Episode 39 — Matt Timms
Podcast: Download
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
January 22, 2010 
Tags: chili takedown, cookie take down, facemelter hot sauce, matt timms, takedown 
2 Comments
Episode 38 — The Bloodsugars
Podcast: Download
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.”
January 16, 2010 Tags: band, indie pop, musicians, the bloodsugars No Comments
Episode 37 — Laura and Dina from Hey Girl Hey
Podcast: Download
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
January 4, 2010 Tags: greenpoint, hey girl hey, podcasters, union pool, williamsburg One Comment
Episode 36 — Ken Wheaton
Podcast: Download
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.
December 25, 2009 Tags: author, boerum hill, book, journalist, park slope One Comment
Episode 35 — Seth Olenick
Podcast: Download
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!
December 18, 2009 Tags: bald magazine, photographer, photos 2 Comments
Episode 34 — Stephen Valand and Erica Shea of the Brooklyn Brew Shop
Podcast: Download
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.
December 11, 2009 Tags: beer, beer kits, brewer, store owner No Comments
