discussed her career, advice for people who are wondering how to be writers “when they grow up”, and waxed nostalgic about all the stuff from our childhoods that are becoming obsolete, many of which have been immortalized in her book.

We also discuss body hair and $10 bikini waxes.

You can see her fun tumblr account focusing on obsolete items at ObsoleteTheBook.com, find links to her other writings on AnnaJane.net and follow her on twitter: @AnnaJane.

Come by her Brooklyn book signing Monday, September 21 at 7pm, which will be held at Book Court, 163 Court Street.

Episode 22 — Sean Kershaw of Sean Kershaw the New Jack Ramblers

robblatt — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:00:04 +0000

Sean Kershaw is a country musician, and I was so excited to have him come to the studio IN A COWBOY HAT! You can catch them in a variety of shows around the area, and see them every Wednesday night in September 2009 at Hill Country in Manhattan.

Go to SeanKershaw.com for more details, and check out his MySpace page, too.

As with all our musical guest interviews, this one has some rockin’ tunes at the end. Yee-haw!

Episode 21 — Josh Mease

robblatt — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:00:54 +0000

Josh Mease creates dreamy music, both in sound and in substance: his writing often alludes to dreaming of being somewhere else.

JoshMease.com for more info

Episode 20 — Artist and Inventor Adam Frank

robblatt — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:00:34 +0000

Adam Frank is an inventor and an artist. You can see his work at AdamFrank.com, and you can also find out more about Lumen and Reveal lines by visiting his web site. Fun fact: Adam is married to Denise Fasanello, who was episode number 14!

Episode 19 — Neil Carlson from the Brooklyn Creative League

robblatt — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:00:40 +0000

Neil Carlson owns office space. This doesn’t sound particularly interesting, but I promise you it is! He has a fantastic story about how he started this unique place to work and why it’s a great alternative for smaller business. Also, he’s keeping it green with eco-friendly building materials and environmentally conscious office practices. If you’re a free-lancer or small business in the area you should definetly check out the Brooklyn Creative League, located at 540 President Street. Visit BrooklynCreativeLeague.com for details. Follow him on Twitter at @CreativeBklyn

Episode 18 — Porter Block and Casey Shea

robblatt — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:00:20 +0000

Porter Block came by the studio to talk about music and his new album Gowanus Yacht Club. It’s a collaborative album with other singer-songwriters recorded here in Brooklyn and featuring a large assortment of artists, most based in NYC. The album is being supported by a city wide tour where Porter will perform with some of the guest songwriters in their home turf venues.

Along with him came Casey Shea. Casey is one of the artists featured on Gowanus Yacht Club, and is a co-producer of the album.

The links:
myspace.com/porterblockmusic
porterblockmusic.com
caseysheamusic.com

Porter and Casey’s photos are press photos, and were not taken by me

Episode 17 — The Beatards

robblatt — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:00:24 +0000

The Beatards may be the most energetic people to come to the studio! Three guys: Chuck Wild, DJ O, and UTK make up the group. “Peep” their website (yo) for upcoming shows, and check out the back half of this week’s episode to hear a few tracks they recorded in our booth!

You can check out their website at TheBeatardsNYC.com, and follow them on twitter: @thebeatards.

Episode 16 — Eric Rochow from Green-House.tv

robblatt — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:00:51 +0000

Eric Rochow is a good friend of mine and Rob’s. We met in his apartment (a mere two blocks from us!) to talk about his online community The Green House, the two video podcasts he does, and the Ford Fiesta he gets to drive around for the summer, courtesy of Ford! During the week, Eric can be found all over Brooklyn hanging photos and building shelves. If you need a handy man, this is the guy to call.

Making a special guest appearance are Henry and Charlie, the Labrador dynamic duo that appear in a lot of Eric’s videos.

To get in touch with Eric go to Green-House.tv and to reach him with home improvement projects, visit < href="http://handymaneric.com/">HandyManEric.com. On Twitter he is @ericgardenfork.

Episode 15 — Liz Gutman and Jen King of Liddabit Sweets

robblatt — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:23 +0000

Jen (l) and Liz (r)

Jen Gutman and Liz King from Liddabit Sweets are candy makers, and came to the studio bearing gifts of amazing goodies! I chatted with these two newly-sprouted entrepreneurs about getting a business off the ground, the benefits of being in Brooklyn with so many other “food nerds” around here, and we discussed, in depth, the essence of a s’more (seriously!)

What is a slurtle? How do they pay tribute to Elvis? Why are these two girls so excited about gay bars? Listen and find out!

You can find them on Twitter at @liddabit