Podcast appearances and mentions of urban solace

This week Donna and Orlando sat down with Michelle Renaud, the founder of Urban Solace to discuss the importance of mental and physical health!As a Detroit native, Michelle sought to improve access to quality health education and wellness programming within her community - through Urban Wellness Group, which was founded in 2001 and has offered mobile corporate programming and community fitness initiatives to countless clients and students since its inception. As an experienced registered teacher with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500), Michelle has over 25 years of practice on her mat. She became an avid practitioner after sustaining a severe knee injury in 1997 that sidelined her passion for running. Incorporating yoga into her rehabilitation plan helped her discover its functional fitness benefits.Urban Solace is the proud producer of the longest-running, FREE outdoor yoga programs in downtown Detroit. They've been providing fun & fitness on the riverfront to thousands of residents and visitors since 2007.For more information on Michelle and Urban Solace, click here. FOR HOT TAKES:DETROIT CITY COUNCIL TO ASSEMBLE COMMISSION TO REPRESENT RENTERS DETROIT ANIMAL KEEPING ORDINANCE HEADED TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTESupport the Show.Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The whole premise of the Rock & Roll Happy Hour was to pair amazing craft beers with amazing tunes.  Mother Earth does a similar version of this with their Project X series, except they pair amazing craft beers with amazing artists for the labels.  This Hazy IPA called Urban Solace is their latest edition of the series. 

Ice cream shops don't usually spawn modest empires—but this one did. Born and raised in Coronado, David Spatafore opened a little scoop place, MooTime Creamery, in 1998. He built it in the same neighborhood where he grew up and met his wife. Now, his food hall, Liberty Public Market—the market that started the trend in San Diego—is the epicenter of life in Point Loma. He's got a steakhouse, Stake, and a flip-flop-and-tiki-shirt concept with The Islander, which is now home to a tiny donut shack called Dinky Donuts. Blue Bridge Hospitality is a homegrown success started with a little cream and sugar. But today we want to talk about Little Frenchie, their Michelin-recognized spot and one of the best damn French bistros in San Diego. So we invited over the men who put the good in it: Blue Bridge exec chef Matt Sramek and VP of Operations Matt Gordon (a beloved chef in San Diego, he's also the former owner of Urban Solace). “We're cooks—we think about food all day. We dream about food. We love the stress and rush of it,” Sramek says. Sramek got his start in kitchens under chefs Bruno Lopez and Douglas Dodd before signing on as a chef de partie (line cook) for Thomas Keller's Bouchon Beverly Hills. He landed in San Diego at Amaya, worked his way across the city, and eventually became executive sous chef for Blue Bridge. The “pair of Matts,” as David calls them, come into the SDM podcast studios and talk about what's made Little Frenchie such a hit (Michelin has given them a plate award three years running). They tell us about life on the island and explain their pandemic silver lining (with so much open space in Liberty Station, their market got a huge boost of traffic that hasn't slowed down). As always, thanks for listening. Little Frenchie will cook Sunday, Sept. 10 at the Grand Tasting of Del Mar Wine + Food Festival.

We are wrapping up 2019 with two year-end episodes to discuss the best food, coolest trends, biggest headlines, and saddest goodbyes in San Diego’s restaurant scene. This special episode is Part 1. Some big headlines this year included Addison becoming the first and only restaurant in San Diego to receive a Michelin Star. We also discussed the news that the owner of The Patio Group was charged by the federal government in an alleged $300 million fraud scheme, and Matt Gordon closed Urban Solace, which Troy called a “city icon.” El Jardin also had a big year with the hiring of chef Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, gaining national acclaim, and then closing for a rebranding without Zepeda-Wilkins. Also, Cutwater Spirits was bought by Anheuser-Busch, and Constellation Brands sold off Ballast Point to a small brewery in Illinois. We also revealed the overall most-read story of 2019 on the San Diego Magazine website. Hint: It has something to do with food. Troy's most-read stories this year were “First Look of Il Dandy,” "The Best Soup Dumplings in San Diego," "The Problem with Bright Red Tuna," and "Restaurants Are Dying; Here's the Solution." Also in this episode, the team plus David reveal their personal best restaurants, best dishes, best breweries and saddest closures of 2019. Some places on their lists include: Original 40 Brewing Company, Fort Oak, De Cabeza, Animae, and Blue Point. Thanks for listening, and we’d love to hear from you! What was the best thing you ate at a restaurant in San Diego this year? Or do you have a question for Troy? Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message. Or if you’re too shy to call, you can email HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can also give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world, or let us know who you’d like to hear featured as a guest on the podcast.

You may have noticed that the sign at Carnitas’ Snack Shack on University Avenue now says The Porchetta Shack. We asked our guest this week, chef and owner Hanis Cavin (who has been called San Diego’s “King of Pork”), why he changed the concept for his popular North Park restaurant after eight successful years. Hanis also shared that he’s no longer affiliated with the Carnitas’ location at the Embarcadero, and his pick for Two People, $50 is Fernside in South Park. This week in Hot Plates, we learned that chef Matt Gordon (who recently closed Urban Solace and Solace & The Moonlight Lounge) is now the vice president of operations for Blue Bridge Hospitality—the company behind Liberty Public Market and Stake Chophouse. Neighborhood, the craft beer and burger joint that’s been in East Village for 12 years, isn’t closed: the shutdown is just temporary for a remodel. The Florence is now open in Sabre Springs (Troy got the First Look at the space and the menu), and the tenth annual Eat.Drink.Read fundraiser for the San Diego Council on Literacy is coming up at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The Hot Topic this week is the James Beard Awards and the fact that San Diego chefs and restaurants were excluded, again, from making the cut as finalists. Troy took a closer look at how many San Diego chefs have been nominated for a James Beard Award in recent years compared to chefs in LA and San Francisco (and finds a huge disparity), and shares what it would take to get San Diego included in the “Oscars of Food.” We have a phone number for this podcast now! We're going to end each podcast with a question for our listeners, and you can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave us a message. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50. Did you get your tickets yet to Best of North County? You don’t want to miss this party at the Park Hyatt Aviara on April 14, where you get unlimited bites and sips from all the new and noteworthy spots in North County. Our sponsors for this episode are the North Park Main Street Association and the San Diego Padres. Enter to win two tickets in a VIP suite for a live recording of the Happy Half Hour on May 6th! sdmag.com/padrespodcast - get tickets at padres.com

This week we met with up Candice Eley, director of communications for the San Diego Tourism Authority, and learned about her passion for promoting San Diego's arts and culture, diversity, dining scene and proximity to Mexico, and how she gets travel stories about our city to appear in national media, like this recent story in Travel and Leisure. We talked about how San Diego is still perceived as a sleepy town, and got her take on the Hot Topic: San Diego being included in Michelin’s new guide to restaurants in California. What could this mean for the city, and will restaurants like Addison finally get the recognition they deserve? Candice’s pick for Two People, $50 is Tanuki in Kensington, a Japanese restaurant and sake bar owned by a former chef at Nobu. In Hot Plates, we shared the news that Urban Solace served its last meal after a 12-year run in North Park and that owner Matt Gordon also closed the Solace & Moonlight Lounge in Encinitas. Peking Café Chop Suey, which had been in North Park for 90 years, also recently closed its doors because the descendants of the restaurant’s founder want to retire. We learned some good news about the impending (and temporary) closure of the Red Fox Room: It’s going to stay open until the end of June before it moves to its new location on El Cajon Boulevard. Chef Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins and her popular restaurant, El Jardin, was reviewed recently in The New York Times. We also covered two new openings, Himmelberg’s in the East Village and Dark Horse Coffee’s newest location in South Park. We have a phone number for this podcast now! We're going to end each podcast with a question for our listeners, and you can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave us a message. This week's question: what are your favorite memories of Urban Solace? You can also give us your recommendations for Two People, $50.

Chef Matt Gordon of Urban Solace and Solace and the Moonlight Lounge talks about new menu concepts. Plus, a Farmer's Market report with Joe Herrmann and Brandi Reynolds includes talks about our wild weather and other signs of Spring!

Welcome to the first Happy Half Hour of 2019! In today’s show, we’re talking about a luxury theater slash restaurant in the Gaslamp and a new “American brasserie” now open in the East Village. Plus, lots of donut news, including Sidecar Doughnuts debuting in Del Mar and a new venture from Nomad Donuts’ Kristianna Zabala. Back in the guest seat in Matt Gordon, the owner and chef of Urban Solace and Solace & the Moonlight Lounge. Gordon is telling us why he decided to overhaul his 11-year-old North Park eatery (goodbye, duckaroni; hello refreshed patio!), why he’s feeling liberated because of it, and the unique reason he decided to bring breakfast service to the space. Our hot topic is about one of San Diego’s oldest family-run restaurants shuttering in North Park. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending ChiKo in Encinitas, Hillcrest’s Amarin Thai, and San Telmo downtown. Looking to make new friends, see new places, and try new things in 2019? San Diego Magazine’s Insiders club curates exclusive discounts at editor-selected restaurants, bars, spas, and more for $10 per month. That’s right—it’ll cost you less than happy hour. (Speaking of happy hour, Insiders get access to a monthly happy hour at buzzy San Diego bars to meet and mingle with fellow club members, our podcast hosts, and editors of the magazine.) Plus, we’ll be hosting an exclusive dinner with food critic Troy Johnson in the coming months. Sign up here to get all the info!

This episode is sponsored by the SoNo Fest. The free street festival returns to the South Park-North Park area on Sunday, December 2 with 40 of the best restaurants from both neighborhoods competing in the ultimate #chilismackdown. There will also be a craft beer garden, food trucks, live music, and a kid’s fest. The best part? All proceeds go to the McKinley School Foundation. This week we’re coming at you from Fernside, the new South Park cocktail bar and eatery from Christian Siglin (Bracero, The Grass Skirt, Cutwater Spirits), Shane Gerde (UnderBelly, Cutwater Spirits), and Adam Cook (Bluefoot Bar & Lounge) and also one of the participating restaurants in this year’s SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off. In Hot Plates, we’re talking about big changes coming to Urban Solace in January, the new Asian-inspired speakeasy with a major designer behind the concept, Pure Project’s next tasting room location, and our comprehensive Thanksgiving guide, packed with traditional turkey feasts, eclectic buffets, catering options, and plenty of cocktails. Our guest is chef Amy DiBiase of the new InterContinental Hotel’s Vistal restaurant. She talks to us about how she works with a scientist to ensure seafood sustainability, the best dishes to try at Vistal, and why the poke trend may be peaked. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending El Jardín, Seasons 52, the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, Mirin Cafe, and Hernandez Hideaway. And did you hear? San Diego Magazine has launched its Insiders club, offering exclusive discounts at editor-selected restaurants, bars, spas, and more for just $10 per month. We’re off next week, so have a happy, safe, and delicious Thanksgiving holiday­—cheers!

Get to know Matt Gordon, Chef and Owner of Urban Solace and Solace & The Moonlight Lounge. His goal has always been to create a dynamic and fun environment for his staff so that they enjoy coming to work as much as he does.

Jenny Goycochea is Debi’s guest for this episode of The Just Forking Around Podcast. Jenny is Chef de Cuisine at Tasting Room Del Mar and has competed THREE times  on Cutthroat Kitchen. Debi and Jenny discuss tattoos, reality tv, becoming a chef and how mothers who always want what’s best for you. A San Diego native, from a young age, Jenny Goycochea realized that her career and life passion lied in the kitchen, quickly learning that food is often the common denominator in bringing people together. After studying Women’s Studies and Communication at San Diego State University, she broke into the restaurant industry prepping for a catering company. From there, Jenny got her first restaurant job at North Park’s local favorite, Urban Solace. Following her time there under Chef Matt Gordon, Jenny continued to hone her skills at Quality Social, Flavor Del Mar, Jsix and Stone Brewing Company. Over the course of her eight collective years in the industry, she has had the privilege of working with some of the best talent that San Diego has to offer, learning from each along the way. In her role as Chef de Cuisine at Tasting Room Del Mar, through her collaboration with Executive Chef Steven Lona, Jenny has challenged herself to look outside the box when it comes to looking at any given ingredient. In the kitchen, she is continuously inspired by the abundance of locally grown produce, harvested by a wealth of farms. When she thinks of her fondest memories, many are spent with large groups of friends and family sitting down to a meal and enjoying food together – an experience she hopes will be prevalent at Tasting Room Del Mar. You can find links to the Tasting Room and Jenny’s other favorite three San Diego eateries below. http://tastingroomdelmar.com jenny@tastingroomdelmar.com Jenny on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jennygoycochea/?hl=en Jenny's 3 favorite spots to eat in San Diego (besides the Tasting Room): Bon Thai - Park Boulevard on University Heights The Taco Stand in Lehoya Buona Forchetta in South Park

A new Hillcrest restaurant opens, the restaurant industry faces a major bubble, and Urban Solace’s Matt Gordon stops by

Matt is the Chef Owner of Urban Solace, Solace & The Moonlight Lougne and Sea and Smoke.It could be said that he is known for sustainable comfort food that is free of artificial ingredients Chef Gordons personal accolades include “50 people to watch by San diego Magazine, “40 under 40” by San Diego Metropolitan and “Best Chef” by San Diego Downtown news

At Urban Solace Mind-Body Studio they invite you to find peace within and despite your surroundings they believe this is possible. They've created a calming retreat in downtown Detroit (in the historic Elevator Bldg in Rivertown) where seekers of all ages and levels of experience are welcome to come find their inner solace.  Joining InTouch Interviews today is Michelle who is eager to share the offerings and events along with the reasons why we will benefit from what Urban Solace Mind-Body Studio can provide.  www.urbansolacestudio.com