Podcast appearances and mentions of Martha Stewart

We're still waiting for Fredrick the corpse flower to bloom, Dollar Dog Night is a great place for singles, Martha Stewart hog dog drama with ketchup, and a Lively/Baldoni legal updateSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Women's health expert, author, former First Lady and mom of four, Maria Shriver adds co-host to her resume! Jenna's BFF Scarlett Johansson returns to discuss landing her dream role in ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth' and hosting off-set cocktails with co-stars Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali. Also, Martha Stewart shares fruit-forward recipes and elegant entertaining tips from her 100th cookbook ‘Martha: The Cookbook.' Plus, supermodel Winnie Harlow celebrates World Vitiligo Day on ‘Jenna & Friends.'

Scarlett Johansson (and a special friend!) stops by Studio 1A to discuss her dream role in ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth,' kissing co-star Jonathan Bailey, and perfecting her British accent. Also, Dr. Maria Shriver shares new postpartum treatments offering hope to new moms. Plus, Adrianna Brach rounds up cool and comfortable summer-must haves in TODAY Bestsellers. And, Martha Stewart celebrates the 40th anniversary of her best-selling cookbook ‘Entertaining' with July 4th recipes. 

TJ Pitre is the Founder and CEO of Southleft, LLC, a front-end application design and development agency based in New Orleans. With over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, he has grown Southleft into a multimillion-dollar agency, partnering with global brands such as IBM, Google, Caterpillar, and PetSmart, as well as community-driven organizations—all without relying on traditional sales or marketing methods. Before founding Southleft, TJ held prominent roles, including Director of Internet Front-End Development for Martha Stewart Living and web developer for Emeril Lagasse's restaurant group. In this episode… Growing up in poverty can shape a person's outlook in profound ways. For some, it creates limiting beliefs; for others, it becomes fuel for ambition. But how does one break free from generational cycles of hardship to build a thriving business in the competitive world of technology? TJ Pitre found his escape in art, which led him down a winding path of freelance graphic design, web development, and ultimately entrepreneurship. Along the way, he worked with some of the biggest names in media, including Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart, honing his skills in front-end development. With encouragement from mentors and family, TJ launched Southleft, building an agency that bridges the gap between design and development while serving high-profile clients. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews TJ Pitre, Founder and CEO of Southleft, LLC, about his inspiring rise from poverty to business ownership. TJ discusses his early creative pursuits, his career working for Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse, and the leap of faith that launched Southleft. He also touches on growing up without financial stability, the pivotal role of mentors, and how he built long-term client relationships.

Yung Gravy, the stage name of Matthew Raymond Hauri, is a Minnesota-born rapper known for his humorous lyrics and trap beats. He broke out in 2016 and achieved viral fame with his 2017 song "Mr. Clean". His persona embraces being “extra” and his songs often feature funny lyrics about food, memes, and romance. He's collaborated with bbno$ and released EPs like Mr. Clean.  Subscribe to When a Stranger Callz with Howie & Harland: https://www.youtube.com/@WhenAStrangerCallz Bobbys World Merchandise from Retrokid: https://retrokid.ca/collections/bobbys-world Howie Mandel Does Stuff available on every Podcast Platform Visit the Official Howie Mandel Website for more: https://www.howiemandel.com/ Howie Mandel Does Stuff Merchandise available on Amazon.com here https://www.amazon.com/shop/howiemandeldoesstuff Join the "Official Howie Mandel Does Stuff" Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/HowieMandelPodcast/ Say Hello to our house band Sunny and the Black Pack! Follow them here! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BlackMediaPresents TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackmediapresents Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/01uFmntCHwOW438t7enYOO?si=0Oc-_QJdQ0CrMkWii42BWA&nd=1&dlsi=a9792af062844b4f Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunnyAndTheBlackPack/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmediapresents/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/blackmediapresents Twitter: twitter.com/blackmedia @howiemandel @jackelynshultz @yunggravy

VP of Creative at Liquid Death, Andy Pearson reveals how humor built a $1 Billion brand. Discover the anti-marketing strategy and how to use comedy in business. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

What happens when you make a mistake at work, and everyone knows it? Whether a comment was taken the wrong way, an unfiltered moment in a meeting, or showing up unprepared, reputational hits can feel career-ending. In this episode, we talk about processing, recovering, and cleaning it up, without losing yourself in the fallout.You'll learn:How to handle the awkward “in-between” after a professional misstepStrategies to take ownership without spiraling into shame or defensivenessHow your Leadership Identity can help you reconnect with your values, strengths, and next move4 Tips to recoverMentioned on the Show:  Access the Make Your Power Move Assessment and Program, for $47.  Designed to help you clarify your Leadership Identity, understand why it matters, and learn how to navigate your career authentically and confidently.Support the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Build a Leadership Identity That Earns Trust and Delivers Results. Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

Send us a textChef Christopher Morales shares his culinary journey from restaurant kitchens to reality TV stardom on NBC's Yes Chef and his current work as a private chef for ultra-wealthy clients in the Hamptons. His candid conversation reveals the personal transformation that came through sobriety and how it launched his career to new heights.• Former restaurant chef who has transitioned to private chef work• Competed on NBC's Yes Chef alongside Martha Stewart and José Andrés• Advocates for sobriety in the restaurant industry after personal struggles with alcoholism• Discusses the challenges of being a chef in relationships due to unconventional schedules• Served as a judge for Battle Bros Tacos and Treats competition in Brevard County• Shares behind-the-scenes insights from Yes Chef including bond formed with competitors• Describes private chef work for ultra-high-net-worth clients paying $700-1500 per day• Credits sobriety with his Instagram success and television opportunities• Now offers private dinners, cooking classes, and custom culinary experiencesFor private dinner inquiries or cooking classes, visit tastebychefchristopher.com or find him on Instagram @0ui.chefSupport the showFollow us on Instagram @spacecoastpodcastSponsor this show Want to watch our shows? https://youtube.com/@spacecoastpodcast

This is a Vintage Selection from 2006The BanterThe Guys talk about a big change in NYC restaurant ownership as well as the implications of invasive grass.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys welcome William Alexander to hear about the trials of being a home gardener and the shocking realization that his home-grown tomatoes cost him $64. The Inside TrackThe Guys have an amusing conversation with Bill discussing the battles with deer, groundhogs and the neighbor's cat.Bill: My latest battle was with the neighbor's cats who insisted on peeing on my organic lettuce. Mark:  That's still organic. Bill: Well, you know, I think I found a way to get, get even with them. I started to use their litter box. But I think the moral is that no matter what you do, animals are going to get into your garden because of the simple truth: You may be smarter, but they've got more time. -William Alexander on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006BioWilliam Alexander, spent nearly four decades as director of technology at a psychiatric research institute.Having broken into writing with the critically-acclaimed, bestselling memoir The $64 Tomato, Bill wrote Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World. Bill has contributed over a dozen op-eds to the New York Times, where he has opined on such varied issues as Martha Stewart's release from prison, what the honeybee crisis means to the home gardener, the difficulties of being organic, and The Benefits of Failing at French, which achieved the distinction of being the most viewed, e-mailed, tweeted, and Facebook-ed article of the day.InfoWilliam's sitehttps://williamalexander.com/index.phpWilliam's bookThe $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect GardenOn Friday, June 27 Come see The Restaurant Guys LIVE with Chef Andrew Zimmern at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick, NJ. VIP tickets include a Meet & Greet After-Party with Andrew. Restaurant Guys Regulars get a discount so subscribe https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe Tickets https://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

It's not every day you get to Zoom with Martha Stewart — the original influencer long before Instagram was even a thing. I was honored to be able to hear her speak this week through the Entrepreneurs Organization sharing her wisdom. She is so inspiring! Did you know she is 83-years-old? Whaaaaat??? I recently watched her Netflix documentary, which gave me a whole new level of respect for her legacy. Here were some key takeaways: ✅ One of the only female stockbrokers on Wall Street in the 1960s ✅ A self-made lifestyle empire ✅ And a masterclass in reinvention after public scrutiny   Can you even imagine being a female on Wall Street in the 60s? She rocked at it too! Hearing her speak live was equal parts wisdom, wit, and wow. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from her from the event: 1️⃣ “Authenticity is the key to a successful personal brand.” 2️⃣ “My association with Snoop is invaluable. It's expanded my demographic.” 3️⃣ “We are all individuals. We all have a job to do, and we get on with our day.” (On navigating male-dominated spaces) 4️⃣ “Sears was the original Amazon. They just didn't know how to capitalize on it like Jeff Bezos.” 5️⃣How does she handle scrutiny? “Ignore it. If they criticize one selfie, take another!” 6️⃣ “I had $1.6 billion I could've spent on Madison Avenue. Instead, I went to work.” At age 83, Martha is still creating, innovating, and unapologetically herself. What an inspiration to women everywhere!   I can only hope to still be inspiring at that age! I share more about Martha's journey on the latest episode of the DO IT MY WAY Podcast! 

On today's podcast we have a truly amazing talk with Damien Riehl, a musician and technology lawyer who is one of the masterminds behind All the Music Project; an algorithmically generated catalogue of 471 billion melodies, which was then put into the public domain in an attempt to protect musicians from being sued for copyright claims. It is a fascinating conversation. Damien's Ted Talk here   News! Gen Z is embracing a digital detox and the ‘Martha Stewart summer'   Apple Intelligence Is Gambling on Privacy as a Killer Feature   The iPhone is your karaoke mic in tvOS 26's Apple Music Sing   Nothing will stand in the way of independents (and why the world's first three-person indie unicorn is only a matter of time away)   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.  

MUSIC The Muny opened its 107th season this week with Bring It On: The Musical, which stars Kennedy Holmes, a Florissant native who rose to fame on NBC's The Voice in 2018, where she finished as a finalist in fourth place. This new season opened despite the tornadoes that Forest Park endured, where a tree crushed the venue's pre-show stage, and luckily No major structural harm was reported, and thanks to an enormous citywide effort, opening night never had to be postponed. For the first time ever, three of the Beatles' offspring have collaborated on a song. Sean Lennon, James McCartney, and Zak Starkey posted part of their song, "Rip Off". From Starkey's band Mantra of the Cosmos titled "Rip Off" featuring Paul McCartney's son James and John Lennon's son Sean on vocals. TV Eric Dane from "Grey's Anatomy" sat for an interview with Diane Sawyer to discuss his battle with ALS . . . also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Eric revealed that he has only "one functioning arm." Quote, "My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working. Martha Stewart recently rescued three orphaned squirrels. “They were inside a fallen tree,” Stewart said of how she discovered them. MOVING ON INTO MOVIE NEWS: Al Pacino met Pope Leo at the Vatican, as Pacino was a part of a delegation from the film Maserati: The Brothers.Will Smith turned down Christopher Nolan's offer to be in the blockbuster film, Inception. The first full trailer for the "Naked Gun" remake with Liam Neeson is out. Pamela Anderson is featured in a couple sight gags. Here's a quick example of the puns to come.· Here are 10 famous people who have, or had, unusual animal companions:1. Kristen Stewart: She grew up raising wolf-hybrids. a. In 2013, she had to go to court with a neighbor who wasn't cool with the two that she had on her property. She said, quote, "They're loyal, they're big, they're completely socialized, they're licensed, they're legal for me to have them, and I love them!"2. Kirstie Alley: Before she died, she owned 14 lemurs . . . which she fell in love with while doing conservation work in Madagascar.3. Salma Hayek: She adopted a rescue owl in 2019. Her name is Kering, after a company Salma's husband owns. She says, quote, "[She's often] on my head or my shoulder, my arms. Sometimes, when she is really close to me, I can feel her rubbing against me, which is really nice. And I feel so blessed."4. Paris Hilton: Years ago, she got herself a little rainforest mammal called a kinkajou. She named it Baby Luv. In 2006, she had to get a tetanus shot after it bit her. At one point she actually owned two of them.5. Leonardo DiCaprio: In 2010, he attended the North American Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Show . . . and left with a 10-year-old tortoise. There's no word if he still has it, but they can live to be 80 years old.6. Tyga: He owned an actual tiger, even though they're illegal in California. When the cops came after him, he gave it to an animal shelter.7. Ice-T: He had a shark tank in his home recording studio, but that's gone now. He still has a regular aquarium, though.8. Tracy Morgan: He had to spend $400,000 on a 2,700-gallon tank for his giant Pacific octopus named Bwyadette.9. Nicolas Cage: Where do you start? He's owned sharks, an octopus, a 5-foot monitor lizard, and two venomous albino king cobras named Moby and Sheba. He had them locked behind bulletproof glass and kept antivenom handy. He once said, quote, "If they bite me . . . I have 15 minutes to live."10. Vanilla Ice: He once owned a wallaroo, which is a cross between a wallaby and a kangaroo. He sent it to a farm in Florida after it got too big for his property. AND FINALLY As Marvel prepares for an 'X-Men' reboot, these actors have been rumored to star in the mutant franchise: 'Breaking Bad' star Bryan Cranston as Mister SinisterDenzel Washington as MagnetoAnya Taylor-Joy as MagikHarris Dickinson as CyclopsMargaret Qualley as RogueColman Domingo as Professor XHunter Schafer as MystiqueNathalie Emmanuel as StormSadie Sink as Jean GreyHugh Jackman as WolverineAND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES!Follow us @RizzShow @MoonValjeanHere @KingScottRules @LernVsRadio @IamRafeWilliams - Check out King Scott's Linktr.ee/kingscottrules + band @FreeThe2SG and Check out Moon's bands GREEK FIRE @GreekFire GOLDFINGER @GoldfingerMusic THE TEENAGE DIRTBAGS @TheTeenageDbags and Lern's band @LaneNarrows ⁠http://www.1057thepoint.com/RizzSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I explain leadership identity, how it differs from personal brand, and why it's the key to making confident, aligned decisions, especially in times of change.You'll learn how to:Clarify your leadership identity using values, strengths, and reflectionTurn your identity into a decision-making filterSet better boundaries and lead with consistencyNavigate transitions, burnout, or reinvention with clarity and confidenceMentioned on the Show: Ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and impact? Take the Make Your Power Move Leadership Assessment and unlock the tools to define your leadership identity, elevate your influence, and step into your next role with purpose. For a limited time, use code POWER to get 50% off. → Start your Power Move today.  Learn More HERESupport the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Build a Leadership Identity That Earns Trust and Delivers Results. Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

Jenny Hutt steps back Behind The Rope. Jenny is here to mention it all none the least of which is her Long Island, NY childhood friend, Bethenny Frankel. Jenny enlightens us as to what Bethenny was like in college and how, even way back when, she was determined to know and have it all. With so much ado about B's move to Florida, we figure today the perfect day to share this blast from the past chat with the one and only Jenny Hutt. Jenny reminisces some of the Icons she has interviewed over the years such as Dolly Parton and chats highs and low from her time at Sirius. Jenny opens up about the start of her career when she hosted a radio show with Martha Stewart's daughter Alexis, her TV Show on the Hallmark Chanel of the same name and everything and anything in between. Jenny also chats about what it was like to not only work at Sirius when The King of All Media Howard Stern started there but to have been interviewed by Howard on The Howard Stern Show. In other pop culture news, we chat Grey's Anatomy, interviewing Lea Michele, ShaondaLand and oh so much more. ⁠@justjennyhutt⁠ ⁠@behindvelvetrope⁠ ⁠@davidyontef⁠ BONUS & AD FREE EPISODES Available at - ⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/behindthevelvetrope⁠⁠⁠  BROUGHT TO YOU BY: RO - ⁠⁠ro.co/velvet⁠⁠ (For Prescription Compounded GLP-1s and Your Free Insurance Check) THRIVE MARKET - ⁠⁠thrivemarket.com/velvetrope⁠⁠ (Get 30% Off Your First Order Of Health Conscious Food, Household Goods, Personal Grooming Products and More) MOOD - ⁠⁠⁠www.mood.com/velvet ⁠⁠⁠(20% Off With Code Velvet on Federally Legal THC Shipped Right To Your Door) DELETEME - (Get 20% Off By Texting VELVET to 64000 - To Take Control Of Your Data & Keep Your Private Life Private) RAKUTEN - ⁠⁠rakuten.com⁠⁠ (Get the Rakuten App NOW and Join the 17 Million Members Who Are Already Saving!  Your Cash Back really adds up!) WASHINGTON RED RASPBERRIES - ⁠⁠⁠⁠Redrazz.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Find New Ways To Use American Frozen Red Raspberries & Get More Details On Where You Can Grab a Bag) ADVERTISING INQUIRIES - Please contact ⁠⁠⁠David@advertising-execs.com⁠⁠⁠ MERCH Available at - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/behind-the-velvet-rope?ref_id=13198 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan went to the New York Botanical Garden for a live taping of The Martha Stewart Podcast. He almost got to talk to Martha Stewart, but did come back with tape of her conversation with actress Jameela Jamil. In this episode, Martha shares the power of gardening, Jameela explains why Martha is her ultimate inspiration, and Dan reveals that if he were a tree, he'd be an oak, but not the sturdy kind! Got a burning question for Food Network stars Robert Irvine or Guy Fieri? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BFF Ryan McEnaney is back on the show and chats about meeting the one and only Martha Stewart! Daddy issues for Reese's daughter, Ben Affleck's ability to take the worlds worst pictures and don't come for Ms. Rachel. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this candid and powerful conversation, Jill Griffin—Career Strategist and Executive Coach—sits down with Vicki Bradley, CEO and Founder of Women in Leadership, to talk about the messy middle of career setbacks and how to come out stronger.They dive into the emotional toll of getting fired, how to reframe workplace trauma, and what it really takes to rebuild career joy and confidence.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Recover from being fired and reclaim your narrativeShift from feeling like a victim to showing up as an empowered professionalUse clarity and compassion as a launchpad for career growthStop hiding, start healing, and own your storyApply mindset shifts that move you from “impossible” to “possible”Explore how coaching can support your reinventionPlus, Jill shares why she believes her brain injury was the greatest gift she never asked for.This interview has been lightly edited for time.Support the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Build a Leadership Identity That Earns Trust and Delivers Results. Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

School of RockA 7-part series by Member389. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Stories. I made it back with plenty of time. I set up an online music account on Emily's laptop, and we sat at the table downloading songs by Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughn, BB King, some David Gilmour and Eric Clapton."Are you turning my kid into a rock star?" Summer asked leaning on my shoulder, watching us select songs.I laughed. "Why not?" Emily hopped up out of her chair and started playing air guitar as I hit play on Johnny B. Goode. As it wound down she dropped to the floor kicking her feet. I laughed even harder. "I think I've seen that move before."Em got up breathing hard. "What about you, this is all guitars. Do you have any piano music?""That I do." I popped open the browser and found a video of one of my favorites. The song started and a rap sounded on the door, Summer answered it. A shuffle of people and chattering was going on and a pretty girl shot out from around Summer and came over to the table where we were."Hey Jessie, this is Pete," in an exaggerated whisper she followed up with, "he's my mom's boyfriend." I grinned at that."How are you Jessie?" I asked. "Think you can help with Emily's studying tonight?" Her expression froze on the word study."Relax, we're just going to listen to some music, not do algebra." Emily said, calming her friend.I stood up as the ladies approached, a woman a few years older than Summer walked beside her with a big smile on her face. Summer made the introductions and hands got shaken the big grin remained."Alright girls, are you ready? Let's get a move on we need to stop at the store and pick up some food on the way back to the house." Diane announced. "It's good to meet you Pete, hopefully we'll get to see more of you around here in the future." She winked playfully."I'll be glad to oblige." I replied with an equal grin. Jesse helped Emmy gather up her gear and they headed for the door.Summer stepped back in the kitchen rolling her eyes. She stopped and looked into my eyes, and bit her lip. "Now what?"I grinned and shrugged. "What do you normally do on Saturdays?""Clean, do laundry, run errands, the usual." She chuckled."Where's the vacuum?" I asked. "Four hands are better than two."We cleaned the place up pretty quickly, with a hand reaching out to give a gentle back rub, or an occasional kiss in passing."I might keep you around, you look damn sexy pushing a vacuum." She smiled as we sat and polished off the left-overs from breakfast for lunch. "You cook, you clean, you rescue damsels in distress, and you're amazing in the sack. Is there anything you can't do?""Well when your mother is Martha Stewart and your father was Superman, no." I laughed.Summer smiled. "I almost wish we were staying in tonight, Clark junior.""With the depleted state of your fridge, we'll likely be eating bread and water." I replied."Damn that's another thing we need to do.""Was that the towels in the dryer? They should be fine, let's go do it now. Do you have a list?"Summer shook her head and peeked into the freezer for a minute, then opened the pantry cupboard. "Was that all the eggs?""Yup, and don't forget the OJ."We wandered through the store and I watched as Summer filled in the cart I had."Do you do anything special on Sundays? You know, family dinner or anything like that?" I asked."No not really. Sometimes I'll make something big that we can eat for a few days in left-overs. Why?"I just shrugged and smiled. As we picked out the groceries I picked out a few things, made an occasional inquiry as to what Emily and her liked to eat. A few more things got added to the cart and she gave me a shrewd look."What are you planning?" She asked with a sly smile.I shrugged and smiled again. "Something going along with the theme. When do you think Emily will be home."We finished the shopping, and after a little head butting I slid my card and paid for the groceries."You're saving me a hotel and eating out, it's the least I can do." I argued and gave her back her little scowl. "Besides, you're so cute when you're angry." I prepared to duck but all I got was a raised eyebrow. We got everything into the house and unpacked, Summer turned and leaned on the counter, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her face."I hope I can keep awake during our date. What are we doing tonight?""Dinner for one, but that's a given, I need you to build up your strength." I winked, the rest is a closely guarded secret."I got it, no jeans or sneakers." She looked up at the clock. "Where are we going?" She sounded piqued. I just chuckled."Well we do have about an hour drive to get there, so we should be ready before 6."She just looked at me wide-eyed for a moment and swiveled her head to look at the clock. "Crap, I'd better get a move on. It's not as easy for us girls to get ready as you guys. It takes time for us to be presentable."I smiled. "The only thing you need to do is change.""No jeans." She parroted with me, making us both laugh. She leaned in for a kiss. "I get the shower first." She got up and sashayed into the other room."Damn, the only thing sexier than you in jeans, is you out of jeans." I called out.She came back in a long pink fuzzy robe a few moments later. "The same could be said for you." She leaned down and kissed me again. I took the liberty of slipping a hand up her leg, noting she was shower ready."You sure you don't want to conserve water and shower together?" I said smiling."If you join me, you may want to cancel the reservations now." She winked."I guess I'll just have to restrain myself then." I sighed, then frowned."Aww! You look like you lost your puppy." She said with a laugh.I gave her a light pat on the rump. "You'd better get in there before I lose my mind and take you right here.""Promises, promises." She said with a wink.I had been relegated to using Emily's room to get ready, Summer didn't want me to see her getting ready, she wanted to make an entrance. She made her way from bath to bedroom, singing a song under her breath, pausing to smile at me as she passed, and continuing her song. "So let's get it over and just get naked, With sweat dripping' down your little back." I recognized the song, she sang it when we were in Maine at the beach house, the lyrics were definitely not something you'd hear on the radio.I got my chance at the shower, the floral and fruity smell of soap and shampoo hung heavily in the humid air. I took a deep breath of it and closed my eyes a fleeting thought of kissing her neck, the scent of her intoxicating like a tropical flower. I finished and went across the hall and began dressing, keeping an eye to each detail as I donned the dark gray suit. The tailor at the shop that helped measure me told something I had no idea of, "a well-tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to a man." I had to trust her, she was a woman after all. I finished up getting the tie dimpled properly and setting the pocket square how she'd shown me. I remember something she said when she was kitting me out. "She must be a very special lady." I responded that, "she is a very special lady," with a smirk. I made my way out to the kitchen laying my overcoat across the back of one of the chairs and checked to make sure I had everything I needed. Spinning my wrist to check my watch, we had a few minutes before we needed to leave."Do you need a hand in there? I could call in the Army or something." I hollered."Oh hush! I'll be right out!" She answered through the door. A few more minutes passed before I heard the door open, only darkness beyond. "Prepare yourself, I hope you're not disappointed.""Oh stop..." I began as she walked into the kitchen light. She stopped tilting a hip, bringing one knee in front of the other like a runway model. She glowed in the dim light, her hair long, tucked back on one side with a silver barrette. Her eyes boring into me watching my every movement as I took her in. She wore a short sweater dress in wide gray and black stripes with knee high gray suede boots. Naturally tall, she was tall or taller than I was as my eyes slowly climbed back up to her face. The hint of a smile appeared as I took her all in."Speechless, huh, that bad?"I cleared my throat quickly. "No, no! You look stunning." I said with complete honesty."You look pretty handsome yourself." She responded, her voice husky as she looked me up and down."The tailor was right." I thought with a smirk. The twinkle in Summer's eye was causing my heart to melt a bit."Do you have a coat?" I asked, and she took one from the hall closet. I held my hand out for it and she smiled as I opened it for her to slip on."Such a gentleman.""I'll do my best." I replied grinning as I took my coat and we left.We made our way north to the city. I ignored her gentle prods to find out where we were going. She reached over and took my free hand while I drove. She didn't grip it tightly, but ran her fingertips along the seams of my palm, her thumb rubbing lazy circles across the back. She was quiet, but I could feel the hum of anticipation. I only hoped things didn't fall short of her expectations.I pulled up in front of the restaurant and a valet came around opened Summer's door as mine opened at the hand of another. He walked her around the front of the Jeep and handed her over to me with a big smile. We walked towards the door slowly."Are you nuts?" She said under her voice. "This is going to cost a fortune.""Don't worry," I replied, "haven't you ever heard of dine and ditch?" I said chuckling. "I'm not saying we're going to do this every Saturday, but you only live once. So let's relax and enjoy tonight." We stepped inside the lavish foyer where the host welcomed us. I gave him my name and he smiled checking off a list and asked if we'd like to check our coats before we were seated. I took Summer's before removing mine and handed them over to the coat room attendant. I turned to find Summer looking around with wide eyes, her lower lip held tightly in her teeth as she fondled her little heart pendant nervously."This way please." He said turning towards the dining room. Without thought Summer's hand slipped around my arm. I smiled and led her to the table. She got more than one look of admiration as we passed other tables. The host held her chair for her as she sat with a little smile thanking him. I sat down as he told us who our server would be and left.Summer watched as he stepped away and ducked her head slightly whispering. "I feel like such a grown up." I had to stifle my laugh.We ordered cocktails and then dinner. Summer indulging her love of seafood, I sat watching her eyes roll back with every bite of her scampi. The food was delicious, the wine as well. We finished with dessert and cappuccinos. She noticed I peeked at my watch."Already tired of me?" She said with a pout."Just making sure we're on time for our next stop." I smiled.Her eyes opened wider. "There's more?"I nodded with a smirk. "Not to worry, we're doing good on time." I said sipping my coffee.She gave me a shrewd look, then shook her head with a smile. "I honestly don't know what I've done to deserve this kind of treatment, but I like it." I chuckled at that. I paid the check, we collected our coats and got the car headed towards our next stop. The club was in a converted warehouse, the brickwork old and worn as we entered and I picked up the tickets I'd ordered earlier in the week. Taking care of that, we were led to a small table a few rows back from the stage. I held Summer's chair for her as she sat. I sat beside her, the table set so we were practically side by side. She reached under the table squeezing my thigh as she smiled. She had seen the posters as we entered for the show and beamed at me knowing her love of music. We ordered drinks and the show started. We listened, she sang along under her breath to a few of the songs. At some point our chairs got much closer and my arm was wrapped around her shoulder and she leaned into me putting her head on my shoulder during one song. When it finished she looked up at me, our faces close. She just tilted her head slightly her lips parting as mine met hers in a deep kiss. The applause for the song was our backdrop for a moment. She pulled back slightly, a smile spread across her face, her skin aglow in the dim light. She excused herself and went off to the ladies room.She returned a few minutes later set her clutch on the table as she sat, slipped her hand out of it and slipped it into my jacket pocket and withdrew it as she leaned in for another kiss. I smiled at her but the curiosity got the better of me and slipped my hand into my pocket. I felt a warm damp lacy bit of cloth. When the realization hit me I looked sidelong at Summer wide eyed. She just looked up at the stage biting her lip again and slipping her gaze sideways to me with a knowing smirk. She was lucky the club was crowded or I would have double checked. I removed my hand from my pocket and rubbed my nose smelling the musky scent of her. It inflamed the feeling that had been smoldering in me since I'd seen her emerge from her bedroom earlier. I politely declined another round from the waitress, and wondered how we could make a hasty exit without it being obvious. As the set ended Summer leaned over and whispered in my ear."There's a nice little park with a walk along the river not far from here.""That sounds nice." I said softly. I wasn't in the mood for an encore. I stood carefully buttoning my coat hoping my arousal didn't show. Summer stood gathering her things and we made our way out to the entrance to collect our coats.Once in the car she directed me through the streets down to the riverfront where found a place to park. We started down the walk to the waterfront, at one end of the park was a large brightly lit fountain, there were paths leading away down both river banks. She turned us toward the right which led us northward, lamp posts lighting the way, benches lay covered in autumn leaves, they lifted gently in the breeze off the water."Tonight has been amazing." She said wrapping her arm around my waist pulling herself tightly under my arm. I smiled."I couldn't agree more." I said.She stopped looking over her shoulder to make sure we weren't being followed. The city had the feeling of people huddling inside in this cold late hour. We were the only people around. She took my hand and led me away from the walk way up the lawn under the trees, leaves rustling under our feet. She stopped a few yards away and turned leaning against the trunk of a large maple tree. She laid her hands behind her against the trunk as she inhaled the scent of the dead leaves and smiled up at me in the dim light. I took her face in my hands and kissed her deeply. Her tongue slipped along mine as her hand gripped my neck pulling me down into her. I felt dizzy like the world had begun spinning around us and she was the only solid point which I could hold onto. I broke away gasping for breath."How's a girl to keep from falling for you?" She asked breathing heavily."I don't know, but don't let me stop you." I smiled and kissed her again. Her hand slid up the front of slacks stroking me firmly."I want you, right now." She said as she reached for the zipper."Here?" I asked chuckling as I looked around noting we were in darkness afforded by the leaves still clinging to the trees above us. My zipper was down and her chilly hand found what it was looking for and pulled me none to gently free of my clothing."Here, and now." She said stroking me firmly.I slipped my hands under her coat pulling her dress up over her hips. She spread her legs for me as she slid me into her damp heat. I groaned deeply as she wrapped her long leather clad leg around my hip urging me deeper. I reached around her grasping her exposed ass in my hands lifting her slightly as I leaned into her and pulled her down as I thrust forward. We both grunted as our mouths locked together. Her back arched away from the tree as I plunged into her in short hard strokes. I had her other leg around me as I drove forward with an urgency that scared me. She leaned her head back and gasped letting out high pitched whispers urging me on. "Yes, yes!" Being on edge all night it didn't take me long before I pitched forward pinning her against the tree as I climaxed, all of the tension built up finally releasing.I gasped for breath, and opened my eyes realizing I was staring at her little silver heart pendant. I was still holding her hard against the tree, my fingers buried hard into her flesh. I relaxed slightly, her legs jerked as she tightened her grip around my hips. "Don't worry I won't let you fall.""Too late." She said. I felt her tug the hair on my head as she lifted my face up to hers and kissed me deeply. "I'm already too far gone." She said smiling. "You're stuck with me.""I wouldn't say stuck." I chuckled, my heart settling back down to a normal rhythm. My arms were burning from holding her up, but I had no intention of letting her go. It was a moment before she set first one foot down, then the other, the feeling she could still fall over kept her arms locked firmly around my neck. As our bodies separated a cool breeze shot between us causing a shiver to run through Summer. She snatched the cloth out of my breast pocket and tidied up as quickly as she could before yanking her dress down to keep out the cold. She tidied me up as well before tucking me back in. She grinned tucking it into the same pocket as her panties."I'll pay for the dry cleaning." She grinned."No need, I'm never cleaning this suit ever." I laughed.She leaned forward laying her head on my chest nuzzling up under my chin. "I don't know what cologne you're wearing but it's a real panty dropper."I couldn't help myself and busted out laughing at that. Laughter fizzed up from Summer as well."Well that was the selling point, I'm glad it lived up to the advertising." I said. "It's getting cold, let's go home.""Tell me about it, you don't have an icy breeze blowing up your skirt." She said giggling.We made it home and stumbled into the house still chuckling about how the evening turned out. It wasn't long before we laid naked in bed, surrounded by the darkness and warmth."Thank you." She said and kissed me."For what?" I asked."For what?" She said surprised. "For everything you do. You're so sweet to me, and you spoil me rotten. Tonight being proof of that."I shrugged. "It's how I envision being in love is supposed to be." I swallowed hard. "You matter to me, more than anything. There's nothing in the world I wouldn't do for you."There was an uneasy pause. "Just don't forget who you are. No matter how much you love someone, you can't stop being true to yourself." She whispered, then kissed me. I felt dampness on my face."Hey, what's wrong?" I asked concern filling my voice as I pulled her closer."Nothing is wrong, that's what scares me." She said. "Try to understand what I said. I've been there before.""That's what made you leave when you did, isn't it. You were afraid."She laughed and a inhaled with a sniffle. "You could say that. I debauched a local teen, I probably would have been stoned out of town if anybody had found out.""Don't worry, we haven't used that whole scarlet letter thing in at least five years. You're safe now, and everything seems to be turning out alright."She kissed me softly and rolled over in my grip leaning back against me and tucked my hand up beneath her chin with a deep sigh. I kissed her behind the ear, eliciting a soft purr, before nodding off myself.Good things come to those who wait.We both jolted awake at the sound of a phone ringing. Summer bolted out of bed to answer it."Hello?" She said anxiously, after a moment she sighed. "Okay sweety, have fun, we'll see you this afternoon. Love you, bye."I looked over at the bedside clock and realized we'd slept late, it was after 9."They're going to a matinee in town then Diane is going to drop her off around 3 o'clock.""What will we do until then?" I said sarcastically.She looked me up and down with the blankets thrown back. "Oh I'm sure we'll think of something." She wiggled her eyebrows at me, and I busted out laughing.She climbed back into the bed, we were instantly kissing and touching, there was no urgency, just the acknowledgment that we were both where we most wanted to be, and with whom we wanted to be. Lips teased, fingers caressed, and time floated pleasantly by without either of us noticing. Summer rolled me onto my back and threw a leg over me sliding down my legs, and began licking my cock. She looked me in the eye as she did it, the hunger I saw there was intense. My breathing was getting shallow as I watched her get me harder and wetter. I lifted my hips hoping she would take me in her mouth but she only smiled, and licked again, and again. The sweet torture nearing a fever pitch, and she only continued, long slow wet licks."If you see something you want, take it." She said, her voice low and husky. She licked the length of me, then swirled her tongue around the tip. I gathered what little wits I had, and slid out from under her got up and walked to the foot of the bed seeing her beautiful ass pointing up in the air, moisture glinting off pink lips, I knew what I wanted. I placed my cock at her entrance and pushed slightly, eliciting a moan from each of us."I want it, and I'll take it." I said as I pushed forward burying my hard cock deep inside her. Summer let out a sharp moan, as she threw her head back. I began long hard strokes, the moans synchronized quickly."Pull my hair." She gasped. I reached up and gathered her hair and pulled her head back gently. Her moans increased and my tempo picked up, my hips driving her forward with every stroke. She began chanting, "yes, yes, yes, oh fuck" and I soon lost all control and took her hips in both hands driving forward a few last hard strokes exploding deep inside her. I could feel the walls of her cunt clamp down on me hard as spent myself in her. Summer collapsed face first into the sheets gasping for air. I still had her hips in a vice like grip as the spasms subsided."I didn't think it was possible, but I think you're getting better at this." Summer gasped from the folds of the sheets. "Which is impressive considering you were damn good at it in the first place."I smiled, gasping for air. "I have a good teacher." I released my grip on her hips and pulled free of her, she let out a sad little moan and rolled onto her side. Her hair was a complete mess, covering her face I could see her peeking out from between the locks. "Nice hair." I laughed."It has that freshly fucked look I was going for." She giggled. We cuddled for a while before she groaned. "We'd better get up, it's lunch time, and we'll need to be presentable when Emily gets home."I stripped the bed and got the sheets into the wash. Summer made coffee and whipped us up some brunch. A not so quick shower for the both of us and we were parked on the couch watching TV when Emily burst into the house, her friend Jesse hot on her heels."Hi Mom! Pete we listened to all those guitar players you gave me to listen to, they were awesome. They all play electric guitar though. I'm not sure mom's going to let me get one.""Well let's look at some great acoustics then. No need to dive head long into your rock & roll career just yet, you've got a couple years." I said laughing."We'd better get going Jesse." Her mother said.Em just sat next to me and I gave her a nudge. "Don't you think you should say thank you?" I murmured. She looked at me, smiled and jumped up and ran after Jesse and her mother. Summer and I hot on her heels to join in with thanks.She spent the afternoon apprising us of everything they did, and the movie they saw. At her insistence I gave her a short list of acoustic guitarists to research online. We ended up finishing our Italian food weekend with baked ziti for dinner. Bed time was a bit tougher, I had to promise to be there tomorrow when she got home from school before I got a hug.Summer poured the dregs of the wine off into our glasses and handed me mine. "You're doing it again.""Doing what?""Thinking, the question is, what about."I just shook my head. "Nothing really... it's just that..." I let out a heavy sigh.Summer's eyebrows raised as she waited for me to spill my guts."Promise me you won't laugh?" I said.She smiled. "Not a chance.""I was just thinking that I wondered what kind of step-dad I'd make."Summer's eyes popped open at that. A few expressions raced across her face, before quickly returning to a thoughtful look of her own. "Listen," she said, "don't get ahead of yourself. I don't want you to feel like you have to fill any role in that regard. Let's take it one day at a time. Besides, you have a lot on your plate to start with, a new job, a new city, a new life. The only thing she needs is a friend, and I think you've already proven that you can do that with little effort." She smiled at me, but there was worry in her eyes."That's not going to be a problem." I smiled back at her and drew her closer. "I'm turning into a worry-wart like you." I got a quick poke in the ribs for that.We were up at the crack of dawn, well actually before it cracked. Summer kept telling me that I didn't need to be up so early and I just turned her towards the bathroom to get ready for work. While the girls did their thing, I did mine, and had lunches ready to go for both of them, and breakfast laid out before they even popped back into the kitchen."Don't get used to this." Summer turned to lecture Em. "As soon as he's gone it's back to corn flakes and bananas." I laughed, as they dug into breakfast with a single minded urgency. Emily was soon bundled up and out the door with her book bag, Summer wasn't far behind her a deep kiss and a wish to play hooky from work. I patted her gently on the backside."Your patients are waiting for that bright smile to make them feel better." I said."Well if Mr. Brown makes a grab for my ass while I'm checking his vitals again, he may ended up for an extended stay with a few extra bruises." She said smartly. "I might just have to put him in restraints.""Sounds fun." I said wiggling my eyebrows."Maybe I'll bring some home for you." She grinned. She bolted out the door, as I shouted for her to drive safe.The next days lent themselves to relative domesticity. I played house mate, making meals, keeping things organized and assisting with homework.It soon came time for me to head home. That morning I woke before the alarm staring at the glow of the clock. Our lovemaking the night before had been frantic as if we were never going to see each other again. I could feel the slight sting of scratches on my back which left me with a feeling of contentment. As I wallowed in bliss at the feelings flowing through me I was surprised when I felt her lips brush the knuckles of my hand."You're awake." I whispered softly enough not to wake her if I was wrong. She responded with a gentle hum. I leaned forward and kissed behind the ear, a tremble flowed through her as she arched her neck gracefully inviting more of the same. I obliged her, a contented sigh was how she responded."I don't know how I'm going to keep from going crazy for the next two months." She said, another sigh escaping her lips."How so?"Laughter bubbled up from deep in her chest. "Despite what you may think, you're not the only horny one of this duo. I've kind of gotten used to this guy being ready and willing with little notice." She said as she snaked her hand over her hip grasping my cock."I hope he's not all your after." I teased.She rolled over quickly, her hand slipping around my neck bringing us forehead to forehead. "You don't think that, do you?" She asked, concern evident in her voice.It was my turn to laugh. "If I were at all worried, I wouldn't be here. Remember, I'm the one who came looking for you." I said as I kissed her. She took control and rolled me onto my back and straddled me. I wasn't sure if it was her hips pinning me to the mattress, or me pinning her hips to mine as she kissed my chest, she worked her way up neck. Quickly our lips crashed together, bodies gripped tightly not wanting to let go. She slid forward slightly and settled herself on me as she took my face in her hands, willing herself to slow down. I wrapped my arms around her waist holding her in place as I lifted my hips plunging into her in long deep strokes."Take me like you did the other night." She gasped into my mouth. "Take me like you want nothing else.""I want nothing else." I growled as I rolled her off me, she scooted onto all fours and snatched my pillow from the head of the bed hugging it tightly, her ass pointing straight up. I slid my hand down her ass and up between her legs, she was so wet and hot I thought she was melting. She pressed back against my hand and made a small yearning moan."Please." She whispered urgently wiggling her ass in the air. I felt my cock throb at the sight of her, in the gray light. I couldn't take my eyes off her, but my body moved without conscious control as I slipped behind her, took her hips in my hands and slid into her. She whimpered into the pillow, she tried to pull away from me and I only pulled her back onto me. I held her like that for a long moment, her cunt gripping down on me, trying hard to get me moving. I closed my eyes and tried to keep my breathing steady as I began rolling my hips back and forth. She let out a long moan as I picked up the pace driving forward. I don't know when I did it but I had my hand on her neck, holding her in place while I filled her with deep hard strokes. I was barely aware of her fingers stroking her clit lighting fast , as she began to jerk and moan loudly into the pillow. Her cunt clenched hard, the spasms were more than I could take as I erupted in her one last time.I reached up beneath her cupping her breasts and lifted her up toward me, she shifted her head to one side, reached back, and pulled my face down to hers and kissed me deeply."I don't deserve you." She said."Shush, you deserve everything I can give you and more.""I don't think I can take much more and still be able to walk." She laughed. Just then the alarm clock went off."Time to get up." I said softly into her mussed hair."I'd say you already did a fine job of that." She leaned forward crawling on all fours to turn the alarm off. She turned back towards me and flipped her hair back out of her face. The light was brighter, and shone in her eyes, the look she gave me was nothing short of feral. My stomach did a little flip and I suddenly knew how the gazelle feels when the lioness has made her decision. Summer crawled back towards me and leaned down taking my half hard cock in her mouth bringing it fully to attention quickly. She wasn't stopping, she hungrily sucked and licked bringing me near the edge and stopped. She turned quickly and laid back with her legs spread wide. "If I have to wait two months for more then I plan on filling up now." She held up her finger beckoning me towards her. I reached down and circled her clit with my thumb, her sharp intake of breath was all I needed to hear as I pushed deep into her again. She waved her hand at me in an effort to speed me up as she covered her mouth with the other. Soon the waving stopped and she was pulling and massaging her nipple. I began to flick her faster with my thumb causing her to yelp into the back of her hand as her hips arched up and I exploded again, with less force, but no less desire.We collapsed into a heap on the bed panting like we'd just sprinted a mile, the alarm went off again."I hate that thing already." I gasped. Summer chuckled before she rolled over and got up slowly, limping to her closet and pulled on her robe."Shit. You're hard on a girl's anatomy. I'm going to have to come up with a cover story for limping today. I guess I could say I twisted my ankle again. C'mon sleepy head, time to face the music.""I... I don't think I can walk." I chuckled. A few minutes later we were sitting around the kitchen table."Are you all right Mom?""Yes hon, I just stubbed my toe." She said sitting gently with her cup of coffee. I buried my face in my cup so as not to be caught grinning. "I'm going in a little late this morning, so when you get off the bus, head over to Beth's and I'll pick you up there. Okay?"Em just nodded, and continued eating her cereal. It wasn't long before she was giving me a big bear hug imploring me to drive safe so I'd be back in a couple months to stay. I had her promise to work hard on her schoolwork, and if she needed any help with her to call me.Summer made her phone calls and turned to me, her robe falling open slightly. "I feel like a hot bath." She didn't move but looked at me sweetly, the invitation was clearly implied."That sounds nice." I said pulling my shirt off. I looked up and her smile had gotten wider. I held out my hand and she stepped forward taking it in hers as I led her to the bath.She laid back against my chest, the warm water lapping around us, fingers glided down slippery skin. We didn't need to speak, our bodies were carrying on a conversation of their own."You know." I started softly. Summer quickly shook her head shushing me. She took my hand in hers running her fingers up and down the lines in my palm the turned it over rubbing the knuckles and surprisingly brought it up and kissed them. She relaxed even more and melted against me and laid my hand over her heart holding it there. I wrapped my other arm slowly around her and pulled her tighter against me."This is what love feels like." She whispered. I sighed and drew a wet heart between her breasts. She giggled as the water droplets slid down her chest. Time was moving far too quickly though and she stood up to rinse off, in the process she sprayed me in the face with a laugh. I reached up and gave her ass a wet smack which made her yelp. We dried off, Summer began applying lotion to her arms, and placed one foot on the edge of the tub and did one leg then the other. I don't think I'd ever seen anything more beautiful in my life. She took a bottle of baby oil and poured some into my hand. She looked me deep in the eye as she placed it between her legs. I took her cue and massaged it gently into her warm wet skin. She gasped, lifting gently away for a moment. Her hands were on my shoulders, holding herself steady as I massaged slowly, my middle finger slipped inside her. Her mouth fell open, her breath shallow and fast as I began pulling back and pushing forward in that little come hither motion she'd taught me years before. Her body tensed, her nails digging into my shoulders as she began to shudder. She was up on her toes now, as she moaned loudly. My fingers suddenly more slippery as I kept up my assault on her. She fell forward clutching me, her face buried in my neck."Stop!" She gasped, drawing in air deeply. "Stop, please." She pleaded. I let my finger slip out of her and gently patted her lips."You're not going to forget me in two months are you?" I said smiling."Forget you? I'm going to need two months to rest." She said. "Besides, it's a long dark winter here in the mountains. We don't want to wear ourselves out too fast now do we?" She reached for another towel and handed it to me, pushing me out so that she could 'put her face on' and get to work.I walked to the bedroom and toweled off along the way. That little moment we had aroused me incredibly, my hard cock bounced in front of me. I stripped the bed, not for the first time since I'd been there and made my way to the washer with the rumpled damp sheets. When I walked into the bedroom again Summer was wearing the palest pink lace panties and was bent over a drawer rummaging around. My arousal, which had begun to subside, was back in spades. She turned and peeked at me from under her hair. "Brute, I look like I've been the main course at a vampire buffet. Now I have to find a turtleneck or face a lot of embarrassing questions all day.""Like why you're wearing a turtleneck, a silly grin, and walking funny?" I laughed. I ducked as she threw a balled up t-shirt at me, but started laughing too."I get your point. Sandy and Sam will catch on quick, they've seen you, and won't be surprised." She found the shirt she was looking for tossed it on the bed. Pulled a bra out and whipped that on with practiced efficiency, she turned and noticed me standing there leaning against the doorway watching her, she just looked me up and down and sighed. "I'm sorry hon." Her eyes tilted and her mouth pulled down in a frown."What?" I asked, my eyes opening wider.She looked down at my bobbing cock. I just chuckled. "Don't worry about me, you don't want to be any later."She stepped over took a pillow off the bed and knelt down on it in front of me. "Sweets, you're going to be late." I said with a lot less conviction now that my cock was slipping over her tongue."Have faith in me." She said before swallowing me as far as she could drawing back with incredible suction, her cheeks hollowing as she drew me out. She began bobbing in earnest. I laid my hand gently on her head and began pumping furiously. She pulled back with just the tip in her mouth just before reaching up and massaging my balls. I couldn't take any more and filled her mouth, her throat bob as she swallowed. She cleaned me up quickly, and licked her lips clean, all the while giving me a look that said, "if I didn't have to get to work I could have kept you on edge all morning." I knew she could too. She stood up tossed the pillow back on the bed and grabbed the shirt pulling it on. She fluffed her hair out from the collar and smiled at me. She pulled on her scrubs, donned socks and her work shoes. She pinned on her badge and gave a little twirl, the smile still on her face."Will you put some clothes on so I can get out of here." She said laughing. "I can't tear myself away with you standing there like that.""Sorry." I said, not feeling one bit sorry as I grabbed my jeans. She went out and filled her travel mug with the rest of the coffee."Listen, if you feel tired you pull over. I don't want a call that they found you in a ditch. Drive safe okay?" She said in her best motherly voice."I'm already tired. I didn't get much sleep last night." I said kissing her."Make some more coffee, take a nap before you leave, stay until tomorrow, whatever you need to do. I'm serious." She said pausing to look at me. A moment passed and a tear rolled down her cheek."Hey, hey." I said gently brushing the tear away and kissing her. "I will be careful, don't worry.""I wish you didn't have to go." She said wrapping her arms around me and hugging me tight."It's only two months, and you'll be busy with Em, the holidays and work that it will be behind us before you know it.""Don't stand under any mistletoe before you get back here." She smiled though another tear followed the first.I smiled. "Consider yourself off the market. Your prince will return after the ball.""Don't you dare steal one of my shoes before you go." We both laughed at that."Come on." I led her to the Jeep, opened the door for her and got her settled in. "Drive safe, go on about your daily routine. Call me, text me, send up smoke signals, any time." I leaned in and kissed her softly. We lingered for a moment and I stepped out closing the door. She lowered the window."Smoke signals huh? Do you always run towards a fire?""It's what I do." I said smiling.Her face turned serious. "I love you." Her eyes welled up again."I love you more." I leaned in and kissed her again. "Now get going before you get fired."To be continued in part 7, by Member389 for Literotica

THE SYSTEM WORKS—When I decided to launch this podcast back in 2019, it didn't take me long to realize that I didn't want to do it alone. The first person I called? Today's guest, Debra Bishop.I've known Deb a little bit for a long time, but well enough to know her insight, humor, and world view would elevate every conversation we'd have. But also, and more importantly, she is without question one of the most consequential editorial designers working today. Deb has helped define the visual and structural DNA of some of the most iconic media brands of the last few decades, from Martha Stewart's Blueprint, to More Magazine, and now, to The New York Times for Kids.What sets Deb apart is not just her eye, but her mind. She's a master of creating editorial systems—cohesive, flexible frameworks that hold entire magazines together, giving them both structure and soul. Her designs guide readers effortlessly, creating rhythm, clarity, and a sense of trust.Deb never overdesigns or distracts—she amplifies. Her layouts are confident, elegant, quietly powerful, and often these days, lots of fun. And as a leader and mentor, she's shaped not just magazines but careers. She's helped raise the standard for what editorial design can be, and what a creative partnership should look like.Deb makes everything better: the work, the process, the people around her. Her influence is everywhere—including on this podcast—and I feel incredibly lucky to call her a friend and colleague.—This episode is made possible by our friends at Commercial Type and Freeport Press. A production of Magazeum LLC ©2021–2025

Things In Your Bathroom To Throw Out NowProduct packaging: Put cotton swabs in glass jars, instead, and you'll turn your bathroom into a spa-like experience, just by decluttering.Free cosmetic samples: They sit in cabinets or drawers for much longer than they should. Duplicates of anything:  we're talking about having duplicate hot tools and toiletries. You don't need one hand soap dispenser, not multiple. The same goes for shampoos and hair products, too.Abandoned toiletry products:  Don't let it just sit on your counter or in your cabinet, though. Ask a friend if they want to try it; they may like it!Expired medications and beauty products: Medications especially will lose its effectiveness and could even be harmful if used when expired. Beauty products, too, can irritate you or harbor bacteria when expired. Old bath towels and wash clothes: As a rule of thumb, hand towels, bath towels and wash clothes should be replaced every two years. Most likely, your toothbrush: Experts say you should replace it every three months, so if it's been longer than that, throw it out.2025 Summer TrendsRustic Farmhouse - Rustic aesthetics and farmhouse cottage interiors are becoming more popular, with searches for “farm cottage aesthetic” soaring by 911% . “Thrifted home decor” is also very trendy, searches for it have increased 488%.Digital Detox Summer - People are ready to ditch their screens and embrace nature this summer. Interest in nature travel is on the rise, including searches for” nature retreats” (up 72%) and “relaxing in nature” (up 32%). Urban Farming and Garden-to-Table Cooking - Pinterest users are taking inspo from an expert in these areas, Martha Stewart, with searches for “Martha Stewart aesthetic” skyrocketing 2,889%. Crafting Ideas -  people plan to get crafty, with searches for “cute summer crafts” rising 106%, “summer knitting projects” jumping 64% and “book club crafts” up 558%.Nostalgic Fashion - The boho trend from the early 2000s is back in style. Searches for “boho chic summer outfits” have soared 1,071%, “crochet short dresses” climbed 2,030%, and those for “2000s summer dress” are up 483%.Things Dating Your HouseWord Art - Trade out those “live, laugh, love” signs with real paintings on your walls. Contemporary abstract painter. Use coastal artwork in calming colors like white, sea blues and greens as a replacement for that statement art. Matchy-Matchy “Themed” Accessories - Take your time curating a collection of things you love from traveling, family heirlooms and things that mean something to you.Bowl-Shaped Light Fixtures - According to designer Liz Goldberg, “Nothing screams 90s rental builder grade more than this light fixture!” She advises switching to anything other than glass bowl-shaped flush mount lights, sometimes called “boob lights.”Cold Neutrals - The time for playing it safe with cool grey and greige neutrals has passed, and designers suggest updating your home with warmer neutrals for everything from walls to bedding.Neutral Linen Furniture - Design experts also recommend swapping neutral linen furniture pieces for furniture in deep hues or printed jacquard. If you love your current pieces and they're still in good condition or new furniture isn't in your budget, consider reupholstering what you have.Second Date Update: Eduardo and Christine met at a party and even made out. Now, she has ghosted. Was it something he called her?

In celebration of Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook, her 101st book published this spring, and in partnership with Threads, comes this one-of-a-kind live audience podcast recording. Martha shares her signature gardening advice, from practical tips to delightfully candid takes, for beginners and seasoned green thumbs alike. In this special episode, Martha answers 20 questions sourced from her Threads followers, influencers, and celebrities including Serena Williams and Yung Gravy. Tune in for gardening wisdom straight from Martha’s own garden to yours.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3pm: Guest – Pearla Rebolledo - Aunt of three children murdered by their mother shares how a family carries on after filicide // Mom allegedly confesses to smothering 3 kids to death in Phoenix home // Sheriff warns father of three murdered Wenatchee girls ‘We’re going to make sure we find you’ // Today in History // 2003 - Martha Stewart indicted for securities fraud and obstruction of justice // John tells the story of his cooking show with Martha Stewart // Japanese psychic who predicted 2011 earthquake warns of major event on July 5th

6pm: Guest – Pearla Rebolledo - Aunt of three children murdered by their mother shares how a family carries on after filicide // Mom allegedly confesses to smothering 3 kids to death in Phoenix home // Sheriff warns father of three murdered Wenatchee girls ‘We’re going to make sure we find you’ // Today in History // 2003 - Martha Stewart indicted for securities fraud and obstruction of justice // John tells the story of his cooking show with Martha Stewart // Japanese psychic who predicted 2011 earthquake warns of major event on July 5th

R.J. Cutler returns to the pod to dig in deeper to his Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart, “Martha”.  R.J. and Mike turn their eyes to a few minutes early on (starting about minute 15 if you want to watch along), when a young Martha Stewart pursues motherhood, Wall Street, and ultimately Turkey Hill to become “Martha”.  R.J. explains how every element–cinematography, archive, editing, graphic design, music–both propels Martha forward towards her seemingly inevitable iconic status while simultaneously pulling her back towards her humble roots.     Follow: @rjcutler928 on Instagram and @rjcutler on X @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter/X   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Why do some confident presenters crumble during coffee chats? We unpack the paradox of high-performing speakers with social anxiety and offer practical ways to show up without spiraling. In this episode we cover:The science behind “performance vs. connection” anxietyWhy social stakes feel higher than spotlight momentsHow to manage real-life interactions without shutting downSupport the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Build a Leadership Identity That Earns Trust and Delivers Results. Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

Summer Arrives on the Atlantic Coast of Maine, in time for his first time.A 7-part series by Member389. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Stories. I was finally glad to be out of school. My buddy Jeff got out last year. He went off and joined the military and left our little town. I figured I'd work the summer here and see what was what after the tourists left. It was still early yet, they hadn't started arriving yet, clogging the roads with their luxury cars, acting as if they owned the place. Truth be told, they did. If it weren't for them, the rest of us wouldn't have a living. Fishing wasn't cutting it anymore, and the old quarries down coast were barely running now. Luckily we had the tourists.I walked down into the village near the docks, and popped into the little corner store."Hey Peter." I heard as I walked in. Paula nodded at me and smiled. She and her husband ran this little place, and did well by the locals and tourists alike. I waved and smiled at her as I headed to the back and grabbed a soda from the cooler."You headed over to see Davy about work?" She asked."Yea, I figure I gotta do something before mom tosses me out of the house." I chuckled."Would you do me a favor? Chip is out on a delivery and we're short-handed. Is there any chance you could make a delivery for me, it's on your way. The lady has an account so you don't need to collect any money. It's just, I heard she twisted her ankle on the beach and I told her that if she needed anything to call us and I'd get it over to her.""Sure, where is it going?" I said.She handed me two canvas sacks from the cooler, and gave me the address. It was just a couple blocks over from where I was headed. Paula refused to let me pay for my soda before leaving. I walked the few blocks turning up onto the driveway that led to a house facing the water. I walked around the house looking for the kitchen door. As I turned the corner I saw a woman lying on a towel on the lawn. She lay there basking in the morning sun completely naked. A small pile of fabric beside her looked like a swimsuit she may have been wearing. I stopped and looked around, the spot was well sheltered on the curve in the road. Her long blonde hair trailed out above her on her towel, her arms down at her sides, her deep pink nipples pointing up to the sun. Her stomach was flat and a little glint of something shiny hinted at a belly button ring. From this distance I couldn't be sure. A small strip of hair dipped down between her thighs. Her legs were long toned and pale, but getting red. She had just started tanning by the color she'd turned already. She was going to look like a freshly boiled lobster in a very short time.I realized she hadn't heard or seen me, so I turned and cleared my throat loudly. I looked over my shoulder, and she hadn't moved. I decided I'd just put the groceries in the house for her. I set the bags on the kitchen table and peeked to make sure nothing needed to be put in the icebox. Thankfully I did or the cold stuff would have spoiled. I put them away and left the rest. I walked towards the back door again and looked out the screen at her. She was beautiful, like she'd just stepped out of a magazine centerfold. She still hadn't moved, and it wouldn't be long before she burned badly. So I took it upon myself to rescue her, that's just the kind of guy I am. I opened the back door and pushed it open as far as possible and let it swing shut. The loud rap of the wood on the frame did the trick. She jumped, then the realization that somebody was near and she was naked came on her and she rolled onto the grass pulling the towel over her covering up. I saw why she hadn't heard me as an earbud fell out onto the grass.She peeked over the top of her big sunglasses, and in an accent I hadn't heard around here, she asked. "Can I help you?" The scolding tone of her voice saying that she didn't appreciate being peeked at while she was sunbathing.I scrunched up my face. "Where are you from?" I asked, curious about her accent."Right here buster, I'm renting this place. Where in hell did you come from?" She replied."Oh! Paula down at the market asked me to deliver your groceries. They were shorthanded and I was headed this way."She just stared at me for a moment, and I returned the stare taking in the scene with a dumb-founded look."Would you be a gentleman and please turn around?" She said a little testily. I did as she asked. Unfortunately for her I'd turned and was looking directly at her reflection in the kitchen window. She stood up cursing quietly, putting her weight on one foot, and wrapped the towel around her and tucked it in above her breasts. She was tall, and though her breasts weren't large they were nicely shaped, and red. The little stripe of hair ended neatly where I thought. The towel was just long enough to cover her modestly. She hobbled over to the little pile of cloth and swept up her bikini and started hobbling towards the house like a wounded animal. She passed me and got to the step and hobbled up the half step, and opened the door using it for stability and hopped up the step into the kitchen.She hobbled back to the screen door and said. "Well come on in."I walked over and stepped into the kitchen. She was sitting down on one of the chairs one leg splayed out in front of her the other tucked under the chair. The smooth skin was kissed with a flush of pink. I knew she was going to regret falling asleep out there later, but I'm glad I happened to wake her up so she didn't get severely burned. She was fumbling with her towel to keep it up, and digging through a big pocket book."Paula said that you have an account." I held up my hand. "I'm not going back to the store anyhow."She peeked up at me from her purse through a tangle of long blonde hair. "Thank you, but I was going to give you something for the trouble. She mentioned that you wouldn't be here until afternoon because it was busy today." A pink nipple peaked over the top of the polka dot beach towel. She caught me staring. "Though it could be surmised that you already got your tip." She said an eyebrow going up, and a small grin turning the corners of her mouth up. She shook her head as she pulled the towel back into place and tossed the purse onto the table. She held her arm out straight with a folded bill in it. I just shook my head once and waved it off."Thanks, but you don't need to do that." I said."Don't make me get up, my ankle hurts like hell, and I'm in no shape to use it to kick your ass for being a peeping tom." She replied grinning. She waved the money again. I shrugged and took it slipped into my jeans pocket. I was hoping she hadn't noticed they were tighter in front than a moment before."Thanks." I nodded."No, thank you Chip, I would have come into town to get them later but she insisted on having you deliver them."I smiled. "I'm not Chip. He was doing another delivery. I'm Pete.""Nice to meet you." She said holding out a hand. "I'm Summer."I shook her hand. She had a firm grip and didn't let up until I did. I just stood there for a moment looking at her. She had mesmerizing blue eyes and a crooked little smile. I realized I was staring when her brow went up. I felt myself blush."Are you thirsty? I could use something cold." Summer asked. I nodded."If you don't mind, there's a pitcher of iced tea in the fridge. I'm going to go put something on besides a towel.""Not on my account I hope?" Why not, I figured, she seemed to have a sense of humor about getting caught. I smiled over my shoulder at her as I reached for the cupboard door. She laughed aloud at that.She stood again, wobbling, and took her bikini in hand and walked towards the living room and gasped grabbing for the door jamb. In the process the towel let go and she stood there grasping the towel in one hand the door in the other. Her long smooth back tapered to a narrow waist and flared back out to beautifully curved hips. On her back was a pretty sunflower tattoo with vines around it. There looked to be a figure in the center of it."Oh to hell with it. I don't think I've got anything left to hide at this point." She muttered and hobbled out of the room. I opened up the freezer and got a tray of ice out, and filled the glasses. I heard her fumbling around a bit and she started to hobble back out. She'd pulled a light blue flowered sundress on, and taken a minute to brush out her hair. She hobbled over to an easy chair in the living room and sat down. "Would you be a doll and bring that in here?"I walked into the living room and she was gingerly setting her foot on the coffee table. I handed her a glass and set the other down. I took the towel she'd tossed on the sofa and folded it up into a little bundle and went to take her leg. I stopped myself and looked up at her, from under fallen bangs."May I?" I asked. She held her glass with both hands, licking tea from her upper lip, and nodded. I lifted her calf, the skin smooth and warm in my hand, and slipped the folded towel under her ankle to pad it from the table. I set it down carefully and she let out a sigh. I sat down on the sofa and took up my glass. I was looking into the glass at the ice cubes floating around. I set it back down and went to the kitchen, found a plastic bag and filled it with the rest of the ice. I looked down at her, she sat there wide eyed as I reached to carefully set it on her ankle."Thank you," She said softly, with a smile "again.""You slammed the door on purpose didn't you?" She asked."Well you were beginning to look like a lobster out there, fresh from the pot. I wasn't sure if you were asleep and I didn't want you to burn, or worse." I said.She smiled. "Thank you." She said, and after a moment she added, "West Virginia.""Rockport here, welcome to Maine." I toasted her with my tea, and we clinked glasses. Neither of us said anything we just sat there enjoying our tea."You said this was on your way? Where were you going?" Summer asked."I was headed down to Davy's marina down the road." I said. Then pointed. "If you go down Sea Road and bear right. He runs a couple of boats for fishing, sightseeing and whale watching. I was going to see if he needed any help this summer."She nodded, and looked down at her ankle. Water running down her leg from the condensation on the bag."If he doesn't give you a job on a boat, you might want to consider going to medical school." She chuckled. "You're a quick thinker and have a gentle touch. I don't mean to keep you from where you were headed but since this is really feeling like hell." She pointed at her foot. "I was wondering if you could do me another favor before you leave.""Sure, what else do you need, lunch?" I asked.She laughed. "Well that would be nice, but I was just going to ask you to go into the bathroom and grab the ace bandage that's rolled up on the counter and the bottle of pain killers for me. I want to get this wrapped again, now that I'm not worried I'll look like a cat with one white paw."I set my glass down, and went to the bath and found the items. I found a bottle of sunburn lotion on the counter and brought that too."I see you came prepared to burn." I looked at the bottle."Well when you're as white as I am, it happens often, especially this early in the season." Summer said as she reached up for the items. She reached down and took the ice off, and dried her foot off on the towel. She crossed her legs, her dress riding up high as she reached to start unrolling the bandage.I laughed. "That looks more awkward than a lobster trying to climb a tree." I reached out for the bandage and took it from her. "Let me show you how it's done." I sat on the edge of the coffee table and laid her leg across mine. I wrapped her ankle neatly slipping the clips on at the end with a flourish. I looked at her toes peeking up, the nails a sparkly pink color. A small throat clear broke me out of my reverie, only to notice that I'd been absently stroking her shin and calf. I snatched my hand away, and felt my face turn bright red again. I looked down at the rug and apologized."For what? Doing a better job than I would wrapping my ankle? Or maybe the lame lobster jokes." She flipped a hand at me and took the bottle and popped it open. She poured out her dose and knocked them back with a swallow of her tea."I should take these with food." She took her foot off my lap and set it gingerly on the floor, grabbing the arms of the chair preparing to get up."Whoa! Where are you going?" I asked."I was going to go see what was in those bags to eat." She said."Sit down. I'll get you something." I answered quickly.She rolled her eyes at me. "You've done far more than you should have for a tired, broken down old lady." She rolled forward again, and I put my hand on her shoulder to keep her balance back."I'll get it." I said firmly. "What would you like?""You are too sweet." She said, relaxing back into the chair. "What did you bring?"I went into the kitchen to rummage through the bags. Given a little creativity and a few minutes time I whipped up a sandwich and chips. I peeked around the door jamb to ask if she wanted mustard or mayo on her turkey. The sight that greeted me stopped me in my tracks. Summer had sat forward on the chair, and slipped the straps off the sundress pushing it down to her waist. She sat there slowly rubbing in the sunburn cream into her skin. She finished her arms and began working on her chest rubbing slowly giving each nipple a pinch and tug. My jeans felt about ready to explode at the sight of her. I popped my head back around the door and called out asking my question. She replied, mustard. I responded that it was ready then, to give her time to cover up.I walked into the room with the plate in front of me and the bag of chips dangling beneath to try and hide my arousal. I sat quickly as I handed her the plate, hoping I'd covered myself well enough."Ooh thanks!" She said setting the plate down and reaching for half the sandwich. She just stopped and looked at me. "You didn't make one for yourself?" I shook my head. "Here," she handed me the other half, "I hate eating alone."I shrugged and took the other half, and we ate quietly. I asked her how she twisted her ankle. Exploring wet rocks on the outbound tide, she'd slipped and thought she'd broken it. She had gotten an X-ray and it was only a bad sprain."Ironic. I ended up having to postpone starting work at the very hospital that I was going to be starting at next week." She said."Oh? You a doctor?" I asked."RN, and I was serious earlier, you have a gentle touch, and you wrap a mean ankle." She followed with a smile."Sports." I said by way of explanation. She nodded.She opened her mouth laying a chip on her tongue and took it in whole giving it a crunch. I didn't know why, but she fascinated me on an entirely new level. I'd seen naked girls before, well in magazines and movies, anyway. Here sat a woman who, unlike those from around here, wasn't scandalized by having her body admired. This isn't the end of the world, but not far from it."How old are you Pete." She asked. I told her the truth, that I was nineteen, and I'd just graduated last month. She offered me the chips, and I took a few."What are your plans from here?" She asked."I honestly don't know. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up." I said chuckling.She set the chips aside and wiped her hands on the towel. She took up the bottle of cream and popped the cap up. She nonchalantly pulled up the hem on her dress to a nearly indecent level and leaned forward and began rubbing the cream into her leg. She continued to ask me about the area, what there was to do after school got out. She worked her hand further up her thigh, the warm pink flesh supple under her fingers. She pulled back again, the hem of the dress slid up, and a peek of pink lace appeared. She asked if I had a girlfriend. Which made me pause. She started on the other leg working from the ankle up to the knee. She stopped and looked at me when I didn't reply."No?" She asked, no doubt noticing that I'd been watching every movement she made.I just shook my head looking down at the floor. "No. I've gone out a few times, but never really had a girlfriend."She looked down her leg again, massaging her up her thigh slowly. Watching her was not helping the situation in my jeans one bit."That's too bad. Seems an awful waste of resources if you ask me." She smirked."Huh?" I said looking up at her with a quizzical look.She bit her lower lip and looked me in the eye for a moment, then down at my lap, and nodded.I must have turned deep red, she looked up at me and smiled, then busted out laughing."Oh my God! You're as innocent as the day you were born, aren't you?" She asked grinning ear to ear.I stammered."Oh hell." She waved her hand. "Don't be embarrassed hon. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you a hard time." She reached over and gave my wrist a quick squeeze. The feel of her warm hand sent a shock up my arm. She leaned back in the chair, not bothering to adjust her dress. The little pink lace peeking out kept drawing my eye. I could feel her eyes studying me as I tried not to look.She started softly. "Am I the first woman you've ever seen naked?" She followed with, "in person?"I cleared my throat. "Well, that close, yea." I said softly. "Last summer, my friend and I found a cove where some girls go to tan in the summer, but we stay well back. They mostly only took their tops off. Jeff had binoculars." I felt my ears turn red.Summer smiled again biting her lip. "So, the peeping tom thing isn't new." She giggled. She was enjoying teasing me. A moment of silence passed while I looked anywhere but at her. "Stand up Pete, and come here." I looked at her and did as she asked. She slowly reached up, and tugged the straps of her dress to the side, and looped her arms up through, pushing it down her torso. Her breasts popped free, the cherry red nipples stiff in the cool breeze coming through the house. She looked up at me from under a lock of hair, still biting her lip. Time seemed to stop, and I wasn't sure what to do next, but instinct pushed me to reach out and cup her breast. It was warm and soft in my hand, and I stroked it gently. I reached up with my thumb and rubbed the nipple. A sigh as she inhaled deeply, her eyes were closed while I explored. I rolled it between my thumb and finger it was as hard as a pencil eraser."That feels nice." She said softly. I stroked the curve up to her chest, and back down between them following it around.Time started again when I jumped back startled. I hadn't expected it when her hand reached up and pressed against the front of my jeans."Oh!" She giggled. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just thought you might enjoy a little rub too." She nodded at my jeans. "Let me see it."I went wide eyed like a deer in caught in headlights."Come on. It's only fair, you saw mine." She urged. Her hand slid down raising the hem of her dress showing off the pink lace panties with black lace trim. She circled the front with her finger, pressing as she did. She reached over and took the last swallow of her tea and caught an ice cube from the glass. Swirling it around her mouth. She opened her mouth showing me that she was rolling the cube around with her tongue.Without conscious thought my hands reached for my zipper to release the pressure built up behind it. I pulled it down as she watched intently. I unbuttoned the fly of my boxers and the pressure was gone as my hard cock pushed its way out seeking relief.Summer made an approving sound deep in her throat at the sight of it. "Ooh that's nice." The ice cube clicked on her teeth and she crushed it quickly, chewing the bits of ice. She looked up at me and made a come hither motion with her free hand, the other still working on the pink lace. I stepped forward as if she were drawing me towards her with an invisible tether. She reached up slowly this time and took me gently into her hand. Stroking the shaft and rubbing the tip with her thumb. I gasped, my breath coming in short panting breaths. "That's it, easy now." She said in a soothing voice, as if calming a frantic animal. "You aren't going to last very long."My body was humming like a taut wire as she gently stroked me. In a move that surprised me, she leaned forward and took me into her mouth. The cold sensation from her chewing the ice nearly pushed me over the top. I gasped. She licked my cock like a kid with an ice cream cone, her icy tongue dragging away at me. I knew I was about to cum, and she did too. She stepped up the pace of her licking, and took me into her mouth once more sliding down further until I lost it. I felt my hips jerk forward and she put her hand on my thigh to keep me from choking her. I grabbed for the first thing at hand, and it happened to be the back of her head, and I erupted. My body stiffened as I gasped for air. I felt as if she was drawing me inside out. I exploded in her mouth, her tongue cleaning up the mess I'd made."Is that the first time a girl has done that to you?" She asked softly, lapping my still hard cock. I nodded between gasping breaths."You poor thing. Have you ever thought of what it would be like to lick a girl down there?" She asked innocently. I looked down to find her fingers had slipped into the panties and were making deep circular motions. I had to think, because if I hadn't before now, I certainly was beginning to. She kept darting her tongue out, giving me soft licks and quick flicks with her tongue and thought I could do that.She stood up awkwardly not putting her weight on her bad ankle, and reached up beneath her sundress tugging at the fabric. Soon her panties were around her knees. She turned and tossed the towel onto the chair and spread it out."Oh screw it." She said pushed down the fabric of her sundress as it slid over her hips. She sat down pushing her dress and panties off and tossed them on the couch. She leaned back on the chair as I watched her chest rise and fall with her slow deep breathing. My eyes followed down her taut stomach, a small silver heart dangled from her belly button on a chain. My eyes scanned further down and found the top of her little narrow strip, the soft tuft of dark blonde hair leading to deep pink lips. I stood there with my mouth hanging open as she set her leg back up on the coffee table, opening up a little more for me. I licked my dry lips, which must have been a sign."That's what I like to see. A willing student." She smiled and winked at me. "Grab a pillow and kneel down. I'll give you a quick lesson on the special anatomy of a girl." She chuckled. I did as she asked and knelt before her. She proceeded to point out the highlights softly, in an encouraging voice. Explaining how best to please a woman down there.I leaned forward, my nose filling with the scent of her. I reached forward licking upward between her spread fingers. She let out a deep sigh and I began licking and nibbling. I tilted my head up and began swirling her clit with my tongue like she'd done to my cock. She threw her head back and her jaw dropped as a low moan escaped her lips.She panted quickly. "Slip your finger inside me, and make a come here motion." She mimed it with one finger.I did as she asked, slipping my middle finger into her as far as I could. It was wet, and warm and I could feel her tighten down on me. I started off slowly stroking in and out of her, then remembered how she'd shown me and I rubbed up and forward and back again. I had forgotten what I was doing and noticed she'd reached down to start stroking her clit with incredible speed. I leaned down putting my tongue to it again, and began flicking it with my tongue as fast as I could. Summer arched up off the chair and began yelling, 'Oh my God.' She stayed that way for nearly a minute before collapsing back into the chair gasping for air. My hand was soaked with her juices. I wasn't sure, but I figured I'd done well. I used the corner of the towel to wipe my hand. I looked at her swollen, wet and deep pink lips and just leaned forward and began lapping up the mess she'd made, slowly with the tip of my tongue. She inhaled sharply and her legs came together quickly."Easy there." She said pushing my head away gently. "It's very sensitive after." She released the grip she had of my hair and ran her fingers through it. She was just looking at me smiling while I licked my lips."So how did I do teach?" I asked.She chuckled. "I'd say you did pretty damn well for a first-timer. I'll give you an A plus for effort and an A for technique." She smiled. I was hard as a rock, and wondered if I was going to be allowed to follow through with the next thing that came to my mind."Are you a typical young guy with a raincoat in your wallet?" She asked, reading my mind. I looked at her with my quizzical look again. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. I sighed looking down, and shook my head slowly. I got a slightly scolding look in reply. I wasn't sure if it was because I didn't have one, or that she was unhappy about it as well."Get up." She said giving a slight push to my forehead. I leaned back and stood in a single motion. I nearly fell over backwards when I realized I still had both legs caught with my jeans around my knees. Summer leaned forward to grab my arm and help me balance. She nodded down at them and without saying a word let me know that I should get them off. She gripped my hand solidly and pulled herself carefully out of the chair and hobbled a step aside. She reached down taking the rumpled beach towel off the chair and flipped it in half and lay it on the center cushion of the sofa. She turned me back to and gave me a push so I fell back onto it."Don't move." She said leveling a serious gaze at me. She hobbled back off to the bedroom. A little rustling later she came back with something closed in her fist. She pulled the coffee table up close and sat gently on the edge of it facing me."First things first. It's never her responsibility to make sure you're prepared." She said holding up a little foil packet. "If you aren't prepared, then keep it in your pants, or her hand if you're lucky enough." She smiled. "The only time it'll be up to her to help is now. If she'd like to." She reached forward and began slowly stroking me, her fingers firm and soft at the same time. "You see, you can't wrap the rascal unless he's primed and ready." She smiled. "I'll show you how best to use this so you don't end up a daddy too soon, or worse."I smiled and rolled my eyes."Hey, we can stop right now if you like." She said levelly at me. The shock on my face must have been plain as day. "That's what I thought." She smiled and looked down at my hard cock. "I'd hate to stop now myself." She peeled the wrapper down the side pulling out the little ring. She held it close for me to see. "See how it's rolled up? Place it with the rolled side up over the tip like this." She reached holding my cock in one hand and setting the condom on the tip. "Unroll gently down the shaft like this." She said sliding her fingers down my shaft unrolling it fully. "All the way down. That's important since she's not going to want to fish the thing out of her if it comes off in the middle of your good time. It also makes it pretty useless if that happens." She gave the base of my cock a little squeeze. She pulled my knees together, and stood up kneeling on the sofa straddling me."This is a good position for us to start with. It gives a woman the ability to control the depth and speed with which you entering her. Missionary isn't bad, but if you get a little over zealous it can end up hurting her. If you want to her to ever want you back in her again then it's best to make sure she has a good time too." She said reaching down between us she ran her finger up and down her swollen lips."Remember to open her gently beforehand, the more care you take with her, the more likely she'll be calling you for more." She sat up, and lined herself up over my cock and took my shoulders as I took her by the hips. She looked down at me for a moment, one eyebrow going up."Oh." I said reaching between us and stroking her still wet lips placing fingers on either side and gently opening her up. As I did she lowered herself on me. The sigh that escaped my lips was loud. I nearly passed out from the feeling of the warmth and tightness, as she slowly rode the entire way down my length. A soft purr came from her throat.She sat there for a moment and proceeded to just tighten herself around me and relax. I started pushing urgently with my hips."Easy does it." She whispered into my ear then licked her way down nibbling the lobe and kissing my neck. "A woman's nipples are very sensitive, and shouldn't be neglected." She took my hand and ran it up to her small breast. Lifting it away slightly and rubbing her nipple with my fingers. She bit her lower lip as I took the hint and stroked her breasts and rolled the nipples between my fingers. I leaned forward taking it in my mouth rolling it around, lashing it with my tongue. Summer sighed deeply and rolled her hips forward and started rising up and lowering herself on me. My other hand found its way behind her gripping her ass and pulling her down onto me with each stroke. She started a long deep stroking rhythm that I thought was going to drive me over the top again. She must have noticed my urgency as my hips rose to meet her down stroke hard. She stopped on an upstroke and let me slip out of her and I thought I was going to die when my eyes popped open pleading with her. She smiled at me."What's your hurry? Aren't you enjoying yourself?" She said sweetly.I nodded furiously. "Yes I am." I gasped."Good. The journey can be as much fun as the destination, so take your time." She got off the couch. I looked at her pleading with her not to stop now. "Let's see how well you improvise." She said.She turned around and knelt down on the pillow that was on the floor, and leaned forward setting her elbows on the chair she was sitting in before. Her beautiful ass, up in the air her lips open and pouting in invitation. I scrambled off the couch and knelt behind her, nearly ready to drive my cock into her when I paused and opened her up slipping back into herShe whipped her hair over one shoulder and looked at me over the other. "You're in the drivers' seat now. It's going to be up to you to be aware of the clues a girl is giving you. If she's pulling away from you, you're fucking her to hard. If she's pushing against you, well she wants you to put the pedal to the metal, so to speak." I pushed forward feeling myself fall into her and never wanting to leave. I began pushing and she met me stroke for stroke as I sped up. I couldn't take it any longer. Summer let out several long high pitched moans followed by a gasping, 'Harder!' and I went into overdrive. Plunging her depths with abandon I finally drove her forward hard, pushing her hips against the chair as I exploded. I stiffened as I felt every ounce of strength drain from my body. Summer shuddered hard in my hands bringing me out of my daze."Are you okay?" I gasped between breaths.She rose up slightly, hair a complete mess covering her face. She started to laugh, gasping for air. "I was just thinking, this vacation started off lousy, but it's improving nicely."I chuckled. "Welcome to Maine, Vacationland." She busted out laughing at that. I backed away falling free of her, the cool breeze came in from the screen, cooling the sweat on my skin."Let's get cleaned up." She stood shakily, with the help of the arms of the chair. I stood as well. She turned and slipped an arm around my shoulders. "Help me to the bathroom, would you please?" I looked at her, and turned slightly and reached down picking her up off the floor. She let out a whoop of surprise. "I only needed a shoulder to lean on honestly." She said smiling."So lean on it." I said smiling. I negotiated the narrow path to the bathroom and brought her in careful not to bang her against the doorjamb. I set her on a little stool next to a big claw foot bathtub."Let me get that." Summer reached over and popped up a tissue and reached up sliding the condom off of me and wrapping it and tossing it in the trash. She looked up at me, her hair still a mess. I reached down pushing it off her forehead. She smiled. "Grab a washcloth for me, would you please?" She nodded at a small shelf, and I took one down and handed it to her. She reached over to the bath running water onto it and a little squirt of her bath gel. She frothed it up and began washing herself off. She rinsed and repeated. She dried herself with another towel hanging from the bar. She looked up at me from under her bangs, scanning down. "Really?" She said in a resigned voice as she saw that I was once again ready.I shrugged. "The benefit of youth?"She laughed. "I guess!"She rinsed the cloth again and began gently washing me with it. The cool water and warm hands were soothing but not doing a thing for the fact that it was loaded and ready to go yet again."Would you hand me that light blue bottle there." She asked. She poured a small amount into her palm and set the bottle aside. She rubbed the oil between her hands and rubbed it between her legs oiling herself up. The sight of this was not doing me any good either. A crooked smirk spread across her face as she watched me watching her in fascination.She reached up with her oily hand and began stroking my shaft. The hardness slipping through her firm grip with little friction. The other hand began fondling my balls. They were already tight, and ready to go again. She slid her hand further under and began massaging me underneath in a tight circle. The feeling blew my mind as I couldn't contain myself and came hard, with a loud splatter, on Summer's chest."Not sure if it's good for burns, but I've heard it does wonders for the skin." She said, leaning forward cleaning the last few drops off with her tongue. She then used her cloth to wipe up the cum I'd splashed on her chest.. I just watched her, her movements so graceful and efficient.She looked up at me with a smirk. "Pete, how would you like to give me a hand for a couple weeks while this ankle heals?"My eyebrows went up. "How?" I asked."The usual mow the lawn, grocery runs, cleaning, maybe even an occasional turkey sandwich. It'll allow me to keep off this as much as possible and not feel like I'm an invalid. I'll warn you now though it's not only doctors that make lousy patients."It was my turn to smirk. "What's it pay?" I asked wiggling my eyebrows.Her mouth dropped open. "You little shit! I'm not hiring you to be a gigolo!" She laughed. "But there's always the possibility of a bonus. I could continue your lessons. Practice makes perfect they say." She smiled at that."I don't know." I said, my spent cock hanging inches from her lips. Oh I knew alright, but I played along. "I'll have to see what Davy has to offer this year. Those rich folks that come in to fill up can be pretty good tippers too."She raised an eyebrow at me again. "Okay if you'd rather work for him I'll understand." She said in mock resignation. She stood on her good foot, testing the floor with her bad. I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist."You drive a hard bargain." I said pulling her to my side so she could put her arm over my shoulder.She looked me up and down me and smiled. "This vacation isn't turning out bad at all."To be continued in part 2, by Member389 for LiteroticaSummer In Maine: Part 2Lesson Two, and Two and a half.A 7-part series by Member389. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Stories.This summer job wasn't turning out the way I'd thought. So far I'd mowed the lawn, done the dishes, (thankfully there's a dishwasher) hauled trash, done laundry, dusted and vacuumed. When Summer asked if I wanted to help her out for a few weeks I sort of expected there would be fringe benefits to go with, or instead of, getting paid. Instead it was actual work. She wasn't shy, about her body or mine, she often would wrap her arm around my waist to help with her balance. She occasionally stroked my ass through my jeans. I didn't hesitate to return the favor but I always ended up with only a smile in return. I figured after that first day when I took the job I might get some more personal time with her. The other night I helped her to run a bath, and she shooed me out of the bathroom. One night we watched a late movie I slept over, and ended up on the couch. Something didn't seem right about all of this. Nearly a week had gone by, and it was as if that first day hadn't even happened, and I was too shy to say anything. I hitched the grocery bag I was carrying a little higher, tonight, I'd say something tonight.I walked up to the kitchen stoop and pulled open the screen door and I heard a gasping cry. I dropped the bags on the table and darted into the living room, she wasn't there. Another cry, and I looked to the right and saw the bedroom door was open. I walked quietly towards the door, and Summer was laying back on the bed naked except for her bandaged ankle. She was sliding a pink vibrator up and down between her thighs. She tilted it slightly and slid it into her, her other hand pulling on her nipple. I was instantly hard watching her pleasure herself. She let go of the nipple and slid her hand down and began flicking her clit, rubbing it fast. She arched her back crying out "Yes!" She pulled the vibrator out slipping her fingers in as she came. She continued rubbing her clit slowly and stroked her fingers in and out for a few before falling flat to the sheets like a deflated balloon. Her breathing was fast and shallow."How long have you been watching?" She asked, not looking up. She looked absolutely radiant, her skin flushed pink through her tan. Her hair was a tangled mess of sun streaked gold, she looked fantastic."Just a couple minutes." I said quietly looking down at the floor. I heard the old brass headboard creak and I peeked up. She had raised her head and was looking at me."What's the matter?" She asked gently. I shrugged and walked out to the kitchen, and started putting away the groceries."I picked up some local shrimp for lunch. I'll put them on ice in the fridge." I said loudly from the kitchen. I turned and Summer was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen watching me with her arms crossed in front of her, buck naked. She gave me a shrewd glance."Please tell me what's bothering you."I looked at her for a moment, then turned away and put a couple other items in the fridge."Nothing." I said, unconvincingly."It's just..." I started. I looked over at her and said."Never mind." I walked out to the yard looking around to see if I should mow the lawn again already or not. I heard the screen door bang shut behind me. I felt her hand on my shoulder as she stepped up beside me."I love it here. The salty sea air, the big sky, everything seems so much simpler." She said softly. I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist, her skin was warm and damp."Why?" I asked softly."Why what, Pete?" She asked with surprising sincerity. "Why haven't we had sex since Monday? Is that what you want to know? Are you asking me if you were a one afternoon-stand? What Pete? Ask me." She urged.Her words inflamed me and my frustration flared. "Yes!" I turned to face her, her arm sliding down from my shoulder. "Was I just a one shot deal? Screw me, then have me cook and clean for you?" I immediately sensed I'd gone too far and full well expected a slap. I'd deserve it if she did. I opened my eyes wide.She stood there looking at me, her eyes smoldering. She coolly pointed out. "Which one of us is the one standing here naked?" I stood there a moment longer, every muscle in my body taut like a drawn bow. I snapped and took hold of her and kissing her hard as our lips parted, tongues lashing out at each other like sparring fencers. Her arms wrapped around my waist pulling us together."Damn, I thought I you'd never come around." She said between kisses. I leaned back and gave her a queer look."What?" I asked, completely confused. She grinned ear to ear."Lesson number 2, confidence is sexy. Hell it took me walking around naked to get your damned attention. What the hell is wrong with you?" She bopped me on the forehead. I shrugged, feeling completely confused. I had no idea what she was talking about."This exercise, which you nearly failed miserably I might add, was to see if you would take the lead. I personally tend to be a bit passive. Therefore, as the guy, you need to learn to take the lead, just like dancing." She held my hand up and snugged her hand around my back and gave a little sway."The other night when you fell asleep on the couch I laid awake waiting for you for nearly an hour. I finally took matters into my own hands, maybe I should have made more noise.""I knew girls were crazy. I honestly was hoping to get more insight from you, not more confused." I said smiling. "You were waiting for me?""You haven't seen crazy yet, give me a week." She winked.I groaned, then kissed her again, holding her against me, my hands stroking down her back to her ass massaging it as I pulled her to me. Holding her was like holding a flame, seductive, hypnotizing and hot, and I didn't care if I got burned."Tell me you've had the good sense to pick up some protection." Summer mumbled between kisses. Without breaking our kiss I reached back for my wallet and held it up."Please tell me you bought more than one." She growled. I felt her hands come between us resting on the waist of my jeans unbuttoning them and grabbing for the zipper. She pushed my jeans and boxers down far enough for me to escape captivity. She let out an appreciative hum as she ran her hand up and down my hardened length. She broke our kiss long enough to grab the hem of my polo shirt and drag it up pulling it over my head. She leaned down and took one of my nipples into her mouth. I gasped out loud at how the sensation shot through me. It felt as if my cock was getting even harder and I didn't think that was possible."Holy shit! Does it feel this way when I do this to you?" I gasped.She hummed an agreement as she switched to the other side, then stepped back and looked at me smiling.I stood dumb-founded for a moment. I quickly realized she was waiting for me to do something. She placed her hands on her hips and gave them a slight tilt. "I'm all yours, all you need do is tell me how you'd like me, or better yet, show me." She winked. I kicked off my shoes and pushed my pants the rest of the way off and looked at her for a moment. The sun kissed her body so exquisitely, her pink nipples hard and pointing straight at me. Her hair was blowing in the breeze surrounding angelic face like a golden halo. I stepped forward, wrapped her up in my arms again and kissed her deeply. I ran my hand up between us taking her breast in my hand cupping it twirling the nipple in my fingers. I work my mouth down her jaw, kissing her neck and I feel her shudder and gasp. I moved down the center of her chest trailing kisses to the other nipple and teased it with my tongue before taking into my mouth suckling it gently. A moan escaped her lips. Her hand was pulling me towards her, fingers running through my hair. I wanted her so badly but I didn't want this to end. I pulled away looking up at her face, her mouth hung open her eyes half closed."Your ankle has to be killing you right now." I said, noting she'd been standing for a while now. I walked over and brought one of the Adirondack chairs over and set it behind her and she smiled. I laid my clothes on it to keep her from burning her ass on the sun heated wood. She just looked at me without sitting. "Sit down." I told her, and she tilted her head in assent and sat. I knelt down in front of her and kissed her nipple again and began trailing kisses down her stomach. She took the cue and leaned back on the chair. I flicked her little belly button ring aside and licked her belly button. She let out a whoop and jumped, chuckling."Ticklish?" I chuckled. She grasped a handful of my hair and gave me a little push further down, but I was going at my own pace and I made my way down nuzzling her little blond stripe. I kissed my way around her pouting lips, my tongue darting out giving little licks. She tasted sweet, the scent of her was driving me mad, I couldn't take it any longer and slipped my tongue into her as I massaged her clit.She arched her back and moaned. "Yes!" I lapped up to her clit taking it in my lips and giving it due attention. Her cries got louder and I stepped up the assault on her. Her leg came up over my shoulder and she pulled me hard into her with her heel. I let up a bit, I didn't want this to end too soon, it seemed that I wasn't the only one enjoying it. I slipped my middle finger into her, and felt her grip it tightly. Her hips started rocking forward. I was pretty sure I could finish her off quickly if I had a mind to, but I didn't. I continued bathing her clit, varying the pressure on it. She let out a few short gasps. "Please?!" She begged. I knew then I had to finish her and slipped another finger in to join the first and intensified my tongue lashing. Her hips lifted off the chair as she climaxed. She held on to me, still moaning, finally collapsing back into the chair panting."You sir, are a natural." She gasped. I returned her smile and licked my fingers."Am I mistaken, or is there a very hard cock in my immediate future?" I grinned even wider and nodded. "How would you like me?""Over hard." I said smiling. Her eyes lit up like a fire had been kindled."Well then, dig that little party hat out and show me how easy it is to put on."I chuckled and dove for my wallet lying on the grass a few feet away. I dug out the foil wrapper and crawled back. I tore open the packet holding the ring carefully and reaching down, putting in place and unrolled it carefully."Very good." She said her eyes flashing. She stood up and knelt down on the grass facing the chair. "Over like this? I'm sure you'll supply the 'hard' part." She added with a wink."Yes." I said, my breath shallow. I had to have her and scooted up behind her and lined up pushing the head in. I took her hips and pushed forward in a single motion burying myself in her.We both gasped loudly. In moments she started moving her hips back and forth and I pulled out and began taking slow strokes at first, but I knew I wasn't going to last. She leaned back pushing hard against me and I responded in kind driving forward, the sound of our bodies coming together pushed me into a frenzy. Her gasps were coming in short cries of, "Yes!" She began shaking in my hands, her moans coming from deep in her throat as she arched back into me and climaxed again pushing me over the edge. I drove her forward nearly knocking her and the chair over as I stiffened arching my back. I froze in place for what seemed an eternity, and not long enough both at the same time as I came deep in her.She leaned back against my chest, the heat of her skin against me was incredible, she reached behind us grasping my ass pulling our hips tight together. "I love how you feel inside me." She whispered. I leaned down and began kissing her shoulder, working my way up to her neck and nibbled on her ear."I love how you feel too." I said, my voice a little weak.She breathed a deep contented sigh. "What now?" A small smirk spread across her lips."I don't know about you but I worked up an appetite." I said. "Those shrimp sound good about now.""All this and you cook too. You're not going to be single long." She chuckled and reached up behind her and stroked my cheek. "I think we may need to move for that though." She said lightly, reminding me that I still had her pinned against the chair. I leaned back, pulling free of her. I stood stepping back, I gathered up my clothing. Summer put her good foot down and stood, steadying herself on the arms of the chair. "Let's go clean up and have lunch." She smiled slipping an arm around my waist and we went into the house.I started a pan for the shrimp, a little olive oil, some garlic and some red pepper flakes tossed on top of fresh spinach. My killer homemade vinaigrette to top and she would be mine. Well she already seemed to be. I stopped and stared out the little window above the sink out over the water. That thought caught me by surprise. What exactly was going on here? An hour ago I was pissed off for being shunned, now I was making her lunch with a silly, satisfied grin on my face.Summer hobbled into the kitchen wearing a pale blue tank top and panties with little pink hearts on them."Don't you own pants?" I asked smiling."Sure, would you rather I be fully dressed, or comfortable?" She asked."Oh I don't mind your outfit, as long as you don't mind your lunch burnt to a crisp." I laughed."What are you making?" She replied chuckling."I'm going to woo you with my culinary skills. My own special shrimp and spinach salad with homemade vinaigrette." I said."Wow, sounds awesome. You're a man of many talents. I think you're a little late in the wooing department though." She said smiling.My chest tightened at that. Nobody ever thought of me as a man before. Everybody has always treated me as a kid until now. The shock of it must have been evident in my expression."What?" She asked, her eyes widening. I didn't answer her, I just leaned forward and kissed her softly, she responded in turn."Nothing." I said, my grin returning."Need a hand?" I handed her two lemons with directions to squeeze the hell out of them then juice them for me into a bowl. I diced up the shallot, and garlic tossing them into the big bowl, salt and pepper followed. In went a huge dollop of spicy mustard, I looked at how much juice Summer had squeezed out of the lemons and eyeballed it pouring it into the bowl, straining out the seeds. I dug a whisk out of the drawer and started whisking in olive oil."Most vinaigrette recipes ask for vinegar, obviously. I like mine with lemon juice, especially with seafood." I said. I stopped whisking dribbling a little onto my finger to try it. "That's the ticket." I said offering a taste to Summer who agreed with a little sound. I set the big bowl aside and had her start splitting the cherry tomatoes. The shrimp were rinsed and patted dry on a towel, and I threw some garlic into the pan starting it with some of the olive oil. I salted and peppered the shrimp and in they went tossing them around to coat them all with the hot oil. They were ready in a couple minutes and the kitchen smelled terrific. I stacked the plates with spinach and started building the salads with the tomatoes, red onions, shrimp and as a topper sliced almonds."If this tastes like it looks, you're staying on as cook after this heals." She said lifting her foot behind her."Prepare to have your mind blown." I said handing her a plate and a fork. I had brought a small baguette with me which I'd sliced up and we ate."A girl could get used to this." She smiled popping a shrimp into her mouth. Cooking for a girl is a sure way into her panties."I laughed. "Even if she wasn't wearing any?""Well she's wearing some now." Her eyes flashed."But for how long?" I said playing along."You have your driver's license don't you?" She asked, changing the subject."Yea, I just don't have a car of my own yet." I said, wondering why she asked."Do you know of anybody that would loan you one, like your folks?""Yea I'm sure I can get one. Why, do you want to do it in the backseat?" I wiggled my eyebrows at her."Hell yea, but I'd also like to get a ride to go get my Jeep. It's been down at the clinic for a week now. They told me it would be safe but I'm getting a little stir crazy stuck here in the house." She replied.I looked out the window. "I can ride down and bring it back, it's only about four or five miles." I said."Ride?" She asked."I have a bike, I can put it in the back and haul it back if you don't mind.""Not at all." She smiled.I did the dishes and cleaned up after lunch, and Summer kicked back on the sofa folding a load of laundry I'd done earlier. I took a look at the grass, yea the lawn could wait a couple more days. "What else needs to be done?" I asked from the kitchen. I got no answer. I walked into the living room and she was bobbing her head as I walked around the edge of the couch I noticed she'd put in earbuds and was listening to her mp3 player. She was lip syncing some unknown song. She looked up at me and grinned, pulling one of the buds loose."I couldn't live without my music." She threw a towel at me to fold."Listening to anything good?" She mentioned a band I'd never heard of, and moved the folded stuff from beside her and patted the seat beside her. I sat and she handed me the ear bud."Check it out, you might like it." I put it in my ear and listened for a song or two, folding another towel. A hard rock song started and she turned it up a bit and started singing along. She got to the chorus and really joined in full blast. The lyrics were pretty explicit. I was thinking you wouldn't hear music like that on the radio around here. There was a pause, then a soft intro began. The ballad was soft and low, and Summer stopped and closed her eyes, her lips barely moving with the lyrics. When I noticed I stopped and listened intently to the lyrics, it was about intense, heart-felt, you are my world, kind of love. The kind of love that lasts longer than a lifetime. When it ended she reached down and stopped the playback. She looked straight out the window for a moment and turned to me, a shy sweet smile on her lips."Do you believe in love Pete?" She asked me. I stared at her in wide-eyed amazement for a minute, and began slowly nodding."I do now." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I wanted to kiss her so badly, but something in her eyes made me hesitate. There was sadness there, and they welled up as if she were doing her best to hold back tears. A wash of emotion swept over me like a storm driven wave, and I leaned forward lifted her chin and kissed her softly. Our lips brushed, our tongues sought out one another, delicately probing. Something wet touched my cheek making me break the kiss long before I wanted to. I pulled back and a tear streamed down Summer's cheek. I reached for one of the towels and daubed it. I took a deep breath and was about to ask why she was crying when a curt little head shake waved off the question."Please don't ask, not yet anyway." She said, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry." She said wiping the remaining tear with the heel of her hand."You don't have anything to be sorry about." I replied softly.She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. She turned to me with a smile on her mouth but sadness in her eyes."I saw there's a free concert in the park tonight. Want to go? A rock blues cover band is playing. Sounds like they might be good."I knew they were good, my friends brother was in the band, and I'd heard them before. I smiled and nodded. "Sounds like fun, and they are good, I've heard them before.""I should ride down and get the Jeep. There's no way you're walking that far." I said sternly."Yes dear." Summer rolled her eyes at me. She giggled, and got up hobbling off to the bedroom and came back with a set of keys handing them to me."It's black, and I'm guessing the only one with West Virginia plates. It's at the walk-in clinic on Route 12."I nodded. "I know exactly where you mean. I'll go get it. You relax, take a nap if you want. I should be back in an hour or so." I smiled. I kissed her again, the underlying want in our embrace was nearly too much. She placed her hand on my chest, with the barest hint of pressure. She was right, if I kept it up we weren't going anywhere. I reluctantly stepped back, picked up the folded towels and put them away. I walked back out and she had laid down on the couch with her foot up on a pillow. I smiled that she'd taken my suggestion."Can I get you anything before I go?" I said softly leaning over the arm of the couch. She just smiled and gave her head a little shake. She reached up pulling me down closer for a quick upside-down kiss. I headed for the kitchen door, pausing as I closed it quietly, looking back into the house. I turned and started walking home.I walked, lost in thought. This week had been a week of firsts for me. I grinned at the thought of the first day when I lost my virginity to an amazing woman. The aggravation of the following days of not knowing exactly what was happening. If I had just opened my eyes I would have noticed she was waiting for me. Then today when she all but pushed me into making love to her again. I wondered why, well why me anyway. I knew so little about her. What was going on here. We'd known each other about a week, what was that question about believing in love. I could easily fall in love with her, I had to admit. Was I doing just that? So many questions came to mind as I walked up my driveway, I grabbed my bike out of the garage and hopped on. I made my way down to the coast road and started pedaling in earnest up the first rise. The traffic drifted past me as I sought answers to my questions. I pedaled harder nearly coasting up the next rise. Why was I over analyzing this? I was living out a fantasy any red-blooded male would die for. A beautiful, sexy woman wanted to have sex with me, repeatedly. Isn't that enough for me? I laughed out loud at that thought because I realized, it isn't.I rolled down the long slope of the hill seeing the clinic up ahead. I pulled into the parking lot and rode around looking for the Jeep and found it near the side of the building. I checked the plate and got off my bike, took out the keys and opened up the driver's side door. The heat billowed out of it from being parked in the sun so long. The smell of a roasted sweet smelling air freshener poured out and nearly gagged me. I walked to the back and looked at how I was going to get my bike in there and noticed there was a folding bike rack on the spare tire mount. I figured it out in a few minutes an

I had a real fun time chatting with Beth La Manach, whose new cookbook, “Entertaining 101” just released. Beth's YouTube channel is wildy entertaining and she is also on Substack so you can follow her Entertaining with Beth Now since Beth makes it so easy lets all get to Entertianing!EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:Stephanie Hansen:Hello, everybody. Welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish. I'm Stephanie Hansen and I like to talk to people obsessed with food. In particular, I enjoy cookbook authors and today I'm with Beth Lamonic and she is the author of a cookbook that just the title alone, I feel like holy cats. That's so intimidating. It is called entertaining one zero one. Beth, that just makes you, like, right on the level of Martha Stewart in my brain. Were you nervous about calling it one zero one?Beth Le Manach:No. Because the way that I'm thinking about the title is it's really targeted towards beginners or veterans who just need it to be easier and quicker. And I think everybody loves a one zero one entry point because they know it's not gonna be intimidating. It's gonna be accessible.Stephanie Hansen:Well, you are not a one zero one in your chops. You have over 662,000 followers on YouTube. They were like, oh, she has a a YouTube channel. And I went to look. I was like, holy cats. Tell me the name of your YouTube channel because I forgot to write it down. Recipes for entertaining. Was that what it was called?Beth Le Manach:No. It's called Entertaining with Beth.Stephanie Hansen:Got it. Okay. So you also are very fascinating, but I'm gonna get to that part in just a second. Take me through, like, your journey of, like, the how you started the YouTube and how we are that you're just is this your first book?Beth Le Manach:Yes. It isn't my first book. I know. I've been in a long time. I know exactly. Yeah. So it's kind of a long story, but I'll give you the highlights. I started my YouTube channel because I was by trade a producer for television, lifestyle television, and I got my start with the Scripps network.Beth Le Manach:So Food Network, HGTV, Fine Living, I was producing a bunch of content for them. I saw everything going online, digital. So I was like, I wanna produce digital content for the web. I got a job at a company that had a huge order for YouTube. So this was right around 2011 when YouTube started getting grants to media companies to produce quality content so they could get the advertisers to actually advertise against it. Because up into that point, it was a lot of, you know, skate board tricks and cat videos and stuff like that. Yeah. And so since I had come up with all of this kind of lifestyle content, my boss was like, okay. Create a YouTube channel that women will love. And I was a new mom. I had two small kids, and I was into all this lifestyle content, but I knew nothing about YouTube. So I had to really learn what it was, and little by little, we started to just create content. That was food content, fashion, beauty, all the things that I thought, like, women would be interested in.And then one day, my boss came to me and said, you know what? We are, like, really behind on the hours here that we have to deliver. We gotta pep this up a bit. What do you got? And I was like, I think we should do, like, entertaining shows, like, thirty minute shows, like what we used to do for TV. Like, let's do the perfect dinner party. He's like he was like, well, who are we gonna get to do that? And I was like, me. I love to cook, and I have a lot of recipes. And at the time, I just bought a house, and I was like, you know, come to my house. You don't have to pay me.You're already paying me, and let's knock off a few of these episodes. So we did about 16 of them, and then my boss was like, you know, this is really resonating with people. Like and and it really hit me at that point that I thought, how is this new information for people? Because I had grown up with Martha Stewart and Ina Garten, and I just thought that everybody was watching this. But people at the time on YouTube were just getting into, like, all the beauty gurus, and those girls were now aging up and sort of, like, having their first apartment and getting married. And they weren't suddenly gonna go offline and go look at magazines and books. They were staying online.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah.Beth Le Manach:And I think that's where it really resonated. And so long story short, I did that until I started to do it full time, and now the channel is mine, and I just do it full time.Stephanie Hansen:It explains lots of things. One, how prescient of you to see this digital age coming. So very smart.Beth Le Manach:Yeah.Stephanie Hansen:Two, I always talk about first mover advantage. And whenever there's a new platform or something, I always make sure that I log on. I save my handle. Even if I don't know if I'm gonna use it or do anything with it, I I believe that being the first in a space or in in a being a handful of first in a space is part of what gets you that first mover advantage. So note to self people because there's gonna be a lot of social enterprises that are coming in our future. And then also, like, sometimes the keeping it simple is the best. Like, you just assume that everybody knows how to, you know, make a delicious apparel spritz, but necessarily they don't. So that what you can offer in your most authentic way is, valuable.And that's, I guess, why you did this as your first book because you seem like you really are taking and packaging a lot of this in a way that feels authentic to you, and that's what people want.Beth Le Manach:I think they do. I mean and I think that's what YouTube has really taught me is that there are thousands of chicken Parmesan recipes on YouTube, but people will still ask me, but we want your recipe. Not because my recipe is gonna be better than anybody else's recipe because there's only a couple of ways around making a chicken parm, but because they want my point of view. And I think that that's what makes YouTube so human, and that's why they called it YouTube because it is about you and how you how I prepare chicken parmesan recipe could be different than how you prepare it. And the things that we're gonna highlight could be different based on our own lived experience, and I think that's what makes it really human and really fun.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. Your show is also very beautiful. I just started doing a TV show, with Fox here locally, and lighting is so important. And my own YouTube is horribly lit and embarrassing. Yours is incredible.Like, do you have my normal lights set up?Beth Le Manach:No. My gosh. You know what my light setup is now? No lights. The light setup is no lights because I went round and round, and I have, you know, a lot of different experience. Like, I started with the big crew of seven people people that would come, and then I would go back, like, after COVID, and there was no people. And then I had to learn it all myself, and then I moved to France, and I was like, I can't carry all this stuff with me. I have gone back and forth on the lighting, and I always go back to the fact that, like, natural lighting for food is just the best lighting, and then just adjust the camera settings. Like, you're much better off doing that and know which angles of the kitchen give you the best softest light because that you can always reproduce the camera, but you can't always reproduce the exact temperature and light. And, like, that just was making me crazy. So I just decided to finish the lights.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. That is really the tip. Yes. I like it. You mentioned this move to France, and I I you have through the course of your channel and through the course career here. Also, you had a like, it sounded like a rental in France that you made into a full time home.Beth Le Manach:Yes. Exactly. So my husband is French, and we had been coming to France every year or so when we were married. And then we took a break when we had kids, and then we started to bring the kids when they were, like, five and two.Stephanie Hansen:So you and your husband moved to France, and he's French. Yes. So he's like your Jeffrey.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. You could say that. Yeah. He, he he definitely, has inspired me a lot, I think, with the French lifestyle and French cooking. And we would come to France every summer just to vacation, and then we thought, okay. Let's stop renting all these houses. Let's buy a house and then become the renter like, become the person renting. That was a better investment for us.Beth Le Manach:And then, I don't know, we just he got to a point in his life where he was like, I see all my friends retiring in France. That's where I wanna be. And I think that's the blessing and the curse of marrying a foreigner. At one point, they're gonna wanna go back, and you just have to be ready for that. So I was always ready for it because I've always loved France, and I just thought, like, that's a fun experience. Yeah. Let's go do that.Stephanie Hansen:Do you read David Leibovitz's blog?Beth Le Manach:Yes. I do. I love him. Yeah. He's great.Stephanie Hansen:I've learned so much. I have, relatives that are from Montreal, which is not France, but they've spent time in France. And Yeah. He just talks a lot about the difficulties of living in France and being an American transplant living in France.Are there things that you have found that you're just like, oh, I just wish I could get this or something that you're craving to miss?Beth Le Manach:Prepared broths and stocks. Like, you know, when you go in The States, you go to the grocery store and you see, like, a million organic chicken broth, beef broth, like, in every brand that takes up practically a whole file. Here, you cannot get that. You can get the cubes where you're making it, but it's like you're wasting a whole cube for two cups of broth, and you may not need the two cups of broth. Like, I love those little one cup ones that we can get in those days. That, we cannot get here. And I I don't know why. A lot of me thinks, like, it just takes up too much space on the shelves, and maybe the little cubes are better, but I do miss that.Stephanie Hansen:Do you have that better than bouillon product?Beth Le Manach:We don't have that. I have not seen that. Uh-uh. Like, there's a lot of different kinds of these little broth cubes too, and I've been trying all of them. Some of them are horrible, and some of them are okay, but there's nothing like the Swanson's chicken broth. Like, I really kinda miss that. I love that. And Land O'Lakes spread the butter.Beth Le Manach:Land O'Lakes butter. Even though we have a million wonderful butters here in France for baking, nothing is quite like the Land O'Lakes salted butter in my opinion.Stephanie Hansen:I live in Minnesota, the home of Land O'Lakes, so that makes me real happy. Alright. So entertaining one zero one is about simple, easy ways to start your entertaining life, whether it be like a signature cocktail for mom's brunch or an egg bake for Christmas or, just a simple, like, Friday night dinner party. What are some of your favorite entry points for entertaining?Beth Le Manach:Yeah. Well, I think brunch. I think brunch is the beginners, like, home run because there's no fancy roasts that you have to learn how to carve. It's pretty inexpensive because you're not serving a ton of wines and cocktails. It's fairly cheap too because of what you're making. It's eggs and bread and fruit. And it's easy because you can, like, prep in the morning, and then people come at, like, eleven. And it doesn't take the whole night.Beth Le Manach:Like, it's not gonna go on for hours and hours. Like, people usually leave around two or three. I just think it's a great entry point for people. Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, once you get into the holidays, like the Thanksgiving and the Christmas, you wanna get a few brunches under your belt, maybe a few dinners. I always say start with four, then have six, but don't ever start having 10 guests, which is what Thanksgiving is. So don't start there. Yep.Beth Le Manach:Because people usually get themselves so stressed out for entertaining because I think they don't start at the right entry point. And then they never wanna do it again because it was a big mess and, you know, it was so stressful because I think they didn't work their way up to it. You know what I mean?Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. I never thought about that, but that's really a clever way to think about it. I also think too choosing, like, the main dish and then building from there is helpful. Like Yes. I I don't know why I was afraid to cook salmon for forever, but, but, really, roasting a whole side of salmon is a great dish for entertaining.Beth Le Manach:Super easy, beautiful, super delicious. Yeah. I I think that people feel like they get sort of stressed out at all of the organization, like, the the timing of it. Because most people don't have, like, restaurant cook experience where everything is timed. So my philosophy is always, like, one or two things, two max that's, like, active cooking, The rest, assembly and the rest, premade. So, like, if you balance out the portfolio of dishes so that they're not all active cooking, it's just gonna make your life so much easier.Stephanie Hansen:And so Don't you think too, like, what I always discover with entertaining is people are just so delighted to come, to be invited to something. We don't do this enough.Beth Le Manach:We don't do it enough because I think people are afraid of how it's gonna go because maybe they had one or two bad experiences or because, you know, for better or for worse, I'm probably contributing to this, but there is so much food media out there between the blogs and the Instagram and the Pinterest and television and books that, like, it can get very overwhelming. What do you serve and, you know, where do you begin? That I really wanted to create, like, here are the hundred and one recipes that, like, everybody should just know how to make. Like, it's just should be part of your repertoire. Like, get the basics down first and get the ones that you crave. So, like, of course, everybody wants to know how to make a turkey at Thanksgiving or a key lime pie at Easter or barbecue chicken in the summer. Like, these are the things we are all sort of craving perennially. And if you can get those right, then you go to, like, one zero two, which is, you know, the more sophisticated flight files and that kind of thing.Stephanie Hansen:Second book, are you already thinking about it?Beth Le Manach:Oh my gosh. No. Because I'm still recovering from the first book. You know, you're a good book author. I had no idea how all consuming it is. In a good way. Of it taken. It was a definite two year project, you know, between the testing, the writing, the photography, like, all of it.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. What part did you love, and what part did you hate?Beth Le Manach:I really love the testing. You know? Like, really taking the time to test each recipe and getting excited about being able to share it, thinking of all of my subscribers that I've had over the years and thinking, oh, this person's gonna love this, and, oh, that person is really this is really gonna help that person. I love that. I love the writing. I didn't think I would love that as much, but I really love that, the stories and the tips and the kind of bringing the recipe to life. As much as I love the results of the photo shoot, that was probably the most exhausting, I think. And to have to then remake all a hundred and one recipes again. And, you know, at that point, it's not just me in the kitchen.It's a whole team of people and making sure, like, oh, that's not supposed to look like that or, like, oh, that crust shouldn't be like you know? And, like, that I found very taxing. But it was great to see all the photos at the end of the shoot. Like, oh, wow. We did all that.Stephanie Hansen:Did you have to cut some recipes, and was that hard to do?Beth Le Manach:We didn't I would cut them in the testing. We didn't we we basically shot everything that we planned, so that was great. But there were recipes that I just kept thinking, this is good, but it's too complicated, or this is not delivering on my motto of, like, minimum effort, maximum impact. This is, like, maximum effort from maximum impact, but, like, I didn't wanna go there. I wanted to keep it really easy and accessible for people. So those were the recipes that usually got the pitch.Stephanie Hansen:Was it harder? When did you move to France, and was this in the middle?Beth Le Manach:Yeah. It was. Of course. That was the craziest thing about it. We did the photo shoot in May, and we moved in June. So as soon as the, like, photo team left at the May, we were like, okay. Let's wrap it up. And we started to just put things in boxes and because I couldn't, like, take the whole house apart because I needed all the props, and I needed a certain amount of furniture and dishes and thing, you know, that I couldn't take.Beth Le Manach:So yeah. Stephanie Hansen:did you move all that stuff? Do you still have it? Because people don't realize, like, when you're styling photos, you know, you need all this stuff that you have.Beth Le Manach:You you need all this stuff, and I had a ton of props as we all do. You know, anybody that's in this business has a ton props. And I used them all for the cookbook, but I could not take them all with me to France. It's just it was gonna be too expensive. And I was actually afraid that some of them would break anyway, so I gave them to a lot of the, prop master who was working on the cookbook. Like, she took a a bunch. Everybody on the shoot took some, and we had a fully furnished house here in France that we were renting. So and, of course, every time I come, I would hit a flea market and buy more stuff.So, like, I just had no more rooms for any more stuff, so I just had to, you know, give away.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. That's it's kinda liberating and kinda freeing, though, in and of itself.Beth Le Manach:It is. It is.Stephanie Hansen:Who do you look up to for entertaining?Beth Le Manach:Oh, you know, all the greats. I love Martha Stewart. I love Ina Garten. I'm trying to think, like, if I there's a couple of substackers that I really love. There's a woman, little Chavita is the name of her substack. I let do you know her? Do you follow her substack? I think yeah. I just I love her sort of effortless elegance. I love things that don't feel overly fussy or feel overly staged.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. There's a lot of Instagrammers too that you just see that you're like, oh, yeah. I love that. I don't know. Yeah. I think and my parents, like, I love the way that they entertain, and I've always, like, looked up to their sort of style of entertaining.Stephanie Hansen:You mentioned, chicken parm experience, and I just happen to have read a whole thing about an influencer that apparently grabbed some very similar recipes from, some recipe writers and then repackaged them and put them in her book in Australia that's been, like, a multimillion bestseller. And I always worry and wonder about that because it's very hard to make a recipe your own for something like a chicken farm. And I really cooking very basic and presenting very basic recipes that people have been doing for forever and short of, like, saying, you know, I got inspiration or I adapted from. I do wonder if we're getting into this place where the Internet is just full of 6,000 chicken parmesan recipes that are all the same.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. I mean, I think what really, sets them apart though is the way you go about it. Like, I can remember a copyright lawyer telling me, like, you can't actually copyright the ingredients, but you can copyright the method. And I think, you know, for anybody who cooks a lot, there is a method that you go about making the recipe that's based on your experience, like the do's and more importantly the don'ts. Like, don't do that because you're gonna have a salvee chicken parm. Make sure you do this because it'll crisp up more. So, like, in my chicken parmesan video on YouTube, I labeled it a little bit different. I think it's something like the six tips to a great chicken parm, and that's just based on my experience.Like, fry it in a cast iron pan, presalt the chicken so that it's nice and juicy. Once it comes out of the pan, put it on a cooling rack with a, you know, something like a cookie rack so that it doesn't get all soggy. Add a little Parmesan tea. Like so I think that people make very classic recipes their own by adding their own personality and their own little tips and tricks that they've learned along the way to guarantee success. So I feel like, you know, even in the age of AI and everybody's like, oh, you know what? They're only gonna get these recipes from AI. It's like, yeah. But you're not gonna get that human experience of, like, here's what I did that doesn't work. Here's what I've done that works really well.So I think that's kind of our, you know, competitive edge, I guess, against the robots.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. And the superpower that maybe will separate, finally, the weed from the chaff as it were. Because if we are all then making similarly the same thing, it is how we're doing it and also how we're performing the content because, like, people get interested in you as a human and you as how you do things, and they wanna follow you and your point of view and think you're funny or whatever your superpower is.Beth Le Manach:Exactly. And that's why I think video is so powerful because that doesn't always come across on the printed page or with a photograph. But when you are on video and you're spending time, like, building this audience on YouTube, it is a way to connect in a more human way with people. And that also, when they search chicken parm and they see three or four results come up, if they already know you because they've watched your video, they you do feel like a friend to them, and they want your point of view. So I think, you know, it was worth all those years and years of uploads because it does help you, like, ingratiate yourself a little bit more to the audience. You know?Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. And, also, I think if you just this is a weird thing to say, but I've been thinking about this a lot because I have a speech later today, and and I wasn't sure what I was gonna speak about. And my husband's like, oh, are you gonna talk about women in business? I was like, no. I think I'm gonna talk about my regs to not riches story, which is, like, people have all these different experiences. Right? And you're always comparing yourself to other people or trying to measure up or trying to get as many likes or follows or comments. And really what I always keep coming back to is that people just want authentic, friendly, nice people in their kitchen to spend time with them.Beth Le Manach:I think so. A %. Especially if it's something that they're a little unsure about, they want the reassurance that, like, it's going to be okay. Like, yeah, we're gonna do it together. You know? Like, I think that that's very reassuring for people.Stephanie Hansen:One of the, recipes that I happen to see on your YouTube really just, like, blew my mind, and I think it's based on your French experiences about almond croissants.Beth Le Manach:Oh, yeah. Yeah. That's from the book.Great. It is in the book. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen:I'm obsessed with almond croissants, and what you did was you took day old croissants and then made, like, a beautiful almond filling, and voila, almond croissants. It's it never occurred to me that that would be a way that you could do that without, you know, like, laminating dough and I mean doing all the hard work.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. Well, I laughed out loud because I didn't realize, and my husband shared this with me when we were sort of newly married, that almond or croissants were made because that was a way that the bakeries could use up the day old croissants that didn't sell because very few things go to waste in France, especially foods. Then it, like, made perfect sense. Like, oh, of course. So if they're doing that, like, we could be doing that. Yeah. Absolutely. Have, like, the yeah.We just don't have the day old croissants, but, like, you can do it with fresh if you just split them open and let them dry out while you make the filling, and it's just as good.Stephanie Hansen:So you have an event that's coming up at Cooks At Crocus Hill, June Eighth, 4 PM. As we record this, there's only a few tickets left. So by the time it actually airs, you probably won't have the privilege of getting tickets unless you decide to do another night. Is that a possibility?Beth Le Manach:We don't know because I have to leave the next day for my next tour. So this is the thing that I yeah. I'm learning about the book tours is you have to be quick about it because it is expensive to go to all these cities.Stephanie Hansen:Yes. And how many citiesBeth Le Manach:are you going to on your tour? I'm going to seven.Stephanie Hansen:Okay. Okay. That is gonna be great. Yeah. So we are speaking with Beth Lamonic, and she is the author of entertaining one zero one. And you can find her book, recipes every host should know how to make. I thought that was a great subtitle too, by the way. Very clear. Everybody knew exactly what they were gonna be getting from your book. Do you have a Substack too, or how do you want people to follow it?Beth Le Manach:Yes. I do. I have a Substack. That would be great. People can follow me there. It's called entertaining with Beth.Stephanie Hansen:And how are you enjoying that as a platform?Beth Le Manach:I love it. I mean, this is the funny thing is, like, writing the cookbook did introduce me to this, like, other way to create, which is writing. And I think it came at the perfect time because we moved to France around the same time that I was doing more on Substack. So I share the recipes there, which are free. But then if people wanna be part of my paid community, once a month, I do an essay about what it's like living in France. I'm kind of the good, bad, and the ugly, you know, because there is so much material that happens, and that's just been a really fun exercise to share that, just in the written page. And and sometimes I include little videos in it too. So It's been It's always fun too, Stephanie Hansen:I think, as creators to have other outlets and more outlets. Yeah. And, you know, I I know people find this hard to believe, but with the exception of, like, in any industry, the top 10% of us are cobbling this together. Right? You're at the end of the year, when you're doing your taxes, you have 52 tiny pots of money that you add up together. Right. And Substat is another tiny pot, but is giving a lot of joy to a lot of people and allowing them to flex in unique and creative ways.Beth Le Manach:It is. It absolutely is. And and I think too because if you stay with, like, kinda one medium, like, I've been doing video for so many years, thirteen years video, it gets really tiring, and you start to get a little fatigued by it all. So it kinda jump starts your creativity again to be like, oh, now I'm gonna write some things, and now I'm gonna and then it sort of helps the video because you look at it with fresher eyes.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. I love it. Well, Beth, it's been a delight to speak with you. Thanks for being on the podcast today. Good luck with the tour. Beth Le Manach: thanks for having me.Stephanie Hansen:Yes. Are you on presale right now?Beth Le Manach:Yes. We're on presale, and then it goes on sale, for real on June 3.Stephanie Hansen:Okay. So we're gonna launch this podcast, I believe, right before the launch. If you can presale, because you guys that listen know presales are super important to cookbook authors, all of those sales that they've generated up on the presale count towards the first day sales, which hopefully, if all things go great, launches them on bestseller list. Right? That's what we're all trying to do. Beth, I think you've got a great shot at it because your book, looks great. I've watched a bunch of your videos, and I'm just glad that you're getting a chance to come to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Cooks Of Crocusil is a great spot. You're gonna have a blast.Beth Le Manach:Yes. I hope so. It looks amazing.Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.Stephanie Hansen:Enjoy your travels. Hopefully, we'll speak again sometime. Sounds goodStephanie Hansen:Thanks, Stephanie. Bye. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

I had a real fun time chatting with Beth La Manach, whose new cookbook, “Entertaining 101” just released. Beth's YouTube channel is wildy entertaining and she is also on Substack so you can follow her Entertaining with Beth Now since Beth makes it so easy lets all get to Entertianing!EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:Stephanie Hansen:Hello, everybody. Welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish. I'm Stephanie Hansen and I like to talk to people obsessed with food. In particular, I enjoy cookbook authors and today I'm with Beth Lamonic and she is the author of a cookbook that just the title alone, I feel like holy cats. That's so intimidating. It is called entertaining one zero one. Beth, that just makes you, like, right on the level of Martha Stewart in my brain. Were you nervous about calling it one zero one?Beth Le Manach:No. Because the way that I'm thinking about the title is it's really targeted towards beginners or veterans who just need it to be easier and quicker. And I think everybody loves a one zero one entry point because they know it's not gonna be intimidating. It's gonna be accessible.Stephanie Hansen:Well, you are not a one zero one in your chops. You have over 662,000 followers on YouTube. They were like, oh, she has a a YouTube channel. And I went to look. I was like, holy cats. Tell me the name of your YouTube channel because I forgot to write it down. Recipes for entertaining. Was that what it was called?Beth Le Manach:No. It's called Entertaining with Beth.Stephanie Hansen:Got it. Okay. So you also are very fascinating, but I'm gonna get to that part in just a second. Take me through, like, your journey of, like, the how you started the YouTube and how we are that you're just is this your first book?Beth Le Manach:Yes. It isn't my first book. I know. I've been in a long time. I know exactly. Yeah. So it's kind of a long story, but I'll give you the highlights. I started my YouTube channel because I was by trade a producer for television, lifestyle television, and I got my start with the Scripps network.Beth Le Manach:So Food Network, HGTV, Fine Living, I was producing a bunch of content for them. I saw everything going online, digital. So I was like, I wanna produce digital content for the web. I got a job at a company that had a huge order for YouTube. So this was right around 2011 when YouTube started getting grants to media companies to produce quality content so they could get the advertisers to actually advertise against it. Because up into that point, it was a lot of, you know, skate board tricks and cat videos and stuff like that. Yeah. And so since I had come up with all of this kind of lifestyle content, my boss was like, okay. Create a YouTube channel that women will love. And I was a new mom. I had two small kids, and I was into all this lifestyle content, but I knew nothing about YouTube. So I had to really learn what it was, and little by little, we started to just create content. That was food content, fashion, beauty, all the things that I thought, like, women would be interested in.And then one day, my boss came to me and said, you know what? We are, like, really behind on the hours here that we have to deliver. We gotta pep this up a bit. What do you got? And I was like, I think we should do, like, entertaining shows, like, thirty minute shows, like what we used to do for TV. Like, let's do the perfect dinner party. He's like he was like, well, who are we gonna get to do that? And I was like, me. I love to cook, and I have a lot of recipes. And at the time, I just bought a house, and I was like, you know, come to my house. You don't have to pay me.You're already paying me, and let's knock off a few of these episodes. So we did about 16 of them, and then my boss was like, you know, this is really resonating with people. Like and and it really hit me at that point that I thought, how is this new information for people? Because I had grown up with Martha Stewart and Ina Garten, and I just thought that everybody was watching this. But people at the time on YouTube were just getting into, like, all the beauty gurus, and those girls were now aging up and sort of, like, having their first apartment and getting married. And they weren't suddenly gonna go offline and go look at magazines and books. They were staying online.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah.Beth Le Manach:And I think that's where it really resonated. And so long story short, I did that until I started to do it full time, and now the channel is mine, and I just do it full time.Stephanie Hansen:It explains lots of things. One, how prescient of you to see this digital age coming. So very smart.Beth Le Manach:Yeah.Stephanie Hansen:Two, I always talk about first mover advantage. And whenever there's a new platform or something, I always make sure that I log on. I save my handle. Even if I don't know if I'm gonna use it or do anything with it, I I believe that being the first in a space or in in a being a handful of first in a space is part of what gets you that first mover advantage. So note to self people because there's gonna be a lot of social enterprises that are coming in our future. And then also, like, sometimes the keeping it simple is the best. Like, you just assume that everybody knows how to, you know, make a delicious apparel spritz, but necessarily they don't. So that what you can offer in your most authentic way is, valuable.And that's, I guess, why you did this as your first book because you seem like you really are taking and packaging a lot of this in a way that feels authentic to you, and that's what people want.Beth Le Manach:I think they do. I mean and I think that's what YouTube has really taught me is that there are thousands of chicken Parmesan recipes on YouTube, but people will still ask me, but we want your recipe. Not because my recipe is gonna be better than anybody else's recipe because there's only a couple of ways around making a chicken parm, but because they want my point of view. And I think that that's what makes YouTube so human, and that's why they called it YouTube because it is about you and how you how I prepare chicken parmesan recipe could be different than how you prepare it. And the things that we're gonna highlight could be different based on our own lived experience, and I think that's what makes it really human and really fun.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. Your show is also very beautiful. I just started doing a TV show, with Fox here locally, and lighting is so important. And my own YouTube is horribly lit and embarrassing. Yours is incredible.Like, do you have my normal lights set up?Beth Le Manach:No. My gosh. You know what my light setup is now? No lights. The light setup is no lights because I went round and round, and I have, you know, a lot of different experience. Like, I started with the big crew of seven people people that would come, and then I would go back, like, after COVID, and there was no people. And then I had to learn it all myself, and then I moved to France, and I was like, I can't carry all this stuff with me. I have gone back and forth on the lighting, and I always go back to the fact that, like, natural lighting for food is just the best lighting, and then just adjust the camera settings. Like, you're much better off doing that and know which angles of the kitchen give you the best softest light because that you can always reproduce the camera, but you can't always reproduce the exact temperature and light. And, like, that just was making me crazy. So I just decided to finish the lights.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. That is really the tip. Yes. I like it. You mentioned this move to France, and I I you have through the course of your channel and through the course career here. Also, you had a like, it sounded like a rental in France that you made into a full time home.Beth Le Manach:Yes. Exactly. So my husband is French, and we had been coming to France every year or so when we were married. And then we took a break when we had kids, and then we started to bring the kids when they were, like, five and two.Stephanie Hansen:So you and your husband moved to France, and he's French. Yes. So he's like your Jeffrey.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. You could say that. Yeah. He, he he definitely, has inspired me a lot, I think, with the French lifestyle and French cooking. And we would come to France every summer just to vacation, and then we thought, okay. Let's stop renting all these houses. Let's buy a house and then become the renter like, become the person renting. That was a better investment for us.Beth Le Manach:And then, I don't know, we just he got to a point in his life where he was like, I see all my friends retiring in France. That's where I wanna be. And I think that's the blessing and the curse of marrying a foreigner. At one point, they're gonna wanna go back, and you just have to be ready for that. So I was always ready for it because I've always loved France, and I just thought, like, that's a fun experience. Yeah. Let's go do that.Stephanie Hansen:Do you read David Leibovitz's blog?Beth Le Manach:Yes. I do. I love him. Yeah. He's great.Stephanie Hansen:I've learned so much. I have, relatives that are from Montreal, which is not France, but they've spent time in France. And Yeah. He just talks a lot about the difficulties of living in France and being an American transplant living in France.Are there things that you have found that you're just like, oh, I just wish I could get this or something that you're craving to miss?Beth Le Manach:Prepared broths and stocks. Like, you know, when you go in The States, you go to the grocery store and you see, like, a million organic chicken broth, beef broth, like, in every brand that takes up practically a whole file. Here, you cannot get that. You can get the cubes where you're making it, but it's like you're wasting a whole cube for two cups of broth, and you may not need the two cups of broth. Like, I love those little one cup ones that we can get in those days. That, we cannot get here. And I I don't know why. A lot of me thinks, like, it just takes up too much space on the shelves, and maybe the little cubes are better, but I do miss that.Stephanie Hansen:Do you have that better than bouillon product?Beth Le Manach:We don't have that. I have not seen that. Uh-uh. Like, there's a lot of different kinds of these little broth cubes too, and I've been trying all of them. Some of them are horrible, and some of them are okay, but there's nothing like the Swanson's chicken broth. Like, I really kinda miss that. I love that. And Land O'Lakes spread the butter.Beth Le Manach:Land O'Lakes butter. Even though we have a million wonderful butters here in France for baking, nothing is quite like the Land O'Lakes salted butter in my opinion.Stephanie Hansen:I live in Minnesota, the home of Land O'Lakes, so that makes me real happy. Alright. So entertaining one zero one is about simple, easy ways to start your entertaining life, whether it be like a signature cocktail for mom's brunch or an egg bake for Christmas or, just a simple, like, Friday night dinner party. What are some of your favorite entry points for entertaining?Beth Le Manach:Yeah. Well, I think brunch. I think brunch is the beginners, like, home run because there's no fancy roasts that you have to learn how to carve. It's pretty inexpensive because you're not serving a ton of wines and cocktails. It's fairly cheap too because of what you're making. It's eggs and bread and fruit. And it's easy because you can, like, prep in the morning, and then people come at, like, eleven. And it doesn't take the whole night.Beth Le Manach:Like, it's not gonna go on for hours and hours. Like, people usually leave around two or three. I just think it's a great entry point for people. Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, once you get into the holidays, like the Thanksgiving and the Christmas, you wanna get a few brunches under your belt, maybe a few dinners. I always say start with four, then have six, but don't ever start having 10 guests, which is what Thanksgiving is. So don't start there. Yep.Beth Le Manach:Because people usually get themselves so stressed out for entertaining because I think they don't start at the right entry point. And then they never wanna do it again because it was a big mess and, you know, it was so stressful because I think they didn't work their way up to it. You know what I mean?Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. I never thought about that, but that's really a clever way to think about it. I also think too choosing, like, the main dish and then building from there is helpful. Like Yes. I I don't know why I was afraid to cook salmon for forever, but, but, really, roasting a whole side of salmon is a great dish for entertaining.Beth Le Manach:Super easy, beautiful, super delicious. Yeah. I I think that people feel like they get sort of stressed out at all of the organization, like, the the timing of it. Because most people don't have, like, restaurant cook experience where everything is timed. So my philosophy is always, like, one or two things, two max that's, like, active cooking, The rest, assembly and the rest, premade. So, like, if you balance out the portfolio of dishes so that they're not all active cooking, it's just gonna make your life so much easier.Stephanie Hansen:And so Don't you think too, like, what I always discover with entertaining is people are just so delighted to come, to be invited to something. We don't do this enough.Beth Le Manach:We don't do it enough because I think people are afraid of how it's gonna go because maybe they had one or two bad experiences or because, you know, for better or for worse, I'm probably contributing to this, but there is so much food media out there between the blogs and the Instagram and the Pinterest and television and books that, like, it can get very overwhelming. What do you serve and, you know, where do you begin? That I really wanted to create, like, here are the hundred and one recipes that, like, everybody should just know how to make. Like, it's just should be part of your repertoire. Like, get the basics down first and get the ones that you crave. So, like, of course, everybody wants to know how to make a turkey at Thanksgiving or a key lime pie at Easter or barbecue chicken in the summer. Like, these are the things we are all sort of craving perennially. And if you can get those right, then you go to, like, one zero two, which is, you know, the more sophisticated flight files and that kind of thing.Stephanie Hansen:Second book, are you already thinking about it?Beth Le Manach:Oh my gosh. No. Because I'm still recovering from the first book. You know, you're a good book author. I had no idea how all consuming it is. In a good way. Of it taken. It was a definite two year project, you know, between the testing, the writing, the photography, like, all of it.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. What part did you love, and what part did you hate?Beth Le Manach:I really love the testing. You know? Like, really taking the time to test each recipe and getting excited about being able to share it, thinking of all of my subscribers that I've had over the years and thinking, oh, this person's gonna love this, and, oh, that person is really this is really gonna help that person. I love that. I love the writing. I didn't think I would love that as much, but I really love that, the stories and the tips and the kind of bringing the recipe to life. As much as I love the results of the photo shoot, that was probably the most exhausting, I think. And to have to then remake all a hundred and one recipes again. And, you know, at that point, it's not just me in the kitchen.It's a whole team of people and making sure, like, oh, that's not supposed to look like that or, like, oh, that crust shouldn't be like you know? And, like, that I found very taxing. But it was great to see all the photos at the end of the shoot. Like, oh, wow. We did all that.Stephanie Hansen:Did you have to cut some recipes, and was that hard to do?Beth Le Manach:We didn't I would cut them in the testing. We didn't we we basically shot everything that we planned, so that was great. But there were recipes that I just kept thinking, this is good, but it's too complicated, or this is not delivering on my motto of, like, minimum effort, maximum impact. This is, like, maximum effort from maximum impact, but, like, I didn't wanna go there. I wanted to keep it really easy and accessible for people. So those were the recipes that usually got the pitch.Stephanie Hansen:Was it harder? When did you move to France, and was this in the middle?Beth Le Manach:Yeah. It was. Of course. That was the craziest thing about it. We did the photo shoot in May, and we moved in June. So as soon as the, like, photo team left at the May, we were like, okay. Let's wrap it up. And we started to just put things in boxes and because I couldn't, like, take the whole house apart because I needed all the props, and I needed a certain amount of furniture and dishes and thing, you know, that I couldn't take.Beth Le Manach:So yeah. Stephanie Hansen:did you move all that stuff? Do you still have it? Because people don't realize, like, when you're styling photos, you know, you need all this stuff that you have.Beth Le Manach:You you need all this stuff, and I had a ton of props as we all do. You know, anybody that's in this business has a ton props. And I used them all for the cookbook, but I could not take them all with me to France. It's just it was gonna be too expensive. And I was actually afraid that some of them would break anyway, so I gave them to a lot of the, prop master who was working on the cookbook. Like, she took a a bunch. Everybody on the shoot took some, and we had a fully furnished house here in France that we were renting. So and, of course, every time I come, I would hit a flea market and buy more stuff.So, like, I just had no more rooms for any more stuff, so I just had to, you know, give away.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. That's it's kinda liberating and kinda freeing, though, in and of itself.Beth Le Manach:It is. It is.Stephanie Hansen:Who do you look up to for entertaining?Beth Le Manach:Oh, you know, all the greats. I love Martha Stewart. I love Ina Garten. I'm trying to think, like, if I there's a couple of substackers that I really love. There's a woman, little Chavita is the name of her substack. I let do you know her? Do you follow her substack? I think yeah. I just I love her sort of effortless elegance. I love things that don't feel overly fussy or feel overly staged.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. There's a lot of Instagrammers too that you just see that you're like, oh, yeah. I love that. I don't know. Yeah. I think and my parents, like, I love the way that they entertain, and I've always, like, looked up to their sort of style of entertaining.Stephanie Hansen:You mentioned, chicken parm experience, and I just happen to have read a whole thing about an influencer that apparently grabbed some very similar recipes from, some recipe writers and then repackaged them and put them in her book in Australia that's been, like, a multimillion bestseller. And I always worry and wonder about that because it's very hard to make a recipe your own for something like a chicken farm. And I really cooking very basic and presenting very basic recipes that people have been doing for forever and short of, like, saying, you know, I got inspiration or I adapted from. I do wonder if we're getting into this place where the Internet is just full of 6,000 chicken parmesan recipes that are all the same.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. I mean, I think what really, sets them apart though is the way you go about it. Like, I can remember a copyright lawyer telling me, like, you can't actually copyright the ingredients, but you can copyright the method. And I think, you know, for anybody who cooks a lot, there is a method that you go about making the recipe that's based on your experience, like the do's and more importantly the don'ts. Like, don't do that because you're gonna have a salvee chicken parm. Make sure you do this because it'll crisp up more. So, like, in my chicken parmesan video on YouTube, I labeled it a little bit different. I think it's something like the six tips to a great chicken parm, and that's just based on my experience.Like, fry it in a cast iron pan, presalt the chicken so that it's nice and juicy. Once it comes out of the pan, put it on a cooling rack with a, you know, something like a cookie rack so that it doesn't get all soggy. Add a little Parmesan tea. Like so I think that people make very classic recipes their own by adding their own personality and their own little tips and tricks that they've learned along the way to guarantee success. So I feel like, you know, even in the age of AI and everybody's like, oh, you know what? They're only gonna get these recipes from AI. It's like, yeah. But you're not gonna get that human experience of, like, here's what I did that doesn't work. Here's what I've done that works really well.So I think that's kind of our, you know, competitive edge, I guess, against the robots.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. And the superpower that maybe will separate, finally, the weed from the chaff as it were. Because if we are all then making similarly the same thing, it is how we're doing it and also how we're performing the content because, like, people get interested in you as a human and you as how you do things, and they wanna follow you and your point of view and think you're funny or whatever your superpower is.Beth Le Manach:Exactly. And that's why I think video is so powerful because that doesn't always come across on the printed page or with a photograph. But when you are on video and you're spending time, like, building this audience on YouTube, it is a way to connect in a more human way with people. And that also, when they search chicken parm and they see three or four results come up, if they already know you because they've watched your video, they you do feel like a friend to them, and they want your point of view. So I think, you know, it was worth all those years and years of uploads because it does help you, like, ingratiate yourself a little bit more to the audience. You know?Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. And, also, I think if you just this is a weird thing to say, but I've been thinking about this a lot because I have a speech later today, and and I wasn't sure what I was gonna speak about. And my husband's like, oh, are you gonna talk about women in business? I was like, no. I think I'm gonna talk about my regs to not riches story, which is, like, people have all these different experiences. Right? And you're always comparing yourself to other people or trying to measure up or trying to get as many likes or follows or comments. And really what I always keep coming back to is that people just want authentic, friendly, nice people in their kitchen to spend time with them.Beth Le Manach:I think so. A %. Especially if it's something that they're a little unsure about, they want the reassurance that, like, it's going to be okay. Like, yeah, we're gonna do it together. You know? Like, I think that that's very reassuring for people.Stephanie Hansen:One of the, recipes that I happen to see on your YouTube really just, like, blew my mind, and I think it's based on your French experiences about almond croissants.Beth Le Manach:Oh, yeah. Yeah. That's from the book.Great. It is in the book. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen:I'm obsessed with almond croissants, and what you did was you took day old croissants and then made, like, a beautiful almond filling, and voila, almond croissants. It's it never occurred to me that that would be a way that you could do that without, you know, like, laminating dough and I mean doing all the hard work.Beth Le Manach:Yeah. Well, I laughed out loud because I didn't realize, and my husband shared this with me when we were sort of newly married, that almond or croissants were made because that was a way that the bakeries could use up the day old croissants that didn't sell because very few things go to waste in France, especially foods. Then it, like, made perfect sense. Like, oh, of course. So if they're doing that, like, we could be doing that. Yeah. Absolutely. Have, like, the yeah.We just don't have the day old croissants, but, like, you can do it with fresh if you just split them open and let them dry out while you make the filling, and it's just as good.Stephanie Hansen:So you have an event that's coming up at Cooks At Crocus Hill, June Eighth, 4 PM. As we record this, there's only a few tickets left. So by the time it actually airs, you probably won't have the privilege of getting tickets unless you decide to do another night. Is that a possibility?Beth Le Manach:We don't know because I have to leave the next day for my next tour. So this is the thing that I yeah. I'm learning about the book tours is you have to be quick about it because it is expensive to go to all these cities.Stephanie Hansen:Yes. And how many citiesBeth Le Manach:are you going to on your tour? I'm going to seven.Stephanie Hansen:Okay. Okay. That is gonna be great. Yeah. So we are speaking with Beth Lamonic, and she is the author of entertaining one zero one. And you can find her book, recipes every host should know how to make. I thought that was a great subtitle too, by the way. Very clear. Everybody knew exactly what they were gonna be getting from your book. Do you have a Substack too, or how do you want people to follow it?Beth Le Manach:Yes. I do. I have a Substack. That would be great. People can follow me there. It's called entertaining with Beth.Stephanie Hansen:And how are you enjoying that as a platform?Beth Le Manach:I love it. I mean, this is the funny thing is, like, writing the cookbook did introduce me to this, like, other way to create, which is writing. And I think it came at the perfect time because we moved to France around the same time that I was doing more on Substack. So I share the recipes there, which are free. But then if people wanna be part of my paid community, once a month, I do an essay about what it's like living in France. I'm kind of the good, bad, and the ugly, you know, because there is so much material that happens, and that's just been a really fun exercise to share that, just in the written page. And and sometimes I include little videos in it too. So It's been It's always fun too, Stephanie Hansen:I think, as creators to have other outlets and more outlets. Yeah. And, you know, I I know people find this hard to believe, but with the exception of, like, in any industry, the top 10% of us are cobbling this together. Right? You're at the end of the year, when you're doing your taxes, you have 52 tiny pots of money that you add up together. Right. And Substat is another tiny pot, but is giving a lot of joy to a lot of people and allowing them to flex in unique and creative ways.Beth Le Manach:It is. It absolutely is. And and I think too because if you stay with, like, kinda one medium, like, I've been doing video for so many years, thirteen years video, it gets really tiring, and you start to get a little fatigued by it all. So it kinda jump starts your creativity again to be like, oh, now I'm gonna write some things, and now I'm gonna and then it sort of helps the video because you look at it with fresher eyes.Stephanie Hansen:Yeah. I love it. Well, Beth, it's been a delight to speak with you. Thanks for being on the podcast today. Good luck with the tour. Beth Le Manach: thanks for having me.Stephanie Hansen:Yes. Are you on presale right now?Beth Le Manach:Yes. We're on presale, and then it goes on sale, for real on June 3.Stephanie Hansen:Okay. So we're gonna launch this podcast, I believe, right before the launch. If you can presale, because you guys that listen know presales are super important to cookbook authors, all of those sales that they've generated up on the presale count towards the first day sales, which hopefully, if all things go great, launches them on bestseller list. Right? That's what we're all trying to do. Beth, I think you've got a great shot at it because your book, looks great. I've watched a bunch of your videos, and I'm just glad that you're getting a chance to come to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Cooks Of Crocusil is a great spot. You're gonna have a blast.Beth Le Manach:Yes. I hope so. It looks amazing.Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.Stephanie Hansen:Enjoy your travels. Hopefully, we'll speak again sometime. Sounds goodStephanie Hansen:Thanks, Stephanie. Bye. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

On this all-new E! News, we have the latest onn Hugh Jackman's divorce as his close friend speaks out. Next, Beyonce goes viral after delivering the ultimate gender reveal. Plus, interviews with Scarlett Johansson, Felicity Huffman, Martha Stewart and Penn Badgley. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chloe Sexton didn't plan on becoming a mom—or a business owner shipping massive cookies across the country. But life has a way of rewriting the script. When Chloe's mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and later became pregnant, Chloe stepped up to help raise her baby sister, Charlotte. Years later, that unexpected bond transformed into guardianship. And just as Chloe was navigating pregnancy, job loss, and grief, she found herself baking cookies in her Memphis kitchen—cookies that would soon go viral.What started as a hobby turned lifeline, Chloe's love for Martha Stewart-level baking evolved into a full-fledged company: Chloe's Giant Cookies, a now-booming bakery known for its decadent, oversized treats. With the support of her husband and family, Chloe grew her business into something extraordinary—all while documenting her grief, parenting, and advocacy on TikTok. From mixing dough to managing loss, Chloe shares how authenticity became her superpower.This episode of A Fresh Story is a heart-wrenching and heartwarming look at what happens when you grieve out loud, raise a family that wasn't part of the plan, and build a business that nourishes not just others—but your own healing. Chloe reminds us that family is what you make it, and sometimes the best fresh starts come with a side of cookies.

INTRO (00:23): Kathleen opens the show drinking a Dead Parrot Salted Lime Light Lager from Florida Avenue Brewing Company.    TOUR NEWS: See Kathleen live on her “Day Drinking Tour.”   COURT NEWS (18:43): Kathleen shares news that Queen Cher celebrated her 79th birthday, Dolly Parton is releasing a line of Southern inspired frozen meals, Snoop Dogg & Martha Stewart won an Emmy for their 2024 Olympic coverage, Stevie Nicks turns 77 years old, and Jelly Roll has vowed to pledge $20M to build a dog shelter in Tennessee.    TASTING MENU (5:03): Kathleen tastes Simply Doritos White Cheddar Nacho chips, Chocolate Covered Pretzel Oreos, and Albanese Gourmet Gummy Bears.    UPDATES (37:21): Kathleen shares updates on Belichick's girlfriend being kicked out of a Nantucket party, Meghan Markle inks a reduced deal with Netflix,    HOLY SHIT THEY FOUND IT (43:01) : Kathleen reveals the discovery of the secret of what happened to America's “lost colony” of Roanoke.   FRONT PAGE PUB NEWS (45:45) : Kathleen shares articles discussing Brits who scaled Everest using anesthetic gas, Bigfoot is spotted in a Michigan swamp, the “Bubblehead family” is a St. Louis urban legend, Buc-ee's has broken ground in Arizona, Pop-Tarts is releasing 6 new summer products, the US Treasury will stop producing new pennies at the end of the year, the Canadian province of Alberta is looking to secede from the country, 17 members of a cartel kingpin's family were escorted into the US by the current administration, Taco Bell is entering Ireland, and Ticketmaster implements up-front ticket pricing.    STUPID TOURIST OF THE WEEK (50:07): A Florida man is gored by a Yellowstone bison, and a Russian tourist dies while leaning out of a train to take a selfie.    WHAT ARE WE WATCHING (27:58): Kathleen recommends watching “Earnhardt” on Prime Video, “Untold: The Fall of Favre” on Netflix, “Sirens” on Netflix, and “Jamestown” on Prime.    FEEL GOOD STORY (1:13:43): Kathleen reads about how teddy bears got their name. 

If your thoughts bounce from “she's rude” to “they're amazing” in the same breath, you're not alone. But this pattern messes with your brand—and your ability to trust your own mind. In this episode I discuss:Why constant mental flip-flopping kills your strategic edgeThe hidden cost of narrating everyone else's behaviorHow to rewire your brain for clarity, confidence, and leadership presenceSupport the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

This week, Dani & JRob discuss: (4:29) High Schoolers Going Big for Prom (7:06) Why being a Homemaker is An Important Career, Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray (7:53) Why Going on Dates and Courting Is Important (24:56) Kai Cenat's Streamer University Thoughts, Funny Marco, Agent 00, DDG, Funny Mike (33:22) Kid Cudi Testifying on Diddy Trial, Cassie Relationship, Home Invasion & Car, Armon Wiggins Coverage (46:35) GloRilla's New Nose Job (55:18) Megan Thee Stallion Unfollows GloRilla for Tory Lanez IG Post (1:01:29) Remy Ma, Papoose & Claressa Shields (1:08:02) Forever on Netflix Review

In this episode of Dawnversations with Anthony, we dive into the world of celebrity scandal and public downfall. From household names like O.J. Simpson and Bill Cosby to surprising figures like Martha Stewart and beyond, we reflect on some of the most jaw-dropping "falls from grace" in pop culture. With our usual blend of humor and honesty, we talk about how these moments shaped public perception, the toxic media frenzy that followed, and how we personally reacted when some of our favorite stars shocked the world.Join us for a conversation that's part nostalgic trip, part cultural critique—and all Dawnversations.

On this week's episode, host Caryn Antonini is joined by the very talented, Darcy Miller, founder of Darcy Miller Designs, a boutique creative studio in New York City. Darcy is an author, illustrator, crafter and creative visionary, who began her career working at Martha Stewart Living and was quickly tapped for her creative talents, becoming one of the founding editors at Martha Stewart Weddings. After some 30 plus years in editorial at Martha Stewart, Darcy stepped out to begin her next chapter as a Celebration Expert, where she has been inspiring people to create meaningful celebrations, whether big or small, through her inventive crafting, personalized parties, baking ideas, whimsical designs and so much more. She also offers a bespoke consulting service, dubbed Celebrate Everything, with a vision and mission to help people celebrate life's most important moments.For more information on our guest:darcymillerdesigns.com | @darcymillerCaryn Antoniniwww.cultivatedbycaryn.com@carynantonini@cultivatedbycarynshow###Get great recipes from Caryn at https://carynantonini.com/recipes/

Hey guys and welcome back to the podcast!Today, we are chatting with Julia Chebotar who was eliminated from NBC's Yes, Chef this week. Super sad, because Julia is such a kind spirit and everyone liked her. But, this week Martha & Jose were in charge of who was being sent home and Julia is here to react to her elimination and give us the inside scoop of the other contestants on the show. Julia also teases what is to come the rest of the season, because she has heard stuff. Julia also tells us about being a private chef in New York City!Follow Chef Julia: https://www.instagram.com/healthchefjulia/Connect with me on social: https://www.instagram.com/zacharyrealityhttps://www.tiktok.com/@zacharyrealityhttps://twitter.com/zacharyreality#yeschef #chef #marthastewart #joseandres #nbc #peacock #zacharyreality #podcast #interview #realitytv #cookingcompetitions #cookingshow

In this episode of The Career Refresh, I talk with Eric Gillin—an executive who's held just about every role in media: editor, product lead, head of sales. He calls himself “professional putty,” and he's not wrong.We cover:How to drive influence without a formal titleHow to lead teams through turbulence and build trustWhy chasing the right problems beats chasing promotionsShow GuestFor over 20 years, Eric Gillin has been a force inside legacy media—driving innovation at Condé Nast, Hearst, Maxim, Discovery, and beyond. He's partnered with over 100 editors-in-chief, from David Granger to David Remnick, to launch digital products that moved the needle.He's done nearly every media job out there—writing for Esquire, interviewing celebrities at Maxim, hosting a podcast at 23, launching a dozen apps at Hearst, creating the viral Bon Appétit video strategy, and becoming the first person to run Condé Nast's U.S. ad sales team.Support the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

This week, we're pulling back the curtain on artist development. Is it just image, music, and marketing—or is there more beneath the surface? Jason and Shelby dive deep into what it really takes to grow as an artist, exploring not just the outer brand, but the inner man. Because great art doesn't just sound good—it comes from someone solid on the inside.Tune in and discover the heart behind the hustle.

The JB and Sandy Show, May 15, 2025Selma Hayek's appearance on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2025 issue.Representation of older women in media and its significance.The impact of age diversity in modeling and media.Personal anecdotes about jury duty experiences.The jury selection process and its challenges.Reflections on aging and changing perceptions of age in television history.Nostalgia for iconic TV shows and their portrayal of age.Discussion of the legal system and the importance of civic duty.Humor and light-hearted commentary on the realities of court trials.The value of participating in the judicial process and its community impact.

As team leaders, we need to understand what prevents burnout, understand work styles, and build thriving teams by creating environments where everyone can succeed, from the ultra-resilient to the highly sensitive.This episode breaks down the “Dandelion-Orchid Theory” and what it means for your career, leadership style, and how you handle stress. You'll learn:Why “one-size-fits-all” leadership leads to burnoutThe subtle signs your team is struggling—even if they say they're fineHow to support both high-achievers and deep-feelersSupport the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

When comedian Iliza Schlesinger joined me for what was supposed to be a simple crafting session, we quickly discovered that neither of us possesses Martha Stewart-level skills—and that's perfectly okay. Between failed paint pours and questionable attempts at "art," our conversation evolved into something far more valuable than the lopsided trivets we created.Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of our conversation was dismantling the guilt associated with self-care. Iliza's philosophy resonated deeply: "I don't believe in guilt. I think you just do things because you need to do them." This permission to prioritize yourself without apology feels revolutionary in a culture that expects women to put themselves last.Join us for laughter, surprisingly deep insights, and the liberating reminder that sometimes the most meaningful connections happen when we stop striving for perfection and simply enjoy the creative process, whatever the outcome.To watch the segment with Iliza Schlesinger and Sabrina, The Sabrina Soto Show: https://www.sabrinasoto.com/the-sabrina-soto-show/Connect with Sabrina on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sabrina_sotoConnect with Iliza Schlesinger here:https://iliza.com/Iliza Schlesinger on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ilizas/

If there's someone that has good taste (on and off the plate) - it's Meredith Hayden. Today I'm joined by chef, content creator, and newly published author behind Wishbone Kitchen to talk about her much-anticipated cookbook, how her personal style influences her cooking, and her go-tos in the kitchen and beyond. She also shares her thoughts on the state of food media, what it means to be an influencer in 2025, and of course... Martha Stewart.Follow Meredith on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wishbonekitchen/ and on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@wishbonekitchen?lang=enShop Meredith's new cookbook here https://wishbonekitchen.com/cookbook/Find your forever pieces @jennikayne and get 15% off with promo code LIV at https://www.jennikayne.com/LIV! #jennikaynepartnerLove the show? Follow us and leave a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. To watch this episode, head to YouTube.com/@LivvPerezFor more behind-the-scenes, follow Liv on Instagram, @LivvPerez, on TikTok @Livv.Perez, and shop her closet here https://shopmy.us/livvperezSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A podcast for campers, glampers and everyone in between! Pack your cutest flannel and prepare to wander into the rustic summer retreat of your dream! Welcome to Camp Wandawega!This incredible retreat located just north of the border in Wisconsin has it all- a private lakefront, hiking trails, and the most Instagramable accommodations even Martha Stewart couldn't have designed herself. With roots in Prohibition and the Catholic Church, its location has many a tale to tell (if only walls could talk are we right)?!Luckily, we met Tereasa Surratt, Co-Owner of Camp with her husband David, and she does an amazing job telling just a pinch of the camps's storied past! From cozy cabins to traditional tents, there is an accommodation for every vibe. Learn about them and the many outdoor activities you and your guest can indulge in during your vacation.Learn from Tereasa why it's so important to unplug and unwind, especially for the many creatives who come to the resort each year!Tereasa also shares some updates on her newest project the “Bureau of Tourism” in West Town and we find out about their bourbon with CH Distillery, a past guest on the show!We end with rapid campfire, discovering Tereasa's favorite camp scent and how she likes her s'mores! BOOK & INFO: https://wandawega.com/SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/campwandawega/?hl=en

Its Seeking Sunday! Happy Mothers day to all of you divas. Ben here, today Jacques, Hesse, and I guess what the new pope's vibe is (we recorded 10 minutes after the news was announced) spill some upstate tea about Martha Stewart and a 100 year old succulent, call Sniffies, and read some celebrity blind items.

It used to be that making documentary films meant taking a vow of poverty (and obscurity). The streaming revolution changed that. Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler talks to Stephen Dubner about capturing Billie Eilish's musical genius and Martha Stewart's vulnerability — and why he really, really, really needs to make a film about the New York Mets. SOURCES:R.J. Cutler, filmmaker. RESOURCES:Fight for Glory, documentary (2025).Martha, documentary (2024)."Reality Check: The Boom—or Glut—in Streaming Documentaries Has Sparked a Reckoning Among Filmmakers and Their Subjects," by Reeves Wiedeman (Vulture, 2023)."Inside the Documentary Cash Grab," by Mia Galuppo and Katie Kilkenny (The Hollywood Reporter, 2022).Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry, documentary (2021). EXTRAS:“Ari Emanuel Is Never Indifferent,” by Freakonomics Radio (2023).

Jackie wants to watch current TV, but she's trapped in the early 2000's Housewives reality and MJ really has no reason to exist now that 'The Baldwins' are done...at least until 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' comes back. While discussing how there's nothing to watch (except 'Andor'), they realize there's actually a couple reality shows dropping including 'Polyfamily' (a listener has written in with regards to how TLC might not give it the best edit) and a new 90 Day dating reality show! Speaking of TLC reality shows, there's now ANOTHER set of Australian identical twins that speak at the same time like healthy adults do. Jackie's ready to blast past aaaaalllll that celeb goss' to give praise to the hero we all need (except he shouldn't have done it in a school zone, come on dude). Raven-Symoné had Nick Cannon on her podcast where she basically just brags about being rich and Nick Cannon confirms he's got them danglers insured for TOO MUCH, which callin' all BALL LAWYERS for the logistics on insuring them testies. Haley Joel Osment got drunk and started screaming antisemitic slurs, bloated corpse Mickey Rourke releases gases to let 'Big Brother' know that they should have KNOWN what they were getting into when hiring him and is SUEING because they hurt HIS snowflake feelings, JoJo Siwa dumped her girlfriend at the after party for 'Celeb Big Brother UK', Vinny Guadagnino is gross but he said he made a ton of money being a Chippendales dancer, Martha Stewart did Martha when asked about Meghan Markle's new show, MJ hears the critics on making fun of Meghan Markle....but they're still gonna do it, Jackie has finally learned that money can't buy ya class, elegance is earned. Jackie watched the movie 'Street Trash', and MJ had a blast watching 'Black Bag' in the THEATRE, Jackie has some reflections on if it's aliens OR space that scares her more, the first episode of the current season of 'Black Mirror' is DEVASTATING, MJ started watching 'You' again, Jackie says the new season of 'Last of Us' is vvvv good, MJ just learned they share the same wedding anniversary (happy anniversary!) with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Robert De Niro's daughter just transitioned and he's showing his support, the headlines are now full of celeb parents doing typical parenting things like Serena Williams teaching her kid about allowances and stuff, Beyoncé's rarely seen itty bitty son showed up at her Cowboy Carter tour, and SO MUCH MORE!!! Want even more Page 7? Support us on Patreon! Patreon.com/Page7Podcast  Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Page 7 ad-free.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Welcome back to The Snack – a lighter serving of Girls Gotta Eat. This week, we're talking about: Martha Stewart's Uber Eats controversy  The Academy now has to watch all nominated films Eagles' White House visit & Jalen Hurts skipping Bill Belichick being whipped by his 24yo girlfriend Cowboy Carter tour kickoff  Our post-Stagecoach hang with Jelly Roll  Vanderpump Villa and The Valley  Headlines: Travis Kelce unfollowing Ryan Reynolds, new Golden Bachelor, and Gwyneth Paltrow eating carbs Follow us on Instagram @girlsgottaeatpodcast, Ashley @ashhess, and Rayna @rayna.greenberg. Visit girlsgottaeat.com for more. Thank you to our partners this week: Aura Frames: Get $35 off and free shipping on the Carver Mat frame at https://auraframes.com with code GGE. Nutrafol: Get $10 off any order and free shipping when you subscribe at https://nutrafol.com with code GGEGIFT.

Topics: Matt locked a girl in the closet in high school, Love on the Spectrum, Tay paid to get into the wrong nightclub, Nicole is furious with Matt over Keegan's bad haircut, Travis Kelce unfollowed Ryan Reynolds, the Justin Long Mac/Dell debate, Bill Belichick's girlfriend shuts down question about how they met during interview, Uber Eats spokeswoman Martha Stewart admits she's never ordered food delivery, Matt got his first colonoscopySponsors:Quince: Go to Quince.com/taylor for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five-day returnsArya: Visit arya.fyi and use code TAYLOR for 15% off todayProlon: Visit ProlonLife.com/TOT to claim your 15% discount and your bonus giftMint Mobile: Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at MINTMOBILE.com/TAYLORProduced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dave and Chuck the Freak talk about Dave getting startled by one of his neighbors, the dumbest reasons people have become famous in the US, update on deadly boat crash, teen girls run over by lifeguard at the beach, shoplifter in stolen U-Haul runs guy over, update on the Brinks truck that lost money, blackout in Spain causing chaos, Shilo Sanders signs with new agent, NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs, Washington Nationals pups at the park night on same night as fireworks, tennis instructor suing driverless car company for driving off with his equipment, 100 meter dash 80 and over, Diddy defense says he was wasted when he abused people, Travis Kelce unfollowed Ryan Reynolds over Taylor’s involvement in Blake Lively lawsuit, guy with small talk show in Maine has David Letterman as final guest, rumors of a Golden Girls reboot with Tina Fey are fake, Martha Stewart admits she has never used Uber Eats, foot perv comes to open houses to touch real estate agents’ feet, pizza shop worker accused of secretly taping people in bathroom, stranger keeps sneaking into family’s home to use pool, bank robber, woman throws box of cookies to fend off a bear, man crawled into croc enclosure for selfies, nurse created OnlyFans content while on duty, man standing in his underwear in NYC to raise money for engagement ring, student rescued from same mountain twice, police officer stopped boat that was going 45mph after driver was thrown from boat, man stole co-worker’s cellphone and sent her nudes to his phone, couple arrested for string of chicken thefts, man receives Neurolink implant, Jawbreaker candy breaks woman’s jaw, what artificial dyes are being replaced with, jalapenos are less spicy than they used to be, pigs, and more!

Seth takes a closer look at President Trump arresting judges, disappearing U.S. citizens, detaining students for their political opinions, defying Supreme Court orders and more.Then, Martha Stewart talks about what sets Yes, Chef! apart from other cooking shows, writing her 101st book on gardening tips for people of all skill levels and getting her ATV stuck in mud while showing friends a pond she renovated.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.