The Cocktail Conversations

A few weeks ago, we decided to invite some of our audience to join us, in person, to see what ties could bind us after all the division sowed by the anger industrial complex It wasn't all work--we did have the gorgeous backdrop of Zihuatanejo, Mexico. And once we got back home, we asked three of them to shake up Mezcal cocktails and talk about what we figured out. It was more that you might think.... Hosted and written by Michele Mitchell; Produced by Mark Huntley; Executive Producer, W. Wilder Knight II; Consulting Producer, David Bernknopf; Edited by Conrad Lonsdale Knudson; Sound Design by Jairo Garcia; Digital Producer, Hannah Thornton; Assistant Producer Conrad Lonsdale Knudsen; Cocktail by Amuleto Hotel, Zihuatanejo, Mexico; Created by Michele Mitchell & Hannah Thornton.

It's 2022, which means...another election year. But don't lose hope about ever speaking to certain friends and family again, because we've got just the episode for you, one full of gung-ho team spirit and young wisdom from some leaders of tomorrow. This time around, Michele shares a mocktail with her guests Madison Adams, Thanasi Dilos and Chapu Kapumba of the youth leadership program Civics Unplugged.

Have you been called this—or, even, used it yourself? Kick back with a kir royale as Michele chats up bestselling author Soraya Chemaly (“Rage Becomes Her”), jewelry designer Cass Llilien, life coach Kate Hobbs and incoming college freshman Maisie Adams about how language shapes everything.

Former CIA analyst Martin Gurri (The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium) introduces Michele to the concept of the "information tsunami" that has knocked our 20th Century institutions off their expert, elite status. Joining over a bottle of Gros Ventre's High Country Red are former FBI executive Lauren C. Anderson, Bloomberg News editorialist Robert George and Guernica Magazine editor Jina Moore, who's got a few questions of her own.

Cathy Corison is a legendary and beloved winemaker in Napa Valley. In 1987, she made the first vintage of Corison Cabernet Sauvignon. Corison winery's grapes are farmed organically and grown on gravelly loam soils. . She currently handcrafts two Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. In recognition of her excellence as a winemaker, Cathy was named the 2011 Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle.

If you're wondering whether or not you can ever once again speak with some of your family and friends--or if you're just bewildered about how we got here and how we're going to get out--have we got the episode for you! Michele and conflict expert Dr. Cynthia Wang of Northwestern University crack open a bottle and dive in to Dr. Wang's latest research into what, exactly, is happening. You might be relieved to know there are reasons--and solutions--and...wait for it...a tequila-swilling, cigarette-smoking rooster matador in the mix.

Michele sits down for a one-on-one with evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Kristen Hawkes of the University of Utah to talk about the "evolutionary theory of grandmothering," or, in other words, the foundation of everything. But the grandmother hypothesis is not about sweet little old ladies babysitting--it's also about how and why the anger industrial complex ultimately will lose. So shake up a Hawkes Hypothesis (details on IG @thecocktailconversations) and kick back for a chat about why we're here. You know, the light stuff.

Mark and Jennifer Porembski make some of Napa Valley's most iconic wines--and their own. Hear what Mark has to say about their Zeitgeist label, Cabernet and working with his wife.

Michele opens a bottle of Zeitgeist (literally) to talk about the collapse of trust in media and other institutions--because, let's face it, we've got a soufflé situation on our hands these days. Charles Bierbauer, formerly of CNN and of the University of South Carolina School of Mass Communication and Information Studies; Clarence Page, columnist for the Chicago Tribune; Stephen Smith, executive director of the USC Shoah Foundation; and Sara Taksler, director of "Tickling Giants" and former writer for The Daily Show, kick back over facts vs faith, source vs source, and, believe it or not, Mary Lou Retton.

If you're feeling like we're in layer upon layer of crisis and trying to figure out how to place this moment without losing your mind (and your liver), you're not alone. Kick back with Michele and Murderers Row (Patricia Sellers of the International Criminal Court, Sara Darehshori of Vestry/Laight, Dr. Lisa Pruitt of UC Davis School of Law and Yasmin Morris, tv/ film creative executive at Gunpowder & Sky.

We poured a 2019 Massican Annia for this episode, an unusual white wine from Napa Valley. Michele speaks with winemaker Dan Petrosky (whose day job is at historic Larkmead).

Oh my God, it's not over yet? Seriously? Seriously. Thanks to Georgia's 50% rule, we've got to get through January 5th before this ballot hell is over. But that doesn't mean the anger industrial complex is finished with us--which is why we asked Lauren Anderson (FBI), Clarence Page (Chicago Tribune), Valerie Plame (CIA) and Nick Turse (war correspondent) to join Michele for a glass of Massican. Oh--and there's a special guest star, too.

Michele and guest speaker David G. Smith of the US Naval War College crack open a bottle of red wine this time to dig into what the other half think of the value gap--or if they do at all. There's an implicit bias test, folks! With ret. Lt. Col Jason Amerine (US Special Forces), wine guru Paul Greico (Terroir NYC), sports reporter Connor Kiesel (Sinclair) and digital designer/branding expert Anand Ramaswamy. Special music appearance by the Redwood Chordsmen (really).

We've got the answer! Shake up a whiskey cocktail for the premiere of our series as Dr. Caroline Heldman (department chair, critical theory and social justice, Occidental College) joins Michele and her guests Diane Louvel, Maghan Morin, Alicia Rose and Josie Zeiger. Raising capital, changing names, working for women vs working for men and, of course, WTF is "the value gap."

The Cocktail Conversations podcast poured Relic Supermoon Chardonnay 2018 for its stand-alone election special. Why Relic? Well, we figured a husband-and-wife team was the perfect choice for a show about getting along. Mike Hirby and Schatzi Throckmorton talk wine, the 2020 harvest and making it all work.

This season is about the value gap, but since the entire premise of the series is to be a counterpoint to the Anger Industrial Complex--we kind of noticed that our fellow Americans are a little...stressed...this week. We're here to help. So before we drop the first episodes of the season, we thought we'd crack open a bottle of Relic Supermoon Chardonnay with some old pals who haven't been in the same room in over 20 years. Join Michele as she reunites the bipartisan crew she used to work with on Capitol Hill and more.

Welcome to Season One! For our 2020-2021 season, The Cocktail Conversations is taking on the value gap, a.k.a. gender equity. You don't think this will be fun, but it will--oh, yes, it will. After all, we're not the anger industrial complex. So, join host Michele Mitchell and 120 different guests over 20 episodes and (at least) 20 different drinks for a conversation that goes somewhere.