Best Isabel Corp Podcasts (2025)

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Clown Logic with Grumpy 26:58

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2h ago26:58

26:58

Today's guest is Heaven Schmidt, the brains behind the wonderfully weird and whimsical hyperpop persona, Grumpy. We chat about their new EP 'Piebald,' out tomorrow, recruiting 3 of their ex-partners to play in their band, "clown logic," and more. ✨ MORE ABOUT GRUMPY ✨ Grumpy is a DIY hyperpop project based in Brooklyn fronted by Heaven Schmidt, who…

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E191 From the Marine Corps to The Hottest Restaurant in San Francisco, How Justin Chin Became the General Manager at The Happy Crane 1:02:09

3h ago1:02:09

1:02:09

There is nothing I enjoy more on this podcast than catching up with former students of mine! Justin Chin graduated about 25 years ago, and we hadn't spoken since. It was an extra-pleasant surprise to hear that he is the general manager at San Francisco's hottest restaurant, The Happy Crane. I had to call him up to find out how a kid who skipped col…

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An Evening with Ella Feingold 33:22

6d ago33:22

33:22

Today you will hear my conversation with Grammy® winning guitarist and composer Ella Feingold. We geek out about her collaborative record with Charlie Hunter, her not-so-secret love of post-punk and goth, and our unfiltered thoughts on the new Jeff Buckley documentary, 'It's Never Over.' ✨ MORE ABOUT ELLA FEINGOLD ✨ Ella Feingold is an award-winnin…

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Ep 190 A Chat with The World's Foremost Bruce Lee Memorabilia Collector - Jeff Chinn 50:14

7d ago50:14

50:14

I know for a fact that Jeff Chinn is NOT related to me (listen to the episode to find out how I know)! But besides being a double N Chinn, he's the world's foremost Bruce Lee memorabilia collector. His collection is immense and important. Even Bruce's widow Linda and daugther Shannon Lee have been to the Bruce Lee Room at Jeff's house. I had a grea…

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The Cuntry Chronicles with Bria Salmena 41:25

13d ago41:25

41:25

For today's episode, I am joined by Bria Salmena to discuss her solo debut, cutting her teeth in the Canadian post-punk scene as the frontwoman of the Toronto band FRIGS, and singing backup in Orville Peck's band. We also discuss her series of 'Cuntry Covers,' zines, our stances on the Ethel vs. Lana beef, and the dying art of physical media. ✨ MOR…

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Ep 189 Getting to Know Surae Chinn One of the Hosts of Good Things Utah and So Much More! 50:09

14d ago50:09

50:09

Our 2nd Chinn for the Win Episode, and what better way to celebrate than to have a double N Chinn! Surae Chinn is a TV host in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the lifestyle show Good Things Utah. Surae is such a professional with a sunny disposition and bright personality; it was a real treat to chat with her! Follow Surae @suraechinn on social media, and…

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Ep 188 Curtis Chin on Family, Food, and Finding Identity in a Chinese Restaurant 52:08

21d ago52:08

52:08

Happy Chin(n) for the Win Month! All our guests this month have the name Chin(n), and that's NOT just a gimmick; all our Chin guests are interesting, fun, and all have unique and interesting jobs! I figured it was appropriate to start the month with none other than Curtis Chin! Curtis is the author of the award-winning memoir, Everything I Learned,…

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Ep 187 The Story Behind @imadoniseats: Adonis on Culture and Cuisine 39:14

28d ago39:14

39:14

Adonis has popped up on my Instagram feed many times over the past 2 years. He's a local guy visiting some of Daly City and San Francisco's best mom-and-pop restaurants. His recommendations always hit, so I wanted to hear more about how he got into content creation. I felt like it was only appropriate to break bread together as we chatted, so we po…

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From Chaos to Clarity with ROREY 32:01

28d ago32:01

32:01

For today's episode, I am joined by NYC singer-songwriter ROREY to talk about her brand new EP 'Dysphoria,' the emotional tug-of-war between burnout and sensory overload, and ways she can tether yourself back to earth when you get overwhelmed by your own mind. ✨ MORE ABOUT ROREY ✨ ROREY is a New York-based singer-songwriter who was raised bicoastal…

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Spectrums & Whimsy with Polyglam 36:25

1M ago36:25

36:25

For today's episode, I am joined by Rachel White and Allie Stamler of the LA-based indie pop trio Polyglam. Allie and Rachel join me to discuss their new EP Spectrum and seasoned history as session musicians and songwriters for some of the biggest pop acts in the world. ✨ MORE ABOUT POLYGLAM ✨ Polyglam is a power trio from LA creating sophisticated…

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Ep 186 Kaila Yu on her book Fetishized: Behind the Scenes of Her Journey from Import Car Model to Writer 50:12

1M ago50:12

50:12

If you were around pop culture in the early 2000s, you know Kaila Yu's face. She was a young import car model and pin-up girl. In her just-released book, Fetishized, Kaila pulls back the curtain on what it was like to be an Asian model in the 2000s. Her book is raw and revealing, and definitely worth a read. We recorded this way back in April, as I…

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Grrrl's Just Wanna Be Famous with Meg Smith 38:28

1M ago38:28

38:28

For today's episode, I am joined by disco opera pop chanteuse Meg Smith. Meg joins me to discuss her latest songs "Dive Bar Opera" and "Girls Just Wanna Be Famous," how her mother's dance career inspires her musical output and making fun, unserious bombastic pop with a dash of glitter. ✨ MORE ABOUT MEG SMITH ✨ With inspirations ranging from Donna S…

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Ep 185 Ada Tseng Author of Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide To A Changing Industry 55:30

1M ago55:30

55:30

Are you or someone you know curious about how to start a career in Hollywood? While working at the LA Times Ada Tseng and her co-author Jon Healey interviewed dozens of people from all parts of the entertainment industry. This book is a collection of chapters outlining most of the jobs involved with film and television production. As a TV and movie…

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Ep 184 Part 2 The K-Watch Club Continues with Lingjie and Isabel watching Karma (2025) and Signal (2016) 48:21

2M ago48:21

48:21

We're back with part 2 of our marathon session with Isabel and Lingjie! This time we're discussing the 2025 drama Karma and the 2016 classic Signal. I think we all enjoyed these shows and would recommend them to you! Let us know the shows or movies you want us to watch next! Thanks again to Isabel of @proudlyasian podcast and Lingjie of @worstasian…

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Putting The Rainbow in The Rodeo with Rachel Cholst 32:55

2M ago32:55

32:55

For today's episode, you will hear my conversation with the founder of Rainbow Rodeo and Adobe & Teardrops, Rachel Cholst. Rachel joins me to discuss the long queer history of country music, her favorite songwriters of all time, and starting a blog to make up for the gender disparity in country and folk music coverage. ✨ MORE ABOUT RACHEL CHOLST ✨ …

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Ep 184 Part 1 A K-Watch Club with Isabel and Lingjie 57:35

2M ago57:35

57:35

We had some free time this summer, so I suckered some podcast friends to watch some shows with me. Lingjie from @worstasianpod and Isabel from @proudlyasian were game to be part of a watch club. We each recommended a show for the others to watch, and a few months later, we jumped on a Zoom call to give our thoughts! The shows picked were: Love Afte…

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Going The Distance with Moontype 22:44

2M ago22:44

22:44

For today's episode, you will hear my conversation with Margaret McCarthy, the brains behind the Chicago indie rock dreamworld Moontype. Margaret joins me to discuss her brand new album, 'I Let The Wind Push Down On Me,' late night driving revelations, and the art of letting the vibe take control in a session. ✨ MORE ABOUT MOONTYPE ✨ Moontype is an…

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Ep 183 Tiger Sisters: Jean & Cherie Luo Share Their Journey From the Ivy League to Podcasting 1:05:46

2M ago1:05:46

1:05:46

From Dartmouth, Harvard, Barnard, and Stanford, to Wall Street and Silicon Valley, Tiger Sisters Jean and Cherie Luo achieved what many can only hope to. In their podcast, Tiger Sisters, they share secrets and mistakes they've learned along the way. Sydney and I had a great chat with them, talking about their journey and learning more about how the…

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An Episode of Proxy on the InfatuAsian Podcast, Mic Nguyen's Biggest Regret 47:00

2M ago47:00

47:00

Our podcast pal Yowei loaned us one of her episodes of Proxy to air on our feed this week! It features an episode she produced with comedian and podcaster Mic Nguyen. In it, the episode explores what Mic calls "the biggest regret of his life," abandoning his pre-med studies to pursue a comedy career. If you've never listened to Proxy before, you're…

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Liberation Is a Birthright: A Conversation with Kimmortal 42:18

2M ago42:18

42:18

For today's episode, you will hear my conversation with the Polaris-nominated rapper and multi-disciplinary artist Kimmortal. Kim joins me to discuss their new EP, the road to liberation, and our shared love of Turnstile. We also compare our birth charts and discover that we're both fire and air signs. ✨ MORE ABOUT KIMMORTAL ✨ Kimmortal is a Polari…

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Ep 182 From NPR to Proxy: Yowei Shaw’s Next Podcast Chapter 53:17

2M ago53:17

53:17

You might know Yowei Shaw from the NPR podcast Invisibilia, and if you do, then you know that most of the Invisibilia team got laid off in 2023. Since then, Yowei has been on a mission to continue telling stories that explore emotions and life's conundrums. This mission has turned into her new show, Proxy, an independent podcast that Yowei created,…

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Playing Her Cards Right From Toronto to Montenegro : Xuan Liu on Life and Poker 45:10

3M ago45:10

45:10

Poker is a game of strategy, numbers, psychology, and luck. Xuan Liu has been playing poker professionally on and off since college. She has had several tournament scores of over half a million dollars. In May 2025, she became the first woman to win a Triton Series Tournament, taking home over $860,000! Listen to our episode on Spotify, Apple Podca…

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Soapbox Queers with Willy Mao of The Resonaters 1:04:48

3M ago1:04:48

1:04:48

For today's episode, I am joined by Willy Mao of The Resonaters to discuss coming of age as an artist in Scranton, PA, his friendship with Jill Sobule, incorporating humor into the morbid and sad songs, and all things queer culture (but mostly Overcompensating and White Lotus). ✨ KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE RESONATERS ✨ Instagram: https://www.instagra…

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Ep 180 Inside the World of Tyrus Wong with Karen Fang, Author of Background Artist 59:51

3M ago59:51

59:51

Tyrus Wong is the Chinese American artist who provided inspiration and vision for the Disney animated masterpiece, Bambi. He went on to have a long career as an artist at Warner Brothers, as well as designing cards for Hallmark. He was an amazing individual whom my guest, film scholar Karen Fang, has written a book about. It’s called Background Art…

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Going Against the Grain with Sarah Register 49:23

3M ago49:23

49:23

Today's guest is composer, mastering engineer, and guitarist in Kim Gordon's band, Sarah Register. Sarah joins me to discuss her solo debut, touring with Kim, and filming a music video with choreography and archival footage from a previously unfinished project. ✨ MORE ABOUT SARAH REGISTER ✨ Sarah Register is a Grammy-winning composer, mastering eng…

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Ep 179 Ask This Book a Question: Vicki Tan on Wonder, Design, and Discovery 52:38

3M ago52:38

52:38

Got any questions that you're pondering at the moment? Wouldn't it be great to have someone to run it by to get some ideas? My guest Vicki Tan wrote a book for you! It's called Ask This Book a Question, and it walks you through different types of decisions you might need to make and gives stories from her life as well as biases that might be cloudi…

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Saying The Quiet Part Out Loud with Stella Bridie 46:58

3M ago46:58

46:58

Today's guest is Stella Bridie, who joins me to discuss her breakout debut EP 'Speaking Terms,' a haunting, emotionally charged project born from a single hypothetical: "What if you had one moment left to tell your story?" We explore the psychological intricacies and raw recollections woven through the EP, as well as Stella’s unflinching confrontat…

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Ep 178 Advice for Traveling to Japan with Jeff and Naomi Yamazaki! 55:31

3M ago55:31

55:31

Men’s fashion influencer Jeff Yamazaki and his wife Naomi have made the trip between Los Angeles and Japan dozens of times —and they’ve learned a thing or two along the way. In this episode, the stylish duo shares their go-to travel tips for navigating Japan like a pro: from the best places to shop to eating some of the tastiest foods. Whether it’s…

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Ep 177 You Might Have Asian Parents If... with the Blackboard 4 1:05:57

4M ago1:05:57

1:05:57

Here's an episode with the Blackboard 4 (Jackie, Vicky, Loan, and me) where we talk about having Asian parents and being Asian parents. Hopefully, you can relate and join in the laughter. *Light trigger warning* We talk about old-fashioned Asian discipline. Thanks to The Blackboard 4 for helping me all school year long. We'll be back after summer b…

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Stepping Out of Frame with Fotoform 31:13

4M ago31:13

31:13

Today's episode features a conversation with Fotoform frontwoman Kim House. We discuss how the band's latest album Grief is a Garden (Forever in Bloom) allowed her to transform her grief into something reflective, and how creativity can foster healing in positive ways. ✨ MORE ABOUT FOTOFORM ✨ Fotoform is a Seattle-based duo whose sonic journey bega…

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Ep 176 Grace in Any Culture: Etiquette Lessons from Reina Chan 53:02

4M ago53:02

53:02

Are manners, good conversation skills, and etiquette out of style? My guest, Reina, and I wholeheartedly disagree! In fact, maybe these soft skills are needed more than ever! Reina Chan is an etiquette coach who was born in Hong Kong but was educated in England and Switzerland. She creates content around international etiquette and coaches clients …

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Quarter Life Confessions with Taylor Bickett 30:19

4M ago30:19

30:19

Today’s episode features Nashville singer-songwriter Taylor Bickett, who joins me to talk about her powerful new song “The Crime,” inspired by real-life events and the female experience. We also discuss her work with The Circle, an organization founded by Annie Lennox to help prevent violence against women. ✨ MORE ABOUT TAYLOR BICKETT ✨ Taylor Bick…

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Ep 175 Vicky Nguyen: From Boat Baby to NBC News 47:24

4M ago47:24

47:24

Vicky Nguyen's life arc that goes from a harrowing escape out of Vietnam to the Today show makes her book Boat Baby a real page-turner. I had a really fun chat with Vicky the day after Mother's Day, which I thought was appropriate, since her parents, husband Brian, and 3 daughters play a big part in this journey of a lifetime. As a bonus, we get Vi…

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Anything But Soft with M(h)aol 37:08

4M ago37:08

37:08

For today's episode, you will hear my conversation with Constance Keane, the front-person and drummer of feminist Irish post-punk band M(h)aol. Connie joins me to discuss the band's brand new album 'Something Soft,' a blisteringly loud and hair-raising screed on the emotional and political undercurrents of her life over the past few years. ✨ MORE A…

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Ep 174 Big Asian Energy: Breaking Through Your Limitations with John Wang 51:02

4M ago51:02

51:02

John Wang is a leadership coach, author, speaker, and founder of Big Asian Energy, a platform dedicated to empowering Asian Americans to break through cultural and professional barriers. We had so much fun chatting about his new book, Big Asian Energy, available May 27th, wherever you get books, or over at his website www.bigasianenergy.com You can…

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Writing with Intention with Maia Friedman 52:53

4M ago52:53

52:53

For today's episode, I am joined by Maia Friedman to discuss her brand new album Goodbye Long Winter Shadow, a collection of meticulously crafted songs about the cyclical nature of life and the personal tragedies and new beginnings that inspired the trajectory of the album. ✨ MORE ABOUT MAIA FRIEDMAN ✨ Maia Friedman is an artist based in Brooklyn, …

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Ep 173 part 2 - Amy Tan's InfatuAsian and Breaking the Legacy of Trauma 38:42

5M ago38:42

38:42

Want some bonus Amy Tan? Yes please! Just when I thought I was wrapping up our chat with Amy Tan, we got into a deep conversation about life and surviving trauma. I didn't plan most of this and just went wherever Amy wanted to lead the conversation. *Trigger Warning* We talk about self-harm and assault, please use listener's discretion* Pictured in…

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Roaming Castles of Edinburgh with Plastic Rhino 28:09

5M ago28:09

28:09

For today's episode, I am joined by Atara Glazer from alternative hard rock outfit Plastic Rhino, who joins me to discuss the Plastic Rhino's latest single "I Rise," all things LA, and the live music experiences that altered her life forever. ✨ MORE ABOUT PLASTIC RHINO ✨ Plastic Rhino is an alternative hard rock duo based in LA made up of Atara and…

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Ep 173 From Joy Luck to Backyard Birds - Amy Tan Reflects on Survival and Writing Part 1 51:27

5M ago51:27

51:27

It's going to be hard to beat this one! I had huge expectations about speaking with Amy Tan, and let me tell you, Amy gave me more than I could have even hoped for! She is the premier Asian American storyteller for a reason. She had me laughing one minute and contemplating the next. This is only Part 1, because we ended up chatting for over an hour…

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From Fetisch to Forever: Celebrating Xmal Deutschland's 4AD Years 25:28

5M ago25:28

25:28

For today's episode, you will hear my conversation with Anja Huwe of Xmal Deutschland fame, who joins me to discuss the Xmal Deutschland's 40-year anniversary compilation entitled The Gift: The 4AD Years, containing their 2 LPs released on 4AD back in the '80s, and additional tracks from other releases and EPs. ✨ MORE ABOUT XMAL DEUTSCHLAND ✨ Xmal …

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Ep 172 Asian Goats! Naming the greatest Asian things and people of all time! With the Blackboard 4! 1:06:09

5M ago1:06:09

1:06:09

Jackie, Vicky, Loan, and I—a.k.a. The Blackboard 4—chat about the Greatest Of All Time Asian things! I always have a great time yapping with my teacher friends. Who knows where our next tangent will take us! In this episode, we discuss our GOATed Asian fruits and veg, movies, comedians, and more. Listen in and let us know if you agree with us or no…

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Ep 171 Trailblazer Nancy Kwan Reflects on 'The World of Suzie Wong' and Changing Hollywood 31:54

5M ago31:54

31:54

Nancy Kwan was one of the first Asian Hollywood stars I can remember seeing. She broke out in the hit movies "The World of Suzie Wong" and "Flower Drum Song" in the 1960s. Over the next several decades, Nancy worked in front and behind the camera in over 50 productions. It was a real pleasure to speak with Nancy, she is as charming and lovely as ev…

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Chaotic Good with partygirl 39:16

5M ago39:16

39:16

Today's guest is Pagona Kytzidis of partygirl, who joins me to discuss her maximalist approach to rock and roll, the personal and political, music as a relational act, and the importance of ensuring that every voice is heard in a six-person band. ✨ MORE ABOUT PARTYGIRL ✨ Partygirl is a six-piece rock and roll band from Brooklyn whose torrential arr…

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Ep 170 Arthur Dong on Telling Untold Asian American and LGBTQ Stories Through Film 45:00

5M ago45:00

45:00

Arthur Dong is an award-winning filmmaker out of San Francisco's Chinatown. One of his first films, Sewing Woman, was nominated for an Oscar. We caught up with Arthur and chatted about his youth in Chinatown and his over 50 years of filmmaking! Get the Arthur Dong Collection on Blu-Ray discs from Kino Lorber. Arthur's care for his subject matter wi…

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Back From The Dead with gloomy june 32:28

6M ago32:28

32:28

Today's guests are the members of Synth-Emo quartet gloomy june, who join me to discuss laying down artistic roots in San Francisco, their favorite horror movies of all time, and their hot takes on topics ranging from Bob Dylan to Scientology and old folk songs. ✨ MORE ABOUT GLOOMY JUNE ✨ gloomy june is a queer emo pop band from San Francisco that …

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Ep 169: Chef Brandon Jew: Tradition, Innovation, and the Story of Mister Jiu’s 43:19

6M ago43:19

43:19

Brandon wanted to participate in our March Madness of Chinese Cuisine, but he had a prior engagement, so we decided to bring the bracket to him! Recording in the legendary Moongate Lounge above Mr. Jiu's, Brandon and I talked about his journey and why it's been so important for him to keep pushing against the river of difficulties of running a big …

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Announcement: Bake for Myanmar - A San Francisco Community Fundraiser to Support Myanmar Earthquake Relief 9:48

6M ago9:48

9:48

I had a quick call with Linda Tay Esposito from @flavor_explosions, who organized a bake sale to fundraise for earthquake relief efforts in Myanmar. Here in San Francisco, Linda has gathered over 35 bakers who are donating some goods towards the relief effort. Each item will be $5 or $10, with 100% of the proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders i…

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Cicadas in Cincinnati with The Ophelias 33:52

6M ago33:52

33:52

For today's episode I am joined by Spencer Peppet of The Ophelias to discuss finding yourself in a personal hall of mirrors, the exhausting reality of having a body, and the complexities of female friendship, all topics she delves into on the band's new album, Spring Grove. Digressions include the intersection of queerness and cannibalism, Spiderma…

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Ep 168 The March Madness of Chinese Cuisine 2025! 1:05:47

6M ago1:05:47

1:05:47

The day had come on March 22nd, 2025... the day we crowned the greatest dish in Chinese Cuisine for 2025! It was a hotly contested battle, voted on by about 60 members of our audience on a beautiful night in Chinatown. Cohosted by myself and the folks from The Worst Quality Crab Podcast and the On Waverly Bookstore, it was truly a fun night! I hope…

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Side Dish: Speaking with Actors Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino about My Love Will Make You Disappear! 6:23

6M ago6:23

6:23

Here's a really quick interview with Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino, who star in the Filipino film My Love Will Make You Disappear! It is a fun rom-com with a fun premise and lots of ups and downs, tears and laughs. I got to take part of the press junket, and because of my work schedule I only have a few minutes to chat with the stars. My nerves got th…