Podcasts about normal heights

John and Tammy are continuing their quest to give out 100,000 high fives this summer and they're not above bribing you with free food from Broken Yolk! This week they visited Home Start in Normal Heights and learned more about how this amazing organization is working to help stop child abuse before it starts. 

The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday, in the wake of hundreds of legal claims from alleged sexual abuse victims. In other news, the latest San Diego County Respiratory Virus Surveillance report shows a slight increase in COVID-19 cases. We find out whether there is a need for concern. Plus, a Normal Heights nonprofit is helping students turn recycled objects into art, and giving San Diegans a chance to donate and buy second-hand supplies.

In 2022 Aspen Arora found herself being medically evacuated during active duty in the Middle East. Upon arriving in San Diego, she was told it would be 6-8 weeks before she could get an intake appointment. Thankfully, she survived. During those weeks, however, Aspen was informed of the passing of at least 10 of her active duty loved ones. And the death notifications kept coming. She learned that many of their deaths were preventable and were, in some part, due to lack of access to healthcare. This Veteran's Day weekend, Aspen is launching Healing Can't Wait, a new local nonprofit that pairs active duty service members and veterans with holistic healers + wellness providers to get immediate care they desperately need. Aspen joins us on the podcast to share her personal story, her journey as a healer, and how we as a community can help make this nonprofit a reality. You can attend her upcoming fundraising launch event at Maya Moon Collective in Normal Heights on Sunday, November 12 from 7-10pm. To make a donation + learn how you can support Healing Can't Wait, visit aspenarora.com or follow @aspenarora or @healingcantwait on Instagram. Episode links: Healing Can't Wait Join the Locally Well San Diego Collective Health + Wellness Networking Mixer | Wed, Nov 15, 6-9pm Full Moon Mindful Mixer | Sun, Nov 26, 4-7pm The Wellness in San Diego podcast is produced by Locally Well San Diego, your local news source covering health + wellness news + events in San Diego. Get the latest at locallywell.com or follow @locallywell.

Petco Park is known for having some of the best food in baseball. They were even one of the first stadiums in the nation to bring in iconic and emerging local restaurants, craft beers, wine, and cocktails for a more upscale experience (we still love a good, classic hot dog). On this episode of Happy Half Hour, co-hosts Troy and David get the inside scoop on the ballpark's food and drink scene at Alesmith's 394 bar inside of Petco. With a stadium that holds nearly 50,000 visitors, vice president of hospitality Josh Momberg says that the most challenging obstacle is serving fresh food. It's no joke feeding nearly 3M people each year, especially when not every visitor is there to actually watch the game. How do you keep your aunt entertained who only began watching the Padres once they started winning last year? A beautiful stadium, perfect weather, craft cocktails, and bacon-wrapped jalapenos that will immediately turn anyone into a sports fan. Ask any attendee and you'll likely start an argument over which restaurant inside the ballpark is the best. Hodad's, a local favorite, often tops the list, but then again, you can't forget about that juicy, tender Cardiff crack tri-tip nachos at Seaside Market. They're wrong, though, it's anything at Grand Ole BBQ y Asado. “When we went into this mission of creating this local program, we wanted to get the best of everything so that if you only came to one place in San Diego, had three hours to watch a ballgame, you got to sample something that's uniquely a slice of San Diego here,” Josh shares. So, what's new this year? Plenty. Some standouts include Mexican street corn made with chiles, fuego sauce, lime crema, and a Tahine pop rock; and fresh Blue Water Seafood's fish tacos. Although technically introduced in 2022, Troy and David gush over Hot Hens with Petco's executive chef Phil Dumlao. The fried chicken sandwich comes in a mini food truck carrier decked out in City Connect colors—because why not? In food news, David forgets where he lives as he brings up the upcoming Falafel Heights opening in North Park from owner Lialie Ibrahim. A Palestinian and first-generation American, Ibrahim spent more than a decade perfecting her falafel recipe and now hopes to bring those authentic Middle Eastern flavors to San Diego. Barn Brewing closes in North Park, Young Cluck opens in Normal Heights, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream comes to North Park with an everything bagel scoop that David says “kind of tastes like garlic ice cream.” In “Two People, Fifty Bucks,” Josh shouts out The Belly of the Beast ramen at Underbelly Ramen, Phil tips his hat to the burger at The Friendly, Troy picks the vegetarian tasting menu dish at Ambrogio by Acquerello, and David goes for the motherclucker at Hillcrest's Sunnyboy Biscuit Company.

Well well well... and so the end is here... of the 2022 NFL Season. It's been a ride and hopefully it's been fun for you to join us on Double Doinks and Sackles.... teaching you how to football. On this episode, we are going to recap that amazing Super Bowl. Sure there were that was suspect holding call, but it didn't ruin an otherwise amazing game. Patrick Mahomes is the truth. Jalen Hurts is also the truth. We also talk about our favorite games of the season and our favorite games for our favorite teams (Vikings, Jaguars, and 49ers). We have a commercial for a great Asian fusion restaurant in the Normal Heights area of San Diego. And then we finish off the episode making way too early picks for next season's playoffs. We talk about who can miss the playoffs who were in the playoffs this season and surprise playoff predictions. We also talk about that quarterback free agency or trade carousel. And Jimmy G the stat boy... uh Andrew talks about what's going to come up on this podcast in the next month or so. Here's a hint. There will be some Social Dragonfly episodes as Andrew is going to be visiting Southeast Asia on a very spiritual journey. It's going to be fun and hopefully a little heartfelt. Finally, we really would like to take this time to thank you for listening to this experimental Sports Podcast. We started humbly and we ended this stretch having learned a lot and hopefully you'll continue to listen to whatever we might release on this page in the future.

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour! During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher! On today's episode, Dana & Rev. Chelsea are joined by Brent Ross to discuss a sermon he gave on Baptism. Listen to Brent's sermon here: https://nhunited.org/baptism/ Brent Ross is the lead pastor at Normal Heights United Church in San Diego, CA. Normal Heights United Church is a progressive church in the heart of the neighborhood of Normal Heights and they are preparing to celebrate their building’s 100 year anniversary. When he’s not preaching, reading graphic novels or working in the yard, Brent is planning for his escargot business he will launch when he retires!

Happy New Year! We visited a tap house, Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights San Diego and took home Damnation from Russian River Brewing Company. We did a little recap of 2022 and discussed what BBS has in store for 2023. We have ideas from cookouts to traveling to different cities to drink local brew. FYI, we were already pretty drunk before we started recording so forgive us lol. So, enjoy and cheers. Instagram @beerbellysociety Facebook Beer Belly Society Email beerbellysociety@gmail.com Tiktok @beerbellysociety

Restaurant openings, restaurant closings, and Manny Machado becomes a nail tech. Just kidding, but only about the restaurant closings. Gotcha again. There will be no Manny-pedis in the near future. On this episode of Happy Half Hour, David and Troy talk to vice president of ticket sales and membership services for the Padres, Curt Waugh. Waugh joined the franchise in June 2014 after being with Spurs Sports and Entertainment where he managed ticket sales for the San Antonio Rampage ice hockey team. Waugh filled us in on the 70 newly renovated suites where you can customize your experience with in-suite dining food and beverage packages. The suites are not only available for Padres games, but also for any concerts or events that take place. This season broke a Petco Park and Padres record, with more than 20,000 people opting for season tickets, including our very own Troi Boi (the SDM'ers have dubbed him as such, and he'll no longer respond to any other name). Troy (Troi) dishes on his favorite perks, like movie nights on the field where he can take his mini-me Elia, and of course, the chance to imbibe on some good cheap beer. Membership happy hours include $5 drink specials across the ballpark so you can wet your whistle with Cutwater Spirits or a good ‘ole Budweiser. Apart from discounted food and drink specials, members also get perks such as priority access to Opening Day and Postseason tickets, best available seat options, and 10 percent off concessions and retail in the park. In Hot Plates, David and Troy talk Little Thief and Black Radish, both North Park newbies. The former is rewriting the natural wine narrative. David may be their biggest fan. As I write, he's sitting here wearing their merch and waving a tiny flag around with their logo. It's weird, but we're here for it. At Black Radish, the simple and sexy interior paired with their dynamic menu makes for a feast of the senses. Later, Troy talks about his love affair with Chef Phillip Esteban's ube pandesal, available at his Liberty Station Filipino restaurant White Rice. Not only is Chef Esteban opening another location in Normal Heights, he just signed a lease to a new standalone all-day eatery in Liberty Station.

On this episode, we head to the Normal Heights area of San Diego, for a sneak peek at the soon to open Whiskers & Wine Bar, a cat lounge & wine bar. Nicole & Chris, owners of Whiskers & Wine Bar gave us a tour of their new venture. They will be offering the opportunity to interact with adoptable cats, while enjoying a nibble from the food counter. Sit back & relax while having a cocktail, beer or glass of wine from their bar which has a full liquor license. Cats are kept separate from the food area. Allergic to cats? No problem. You can see the kitties, separated by a glass wall as you munch. Head upstairs to the second floor, to meet the cats, who have their own stairs up plus a play wall. It is a bright & breezy space. The cats can enjoy a view of the outside from an enclosed area. The cats have their own den, where they can seclude themselves & rest from being around humans (we all need a little alone time!) Nicole & Chris plan to offer yoga classes, art & poetry from local creatives, as well as beer & wine tastings and a venue for small special events. Nicole & Chris have partnered with Saving One Life animal rescue. The cats will be adoptable after a thorough screening of their new servants. It will be agreed on that the cats will be indoor cats only. Whiskers & Wine Bar is located at 2856 Adams Ave, San Diego CA 92116 in the Normal Heights area of San Diego Website: https://www.whiskersandwinebar.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/whiskersandwinebar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiskersandwinebar/ We hope you enjoy our podcast. Please like & share if you do.     We are proud to support and recommend Kitchens for Good. Kitchens for Good's mission is to break the cycles of food waste, poverty, and hunger, through innovative programs in workforce training, healthy food production, and social enterprise. The program is a tuition-free, certified culinary apprenticeship program that trains individuals with barriers to employment to launch their career in the culinary and hospitality industry. The program specifically serves individuals who are experiencing significantly high unemployment rates: formerly incarcerated adults, foster youth transitioning out of the system, survivors of domestic violence, individuals with mental health disorders, and individuals with histories of substance abuse. Donate, volunteer, or find more about their event and catering services at https://www.kitchensforgood.org We hope that you enjoy this podcast. Please like and follow us if you do.  Produced at Studio C Creative Sound Recorders in San Diego CA http://www.studio-c.com    

Chocolate. We all love it and crave it. But do you know where your cacao comes from? What about its many health benefits? Today's conversation with chocolatier Kathryn Rogers covers all facets of cacao plus the latest happenings at Maya Moon Collective, Rogers' San Diego-based cacao cafe. About Maya Moon Collective: Located in the heart of historic Normal Heights, Maya Moon Collective is San Diego's first cacao cafe and community collective. Maya Moon Collective brings decadent, all-natural chocolate confections, drinking chocolate and a selection of organic and gluten free pastries, desserts and savory bites to one of San Diego's most hip neighborhoods. Building from founder Kathryn Rogers' success selling artisan cacao truffles, including her signature chakra chocolate box, at local events and online, Maya Moon Collective is her flagship brick-and-mortar concept. Website: www.mayamooncollective.com Instagram: @mayamooncollective Episode resources 20+ July Wellness Events in San Diego Wellness in San Diego podcast is produced by Locally Well San Diego, your destination for all things wellness in San Diego. Learn more: www.locallywellsd.com | @locallywell

Over 70% of Americans had experienced a traumatic event before the pandemic. Now that we've all experienced collective trauma, how can we begin to heal? Joann Jaffe, founder of OG Yoga in Normal Heights, shares how trauma-informed yoga can help us return to ourselves and discusses the impact OG Yoga has had in healing the most underserved populations in our community. Plus, Joann takes us through a guided meditation so we too can begin to heal! Event links and resources: Vegan Food Pop Up Surfrider Foundation Juneteenth BBQ + BIPOC Surf Lessons Insight Timer International Day of Yoga - OG Yoga OGyoga.org Subscribe to Wellness in San Diego — you'll be supporting the amazing local businesses that make San Diego a trendsetting wellness destination. Wellness in San Diego is brought to you by Locally Well San Diego, your source for all things wellness in San Diego. Learn more: www.locallywellsd.com | @locallywell

We've been here for two weeks and I'd like to stay another thirty. I've brought my overnight bag and a note from my wife. Gonna make my case. We're at Park Hyatt Aviara, a 200-acre resort, one of the classic San Diego properties built far above a wetland preserve in Carlsbad. The ocean is right over there. We're sitting at a long dining table in Ponto Lago, their Baja-inspired restaurant and a star of the recent $50 million makeover of the property. You can smell the crackling red oak and the char on various excellent proteins. I see a mezcal collection. I'm talking with chef Christopher Carriker about the magic of woodsmoke. David's talking to him about the magic of heavy metal music. There is a hamachi and blackberry aguachile, a Sinoloan specialty, with sliced fresno chiles, green onion, and mint. There's a charred octopus zarandeado with chorizo aioli, chicharrons and kumquats. It's Baja ideas mixed with French sauce skills and the unbeatable San Diego seafood and produce. Carriker is from Portland, which isn't short on a food scene. But, for a chef, he says, it's nothing like San Diego. “The farms we have right up the road? It's incredible,” he says. “I had to get used to the long growing seasons when I came here. I'd think, ‘well, it's winter guess I have to switch to root vegetables,' and then realize summer fruits were still in season. Crazy.” This episode we dive into why every chef and restaurant is turning their gas powered ovens in for piles of expensive wood. Chef Chris walks us through the various woods and their very specific charms (citrus burns hot, is best for searing), and why Baja cuisine is so compelling. In “Hot Plates,” we discuss the new concepts being opened by chef Phil Esteban's Open Gym group—White Rice Bodega in Normal Heights, and Wavy Burgers (Filipino-style burgers) in National City. One of North County's hottest restaurant groups, Leucadia Co. (Moto Deli, Valentina, etc.) is opening two new locations of Hamburger Hut (Wagyu burgers) in Encinitas and Oceanside. The mighty Carruth Cellars' run in Little Italy is coming to an end in the middle of June, but the good news is that just about the same day they open their massive spot in Liberty Station, a 10,000 square foot wine wonderland with a gourmet cheese shop and expanded menu. And finally, Societe Brewing is expanding into a new location in Old Town, continuing the signal that the historic part of San Diego is getting a blood transfusion. For “Two People, Fifty Bucks,” Troy raves about Amalfi Cucina Italiana's pan-fried artichokes and pizza, and marvels at the surreal man-made wonder that is Lake San Marcos. David raves about the bratwurst at Bagby Beer, and chef Chris gives a nod to a fellow wood-smoked restaurant and one of San Diego's best, Fort Oak. Thanks for listening, y'all. Tune in next week when we broadcast from Stone Brewing Liberty Station for the kickoff of a new video series with the city's homegrown beer heroes.

I must stop talking about the cabbage. I won't shut up about it. So I figured if I brought chef William Eick to talk me through it, it will resolve my lingering emotional fixation on what is one of the best dishes I've eaten in a very long time. Eick opened Matsu about six months ago. It's a minimalist ode to modern Japanese cuisine. He's been a talent in San Diego for a long time, and this is the big idea, what he's been working for. In a spare room in Oceanside, where the “biggest” design element seems to be a single white orchid on a bar top, he's serving 8- and 10-course tasting menus. And the cabbage is the shocker. “I've been obsessed with Japanese culture since I was five years old,” says Eick. “Everything about it. A modern Japanese restaurant with a tasting menu, there are probably only a handful in the country that I can think of.” For this episode, Eick walks us through some of the magic tricks that make Matsu stand out. For instance, he creates various dashis (Japanese broth, a cornerstone of the cuisine) like the one in his crab dish that is made with carrots and A5 Wagyu beef trimmings. We talk about how Japanese cooks and chefs have been masters at discovering new levels of flavor (the concept of “umami” is Japanese). And William gives us a primer on koji, the incredible Japanese marinade that makes his duck breast vastly more interesting. Gives it a good funk. In “Hot Plates,” we talk about the San Clemente icon Nick's going into the former International Smoke location at One Paseo. The owners of Madison are opening an all-day brunch spot in Normal Heights called Madi. Wolfie's Carousel Bar (if you're not familiar, you need to check this out) has hired a new chef, formerly of Coronado's excellent Little Frenchie. And renown Japanese fried chicken chain, Tenkatori, is opening in San Diego. For “Two People, Fifty Bucks,” I rave about the chilaquiles at Cocina 35, and whether or not it's OK to call them breakfast nachos (a term told to me by a great Mexican chef, but which some food purists get very, very angry about and defend chilaquiles' honor). David can think of nothing but baseball (it's his cabbage), and points people to Mexican food classic Lolita's by Petco Park for game days (trivia: Lolita's is family of the legendary Roberto's). And William makes a regrettable decision to tell the world about his favorite ramen spot, which was a secret until right about now. Go, Padres. See ya next week.

Why does brunch feel so good in all the right parts of your soul? It is redemptively irresponsible. It's breakfast, if breakfast were better. If your weekend was a pinball game, brunch is that bonus ball. You're not really sure what you did to deserve it, but it's extending your play time, so—hey there, little bonus ball. Anyway, point is, our annual sold-out Brunch Bash is back. April 22 at Carmel Mountain Ranch Estates. You should come. Because, on a very nice stretch of grass, we'll loiter under the expensive San Diego sun and lose the appropriate amount of composure as we sample fried chicken and waffles, house-smoked lox benedict, banana bread with espresso mascarpone, croissant French toast, Mexican donuts, polenta with pork belly, Italian meatball soup, chilaquiles, granolas, parfaits. And there will be bloody marys and bubbles and agua frescas and tequila coffees and hard kombucha and iced horchata and organic superfruit hard cider and CBD beverages. Basically, people we admire make some pretty amazing things. At these parties, we invite all of them to some great place to share them with you, and to spread the word of the good things they do. To keep with the theme, this episode of “Happy Half Hour” we invited one of our favorite chefs, JoJo Ruiz—who has helmed many a brunch at Lionfish (Pendry Hotel), and Serea (Hotel Del). He tells us about the new restaurant concepts he and Clique Hospitality are opening—a sushi handroll joint called Temaki in Encinitas, and Joya Organic Kitchen in Torrey Pines. And then we discussed the joys of brunch. “I think I may be the only chef I know who likes cooking brunch,” says Ruiz. In “Hot Plates,” we talk about Wildwood Flower, a new bakery/general store in Pacific Beach that's doing wild fermented sourdough breads, grinding their own flour every day. The famed Peterson's Donuts in San Diego—with the bear claws as big as your face—has sold to someone who cares about the legacy. And our pick for Best Filipino Food in last year's “Best Restaurants” issue—White Rice—is expanding to a second location in Normal Heights. For “Two People, Fifty Bucks,” David raves about Swan Bar, chef Jojo becomes the second guest in two weeks to rave about the mystical tequila charms of Cantina Mayahuel, and Troy marvels at a damn good burger at The Joint, a place known for sushi.

Annabel Jones joins us to discuss her 2016 debut solo EP Libelle, and this five-track powerhouse is packed with emotional punch. In this career-spanning discussion, we venture from Annabel's musical beginnings in Lady and The Lost Boys, up through the harder-edged Bluebell and straight through to her most recent recordings. This defiant, bemused, truthful, human record is music to our ears. Now hear this: "Happy," "Magnetic," "Spiritual Violence," and "Normal Heights."Have something to say? Email us: nowhearthisofficial@gmail.comIf you want to listen to the music discussed on the show, then subscribe to this playlist: https://nowhearthis.lnk.to/theplaylist See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Challenges, obstacles and painful experiences — these are just some of things life throws our way when we least expect them. But no matter where you are in life right now, remember that you can push past the hard times. You can learn how to rise above life’s challenges. And if you feel lost, here’s a little secret: help others. Being of service to other people can help you find strength and a way out of your problems. In this episode, Robert Joseph Cappuccio, widely known as Bobby, joins us to share his inspiring story of defying hardships and helping others. It’s easier to succumb to self-sabotage and addiction. But you have the power to make your experiences an opportunity for change and hope. Bobby also shares the importance of helping others, especially as a business owner and leader. If you want to learn how to rise above trauma and be inspired to become a force of good to the world, then this episode is for you!    Get Customised Guidance for Your Genetic Make-Up For our epigenetics health program all about optimising your fitness, lifestyle, nutrition and mind performance to your particular genes, go to  https://www.lisatamati.com/page/epigenetics-and-health-coaching/.   Customised Online Coaching for Runners CUSTOMISED RUN COACHING PLANS — How to Run Faster, Be Stronger, Run Longer  Without Burnout & Injuries Have you struggled to fit in training in your busy life? Maybe you don't know where to start, or perhaps you have done a few races but keep having motivation or injury troubles? Do you want to beat last year’s time or finish at the front of the pack? Want to run your first 5-km or run a 100-miler? ​​Do you want a holistic programme that is personalised & customised to your ability, your goals and your lifestyle?  Go to www.runninghotcoaching.com for our online run training coaching.   Health Optimisation and Life Coaching If you are struggling with a health issue and need people who look outside the square and are connected to some of the greatest science and health minds in the world, then reach out to us at support@lisatamati.com, we can jump on a call to see if we are a good fit for you. If you have a big challenge ahead, are dealing with adversity or are wanting to take your performance to the next level and want to learn how to increase your mental toughness, emotional resilience, foundational health and more, then contact us at support@lisatamati.com.   Order My Books My latest book Relentless chronicles the inspiring journey about how my mother and I defied the odds after an aneurysm left my mum Isobel with massive brain damage at age 74. The medical professionals told me there was absolutely no hope of any quality of life again, but I used every mindset tool, years of research and incredible tenacity to prove them wrong and bring my mother back to full health within 3 years. Get your copy here: https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books/products/relentless. For my other two best-selling books Running Hot and Running to Extremes chronicling my ultrarunning adventures and expeditions all around the world, go to https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books.   Lisa’s Anti-Ageing and Longevity Supplements  NMN: Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, a NAD+ precursor Feel Healthier and Younger* Researchers have found that Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide or NAD+, a master regulator of metabolism and a molecule essential for the functionality of all human cells, is being dramatically decreased over time. What is NMN? NMN Bio offers a cutting edge Vitamin B3 derivative named NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) that is capable of boosting the levels of NAD+ in muscle tissue and liver. Take charge of your energy levels, focus, metabolism and overall health so you can live a happy, fulfilling life. Founded by scientists, NMN Bio offers supplements that are of highest purity and rigorously tested by an independent, third party lab. Start your cellular rejuvenation journey today. Support Your Healthy Ageing We offer powerful, third party tested, NAD+ boosting supplements so you can start your healthy ageing journey today. Shop now: https://nmnbio.nz/collections/all NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 250mg | 30 capsules NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 500mg | 30 capsules 6 Bottles | NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 250mg | 30 Capsules 6 Bottles | NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 500mg | 30 Capsules Quality You Can Trust — NMN Our premium range of anti-ageing nutraceuticals (supplements that combine Mother Nature with cutting edge science) combat the effects of aging, while designed to boost NAD+ levels. Manufactured in an ISO9001 certified facility Boost Your NAD+ Levels — Healthy Ageing: Redefined Cellular Health Energy & Focus Bone Density Skin Elasticity DNA Repair Cardiovascular Health Brain Health  Metabolic Health My  ‘Fierce’ Sports Jewellery Collection For my gorgeous and inspiring sports jewellery collection ‘Fierce’, go to https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/lisa-tamati-bespoke-jewellery-collection.   Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Discover how to rise above adversities. Understand the importance of intention and knowing who you serve. Learn the difference between internal and external customers and why you need to start focusing on the former.    Resources Gain exclusive access to premium podcast content and bonuses! Become a Pushing the Limits Patron now! Harness the power of NAD and NMN for anti-aging and longevity with NMN Bio. Connect with Bobby: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram The Self-Help Antidote podcast by Bobby Cappuccio PTA Global The You Project Podcast by Craig Harper The Psychology of Winning: Ten Qualities of a Total Winner by Denis Waitley    Episode Highlights [05:49] Bobby’s Childhood Bobby was born with deformities. He was adopted by a man who had cancer.  After Bobby’s adoptive father passed, his adoptive mother entered a relationship with a cruel man. Bobby experienced all kinds of abuse throughout his childhood on top of having Tourette’s syndrome.  Doctors had to put him on Haldol, which damaged his brain.  Yet, Bobby shares that these painful experiences helped him resonate with others and thrive in his industry.  [12:48] How Bobby Got to Where He is Today  Bobby initially wanted to become a police officer for special victims.  He almost passed the written and psychological assessments, but there was an issue because of Tourette syndrome. At this time, he started working at a gym.  Bobby worked hard. Eventually, he caught the eye of the gym owner, Mitchell.  Mitchell became like a surrogate father and mentor to him. Listen to the full episode to hear how Mitchell shaped Bobby and put him on the path to success!   [20:31] Complications from Abuse and Empathy Some adults tried to intercede for Bobby when he was being abused as a kid. However, he avoided their help because he was scared of being harmed further. You can't just leave an abuser — it's difficult, and even simply attempting can hurt you. We should understand that abuse can affect anyone.  Confident and intelligent women may be particularly susceptible to abuse because they find themselves in a situation they didn’t expect.  [28:58] How Abuse Isolates People Abusers progressively isolate people by creating enemies out of strong alliances.  This can make someone lose their sense of self, making them more vulnerable and dependent on their abusers.  Assigning fault or blame to those being abused will not help anyone.  If anything, that stops people from coming forward.  [30:34] Help Others to Help Yourself Bobby learned how to rise above his traumas and negative emotions.  His mentor taught him to look beyond himself. It was only by helping others find a way out of their problems that Bobby found a way to help himself too.  He started to focus on helping people who were going through something similar to what he went through. [33:32] Focus on the Intention While working as a trainer, Bobby focused less on the transactional side of training and more on the transformational.  He wanted to help people find what they need at that moment and give them the support they need.  By focusing on his intention, he was able to get high rates of retention.  For Bobby, helping others means understanding their goals and wishes.  [36:12] Bobby’s Promotion Bobby’s exemplary performance led him to a promotion that he didn’t want. He was scared of disappointing Mitchell.   He did poorly in managing his team of trainers, which is when a consultant sat him down and gave him advice.  Mitchell also had Bobby stand up and speak in team meetings.  You need to know who you work for and who you serve. When your perspective is aligned with your work, you will bring that to every meeting and interaction.  Are you taking care of the people you need to be responsible for? Hear how Bobby figured out his answer in the full episode!  [43:14] Lessons on Leadership Companies often adopt a top-down mentality where bosses need to be followed. However, a company should not be like this. Companies are made up of people. Your business needs to care for your valuable customers, both internal and external.  Treat your team members with the same level of tenacity, sincerity and intention as your external customers. You can accomplish a lot if you hire the right person, set clear expectations and understand each individual’s motivations. Through these, you can develop the team’s capacity and channel it towards a common vision. [51:19] On Recruiting the Right People David Barton hired Bobby to work as his head of training.  Bobby asked David what two things Bobby should do to contribute the most to the company. David wanted Bobby to be a connoisseur of talent and to train them, train them and train them again.  Bobby brought this mindset throughout his career, and it’s served him well. Don’t be afraid to hire people who are smarter than you.   7 Powerful Quotes from This Episode ‘When you know that there's somewhere you want to go, but you don't know exactly where that is. And you don't have complete confidence in your ability to get there. And what a good guy does is they help you go just as far as you can see.’ ‘We form and calibrate and shape our sense of identity in the context in which we navigate through the world off of one another. And when you're isolated with a distorted sense of reality, and you lose your sense of self, you become highly incapacitated to take action in this situation.’ ‘So I started focusing on things and a mission and people outside of myself. Who's going through something similar to what I have gone through, even if it's not precisely the same situation? How do I help them find their way out? And by helping them find their way out, I found my way up.’ ‘I never saved anyone; you can't change anyone but yourself. But the reason why he called me that is anytime someone would think about joining the gym...I approached it from a transformational perspective.’ ‘And your job is to create and keep your internal customer by serving them with at the very least with the same tenacity, sincerity and intention that you are serving your external customer. If you don't do that, you're going to be shit as a leader.’ ‘I think the only people who don't have impostor syndrome are imposters. Because if you're fraudulent, you wouldn't engage in the level of self-honesty, and humility, and conscientiousness, to go, “Am I fraudulent; is there something that I’m missing?”’ ‘Anything I've ever accomplished, it's totally through other people. It's because I hired people that were a lot smarter than me.’   About Robert Robert Joseph Cappuccio, or Bobby, is a behaviour change coach, author, consultant, speaker and fitness professional. He is a trainer of trainers and at the forefront of the life-altering and ever-evolving industry of coaching.  For over two decades, he has been advocating and pushing the industry-wide and individual shift of perspective in development. Behaviour change is rooted in a holistic approach, not just goals to health and fitness. With his vision, he co-founded PTA Global. It has now become a leader in professional fitness development.  No matter how successful Bobby seems, it didn't start this way. His childhood was filled with neglect, abuse and traumas that could lead anyone on the path to drinking and addiction. Bobby is no stranger to hardship and challenges, but he uses these experiences to connect and relate to others, using his past hardship as a way to help others. Bobby is also the former head of training and development at David Barton Gym, former director of professional development at the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), content curator for PTontheNet, development consultant for various companies including Hilton Hotels, Virgin Active, Equinox, David Lloyd Leisure and multiple businesses nationally and abroad.  With his forward-thinking mindset and work ethic, Bobby champions practical programs that help both corporate and industry personnel, including individuals, get what they truly want. He advocates the process of change mixed in with the mantra of ‘you can be free to play’.  Interested in Bobby’s work? You can check out his website and listen to his Self-Help Antidote Podcast! Reach out to Bobby on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.    Enjoyed This Podcast? If you did, be sure to subscribe and share it with your friends! Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in, then leave us a review. You can also share this with your family and friends to offer them one way to rise above their trauma. Have any questions? You can contact me through email (support@lisatamati.com) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For more episode updates, visit my website. You may also tune in on Apple Podcasts. To pushing the limits, Lisa   Full Transcript Welcome to Pushing the Limits, the show that helps you reach your full potential with your host, Lisa Tamati, brought to you by lisatamati.com. Lisa Tamati: Welcome back to Pushing the Limits, your host Lisa Tamati here, and today I have a fantastic guest all the way from America again, this man goes by the name of Bobby Cappuccio. And he is a world-famous fitness professional. He trains a lot of the trainers that are out there. But Bobby has an incredible story that I really want to share with you today. So, Bobby was born with a severe facial deformity. And he also had deformed legs, and he was given up for adoption. His mother couldn't care for him, and he ended up being adopted by another man. But he had a very, very abusive rough childhood. He also developed Tourette Syndrome at the age of nine. In all this adversity you'd think like ‘oh my gosh, what sort of a life is this guy going to live’? But Bobby has had an incredible life. He's a fitness professional, as I said, he's worked in many gyms. He was the founder and co-owner of PTA Global, which does a lot of the professional fitness development. And he has devised his own strategies and ways of educating people. And his programs are just second to none. When I told my business partner, Neil, that I just interviewed Bobby Cappuccio, he's like, ‘Oh, my God, he's a legend in the space.’ So yeah, he was really a bit jealous that I got to speak to him. So I hope you enjoy this interview. It's some rough topics in there. But there's also some really great gems of wisdom. And the funny thing is what Bobby is just absolutely hilarious as well. So I do hope you enjoy it. Before we head over to the show, though, just want to let you know that we've launched a premium membership for the podcast. This is a patron membership so that you can become a VIP member of our tribe, help support the podcast. This podcast has been going now for five and a half years. It's a labour of love, I can tell you. It takes up a huge amount of my time and resources in both getting these world-class gifts for you, and also in study and research so that I can talk really, and interview very well all these crazy, amazing doctors, scientists, elite athletes and performers. So if you want to support us in keeping the show going, and like what we do in the world, and you want to keep those valuable content being able to be put out into the world, we'd love your support. And for that, we're going to give you lots of member, premium member, benefits. So, check it out at patron.lisatamati.com. That’s patron.lisatamati.com. That’s P-A-T-R-O-N dot Lisa Tamati dot com. And I just also wanted to remind you about my new anti-ageing and longevity supplement, NMN. I’ve co-worked together with molecular biologist, Dr. Elena Seranova, to make sure that you get the best quality NMN there is now. I searched all over the world for this stuff, when I learned about it, and researched about it, and how it works and what it does in the body, and there is a huge amount of science on it. A lot of it's up on our website, if you want to do a deep dive into all things NMN and the NAD precursor, then check it out. It's all about longevity. It's all about slowing down the ageing process and even reversing the ageing process. So if that's something that interests you, and you want high performance, you want help with cardiovascular health, with neuro protection, with metabolic disorders, then this is something that you should look into as well. So check that out at nmnbio.nz, that’s nmnbio.nz, and go and check that out. The supplements have been so popular that I haven't been able to keep up with orders. So on some of the orders, there is a bit of a backorder. But bear with me while we will scale up production. But go over and check that out at nmnbio.nz. Right over to the show with Bobby Cappuccio. Lisa: Hi, everyone, and welcome back to Pushing the Limits. Today I have another very, very special guest and I was recently on this gentleman's show and now we're doing a reverse interview. I have Robert Cappuccio with me. Robert, welcome to the show. Robert Cappuccio: Oh, thank you. When you say you had a very special guest, I thought you were bringing someone else on. Lisa: You are a really special guest. Robert: Had a lot of anticipation like who is this person? What a surprise! Lisa: Well, you're a bit of an interesting character. Let's say that, throw that. Robert: Just the microphone. Lisa: No, I'm really, really interested to hear your story and to share your story with my audience, and to give a bit more of a background on you. And share gems of wisdom from your learnings from your life, because you've done some pretty cool stuff. You've had some pretty hard times and I'd like to share those learnings with my audience today. So Robert, whereabouts are you sitting at the moment, whereabouts are you in the States? Robert: Okay, so at the moment, I'm in a place called Normal Heights, which is probably a misnomer. It's not normal at all. But it's a really cool, funky neighbourhood in San Diego. Lisa: San Diego, awesome. And how’s lockdown going over there, and all of that sort of carry on? Robert: Oh, it’s great. I mean, on St. Patty's day, I've got my skull from our own green. I've just had a few whiskies. So far, so good. Lisa: This is a very interesting interview. So can you give us a little bit of background? Because you've had a very interesting, shall we say, difficult upbringing and childhood. And I wanted to perhaps start there and then see where this conversation goes a little. Robert: Is there any place you want to start, in particular? How far back do you want to go? Do you want to start from the very beginning? Lisa: Please go right at the very beginning, because you're intro to your backstory is quite interesting from the beginning, really isn't that? Robert: Okay, so I was born, which is obvious, in Manhattan, and I moved to Brooklyn early. So I was born, rather deformed. I was born with a significant facial deformity. And my lower extremities, my legs, quite never— like, if you saw my legs now, they're great. I have a great pair of legs at this moment. I'm not going to show you that because that would be a little bit rude. But my legs were kind of deformed and contorted. I had to walk with braces for the first couple of years of my life. I was given up for adoption. I'm not exactly sure, I have the paperwork on why I was given up for adoption, but I'm not really certain about the authenticity of that story. And I wasn't adopted for a while. So as an infant, I was parentless and homeless and really not well-tended to. I'm not going to get into why I say that because it's pretty disgusting. And then I was adopted. And then my adoptive father, this is kind of interesting, he had cancer, and he knew during the adoption process that he was probably not going to make it. He wanted to make sure that I found a home because nobody wanted to adopt me. Because when they came in, I was physically deformed. It's like, ‘Oh, this baby’s, it's broken. Something's wrong. Do you have a better baby’? And when he saw that, he thought, ‘Right, I've got to give this kid a home.’ So he passed. He passed when I was two. I didn't know him for more than a few months. And I hardly have any memory of him at all. My mother who adopted me, to be fair, she's developmentally disabled, and so she was a single uom with not a lot of skills, not a lot of prospects, terrified. And she basically, I think she met a guy when I was five, who I don't know if there's a diagnosis for him. He was mentally disturbed. He was a psychopath. I don't know if clinically he’s a psychopath, but that's pretty much how it felt. Lisa: You were a child experiencing this. Yeah. Robert: Yeah, I'm not like, I'm never sure in what direction to go with stuff like this. Never sure what’s valid, what's relevant. I spent my childhood in stressed positions, being woken up in the middle of the night with a pillow over my face, having bones broken consistently, and a series of rape, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and just every sort of trauma. Like imagine when I was nine years old, I was diagnosed, on top of that, with Tourette Syndrome. So I was physically deformed, going through shit like that at home. And then on top of it, I started losing control of my bodily functions. I started exhibiting tics, I started exhibiting obsessive compulsive behaviour. At some point, it was uncontrollable, like lack of control of my impulses, of the things that I would say, vulgarity. At some point, the doctors just thought that perhaps I was Scottish. Lisa: And you’re funny as well. Robert: And they put me on Haldol, which damaged my brain. That and the fact that, it's estimated, I've had at least over a half a dozen major concussions within my childhood — Lisa: From the abuse. Robert: — half a dozen to a dozen massive concussions. Yeah. Lisa: Absolute horrific start into life. Robert: When I was 10, I started binge drinking. And I thought this will help, this is a solution. But you know what? It's not. It's a little bit weird when you start a story off like this, because in some sense, it's not me being delusional, or Pollyanna, because I tend to think that I'm a little bit of a realist, sometimes too much, sometimes to the point of walking a fine edge between being hopeful and being a cynic. But I have to say that a lot of things that I experienced when I was growing up, turned out to be quite beneficial. It’s shaped me in a way and it helped me engage in certain career paths and certain activities that I don't think I really would have sought out, had this stuff not happened. So it's not like me, delusionally trying to create like all silver lining about stuff, it was shit. I understand the severity of what I went through. But I also understand where that led me. And I understand the good fortune that I had of running into certain people that resonated with me, and I resonated with them, largely in part because of my history. I don't think I would have related to these people had I not come from where I came from. Lisa: So you’re talking like people along the way that were, ended up being mentors, or teachers or friends or helping you out and through these horrific situations? Is that what you're meaning, sort of thing that would actually helped you? Because I mean, given a background like that, if you were a complete disaster and drug addict, and whatever, nobody would blame you.  You didn't have a good start in life, whatsoever. I mean, look at you now. Obviously you don't have any facial deformities, and you don't exhibit, right now, any of that stuff that actually you were and have been through. So how the hell did you get to where you are today? Because you're a very successful person, you have a very successful and a very strong influence in the world. What, how the heck do you go from being that kid, with brain problems and concussions and Tourette’s and abuse and rape and all of that, to being the person who comes across as one, number one, hilarious, very crazy and very cool?  How the heck do you get from there to there? Lisa: Just listening to, I can tell that you're someone who's highly intelligent, perceptive and an amazing judge of humour. So thank you for that. I think a lot of it was quite accidental. So I had thought when I was younger, that I wanted to be a police officer, originally. And I wanted to be involved with special victims, even before that was a TV show. Brilliant show, by the way, one of my favourite shows on TV. But even before that was the TV show, I thought, if I'm going through what I went through, and it's very hard because I had Child Services in New York City, they were called ACS. They were at my house consistently. But the problem is, I believed at a young age that my stepfather was nearly invincible, like nobody could touch him. Lisa: You were powerless against him. Yeah. Robert: And when they came to the house and like, look, I had broken bones, my arm was in a sling. A lot of times, I broke my tibia. They won't take me to the hospital because they thought they would suspect stepdad of doing it. I couldn't even walk. And these people were sitting down, said, ‘Well just tell us what happened.’ And I somehow knew that, at a critical moment, my adopted mother would falter. She would not have my back. She would rescind on everything she says. Lisa: She was frightened too, no doubt. Robert: She was frightened. I don't think she had the emotional or intellectual capacity to deal with the situation. That's all I'll say on that. But I knew once they left, I just knew they couldn't do anything, unless I was all-in. And if anything went wrong, he would kill me. So I would have to just say that, ‘Well, I fell.’ And it’s like, there's no way a fork, like I would go into camp and I would have stab wounds in the shape of a fork. And people are like, ‘What happened?’ And I said, ‘I was walking, and I tripped, and I fell onto a fork that went through my thigh and hit my femur.’ It's like, okay, that's just not possible. But I kind of knew. And I kind of felt like nobody's coming to the rescue. And I thought, if I was a police officer, and I was worked with special victims, maybe I could be the person that I always wished would show up for me. But then, there were issues with that. So I think I got like, out of a possible 100 on the police test. I did fairly well. I think I got 103, there were master credit questions. And I thought, right, yeah, I'm going. And then I took the psychological and by some weird measure, I passed, that seems crazy to me now. It kind of seems problematic. I think they need to revisit that. But then when I took the medical, and with Tourette's, it was kind of like, ‘Ah, yeah.’ It was a sticking point. So I had to petition because otherwise I would be disqualified from the employment police department. And during that time, I started working in the gyms. And when I was working the gyms, I kind of thought, there's no way I'll ever be as intelligent as some of these other trainers here. I'm just going to make up with work ethic what I lack in intellect. I would run around and just tried to do everything I could. I would try to clean all the equipment, make sure that the gym was spotless. But again, kind of like not like having all my wits about me, I would be spraying down a machine with WD-40. And what I didn't account for is, the person who was on the machine next to me, I'd be spraying him in the face with WD-40 when he was exercising. Lisa: They still do that today, by the way. The other day in the gym and the girl next to me, she was blind, and she was just spraying it everywhere. I had to go and shift to the other end of the gym, is that right, cause I don't like that stuff. Robert: I mean, in my defence, the members were very well-lubricated. And so, people would go upstairs, and like there is this fucking trainer just sprayed me in the face. And the owner would say, ‘All right, let me see who this guy is. What do you talk? This doesn’t even make sense? Who hired this guy?’ We kind of had like the old bowl, the pin. And like you could walk up top and look down into the weight room, and there I was just running around. And there was something about someone running around and hustling on the gym floor that made him interested. He's like, ‘Get this kid up into my office. Let me talk to him.’ And that forged a friendship. I spoke to him yesterday, by the way. So we've been friends for like three decades. And the owner of the gym became kind of like a surrogate dad. And he did for me what most guides do and that is when you know that there's somewhere you want to go, but you don't know exactly where that is, and you don't have complete confidence in your ability to get there. And what a good guy does is they help you go just as far as you can see, because when you get there, you'll see further. And that's what Mitchell did for me. And he was different because I have a lot of adults. So I grew up with not only extreme violence in the home, but I grew up in Coney Island. I grew up living on the corner of Shit Street and Depressing. And there was a constant violence outside the home and in school and I got picked on. And I got bullied until I started fighting, and then I got into a lot of fights. And you just have these adults trying to talk to you and it's like, you don't fucking know me. You have no idea where I come from. You can't relate to me. When you were growing up, you had a home, you were being fed. You were kind of safe, don't even pretend to relate to me. And he was this guy, who, he was arrested over a dozen times by age 30, which was not why I chose him as a mentor. But he had gone through some serious shit. And when he came out on the other end of it, he wanted to be somebody other than his history would suggest he was going to be, and he tried harder at life than anybody I had ever met. So one, I could relate to him, I didn't think he was one of these adults who are just full of shit. I was impressed at how hard he tried to be the person he wanted to be. So there was this mutual respect and affinity, instantly. Lisa: Wow. And he had a massive influence. And we all need these great coaches, mentors, guides, surrogate dads, whatever the case may be, to come along, sometimes in our lives. And when they do, how wonderful and special that is, and someone that you could respect because like you say, I've had a wonderful childhood. In comparison to you, it was bloody Disneyland, and so I cannot relate to some of those things. And I have my own little wee dramas, but they were minor in comparison to what you experienced in the world. So how the heck can I really help you out if you're a young kid that I'm trying to influence. And not that you have to go through everything in order to be of help to anybody, but just having that understanding that your view, your worldview is a limited, privileged background. Compared to you, my background is privileged. Robert: Well, I don't think there's any ‘compared to you’. I think a lot of my reaction to adults around me who tried to intercede — one, if your intercession doesn't work, it's going to get me hurt, bad, or it's going to get me killed. There have been times where I was hung out of an 18-storey window by my ankles. Lisa: You have got to be kidding me. Robert: Like grabbing onto the brick on the side of the building. I can't even say terrified. I don't even know if that encapsulates that experience as a kid. But it's like you don't understand what you can walk away from once you feel good about interceding with this poor, unfortunate kid. I cannot walk away from the situation that you're going to create. So it was defensive mechanism, because pain is relative. I mean, like, you go through a divorce, and you lose this love and this promise, and somebody comes along, ‘Oh there are some people in the world who never had love, so you should feel grateful’. You should fuck off because that's disgusting. And that is totally void of context. I don't think somebody's pain needs to compare to another person's pain in order to be relevant. I think that was just my attitude back then because I was protecting my existence. I've really changed that perspective because, like, my existence isn't threatened day to day anymore. Lisa: Thank goodness. Robert: So I have a different take on that. And I understand that these adults were well meaning, because I also had adults around me, who could have probably done something, but did nothing. And I don't even blame them because my stepfather was a terrifying person. And the amount of work and energy, and the way the laws, the structure, and how threatening he was, I don't blame them. And me? I’ll probably go to prison. But I don't blame them for their inaction. Lisa: Yeah, and this is a problem. Just from my own experiences, like I said, this is not even in childhood, this is in young adulthood, being in an abusive relationship. The dynamic of the stuff that's going on there, you're frightened to leave. You know you are going to be in physical danger if you try and leave. So, I've been in that sort of a position but not as a child. But still in a position where people will think, ‘Well, why don't you just go?’ And I’m just like, ‘Have you ever tried to leave someone who's abusive? Because it's a very dangerous thing to do.’ And you sometimes you’re like, just, you can't, if there's children involved, even, then that's even worse. And there's complicated financial matters. And then there's, whatever the case may be or the circumstances that you're facing, it's not cut and dried. And as an adult, as a powerful woman now, I wouldn't let myself be in a position like that. But I wasn't that back then. And you weren't because well, you were a child. See, you're even more. Robert: I just want to comment on that a little bit. And this is not coming from clinical expertise. This is just coming from my own interpretation experience. I think, obviously, that when a child goes through this, you would think, ‘Okay, if this started at age five, what could you have done?’ But a lot of times we do look at, let's say, women who are in severe domestic violence situations, and we say, ‘Well, how could you have done that? How could you have let somebody do that to you’? And I think we need to really examine that perspective. Because powerful, confident, intelligent women might be especially susceptible. Lisa: Apparently, that’s the case. Robert: Because you have a track record, and you have evidence to support that you are capable, and you're intelligent, and you find yourself in a situation that you didn't anticipate. And I think it's easier to gaslight someone like that. Because it's like, ‘How could I have had a lapse — is it me?’  And it creeps up on you, little by little, where you doubt yourself a little bit more, a little bit more, and then you become more controlled and more controlled. And then your perspective on reality becomes more and more distorted. So I think we have to be very careful when an adult finds themselves, yes, in that position, saying, ‘Well, why didn't you just leave? How could you have let yourself very easily?’ It can happen to anyone, especially if you have a strong sense of confidence and you are intelligent, and because it becomes unfathomable to you, how you got into that situation. Lisa: Looking back on my situation, which is years and years ago now, and have no consequences to the gentleman that I was involved with, because I'm sure he's moved on and hopefully, not the same. But the fact that it shifted over many years, and the control shifted, and the more isolated you became. I was living in a foreign country, foreign language, unable to communicate with my family, etc., etc. back then. And you just got more and more isolated, and the behaviour’s become more and more, more radical ways as time goes on. It doesn't stop there. Everybody's always lovely at the beginning. And then, as the power starts to shift in the relationship — and I've listened to a psychologist, I’ve forgotten her name right now, but she was talking about, she works with these highly intelligent, educated women who are going through this and trying to get out of situations where they shouldn't be in. And she said,  ‘This is some of the common traits. They're the types of people who want to fix things, they are the types of people who are strong and they will never give up.’ And that is actually to their detriment, in this case. And I'm a very tenacious type of person. So, if I fall in love with someone, which you do at the beginning, then you're like, ‘Well, I'm not giving up on this person. They might need some help, and some, whatever’. And when you're young, you think you can change people, and you can fix them. And it took me a number of years to work out and ‘Hang on a minute, I haven't fixed them, I’ve screwed myself over. And I've lost who I am in the process.’ And you have to rebuild yourself. And like you and like your case is really a quite exceptionally extreme. But like you, you've rebuilt yourself, and you've created this person who is exceptional, resilient, powerful, educated, influential — Robert: And dysfunctional. Lisa: And dysfunctional at the same time. Hey, me, too. Robert: And fucked up in 10 different ways. Lisa: Yeah. Hey, none of us have got it right. As our mutual friend, Craig Harper would say, ‘We're just differing degrees of fucked-up-ness’. Robert: That would be spot on. Lisa: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And totally, some of the most high functioning people that I get to meet, I get to meet some pretty cool people. There's hardly any of them that don't have some area in their life where they've got that fucked-up-ness that's going on, and are working on it, because we're all works in progress. And that's okay. Robert: The thing you said that I really caught is you lost your sense of self, and the isolation. And that is what abusers do, is progressively they start to isolate, and create enemies out of strong alliances and allies. And when you lose your sense of self, and you're so isolated — because as much as we want to be strong and independent, we are highly interdependent, tribal people. We form and calibrate, we shape our sense of identity and the context in which we navigate through the world off of one another. And when you're isolated with a distance sense of reality and you lose your sense of self, you become highly incapacitated to take action in this situation. And you develop, I think what Martin Seligman, called learned helplessness. And I think assigning fault or blame or accusation either to yourself or doing that to somebody else, not only does that not help, it stops people from coming forward. Because it reinforces the mental state that makes them susceptible to perpetual abuse in the first place. Lisa: Yeah, it's so true. So how did you start to turn around? So you meet Mitchell, Mitchell was his name, and he started to be a bit of a guiding light for you and mentor you, and you're in the gym at this phase stage. So, what sort of happened from there on and? So what age were you at this point, like, your teenage years, like teenagers or? Robert: I met Mitchell  when I was like 19 years old. And what he allowed me to do, and it wasn't strategies, he allowed me to focus outside of myself. Because every emotion, every strong emotion you're feeling, especially in a painful way, resides within you. So if you feel a sense of despair, or you feel disgust, or loneliness, or isolation, or any type of pain, and you would look around your room and go, ‘Well, where's that located? Where's my despair? I searched my whole desk, I can't find it’. It's not there. It's not in your outer world. It's your inner world. And what he gave me the ability to do is say, ‘Okay. I grew up physically deformed. And despite everything I was going through, my physical deformities were one of the most painful things’. But the irony, more painful than anything else because you could see me out in the shops and go, ‘Okay, this is a person who has been severely physically sexually abused, who's suffered emotional trauma’. You could see that as I walk through the aisles, because you say, ‘Okay, this is someone who doesn't look right. This is someone who —', and I can see the look of disgust on people's face when they saw me physically. And then there’s nowhere to hide, you couldn’t mask that. I started thinking, ‘Well, what about people who feel that about their physical appearance and they don't require surgery? What are they going through? And how do I focus more on them? How do I take a stand for that person? What's the areas of knowledge? What are the insights? What are the resources that I can give these people to be more resourceful in finding a sense of self and finding their own way forward?’ Lisa: Being okay with the way that they are, because it must be just— Robert: People are okay with the way they are, seeing an ideal version of themselves in the future. And engaging the behaviours that helps them eventually bridge that gap, where their future vision, at some point, becomes their current reality. So I started focusing on things and a mission and people outside of myself, who's going through something similar to what I have gone through, even if it's not precisely the same situation? How do I help them find their way out? And by helping them find their way out, I found my way up. Lisa: Wow, it's gold. And that's what you ended up doing then, and within the gym setting, or how did that sort of work out from there? Robert: Well, I became a trainer. And in the beginning, I was like an average trainer. But I became, what Mitchell called, like the person who saved people. I never saved anyone; you can't change anyone but yourself. But the reason why he called me that is, anytime someone would think about joining the gym, if they would sit down with someone, they approached it from, ‘Well, what can we do? Can we give you a couple of extra months? Can we give you a guest pass to invite some —‘. They approached it from a transactional perspective, where when I sat down with these people, I approached it from a transformational perspective. ‘What did you want most? What do you want most in your life in this moment? And what hasn't happened? What missed? What was the disconnect? Where have we failed? What did you need that was not fulfilled in your experience here and how do we give you those resources? How do we support you going forward?’ And it was also like, ‘Look, if you want to leave, we totally respect that. You've given us a chance to help you. And obviously, the fault was ours. I never blamed anyone. But if you had the chance to do it again, what would have made the difference? And give us that opportunity’. It’s like, ‘Oh, this person is like a retention master’. It's not that, my focus wasn't in retention, it was the intention rather, to relate to the individual in front of me.  Lisa: I’m hearing about the actual person and their actual situation and their actual wishes and goals, rather than, how can I sweeten the deal so you don't leave? Robert: Precisely, and that had some unintended consequences, because it put me in a bad situation, because I got promoted against my will. And I didn’t want to get promoted. And I thought, ‘I'm just getting a reputation for being somewhat good in my current job. And now they're going to promote it to my level of incompetence. And now I'm going to disappoint Mitchell, he's going to find out this kid's actually an idiot, he's a fraud — ‘I was wrong.’ And the one person who believed in me, I'm going to lose his trust and his faith, and that's going to be damaging.’ So me being promoted into management led to a series of unpredictable events that shaped my entire career. Lisa: Okay, tell us about that. Tell us about it. So you were pushed out of your comfort zone, because you just got a grip on this thing, the crazy worker. Robert: So Mitchell had a consultant, and his name was Ray. His name still is Ray, coincidentally. And he said, ‘Yeah, I think you should promote Bobby, just a small promotion to head trainer. Not like fitness manager, just head trainer’. And when they approached me, it was almost like they told me like, I had to euthanise my pet. It was horrible. I was not excited about this. I was like, ‘Oh, thanks. But no, thanks. I love where I'm at.’ Lisa: Yep. ‘I didn’t want to grow.’ Robert: Well, they had a response to that. They said, ‘There’s two directions you can go in this company, you could go up, or you can go out’. And they fired me that day. Lisa: Wow! Because you wouldn’t go up? Robert: They’re like, ‘You've chosen out. And that's okay. That's your decision’. And I was devastated. Like that my identity is connected to that place. And on my way out the door, Mitchell's like, ‘Come into my office.’ And he’s sitting across from me, and he kind of looked like a very muscular, like an extremely muscular version of Burt Reynolds at the time, which was very intimidating, by the way. And he puts his feet up on the desk, and he's leaning back, and he's eating an apple. He says, ‘You know, I heard a rumour that you're recently unemployed. And so I would imagine, your schedules opened up quite a bit this week. You know, coincidentally, we're interviewing for a head trainer position. You might want to come in and apply because you've got nothing to lose’. What a complete and total cock. And I say that, with love, gratitude, gratitude, and love. So I showed up — Lisa: Knew what you needed. Robert: I remember, I showed up in a wrinkly button-down shirt, that is not properly ironed, which was brought to my attention. And I got the job. And I was the worst manager you've ever met in your life because first of all, my motivation was not to serve my team. My motivation was not to disappoint Mitchell. And that was the wrong place for your head to be in, if you have the audacity to step into a leadership position. Whether you tell yourself you were forced into it or not, fact of the matter is ‘No, I could have chosen unemployment, I would have done something else. I chose this. Your team is your major responsibility.’ And that that perspective has served me in my career, but it well, it's also been problematic. So I had people quitting because for me, I was in the gym at 5am. And I took two-hour breaks during the afternoon and then I was in the gym till 10 o'clock at night, 11 o'clock at night. I expected you to do the same thing. So, I didn't understand the worldview and the needs and the aspirations and the limitations and the people on my team. So people started quitting. I started doing horribly within my position. And then Mitchell brought in another consultant, and he gave me some advice. I didn't take it as advice at the time, but it changed everything. And it changed rapidly. This guy's name is Jamie, I don’t remember his surname. But he sat me down and he said, ‘So I understand you have a little bit of trouble’. Yeah, no shit, man. Really perceptive. ‘So, just tell me, who do you work for?’ So, ‘I work for Mitchell’. He said, ‘No, no, but who do you really work for?’ I thought, ‘Oh. Oh, right. Yeah. The general manager of the gym. Brian, I work for Brian’. So nope, who do you really work for? I thought it must be the fitness manager, Will. So, ‘I work for Will’. He’s like, ‘But who do you work for?’ And now I'm starting to get really irritated. I'm like, yeah, this guy's a bit thick. I don't know how many ways I can explain, I've just pretty much named everybody. Who do you reckon I work for? He said, ‘No, you just named everyone who should be working for you?’ Lisa: Yeah, you got that one down. Robert: ‘Have a single person you work for? Who are your trainers?’  He said, ‘Here, let me help you out. Imagine for a second, all of your trainers got together, and they pooled their life savings. They scraped up every bit of resource that they could to open up a gym. Problem is, they're not very experienced. And if they don't get help, they're going to lose everything. They're going to go out of business. They go out and they hire you as a consultant. In that scenario, who do you think you'd work for?’ I was like, ‘Oh, I'm the one that's thick. I've worked for them’. Because in every interaction you have, it made such a dip because it sounds counterintuitive. But he said, ‘In every meeting and every interaction, whether it's a one-on-one meeting, team meeting, every time you approach someone on the floor to try to help them, or you think you're going to correct them, come from that perspective and deliver it through that lens’. And things started to change rapidly. That was one of two things that changed. The second thing that changed is Mitchell believed, because he would listen to self-help tapes, it inspired him. So he would have me listen to self-help tapes. And he believed that oration in front of a group public speaking was culturally galvanising. And in a massive team meeting where we had three facilities at the time, where he brought in a couple of hundred people for a quarterly meeting. He had me stand up and speak. Oh, man. I know you've done a lot of podcasting and you do a lot of public speaking in front of audiences. You know that experience where you get up to speak but your brain sits right back down? Lisa: Yeah. And you're like, as Craig was saying the other day, ‘It doesn't matter how many times you do it, you're still absolutely pecking yourself.’ Because you want to do a really good job and you go, ‘This is the day I'm going to screw it up. I'm going to screw it up, even though I've done it 10,000 times. And I’ve done a brilliant job. Then it’s coming off.’ Robert: If you’re not nervous in front of an audience, you've got no business being there. That is very disrespectful. I agree with that. I mean, this is coming from, in my opinion, one of the greatest speakers in the world. And I'm not just saying that because Craig's my mate, and he gives me oatmeal every time I come out to Melbourne. I'm saying that because he's just phenomenal and authentic in front of a room. But I had that experience and I'm standing up brainless in front of the room. And as I start to realize that I am choking. I'm getting so nervous. Now this is back in the 1990s, and I was wearing this boat neck muscle shirt that said Gold's Gym, and these pair of workout pants that were called T-Michaels, they were tapered at the ankles, but they ballooned out. You know the ones I’m talking about? And I had a lot of change in my pocket. And all you hear in the room, as my knees were shaking, you can hear the change rattling, which wasn't doing anything for my self-confidence. And just instantly I was like, ‘Right, you're either going to epically fail at your job right here. Or you are going to verbatim with intensity, recite word for word, like everything you remember from Dennis Waitley’s Psychology of Winning track for positive self-determination’. Sorry, Dennis, I did plagiarize a bit. And I said it with passion. Not because I'm passionate, because I knew if I didn't say it with fierce intensity, nothing but a squeak will come out of my mouth, Lisa: And the jingle in the pocket Robert: And the jingle in the pocket. And at the end of that, I got a standing ovation. And that’s not what moved me. Lisa: No? Robert: What moved me was weeks ago, I was clueless in my job. I got this advice from Jamie on, ‘You work for them. They are your responsibility. They are entrusted to you. Don’t treat people like they work for you.’ Now I had this, this situation happened. And my trainers avoided me a month ago when I got promoted. But now they were knocking on my office door, ‘Hey, can I talk to you? Would you help me’? And it just clicked. The key to pulling yourself out of pain and suffering and despair is to focus on lifting up others. Lisa: Being of service. Robert: That was it. I thought I could be good at something. And what I'm good at is not only, it's terrifying before you engage in it, but it's euphoric after, and it can help other people. I can generate value by developing and working through others. Lisa: This is like gold for management and team leaders and people that are in charge of teams and people is, and I see this around me and some of the corporations where get to work and consultants stuff is this was very much this top-down mentality. ‘I'm the boss. You’re doing what I say because I'm the boss’. And that doesn't work. It might work with 19-year-olds who have no idea in the world. Robert: It reeks of inexperience. You think you're the boss because you've had certain qualities, and that's why you got promoted — do what I say. You are a detriment to the company — and I know how many people are fucked off and calling bullshit. I don't care. I mean, not to toot my own horn. Like anything I've ever accomplished, I've learned I have accomplished through hiring the right people and having a team that's better than me. But I’ve been in so many management positions, from the very bottom to the very top of multiple organizations I've consulted all over the world, you are only as good as your team. And to borrow from the late great Peter Drucker, ‘The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer. And your most valuable customer’s your internal customer, the team that you hire. Because unless you are speaking to every customer, unless you are engaging with every customer complaint, unless you are engaging in every act of customer service on your own —' which means your business is small, which is fine. But if it's a lot, you're not ‘— you could scale that, it is always your team. And your job is to create and keep your internal customer by serving them with, at the very least, with the same tenacity, sincerity and intention that you are serving your external customer. If you don't do that, you're going to be shit as a leader. And honestly, I don't give a fuck what anybody thinks about that. Because I have heard so many opinions from people who are absolute — they've got a ton of bravado, they beat their chest, but they are ineffective. And it's extraordinary what you can accomplish when you know how to be, number one, hire the right person. Number two set expectations clearly — clearly, specifically. Number three, understand what motivates each individual, as an individual person and as a team, and then develop that team's capacity individually and collectively to channel that capability towards the achievement of a common vision, of a common monthly target. Period. Lisa: Wow. So that's just, that’s one whole lot going on in one. Robert: That is leadership in a nutshell. Lisa: Yeah. And this is the tough stuff because it's easier said than done. I mean, I'm trying to scale our businesses and grow teams and stuff. And number one, hiring the right people is a very big minefield. And number two, I've started to realize in my world that there's not enough for me to go around. I can't be in 10 places and 10 seats at once. You're getting overwhelmed. You're trying to help the universe and you're one person, so you're trying to replicate yourself in the team that you have, and provide the structure. And then you also need those people where you're weak, like I'm weak at certain aspects. I'm weak at technology, I'm hopeless at systems. I know my weaknesses. I know my strengths, so. Robert: I resemble that comment. Lisa: Yeah, In trying to get those people where you, that are better than you. Not as good, but better than you. And never to be intimidated because someone is brilliant at something. They're the ones you want on your team, because they are going to help with your deficits. And we've all got deficits and blind spots and things that we're not good over we don't love doing. And then trying to develop those team members so that you're providing them and treating them respectfully, looking after them, educating them. And that takes a lot of time too, and it's really hard as a smallish business that's trying to scale to go from there wearing a thousand hats. And a lot of people out there listening will be in similar boats as ours, like, wearing a hundred hats and trying to do multitasking, getting completely overwhelmed, not quite sure how to scale to that next level, where you've got a great team doing a whole lot of cool stuff. And then realizing the impact that you can have as tenfold or a hundredfold. Robert: Absolutely. And I'm not really a good business person, per se, like I've owned a few businesses myself, I've worked within quite a few businesses. And I think what I'm good at, and this goes back to another person that I worked for shortly after Gold's Gym. So Gold's Gym was sold, that's a whole story you don't need to get into. This is an interesting guy. I was doing consulting, I was just going out and doing public speaking, I had independent clients. And I crossed paths with an individual named David Barton. This is someone you should get on your podcast. Talk about an interesting individual. And David Barton had the one of the most unique and sexy edgy brands in New York City. And that's when you had a lot of competition with other highly unique, sexy, edgy brands. And he was the first person — he coined the phrase, ‘Look better naked,’ it was actually him. That's the guy. It was on the cover of New York Magazine. I mean, he was constantly, like his club in Vogue, at Harper's Bazaar, he ended up hiring me as his head of training. And his company at that time in the 1990s, which is quite the opposite of the mentality, the highest position you could ever achieve in his company was trainer. It was all about the training, and it made a difference culturally, and it made a difference in terms of like we were probably producing more revenue per club and personal training at that point than almost anyone else in the world, with the exception of maybe Harpers in Melbourne. So this is how far me and Craig go back actually. Lisa: Wow. It’s that right. Robert: Yeah, because we had found out about each other just a few years after that. Lisa: Some of that Craig Harper. Robert: Craig Harper, yeah, when he had his gyms. So we were introduced by a guy named Richard Boyd, a mutual friend who's like, you got to meet this guy, because he's doing what you were doing. And it all started when I went into David Barton gym, and I just thought, this is a different world. This is another level. Am I in over my head? So again, it was that doubt, it was that uncertainty. Lisa: The imposter syndrome.  Robert: But I did. Yeah, and I think we all have, and I think the only people who don't have imposter syndrome are imposters. Because if you're fraudulent, you wouldn't engage in the level of self-honesty, and humility and conscientiousness, to go ‘Am I fraudulent, is there something that I’m missing’? Only a con artist never considers whether or not they're fraudulent, it's ‘Does that keep you stuck? Or does that help you to get better and more authentic, more sincere?’ So I had the presence of mind to ask David a very important question. And I said, ‘David, if there was like two things, or three things that I can do in this company, exceedingly well, what two or three things would best serve the member, the company as a whole, and of course, my career here with you?’ And David leaned back and he did one of these dozens of things he gave me, literally. And he sat there for — it must have been like five seconds — it felt like an eternity and I'm thinking, ‘Oh my god, that that was the stupidest question I could possibly ask. He probably thinks I should have this whole, like sorted out. After all, he hired me, or am I going to get sacked today?’ And then I was like, ‘I can't get sacked. My house just got ransacked by the FBI’. That was a totally different story. He comes, he leans forward. And he says, ‘Two things. Two things you got to do. Number one,’ and a paraphrase, but it was something very similar to, ‘I want you to be a connoisseur of talent, like a sommelier is a connoisseur of wine. I want you to hire interesting, and great trainers. That's number one.’ And he just sat there again. And I'm like, I think it was a power move. Looking back, it was a power move. Lisa: Using the silence. Robert: What’s number two, David? And he said, ‘Train the shit out of them. And when you're done with that, here's number three, train them again. Number four, train them again. Number five, train them again.’ And that stuck with me. And a year later, I wound up leaving David Barton, and I come back to work with him periodically over the course of many years, and I personally loved the experience every time. We’re still good friends today. And I went to NASM, and I became a presenter, senior presenter, and eventually I became the director of professional development for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. And I brought that with me. And trust me, there was times when I was quite a weirdo, because I thought quite differently than then a team of educators and clinicians. But it helped, and it served me well, and served me throughout my life. So I am shit at so many aspects of business. But I am really good, and probably because I'm very committed to recruiting people with the same level of insight, precision, intuition and sophistication that a sommelier would approach a bottle of wine. Lisa: Oh, I need to talk to you about my business at some point. I need the right people because I keep getting the wrong one. Robert: That, I'm very confident I can help. When it comes to recruiting and selection and hiring and training and development, that is my world. Lisa: That’s your jam. Robert: And because anything I've ever accomplished, it's totally through other people. It's because I hired people that were a lot smarter than me. It's funny because that's another piece of advice I got way back in my Gold Gym days, where one of the consultants was in the room and said, ‘You'll be successful to the degree that you're able and willing to hire people that are more intelligent than you’. And Mitchell quipped, ‘That shouldn’t be too hard for you, Bob’. Okay, yeah. Thanks, Mitchell. Yeah. Lisa: Oh, yeah, nice, friend. You need those ones, don’t you? Hard case ones. Hey, Bobby, this has been a really interesting and I feel like we probably need a part two because we haven't even touched on everything because you've had an incredible career. And I just look at you and how you how far you've come and there must have been so much that you haven't even talked about, have been all the really deep stuff that you went through as a child — Robert: No, I've told you everything. There's nothing else. Lisa: But how the hell did you actually turn your mindset around and how did you fix yourself and get yourself to the point you know where you are today, but I think we've run out of time for today. So, where can people engage with what you do and where can people find you and all of that sort of good stuff? Robert: Okay, well, I just started my own podcast. It's decent. Lisa: Which is awesome because I've been on. Robert: So if you are looking for, like one of the most dynamic, interesting and inspiring podcasts you've ever encountered, go to The You Project by Craig Harper. If you still have time after that, and you're looking for some decent podcast material, go to The Self Help Antidote, that is my podcast. And I'm on Facebook. Social media is not really where I live. It's not where I want to live. It's not where I like to live, but I'm there. I'm on Facebook. I mean the rest of the older generation, yeah, piss off kids. And I'm on Instagram. I'm occasionally on LinkedIn, but not really. I will be on Clubhouse because I got to find the time Lisa: What the hel

Ahora que hay menos restricciones, el aeropuerto internacional de San Diego está probando nuevos protocolos para que viajeros se sientan protegidos contra el virus. Un conductor se impactó contra un edificio dejando la mayoría de la estructura dañada.

Former Union Tribune Photographer Charley Starr. He's the one who took the Hall of Fame picture of then Jack Murphy Stadium looking into Mission Valley from Normal Heights.

Welcome back to Happy Half Hour! In celebration of the lunar new year on February 12 and the Year of the Ox, we chatted with Tony Guan, executive chef at Fortunate Son, the newest restaurant from CH Projects in Normal Heights. Fortunate Son replaced Soda & Swine last fall, and serves Tony’s spin on classic American Chinese dishes like General’s Tso’s chicken and sweet and sour pork. Tony was born and raised in Chula Vista and went to culinary school here. He worked the line at the Dana Hotel in Mission Bay and at The LAB: Dining Sessions, and then left San Diego for more training. He moved to San Francisco and worked as sous chef at the acclaimed Restaurant Gary Danko. Tony described the experience of being fresh out of culinary school and working at a high-end, professional, kitchen as a lot of pressure. It was the prospect of helping open Abnormal Wine Company (now called The Cork and Craft) with chef Phillip Esteban that brought Tony back to San Diego. He then became executive chef at Underbelly, and now at Fortunate Son. Tony says a lot has changed in San Diego’s culinary scene since he first started, and that the city is now becoming a draw for the field—he attributes the non-competitive atmosphere. Chefs can come to San Diego and establish themselves fairly easily compared to other culinary destinations, like San Francisco, where Tony said had he stayed he may still be a line cook or sous chef. While working at Cork and Craft in Rancho Bernardo, Tony got the unique experience of taking higher end food and bringing it to people at a more affordable cost. Having opened a restaurant both before and during the pandemic, Tony was able to share the differences. While the remodeling of Fortunate Son went smoothly, opening up was naturally a more difficult experience. Tony said that takeout becoming the new way of plating food and the typical demographic expanding were a few challenges. What kept him going as a chef was being able to get up every day and work with his staff who all share the same passion for cooking food. In Hot Plates, a new shopping center called Tremont Collective is opening this summer in downtown Oceanside, bringing with it new locations for Bottlecraft and Communal Coffee. A food truck specializing in Lao and Khmer street food, The Sticky Rice Spot, has found a home at 16th and G streets in East Village and will be serving dishes like lemongrass chicken stir-fry daily from noon to 7 p.m. Also in East Village, it’s been confirmed that a new speakeasy will be built inside Neighborhood, but there’s still no word on the name or the concept. Troy discovered during his visit at Bowlegged BBQ in Oak Park that the owners are looking to open a second location in San Diego. In Two People for $50, Tony’s pick was Yakyudori on Convoy Street for the ramen and Japanese curry. Troy’s pick was Bowlegged BBQ for the pork ribs, mac and cheese, sweet collard greens, and dirty rice that can be enjoyed in the lively backyard. David’s go-to place for burritos and beer before a Padres Game is Lolita’s Mexican Food, where he recommends trying the 2 in 1 and Tsunami burritos. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

I created this podcast for Millennials In San Diego | Where Should You Live. My original intention was for this list to be 5 neighborhoods but as I started putting it together, I realized I needed to expand the list. As is, I have 7 neighborhoods.. There are so many amazing places to live in San Diego. These are 7 of my favorites specifically for millennials. I start out by breaking down the very best neighborhoods to live in or consider living in for millennials in the entire San Diego. I also mention the cost of living in addition to higher quality of life rankings than just about any other west coast city. I also talk briefly about our epic weather and climate. I hop straight into my list from there. Here is the topic guide: 0:00 Let's talk about being a Millennial 0:51 Getting more specific on lifestyle 2:54 Little Italy 4:14 North Park 6:18 Pacific Beach 7:42 The Gaslamp Quarter 9:20 Normal Heights 10:21 Ocean Beach 11:36 Hillcrest and Mission Hills 13:07 Close Out And Summary Alrighty, so those are going to be 7 neighborhoods I think are ideal for living if you are a millennial. To be honest, there are so many San Diego places to live that could be on this list. I picked the ones I like the most and the ones I am the most familiar with.

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! Today's guest is Hanna Tesfamichael, chef and owner of Hanna's Gourmet in Normal Heights. Born in Eritrea, Hanna came to San Diego to study food and nutrition at San Diego State University. She worked for a while at Jenny Craig, and then in 2008 she opened her own catering kitchen before opening Hanna’s as a full-service restaurant in 2011. Hanna chatted with us about her unexpected journey from nutrition coach to caterer to restaurant owner. Throughout college, she worked at a catering company and fell in love with it. She was always drawn to the kitchen, and that led her to become a personal chef. But when she started Hanna’s Gourmet, she had no intention to turn it into a restaurant, much less a beloved neighborhood bistro. We then dove into how she began her catering company, which included a three-year journey finding a place to rent. It was no easy endeavor—she and her husband had to build from the ground up. Between 2008 and 2011, Hanna’s functioned as a caterer, but as customers kept asking her to do takeout, she converted the storage area next door into the dining room we know today. Unfortunately, the future of catering looks grim, and we discussed what that might look like for businesses everywhere. Hanna’s Gourmet is one of the many that’ve had to adapt, and they are now offering a weekly menu of small-batch, made-to-order dinners. While some of the favorites stay the same—like the tortellini with pear, Parmesan cream sauce, prosciutto, and their best-seller, the Moroccan chicken—everything else on their global menu changes. Hanna told us that she loves to get her customers involved, having them send in recipes and seeing what they like. You can order through her website, which has all the information. In Hot Plates, North Park is getting some Thai street food. The owner of Mngo Cafe on Convoy is opening Kin Len on 30th Street in the old Berkeley Pizza spot. There's a brand-new Mexican restaurant in Ocean Beach: La Doña OB Cantina opened last Saturday, taking over the spot on Bacon Street where Nati's was for 60 years. The list of new restaurants continues with Seaport Village, which is getting a Malibu Farm restaurant. The restaurant is known as a spot for celebrity sightings, and has expanded to eight locations around the world. It's going to replace Harbor House, which has been on the waterfront for 40 years. But don’t get too excited just yet—you will have to wait a little longer as the restaurant won't open until 2022. In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, Troy kept his ramen hunt going strong with Menya Ultra Ramen, one of the most esteemed ramen places in both San Diego and Tokyo. Marie followed up Troy’s journey with her recommendation for quality noodles at Ramen Ryoma in Hillcrest. Hanna couldn’t decide between two, so she chose both: the Azerbaijani-inspired fare from Cafe 21 and the classic Italian appetizers and pastries at Ciccia Osteria in Barrio Logan. David took us on a little trip to the Little Italy Food Hall, where he tried a flatbread from Graze by Sam and Bobboi Natural Gelato’s charcoal-infused vanilla ice cream. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com.

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We had so many questions about the state of San Diego’s restaurants that we went into overtime with today’s guest, Jeff Rossman. Jeff is the owner of Terra American Bistro in La Mesa, a longtime advocate for local farmers, and president of the San Diego Chapter of the California Restaurant Association, one of the largest advocacy and lobbying groups for the industry in the state. Where things stand, many small businesses are projected to run out of money from Paycheck Protection Program loans, the minimum wage in California is scheduled to increase in January, and the HEALS Act is still being debated in Congress. Jeff helps us unpack how this all affects restaurants, and shares what he feels politicians don’t understand about what restaurants need. While many restaurants were able to make the shift to outdoor dining, this may not be sustainable in the long run—despite San Diego’s weather being mild compared to other parts of the country. Jeff says restaurant owners are worried that people won’t want to dine outdoors once temperatures drop, and points out that many restaurants were not able to create an outdoor dining space and are still relying solely on takeout. He also talks about why “ghost kitchens” may not be the right solution for everyone, and other concerns the industry has once fall comes. Listen in to find out more. In Hot Plates, we tried to cover as much positive news as we could this week. There’s a new Chinese American restaurant in Normal Heights led by local chef Tony Guan, more Nashville chicken is coming to town (specifically La Mesa), Jeune et Jolie hired a new acclaimed chef from Los Angeles, and The Friendly in North Park reopened its patio and unveiled a fun new cocktail. In Two People for Takeout, Jeff’s pick is Tak Grill Fresh Mediterranean Food in San Carlos, and he recommends the shawarma. Troy likes The Flying Pig Pub in Oceanside, and David chose the döner bowl and chili at Amplified Ale Works in Pacific Beach. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com.

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! This week’s guest is Kris Buchanan, owner of Goodonya Organics and Goodonya Organic Eatery in Encinitas. Kris has been in the restaurant business for a long time, having founded the organic deli back in 2001 and expanded it to five locations before opening the full-service restaurant in 2015. She tells us how she got into the business, and we learned that she is an Olympian! She was on the USA National Field Hockey Team and went to the 1996 Olympics, and she’s in the field hockey Hall of Fame. We brought Kris on the show to hear what it’s been like for restaurant owners, managers, and workers having to enforce mask wearing among customers. Not only do staff have to deal with the customer who becomes irate when denied entry for not wearing a mask, they also have to mitigate concerns from people who get upset when they see another customer not wearing one. Kris shares the difficulty that her hosts and servers have experienced, and says they’re neither equipped nor trained to handle these types of confrontations—young women, especially, are scared for their own physical safety when they’re caught being the referee between two customers. The abuse that restaurant workers have experienced over this issue has been making headlines nationally, and even McDonald’s announced that they’re providing de-escalation training for their employees. Kris also gave us some information about the Restaurants Act, and we talk about a report from the Independent Restaurant Coalition predicting that 85 percent of small restaurants won’t make it without any aid. In Hot Plates, we discussed the news that Jayne’s Gastropub in Normal Heights won’t be reopening. Brian Malarkey’s Animae has rebooted and gone alfresco with a revamped menu. The Huntress, a high-end steakhouse in the same building as Lumi by Akira Back, recently opened in the Gaslamp with a menu of family meals available for curbside pickup. Chula Vista started a new program closing off a portion of Third Avenue every Sunday, and we recommended visiting Chula Vista Brewery, one of the few Black-owned craft breweries in San Diego. Last, Cutwater Spirits is providing lunch for laid-off restaurant and bar workers this Saturday: bring an old pay stub or business card to their tasting room in Miramar. We always end the show on a lighter note with the Two People for Takeout segment. Kris said her favorite is Birdseye Kitchen, a women-owned business in Leucadia, and she recommends the massaman curry. Troy is excited about the panang curry at Soi Thai Street Food, which just opened a new location in Ocean Beach. David recommends the Taylor ham roll and rosemary-and-salt bagels at Nomad Donuts, and my pick is the stingray tacos and micheladas to go at TJ Oyster Bar in Bonita. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Or do you need help finding out whether a restaurant will be reopening? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com.

We’re here at Ballast Point Brewing in Little Italy, and today, we have Colby Chandler, Ballast Point’s vice president and specialty brewer. Colby is the second-longest employee of Ballast Point—he’s been with the company for 23 years. He was involved in the creation of their award-winning flagship beer, Sculpin, where he took two gold-medal-winning IPAs and melded the recipes into one. His version of their two beers is the Sculpin you know today. Today’s special guest is Chef Travis Swikard. Travis is opening one of the city's most anticipated restaurants, Callie, in the East Village, which we talk about in the Neighborhood Guide in the March issue. Callie is filling the space on Tenth Avenue where Bottega Americano was. Travis grew up in Santee, and he recently moved back to San Diego after working in New York City with acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud for over a decade. Travis wanted to get back to local, fresh ingredients and a place to raise his two kids. Callie is his first solo restaurant. For Two People, $50, Travis chose Don Bravo, a small taco shop in La Jolla. David chose Tabu Shabu in North Park, and Erin liked happy hour at The Prado. Troy’s pick this week are the frittelle cacio e pepe (savory Italian donuts) from Cori Pastificio Trattoria in North Park, which he reviewed for our upcoming April issue. In Hot Plates, we talk about Prep Kitchen closing its doors in Little Italy, and Rock Bottom ending its run after being in UTC for over 20 years. The popular Food Network show "Restaurant Impossible" is taping at Kaiserhof, the German Restaurant in Ocean Beach. Normal Heights is getting a “hipster 7-Eleven” that’s going to open soon, complete with craft beer, a fro-yo bar, taco shop, and of course, kombucha on tap. We’re only one of the three cities in the country to get the company’s new “Evolution” stores. Thanks for listening, and we’d love to hear from you! Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message. Or if you’re too shy to call, you can email HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world, or let us know who you’d like to hear featured as a guest on the podcast.

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! Joining us in the studio today is Lara Worm, co-founder of Bivouac Ciderworks in North Park. We’ve mentioned Bivouac before on the show, and you’re probably familiar with the brand, but we share the big news that they just recently released their ciders in cans—including the popular San Diego Jam. You can buy the cider at BevMo, Jensen’s and Barron’s, and soon they’ll be available in Orange County. We learned that Lara has had an interesting career path before founding Bivouac: She was a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. In 2015 she moved back to San Diego and still worked as an attorney, but she was pitched the idea to start the brewery by her current business partner, Matt. Lara is now with Bivouac full-time, and the company just celebrated its second anniversary. In Hot Plates, we talked about the new brunch spin off of Breakfast Republic, Gaslamp Breakfast Company, opening on Sixth Avenue and J Street. Del Mar is getting a big food hall, called The Sky Deck at Del Mar Highlands, later this spring. A food truck in South Park, Shawarma Guys, were named the No. 1 place to eat in the country by Yelp. And Troy is still on the hunt for the best birria restaurant in San Diego! The Hot Topic is zero-proof distilled spirits, which ties in perfectly with “Dry January.” Several companies have come out lately with distilled "spirits" that they say taste just like vodka, gin, or even rum and whiskey, but have no alcohol. We're aware of two big brands that you might see in bars around town: Seedlip, a clear herbal tonic from the UK, and Lyre's, a line of alcohol-free spirits from Australia. Sycamore Den in Normal Heights carries Lyre’s, and we wrote about this trend in the current issue of San Diego Magazine. For Two People, $50, Troy picked Carnitas Las Michoacánas. Lauren liked Vina Carta Wine Shop and Bar, with sandwiches from Mona Lisa Italian Foods, and Lara selected Olympic Café. We want to hear from our listeners! Do you have a question for Troy about what it's like to be a restaurant critic? Need a restaurant recommendation? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you're too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com.

Fernando Garcia joined us to discuss his candidacy for the US House of Representatives in California’s 53rd district.  Fernando is a resident of Golden Hill, a father, a green entrepreneur, and an Aztec Alum (Criminal Justice). The 53rd district includes eastern portions of Chula Vista, western portions of El Cajon, Hillcrest, Golden Hill, College Area, North Park, Mission Hills, City Heights, Linda Vista, Grantville, Old Town, Kensington, Talmadge, Rolando Village, San Carlos, University Heights, Mission Valley, Normal Heights, Paradise Hills, Serra Mesa, Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Point Loma, Encanto, South Park, Cortez Hill, as well as eastern suburbs such as Bonita, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley in their entirety. We covered a wide range of issues including Fernando Garcia’s back story growing up in Southern California and the core reasons he is running for office.  We discussed healthcare, immigration, gun control, environmental issues, criminal justice reform, the War on Drugs, education and student debt. I really enjoyed learning Fernando Garcia is an independent candidate not affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic Parties.  We get into the reasons why Fernando is independent and also discuss Ranked Choice Voting. We also get into current events including President Trump, Iran, Soleimani, Impeachment, trade policy, tax policy, budget, spending, the housing crisis and homelessness. #JohnRileyProject #FernandoGarcia #CA53 #AztecforLife JRP0102 Fernando Garcia Info: Website: https://www.fernandogarciaforcongress.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fernando-Garcia-For-Congress-103355354485697/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/fgforcongress John Riley Project Info: Bookings? Inquiries? Contact me at https://johnrileyproject.com/ Donations: https://www.patreon.com/johnrileyproject Sponsorship Inquiries: https://johnrileyproject.com/sponsorship/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJJSzeIW2A-AeT7gwonglMA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnrileyproject/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnRileyPoway Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnrileypoway/ iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/john-riley-project-podcast/id1435944995?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3llrMItpbx9JRa08UTrswA Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/john-riley-project Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9qb2hucmlsZXlwcm9qZWN0LmNvbS9mZWVkLw Tune In: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/John-Riley-Project-Podcast-p1154415/ Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/john-riley-project-john-riley-2l4rEIo1RJM/ Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Welcome back! We’re here at the Hotel Del Coronado with Sara Harper, the director of marketing for the Hotel Del and Beach Village at the Del. Sara oversees all the branding for the iconic resort. This week’s special guest is here right in time for Halloween. Joining us is Amar Harrag, the co-owner of Tahona restaurant and mezcal bar in Old Town, which has a new speakeasy that just opened called Oculto 477. Tahona, opened earlier this year, is the city’s first mezcal tasting room. Both drinking dens are next door to the old El Campo Santo Cemetery. We learned that Amar is a native of Antibes in the south of France, and a graduate of the University of San Diego. In addition to Tahona, he co-owns Matisse Bistro in San Diego and Irvine, and runs the real estate brokerage Allied Green Realty. He is also the founder of the San Diego chapter of Corazon de Vida and sits on the board of directors for Create Purpose—both are nonprofits that help orphaned and abandoned children in Mexico. For Two People, $50, Amar chose Tacos El Gordo for quick and delicious carne asada and lengua tacos. Troy picked El Pescador because of their tasty local fish. Lauren chose Tiger!Tiger!, which recently had a Japanese craft beer pop-up (she enjoyed a matcha lager). Erin ventured out to East County with her family and had smoked turkey on a roll at Grand Ole BBQ. In Hot Plates, we talked about how after more than 50 years in business, Su Casa in La Jolla closed. There is a new Oaxacan restaurant coming to Hillcrest named Cocina de Barrio, replacing the old Swami's Cafe on Fifth Avenue. SKA Bar and Restaurant is a new two-story rooftop bar in Normal Heights on Adams Avenue—it’s now the largest restaurant and bar in the neighborhood. David’s 60 Second Beer Review this week is Collabapalooza—it's a mix of Queen of Tarts from Karl Strauss and Tabula Rasa porter from Second Chance Beer Company, blended in wine barrels with Michigan tart cherries. This week’s Hot Topic is from a recent story from the San Francisco Chronicle, which says that the gig economy (and companies like Uber and Lyft) are making it harder for restaurant owners in the Bay Area to find new kitchen staff. Thanks for listening, and we’d love to hear from you! Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message. Or if you’re too shy to call, you can email HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world, or let us know who you’d like to hear featured as a guest on the podcast

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, Troy, Erin, and Archana are discussing Mutual Friend Ice Cream, the hip new ice cream shop from the team behind Dark Horse Coffee Roasters,Surf Rider Pizza Co. coming to La Mesa, and a new hand roll concept coming to Liberty Station from Land & Water Co.’s chef Rob Ruiz. Plus, we have two Thanksgiving-centric events for you: Brian Malarkey’s demo and family-style dinner on November 7 at Farmer & the Seahorse and a November 14 ChefsGiving at Provisional Kitchen, Café & Mercantile at the Pendry hotel featuring JoJo Ruiz (Lionfish), Anthony Wells (Juniper & Ivy), and more, with Troy hosting the event and $25 of each ticket benefitting the San Diego Food Bank. Today’s guest is Erick Castro, partner and bartender at Polite Provisions and Raised By Wolves, not to mention podcaster and documentary filmmaker with his platform Bartender At Large. He’s talking about opening Polite when Normal Heights wasn’t so cool, the one problem with that rotating platform at Raised By Wolves, and yes, he answered why they opened in a mall. Our hot topic is about a food writer turned restaurateur who wants to apologize for all the critiques she’s thrown at restaurant owners. She’s sorry; she now realizes just how hard the industry really is. In Two People/$50 we’re recommending K Sandwiches, Simsim, and Fernside.

John Husler and his partner Jamie have been in the coffee shop business for over twenty years. First with the store in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego. Now with two other shops through up town. Find out how they started, how he hires, and how he’s adapted to technology though the decades. Lestat’s […]

Church Choirs, Dead Fathers, Privilege and Life History...this is probably the most in-depth SHNEAKY interview ever and was recorded on his "Birthday Circuit" in the summer of 2018 after the second stop at the Space Bar in the San Diego neighborhood of Normal Heights. SHNEAKY was the guest on a podcast that no longer exists. This conversation is the only surviving episode and covers the launching of the Recognition and Respect podcast, the history of SHNEAKY the MC, upbringing, education, life experiences, and the creation of SHNEAKY Entertainment. R & R Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/recrespectpod/ http://facebook.com/recrespectpod/ http://soundcloud.com/shneaky/sets/recognition-and-respect GUEST: SHNEAKY www.SHNEAKY.net/blog/shneakyradio www.instagram.com/officialshneaky www.instagram.com/shneakyent www.facebook.com/officialshneaky www.facebook.com/shneakyent Recorded 5/30/18 in San Diego, CA

Happy new year—we’re back with our first episode of 2018! Hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram kick things from Petco’s headquarters in Rancho Bernardo. In Hot Plates, we talk about the re-opening of K Sandwiches, a new poke spot in Westfield UTC, and a boutique in Point Loma Village that’s launched a beauty and cocktails event series. And have you heard? The Impossible Burger is finally available in San Diego, at Jaynes Gastropub in Normal Heights and Trattoria Ponte Vecchio in Del Mar. The plant-based burger, made of wheat, coconut oil, and potatoes, also has heme, a unique ingredient that makes the veggie burger “bleed.” Producer David has tried it, and he chimes in on the Impossible’s taste. Our guest is David Mead, co-founder of Baby Clydesdale, a local line of small-batch sauces, including a preservative-free sriracha and vegan pesto. He talks about growing his business, selling at farmers’ market, and why everyone starting a business should watch Mad Men. (He’s also featured in this month’s San Diego Magazine cover story about local farmers’ markets.)

This week, Daniel talks to the two announcers for Super Awesome Showdown, a galactic themed wrestling production based in San Diego. Meeting at Art Around Adams, a yearly musical and artistic showcase in Normal Heights, they go over injuries that the performers have suffered throughout the years, recall a time when Captain Ultra Fist rocked Hitler at the Tango Del Ray, and ponder the pros of drinking cheap beer. Visit superawesomeshowdown.com for more info and updates!

Caroline hatches a plan to reunite her matchmaker, Jimmy Foss, with his long-estranged family. What could go wrong? Sponsored by: Normal Heights, Jim Walker's funny, poignant solo show about love, family and inclusion.

Today, we're looking at influence and marketing through the lens of the craft beer industry with brewer and brand ambassador for Ballast Point Brewing Co., Jeff Lozano.Jeff Lozano left a career in nursing to get his foot in the door of the San Diego brewing industry any way he could. He started as a weekend night-shift janitor at Ballast Point and worked his way up to brewer within three years. Jeff has worn many hats over the years; his climb has been fueled by punk rock and relentless thirst for great conversation. Ultimately, his career has led him to become one of the faces of the brand as an ambassador and host of “Dedicated to the Craft”. The podcast reflects what he values the most – sharing great stories with great people. He lives in Normal Heights with a wife of 5 years and two children, a daughter (2) and a son (18 months).In this episode of Under the Influence:How Jeff climbed the ranks at Ballast Point BrewingHow the synergy in brewing is reflected in the work cultureThe marketing and artistic branding of Ballast Point Brewing Co.How storytelling + transparency on social media leads to influenceWhit + Jeff's Ballast Point Brewing beer tastingConnect with Jeff:Jeff's IG: @jefflozano Ballast Point's IG: @ballastpointbrewing Website: ballastpoint.com Podcast: Dedicated to the CraftConnect with Whitney:Instagram: @whitneyeckisPodcast IG: @undertheinfluence.pod  Eckis Marketing: @eckismarketingGet Supr: @getsuprMore information about the show + businesses: whitneyeckis.comThis show is produced by Soulfire Productions