Podcast appearances and mentions of Sri Lankan

Elephants, tea, ancient cities and fish markets; Belle is in the guest's seat this week, talking about travelling through the cultural triangle of central Sri Lanka.We're talking coconut hoppers with pineapple jam, cave temples and best times to visit the UNESCO sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla. Belle flew Jetstar's inaugural flight from Melbourne to Colombo, travelling with Intrepid Travel and staying with Sri Lankan hoteliers Jetwing Hotels.We're also looking at the best places to eat in southwest USA, which now has its own Michelin guide. Too rich for your wallet? Don't forget the Bib Gourmand rating for classic regional dishes at affordable prices.And our tip this week is how to shut down a chatty seatmate on flights; we're quoting flight-attendant-turned-etiquette-coach Jacqueline Whitmore, tune in for our take on this story in Travel & Leisure magazine. Links: Check out the new Michelin guide to eating in the USA's southwest states and and their best places to eat near London Tube stations.Jetstar now flies Melbourne-Colombo direct; jetstar.comIntrepid Travel has 11 Sri Lankan itineraries intrepidtravel.com Sri Lanka's Jetwing Hotels offer value, stylish mid-range and new luxury villa stays, jetwinghotels.comSend us Fan MailSupport the showVisit us at https://theworldawaits.au

Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber recap the final day of World Ultimates, including an American sprint sweep, a 45.98 in the 400m hurdles, and Josh Kerr adding a 1500m title to his mile world record. The biggest headlines:- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek each leave Budapest with $300,000 after sweeping the 100m and 200m titles. MJW ran 21.47 in the women's 200m — the fourth-fastest time in history, into a 0.6 m/s headwind — to beat 2024 Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas (21.77). Only Florence Griffith Joyner's 1988 world record (21.34) and two Shericka Jackson runs have been faster. MJW also swept both events at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.- Kenny Bednarek won the men's 200m in a personal-best 19.52 — becoming the seventh-fastest man in history — beating 2024 Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo. It's the same time Noah Lyles ran to win the 2025 World title in Tokyo. Bednarek said afterward: "Performance-wise and execution-wise, I give myself an A-plus." Two 200m Olympic silvers deep into his career, and the biggest race wins of that career came in Budapest.- Alison Dos Santos ran 45.98 to win the men's 400m hurdles — the third-fastest time in history, and just 0.18 off his own newly-set world record from Zurich two weeks earlier. Rai Benjamin was second in 46.40 (also doubling from the 400m final on Saturday). Karsten Warholm was third in 46.78. Dos Santos, Benjamin, and Warholm now own the 37 fastest times in the event's history. It is the deepest three-way rivalry in the sport right now.- Josh Kerr won the men's 1500m in 3:29.35, holding off Australia's Cameron Myers in his first major championship since breaking the mile world record on July 18. Americans finished third (Hobbs Kessler), fourth (Cole Hocker, the 2024 Olympic champion), and fifth (Yared Nuguse) all within three hundredths of each other.- Djamel Sedjati of Algeria won the men's 800m in 1:41.91, overtaking Olympic gold medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi and then Marco Arop in the final 100 meters. Jasmine Jones took the women's 400m hurdles in 52.45 for the biggest win of her career — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone did not race this season after having her daughter Savannah in July.- Plus the field events: Gianmarco Tamberi cleared 2.37m to beat JuVaughn Harrison in the high jump — the same height Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim cleared to share Olympic gold in Tokyo. Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage won the men's javelin for the biggest track and field title in Sri Lankan history. The US won the mixed 4x400m relay (Chris Bailey, Alexis Holmes, Jacory Patterson, Aaliyah Butler).____________Stay tuned for more live coverage from the World Ultimate Championships in the days to come and make sure you're subscribed to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠CITIUS MAG YouTube channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠so you don't miss any of our interviews. Follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠CITIUS MAG Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive our daily recaps. ____________SUPPORT OUR SPONSORSOLIPOP: OLIPOP's Citrus Rush packs apple, lemon, lime, and orange juices with 60mg of green tea caffeine for a bold, refreshing blast of flavor ready to fuel your next adventure. If you haven't had tried Olipop yet, grab a can and see what the hype is all about!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Head to DrinkOlipop.com and use code CITIUS25 at checkout to get 25% off your orders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUUNTO: The Suunto Run 2 is their new flagship watch built specifically for road running and the marathon. You get around 10 days of battery with daily use and 24 hours in performance mode with dual frequency GPS. The watch also tracks your sleep, HRV, and training balance, so you know when to push and when to back off in your workouts. ⁠⁠⁠If you're in the market for a new watch, check out the Suunto Run 2⁠⁠⁠.

He inherited a family legacy. Then he rebuilt it from zero to one.In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Jeevan Gnanam, a Sri Lankan entrepreneur and third-generation business leader, for an honest conversation on purpose, legacy, and what it takes to build a genuine entrepreneurial ecosystem in a country most investors overlook.Jeevan shares his early influences and the pressure of carrying a family legacy forward, reflecting on the lessons in humility and discipline he learned from his grandfather. He opens up about recognising problems and building ventures from a young age, and what it actually took to rebel against old mindsets within his own family and community in order to create new opportunities. He speaks candidly about the zero to one mindset, the importance of visualisation, and why getting others to genuinely buy into a vision is the most important skill any founder can develop.The conversation moves into Sri Lanka's evolving startup ecosystem, the unique talent and investment potential the country holds, and how artificial intelligence is giving Sri Lanka a rare opportunity to scale and innovate rapidly on the global stage. Jeevan also shares his vision for building a vibrant innovation district that brings creatives, investors and entrepreneurs together in one place, along with the personal challenges of balancing family, faith and business.This episode is a powerful reminder that legacy isn't something you simply inherit. It's something you have to earn, question, and ultimately rebuild in your own image.What we cover:Jeevan Gnanam's background and early influencesDefining success and purposeFamily legacy and the pressure of being a third-generation entrepreneurRecognising problems and building ventures from childhoodRebelling against old mindsets and creating new opportunitiesThe importance of continuous evolution in businessSri Lanka's talent and investment potentialConvincing family and community to innovateThe zero to one mindset and the power of visualisationCommunicating vision and leadership in startupsBringing entrepreneurial thinking into legacy businessesThe role of AI and Sri Lanka's tech futureBuilding a vibrant innovation districtBalancing family and business lifeThe importance of faith and purposeLearning from failure and resilienceLegacy, impact, and how Jeevan wants to be remembered"Success is fulfilling your purpose and serving others." Jeevan Gnanam"AI gives us an opportunity to scale and innovate rapidly." Jeevan Gnanam"I want to be remembered as someone who gave back and made a difference." Jeevan GnanamChapters:00:00 Introduction and Jeevan Gnanam's background02:29 Defining success and purpose04:16 Early influences and family legacy07:15 The pressure of being a third-generation entrepreneur10:40 Recognising problems and building ventures from childhood13:36 Rebelling against old mindsets and creating new opportunities16:10 The importance of continuous evolution in business17:27 Sri Lanka's talent and investment potential20:13 Convincing the family and community to innovate22:32 The zero to one mindset and visualisation27:26 Communicating vision and leadership in startups28:13 Bringing entrepreneurial thinking into legacy businesses35:28 The role of AI and Sri Lanka's tech future40:57 Building a vibrant innovation district45:11 Balancing family and business life48:27 The importance of faith and purpose49:58 Learning from failure and resilience52:52 Legacy, impact, and how Jeevan wants to be rememberedConnect with Jeevan Gnanam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeevangnanam/#QuestForSuccess #JeevanGnanam #Entrepreneurship #SriLanka #AI #StartupEcosystem #Purpose #Innovation #Leadership #FamilyBusiness #Investment #Tech #SuccessMindset #Podcast #InspirationFollow us on all your favourite platforms:Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheQuestforSuccessPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Quest-For-Success-Podcast/61560418629272/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequestforsuccesspod/Twitter: https://x.com/quest4success_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-quest-for-successTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thequestforsuccesspodWebsite: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com Please share this around to anyone you think will get value from it : )

"To assess a city, look at the street level, not the skyline."In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Dr Sarath Mataraarachchi, an urban planner and academic whose life spans Sri Lanka and Australia, for a thoughtful conversation on what actually makes a city great, and why the answer has almost nothing to do with height, density or spectacle.Dr Sarath shares his early childhood and influences growing up in Sri Lanka, his education and early career in land economics and town planning, and the formative years he spent working alongside informal settlements, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of poverty on how communities live and grow. He reflects on what he learned from international experience, particularly in Australia, and how those lessons have shaped his thinking on empowering local authorities and genuinely engaging communities in the decisions that shape their own neighbourhoods.The conversation explores the real challenges facing Sri Lankan urban development, the role of mentorship in shaping his career, and his belief that a great city is ultimately one where people want to come and belong. Dr Sarath also shares his vision for the future of smart cities and sustainable urban environments, his hopes for Colombo and Sri Lanka more broadly, and the unique assets he believes Sri Lanka holds that the rest of the world often overlooks.This episode is a compelling reminder that the health of a city, much like the health of a life, is measured not by what impresses from a distance, but by what actually happens on the ground, every single day.What we cover:Dr Sarath's early childhood and influences in Sri LankaWhat success means in the context of urban planningEducation and early career in land economics and town planningExperiences with informal settlements and community lifeThe impact of poverty on city developmentLessons learned from international experience, including AustraliaChallenges in Sri Lankan urban developmentThe importance of local authority empowermentThe role of community and mentorship in planningWhat makes a city great and why street level matters mostThe future of smart cities and sustainable developmentA vision for Colombo and Sri Lanka's urban futureOvercoming obstacles and implementing real changeThe unique assets and qualities of Sri LankaCore traits of a successful life and leadershipChapters:00:00 Introduction and Dr Sarath's background00:28 What success means to Dr Sarath00:36 Early childhood and influences in Sri Lanka00:41 Education and initial career in land economics and town planning01:10 Experiences with informal settlements and community life01:37 The impact of poverty and community stories01:41 Understanding town planning and its purpose01:49 Learning from international experiences and Australia02:17 Challenges in Sri Lankan urban development02:35 The importance of local authority empowerment02:42 The role of community and mentorship in planning03:11 What makes a city great and the importance of street level03:40 The future of smart cities and sustainable development03:47 Vision for Colombo and Sri Lanka's urban future04:10 Overcoming obstacles and implementing change04:39 The assets and unique qualities of Sri Lanka05:09 Core traits of a successful life and leadership05:33 Closing thoughts and message to listeners#QuestForSuccess #SarathMataraarachchi #UrbanPlanning #SriLanka #Australia #CityDevelopment #SustainableCities #Community #PlaceBasedPlanning #UrbanJustice #SuccessMindset #Podcast #Inspiration #SmartCities #ColomboFollow us on all your favourite platforms:Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheQuestforSuccessPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Quest-For-Success-Podcast/61560418629272/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequestforsuccesspod/Twitter: https://x.com/quest4success_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-quest-for-successTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thequestforsuccesspodWebsite: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com Please share this around to anyone you think will get value from it : )

In the aftermath of Sri Lanka's stunning rearguard action in the 2nd test of the recently concluded series, it was only fitting to get the voice of Sri Lankan cricket - Andrew Fidel Fernando on the pod!Richa, Sarthak and Aditya speak to Fidel about a host of topics.From Big Dickwella Energy, his feel for the game, school cricket, structure, administration, and underrated characters.Sri Lanka remains an integral part of Cricket and there is no one quite like Fidel to help us understand their perspective.You can follow him on Twitter, read his work on Cricinfo and of course please buy his excellent book - Upon A Sleepless Isle

We welcome Marise May, co-founder and Co-CEO of Cha's Organics, maker of Canada's top-selling organic coconut milk, and the driving force behind the brand's elephant conservation work in Sri Lanka. With a deep focus on ethical sourcing, regenerative agriculture, and building purpose into profit, she helps founders and mission-driven brands break past buzzwords, stay financially disciplined, and build something that actually lasts.In this deep-dive conversation, Marise reveals what it really takes to keep a purpose-driven brand alive, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from twenty years building Cha's Organics into a fixture on shelves at Costco, Whole Foods, and Erewhon. She shares actionable strategies, from surviving a shipping crisis that sent container costs from $4,000 to $18,000, to the factoring deal that gets her paid by Costco in days instead of months, and explains why she believes profit isn't the enemy of purpose, it's what makes purpose possible.Topics DiscussedPurpose vs. Profit.Spotting Impact Washing: How to tell when a brand's values are real. The $18K Container: Staying profitable and keeping every fair trade promise.The Costco Factoring Trick: How import brands get paid in days instead of waiting on 90-day retail terms.Monkey Labor-Free Sourcing: The hidden coconut industry practice most shoppers have never heard of.Restoring an Ancient Elephant Habitat: Rebuilding a Sri Lankan reservoir to stop the human-elephant conflict at its root.Relationships Over Pitch Decks: Why knowing your buyer, your store manager, and your consumer matters more than the product itself.Trust Your Gut, Not the Trend: Reading past social engineering and corporate-funded science to make calls that actually hold up.Connect with Marise on LinkedInConnect with Cha's Organics on InstagramConnect with Sebastian on InstagramSebastianNaum.com

The Minnesota State Fair is more than a 12-day event - it is a full-on lifestyle choice for 12 days, and Alex Lodner knows exactly how to make the most of it. Sunday's with Stephanie this week will feature my full State Fair Guide with picks, tops and tricks for making the most of the next 12 days at the Minnesota State Fair.Upgrade my subscription now so I don't miss the State Fair Guide.My goal with this newsletter is to help you discover new recipes and share things I am obsessed with. I also like to create short essays about what I am thinking about from time to time. It's like the miscellaneous drawer in my kitchen: a little bit of everything, some dribs and drabs—recipes, essays, helpful ideas, occasional interviews, restaurant suggestions, and more.What will I get as a free subscriber?As a free subscriber, you'll receive a newsletter in your inbox every week on Wednesday with a free recipe. You will be the first to know about any new classes or live cooking events I'm teaching, podcast episodes I'm releasing, etc.What else would I get if I paid to subscribe?Great question! First and foremost, you'll get my gratitude (I appreciate your support!!). I am a freelance creator, which means I work for everyone but no one full-time, so I pay all my own healthcare, buy my own groceries for recipes and shows, and fund my own podcast.You will also get the Sunday Subscriber email in your inbox each week. You will have access to the entire archive of posts, plus exclusive content like extra recipes only for Subscribers (there are 65 currently like this Corn Shrmp and Basil Risotto perfect for Summer), and access to Stephanie's Dish chat. .This chat lets you join the conversation, comment on posts, and engage with other people and me in the Sunday Subscriber community. I also link all my Taste Buds Episodes, Podcasts and appearance clips on the Jason Show so if you are into what I do - its all here posted each week. Subscribing is $8/month or $60/year.Whether you are a first-time visitor trying not to waste a single bite or a seasoned fairgoer looking to level up your annual plan, this episode will help you experience the fair like an insider. Perfect for anyone counting down to the fair, food lovers chasing the best bites, and Minnesota locals who want to make the most of every precious day on the grounds. Alex reveals the must-try new foods on her list, the classics she returns to every year, and the hidden gems that still make the fair feel magical even after decades of visits. You'll discover:* Why Tuesday and Wednesday are the smartest fair days for shorter lines* How to approach the new foods list before the most popular items get swarmed* The off-the-beaten-path favorites Alex never skips* Where to find the cleanest bathrooms, quietest rest spots, and easiest shortcuts* Which fair traditions are still worth your time, from the parade to the llama spectacle to the church dining hallsOriginal Episode TranscriptStephanie Hansen (00:00.724)Hello everybody and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to cool people in the food space. And today I'm talking to my friend Alex Lodner. And Alex is someone that I feel like I owe a public thank you to. She would fill in on my radio show a lot in the times when I started going to the cabin quite a bit more and started the garden.And I have become friends with Alex over the years. And Alex is also someone that whenever we think of the Minnesota State Fair, she is someone that comes to mind. She's a fair aficionado. She really has done a lot to help with the fair foundation. And I just am loving to geek out with a fellow friend that loves the Minnesota State Fair. Thanks to coming on the program, Alex.Alex Lodner (00:37.55)Okay, I'll take that.Anytime, of course. My favorite subject. You knew that. You knew that when you got me.Stephanie Hansen (00:53.756)I did. I did. So let's talk a little bit about your love of the fair and how it all started.Alex Lodner (01:01.5)yeah, so you know, the fair is kind of a crazy thing, right? It's this insane time for twelve days. I always say that I suspend my entire personality during those twelve days because I don't like crowds, I don't like fried foods, barn animals, you know, all those things are not something that I normally r seek out. And it just those twelve days are just magic. You just lean in and if you do it right, I think it's a it's aan amazing experience. I hear a lot from people who are who go once a year with their, you know, family of five and they they can't understand why I go an average of eight times. And I always tell them it's a completely different experience. When you go multiple times, you're not trying to fit everything into one day. You find your secret rest spots. You find your favorite foods that are maybe a little bit off the beaten path. We always had our sec secret little spaces where we put our blanket down and let the toddler run around andSo it's a very different experience when you go multiple times.Stephanie Hansen (02:02.629)Yeah, I think so too. There was a couple of years where Steph, my radio partner on Weekly Dish and I recorded a podcast and we would meet out there every day and record the podcast. We got a lot of cool behind-the-scenes stories, and just the pace feels different. The fair is like it's like a mini city that happens for 12 days in our state. The rest of the state, believe it or not, sort of comes to a silent pause.It has its own police force, it has mm people that sleep out there for weeks. It really is just like this weird microcosm of something that only happens once a year in our state, and it's actually pretty joyful.Alex Lodner (02:48.458)Exactly. And I used to live a mile away. And so when when my daughter was little, there would be a little parade of strollers of us going back and forth from the fair. We'd go back to the house for a nap. We go back to the fair. And so it really again, when you're right there, it's a very different experience. And the only thing I would say is do not try to go to the Target Roseville during the twelve days of the fair. It empties out, there's no produce.But other than that, it's just it was always so fun to live in that neighborhood. You're you're just in the thick of it. It's it's really it's quite a high.Stephanie Hansen (03:24.741)Yeah, yeah. When we think about the fare, one thing that people talk about a lot and I feel like I just want to address up front is expense, particularly in a year where people aren't feeling flush with cash. it is an expense. It is an expense to go with your family of four or five. Tickets are, I think, $20 unless you've bought them in advance.Alex Lodner (03:47.392)At the door, yeah. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (03:49.002)And you know, food is gonna be expensive because we've seen food costs go up 33% in the last two years. There is a large minimum wage in our state. So yeah, it isn't necessarily a value proposition. There are good values to be had and there are deals to be had. The blue ribbon book is probably the best thing to do.Alex Lodner (04:12.226)Fantastic deal. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (04:14.811)you get like a lot of discounts. There's two for ones and just going on the right days. Like if you're going on senior day or kids' day. So without not I don't want to lay belabor the costs of the fair because I don't it ruins the experience, but it is a thing.Alex Lodner (04:29.88)But it's a thing. It's a definite it's a definite factor. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. And again, I say we used to go every day. I understand that that's not an easy task for most. It's because we live so close. There's the cost of parking, there's a cost of just driving there from Elk River or wherever you're coming from. I have talked to the marketing department off and on in the years about doing a a punch card or a a passport of some sort, but it's just never really gone through.Stephanie Hansen (04:58.801)Yeah, it's a great idea. Cause I think it feels like since COVID, the fair has become even more wild because people couldn't go for the COVID times. And so now it's like people realize what a treasure it is and they don't want to miss it. When you plan your state fair, and are you planning yours already for this year?Alex Lodner (05:24.59)Did you really just ask me that? I'm offended. I'm offended. Yes, I'm planning the state fair this year. Well, so here's a side note. I've actually, other than covering the fair for I don't know, almost 20 years, I've also worked off and on for some vendors there. And this year I'm working for a vendor there. It'll she'll go unnamed, but I'm working for a vendor there. A friend of mine owns a a new vendor. So I'm going to be there.Stephanie Hansen (05:25.937)I'm just asking.Yeah.Alex Lodner (05:55.519)Seven shifts, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I I will, I will. Yes.Stephanie Hansen (05:57.519)gosh, I can't wait. Okay, you'll have to tell me off air because I'll make sure to pop by and see you. I over the years, so once we stopped doing the podcast I started doing the garden. And unfortunately for me, garden season in Ely is the end of August and the first week of September. So I basically front-load all my fair experiences. I'll be out there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. And then I'll leave Monday evening and head up to Ely. And then that's sort of the end of my fair time and I start harvesting everything.But I do love kind of having it in that condensed window too, because I get all the early excitement.Alex Lodner (06:37.614)You do. And yeah, you go during the busy days, don't you? Tuesday and Wednesday are the quietest days. And one of my tips is always to go on a Tuesday and Wednesday, regardless of what deals you get. You're just gonna have the shorter lines. It's just not as stressful. But yeah, I I would I do all the things. I go throughout the whole thing. I don't go on weekends. That's kind of I believe I have weekend shifts, but I'll go work and get out.We do not go as patrons during the weekend. That's we leave that for people who can't go during the week.Stephanie Hansen (07:13.404)Yes, I think in the restaurant business we would call that the amateurs. I know, because it doesn't sound very nice and sound sort of elite. Yep. Okay, so day one, you're heading to the state fair, day one, and you're there for not reporting, not work, you're just there for fun. What are like some of your top things to do?Alex Lodner (07:18.528)I was gonna say we call it amateur hour, but I was not going to say that but you did. We always call it nope, that's amateur hour. Yeah, yeah.That you like to do on day one.Yeah. Such a good question. Last year was my first year as a regular folk going to the state fair on day one. And actually Smart and I talked about that. Like this is just so weird. She she did do her her report, but it's just very strange to not have the new list and to not make sure you get everything in. I think on day one, I still do try andgo for the new things that I have circled. So you know, the official foods and the non-official foods, if people know that there are some new foods that didn't make the official cut, but they're just as exciting, sometimes even better. And I do make sure that I hit those. And the reason that I do that is because once all of our colleagues have reviewed everything, it blows up. And so an example of that is the Amish donuts, Peach's Amish donuts.We when was that? Twenty twenty-three, I believe was their first year. And all of us rated at number one. So we go as a group. So I go with I went for MSP with Steph, March and you know, Minmo goes and strip goes. And we all including Jason Mathis and we all rated at our number one or in their top three. Well then now you know the lines are an hour long. And so I'm not saying we're so powerful, but if you can if you candecide what you want to try out of the official and new foods and hit those on day one before the reporters get there and before we release our reviews. That's your only chance of really getting away from those long lines. We went up to the pizza, to the pickle pizza. We were there when the first year we were there, we walked right up to the to the counter and day two history. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (09:31.165)Yeah. Now it's hard. I went, well, I have 14 new fair foods lined up for Jason to try on day one. And then day two, I have 14 beverage things, non-alcoholic and alcoholic things. And we try to really load them up for the first two days so that, you know, he is part of that queue of of influencers, as it were, of people thatAnd I have to say I've done a really good job of anticipating, not only because I have to think about like what he's gonna like, but which ones are gonna hit.Alex Lodner (10:03.427)Which ones will hit?And you do you only use the official foods? Official new foods? Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (10:09.896)I do, I do. And I know that there are a lot of great foods that come out that are on the new but not official food list. Cause each vendor has new items that they're introducing every year and not all of them make them to the new list. but I try to, I mean, we only have X amount of time, so I try to just load them up with as much as I can. Are thereAlex Lodner (10:30.105)Fourteen is a lot. Uhhuh.Stephanie Hansen (10:31.708)Yeah, I think so. I mean of the I think there were thirty-six new, so we're getting at least a third of them in one day. are there things on the new list that will you're excited to try?Alex Lodner (10:35.905)Yes. I actually have it written down because there's so many of them. So I like the I tend to no I notice when I look at all the new foods that I liked best over the years that I go for the more refreshing things. So I won't necessarily I rarely go for the heartier, heavier things, although we'll talk about that in a second. But the mango sticky rice refresher at Chan's Eatery. Do you know where Chanse Eatery is? It's it's in the north end, and not to be confused, there'sAlex Lodner (11:13.561)Chan's chicken and a stick in the South. Different, different vendor. So they have that. I think it's like gonna be a drink, but it almost looks like tapioca pudding situation, but with sticky rice. Really excited about that. the the it's on days two. Yes, so you're looking at as a drink. Yeah. The strawberry sundae tart with Ube at Sarah's tipsies. Sarah's tipsies pies is one of my I always have foods that I repeat.Alex Lodner (11:43.192)I try not to repeat foods ‘cause there's so many, but I have a handful that I repeat and that's always her pies. Usually I do her lemon lemon blueberry. But I'm gonna try the strawberry tart with ube. Ube is, you know, that's the hot thing. It's been for a while.Stephanie Hansen (11:58.739)It's very ubiquitous in TikTok land. It's the purple sweet potato ingredient.Alex Lodner (12:04.191)Ube or Pondan, which is the green. and then the the banana butterscotch barn razor at Farmers Union. Farmers Union can do no wrong in my eyes. Every they just hit out of the park every time. So really excited about trying that. And it's strange because these are all sweet things, which is not normally my thing, but Greater Tater, which is is it a new vendor this year? Or it might have been last year.They're sort of blowing up on on the socials as well. And they're over by the animal barns and I'm curious to try them too. We tr no, we tried it two years ago. It was there's the really big tater tots and they were d yeah, and they were delicious. Not really my thing normally, butStephanie Hansen (12:45.054)The square ones. And that booth, too, they have a child that has special needs. And yeah. Yeah, he's great. And they do a good job of employing kids with special needs. So outside of the fact that the taters are good, really good, you know, you have this whole heartwarming story piece that I always like.Yeah, he's very popular on socials right now. He's adorable. I pretty much just want to meet him, let's be real. But I'll buy a potato too.And then another mention I want to say that I'm probably most excited about is the caramel apple iced tea from Loon Lake. Loon Lake has such good drinks and again, huge line. Always a huge line. You guys, it goes so fast. Give it a chance. Get in the back of that line. It will surprise you how fast it goes. They're very efficient. They have two sides. So the caramel apple one sounds intriguing. And as I'm saying all these, none of these are things that I would be attracted to during the year, but.Stephanie Hansen (13:52.764)Yeah, I have them on my list too. the caramel infused cold foam kinda sounded good.Alex Lodner (14:19.043)Yeah. I mean any any place would have me at foam. Be a chance eatery. I love my foam. A chance eatery. Yes, yes, cheers. a chance eatery. They also have an iced coffee that I'm going to try that either has the Ube or the Pantan foam. So just just make sure that I'm staying hip with the 19-year-old crowd. I'm gonna try those as well. Right?Stephanie Hansen (13:52.764)You do you and you do love coffee.Pandon foam. Huh. I had Pandon for the first time with my friends Heather Jans, the curry diva, who made me a Sri Lankan curry with it in there. And yeah.Alex Lodner (14:19.043)Yeah, I know they'reReally? I only think of it as a sweet ingredient. Ooh.Stephanie Hansen (14:27.055)No, she uses it in almost everything savory.Alex Lodner (14:30.667)Speaking of people who can do no wrong, my goodness. Yeah. Mm-hmm. yeah, so that's that's sort of on the on the official foods and then the not official, I'm really so a must-stop for me is the dairy goodness building, which is not to be confused with the dairy barn. AndStephanie Hansen (14:33.49)Yeah, she's an amazing person andStephanie Hansen (14:50.334)Help me understand where dear goodness is.Alex Lodner (14:53.145)Dairy goodness is in the dairy building. So the dairy building is right across from the haunted house. The dairy barn is where the cows live and it's way down over by the an barn animals. And soStephanie Hansen (14:58.684)Got it. Okay.Stephanie Hansen (15:04.392)And dairy goodness is where the butterheads are carved and you get the milkshakes.Alex Lodner (15:07.481)Correct. And you have that long winding line and you get milkshakes and my favorite is actually always get the Sundays. I always get the strawberry rhubarb sundae. This year their Sunday is called Moose Soda Apple Pie Sunday. If it does not have cinnamon in it, I will be trying it. So Nope. It's the only it's the only food item I don't I'm not allergic. I just strongly dislike it.Stephanie Hansen (15:22.195)Yum.Stephanie Hansen (15:26.076)Yeah, are you not a cinnamon person? Yeah, my producer is allergic to it.Yeah. that must make a a pumpkin spice latte not your favorite thing.Alex Lodner (15:42.788)Well, fall is hard on me. S listen, I no sweets for me in the fall because they like to put that cinnamon garnish on everything and sometimes I'll just order innocently order cappuccino and there'll be cinnamon on it. And s no, dude. I know it's October, but no.Stephanie Hansen (15:57.511)Outside Yeah, outside of the new foods, are there some classics that you go back for year after year?Alex Lodner (16:01.711)Yeah, always. I always, always have the corn. The corn roast. I've researched, you know, Brad's stuff to death. I know where those farms are. That is just the best there is. And if you're skipping on that, it's it's just it's a must-have. Must have. They cook it for an hour. It caramelizes, so it's so sweet. the key lime pie on a stick is a little known stand. Do you know where that is? It's underneath the beginning of the Skyride by the food building. It's sort of tucked in under there. And it's a key lime pie on a stick dipped in dark chocolate. Divine. I think it's yeah. And I don't know that if they raise their prices this year, but year after year it's been five dollars. I don't know what they're doing this year. But that's delicious. it's kind of one of those foods my daughter grew up on. So when she was a toddler, there'd be chocolate everywhere. And and now we still get that.Stephanie Hansen (16:43.336)Okay, I'm gonna try that.Alex Lodner (17:01.133)And then for me the grain belt blue beer over at now it's the Pratna Prize is sponsoring that pavilion. And so that's at the West End. And they started out with the blue beer, which is a blueberry beer, and then they top it with a foam again with the foam theme, and they top it with blue foam. Well, now they've they have Sangria beer that they can tap it with. They can tap it with all sorts of foam so you can mix the flavors. I go classic, blue beer, blue foam. AndStephanie Hansen (17:30.132)They have that raspberry beer flavored ice cream.Alex Lodner (17:34.327)The ice cream. They so this year it's it's double flavored and I cannot remember what the flavor of it. Peach, peach and raspberry. That was a surprising hit. We all dreaded getting that, I'll be honest. For the first year, it w we just were not sure what it was delicious. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (17:38.76)Peach.Stephanie Hansen (17:50.442)I thought so too. And I think peach and you can either have peach, raspberry, or a swirl. I think that's gonna be a home run.Alex Lodner (17:57.092)I think so too. It was it didn't taste like beer. And again, speaking of suspending my personality for twelve days, I don't think you've ever seen me have a beer other when I'm forced to when I'm reviewing. And I just love that one. It's again very refreshing.Stephanie Hansen (18:09.608)I think I did do the we did the specialty beverages one year together and all the beers and you just were not having any of it. And I was like, Alex, this one is good.Alex Lodner (18:18.735)Well I was like I tastes like the last thirty, but sure. I've ran out of words. I no longer know how to describe this the taste of this beer. Combining all the beverages and all the official foods was just that was brutal.Stephanie Hansen (18:34.44)Yeah, it was a big day for everybody. Okay, let's talk about some non-fair things. Like one of the things that I really encourage people to do is to go to the llama parade.It is just such a weird, kitschy, funny, fun, joyful experience to see people leading around their llamas in costume. They're in costume. It's just this cute, fun, weird Americana thing that I love so much. Do you have other like activities that you do at the fair that kind of check this box?Alex Lodner (18:50.937)We always watch the parade. So at two o'clock there's always a parade through the fairgrounds. We sit in front of the Bailey House, which it's is that big, beautiful yellow country house at the south end. We always sit right in front of it in the same spot every year. I bring a blanket. We have a blanket that I only save for the fair. It's very lightweight. We just always, always watch that the bands are especially a treat. And if you sit in that area or in front of the admin building, you're actually sitting by the sp by the announcer.So the marching bands really tear it up in front of the announcer because that's where the judges are. So that's a little tip of that's where you if you really want to see them display their full talents, sit in front of the admin building in the South End and they'll really pull it out for ya. what else?I'm trying to think to just some other in I meanStephanie Hansen (20:05.064)Well, yeah, and like seed art or crop art has really blown up in the last couple of years. I really enjoy it and I have seen some of the entries on threads that like preview, they're just they blow your mind, they're so amazing. so that's something, but also like don't overlook like just going and going through like the vegetable buildings and seeing like the big pumpkins and the beautiful tomatoes. They're just like these weird little moments of joy of just seeing some of the cool stuff that people make.Alex Lodner (20:31.241)Mm-hmm. The giant pumpkins. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (20:44.594)When I go into the four H building where they do their performances, the kids have plays. That's really fun.Alex Lodner (20:49.687)Right. Yes. And it's a really nice place to rest. It they have nice bathrooms there. They have nice stadium seating and yeah, you're supporting these kids who've planned on this all year. It's in the robotics competitions are in the education building. That's what we always go through the education building. I would say we go through every building, but probably my favorite is International Bazaar. And admittedlyStephanie Hansen (20:44.594)Yeah. What do you like there?Alex Lodner (21:15.831)I just weave. I do all the weaves. I get I'm not wearing it right now, but I get a bracelet from a specific place that's Kitty Corner from Holy Land. I get one every year from there. And I just I've seen it all a thousand times and somehow I just I just still love it. my my daughter used to get the little stuffed animals that that have the little beads in them. So she's got a collection of it's a snake and a dragon and yeah, we justIt's just you know, it becomes really nostalgic after you go for a while. this is maybe food related, but I'd really wanna encourage people to visit one of the dining halls or the Midway Men's Club. It is food, but you know, we used to have ninety some church halls at the state fair from the in started in the eighteen hundreds, of course, that's all there was, but now there's only two left. There's Salem and Hamlin and Hamlin. And Hamlin has been thereStephanie Hansen (22:08.702)Salem and Hamlin. Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (22:14.091)is since eighteen fifty two or eight fifteen eight or something like that. And so, you know, go sit in there for a minute. It's so lovely to see all the volunteers that work there. Get an un at coffee at Salem, get whatever at Hamlet. It's all good. And just take that moment and sit down at Hamlet. They have the little the red and white picnic tablecloths and you share a table with people and they will often you turn to them and they will tell you how they've you know it's aStephanie Hansen (22:23.092)Get an egg coffee.Alex Lodner (22:42.915)Great grandfather, grandfather, daughter kids, and they will tell you, I've been coming here since I was eight. And so it's just a really take that moment in that you're at the fair, you're experiencing something, whether it's a cup of coffee or whether it's a a llama, you're experiencing it with people who have memories about it. So chatting with with strangers at those community tables is just a favorite of mine. And Midway Men's Club is they've been volunteering.for years those are all volunteers. I don't know how much their burgers are, but they were three twenty five in previous years. Yeah. I mean, I I think maybe. Yeah. And we call them pocket burgers because they wrap them up so nicely that when when we get burgers, we would get one and then or two and get one put in our pocket. And so we theStephanie Hansen (23:16.522)They're always the cheapest. It doesn't they maybe will have to raise their prices, but I I think they were maybe five bucks, but still the cheapest at the fair.Alex Lodner (23:38.274)Apparently it's the coldest beer at the fair. Again, not a beer drink over here, but that's what they claim. And everything is the least expensive there. And again, you're doing some good. They give all their money to the r to activities in Ramsey County, a lot of kids centered activities. They're all volunteers. So just take a minute and not go for the fancy, the colorful, you know, the hot new thing. But remember those classics because we're gonna lose them. So and I just I just really think they deserve a moment.Stephanie Hansen (23:42.268)And the least expensive. Yeah, that's where Stephanie and I always go first thing after the radio show on Saturday morning. We start at the Midway Men's Club. Yep, we have a beer, we have a burger, we thank them for their service and for being there. And theAlex Lodner (24:10.691)The men's club? Yep.Yeah. Yeah. They're the nicest. They're just the absolute nicest people. They have those fun little bar stools you can sit on. It's yeah. I really just I just really think it's important. If we we all love the state fair and we all talk about it, but then we also complain about it and we have to remember, you know, to give our put our money where to some of those classics as well.Stephanie Hansen (24:37.692)Yeah, I also want to call out Peg's Diner or the Peg. it is a full service restaurant experience and same family has been running it. They have a great egg sandwich. So if you want to start your breakfast.Alex Lodner (24:41.207)Yes. I it's on my list. It's on my list to mention. Yep.Mm-hmm. The only one.Alex Lodner (24:52.685)That I was gonna I have I have that on my list. And this year they're gonna have the dill pickle chicken tender sandwich on an English muffin. Hello. Right? Yep. I wanna say it's I I no, it's not official. It's new but not official. It's the Mr. Peg dill pickle chicken tender sandwich, an English muffin with toppings. And they're also very reasonably priced. The peg is very reasonably priced. They have the outdoor seating.Stephanie Hansen (25:01.738)Okay, you had me there. I did not know about this.Alex Lodner (25:21.247)And it's just it's again, it's one of those times where when I go there, just like when I go to the dining halls, I wanna sit for a minute. I'm not in and out. I wanna take it all in. It's a great place to sit and people watch for a minute.Yeah, taking your time.Stephanie Hansen (25:34.143)Where do you like to shop? You mentioned the bazaar. Do you because I really like shopping in the West End. Yeah, there's a lot of Minnesota makers there that I'm excited about. IAlex Lodner (25:37.185)I don't shop at the fair.Alex Lodner (25:41.635)Do you? You're a bigger shopper than I am. I'm not a very good shopper. I'm a pretty impatient shopper. I look at it and I like you, I go to the I Like You store. And I usually Sarah's stuff is amazing. I have several of her t shirts. I have her hat. I don't know if we're supposed to swear on this show, but it says that okay, it's a sh s**t s**t show on the on the hat. And I like getting the attention from that. People cover their children's eyes. ButStephanie Hansen (25:56.819)Yeah, that's a great one. They have good t shirts.Alex Lodner (26:15.725)So I like that. I do get something from her most years, but I put my money on food. I'll just be honest about that. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (26:22.514)Yeah. Before we wrap it up, Alex, I wanna know where your secret bathroom is. Cause I feel like everybody has a secret bathroom. Maybe it's one that's not as well traveled as the others.Alex Lodner (26:33.839)Yes.Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So there are good bathrooms in every quadrant. So I don't know if people know this, but the fair is divided into quadrant. They call it quadrant on the inside. And you'll notice that the benches, the benches that you can buy and name after someone, those are all different colors. Those are your quadrants. So yeah, so in front of, for example, in front of ballpark, it's they're all yellow.Stephanie Hansen (20:44.594)Okay, I did not know that. Good tip.Alex Lodner (27:06.699)And so if people the the bench that that we purchased is for our friend Hanzi, who you know, who passed away in twenty seventeen, and he his bench is in front of ballpark. So you sort of dedicate it to someone and put it in front of their favorite place. I digress. Those are quadrants and every quadrant has a good bathroom. You just have to sort of know where. The best ones, honestly, they're not so hidden, but the very end of West End.has the big so anytime you see a red brick building bathroom, they will also have water stations at the at either end of it. So bring your refillable water bottle. That's where you can refill water as well as other places. As well as other places throughout the fair, but you just always look for the red brick building. Those are somehow always clean. Always. In the grandstand, there are tucked away bathrooms that almost I don't think I've ever seen a line there.Stephanie Hansen (27:45.844)That's a good tip.Alex Lodner (28:03.863)And they're also spotless. There's one on either end of the grandstand. They're inside, so you sort of have to know where you're going.Stephanie Hansen (28:10.078)And they're kinda smaller, but they are nice.Alex Lodner (28:13.463)Yeah, they're they're not tiny. They're there's one that's bigger than the other. But yeah, they're they're always spotless. The cleaning crew do there just does a great job. over over in the north end I would say is your most challenging because that's where the food building is. I'm sorry, the south end. That's where the food building is. And so that gets to be a little bit busier traction there. But yeah.I'm loath to give up my secret spot, but I'm going to for you friends of the pod. And it is behind the giant slide. There is a bank of bathrooms back there that are clean, nice. They're right behind our Fox 9 booth, and a lot of TV station people know to go to those bathrooms. So those are good ones if you're looking.Alex Lodner (28:45.153)Okay.Alex Lodner (29:02.703)Well you you r you ruined you ruin it now. But that's one of my shortcuts. So one of the advantages of having of going so many times is people like going with me, not because I'm such great company, but because I lead them through people, you know, that it's gets so congested in front of the grandstand and there's different places where it pinches and I know all the hidden shortcuts and I will not be giving them away. But that's one of them. Right by those bathrooms. That's one of those shortcuts. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (29:27.664)It is. There's another shortcut under the glider. Kind of by the i it's a back shortcut where youAlex Lodner (29:39.287)Are you gonna tell my shortcut? Do not wait, stop talking. Which short don't. Don't. That's my shortcut. No.Stephanie Hansen (29:45.34)I'm just gonna say it's a shortcut that takes you from the Colossian up to the north.Alex Lodner (29:52.716)I don't think Yes, Steph. We should have talked about this ahead of time. And they you know what? One year they put one year they put a fence up there and I saw the fence when I was heading towards it and I thought they were gonna cut us off, but they didn't. There's still an opening there.Stephanie Hansen (29:55.111)It I won't I'm just I'm just gonna say a AlexStephanie Hansen (30:09.938)Yeah, it's just smaller. It it's a handy one because the my talk one seven booth is up in that area and it's a handy quick to get up there. All right, well Alex, please.Alex Lodner (30:19.383)Yeah. And the best entrance, can we say the best entrance? The best entrance with no lines is right behind the the my talk. Harder to get to because there's no parking by it. But if you're willing to walk a little bit, there's never a line at that entrance. It's a secret little vendor entrance.Stephanie Hansen (30:34.282)Okay, I didn't know about that one.Alex Lodner (30:36.784)it's right behind your booth. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (30:38.142)Yeah, okay. So a secret entrance there. I always we always end up coming in where the where you come in where you rent the scooters and that area because we get dropped off. Yeah.Alex Lodner (30:49.335)At the north end. Yeah. Yeah, that's it's kind of a hike from there. But if you didn't want to walk through the crowds, if it was really crowded, especially for you guys on a Saturday morning, you don't go into the fair. You walk around on the outside of the fair and it will lay lead you to that secret. I'm j but we're just gonna have people wondering aimlessly now because of what I've just said. Ignore what I just said. Don't do that. People hundreds of people lost.Stephanie Hansen (31:06.954)Okay. Do you haveStephanie Hansen (31:12.17)No, do it, do it. Do you have yeah, I was gonna ask you one more question and I just totally can't do you have a park and ride location that you think is good?Alex Lodner (31:27.073)No, I have a little bit of a beef with Park and Ride, honestly. I know it's a great program. I know they're doing their best, but I believe this year they took away the suburban ones. Don't quote me on that, but I did not see them on the list. So the West suburbs used to only have one right by Ridgedale, and there were be lines across the highway. So it's across the highway from Trader Joe's. There would literally be lines across the highway. AndStephanie Hansen (31:51.604)Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (31:54.466)So it they're just we're not enough in the suburbs. So you're I think what they're trying to get us to do, again, I'm not an official representative, but I think what they're trying to get you to do is to drive closer to the fair and then use a park and ride closer to the fair. So those buses aren't on the highway for a half an hour, which makes sense. So you want to drive into Roseville. my favorite is a new life presbyterian.Stephanie Hansen (32:02.281)Sure.Stephanie Hansen (32:19.242)Okay.Alex Lodner (32:20.001)There's it g it's getting more and more popular, but that's always a really good one. The people it's volunteers from that church. It's where Millie went to nursery school. And so that's our soft spot in our hearts.Stephanie Hansen (32:29.183)Okay. Okay, well I'll send people there then. On behalf of you and Millie. Alex said to come here.Alex Lodner (32:35.585)No, don't Great. Sorry, peeps for you know, I mean, you have a lot of listeners to this show. I'm not used to to having such an amplifier.Stephanie Hansen (32:45.542)You're funny. okay, so just on a personal note, since I have you here before we wrap up, what's next for you? I miss your writing.Alex Lodner (32:55.865)Thank you. I don't Steph, I don't know. I don't know. I've I've been in conversations with a few people. If you had asked me this a year ago, I would have said, absolutely not. I am retired. I'm living my best life. I'm gonna sort of pull a Steph Hanson this winter and be gone most of the winter. But I I miss it. Never thought never thought I'd say that. What's that?Stephanie Hansen (33:14.548)Mm-hmm.Well, and you can do remote work. Yeah. I it's when you can retire and choose your own life, it doesn't mean that you might not choose your old life. It just means that maybe yeah, may well, because I think people think you have to like do something completely different, but you gravitated to what you wanted to do for a reason. AndAlex Lodner (33:26.467)Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (33:31.79)listen to you. Deep thoughts with Stephanie. It's true.Alex Lodner (33:43.887)True.Stephanie Hansen (33:45.066)what you get the flexibility and the privilege to do is to make it in the image of what you would like. Cause you have the flexibility to say no.Alex Lodner (33:55.074)Right. And I'll I'll say this to be clear. When I say retired, I retired from a very part-time job. So I've always had that privilege. I've been extremely fortunate to have created exactly the career I wanted and to be able to do exactly what I wanted. So and to work with you know, I'm really, really mean this, the best people, right? You and I know that. We worked with the best people of theStephanie Hansen (34:06.025)Yeah.Alex Lodner (34:21.993)Our our community is tiny in the Twin Cities. There's maybe 10 of us that do this. And I love every single one of these people that I've worked with. And so going back to that doesn't is not gonna be a you know, it's it's because it's something that I enjoyed all along. I did not leave it because I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I'd left it because of, as you know, some life changes. So things are settling down andStephanie Hansen (34:42.462)Yeah.Alex Lodner (34:49.899)We'll see. We'll see. You and I will talk. W we'll go have a non a non beer. I'll have coffee, you'll have a beer and we'll figure it out.Stephanie Hansen (34:52.326)Yeah, please keep me in the loop. Yeah. Maybe we'll see each other at the fair this year.Alex Lodner (35:01.283)Possibly I don't work on Saturday, but I might just pop in just to wave at you. I love doing that. I love harassing people from the bleachers.Stephanie Hansen (35:04.894)Okay.Yes, we will be live at Weekly Dish. I will be at Fox, yeah, 9 a.m. Saturday, 9 to 11 at Weekly Dish up in the North End, the first. And then I'll be at Fox Thursday and Friday. We have two-hour shows. The first hour is our national show. Our second hour is our local show. It'll be 10 to noon. And then at noon to th 12:30, I'll be doing a book signing at Fox.Alex Lodner (35:11.534)Nine AMAlex Lodner (35:16.291)The first Saturday. There's two Saturdays. So you're there the first Saturday, right? Yeah. Mm-hmm.Alex Lodner (35:25.763)What what time?Stephanie Hansen (35:37.412)on both days. And then Saturday I'll do a book signing after Weekly Dish ends at 11 for a half hour. And then Monday I'll be back and I'll be on Fox in the 10 o'clock hour. And then in the 11 o'clock hour I'm co-hosting with Jason for that day. And then I'll do a book signing after that. So yeah, lots of fun activities planned.Alex Lodner (35:37.485)Goodness.fun.Okay. All right. I'll have you text me that because I am not gonna remember anything you just said. But I'll have you text me my s thank you, and I will pop in. I I know the secret door.Stephanie Hansen (36:03.795)I will text you. Okay. Thanks, Alex. Yeah, and I forgot to tell you this when we started. Give yourself about 20 seconds before you log off just to make sure that the podcast catches up with our voices. Yeah, exactly. Okay. All right. See you.Alex Lodner (36:18.97)So I'm not just out. Peace out. All right. Talk to you, Love.Stephanie Hansen's @StephaniesDish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. 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Meet Sandul, a real estate agent in Tokyo. He sits down to talk to us about the reality of renting, the difficulties of renting as a foreigner or student, and how to settle in as a new resident in Japan.--0:00 Intro0:50 Meet Sandul1:27 Scholarship in Japan10:00 Sri Lankan student association14:27 First job in Japan21:47 Start in content creation25:27 Japanese house tour videos31:29 Why do people let you film their house?34:30 Start in real estate industry38:20 Foreigner friendly apartments?42:54 Biggest surprises in real estate47:07 What makes a good property?49:24 How long it takes to rent54:06 Where Sandul lives57:05 Sandul's favorite stories1:04:50 What people should know about his interviewees--Follow Sandul:https://www.instagram.com/sandulvinsuka/https://www.instagram.com/vinsuka.fromtokyo/https://www.instagram.com/japanhometours/Follow us:https://unpacking.jp/https://www.instagram.com/unpacking_japanhttps://www.tiktok.com/@unpackingjapanhttps://www.facebook.com/unpackingjapanhttps://www.youtube.com/@unpackingjapanshortshttps://www.x.com/unpacking_japanhttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/unpackingjapanSubscribe for more in-depth discussions about life in Japan! Interested in working at a global e-commerce company in Osaka? Our parent company ZenGroup is hiring! To learn more, check out https://careers.zen.group/en/

Listen to current week's news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule of around 10 to 15 minutes. This week we look at deadly Philippine floods, Thai Catholic school security, a Hong Kong sedition ruling, Cambodian dissident arrests, Sri Lankan prison unrest, Indian church clashes, Indonesian dress-code warnings, and Seoul's World Youth Day. Tune in for the latest developments from Asia. Filed by UCA News reporters, compiled by Fabian Antony, presented by Joe Mathews, Cover photo by AFP, background score by Andre Louis, edited and produced by Binu Alex for Union of Catholic Asian News. For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.comTo contribute please visit www.ucanews.com/donateOn Twitter Follow Or Connect through DM at : twitter.com/ucanewsTo view Video features please visit https://www.youtube.com/@ucanews

India are back in Sri Lanka for Test cricket, and on paper the odds are stacked heavily against the hosts. Mark Machado and Dominic Machado preview Sri Lanka's two-Test series against India, from the uncertainty around Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis to the possible return of Niroshan Dickwella and the huge questions surrounding Sri Lanka's spin attack. Can Prabath Jayasuriya rediscover his best form? Who partners him? And with Sri Lanka playing less and less Test cricket, how important is it that they compete against one of the biggest teams in the world? We also look back at the 2026 Lanka Premier League, discuss Galle Gallants' maiden title, Zaheer Khan's involvement with the Jaffna franchise and ask a bigger question: what is the LPL actually supposed to achieve for Sri Lankan cricket? Finally, we discuss Sri Lanka Women's impressive series against Pakistan, the growing competition for batting places and why this team may be getting closer to competing with the very best. Subscribe to Murali End for our coverage throughout the Sri Lanka vs India Test series.Join the Murali End Whatsapp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Val7H91JJhzfMEctCp1P

Thank you for tuning in to The Prosperous Woman Podcast!In today's episode, Claire has a meaningful conversation with Sri Lanka-based travel expert Eva & the Planet about how to travel sustainably, supporting and experiencing local culture in the process. Eva shares the vision of Eva & the Planet, where she leads women's group trips and retreats in Sri Lanka, while sharing the ups and downs of her entrepreneurial journey.Inside this episode:How Eva left her corporate job to move to Sri LankaWhat makes Eva's approach to slow, conscious travel a completely different experience from other tripsWhy Eva collaborated with Sri Lankan yoga teachers for her upcoming yoga retreat as a response to the gentrification of wellness culture in Southeast AsiaReady for more?Follow Claire Sellers on ⁠Instagram⁠For the woman ready to start a business - join Claire's business birthing program ⁠The Dream Accelerator⁠ ⁠For the woman scaling to multiple 6 figures - Join ⁠The Opulence Mastermind⁠ Connect with today's guest!Follow Eva & the Planet on InstagramFind the details on Eva's upcoming group trips and other offerings

The tropical waters of Sri Lanka, an island off the coast of India, are home to a population of blue whales unlike any other. These whales stay put, while every other known population migrates. That discovery was made by budding scientist Asha de Vos more than 20 years ago—it made a splash, and so did she. She later became the first Sri Lankan to earn a PhD studying marine mammals, charting a new scientific path in her country. De Vos joined Host Flora Lichtman in 2025 to discuss her path into science, what it means to be the first in her field, and how she built a marine biology program from the ground up. Guest: Dr. Asha de Vos is a marine biologist and the founder and executive director of the non-profit Oceanswell. She's based in Sri Lanka. Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that's keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on the Go To Food Podcast, we're joined by one of the most fascinating figures in British food today: Cynthia Shanmugalingam, founder of Rambutan, the Borough Market restaurant that's redefining how London experiences Sri Lankan cuisine. From studying economics at Cambridge and working at HM Treasury to building one of the UK's most celebrated restaurants, Cynthia's journey is anything but conventional.We dive into the extraordinary story behind Rambutan, from losing her first restaurant site during the pandemic to spending six months travelling around Sri Lanka researching family recipes and village cooking for her award-winning cookbook. Cynthia shares why opening an open-fire kitchen in Borough Market was so important, the realities of running a thriving restaurant in today's hospitality landscape, and why she already has plans for what's next.Along the way, we explore the food that shaped her—from childhood meals in Coventry and her grandmother's cooking to the incredible breakfasts, curries and street food of Sri Lanka. She explains why "rice and curry" is far more complex than people realise, reveals the dishes she'd love to bring to London next, and gives us the ultimate guide to eating your way around Colombo.Plus, we chat meal deals, supermarket pork pies, Borough Market favourites, why oysters might be the most overrated thing on restaurant menus, and the economics behind building a successful restaurant. It's a brilliant conversation about food, family, culture and entrepreneurship with one of the industry's most original voices.BUY TICKETS TO OUR LIVE SHOW HERE ON MONDAY 27TH JULY - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/go-to-food-podcast-live-with-chef-adam-byatt-tickets-1992111901323?aff=oddtdtcreatorYou can book a virtual demonstration with Quooker to find the right setup for your kitchen and remember, until the end of August, if you use the code GO TO FOOD, you'll get free installation and a free Quooker glassware set. Just head to www.Quooker.co.uk now!Get 2 Months of Blinq For Free - With Code - GOTOBLINQ - https://blinqme.com/Watch and Subscribe To Our Youtube Videos Here - https://www.youtube.com/@gotofood Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Started week with the Sri Lankan prison riot that left two dozen people dead, and then talked about the China space launch. Also US senator dies suddenly, Iran ceasefire dead, Zimbabwe prez extends term, Indiana man severs own penis; uses organ to commit arson.

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.  The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries. In reading The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry (Profile Books, 2026), join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nalika Gajaweera (Research Affiliate, Walter H. Capps Center, University of California, Santa Barbara; PhD, Anthropology, University of California, Irvine, 2013) is an anthropologist of Buddhism, race, and ethics, with a focus on community well-being and resilience. Her current book manuscript, Transforming the American Sangha, funded by the Kataly Foundation, is an ethnography of the Insight Meditation movement in North America, focused on the efforts of practitioners of color to raise awareness of oppressive racial conditions in these communities. Her doctoral research examined how Buddhist ethics and practices of giving shaped Sri Lankan local NGOs doing humanitarianism work in the context of two disasters: the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and ethnic conflict that ended in 2009. A former Fulbright fellow, Dr. Gajaweera has conducted fieldwork in North America and South Asia, managing and conducting complex multi-stakeholder research projects, exploring power building efforts among marginalized groups. Funders for these projects included Kataly Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Hilton Foundation and GHR. Nalika Gajawira will collaborate with Ann Gleig on a comparative ethnographic study of how Buddhist communities adopt and adapt popular spiritual exercises such as "secular" mindfulness and yoga classes within a wider Buddhist framework. Their work aims to illustrate the processes, frameworks and relationships that can enable more responsible relationships between specific religious communities and the word of spiritual wellness practices. Visit Sacred Writes: https://www.sacred-writes.org/templeton-working-group Visit Nalika Gajaweera: https://nalikagajaweera.com/ https://dornsife.usc.edu/crcc/profile/nalika-gajaweera/  

Chris interviews Rupeshika Gunawardana from the University of Kelaniya haswellkyudai@gmail.com, lostincitations@gmail.com 

In this episode, we sit down with Shahili, co-founder of The Design Collective; a space dedicated to Sri Lankan and South Asian designers. In a world where we want to shop homegrown more, but often wonder whether it's even affordable, The Design Collective is here to challenge our preconceived notions about slow fashion.The best part is that you can catch them in person this week! The Design Collective's 2026 pop-up is running in Mayfair at 14A Hay Hill, London, from 2nd - 5th July. Don't miss it!Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Shahili (03:00) Bringing The Design Collective to London(09:00) Shahili's entrepreneurial journey(17:20) Crisis management at pop-ups(19:50) How brands are onboarded(26:10) The vision behind The Design Collective(28:16) Running a business as a mother(32:42) Internal vs. external validation(33:45) Managing brand expectations(37:15) Is slow fashion affordable?(42:14) Homegrown brands in the diaspora(47:37) What does Shahili have strong game in?Find Shahili on: Website: https://thedesigncollectivestore.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withshahiliFollow BGS on:@browngamestrong across all channelsTo be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

David Wain and Ken Marino come by the kitchen and I immediately lose my mind over their new movie, it's THAT good. I also make some Sri Lankan lobster while we do a full-on comedy nerd breakdown on about The State, Wet Hot American Summer, and why nobody writes comedy like this anymore. Catch their new movie "Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass" in theaters July 10th. Follow: Ken Marino: https://www.instagram.com/kenmarino David Wain: https://www.instagram.com/davidwain Sponsors: Everything420 - Head to https://Everything420.com and use code BERT for an extra 15% off your order. Mars Men - https://mengotomars.com Ruff Greens - Use Discount Code “BURNING” to claim your FREE JumpStart Trial Bag at https://RuffGreens.com Lucy Goods - Save 20% on your first online Lucy order at https://lucy.co/BURNING with promo code BURNING! Cigars International - Time to stock up again? Use my code BURNING at checkout for 20% off your order of $50 or more OR visit https://www.cigarsinternational.com/BURNING and the discount will automatically apply. Some exclusions apply. SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video https://bit.ly/3DC1ICg Stream FREE BERT on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81696123 PERMISSION TO PARTY WORLD TOUR is on sale now: http://www.bertbertbert.com/tour Subscribe to Berty Boy Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@BertyBoyClips For all things BERTY BOY PRODUCTIONS: https://bertyboyproductions.com For MERCH: https://store.bertbertbert.com/ Follow Me! Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BertKreischer Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/bertkreischer YouTube: http://www.YouTube.com/user/Akreischer TikTok: http://www.TikTok.com/@bertkreischer Threads: https://www.threads.net/@bertkreischer X: http://www.Twitter.com/bertkreischer Text Me: https://my.community.com/bertkreischer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something is wrong, and most of us can feel it without being able to say exactly what it is. 61% of Americans now identify as lonely. Anxiety and depression are at historic highs. We've never had more mental health professionals — and we've never had more mental health crises. We are more "connected" than any generation in human history, and more isolated than any we have ever measured. In this conversation, author Michael Trainer (Resonance: The Art and Science of Human Connection) and Mark Groves go deep on the question that most of the wellness industry won't touch: what if this isn't a personal problem? What if we are biological beings — with nervous systems built for fire, proximity, and tribe — being asked to function inside a machine specifically designed to exploit every vulnerability we have? They cover: — Why your gut feeling about a person is not a hunch but precise physiological data — and what the HeartMath Institute's 40 years of research says about who gets to tune you — The difference between a battery and a black hole — and why some traditional "givers" are draining you — What Beethoven going deaf, a chef losing his sense of taste, and a nonverbal man in a nursing home hearing Chet Baker all have in common — Dave Chappelle walking away from $50 million, going to Africa to find himself, and weeping when a tribe sang him back — Why there is no medicine, no biohack, and no supplement on the planet that can approximate having one person you can call at 2am — and what the Harvard Study of Adult Development (80 years of data) confirms about what actually determines how long you live — The seventh-generation Sri Lankan healer who had no word for privacy, no word for possession — and who healed people by placing them at the center of a circle and bringing the whole community together to return them to the collective heartbeat — Why the revolution, when it comes, will be analog This is not a conversation about self-optimization. It is a conversation about remembering what we are. Michael Trainer has spent 30 years learning from Nobel laureates, neuroscientists, and wisdom keepers worldwide. He's the author of RESONANCE: The Art and Science of Human Connection (March 31, 2026), co-creator of Global Citizen and the Global Citizen Festival, and host of the RESONANCE podcast.Featured in Forbes, Inc, Good Morning America. Follow on YouTube

In April 2021, the Sri Lankan government banned imports of all chemical fertilizers. They were the first country to do this. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa explained in a speech: If we are to preserve the health of our planet and ensure human sustainability, governments all over the world must not hesitate to adopt bold policies The import ban turned out to be a bit too bold. Amidst plunging farm yields and soaring food inflation, the ban did not last the year. I covered Sri Lanka's economic crisis in a prior video three years ago, but did not mention the fertilizer ban. So let me do it this time. In today's video, the disastrous Sri Lankan fertilizer import ban.

In April 2021, the Sri Lankan government banned imports of all chemical fertilizers. They were the first country to do this. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa explained in a speech: If we are to preserve the health of our planet and ensure human sustainability, governments all over the world must not hesitate to adopt bold policies The import ban turned out to be a bit too bold. Amidst plunging farm yields and soaring food inflation, the ban did not last the year. I covered Sri Lanka's economic crisis in a prior video three years ago, but did not mention the fertilizer ban. So let me do it this time. In today's video, the disastrous Sri Lankan fertilizer import ban.

The Gary Kirsten era has officially begun with a statement win! We're breaking down the tactical masterclass, that incredible Kamindu Mendis catch, and the fitness revolution transforming Sri Lanka cricket.In this deep-dive review, Mark and Nick analyse Sri Lanka's clinical performance against the West Indies in the 1st ODI. We discuss the shocking decision to open with Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis's evolving captaincy style, and the "pace battery" led by a hungry Dushmantha Chameera. From pitch conditions at Sabina Park to the middle-order stability provided by Janith Liyanage, this is your comprehensive guide to the new look of Sri Lankan cricket. Was Kamindu Mendis opening the batting a stroke of genius or just a one-off experiment? Let us know your thoughts on the "New Era" tactics in the comments below!Join the Murali End Whatsapp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Val7H91JJhzfMEctCp1P

  “Subscribe to free weekly news letter HUNGRY FRIDAY FEAST here”  I thought Karan would define success in the usual restaurant terms — reviews, covers, repeat customers. His answer went somewhere way more interesting.In this episode, I sit down with Karan Gokani to talk about how Hoppers became one of London's most iconic restaurants — and how it has stayed busy, relevant, and loved for over a decade in an industry where that feels almost impossible. Karan shares the principles behind that success: make it personal, find your purpose, build a culture of kindness, and create something that makes people feel more than they expected.ON THE MENU:00:00 Intro00:34 Opening Hoppers and refusing to dilute Sri Lankan food02:12 Growing from Soho to Marylebone and King's Cross05:37 The biggest misconception about scaling restaurants06:00 Culture, values, purpose and learning to codify instinct08:15 How Covid changed hospitality teams and restaurant culture09:01 Reading the room and spotting cultural red flags11:58 Karan's first business principle: make it personal15:35 How taking feedback personally improves hospitality20:52 Karan's second principle: find your purpose22:04 Saying yes to everything and discovering the common thread23:03 Why Karan's real purpose is inspiring people24:43 How writing, Instagram and restaurants all connect to purpose28:19 Asking why am I excited?31:15 Beyond Reviews: Karan's deeper definition of success31:52 How Karan thinks differently from other restaurateurs34:03 How to align a team around shared culture35:18 Service versus hospitality36:19 Building a culture of kindness38:59 Karan's definition of culture42:04 What Karan has radically changed his mind on45:35 Self-criticism, reinvention and never stepping in the same river twice49:39 Growing up in Mumbai and how it shaped Karan52:28 Why Karan came to the UK54:45 Cambridge, curiosity and the people who shaped him57:23 First principles thinking and mental models58:18 Applying first principles to Hoppers01:03:15 What problem are we really solving?01:07:55 The marketing levers that fill restaurants01:08:19 Why there is no perfect formula for restaurant success01:08:42 Food as language and the restaurant as conversation01:10:06 The soul of a restaurant and the importance of culture01:12:29 The creative insecurities Karan still wrestles with01:13:15 Competition, purpose and staying true to yourself01:14:32 Food as a gateway into culture01:15:19 Why Indian food is far more diverse than people realise01:17:14 Why South Indian food remains underrated01:18:28 The legacy of the British Indian curry house01:21:46 The anthropology and nostalgia of food01:27:48 Breaking down the dishes at the table01:31:33 Designing the architecture and atmosphere of each Hoppers01:35:45 Cooking as an expression of self01:36:43 The similarities between writing and cooking01:38:24 Why the JKS group has been so important to London restaurants01:40:32 Building the infrastructure behind creative hospitality01:42:27 Karan's favourite books and inspirations01:44:28 Closing thoughts and why there's more to talk about ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It'll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/

Welcome! This week's guest is the hilarious Sureni Weerasekera! Sureni and Caleb talk growing up in San Diego, parenting styles, Sri Lankan community hangouts, love, and so much more! Join our Substack for ad free full episodes, early access to merch, our community chat, and more! https://calebsaysthings.substack.com/ Follow Sureni! @sureni Follow the show! @sooootruepod Follow Caleb! @calebsaysthings Produced by Chance Nichols @chanceisloud Try Domino's Parmesan Stuffed Crust Pizza today at https://dominos.com Visit Sunglass Hut and find your perfect pair for Summer. Sunglass Hut – Own Your Moment. https://www.sunglasshut.com/us Visit https://Quince.com/sotrue for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Go to https://www.squarespace.com/SOTRUE to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code SOTRUE. Find exactly what you're booking for at Booking.com. Book today on the site or in the app. To get involved, text UPDATE to 22422 or visit https://ImForPP.org So True with Caleb Hearon is edited and engineered by Nicole Lyons. Our social media manager is Virginia Muller. All episodes are filmed in The So Trudio at Legitimate Business World Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. A Wave series. https://wavesportsandentertainment.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passion and drive helped Rishi Naleendra achieve initial culinary success, but it was only when he learnt to trust his team and change himself that his restaurant climbed to the next level –Michelin recognition. In this episode of the INSEAD Knowledge Podcast, Professors Michael Jarrett and Andy Yap chat with Sri Lankan restaurateur Naleendra.Growing up in war-torn Sri Lanka, he went from a childhood dream to be a pilot to becoming the chef and owner behind noted Singapore restaurants Kotuwa and Cloudstreet.Naleendra recounts his bold decision to close down a successful bistro that had already achieved one Michelin star and how his singular vision won buy-in from an experienced team and demanding investors. Yet his passion and high standards had a negative side: high turnover and burnout of staff and a team culture built on fear rather than ownership.It was only when Covid-19 struck that he was forced to stop and reflect. An intervention by a trusted colleague made him confront an uncomfortable reality and come to realise that he needed to change both as a leader and a person. It was only by trusting those around him and creating the conditions for others to perform that he could ever hope to achieve two Michelin stars. A new-found leadership maturity helped him tackle the transition from running a small “mom and pop” business to leading a professional organisation. He now acts as the bridge between investors, creative talent and operational teams, and has to find ways to manage expectations and emotions on all sides.For Naleendra, the mark of a good leader ultimately comes down to one unglamorous word: practice. Not talent, title nor experience – but practice. The soft skills needed to speak honestly to investors, inspire loyalty in your team and hold your nerves under pressure are all habits that are built over time.His advice for the next generation: Don't wait for the position before you start behaving like a leader. Train for the role before anyone hands it to you, stay curious and never become too important to learn from the person next to you. Read the INSEAD Knowledge article.Explore more INSEAD Knowledge Podcasts.

You are an instrument. Right now, something is tuning you — your phone, your feed, your anxiety, the fluorescent hum of a world that profits from your distraction. The question isn't whether you're being tuned. The question is by what. In this episode, Michael Trainer returns from two weeks in Mexico — not for the margaritas, but for something far rarer: silence, stillness, and the deliberate work of unwinding a nervous system that had been running a six-year playoff season. What follows is a meditation on what it means to come back home to yourself. Michael weaves together neuroscience and ancient wisdom — the intelligence of the vagus nerve, the wisdom of a traditional Sri Lankan healer, the daily walks of Nelson Mandela, the voice of Young Pueblo — to answer a question most of us are too busy to ask: What actually brings me back into tune? The answer, it turns out, isn't just personal restoration. It's the key to every meaningful relationship you'll ever build. Because the people who make your heart feel seen and your nervous system feel calm? Those aren't accidents. They're resonance. And you can engineer the conditions where that resonance becomes possible — if you're willing to first do the harder, quieter work of finding your own frequency. As Miles Davis knew: the music lives in the space between the notes. This episode is that space. http://www.resonance.biz Michael Trainer has spent 30 years learning from Nobel laureates, neuroscientists, and wisdom keepers worldwide. He's the author of RESONANCE: The Art and Science of Human Connection (March 31, 2026), co-creator of Global Citizen and the Global Citizen Festival, and host of the RESONANCE podcast.Featured in Forbes, Inc, Good Morning America. Follow on YouTube

Kosala Hemachandra is the founder and CEO of MyEtherWallet (MEW), one of crypto's true OG products and a wallet that has been onboarding users to Ethereum since the network's mainnet launch. Eleven years, three million users, and a team of more than twenty later, MEW is positioning itself as a self-custodial home not just for crypto but for tokenized stocks, bonds, and the broader real-world asset economy now arriving on-chain. Why you should listen Kosala's origin story is a reminder of how far this industry has travelled. A computer engineering graduate who discovered Ethereum through Bitcoin, he built MEW because accessing the network at launch meant the command line and nothing else. The earliest MEW users were almost exclusively technical; today's users, by contrast, often have no idea which chain their assets are sitting on – and that is the point. Andy and Kosala dig into the decade-long tension at the heart of self-custody: balancing genuine user sovereignty with an onboarding experience that doesn't terrify newcomers. Mnemonic phrases have been "bread and butter" for ten years for a reason – any proprietary fix would lock users in and break the very portability that makes self-custody meaningful – but advances like account abstraction, social recovery, and smart contract wallets are finally pointing toward a more humane future. The conversation covers tokenized stocks and real-world assets, where Kosala sees the most profound shift of his career. TradFi went from hostile to crypto eight years ago to actively partnering with it today, and MEW is leaning into that convergence by offering tokenized equities alongside crypto assets in a single self-custodial wallet. Kosala uses his home country of Sri Lanka as an illustration: six months ago, a Sri Lankan investor wanting US stock exposure faced brokerage friction, 10–15% taxes, and layered commissions. Now they can simply hold tokenized Nvidia or Tesla in a MEW wallet. He also walks through the difference between USDC and yield-bearing stablecoins like Ondo's USDY (which is backed by government bonds), and why this category collapses the old workflow of "buy stablecoin → bridge to Aave or Compound → lend → harvest yield" into a single token you just hold. On regulation, Kosala is candid: US users are currently locked out of tokenized assets and there is no shortcut, but the trajectory of the last decade gives him real confidence the rules will catch up. The bigger bet is that MEW evolves into a global, full-service, self-custodial wealth platform – one login, one set of keys, exposure to crypto, fiat, RWAs, and traditional yield instruments without ever surrendering custody. The episode closes with details on MEW's live $100,000 Energy Campaign (points for swaps, transactions, and tweets convert into chances at $5–$10 of tokenized US equities) plus an hourly $5 swap reward for early users. The hot take round delivers Kosala's tidy framing of Bitcoin as gold and Ethereum as USD, a strong vote of confidence in AI-driven portfolio management as a future that's already here for the few, and a Christopher Nolan pick to close things out. Supporting links Stabull Finance MyEtherWallet MEW on Twitter Andy on Twitter Brave New Coin on Twitter Brave New Coin If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

New York City transit workers confront need for fight against Wall Street and Mamdani / South Texas horror: 7 immigrants, including 14-year-old boy, die after being trapped in rail container / Rising fertilizer prices, shortages threaten Sri Lankan farmers with disaster

CISA orders rapid patching of actively exploited Ivanti zero-day. Canvas gets hacked during finals week. Dirty Frag is a new Linux zero-day. Researchers document a serious Claude Chrome extension bug. Meta ends Instagram encryption. PCPJack malware clean house before moving in. A new report highlights quantum-era cryptographic threats. Cloudflare announces layoffs amidst AI deployment. Sri Lankan police shut down a scam center. Maria Varmazis joins me to look back at ten years of geopolitics in cyber. Vibe coding reveals valuable data.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today we're previewing a special edition of CyberWire Daily's 10th anniversary series, where N2K CyberWire's Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner revisit a decade of cyber geopolitics and warfare. Selected Reading CISA gives feds four days to patch Ivanti flaw exploited as zero-day (Bleeping Computer) ​​Hackers ate my homework: Educational SaaS Canvas down after cyberattack (The Register) New Linux 'Dirty Frag' zero-day gives root on all major distros (Bleeping Computer) Flaw in Claude's Chrome extension allowed ‘any' other plugin to hijack victims' AI (CyberScoop) Meta U-turns on encryption push for Instagram as DMs go plaintext (The Register) ‘PCPJack' Worm Removes TeamPCP Infections, Steals Credentials (Security Week) Quantum Risk Explained (Recorded Future) Building for the future (Cloudflare) Sri Lanka makes 37 arrests as it raids another scam centre (Bitdefender) Thousands of Vibe-Coded Apps Expose Corporate and Personal Data on the Open Web (WIRED) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Got the rare Sunday podcast started with 22 Sri Lankan monks getting caught smuggling 240 pounds of marijuana, and then talked about the US accusing a Mexican governor of aiding the Sinaloa cartel. Plus the WHCD would-be assassin, Timmy the humpback whale freed from being stuck, Pakistan violence spiraling, Clavicular accused of sexual assault, and a Scottish priest has been jailed after friend testified that the priest attempted oral sex on him several times while drunk. Music: David Allan Coe/"D-R-U-N-K"

Twenty-two Sri Lankan monks were arrested at the airport with a record 242 pounds of cannabis hidden in their luggage.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Link Up w/The Morning Sickness Digitally All Over:Instagram: @hms_98_official, @bosskupd, @bretvesely, @dickToledoX/Twitter: @HMSon98, @DickToledo, @bretveselyFacebook: @HMSKUPDYouTube: @hmspodcast9320, @98kupdRequest/Call in/Wakeup Song line:(IN AZ) 602.585.9800More HMS: holmbergpodcast.com, 98kupd.comEmail: dtoledo@98kupd.com, bvesely@98kupd.com, bbogen@98kupd.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Link Up w/The Morning Sickness Digitally All Over:Instagram: @hms_98_official, @bosskupd, @bretvesely, @dickToledoX/Twitter: @HMSon98, @DickToledo, @bretveselyFacebook: @HMSKUPDYouTube: @hmspodcast9320, @98kupdRequest/Call in/Wakeup Song line:(IN AZ) 602.585.9800More HMS: holmbergpodcast.com, 98kupd.comEmail: dtoledo@98kupd.com, bvesely@98kupd.com, bbogen@98kupd.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Srianee Dias arrived in the United States from her native country of Sri Lanka in the 1970's. She was part of a program of doctors who were recruited from S. Asia during a time when there weren't enough medical students graduating from the U.S. medical schools. Traveling with her two very young daughters and arriving in NYC was a big tremendous life change for her. Uprooted from her loving family at home to her tiny apartment in Brooklyn, she was ready to embrace this opportunity and chose to pursue the area of pathology. As a pathologist she began her residency in southern CT and later moved north for a larger role. Learning English under the British model in Sri Lanka, she often critiqued the grammar of her colleagues only to quickly understand that not all “English” was the same. Her diligent work ethic, coupled with her warm personality, made her a highly desirable practitioner and deeply respected by fellow doctors and staff. She worked with unwavering focus and persistence, and was licensed in thirteen states as a pathologist traveling extensively for her work. She speaks candidly about the COVID pandemic and how as a retired pathologist she conformed to protocols in place. Srianee especially loved when her mother would visit and help with caring for her daughters. These occasional visits were supportive and affirming to her and keeping traditional Sri Lankan customs alive was a priority. She loved gathering with her community of friends and medical colleagues and was eager to share authentic Sri Lankan food and recipes with her non-Sri Lankan friends. After over 4 decades living and working in the U.S., she recently returned to Sri Lanka to live near her siblings and cousins but she describes both places as “home”, embracing the fact that it doesn't have to be just one place. As a curious and truly global-minded person, Srianee sees opportunity in travel and exploration and visits her daughters, grandchildren and friends as often as possible. Her love for her country is beautifully expressed as she shares the term, “Ayubowan”, a greeting that translates to “wishing you long life and an aura of happiness and grace”. This quote exemplifies how you feel when you meet and listen to Srianee's story.

What can chemistry reveal about what it means to be human? On Radio 4's weekly conversation programme, Tom Sutcliffe leads a conversation that ranges from the molecules within us to the experimental pioneers who transformed our understanding of the material world.Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu discusses Chain Reaction, her vivid and deeply personal journey into the chemistry underpinning everything we touch, consume and inhabit. She brings to life the chemical bonds that hold our bodies together and the reactions that sustain all life, while recounting her own story, from childhood in post war Nigeria to a groundbreaking career designing treatments for blindness.Science historian Kit Chapman introduces The Age of Alchemy, tracing the long, global evolution of chemistry before it became a modern science. Travelling from ancient Sri Lankan steel forges to Egyptian alchemical texts and Chinese herbal laboratories, he reveals how early experimenters, merging mysticism, medicine and metallurgy, laid crucial foundations for scientific method and discovery.Professor Mark Miodownik set up the Institute for Making at University College London and is Royal Society Professor of Public Engagement with Science. He is a leading materials scientist who has led work on plastic waste and biodegradable plastics. He discusses the latest research on the chemical composition of the things we are making, and the things we throw away. Producer: Ruth Watts

“The truth is paywalled, and the lies are free.” — Current Affairs editor, quoted by Brewster Kahle The internet, we were promised, would remember everything. Rather than memory, however, it is now most distinguished by its digital forgetfulness. That's the warning in Vanishing Culture, a new series of essays published by the San Francisco-based Internet Archive. In its concluding essay by Brewster Kahle — founder of the Internet Archive, member of the Internet Hall of Fame, and the closest thing the web has to an official librarian — he makes the case for preserving the online library system. “Our evolving digital age can be our next Carnegie moment or it can be a Library of Alexandria moment. It is up to us.” Today's internet library system, Kahle argues, is worse than the analogue one he grew up with. It's faster, he acknowledges, but shallower. The 1976 Copyright Act means that rather than buying digital books, libraries can only rent access in surveillance environments controlled by a handful of corporations. Sixty percent of news organisations now have paywalls. Academic publishing is controlled by three conglomerates. So an entire generation is growing up without access to the published works of the twentieth century. “The truth is paywalled, and the lies are free,” as the editor of Current Affairs put it. That is today's internet. No laughter. Only forgetting.Five Takeaways •       Carnegie Moment or Alexandria Moment: The Internet Archive's pamphlet Vanishing Culture opens with a choice. Andrew Carnegie invested in public libraries during the early twentieth century: every town in America got one, and by the time the US was thrust onto the world stage after World War II, an educated public was ready. The Library of Alexandria burned. Kahle's argument: we are at the same fork in the road. The digital transition can be a Carnegie moment — everyone with access to all human knowledge — or it can be an Alexandria moment. Sixty percent of news organisations now have paywalls. Academic publishing is controlled by three conglomerates. The library system we have is worse, not better, than the one Kahle grew up with. •       The 1976 Copyright Act as Original Sin: Copyright used to be opt-in: you had to put a ‘c' on your work and register it. The 1976 Act made it opt-out: everything is copyrighted by default, forever, with terms that keep being extended. The consequences: Wikipedia had to be written from scratch because the encyclopedias already written couldn't be shared openly. Academic papers are walled inside publisher systems, which is why arXiv exists. Libraries can no longer buy digital books — only rent access in surveillance environments. The bargain between publishers, libraries, authors, and the public that functioned for centuries has been dissolved by lobbyists writing copyright law. •       The Truth Is Paywalled and the Lies Are Free: Kahle's most quotable line belongs to someone else — the editor of Current Affairs. But Kahle endorses it fully. An entire generation is now growing up without access to the published works of the twentieth century. People are genuinely confused about whether the Holocaust happened — not because the information doesn't exist, but because it's behind a paywall. What is free on the internet is what serves the interests of the platforms: viral, emotional, algorithmically optimised, frequently false. The deep, sourced, accurate record costs money to access. That inversion is not an accident. It is the business model. •       Turnkey Tyranny: Kahle quotes Edward Snowden's phrase for what surveillance capitalism has built: turnkey tyranny. All it needs is someone motivated to think tyrannically, and all the laws, policies, and technologies are already in place. The internet was built on a protocol: play by the rules and you're in. That openness is gone. What replaced it is a small number of platforms with enormous centralised control of distribution, purchasing the upstream sources — Comcast buying movie studios, Amazon buying MGM. Whoever controls distribution, Lawrence Lessig's maxim holds, will eventually control everything upstream from it. •       AI Mass Larceny? The Real Loser Is People: Asked the binary question — is AI mass larceny, yes or no? — Kahle refuses it. His answer: the fight between publishers and AI companies is Coke versus Pepsi. The real dynamic is large corporations — whether you call them AI companies or publishing conglomerates — taking from people's goodwill, their creative output, their authorship, and landing the value in very few hands. What Kahle wants is public AI: ClimateGPT, reading the Sri Lankan 1953 fish reports and seeing the patterns in them. AI that serves the public good, not the shareholders of one, two, or three gigantic players. The answer isn't either Coke or Pepsi. It's water. About the Guest Brewster Kahle is the founder and Digital Librarian of the Internet Archive, a member of the Internet Hall of Fame, and the author or editor of Vanishing Culture (Internet Archive, 2024). He was previously the founder of WAIS and Alexa Internet. He lives in San Francisco. References: •       Internet Archive — archive.org. •       Vanishing Culture: A Report on Our Disappearing Digital Heritage, ed. Brewster Kahle et al. (Internet Archive, 2024). Available free at archive.org. •       arXiv (arxiv.org) — the open-access preprint server that routes around academic publishing. •       Episode 2877: Keith Teare — Let's Just Say It Out Loud: AI Is Not Dangerous. The counterpoint to Kahle's wariness about AI centralisation. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters: (00:30) - The internet's librarian: forgetting vs. surveillance (01:55) - Carnegie moment or Alexandria moment? (03:20) - Andrew Carnegi...

The Sri Lankan government has increased electricity prices for most households by more than 8% as fuel costs surge due to the Iran conflict.Plus, Bisi Adebayo looks at the impact the war is having on jet fuel costs and how British and American food giants, Unilever and McCormick, have agreed a deal to combine parts of their food businesses.

The Pentagon has released footage of a US submarine firing on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean and sinking it. Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy picked up a distress call from the IRIS Dena. Sri Lankan police and defence officials say 87 bodies have been recovered from the water, and 67 sailors are still missing. Also: Iran carries out missile and drone attacks on several countries as Israel and the US continue to strike targets in Iran; we report from eastern Turkey where some Iranians have been crossing the border; and could Kurdish forces lead an insurgency to help topple the government in Tehran?The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

The Sri Lankan navy says it has rescued 32 people after a distress call from the Iranian IRIS Dena, with around 140 people on board currently missing. We also hear from Iraq's Kurdistan region where reports suggest the US could back the Kurdish armed groups to cross over into Iran in a ground operation.Also on the programme: the latest from the onflict in the Middle East, with a lineup of who is in the running to take over from Iran's Supreme Leader; the controversial 'Moonies' church that has contravened the law in Japan, and proof that a woman's brain does change during pregnancy. (Photo: Iranian warship IRIS Dena is seen in the Bay of Bengal during International Fleet Review held at Visakhapatnam in India on 18 February, 2026. Credit: Associated Press)

When Visaka Dharmadasa’s soldier son was kidnapped by the fearsome Tamil Tigers in the midst of Sri Lanka’s bitter civil war, she couldn’t find anyone who could help find him - or the 608 other soldiers who had been taken the same night. So Visaka transformed herself, first into a fighter against the bureaucracy of the Sri Lankan government and the Red Cross, and then into a fearsome peace activist. Defying warnings, she crosses into Tamil Tiger territory and sits down with some of the terrorist group’s most notorious leaders, appealing to their humanity as a mother. And eventually, they listen. The Girlfriends: Spotlight is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel visit Novel.AudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dive bar in Philly just raised its age limit to 25 after college kids rolled in with fake IDs so advanced they passed scanners… including one absolute legend who used Benjamin Franklin as his photo and listed his address as the Liberty Bell. This is why we can't have nice things. On today's funny show, the Rizz and the gang relive their own fake ID disasters (yes, Sri Lankan licenses were involved), and debate whether that kid is a criminal mastermind or the future mayor of Philadelphia.Then we shift into full-blown pop culture chaos: Miley Cyrus is already an early favorite for the next Super Bowl halftime show in LA, but would Jelly Roll, Taylor Swift, or Post Malone completely break the internet? We argue. Loudly. As usual.And because this daily comedy chaos refuses to stay in one lane, we also break down:A new “forensic report” trying to reopen the Kurt Cobain case (TikTok detectives… please sit down)Gene Simmons vs. hip-hop in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (again

A dive bar in Philly just raised the age limit to 25 because college kids showed up with fake IDs so advanced they passed scanners… including one genius who used Benjamin Franklin as his photo and listed his address as the Liberty Bell. This is why we can't have nice things.On today's daily comedy show chaos, the crew relives their own fake ID disasters (Sri Lankan licenses included), breaks down why Miley Cyrus is the early favorite for the next Super Bowl halftime show in LA, and debates whether Jelly Roll, Taylor Swift, or Post Malone would absolutely break the internet.Then things get serious-ish as a new “forensic report” tries to reopen the Kurt Cobain case with fresh conspiracy fuel. Is it legit? Is it TikTok detectives doing TikTok detective things? The Rizz and the gang have thoughts.We also hit:Gene Simmons vs. hip-hop in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (again

In Season 1 of The Girlfriends: Spotlight, our global gang of girlfriends grew to include Pussy Riot’s punk icon and political prisoner Nadya Tolokonnikova, British Nigerian beauty queen and founder of Miss Trans Global, Miss saHHara and ‘The Erin Brockovich of East Africa’, environmental activist Phyllis Omido, to name a few. Now Anna Sinfield is back with more incredible stories of women like Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, who battled through trauma, loss and addiction to become the first Peruvian woman to summit Mount Everest, and Visaka Dharmadasa, a Sri Lankan mother who sat face to face with notorious terrorists and helped end a civil war. Come back every week for more stories of women winning. The Girlfriends: Spotlight is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel visit Novel.AudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.