Brew's Cafe

For our 100th episode we have a very special guest. If you don't know Brian Cosgrove by name, chances are very good you'll recognize his voice. As a long time on air personality and DJ for local radio stations, his sound, his musical style and his personality are a fixture on east end airwaves. How did he get started in radio? How does he select his playlist? What's great about public radio? All of these questions get answered in this episode. But as usual with my best guests, we veer sharply off course and cover all sorts of fascinating topics from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to surge pricing on concert tickets to the most recent trends in country music. Brian is a natural conversationalist and storyteller, and he and I can chat for hours. So while I definitely expect to have him back on the show, don't miss this very special episode with this very special guest.

If the best things in life come with some difficulty, this should be an amazing episode!! As most listeners know, I do everything myself: scheduling guests and locations, setting up the recording equipment, recording, editing, publishing, promoting... Everything. Which, while economical, sometimes leads to difficulty. This episode is the second recording, since the audio in the first attempt was so poor. Unfortunately, I mistakenly published the first recording, and if you listened to any of it, was awful. The content was fabulous but the sound quality was abysmal. So here she is, Dawn Watson, the Hamptons Party Girl, though not really a partier, and rising star real estate agent, though we barely touch on the topic. But a conversation with Dawn is an utter delight, and if anything good came of having had to record this twice, it's that I got to spend another hour chatting with Dawn about her experience in the magazine publishing world, how she became the Party Girl, her views on life in the Hamptons as we know it and lots of other topics. So please, enjoy this episode. It got here the hard way.

For many, the mother daughter relationship is fraught with all kinds of difficulty and dysfunction. But sometimes when it works, it really works. For Jessica Ambrose and Mansell Beverage (nee Ambrose), it works so well, that they've decided to turn it into a podcast. "Let Me Ask My Mom" will debut very soon on Sirius Radio, and you'll get to hear some of the many ways in which these two depend so firmly on one another. As you'll hear on this episode, though, the relationship was borne out of difficulty-- as an 11 year old, Mansell was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that required immediate and aggressive treatment, as well as a long series of reconstructive surgeries that lasted for years. Many of those years were spent in the car, just the two of them, on the way to or from one of those procedures. It has formed an unshakeable bond that Jessica and Mansell can't wait to share with the podcast world.

Bob Sullivan is in the 1%. And not because he's a multi-billionaire. It's because that's the small percentage of Americans who've endured a home invasion by a psychotic individual intent on harming anyone they come in contact with. Before we get to the harrowing story of how Bob fended off the homicidal intruder, we hear about Bob's current role as a school bus driver for the East Hampton School District. And something about his history as a corporate advertising executive. And his migration to the east end and its irresistible draw and its influence on him as a painter. After the home invasion story-- spoiler alert-- he survives!!-- the experience led him down a path of alcohol abuse and he tells of his recovery from the depths of that experience. All in all, this is an amazing episode with a truly unique individual!

Corey Senese is a surfer. I am not. Corey Senese wakes up in the morning thinking about surfing, goes to bed at night thinking about surfing, and spends most of the time in between.... Surfing. I surf whenever I can and the conditions work and the planets align and I don't talk myself out of it. So when I get Corey to (finally!!) join me on the podcast, you can pretty much guarantee, we're mostly (as in completely) going to talk about surfing. Corey is the co-owner, with his wife Kristin, of Corey's Wave, an operation synonymous with surf instruction on the east end. So we talk about teaching... surfing. And we talk about travel... for surfing. And we cover fear and courage... as relates to surfing. The good news is, because of his love for the subject, and his knowledge and experience, he really makes it interesting. Please tune into this very special episode... especially if you like to hear about... surfing.

You gotta love it. You REALLY have to love the work. If you're going to work in restaurants, especially in the kitchen, and especially in The Hamptons, you really have to love what you're doing. Speaking with Damien O'Donnell, chef and partner of Bostwick's on the Harbor, you get no other sense than this kid loves the work. The way he describes the feeling of victory after a hard night "on the line", the sense of accomplishment of having made it through another night unscathed in one of the most difficult, demanding, unrewarding jobs around, is its own reward. Of course, the job does have its benefits, the action and the accomplishment aside, the people you meet, the teammates you get to bond with, and the feeling of pride of satisfying hundreds of hungry, demanding people in a night. But if you stick with it, one day you might just end up owning your own restaurant, or even two, or becoming partners with some of the best restaurateurs in their market. Who knows, you might even meet the woman of your dreams. 

I had no idea what to expect when my guest for this episode met me at the studio to record. Tim Frazier is the Executive Director of the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Development Center in East Hampton. That's quite a mouthful for what we used to call "Nursery School" (which I famously dropped out of, but that's another story). But that's because this is far more than glue sticks and nap time. The Eleanor Whitmore Center is a vital resource for families of small children in and around East Hampton, as it provides not only child care, but important skill development at a vital time in a young learner's life. Tim is also a former middle school principal in the Southampton Public Schools, as well as a former teacher, and this is where the conversation really gets going. Middle school sucks-- no other way to put it-- and keeping these kids focused, learning, even just interested, is a challenge that Tim has always taken very seriously. So please join us as we discuss all that we love and hate about public middle school, and why "nursery school" is so important to a person's success in life.

It's one thing to watch tv and see the footage of whatever most recent disaster is in the news cycle. Jim Cantore has left whatever hurricane zone he'd flown into, on to the next one; the news crews have hit the scene looking for drama to send to their producers; we see a couple of reports and think "how awful". And then the sports reporter comes on to tell us what happened in the game. On the ground, the reporters leave, chasing the next disaster story. But on the ground, these natural disasters change peoples' lives in ways the tv news shows never bother to truly show: lives and love ones are lost, homes, businesses and entire communities disappear in an instant, and those still standing are left to clean up the mess. And then something amazing happens: before the big organizations come in, before the government responds, individuals start pouring in to help the people rebuild. Individuals like Levi Bennett, a real estate agent from an area nearby, who loaded up his truck with whatever he thought people might need-- water, tools, supplies and the like-- and drove until he couldn't drive any more. And then he got to work. And then another amazing thing happens: these peoples' lives, the lives of those who come to help, are also forever changed. Levi was generous enough of his time and energy to spend days helping people sort through the mess that Hurricane Helene left in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. And he was generous enough to share his story with us, the story of how this area of the world was forever changed, and how he was forever changed as well.

He's Back!! Our resident science expert is here for a third time to help us understand the world we live in, especially here on the east end. Beach erosion, the eclipse, the earthquake, and, of course, the movement of water in the ocean all get his special treatment! Erik's unique perspective and expertise make him the perfect person to help us to know what's going on in the natural world around us. As a middle school earth science teacher, Erik has the knowledge and the ability to explain natural phenomena in a way that not only middle schoolers can understand, but their parents, grandparents and other interested adults. But as a surfer, photographer, advocate and general lover of nature, it's his passion for the subject matter that makes it so engaging and entertaining. So join us for this extremely informative and interesting episode!

Who knew he was funny?!? For many of us in this community, Pete Cestaro is "Coach Pete"-- the guy who has been teaching our kids to love the game of baseball, as well as getting good at it. Many others know him as a guy we play golf with, surf with , have coffee with or just generally enjoy his company. And who knew he was funny? Well, all of us, and especially the kids he's taught baseball to, and even more so, their parents. But we didn't realize he was REALLY funny until he started showing up in comedy clubs all up and down the west coast on our Instagrams. And now he's back here on the east coast, bringing not only his clever brand of humor to NYC clubs, but also to a couple of venues on the east end. One in particular is "Comedy at Pox", Pete's own production. Once a month, at Fairway Restaurant at Poxybogue (YES, THE DINER AT THE GOLF COURSE!!) Pete brings a few of his favorite headliners from the city to bust up a small crowd in the diner. They've all been sold out. And as someone who'd been there multiple times, let me tell you: IT'S FUNNY!!

For the Executive Director (i.e.-CEO) of such a sophisticated institution as East Hampton's very own Guild Hall, one might not expect to start the session with talk of "salty balls" before segueing into an in depth analysis of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". But Guild Hall is not like other arts institutions, and Andrea Grover is not your basic nonprofit CEO. Eventually the conversation finds its way to Guild Hall and all its wonders, including the just completed $30mm renovation/restoration as well as this weekend's coming standup show featuring The Daily Show's Dulcé Sloan. Naturally, we dig into what it takes to renovate a nearly 100 year old arts building in East Hampton, how it differs from any other arts institution in the country (probably the world, but we didn't go that far), as well as its history, its future and some delicious upcoming features this fall. No further mention of "salty balls".

Think of the word "lifeguard", and one name typically comes to mind: Ryan. Think of the name Ryan and one word comes to mind: lifeguard. The Ryans have been protecting the beaches of East Hampton (and Southampton) for three generations. To prove it, we gathered three generations of Ryans to come to the Cafe and chat about lifeguarding. Of course, nowadays, lifeguarding in East Hampton involves far more than sitting on the beach watching to see if anyone needs assistance. Today, the Hamptons Lifeguard Association is involved with and supporting so many programs that I can't even list them here. Most famously, they support the town's Junior Lifeguard program, definitively the most successful youth sports program on the east end. Each summer over four hundred locals and visitors between the ages of 10 and 16 gather on the beaches to learn, compete and have fun while developing respect for the ocean and the confidence to swim in it-- not to mention the wisdom to NOT swim when or where conditions dictate. As usual, we stray from the appointed topic into such areas as education (another three generation tradition for this family), issues concerning local families and businesses, and just one or two reminiscences of "the old days". So join Big John, Johnny, and Hayley as we dig into what it takes to "waterproof" the East End.

Get checked. And get checked again. And if you're not sure they checked correctly, have someone else check. Because the last thing you want to hear is that you have stage 4 cancer and they "missed it" on the mammogram, or whatever scan or screening they use. That's exactly what happened to Ty Wenzel. Ty was going about her highly interesting life as creator and editor, writer, chief cook and bottle washer at the wonderful new style magazine, "James Lane Post", when she got the awful news. So get checked. Fortunately, though it's become a big thing for her, Ty's story  doesn't begin or end with cancer. Writer, performer, editor, style maven and mother, Ty leads a busy life. She even has a book out, called "Behind Bars", which I swear I'll read before I have her on the show again. A former NYC bartender, Ty has many stories to tell, and I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing them as much as I did.

You know those helpful signs at the East Hampton Village beaches that tell you how to get out of a deadly rip current? Or the surf cams that surveil the beaches 24/7, reporting data to surfers across the world, not to mention Stony Brook University and NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration). Ever wonder how they got there, and who monitors them? Wonder no more. Jimmy Minardi is on the job. Many know Jimmy from his day job as a fitness coach, yoga instructor, lifeguard, dad and longtime East Hampton fixture.  You may know that Jimmy spends a fair amount of his "spare" time accomplishing the aforementioned tasks. And that also includes raising the (considerable) funds to make it happen. Jimmy tells us all about his work here in this episode, as well as some Minardi-isms, a few great stories and, naturally, some of his worldly philosophizing. And no conversation would be complete without a few tips on how best to stay in shape, no matter your age or situation. Enjoy!!

Twenty-three years ago, before "Women Owned Business" was cool, before pre-owned vintage clothing was more valuable than new, Tisha Collette struck out in business. In a small shop on Jobs Lane in Southampton, she opened "Collette", a consignment shop featuring a curated collection of previously owned, designer fashion goods. Not long after, she opened another outpost. Then another. And soon, another. Today, mention the name "Collette" anywhere on the South Fork, or the upper east side for that matter, and the image of a gorgeous store selling gorgeous home goods and high fashion in any one of five locations comes immediately to mind. In fact, she has achieved the ultimate symbol of success: "Collette-ing" is now a verb, meaning to shop for previously owned treasures in The Hamptons. The Collette Empire now includes four stores in the Hamptons totaling over 30,000sf and another 5000sf on Madison Ave and 93st. And she's managed to achieve all of this without outside investors or partners, forging ever fearlessly ahead. Join us as she shares with us the challenges, rewards, and some secrets of her success.

When we think of East End architecture, and new building and development in general, we often gravitate toward the obvious: the large, new, cutting edge design that makes magazine covers and lifelong name recognition. Erica Broberg certainly doesn't shy away from taking on large projects, but her business mission holds firmly to one critical  ethic that separates her from the more famous names: half of her business consists of local projects, designed for year round residents and business owners. She looks at architecture a little differently. Rather than building only the newest, latest and greatest, she sees the architect as having a duty to the community in which they live. Erica got her start on the East End in what might be considered "neediest cases". She took on projects that had major challenges, either from regulatory restriction, logistical challenges or some other difficulty. That experience serves her well, as she has a unique understanding for the process, the constraints, the needs of the community, as well as the client. In this conversation, Erica gives us lots of insight into what informs her work today, as well as how she arrived at it. We also cover some of the interesting, often controversial elements that building on the East End now face.

To make ends meet on the East End, these days, it helps to wear a lot of hats. It helps even more if those hats are all for roles that aren't being worn by lots of others around town. Need a digital marketing expert? No, you say? Well, you're wrong. It doesn't matter what you do, nowadays, if you're not in the media business, you're not in business for long. And that's where Ryan comes in. It starts with photography and videography. It goes a little further with digital marketing. Another step is social media. If these are all concepts that make you cringe, Ryan might be your guy. Podcaster, photographer, videographer, digital media maven, social media expert... there's not much in the world of modern media that Ryan can't do. And if you need a bartender for your next function he may be able to help with that as well!!

You have the hat. Probably in several colors. Because everyone has the hat. But when Amanda Merrow and Kate Baldwin set out to start Amber Waves Farm, they did not expect to be the creators of one of the most iconic fashion pieces of the past 10 years. In fact, they didn't expect to be many of the things they turned out to be, 15 years later. But here they are, and the small plot of land they ventured to farm in 2008 is now a thriving retail, educational, community center. Not to mention a thriving local farm raising beautiful organic produce. Join us as Amanda shares the stories of how Amber Waves Farm went from being a daydream of a couple of young, unafraid farm interns, to an internationally known producer of highest quality produce. And, as a bonus, you'll get to hear the story of that damn hat!!

Jeremy Blutstein is NOT a local. He makes that clear several times in the course of our conversation. He wasn't born here, only moved here when he was a kid, used to be a summer kid. All the bona-fides of a non-local. But you'd be hard pressed to find someone more dedicated to promoting and contributing to the local economy than he does as current and former chef of several restaurants whose menus center on locally sourced products. He drops names like Alex, Amanda and Marilee as if he were referring to the summer glitterati, rather than the local farmers with strong hands. As a restaurant manager, which is what a chef really is, he's also intensely familiar with the many challenges facing anyone trying to not only make a living, but provide the space for others to make a living, too. So while we cover some familiar ground of housing, labor and transportation, Jeremy also provides some fresh insight into ways he's working to make these challenges less difficult. So while he's not actually a local, he certainly acts like one. Another thing he's not? A fan of "The Bear"! Tune in to find out why....

A recurring theme for many of my guests, is that they knew what they wanted to do from an early age. When Nick Epstein was very young, he knew he wanted to perform onstage. Today, Nick can be seen onstage as the lead singer and guitar player in Roses Grove Band, a group that plays songs from the Grateful Dead songbook, mostly on Long Island and very often on the East End. I've had the good fortune to know Nick for some time, and when I had a recent birthday party at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, Roses Grove happened to be headlining and Nick offered to play a song (or two... or three) in honor of my birthday. That's just one of the stories that Nick and I share about music, performance, and figuring out who we wanted to be. In this episode, Nick tells the tales of his adventures in music and life, and even plays us an original song while he's at it!

In lots of the pictures I take, my guests have their eyes closed. I usually delete those. But in the case of spiritual healer Angel Santamarina, it's only fitting that I use a photo with his eyes closed. After all, the name of the book he co-wrote with Erica Broberg is titled "I See Better With My Eyes Closed", and after a read of the book or a long conversation, I can understand why. Angel operates in a realm most of us are unaware of. It's a part of existence many will doubt even exists. But Mr. Santamarina has NO doubts. Not one. "One hundred percent", he describes his ability to see and understand the spiritual world where his healing takes place. At this point, I really can't describe any more. You just have to listen to the episode. Or read the book. Or both!

Not everyone likes flower baskets hanging from the lampposts in East Hampton Village. Not everyone likes banners promoting coming Village events. Community events in Herrick Park? Santa arriving by helicopter? Not everyone is into it. Jerry Larsen, East Hampton Village mayor for the past three years, understands that. And, for the most part, he's ok with it. Because he feels most people appreciate the changes he and his administration have made in the Village, and that those changes have, by and large, made Village life a little better (he'll know for sure next year, as he's up for re-election!). All this is not to say that those people aren't entitled to their views, and that he doesn't listen to and respect those views. He just doesn't let the complaints of the few outweigh the approval of many more. It was truly an honor to have Mayor Larsen join me in the Cafe, and discuss not only some of the changes he and his administration have brought about, but what challenges remain, and how he intends to go about tackling them. 

Just because Minerva Perez tackles some of the most critical issues facing some of the most vulnerable East End residents, doesn't mean she can't be a little silly sometimes. And even though she has a degree in theater from NYU, her movie credit might be a little less highbrow than you would think. But... you'll have to listen to the end to find out in what famous comedy she played. In the meantime, you'll hear about the serious business that occupies her days as Director of OLA- Organización Latino Americana of Eastern Long Island. Services they provide (to all citizens, whether of Latin American origin or not) include helping with everything from illegal evictions, wage theft, health services, legal direction and so much more. High on Minerva's long list of achievements is the establishment of a youth services  initiative which provides assistance to young people throughout our schools and communities in whatever areas they might need it. I was fascinated by not only the depth and intensity of their work, but also Minerva's clear love for the projects, and more importantly the people she serves.

You may be excused for having no idea who Walker Ward is. Very few of us, myself included, had any idea who he was. Until, that is, "Wall Street Intern" got on the train to Montauk for the first time. And then was overheard in line for the Surf Lodge. And couldn't get on the corporate jet. And for many of us, the travails of the "Wall Street Intern" became one of the amusing themes of our summer of '23. And suddenly Walker Ward was known by millions of people. That's the way of our world today, though: one day you're just a guy making his friends laugh at parties, the next you're a social media sensation. But this was no accident. And for Walker, it didn't actually happen overnight. His ambitions for entertaining people go all the way back to childhood. And it's quite clear that Ward has talent: his characters are at once ridiculous, yet lovable; annoying but also supremely entertaining: kinda like so many "characters" who grace the LIRR on Friday afternoons, the lines for Surf Lodge and so many other Hamptons stereotypes. I hope you enjoy this episode, and I hope we get to hear from Walker Ward for a long time to come.

Brian Halweil has been a mainstay in the East End local food movement since before "Locavore" was even a word. For many years, Brian brought the sights and stories of local producers and their food products directly to our hands via "Edible" publications, "Edible East End" and "Edible Long Island" being the most relevant locally. But a few years ago, Brian made the jump from reporting on local food to actually participating in producing it. Only rather than working for a local farm or producer, Brian went more large scale, consulting with companies investing in organic, sustainable and otherwise responsible production, and, more recently, working with Belltown Farms to secure, cultivate and produce organic grains on local farms throughout the US. Join us as Brian tells us his stories of moving from reporting to producing and of the challenges and rewards of working to convert the agricultural world to a more sustainable model.

This is an episode I was looking forward to for a long time. Brian Burns is not just an extremely successful Film and Television writer and producer, he's an extremely interesting person and a helluva nice guy. And a great little league coach! So among his Hollywood credits such as "Blue Bloods" and  "Entourage", on which he did much of the writing, or "Daddy's Home", where he was writer, producer and creator, he's also coached a couple of East Hampton Little League teams deep into the playoffs, which is where I met him. But put a couple of Irish American, New York born and raised boys in front of a microphone and you're going to hear stories. Stories about family. Stories about fathers, about drinking, not drinking, about raising kids and stories about New York City. Lots and lots of stories about New York City. See, no matter what else he might be, Brian is a story teller. And as we discover in this conversation, it's our stories that make us human and it's our stories that make us individuals. Please enjoy this very special episode with this very special guest.

"Watch till the End"!! In the course of my conversation with Josh Gladstone, I explain how, in the life of Brew's, the long running NYC bar and restaurant after which this podcast is named and formulated, every single day something would happen that had never happened before. And here Josh keeps the spirit alive by ending the episode with not just a soliloquy, but with an emotionally delivered, perfectly paced and entirely gripping version of one of The Bard's most beloved soliloquies (nope, no spoiler here, ya gotta listen). But in the meantime, Josh and I have a fabulously entertaining convo about, not only the many many goings on at LTV Studios, where he's now head of something or another (creative direction, programming... I don't know, listen to the episode), but the wealth of cultural events that happen all around us, often without our knowledge or involvement. He also delivers some hilarious personal anecdotes of his time in the East End performing arts scene, as an actor, writer, producer, promoter, program director and pretty much any other hat that's been required to put on a show around here. So please join Josh and me as he entertains and informs-- and honestly makes me feel a little lame for partaking in so little of all there is to do around here!

You probably won't recognized Doug Levin by name, but by the end of the day, he will likely have impacted your life in some small, unnoticeable but very important way. As the founder and CEO of Black Duck Software, Doug was responsible for creating a company that led to an entire segment of the industry focused on both making open source software license compliant and secure from malware and viruses -- something we all admittedly take for granted. Having sold the company several years ago, Doug now teaches a course at Harvard Business School called "Startup Academy", and writes a blog and records a podcast called "Lessons from a Startup Life". He also runs a venture fund which focuses on tech startups, specifically in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity. Doug was kind enough to sit down with me recently and explain the basic concepts, the importance and some other fun facts and features of both the world of AI and Cybersecurity the startups he's nurturing and funding. I learned a ton from this conversation, and Doug has a knack for making a complex (and potentially boring!) topic interesting and entertaining. For more details about Doug's interesting and varied work experience, his updated Wikipedia page is located here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Levin and his LinkedIn page is located here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bduck1/

You might recognize Debra Geller's name from construction signs outside several of East Hampton's more glamorous design projects. Working with builder Phil Kauffman, she has designed, built, decorated and sold (or is selling) two gorgeous homes here. But as you'll hear here, deep down she's really just a "sawx" fan raising a houseful of Yankees fans. Originally from Massachusetts, by way of New York City (of course) Debra has been living, working, raising kids and enjoying life on the east end for well over a decade. So it may not surprise regular listeners that, while we certainly cover her work interests, the conversation veers toward school, sports, the local housing shortage and lots of other non-work topics. So join us and I'm sure you'll find Debra to be as interesting, intelligent and entertaining as I did.

You've probably heard the stories over the years, the concerts, the events, the fundraisers.... the bars, nightclubs and famous names from Hamptons glory days. John Kowalenko not only was there, he probably put the whole thing on. Over the course of the past 35 years John Kowalenko has had a hand in some of the most iconic events and happenings on the east end. Today, as they have for the past three decades, John and his wife, local chef Cheryl Stair, own and operate Art of Eating Catering and Events. And perhaps no form of work is more prone to the ups and downs of Hamptons happenings, as well as the comings and goings of our more famous party people. Join John and me as he recalls some of the more memorable moments and classic stories of John's storied history.

It seems like not all that long ago, to me anyway, that potatoes were a big deal on the South Fork of Long Island. Throughout the past several decades, though, potatoes, and farmland in general, have given way to development of large summer homes, as the pressure to sell the exceedingly valuable farmland between Montauk Highway and the Atlantic Ocean became unavoidable for many local farming families. Lots of farmland has been preserved through the efforts of local governments and local NGO's such as Peconic Land Trust, but that pressure to turn over agricultural land to development persists. One way to preserve farmland, however, is to make good use of it. And while the sale of potatoes may not be able to economically justify farming the land here, distilling those potatoes into high quality spirits, which can fetch high prices among discerning spirits drinkers, may just be enough to push the value of those potatoes high enough to preserve the land. At least that's the plan for the Foster Family and the land they farm in Bridgehampton and Sagaponack. In order to convert those potatoes to high quality booze, they need a master distiller, and that's where Matt Beamer comes in. Formerly a craft brewer out west (actually still a brewer, since, as you'll hear, you must first brew beer to produce vodka), Matt has brought his skills to Sagaponack, where he produces vodka, gin, rye whiskey, bourbon and several other spirits to high acclaim and commercial success. Matt sat down with me to discuss the challenges and rewards, as well as the process of distillation, aging, bottling and selling those spirits. And if the Foster family has their way, they'll find a way to preserve their farms and their farming heritage.

By now, many have you have figured out that I'll pretty much go to any length to get a great guest. I mean, you might think I'd even change jobs and leave a well established firm to join an upstart company with little brand recognition in this market, just to get an interview with a guy like Ryan Serhant. In our business (real estate, in case you missed that), Ryan Serhant is kinda the big Kahuna: if not the most successful (actually, he is), then without doubt, the most visible, which is pretty much the name of the game anyhow. He's also the star of Emmy nominated "Million Dollar Listing New York" which ran for 9 seasons on Bravo TV, author of two best selling books, "Sell it Like Serhant" and "Big Money Energy", director of the highly successful "Sell it Like Serhant" business education program, and, since 2020, owner and CEO of SERHANT., the rapidly growing brokerage he started (at which I currently work!). Oh and he's got a podcast, too, called "Big Money Energy Podcast" (he gets amazing guests like Jay Shetty, Barbara Corcoran and David Portnoy, among many others). And while I'm grateful to Ryan for taking the time away from all of that, plus his family with whom he lives in Brooklyn, to spend a few minutes in Brew's Cafe. And despite all the fame and success, Ryan is a hands on business operator, an accessible leader, and an all around decent human being. So we sat and chatted for a while and made a podcast out of it. I hope you enjoy. Oh, and I'da taken the job anyway.

Just in time for Hamptons Whodunnit comes this very special episode with mystery novelist Randye Lordon. Randye, who lives full-time in Springs, walks us through the process of becoming a mystery writer, where her characters come from and how much fun it was setting this particular mystery in East Hampton. Randye will be reading and signing her most recent novel, "She's Dead, Who Cares" this Friday, April 14 at the Thomas Moran house in East Hampton at 11am. Find tickets to this event, and many others going on around town this weekend, online at Hamptons Whodunnit. I also recommend reading "She's  Dead, Who Cares", available at local bookstores and online. Locals will recognize many of the settings, and possibly even a couple of the lead characters whose names have been changed to protect the not so innocent. Meantime, check out this entertaining conversation with the highly engaging novelist.

By now, Nancy Atlas needs no introduction, but I'm going to do it anyway. It's possible a listener might've been living under a rock for the past 25 years, or maybe they live far away. For anyone who's spent more than a week or two on the east end, though, it'd be pretty hard to avoid Nancy Atlas. And even though you might see her on Friday at the Talkhouse, Sunday at Gurney's and Wednesday at the Surf Lodge, you will not have seen the same show. As I learned in this episode with her, Nancy walks on stage with a set list. And then it goes out the window. Reading the room, reading her feelings, the events of the day or week, and she may not play another song off that list the rest of the night. These and other bits of knowledge about her practices in her performances, her songwriting, her child rearing and community involvement all come to light in this freewheeling conversation about so many of the things that are important to her and what makes living in Montauk so very, very special.

You might not recognize Hugh King out of uniform. Quite often, while in public, he wears a black top hat and a black cape. And he's usually leading a graveyard tour, or a historical walk or some other similar historically based activity. For when someone, anyone in East Hampton needs to know about the past, they usually turn to Hugh King. Born and raised in Amagansett, a long time teacher in Springs, Mr. King has seen quite a lot in these parts, and he's happy to share his insights and information. Although this recording is only a portion of our actual conversation, Hugh packs a lot of info into a little time.

There are four major tournaments in golf: The Masters, The US Open, The British Open and The PGA. Most of us aspire to go and watch one of these tournaments, to simply to get to SEE the likes of a Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson or Justin Thomas today, Jack Nicholson, Arnold Palmer in past eras and names like Ben Hogan and Sam Snead in the history books. For most professional golfers, the dream of playing in one of these tournaments resides far out of reach. For Montauk native Paul Dickinson, that dream came true last year when he qualified for, and played in, the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The road to the PGA was not a straight one, and with a family and a full time job that's not playing the Pro Tour, it was about as hard as it could be. But he did it. Join Paul and me as he recounts the long, seemingly impossible journey from playing with cut-off clubs at Montauk Downs, to the highest ranks of professional golf.

Chances are you know Jenny Landey. Everyone seems to know Jenny Landey, and she seems to know everyone. High school friends post pics on Instagram and they're "liked by JennyLandey."... We did not go to high school in the same state. She has her own explanations for how this could be, and they seem plausible. But there's a whole lot more to Jenny than her popularity, as we find out in this episode. As the East End's premier location scout, she arranges photo shoots for the most accomplished photographers, models and media companies in the most beautiful of locations (many undisclosed, even here, I'm afraid!). She's also an extremely successful real estate agent at Sotheby's International Realty in East Hampton. And she makes a mean cup of ginger lemon tea! 

It might not always seem so, but he really wants you to get the answers right. Maybe not all of them. But when you go to "Quiz Night" at Townline BBQ, or Trivia Brunch at Peconic Bay Brewery, Paul Johnson is trying NOT to stump you. It's actually not fun for him unless you get at least SOME of the answers. So you might not know who holds the record for most Grand Slam Tennis wins, but you might if the answer is either Serena or Venus. You see, a lot more goes into putting together a successful trivia night than just coming up with hard questions. And putting together a successful trivia night every week for almost ten years? Well, that takes more than just Google. Join me this week as the East End's trivia impresario tells his tricks of the trade, and what makes trivia night so damn much fun. Of course he dishes on some other subjects too, but by now I hope you've come to expect that..

Green Comets? Seventy degrees in February? Unusual beach erosion? Whales washing up all over the place? What in the Earth Science is going on here?!?! To help me understand some of what is happening in our world, and a little less of how, and hardly any why, I turned to my favorite Earth Science teacher, Erik Schwab (he's competing with Mrs. Joseph, my 9th grade ES teacher, so it's not really a fair competition). So for my first ever return guest, Erik joins me to help, if not understand what's going on, at least understand how to ask the questions. We cover all of the above topics, and we get a little deeper into how and why these questions are so difficult to answer, and how to get answers we can actually trust (spoiler alert: it's not on the news!). So please join us for this very special episode of the cafe.

Sometimes the best episodes are the ones where I have absolutely no plan. The only plan is to sit down and chew the fat with someone I've known for some time and with whom I've always enjoyed chewing the fat. It helps, of course, if that someone who spends 6 hours at a clip filling empty radio air on the iconic WLNG with music, information, commentary and an occasional advertisement. Which is why I didn't worry too much about having no idea what I'd be talking to Tony Marr about for an hour or so. And so it went. Just two guys talking sports... or music... or restaurants... or "the good ol' days" (not too, too much of that). So tune in and catch Tony's unique take on all of that, and much more.

You'd think someone who'd private cheffed for British Royalty, cooked in some of the country's-- as well as the East End's--  great restaurants might want to spend a good deal of time flexing on that. And if that's what you're expecting from this week's episode with Bill Valentine, Pit Master at Town Line BBQ in Sagaponack, you're gonna be a little disappointed. Because at this stage of his life, there's really only one thing that really gets Billy going: Barbecue. And I don't mean that thing we do in the Northeast outside with our family and friends and overcooked hot dogs and hamburgers. I mean that slow cooked wonder which may take on many different forms, styles and is used on many different meats in the South. Barbecue. Cue. Low 'n Slow. Whatever you want to call it and however you might envision it, it's something Bill and I both care quite a bit about. So yeah, there's plenty of tales of obsessive compulsive  fine dining chefs throwing things, and stories of beautiful cuisine in fancy dining halls, what you're really going to get out of this episode is, hopefully, an understanding and appreciation for what they do at Town Line, and lots of other BBQ joints the world over. As Bill says early on: it's a passion.

Susan Spungen is a cook, food stylist, recipe developer and cookbook author. She was the founding food editor at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia from its inception until 2003. She was the culinary consultant and food stylist on the feature films "Julie & Julia" , "It's Complicated" and "Eat, Pray, Love". She is the author of "Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook", "What's a Hostess to Do?" and "Strawberries (a Short Stack Edition". Her new book, to be released this spring is "Veg Forward: Super Delicious Recipes that Put Produce at the Center of Your Plate". I spoke with her at her home in East Hampton.

Well, this was an easy one, I wasn't sure what to expect when I showed up to record with brand new East Hampton Schools Athletic Director, Kathy Masterson. For one thing, I left all of my recording gear by my front door. And since we'd been trying to schedule this since September, I wasn't about to reschedule. So I was a little nervous. That lasted about a second and a half. Kathy Masterson couldn't be more easygoing and engaging. She's also very thoughtful, intelligent and considerate. But I could tell, hiding beneath the surface is the heart of a competitor. One that won't be happy with an athletic program that falls short of its potential. Kathy and I ended up speaking for over an hour, covering the usual topics like her bio, what she's expecting from the job and that sort of thing. But also venturing off the path a bit to chat about Title IX, paying college players, good coaches and bad parents and, to my delight, the New York Football Giants. 

First off, I don't drink wine. Or at least, I haven't in a very long time. Because, if I did drink wine, I'd probably still be sitting where we recorded this episode. Deep below Amagansett Main Street, under the creaky floors of the Amagansett Wine and Spirits Shop, lives a vast wonderland of wine. Boxes upon boxes and bottles upon bottles of wines I've mostly only seen in magazines. Wines from before I was born, to wines made locally last year. They're all here. But that's not what we're really here to talk about. Don't get me wrong, Michael loves to talk wine, and he will if given the chance. But what he really loves to talk about is the Amagansett Life Saving Station. And the Amagansett Fire Department. And Amagansett Village Improvement Society. And pretty much any other community based operation that serves the needs of everyone in our community. That's what Michael loves to talk about. So check in to hear how so many of these groups help out, and how you can help them. And yeah, a couple stories about wine. And bird houses. Stories about bird houses too.

Long before we spoke of "regenerative" farming, before "sustainable" was a thing, before "renewable", almost before "organic", there was "local". Local was a guy you knew. Who grew stuff. Maybe it was corn, or potatoes or flowers or milk. In the case of Balsam Farms, it was mostly corn, and it sat atop a flatbed wagon at the intersection of Windmill Land and Town Lane in Amagansett. You took what you needed and put the money in the box on the corner. It made the news only because periodically, someone would try to steal the money box. Progress was an increasingly sturdier, more theft resistant "honor box". Today, of course, most of what Balsam Farms does on its 200 acres of farmed land here on the South Fork is regenerative, sustainable, renewable, organic. And it's definitely still local. In this week's episode, farmer Ian Calder-Piedmonte sits down and revisits the history, the vision, the drawbacks, the obstacles and the rewards (spoiler alert- it ain't the money, despite the high price of corn!) of farming this way on the South Fork of Long Island. The place where most people drive a Mercedes (or the like), refer to it as The Hamptons, and know nothing of the rich soil and the history of that soil, and what makes Balsam Corn (and tomatoes, and asparagus and melons and yes, shishitos) taste so damn good.

We all remember. For prior generations it was D-Day, or the day Kennedy was shot, or the moon landing. But for anyone alive on September 11, 2001, we remember where we were. What we were doing, how we felt. For Ray Brown, though, it's not a memory of sitting in a coffee bar uptown, or by the pool in Amagansett. Ray remembers that day very differently than the rest of us. Ray comes from a long line of firefighters, and firefighters called to duty on the biggest of days. His grandfather was a firefighter on D-Day, a fact unknown to Ray and his brothers (both firefighters) until long after his grandfather had died. Ray's father retired as chief of all NYFD rescue companies (that's a big deal, FYI). So it was truly an honor to have Ray share his memories of growing up in a household where becoming a NYC firefighter was practically preordained, and how he spent that fateful day in lower Manhattan, the years leading up to it and the years since. 

Just so we're clear: Dr. Lea Lis, aka "The Shameless Psychiatrist", has a child psychiatry practice in Southampton; she also has a ketamine assisted therapy practice there; they are NOT the same thing! As one of the very few (as in ONLY) child psychiatrists on the east end, Dr. Lis is in very high demand as she works tirelessly to help ease our local mental health crisis, particularly with children. She coordinates with local schools, law enforcement, and of course, families, to navigate the increasingly difficult process of growing up. Her book, "No Shame", lays out a great framework for her practice, as she counsels families to be up front, open and willing to communicate about the often challenging landscape of sex, relationships and healthy living. Her ketamine practice, on the other hand, uses the psychedelic drug to assist adults with a variety of psychological and emotional areas of distress such as depression, PTSD and addiction. She goes into great depth about how the process works, and how patients have successfully used the treatment to achieve better health. Last but not least, she's a "burner".  And if you don't know what that is, or you do and you want to hear about it, well... you're gonna hafta listen till the end!!

"Two Guys Talking Sports" might be a better title for this week's episode. And who better to talk sports with than the one and only Joe Gonzalez. As bartender at Rowdy Hall for over 25 years (currently working "the stick" at South Fork Country Club), Joe not only knows sports, but is eager to talk about it. We cover mostly baseball and football, and mostly from a Yankees and Giants viewpoint. We delve into whether and how the Yankees ought to sign Aaron Judge, what else the Yanks need to win The Series, the good and bad about changes to the game of baseball, and the direction of all sports. We also bask in the excitement of the Football Giants' best start in many years and the beauty and grace of the great Eli Manning. So if you're not a member or guest of SFCC, and you're missing the angle of Joe's take on sports, jump in to this week's episode.

You might be excused for thinking that after a long, successful run in Hamptons Real Estate, one might want to take it easy. You know, play golf, sail the Caribbean, travel the world. Well, first off, even though Diane Saatchi has been as good as anyone in the local Real Estate game for as long as just about anyone, she's still quite active as a successful broker. And taking it easy? Well, I guess the above wouldn't be true if she were one to take it easy. No, when most of the world was taking it easy during COVID lockdowns, Diane decided to do something hard. Very hard. Like, coordinating the most successful (I keep using that word!) voter registration drive in US history. But not just any group of voters: the toughest to get to the registration office and to the polls: young men. In the first major registration drive, Diane and her team registered more new voters than Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez. Yeah. Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez working together. Listen in to the fascinating story of how she and a couple of friends, working from East Hampton, pulled it off. Of course, she throws in a couple of juicy real estate stories just to round out the episode!

Chances are, if there's something going on at night in East Hampton, Amagansett or even Montauk, especially if it involves a popular live band, Nick Kraus is somewhere behind the scenes. Many have come and gone from the Hamptons nightlife scene, and very few have remained relevant. At the top of the latter list, though, is Nick Kraus. Whether it's scheduling bands, promoting the party, coordinating details or being on site for the event, Nick probably has a hand in it. You might find him anywhere on a given evening, but most likely he'll be at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, arguably the best (not-so)  little bar on earth. In addition to his dedication to your entertainment, Nick has long been deeply involved in The Wounded Warrior Project, a highly successful nonprofit benefitting injured combat veterans, specifically Soldier Ride, which was hatched one night here at the Talkhouse. Nowadays he's working on "Warrior Stories", a recorded first-person history of the lives of America's many combat veterans.  Things change, naturally, and so has Nick, and with a family to go home to you might not find him out as late as the old days, and you may find him running in the mornings or jumping in the ocean, no matter how cold. Throughout it all, Nick remains entertaining, optimistic and dedicated to his craft, as you will hear throughtout this episode.

What's news? Nowadays, with a 24/7/365 news cycle from nearly unlimited sources, pretty much anything. But what goes into a small town weekly newspaper?  The answer to that question is a little more nuanced. Add to that the fact that the "East Hampton Star" is not your typical small town newspaper, and David Rattray, Editor and Publisher of "The Star", often has some hard choices to make about what makes it into the paper. And consider that many of his subjects are people he might run into in the grocery store or the post office, this can be a very tricky task. But David's been at it for a while, as his mother had before him, and his father before that, so experience counts when deciding whether to report from "The Springs" or from "Springs", whether a candidate's war record is something he should be totally honest about, or whether the "negative donkey" on Buell Lane should be in the Police Blotter (tune in to find out if that's the paper's most popular feature). As you'll hear in this conversation, David is honest and forthright about making these choices, and living with the results, like 'em or not.