Upside Down LA: Recent Episodes
Upside Down LA
Upside Down is a coffee, art, and community space located in Westwood Village right across the street from UCLA.
On this episode, Ben and Rachel are joined by Val, a fellow member of the Upside Down team, to talk about the nature of prayer. Val shares her insight in how to start praying and gives a framework for what prayer actually is.
In celebration of Rosh Hashanah, Rachel and Ben sit down with Upside Down's Artist in Residence, Jake Rosen, and have a conversation centered around new beginnings. Jake weaves lessons learned throughout his life with practical advice for the Jewish New Year.
On this episode, Ben welcomes back Isaac Brickner, former host of the Upside Down Podcast, to talk about his new project: the Inherit Podcast. Isaac shares about the value of active listening and unique perspectives in our "sound bite" world.
In the very first episode filmed in the cafe space, Ben and Jeanne sit down with artist Ronen Pollak to talk about his solo art exhibition: "Observations of Beauty." Ronen, who was previously a part of Upside Down's "Formless and Void" art exhibition, shares more about his creative process and art's role in his upbringing.
On this entry of the "Meet the Barista" series, Ben has a lively conversation with the one and only John. The former roommates talk about John's walk with God, his love for running, and so much more. Stay tuned until the end to hear a sneak peek of John's beatboxing skills.
It's time for another "Meet the Team" episode and it's a special one. Ben sits down with Upside Down barista, sous chef, and ultimate schmoozer: Abigail. Hear her talk about her love for swimming and running, finding God while moving across the country, and so much more.
On this bittersweet episode, Ben sits down with two Upside Down baristas, Justin and Isabel, who are soon to be UCLA alumni. They discuss their experience working while being full time students, give advice to college freshman, and share funny stories from their time on bar.
Zemeira Walker, Upside Down's art intern, sits down with artist Jacob Faulkner during our cafe hours to talk about his pieces in our latest art exhibit, Tikkun Olam.
On this episode of the Upside Down podcast, Rachel sits down with Jeanne and Zemeira to talk about the upcoming UCLA student art show: “Tikkun Olam.”
Tune in as they explore the deeper meaning of Tikkun Olam — the Jewish call to repair a broken world — and how student artists are responding to this moment through creativity, vulnerability, and hope.
On this episode, Rachel sits down with artist Jake Rosen to explore the powerful stories behind his paintings. Each piece reflects his mother’s experience surviving the Holocaust and Auschwitz, highlighting his deeply moving art exhibit.
In this episode, Ben sits down with three of the barista staff to chat about the exciting new seasonal drinks for spring. Plus, find out how each drink is uniquely named after them!
On this episode of the podcast, Isaac and Ben sit down to talk with Sam and Heather Walker to hear about their experience recovering from a wildfire, Heather’s passion for botanical illustrations, and their intimate connection with Tu B’Shvat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees.
On this episode, Ben and Isaac sit down with our newest intern, Rachel, to talk about her hometown, love for theater, and experience as both Jewish and Christian in college. Look out for more of Rachel on the podcast in future episodes!
On this special holiday episode, Isaac and Ben sit down with our Two Jewish Mothers, Annette and Jeanne, to talk all things Hanukkah and Christmas.
Ben and Isaac chat with our newest barista/art intern, Zemeira about coffee nerdery, her hometown of Paradise, CA , and the beauty of art that deals with the unknown. Be sure to say hi to Zemeira in the cafe, or next time you see her at the Community table leading an art project!
A new “Meet the Baristas” episode! Ben and Isaac interview Grant — another proud Texan in our “Baristas who happen to be from Texas and work at Upside Down” miniseries.
Grant is a true gentleman, a hardcore Swifty who happens to also love Hardcore music and play in a punk band called “Adult Blonde”.
He also works for “Young Life”, a campus organization at UCLA. Their mission is to introduce people to Jesus. Check out more here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5uqP1vMLdjxmpTTpKOuQKL?si=YJMlcf6rS_CtJ4O0sDiM9A
Sukkot is the Jewish festival of shelters, and it’s this week! We’re celebrating at Upside Down with our new art show: Formless and Void. Jake and Jeanne from our Upside Down team sit down to talk about their favorite Sukkot memories, and their roles in the art gallery.
It's the beginning of the UCLA school year again! Isaac, Ben and Amanda talk about their favorite UCLA spots: from nap spots, hidden gems, and hot takes about college life. Listen to hear about the best on-campus food places, who to make friends with, and tips on how to survive college.
Ben and Isaac sit down with Julia and Ava, two Persian Jewish filmmakers who are part of the Upside Down community. Their recent short film "In the Garden of Tulips" is qualified for an Oscar, and was recently screened at Upside Down! They talk the art of filmmaking, and the importance of storytelling for developing cultural awareness and empathy.
Learn more about their film at https://www.inthegardenoftulips.com/
Let's get to know Daine! (That's not his first name... but it's fine). Possibly our most opinionated barista, full of hot takes. A true Texas boy, a filmmaker, and a gentle soul. We talk dancing, what's the best Kendrick album, and what it means to be an artist.
In this episode, we bring back the Meet the Team series to interview our newest barista, Alexa Babin. Listen to her talk about open water swimming, her favorite drink to order at Upside Down, and college football!
Tisha B’Av is an observance on the Jewish calendar that refers to the date when many disasters have happened to the Jewish people over many centuries, including the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem. The name is the Hebrew date on the calendar, the ninth of the month of Av.
As we remember this date and grieve, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on what brings us hope in the midst of our own grief. What resources of hope do you look to beyond yourself in times of sorrow?
Isaac sits down with Jeanne and Amanda to talk about Upside Down's upcoming art commission, "Formless and Void," inspired by the first page of the Torah. They discuss the concepts of light, darkness, and what role art plays in processing the present chaos and increasing division in our world.
For more information, go to upsidedown.com/formless-and-void.
Isaac interviews fellow Upside Down team members Annette and Jeanne, who happen to be two Jewish mothers with adult children. Who doesn't need advice from a good Jewish mother? This summer, they've been going out with our team to do pop ups and giveaways, offering free advice to our community with some great results. Enjoy their amazing sense of humor, and benefit from their sage wisdom. Who knows, maybe they'll make you some matzo ball soup some day?Write to us if you want Annette and Jeanne to host a podcast of their own!
On this episode, Isaac reminisces about Jewish summer camp with Leia and Ilana, the directors of Camp Gilgal -- the Summer camp affiliated with Upside Down.If you attended summer camp, you'll probably get most of the inside jokes. It's nostalgia central!
Check out https://campgilgal.com for more info!
Isaac and Jeanne interview artist Aldo Schwartz about his upcoming exhibition at Upside Down, Inner Sea: Crossing Borders Through Tea.
The discussion touches on the way that the ancient Japanese tea ceremony served as an inspiration and a catalyst for Aldo's life and art.
Aldo is a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker, and a graduate from UCLA. This exhibition at Upside Down is his Los Angeles debut.
In this interview, we chat with Rachel Friedlander, editor of Inherit Magazine.
Inherit Magazine is produced by Jews for Jesus. It is a safe space for diverse voices to explore the ways our Jewish heritage intersects with modern life.
Subscribe to Inherit here!
Articles mentioned:
A Hatred Immune to Education by Nadya Williams
Born Broken: A Look at Inherited Trauma by Michelle Van Loon
Email your article ideas to:
inherit@inheritmag.com
Email us!
hello@upsidedown.com
Abby Tang joins us to chat about her experience with antisemitism on her campus at Brandeis University, and how that led to her writing an article during her internship at Upside Down.
Link to article: https://inheritmag.com/articles/antisemitism-on-campus-affected-my-identity
Eilon Presman is an undergrad UCLA student, and one of the artists for the "Origins" Art Exhibition at Upside Down. He shares about his family story that inspired the short film currently on display at Upside Down. He also opens up about his experience of recent events on campus as an Israeli student and his spiritual journey.
In this episode, Isaac sits down with Jeanne Rosen to talk about the upcoming art workshop featuring an artist from the "Origins" exhibition, Zoë Solís, and how we can use art as a way to engage with our origin stories and transformation.
Isaac chats with the Upside Down staff, Alisa and Amanda, about their favorite memories of Upside Down as well as how Upside Down is celebrating 5 years of coffee, art, community, and fun!
This episode features Jake Rosen, Upside Down's artist in residence and descendant of a Holocaust survivor, as he shares his family story and previews our upcoming community hour in which we remember the Holocaust.
Isaac and Sam talk about how we think through our origin stories, the good and the bad, and how the upcoming events at Upside Down explore topics regarding our ancestral and cultural heritage.
This episode features two musicians, Ruth Shuali and Ari Jacob, in our art exhibition “She’elot: Israeli Artists Confront God in the Midst of Grief.” They talk about their creative processes and more about the songs that they wrote in regards to the book of Job.
On this episode, Isaac interviews artist Dan Dan Bashi about his paintings displayed in our latest art exhibition "She'elot: Israeli Artists Confront God in the Midst of Grief."
We live in an age of anxiety – both chronic and clinical; both systemic and psychological. In 2023, it is assumed that all people must simply learn to live with low-grade anxiety. Accessing our inner worlds to address this reality can feel elusive and daunting. And yet, art holds the capacity to elucidate truth about our emotional well-being, expressing what we fail to articulate in conversation and even what we do not admit to ourselves.
Artists often assume the role of prophet. They do not allow us to insulate ourselves from the tragedies of our societal problems. They put pressure on the ways we avoid our aches through the distraction of entertainment, pathological busyness, or the convenience of technology. This collection of artists present their faith-filled struggle with our epidemic of anxiety, inviting us to examine our coping mechanisms of choice with curiosity and contemplation.
What can we learn from these artists about the uniquely human quest for peace?
A live recording from the Peace, Be Still art reception. Hear from four artists (Janna Christian, Jonathan Puls, Krystyny Vandenberg, and Eden DeLaVara) about their artistic process and the way that they grapple with our age of anxiety.
Visit upsidedown.com/peace-be-still for more resources, podcast episodes, and articles.
Meet our resident tall barista, Ben Bergen! Hear him and Kyle geek out about Star Wars as well as learn about his favorite Trader Joe's items. He shares about his love for stories, the meaning of his tattoo, and more...
Come say hi to him behind the bar, share your life with him, and order his favorite drink: the honey cinnamon cortado!
Introducing one of coolest baristas, Leia!
Hear about how her passion for baking started as well as her favorite music artists. She shares about how making playlists is one of her love languages, and find out which starch Leia would choose between flour or potatoes to eat for the rest of her life!
Come say hi to her the next time you're in the cafe!
Peace, Mental Health, & the College Experience Part 2
Upside Down hosted a panel of mental health professionals to talk about how to live peace-filled, meaningful lives during one of the most challenging seasons of life. Part 2 of this two part podcast includes a Q&A about strategies for daily mindfulness, what stability in our lives should look like, and how to talk about anxiety to people in different generations.
Panelists: Miriam Koenig - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist here in Los Angeles specializing in individual, couples, and family psychotherapy
Stacy Kesten - UCLA Certified Mindfulness Facilitator, has practiced meditation for 8 years and has extensive personal and professional training in mindfulness
Hope Phillips - Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles, a certified Level Two Restoration Therapist
Visit upsidedown.com/peace-be-still for more resources, podcasts, and articles.
Peace, Mental Health, & the College Experience Part 1
Upside Down hosted a panel of mental health professionals to talk about how to live peace-filled, meaningful lives during one of the most challenging seasons of life. Part 1 of this two part podcast includes an introduction to our panelists, tips and strategies for anxiety, and a mindfulness exercise to try wherever you are!
Panelists: Miriam Koenig - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist here in Los Angeles specializing in individual, couples, and family psychotherapy
Stacy Kesten - UCLA Certified Mindfulness Facilitator, has practiced meditation for 8 years and has extensive personal and professional training in mindfulness
Hope Phillips - Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles, a certified Level Two Restoration Therapist
Visit upsidedown.com/peace-be-still for more resources, podcasts, and articles.
Next up on our podcast is our barista trainer extraordinaire guru, Alisa Jeffus! Hear about her secret to reading more than 50 books a year, her many sourdough recipes, and her love for Harry Potter. Come by to talk about her favorite coffee, what she's currently reading, or ask her for some sourdough starter~
Next on our Meet the Team series is one of our coolest baristas, Justin! Learn more about Justin's cycling stories, his coffee journey, and all the musical instruments that he can play.
On this episode, Isaac and Kyle interview Lizzy Cohen about her paintings displayed in our latest art show called "Home".
Meet one of our most enthusiastic baristas, Grace! Hear about her favorite drink (it's one of our fall seasonals!) as well as her love for dogs and her favorite hiking spot. She'd love to hear about what's going on in your life too, so say hi to her when you see her in the cafe~
Next on our “Meet the Team” series is one of our baristas, Jaci! Learn about her favorite drink at Upside Down, her journey in becoming a doctor, and her love for literature, history, and Target. It's her birthday week, so come by to say hi, and chat about any of those things when you see her behind the bar!
Meet Natalie, one of our most fashionable barista's on our team and hear her talk on this episode about her love for coffee, movies, and more. Natalie is moving out of state after this week so make sure to show her some love behind the bar this week!
Ever wonder who our podcast host is? Well, now is your chance to get to learn a bit more about Kyle!
Hear him talk about his love for Lord of the Rings, various gadgets, and the Dodgers. And hopefully, you can relate and chat with him about any of these things when you see him in the cafe!
On this episode we celebrate and say farewell to Sarah Wang. One of our rockstar baristas who transitioned out of Upside Down earlier this year to focus on her studies at UCLA.
It’s almost impossible to avoid facing choice anxiety in a world with no limits. What is the “antidote” for this? Explore this topic with us in this episode and to read more, check out our blog at upsidedown.com/blog
Upside Down Director Isaac Brickner interview UCLA Student Max Huang about his photographs displayed in our latest art installation called "Woven".
We talk to a licensed therapist about hysteria related to our present times living through a global pandemic.
Kyle and Melissa interview Victor Atkins, the artist whose work is currently displayed at the Upside Down Cafe.
The Upside Down team chats with artist Wendy Widell Wolf regarding her upcoming art exhibition "History of Trees".
UCLA Cello Performance student Caleb Yang performed at the Upside Down Cafe. On this episode you can listen to the audio from the performance and a brief interview with Caleb about his journey to become a Cellist.
On this episode we introduce Upside Down baristas Sarah and Grace. We also dive into a discussion about liminal space, and the unique elements that seasons of growth bring into our lives.
Artistic Director Melissa Moskowitz shares about the inspiration behind our new art exhibition "Tribe".
In this episode, we interview Upside Down director Isaac Brickner, to ask him about why we built a coffee shop, art gallery, and community space called Upside Down.