The Carpool Lane: Recent Episodes
Alex Crawford
A podcast celebrating interesting people and niche content - taped on the roads of Southern California in a 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis station wagon.
Jeff Hairston is a jiu jitsu instructor at Art of Jiu Jitsu Academy and a Starting Strength Coach at The Strength Co., both in Costa Mesa, CA. Coach Jeff and Crawford drive around Costa Mesa and Newport Beach to discuss what's driven Jeff to pursue a life of coaching, the importance of what he does, and how his brother (famous wild game hunter Jason Hairston) influenced his life. Also, Jeff explains how nasal breathing exercises and eye exercises can be a game-changer when it comes to focus and mindfulness. This is the most zen episode yet.
Today's Route: From Jeff's house in Eastside Costa Mesa, past The Strength Co., down to Blackie's/Newport Pier in Newport Beach, back up to 17th Street and past Art of Jiu Jitsu, around Westside Costa Mesa, and back to Jeff's house.
Ryan Lawler is the owner and operator of Newport Coastal Adventure, the first (and best) small boat whale watching business in Orange County. He joins Alex Crawford for a ride across the Balboa Island Ferry and around Newport Beach to discuss the importance of small business, localism, and his love of the Pacific Ocean. Also, he reveals his favorite animal (a Carpool Lane exclusive).
Today's Route: From Ryan's house on Balboa Island, across the Harbor on the Balboa Island Ferry, up to the Peninsula, down PCH through Newport Beach, and back to Balboa Island.
Anthony "CEO" Wright is an LA based realtor and entrepreneur determined to help people buy houses who think they can't afford to. Wright gives Crawford a tour of his hometown of Compton and explains his strategy in helping others buy property, his thoughts on gentrification, and why Compton is a special place. If you've ever wanted an audio tour of Compton from a guy who knows it well, this is the episode for you.
Today's Route: From an open house in Watts down Central Ave. to Compton and then all around Compton...eventually ending up at Loreto's Fried Turkey on Compton Blvd.
Clipper Darrell is an LA Clippers superfan and is probably the most notorious superfan in the NBA. He's known for wearing his half red/half blue suit to all Clippers home games and starting loud chants that can be heard throughout the Staples Center. Crawford and Clipper Darrell drive through LA and talk about the origins of Clipper Darrell, what it means to be a Clippers fan, and what Darrell thinks of Donald Sterling (this may surprise you). The episode offers some insight into the life of a pro sports superfan.
Today's Route: From Clipper Darrell's house in Lynwood up the 710 freeway to the Staples Center, back down the 110 to the 105, and back to Lynwood.
Travis Demers is the radio play-by-play voice of the Portland Trail Blazers and a radio host in Portland, OR. While in town for the Blazers game vs. the Lakers (first Lakers game since Kobe Bryant's death), Crawford picks Travis up at his hotel and they drive past Staples Center while discussing the Kobe tragedy and what it will be like to call one of the most emotional games in NBA history. Also, Travis explains how he got the job as the voice of the Blazers and how he kept grinding during the lows of his career. It's a sports-centric episode that will appeal to anyone chasing their dreams.
Today's Route: From LA Live past Staples Center through Inglewood (meant to drive past The Forum but missed it) and back to downtown past Staples Center again.
Laird Hayes is a retired NFL official (Side Judge 125 for 23 seasons) who has worked three Super Bowls and countless important games. With Super Bowl Sunday right around the corner, Crawford and Laird drive through Newport Beach and Costa Mesa to discuss Laird's career working a (sometimes) thankless job, the biggest calls he's had to make as an official, his perspective on the National Anthem protests and Colin Kaepernick, and more. It's not just about football...but they definitely talk football.
Today's Route: From Laird's house in Newport Beach down to the Newport Pier, up through Costa Mesa, all around the Orange Coast College campus, and back home.
Niyaz Pirani is an expert on the Orange County food scene, the owner of restaurant PR company Knife and Spork PR, and a former writer for both the OC Weekly and the OC Register. Crawford and Niyaz drive from Anaheim to Costa Mesa down Harbor Blvd. and discuss food (obviously), highbrow vs. lowbrow culture, music (Niyaz is working on a Coachella book), and the importance of community driven journalism. Niyaz is another guest who turned the passion into a business and he's a very wise man.
Today's Route: From Niyaz's apartment in Anaheim down Harbor Blvd. to Port of Sound Records and Haus of Pizza in Costa Mesa.
Emily Berkey is a freelance photographer and writer who exclusively takes photographs on 35mm and Polaroid films. She has worked with artists such as Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Flying Lotus but is much more than a hip-hop photographer. Crawford and Emily meander through the NE Los Angeles streets of Mt. Washington, Highland Park, and Eagle Rock discussing the process of creating, the obsession we all have with productivity, and how art helped Emily cope with death. This episode is a stream of consciousness between Crawford and Emily about creativity and inspiration.
Today's Route: From Mt. Washington to Highland Park through Eagle Rock, briefly into Glendale, and back up Mt. Washington. To be honest, just an aimless drive through NELA.
Charlie Buckingham is an Olympic sailor who finished 11th in the Laser Class at the 2016 Olympics and is currently training for Tokyo 2020. Crawford and Charlie drive from Costa Mesa to Long Beach along PCH and discuss sailing, coffee, the life of an Olympic athlete, Charlie's love of the ocean, and what inspires him. Even if you know nothing about sailing, you'll find Charlie's cool So Cal demeanor and passion for competition both soothing and interesting.
Today's route: From Charlie's home base in Costa Mesa down PCH to Belmont Shore in Long Beach.
DJ R-Tistic is an internationally known DJ from Los Angeles who has DJ'd special events for Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Issa Rae, and more. He joins host Alex Crawford as they drive from DJ R-Tistic's home in South Central LA to where he grew up in Gardena. DJ R-Tistic explains what he loves about Los Angeles culture, how he's seen gentrification change the place he grew up, the art of DJing, and why he loves the Lakers. This episode is a beautiful slice of LA culture.
Today's route: From DJ R-Tistic's home in South Central to Gardena and back through South Central and Inglewood on Crenshaw.
Greer Wylder has been writing about Orange County lifestyle, retail, and food trends since the late 1980s and currently runs GreersOC.com and a daily email newsletter called A Daily Dose of OC. Crawford and Greer drive from The Wedge in Newport Beach down PCH to Bolsa Chica and back while they discuss how Greer has not only survived an ever-changing journalism landscape but has managed to thrive. They also discuss what they love about Orange County, Greer's various charity involvements, and positivity in journalism. It's a very OC-centric episode and we hope you don't mind that.
Today's route: From The Wedge in Newport Beach down PCH to Bolsa Chica and back to the Wedge.
Grant Broggi is a Marine Corps captain and the owner of The Strength Co., a strength training gym with two locations in Orange County. Crawford and Grant drive from The Strength Co. in Costa Mesa to The Strength Co. in Villa Park, get out and lift weights, and then drive back to Costa Mesa. Recorded on Veterans Day, they talk about the military, South Carolina vs. So Cal, and entrepreneurship in America, and the concept of “skin in the game.” This is likely the most patriotic this podcast will ever be.
Today's route: From The Strength Co. - Costa Mesa to The Strength Co. - Villa Park via the 55 freeway...then back to The Strength Co. - Costa Mesa.
Trevor Kotchek is the operating partner of Sgt. Pepperoni's Pizza Store in Newport Beach, CA. As Trevor and Crawford drive through the streets of the Sgt. Pepp's delivery zone in Newport-Mesa, they discuss the best pizza in Orange County (Trevor's answer is obvious but his explanation is not). Trevor also explains when being a chef became "cool," why everyone should work a service industry job, and how Orange County differs from NYC. It's about pizza but it's about more than pizza.
Today's route: From Sgt. Pepperoni's down PCH, through Westside Costa Mesa, accidental detour at OCC, and back to Sgt. Pepp's.
Dustin Hayes is a musician and songwriter often better known by his musical moniker Walter Etc. (formerly Walter Mitty & His Makeshift Orchestra). He's also the force behind the artist collective Making New Enemies. As Crawford and Hayes drive down the California Coast from Santa Barbara to Ventura, Hayes explains the potential confusion behind his band's name change and more conundrums that he faces as an inadvertent torchbearer for the DIY music scene. Also, they discuss surfing, the struggles of "doing it yourself", and the collective mental health of their generation. It's a heavy and vulnerable first episode.
Today's route: Santa Barbara to Ventura Point (Dustin's favorite surf spot) via the 101 South.