Asbury Pod: Recent Episodes
Asbury Pod
This week we discuss updates to the Asbury Park Arts and Culture Plan and welcome back Carrie Turner from the Asbury Park Arts Council. We also welcome Eric Galipo from Francis Cauffman Architects who did the hard work of designing the Arts & Culture plan which will now be presented to the City Council. Welcome Carrie and Eric!
AsburyPod also gratefully acknowledges the support of Jenn Hampton from the Parlor Gallery on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park who let us record this episode in her lovely space. Thanks Jenn!
PS: You can see Eric Galipo’s presentation of the A&C plan at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnCWRLzLlFE&t=29s
In honor of National Poetry Month, we welcome local poet Cord Moreski, who is the host, curator and driving force behind the wildly popular “Coffee and Words” poetry series held at Asbury Park Roastery—a series that is in turn just a small part of the New Jersey Poetry Renaissance which is bringing poetry readings to spaces all over the State of New Jersey.
Special thanks to Tom Chesek for letting us record this episode at the historic Stephen Crane House here in Asbury Park.
One Note, we have added a recording to Cord reading several of his poems to the end of this episode, so stay tuned and give them a listen!
Poems:
- Aubrey
- Night Swimming
- Angel
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor
- Apartment Karaoke
Welcome to part two of our conversation with long-time Asbury Park Police Officer, former member of the Asbury Park City Council, former state champion tennis player from Asbury Park High School, and local Pastor—the Reverend David Parreott Jr. He reminisces about being a police officer during the 1970 riots in Asbury Park, being a neighborhood kid when Asbury Park had dirt roads and a synagogue on Cookman Ave, and what it was like to run for office in Asbury Park back in the 1980s. Welcome Reverend!
When Amy & Joe sit down to interview guests, we try to keep our conversations somewhere near the 45-minute mark just to keep things simple. But this week’s guest, who has been a resident of Asbury Park since the 1930s, was such an engaging storyteller that they ended up with over 90 minutes of conversation before we knew it—enough for two full episodes. So welcome to part one of our conversation with long-time Asbury Park Police Officer, former member of the Asbury Park City Council, former state champion tennis player from Asbury Park High School, and local Pastor—the Reverend David Parreott Jr. Welcome Reverend!
Recording at the historic Stephen Crane House here in Asbury Park, this week Amy & Joe return to the local news scene and talk to Ellen Carroll, editor of The Coaster, one of the last remaining family-owned, hyper-local newspapers on the Jersey shore–which is also celebrating its 40 anniversary this year.
This past week, Asbury Park was once again hosting the Light of Day Foundation’s series of concerts, which raise money to fund research into possible cures, improved treatments and support for patients with Parkinson’s Disease and its related illnesses, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). We were lucky enough to talk to one […]
Recording at the historic Stephen Crane House here in Asbury Park, this week Amy & Joe talk to Tom Chesek, writer in residence and docent of the Stephen Crane House. We learn a little bit about the time young Stephen Crane spent here with his family, as well as what Tom was doing before he […]
This week Amy & Joe, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe, talk all things Christmas and the Asbury Park Holiday Toy Drive with repeat guest Michelle Grezner of the Asbury Park Kiwanis Club and new guest Celia Cattani from Community Karma. They discuss what’s been happening with the Asbury Park Toy […]
This week Amy & Joe recorded in the comfort of Asbury Park Roastery's Second Ave shop thanks to an assist from the extremely community-minded Alli Kennedy. We welcomed the team behind Asbury Park’s newest media outlet, TAPInto Asbury Park—owner and former mayor of Belmar Matt Doherty and reporter Alissa Deleo. We talked to Matt and Alissa about the state of local journalism and news reporting. and what they hope TapInto Asbury can bring to the table.
This week Amy & Joe welcome Henry Vaccaro, a fixture here in Asbury Park. We talk to Henry about growing up in and around Asbury Park and the many careers he has had in life, first as a builder, then the unlikely owner of the world-famous Kramer guitar company and then how he became close friends with Bob Wootton and Johnny Cash and restored the Berkeley Carteret Hotel.
This week Amy & Joe, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, mark the closing of LGBTQ history month by welcoming Lauren Albrecht, Chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee LGBTQ Caucus and talk politics, candidates and new bills.
This week, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, we talk to longtime Asbury Park resident and Asbury historian, Tommy DeSeno—where we learn that Asbury Park was the training center for World Heavyweight Champions, that there was an Opera House(???) and that Stephen Crane liked to tweak James Bradley’s nose in print. Welcome Tommy!
This week, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, we talk to Michael Trusnovec, one of the co-founders of the sold out Asbury Park Dance Festival, which will be celebrating its third successful year on October 1. We talk to Michael about about his life in dance, and his journey from Long Island to the Paul Taylor Dance Company, with additional stops at the New York City Ballet, the Joyce Theater, the Metropolitan Opera and now Asbury Park.
This week we welcome Carrie Turner and Jenn Hampton from the Asbury Park Arts Council, to talk about the new mural project that is underway at the historic Asbury Park Sewage Plant, and other projects coming this fall.
This week we talk to Michael Roland and George Lowe from the Center in Asbury Park about the thirtieth anniversary of the Center, its mission to serve people with HIV/AIDS, its growth from a storefront to residence and community center. They also discuss the twin crises of meth addiction and the current spread of monkeypox in our community -- and what we can do to combat them.
This week, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy is joined by a special guest co-host to discuss the upcoming Bans Off our Bodies rally to be held in Springwood Park on Saturday, July 9th at 4PM.
Comedian and fellow Asbury Park Women's Convention founder Jess Alaimo helps Amy welcome community activist Michelle Gladden, Ocean high school student Nevaeh Sickles, and musician/mixed martial artist Angie Sugrim.
They discuss what brought them to this moment and what you can expect from the rally.
Welcome to Asbury Pod and our first in-person recording since March of 2020. In keeping with our observance of Pride month, this week we welcome LGBTQ icon Jan Moore, whose 52 year relationship with her wife Emily Sonnessa was the subject of Robin Kampf’s award winning documentary Love Wins back in 2018. This was a fun conversation and we covered too many things to list here so give it a listen.
It’s Pride month here in Asbury Park and to celebrate Amy & Joe welcome our first ever guest Laura Pople, back the the podcast, to discuss the the 30th Anniversary of Asbury Pride and its return to in-person events after a two year Covid hiatus with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. That’s it! That’s the tweet! Welcome Laura!
This week with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Eileen Chapman, Asbury Park City Councilperson, Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music for Monmouth University, Board Member of the Asbury Park Music Foundation—and member of a long list of other Asbury-centric organizations.
We talk to Eileen about the upcoming Summer Concert Series, Music Mondays at Springwood Park, and along the way hear what it was like to work at and manage the legendary Mrs. J’s, the legendary Stone Pony and the legendary Fast Lane and other equally boring and uninteresting places.
On this episode, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Alice Genese, a pioneer of punk & art-pop, & Pony, who everyone in town knows. They talk about their new project Ov Stars, whose introspective & melancholy tunes are the nonstop soundtrack at Amy's house these days. They talk about what brought them to Asbury Park and what brought them together, & everyone tries to remember the names of the theaters that used to be in Asbury Park. Check out Ov Stars Sunday, April 24 at the Danny Clinch Gallery at 4:00pm.
On this episode, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Werner Baumgartner, Official Historian of the City of Asbury Park. We talk to Werner about what brought him to Asbury Park in the first place and how does one become the official historian of a city? What are the historian’s duties? And what would a historian do if the city gave him $10 million?
Guests in two of our most recent episodes, each separately discussed legendary Asbury Park musician Dolores “Dee” Holland. So we thought we should learn a bit more about Dee ourselves. On this episode, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Dee Holland’s daughter Paulette Holland Fant Malunga from Texas and we talk about her mom and her trajectory from child prodigy to working musician.
This week the Garden State Film Festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary right here in Asbury Park—with in person viewings beginning Wednesday March 23 and running through the 27 with online viewings available as well for those who cannot make it to the in-person events. On this episode, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Festival co-founder Diane Raver and Festival Executive Director Lauren Concar Sheehy to the podcast and talk about the history of the Festival, how it started and how it lasted 20 years.
This week, with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Kay Harris and, for her second appearance on AP Pod, but wearing a different hat, Michelle Gladden, President and Secretary, respectively, of the of the Asbury Park Museum.
The mission of the Asbury Park Museum is to re-introduce, educate and advance an understanding and appreciation of the history of the diverse, progressive, resort and urban community of Greater Asbury Park, New Jersey—the birthplace of both 3-n-1 oil and the song Honeysuckle Rose—two of the many many interesting facts that you can discover at the museum.
This episode starts with the voice of saxophone player Cliff Johnson sharing some memories of growing up and playing music in and around Asbury Park’s Springwood Avenue Music circuit. His is just one of the many oral histories of the Springwood Avenue scene collected by the Asbury Park African-American Music Project (Asbury AMP). This week, with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe welcome Yvonne Clayton and Jennifer Souder from Asbury AMP to discuss the history of the Springwood Avenue music district and what Asbury AMP is doing to preserve that history and discuss their plans to restore Asbury’s legendary Turf Club.
This week, with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe talk to two long time members of the Asbury Park art community, Porkchop and Bradley Hoffer, both of whose works feature prominently on the world famous Wooden Walls Project on the Asbury Park Boardwalk and who just this week saved Asbury’s Christmas by creating the remarkable 17 foot high Christmas Tree Sculpture, named “The Giving Tree”, now on display in Convention Hall. We encourage you all to go down and check it out!
This week, with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, Amy & Joe talk to Tim Donnelly, who together with Danny Clinch, is a founding partner of the wildly successful Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park; which wrapped up its third iteration this past September. We talk to Tim about the festival, and its connection to his history of activism with the Surfrider Foundation and working his way around the county on tour with Lollapalooza.
Amy Quinn and Joe Walsh talk to Sam Herried with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. If you have not ridden a mountain bike on a Glacier Range in Alaska on your way to work, well neither have we. But today we are talking to Sam Herried, native of Fairbanks, Alaska, and PhD researcher in glaciology, who has. We talk to Sam about funding, conducting and publishing glacier research as a citizen scientist, all while holding down a barista job at the world-famous Asbury Roastery on the boardwalk. But as you will hear, Sam’s many other interests proved too fascinating for us to stay on just one topic--so we grilled him about training for 100km ultramarathons, how does one play piano, drums and sing at the same time? and are there outdoor cats near the Arctic Circle? So many things that we might need to bring him back for a part II.
Amy Quinn and Joe Walsh talk more surfing as we talk to Rodney Salomon from KYDS Asbury Park (which stands for Konscious Youth Development & Service) and Christian May from the Asbury Park Surf Club with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. We learn how Rodney and Christian teamed up to get the kids of Asbury Park (or Neptune or Long Branch) onto their beaches, into the water and up on a board. This is not as simple as it sounds, as you will hear.
This week Amy Quinn and Joe Walsh talk with Mike Castellano and, making her encore appearance on Asbury Pod, Diana Pittet—both from the New Jersey chapter of the Surfrider Foundation—with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. We find out what the Surfrider foundation does—which is everything from beach clean-ups and sponsoring Asbury Park’s Family Day at the Beach, to activism in support of beach access and regulation of pollution from plastics. Surfrider also provides an army of volunteers in support of the upcoming Sea Hear Now Surf Music and Art Festival in Asbury Park—and we also hear Amy Quinn wish very hard out loud that someone would introduce her to Ani DiFranco.
This week Amy Quinn and Joe Walsh talk Peace, Love and Pancakes with Amy Russo, founder and driving force behind Toast Restaurant here in Asbury Park. With the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, we talk to Amy about the birth of Toast, its expansion from Montclair to Asbury Park and now Red Bank—what’s it like to get a rave review in the New York Times when you least expect it, and how the pandemic has affected her business.
This week we welcome Sarah Bloom and Michelle Grezner of the newly re-chartered Kiwanis Club of Asbury Park with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. We get right to the heart of the matter in this one and to find out what is Kiwanis? What do they do? We were hoping that they would be mysterious and creepy like freemasons. But no, to our great disappointment we found out that they seem to be non-secretive, inveterate do gooders who might just be your nice neighbors and whose organization you might want to join after hearing this episode.
We took a little, unplanned break earlier this month, so we are glad to be back.
This week we welcome artists George Bates and Courtney Pasterchick with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. George and Courtney recently completed works for the 13 Artist Mural Project here in Asbury Park, one of the public art initiatives which -- together with the Wooden Walls Project on the boardwalk, and other endeavors -- has made Asbury Park the public art juggernaut it is today-with plenty more to come.
We talk to Courtney and George about the role of public art, the business of art, and the training, commitment and practice required to become a successful artist (hint: it’s a lot).
This week, as we observe Pride Month here in June, Amy & Joe talk with longtime Asbury Park luminaries with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Our guests are former Asbury Park city clerk Kiki Tomek and Jimmy Bruno-- former Deputy Mayor of Asbury Park, former Board of Education President and Vice President, longtime Little League president and coach, and retired Asbury Park Firefighter. The duo became unlikely icons of LGBTQ history when they licensed and performed the first (and at the time still illegal) gay marriage in the state of New Jersey on March 8, 2004 and expedited the state’s march to marriage equality.
This week Amy and Joe, with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, welcome Tee Gates, the first Black Woman to serve as Fire Marshall for the city of Asbury Park—which is apparently a family tradition. She also is the daughter of the first Black Female Police Officer to serve in Asbury Park. We talk to Tee about her 32 years in and around the Asbury Park Firehouse and find out what responsibilities the Fire Marshall has. Other important take-aways include, remembering to keep your propane tanks outside, never to chain your fire doors and that, inexplicably, there is no women’s restroom in the Asbury Park Firehouse.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Judy Meltsner Feinstein, a pioneer in Women’s Aviation as both pilot and educator with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Judy is a two-time recipient of the Amelia Earnhardt Medal—and someone who has spent over 50 years in and around Asbury Park. We talk to Judy about her life as a pilot--with second and third lives as restauranteur, caterer, and antiques’ dealer-- we learn that Asbury Park had an airport on route 66 and most importantly, we learn that when you are flying from Managua to Panama City Florida, do not take photographs when you land at a Mexican Air Force Base to refuel.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Dani Boglivi-Fiori while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Ms. Boglivi-Fiori, known best as Sweet Dani B, owner of Sweet Dani B’s Cookie Kitchen and Café on Bangs Avenue here in Asbury Park—home of the life changing chocolate chip cookies (no lies detected) and some of the prettiest designs you’ll see on a cookie. We talk to Dani about her previous lives working for Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart, where she keeps her Emmy (seriously, she has a real Emmy), how she found herself opening a cookie shop here in Asbury Park, and what to do When Martha Stewart blows up your cellphone by giving your business a shout out on national television.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Tara Pimco of Asbury Park’s Hot Mess Studio while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Tara talks about how a small storefront salon became the premier “destination boutique” anchoring Press Plaza on Cookman Avenue and how some quick thinking not only kept the lights on during the early days of pandemic but allowed the business to hit the ground running when things began to reopen.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Jacki & Dom from Purple Glaze while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. As you know here at Asbury Pod we only ask the toughest questions, like “What podcast are you listening to?” and “Is there anything good on Netflix?” This week we solve the existential question, "what are you to do when you get bored a week into your retirement?" The answer is--of course--you go to culinary school and open up a world-famous donut shop. Note to those who pronounce it cull-inary, do not @ me.
Joining us a week into their second retirement, are Jacki Sharpe and Dominic Latoracca, founders of the Internationally Famous (Hello Toronto!) Purple Glaze Donut shop to talk about the how Purple Glaze came to be, its immediate popularity and how if you reach out to someone whose wallet you find in the street, maybe you can retire a second time.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Dr. Tom Caltabilota of City by the Sea Veterinary while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. You may recall hearing Dr. Tom’s name during our recent conversation with DJ and Jamie from Catsbury Park—so we reached out to the man himself to find out how he became a vet and how he ended up in Asbury Park. Spoiler alert: there’s a long road trip from Rutgers university through Louisiana to Alabama and back to New Jersey—but what we really want to know is, what is it like to be Asbury Park’s favorite veterinarian?
This week Amy and Joe welcome DJ Bornschein and Jamie Nichols, the dynamic duo behind Asbury Park’s own cat sanctuary café, Catsbury Park while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. We talk to DJ and Jamie about how Catsbury Park came to be, its plans for the future, and how--even though COVID has closed the cafe--Catsbury’s rescue services are busier than ever and still need your support.
This week Amy and Joe welcome David Lewis Jr and Jarrett Atkins, who together with their partner Fritz Georges, form the power trio behind MacroBites, the Healthy Meal Delivery Service and Cafe, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. By itself, three childhood friends putting incarceration behind them to become entrepreneurs, is a great story. But what happens when you start a new business on the eve of a global pandemic which immediately eats 40% of your revenue instead of your food? Rather than closing up shop and going home, the trio went big, expanded their delivery service to 35 states and opened up a storefront on Springwood Avenue here in Asbury Park. Theirs is a story about good friends, good food, resiliency and is a little good news in world of bad.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Robin Elliott-Preston, owner of Robeans—home the Mobile Barista Coffee Truck, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. They talk about what it is like to be an entrepreneur, a respiratory therapist working on the front lines of the Covid emergency, a parent and someone whose day, apparently, has more than the 24 hours allotted the rest of us mortals.
This week Amy and Joe welcome Sylvia Sylvia, Executive Director of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. They talk about how businesses have been adapting to life under covid, the unfortunate closure of some great Asbury businesses, the surprising launch of several new businesses, and will it still be called Oysterfest if we ever re-open.
Welcome to AsburyPod with Amy Quinn and Joe Walsh. Today we discuss Covid vaccines while social distancing from our respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Our guest is Dr. Terry Shlimbaum, Chief Medical Officer of the Community Health Center of the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey—and we ask him the vaccine questions we all want answers to: Starting with –"should we get the vaccine?” (spoiler alert, yes!)…What are mRNA vaccines? How important is the second shot? Will we still need to wear a mask after we are vaccinated— (spoiler alert--still yes!). Welcome Dr. Shlimbaum!
This week we talk legal marijuana while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, or so we had planned. In November, New Jersey residents, with a significant majority, voted "yes" to Public Question No. One to legalize and regulate cannabis. So Amy & Joe were thinking, "Great! It's legal. Let's do this! How does one start a canna-business? What are the best recipes for delicious edibles? & so on." So we asked our friend Patricia Patton, host of the podcast Me & Mary Jane and Asbury Park's best-known cannabis communicator and advocate, back to the podcast to help us sort it out. BUT, we soon discovered that for the moment all is not so clear, and that recreational or adult use of cannabis is only kind of permissible and not yet sorted out at all. So we should all slow down a bit and cancel that sativa-infused book gathering for now.
This week Amy and Joe talk with two of Asbury Park's wellness luminaries about fitness and wellness during quarantine while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Amanda Feinstein from Jandee Yoga and Reggie Fleming from Juice Basin discuss juice fasts, down dogs, and all the times Joe thought he was going to die during hot yoga.
This week Amy and Joe caught up with Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. They ask her the important questions like: "What does the office of county clerk do?" They also discussed how hard it was to manage an all vote by mail election and if being a district attorney in the Bronx is just like it is on Law & Order. There's also a shout-out to Peaky Blinders along the way.
This week Amy and Joe caught up with Nancy Sabino and Mike Sodano from the Showroom, Asbury Park's only independent movie theater, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Nancy and Mike talked about how they picked movies and how the process changed over the years, being on a cruise when the coronavirus blew up, and how we all thought we would be closing for a few weeks but it has turned into closing permanently for a lot of businesses.
This week Amy and Joe talk street diets, bicycles, and 15 minute cities with Polli Schildge, co-founder of Asbury Park's Complete Streets Coalition while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. We are also joined by Asbury Park's transportation maven Deputy City Manager Mike Manzella.
Amy and guest host Michael Cook talk with queens of drag R Hedd R Humm, Jolina Jasmine, and Lady Celestina while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the pandemic and its effect on our little corner of the world. We discussed the impact of the covid crisis on the lives of professional drag performers, the difference between performing in New Jersey and New York, and the tight knit drag community.
Amy and Joe talk with singer songwriter Pamela Flores and trombonist Ian Gray of Ocean Ave Stompers brass band while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the pandemic and its effect on our little corner of the world. We discussed the impact of the covid crisis and the lives of professional musicians, where they were when the world shut down, why Spotify hasn't made anyone but Spotify rich, the plight of trombonists in Scranton, and how people can support local musicians while venues are shuttered.
Amy and Joe talk with veteran Asbury Park educators Jamie Clark, Maggie Stone, & Janice Kroposky, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the pandemic and its effect on our little corner of the world. We talk about learning in the age of covid, how the school system is responding to unique challenges, and what they're seeing with the kids in school.
Amy and Joe talk with rock & roll royalty Caroline O'Toole, manager of The Stone Pony, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the pandemic and its effect on our little corner of the world. We talk about live music in the age of covid, The Stone Pony's charitable outreach during the crisis, the only time Caroline was star-struck, and what not to wear when on stage.
Amy and Joe talk with Janet Torsney and Liza Minno Bloom of Asbury Book Cooperative while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the covid pandemic and its effect on our little corner of the world. Janet and Liza discuss the development and launch of the co-op, and how the co-op is doing in these Covid days. They answer the questions about if anyone is reading books, their favorite reads, and trends they saw of in the pandemic.
Amy & Joe talk with Diane Shelton, Nina Summerlin, & Pastor Lyddale Akins of Prevention Coalition of Monmouth County about the coalition's vision to reduce substance abuse in Monmouth County while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the covid pandemic and its effect on our little corner of the world. We talk about the opioid crisis in Asbury Park and Monmouth County and how the landscape has changed because of the pandemic. We learn how it has affected their clients, their outreach efforts, and what we can do about it.
Amy & her special guest co-host local journalist Michael Cook continue our series of conversations about the covid pandemic and its effect on Asbury Park's local businesses while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Amy & Michael talk with JoJo Crisci, manager of Paradise, & Kristin Chesney, manager of the Empress Hotel. They discuss the good, the bad, & the ugly unique challenges of running a LGBTQIA safe space in a pandemic.
Amy & Joe talk with Hotel Tides Manager Ryan Jimenez about their mutual love of seltzer while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. This week we continue our series of conversations about the covid pandemic and its effect on Asbury Park's local businesses. Ryan discusses what it's like running a hotel in a pandemic, missing his long time staff, and having the distinction of running the only venue that has given both Amy & Joe the boot (not at the same time).
Amy & Joe talk with Director of the Board of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders Tom Arnone while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Arnone takes time from his busy schedule to tell us about free asymptomatic testing and a $10 million grant that Monmouth County secured to help small businesses weather the covid crisis. He also talks about what a Freeholder actually does, and a bit about his grandfather's bar and growing up in and around Asbury Park.
Amy & Joe talk with local realtor Sonja O'Brien while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Sonja is a long time Asbury Park resident and veteran of the Asbury Park realty market. They discuss Sonja's winding road from Orange County, California to Asbury Park, how the Covid crisis has affected the Asbury Park real estate market, and how it has changed a realtor's job.
Amy & Joe talk with Garden State Equality's Executive Director Christian Fuscarino. Amy spills a little bit of tea about some behind the scenes workings of New Jersey politics; Christian talks about how Covid-19 affects Garden State Equality, recent advancements and setbacks in LGBTQIA rights, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio.
Amy & Joe talk with Asbury Park's Superintendent of Schools Sancha Gray about how Covid-19 has affected the kids in her schools, pivoting from brick and mortar into online learning, how she started planning in January because she's a genius, and more. We cover digital inequity, the unique challenges of our school district, and Ms. Gray's hard work and hard choices while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Asbury Park is lucky to have Superintendent Gray in the city of Asbury Park!
Amy & Joe talk with local business owners Russell Lewis of Watermark and Bianca Freda of Interwoven about how Covid-19 has affected their business, how they are recreating their specific brands as a result of Covid, and what we can to help them. We cover booze, retail, weight gain, the importance of being able to pivot in this pandemic, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio.
Amy & Joe talk with the Honorable Kim Guadagno, President of Fulfill and former Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Kim discusses what's happening with our local food pantries, ways for you to help (PLEASE DONATE TO FULFILL), and the winding path to where she is now.
Amy & Joe talk with Beatriz Oesterheld, Executive Director of Asbury Park's Community Affairs & Resource Center (CARC), while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Listen to Beatriz talk about the amazing programs that the Community Resource Center is doing, the unique challenges Hispanic community members face with covid-19, the importance of the Census, and her favorite movie. She discusses tough realities and changing landscapes, and the nimble way CARC is tackling new challenges.
Amy & Joe talk with Frank Zrinsky, AKA DJ. Frank, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. DJ Frank is Asbury Park's DJ who isn't really a DJ and the man behind the Light Up Asbury Park movement to lift people's spirits with music. He puts together and airs the playlist at Munroe Towers every Wednesday and Sunday evening at 8:00pm. During the pandemic people in Asbury Park continue to rise to the challenge and Frank and the folks at Munroe Towers are some of those people. They inspire us all by celebrating as a community and thanking the first responders and essential employees with music and dancing.
Amy and Joe hear what it's like to lead a congregation in a pandemic with Pastor Semaj Vanzant of Asbury Park's Second Baptist Church. They discuss how congregants are still tuning in albeit later in the day for Sunday Mass, the challenges of communicating with empathy online, the disparities highlighted by COVID-19, and pandemic parenting.
Amy & Joe talk with Connie Breech, a member of Asbury Park's finest, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Hear Connie discuss her experience having covid-19, her recovery, and what's next for the Asbury Park Toy Drive.
Amy & Joe talk with Springwood Avenue Rising's executive committee members Diane Shelton, Nina Summerlin and Pamela Major with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Listen to an inspiring and informative discussion on the history of Springwood Ave and the initiative to commemorate the civil unrest. Step away from Covid and dive into the Springwood Ave Rising. We taped this in March right before the pandemic hit.
Amy & Joe talk with New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Hear Vin discuss covid-19 and how it affects us here in Monmouth County.
Amy talks with Kelly Erving, personal trainer and healthcare professional, while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Hear Kelly discuss covid-19 from a hospital employee's perspective, as well as exercises we can do to help stave off the inevitable weight gain we're all going to pack on while we're sheltering in place in front of the TV trying to ration our last bag of Doritos.
Amy & Ed talk with Kathy Kelly, owner/operator of the Paranormal Museum and founder of Asbury Park Dinner Table while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Hear Kathy discuss all things paranormal and her love for Asbury Park, the impetus for her brilliant idea for helping keep her community afloat through the pandemic, and her hopes for the future. Joe had to skip this one because of a family issue, & we send him tons of love. Donate to Asbury Park Dinner Table here.
Amy & Joe sit down with Garrett Giberson, Director of the Office of Emergency Management for Asbury Park and Fire Inspector while social distancing from their respective homes with the help of Ming Chen from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio. Hear Garrett discuss his upbringing in Asbury Park, Asbury Park's response to COVID-19, and the weirdest thing he's seen during a fire inspection.
Amy & Joe sit down with Tom Pivinski, Chair of the Asbury Park Environment & Shade Tree Commission and former New York priest. Hear him discuss his love of Asbury Park, make the correlation between being a master gardener and his work in the church, and how he and his husband Malcolm met. Also listen to Amy & Joe's sweet summer musings on the looming pandemic, as this was recorded 3 weeks before it all went to pot.
Amy & Joe sit down with Yvonne Clayton, Asbury Park councilwoman. Everything you wanted to know her life, her youth in Asbury Park, her status as "most jacked councilperson", dragonboat racing, Asbury Park African American Music Project, and more.
Amy & Joe sit down with Patricia Patton, local bon vivant/renaissance woman. Everything you wanted to know her life, her advocacy for cannabis, and more.
Amy & Joe sit down with Rudy Corona, Superintendent/Chief Operator City of Asbury Park's Water Quality Control Facility (aka the sewer plant on the north end of the boardwalk. Everything you wanted to know about waste treatment, Asbury Park history, & Rudy's childhood as a member of jazz royalty.
Amy & Joe sit down with words! proprietor Jan Sparrow before their annual Friendsgiving celebration. Jan discusses her corporate life, the trials and tribulations of owning a bookstore, Asbury Park then and now, and what's on the horizon for words! specifically and brick & mortar bookstores in general.
We pretty much covered everything with Hannah on this podcast from Georgetown & TriCity News to dating apps and threesomes. Hannah managed to dispel every myth about millennials that we had... Have a listen!
In episode 11, Amy & Joe talk to Barbara Krzak, Asbury Park Planning Board Chair, IT pioneer, and president of the Asbury Park chapter of the Survivor fan club. Learn what a planning board does!
In episode 10, Amy & Joe talk to Connie about that cop life, the Asbury Park Toy Drive, and assless chaps.
In episode 9, Amy & Joe talk to TriCity News's Dan Jacobson. Dan talks about his love of Asbury Park, avoiding Amy in 2013, and fighting for LGBTQ+ rights.
In episode 8, Amy & Joe talk to Asbury Park's Fire Chief Kevin Keddy. Kevin talks about being a fireman, worst and best moments of his career, and what he worries about the most that the average person never thinks about.
In episode 7 (which we call episode 8 because yes, there's a lost episode out there), Amy & Joe talk to Asbury Park's number one bon vivant Michelle Gladden. Michelle pontificates about Asbury Park's history, her own history, and the fourth estate.
Amy & Joe talk all things engineering & infrastructure with NJ Biz top "40 under 40" phenom Christine Ballard. First question, "What is engineering?" Chrissy talks about her first love, water treatment; her second love, Peppa Pig; & how municipal engineering has changed in the last 20 years.
Amy & Joe talk art, the Wooden Walls project, old time Asbury, and interfacing with beaurocracy and trolls with artist, curator, and visionary Jen Hampton. Ed was there too.
Amy & Joe talk all things mobility, biking, & scooters but mostly cocktails with Renaissance woman Diana Pittet. Also introducing Ed! He doesn't speak because we don't have enough mics, but hey Ed, welcome to the team!
Amy Quinn and Joe Walsh speak with Asbury Park Transportation Director Michael Manzella.
Amy & Joe talk with Carol Torre about what it was like to be a member of the Asbury Park LGBTQIA+ community in Asbury Park back in the 70s through the 90s. And what’s her take on assless chaps???