What in the Actual Factual

Alright, alright part two is here! As we approach the holiday season, we are sharing with you some of our favorite things. Please note and remember that WE ARE NOT SPONSORED by ANY of these brands/products. (But we would love to be!)Today we share part two of our favorites for the upcoming holiday season. We chose items that are suitable for almost everyone!We've linked the items below if you're interested. As always, we encourage you to shop local whenever possible.Cooking:Le Creuset or Lodge Cookware Made In CookwareDiaspora Co SpicesOxo grip tongsJoseph Joseph Helix garlic pressMicroplane zester/graterNinja Fit single serve blenderNinja Professional BlenderCookbooks:Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin NosratFalastin by Sami TamimiAll Together by Chrissy TeigenModern Comfort Food by Ina Garten Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer Clothing:Phenomenal Urban Native EraGirlfriend Collective Argent If you'd like to submit a topic idea or two or if you're one of the awesome brands we're talking about and/or you'd like to sponsor us and we will absolutely share your special something, please reach out to us! Send us an email at whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com! If you haven't already, subscribe to our pod and follow us on our Instagram for the latest updates. If you use Apple Podcasts, give us a 5 star review and we will give you a shoutout! Happy Holidays!

You've been asking and we are finally delivering!As we approach the holiday season, we are sharing with you some of our favorite things. Please note and remember that WE ARE NOT SPONSORED by ANY of these brands/products. (But we would love to be!) Today we share part 1 of our favorites kicking things off with some sustainable gift options for the upcoming holiday season and some beauty items we are digging. We chose items that are suitable for almost everyone!We've linked the items below if you're interested. As always, we encourage you to shop local whenever possible. Sustainable Gifts:Stasher reusable bagsReusable bags and totesSwell insulated water bottlesKlean Kanteen tumblers Natural Home SiliWrap covers/lidsEney BeeswaxBeeswrapBeauty:Kapa Nui Nails JVN haircareBite Beauty LipsticksSummer Fridays Jet Lag maskAlba Botanica Acne DotesIf you'd like to submit a topic idea or two or if you're one of the awesome brands we're talking about, or you'd like to sponsor us and we will absolutely share your special something, please reach out to us! Send us an email at whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com! If you haven't already, subscribe to our pod and follow us on our Instagram for the latest updates. If you use Apple Podcasts, give us a 5 star review and we will give you a shoutout! Happy Holidays!

These are dark times in Lebanon. Literally. One asks "Is it bad?" Oh yes. It's bad. Really bad. Since the October 2019 uprising and the horrific explosion in the port of Beirut in August of last year, Lebanon's social, political, and literal infrastructure has spiraled into what can only be described as a nightmare. Millions of Lebanese citizens are left without any access to their money, employment, and basic necessities like bread and milk. As of August 14th, just a few days ago, Beirut is experiencing zero electricity for up to 20hrs each day. Hospitals are on the brink of full collapse as life-saving machines supporting patients are about to loose all power. There is no fuel to run generators or fill gas tanks. The Lebanese Pound is practically worthless. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are difficult to find and the prices are gauged beyond what anyone can afford. There is no food. No water. An entire country hangs by a literal thread. Today we read a powerful post  written by a Lebanese woman named Danielle who runs the blog, Beirutista, shares what it's like for someone living in Lebanon right now. The article, titled Abysmal and Inconsolable: A Day in the Life of A Lebanese Resident, can be found here. We also share a social media post from Nay El Rahi who also broke down what is currently happening in the country.If you'd like to donate to a certified, reputable organization helping Lebanon, check out:@Lebanese Red Cross@LebanonNeeds@MedsforLeb@DaleelThawra@BeitelBaraka@BaytnaBaytakand general donations via @TheSlowFactoryBe sure to follow us on our instagram @whatintheactualfactual for updates on all the things and if you'd like to share a topic idea, send us an email at whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com.

Last year an Israeli court ruled to forcibly evict Palestinian families from their homes in the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah located in East Jerusalem. To add to the amplified tensions, Israeli soldiers are also protecting the Israeli settlers while they try to take away homes from Palestinian families. It is the intention of the settlers to evict the entire Palestinian neighborhood. This is ethnic cleansing and it violates International Law and basic human rights. We go over what's happened so far, what you can do to ensure coverage of what is happening doesn't get taken down, as well as poetry from Mahmoud Darwish and Noor Hindi that heartbreakingly highlights what has been going on for decades to the Palestinian people. 

We've been asked to cover many happenings throughout the globe and one of them is Lebanon. People want to know what exactly is happening there? Why are people revolting and demanding a government formed for and by the people? And the explosion! Remember that massive explosion last summer in the port of Beirut? One of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history? How did it happen? These are among the many questions we hope to unpack for you. There will be an episode outlining a brief history of Lebanon and how it's government became what it is today as well as hearing from people on the ground living through the revolution and the explosion.On today's episode we give you a glimpse from someone on the ground, biologist, activist, and writer Gino Raidy. If you're following what's happening in Lebanon, especially on social media, you're following Gino. We wanted to read a few of his blog posts so our listeners can get an idea of what is happening on the ground. Gino has been in the thick of many peaceful protests and always uses his platform to amplify other activists on the ground. Gino's blog can be found here.Stay tuned for more unpacking!Be sure to follow us along on our Instagram via @whatintheactualfactual and if you have any topics you'd like us to discuss, send us an email at whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com

Ok, ok this isn't a full episode – yet! We are working on it!Many of our listeners have asked us to cover what is happening in Lebanon.  To answer questions like: "Why are the people revolting? How did they get here?" "Why is the government so corrupt? How long has it been like this?" "Why is the Lebanese currency collapsing?""Why does the electricity blackout all the time?"To give listeners a glimpse of the chaos we read a short and sweet article by Tia Al Mashtoub for Trending Talks, a news platform that covers Lebanon, Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. As well as a transcript from Megaphone news video breaking down what is happening with the banks in Lebanon. Megaphone news is an independent online media platform that creates helpful infographics and videos explaining what is happening throughout various parts of the Middle East. Thank you for pushing us to delve into this topic and, as always, thank you for your support!Be sure to follow us along on our Instagram @whatintheactualfactual.More to come! 

We reached out to our wonderful followers and took various polls on different topics. One that got a lot of responses was cookbooks - specifically what cookbooks does our host have in their library and which ones should everyone have a copy of? What are some essentials?And we would love to hear from you too! What cookbook(s) do you use often? Which one has that special dish or dessert? Is it just one or a few? Let us know!Join us and the (very heavy) piles of cookbooks surrounding the studio as we delve into some goodies!From Ottolenghi to Julia Child to Dominique Ansel - Oh my!  If you have any kitchen conundrums or questions you'd like to ask, follow us along on our Instagram @whatintheactualfactual and/or send us an email via whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com. 

* Warning, this episode contains a lot details about the female anatomy and a gynecological procedure. If you are squeamish and/or topics like this make you uncomfortable, we suggest you skip this episode. *In Lady Whistledown's voice:Dearest Listeners - especially those who define themselves as Ladies, The What in the Actual Factual studio is abuzz with the latest topic and I, dear listeners, am the first to share that they shall be discussing some things that are not for the prudish, conservative, or squeamish. The studio is taking the discussion below the belt (get your head out of the sewer). They hope to prepare other women (at least more than the Duchess of Hastings) for what will be explained in great detail.For those who remain intrigued and would like to know more about this very common (but not often talked about) procedure, join them tomorrow as the hosts share their experiences and attempt to break the stigma of talking about ones lady bits (and the many other things women's bodies go through).Yours Truly, Lady Whistledown (we wish!) Today we discuss a gynecological procedure known as a colposcopy.  Sound familiar? Our host and guest Shae-li didn't know what one was until the moment they were told by their doctors that they needed to have one. Listen in as they break things down, share their stories, and hopefully prepare other women on what to expect if ever presented with this procedure. Shae-li is a lifestyle brander, content creator, and has been involved with blogging, branding, and influencer marking since 2014. She is a non-Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor, plant and dog mom, craft cocktail enthusiast, lover of all things fashion/style, and an organic skincare devotee. Follow Shae on Instagram @shae_li or visit her website shae-li.com. Thank you for listening and following along. If you'd like to sponsor What in the Actual Factual, we would love to hear from you! Please send an email to whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com and be sure to follow us on our Instagram for all the latest updates and laughs @whatintheactualfactual. 

Despite the heaviness of 2020, we hope there were some bright spots here and there. We reached out to our listeners and followers to share some good things that happened this year and we also read off a fantastic post from one of our favorite Instagram accounts @soyouwanttotalkabout! Please know we are not done yet! We know there are more stories out there and would love to hear from you! Send us an email at whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com or  comment on our Instagram @whatintheactualfactual on our holiday post - look for Kermit the frog! Thank you for following and listening along. Stay safe, be kind, and if you're in Georgia, please VOTE!Happy Holidays!

We have noticed many complaints on social media about the US Postal Service taking forever to deliver holiday packages. So much so, people are making memes and gif's to vent their frustrations and disappointment upon ordering an item to see that it will be delivered via USPS. Small business owners have been harassed by customers about their packages not arriving on time pushing some business owners to frantically check the tracking non-stop. This is the most difficult time the US has ever faced not to mention there's a global pandemic. We do some dot connecting for listeners as to how the USPS got here and what people can do to fix it. We remind listeners to support all things local as well as the restaurant industry. If you are able, order curbside or carry out from your favorite places or gift cards to be used in the future by friends and family. *Remember to avoid delivery apps as they take a large percentage away from the restaurants themselves. Order directly from the restaurant!*Follow us on Instagram @whatintheactualfactual and be sure to email us any topic ideas, kitchen queries and conundrums, or general questions via whatintheactualfactual@gmail.com.

Welcome to our very first, roughly cut (bear with us) episode of What in the Actual Factual. If you already follow us on Instagram (@whatintheactualfactual), you'll know we reached out to followers to ask what topics you'd like to hear about. We're covering everything from politics to local initiatives, to home organization and cooking, and so much more. In this episode, we begin with a cooking theme surrounding one of the most essential kitchen tools for any cook:  knives! We tackle which types to invest in, how to care and clean your knives, as well as maintaining sharpness. Who knew we could talk about this for over ten minutes?