Best Rob Conlon Podcasts (2025)

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The Finale 42:56

Play Pause

4+ y ago42:56

42:56

This is it, folks! Could Be Better is winding to a close after three years. In this bonus episode, Rob and J. say farewell, reminisce about some favorite moments, and share their final advice on home decor. Who will deride all-white interiors and Magnolia now? Who knows but we are sure someone will. Thanks to the thousands who have tuned in over th…

1
The December 2020 Episode 57:47

4+ y ago57:47

57:47

In our final regular episode, we are all about Christmas. And spending all your remaining moments between now and Christmas crafting your handmade decor. At least, that’s what the magazine seems to be saying. No more worries about free time or boredom! You won’t have a moment to spare. Whether you go mad for plaid, feel fine with pine, or you’re do…

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The November 2020 Episode 58:30

5y ago58:30

58:30

It’s November again, Thanksgiving (arguably the best holiday for food of the year) is approaching, and you’re wondering what design trend to highlight on your family table. Spoiler alert: it’s dowdiness. How to turn a negative into a positive? Pretend it’s cool! You could also throwback things (like the Throwback feature, which is back, sorta) to a…

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The October 2020 Episode 49:58

5y ago49:58

49:58

For our October 2020 episode, we go full-on Halloween and revel in the autumnal palettes of the season. We sip apple cider-based cocktails and gush over the “not too spooky” handmade projects in the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens–and, shocker, J. admits to liking these crafts! There are very few tags for hate, so the editors either did a…

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Mini Episode: Pride Flags 13:26

5y ago13:26

13:26

Welcome to a special episode of Could Be Better! In the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens, they featured rainbow-hued items as a trend in decor. (A little late for Pride month, but whatev.) That led us to a discussion about Pride flags, and the current debate between the traditional six-color Pride flag and more inclusive versions–the Phi…

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The September 2020 Episode 55:23

5y ago55:23

55:23

September is here, if you can believe it! In this month's episode, we discuss how the magazine celebrates gay pride a few months late, railroad stripes, and how to project joy throughout your life. It may have been PROject joy in the mag but we've turned it into ProJECT Joy. Which we kind of fail at by lamenting more white walls and even (maybe) ha…

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The August 2020 Episode 59:14

5y ago59:14

59:14

It’s August 2020 and we’re back with another fact-filled episode of Could Be Better! Do you know what the watermelon emoji means? Do you know what color makes Rob go ga-ga for paint can lids? Can you guess what culinary tip J. has been keeping from Rob for years? What is the kids’ favorite song and parents’ least-favorite song? Find out the answers…

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The July 2020 Episode: Part Two with Special Guest Paul Trudel-Payne 1:28:28

5y ago1:28:28

1:28:28

It’s a summer surprise: not one but TWO episodes of Could Be Better! In Part Two of our July 2020 episode, we talk with award-winning interior designer, real estate expert and podcast host Paul Trudel-Payne. He hosts the awesome In Your Mind podcast, which we’ll be on in a few weeks. We review a section of the July 2020 issue of Better Homes and Ga…

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The July 2020 Episode: Part One 47:33

5y ago47:33

47:33

It's July, it's summertime, and after months of quarantine/shelter in place/safer at home you deserve a little treat--so we're bringing you TWO episodes for July. In Part One, we do our usual schtick and go through the magazine offering up our unsolicited opinions (spoiler alert: there are tags for hate and tags for love). In Part Two, hear our con…

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The June 2020 Episode 58:29

5y ago58:29

58:29

This month is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and it’s “How To Decorate Your Patio” time again! Despite the pandemic and protest marches, we are still here doing what we do: obsessing over a home shelter/food/crafting magazine as if it were the end-all, be-all of American experience. But we know we are not saving the world, and that this is all just design. If…

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The May 2020 Episode 54:36

5+ y ago54:36

54:36

In our May 2020 episode, we are still under a "Safer At Home" mandate in our home state of New York and so we recorded this episode via Zoom video conference once again. We each make our own signature cocktail: J. does a classic vodka gimlet, partially inspired by the lemon curd tart on the cover of the May 2020 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, w…

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The April 2020 Episode 58:10

5+ y ago58:10

58:10

In this month's episode, Rob and J. are on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic of course--so we recorded this by a socially distant Zoom meeting. Thus we have two signature cocktails: a classic Mary Pickford for Rob, inspired by the Throwback feature, and J. created a "Social Distance" cocktail, a modified Greyhound. It's the color issue packe…

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The March 2020 Episode 59:18

5+ y ago59:18

59:18

In our March 2020 episode, we discuss the latest trends in home design. Or the latest popular things that are about to be overexposed. At least the houseplants are paper this time. Another plus: lots of green and nary a pink! Rob invents a Dark & Bootchie cocktail inspired by the “give up alcohol” article (as if), and Chef Tim gets sour with the Le…

1
The February 2020 Episode 59:29

5+ y ago59:29

59:29

On this month’s episode of Could Be Better, we indulge in some speech therapy practice as J. heads towards recovery from a brain hemorrhage. Can you say “editor’s letter” without blending the sounds together? We warm up with a ginger-liqueur cider but say “tag for hate” on another outdoor entertaining suggestion. We’re in for the chocolate spice ca…

1
The January 2020 Episode 59:46

5+ y ago59:46

59:46

In this episode, we field a few pressing (not really) questions from readers (not really, the editors did that) instead of the usual “New Year, New Me” features. This month we have lots of dark paint colors instead of the usual white, including a purple/blue that Rob tags for love and J. tags for hate. Yet paint can lids are in scarce supply. We ra…

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The December 2019 Episode 53:21

5+ y ago53:21

53:21

It's December once again and we're in the holiday spirit...and into the holiday spirits with Rob's family recipe for egg nog. We have a few glasses and dish up our opinions on the latest issue of BH&G. There's a lot of Christmas and not many of our usual features, like I Did It or paint can lids. Instead we get lots of snow-white rooms warmed by ho…

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The August 2019 Episode 59:14

6y ago59:14

59:14

We're in the summer doldrums (but savoring them) so we're going shirtless for this episode! Why not enjoy a few stone fruit margaritas (inspired by the August issue's articles on peaches and plums, and how to throw an ice cream social) and hang out topless with your cohost? This month, we dive into beekeeping and hot beekeepers (new fetish alert!),…

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The July 2019 Episode 59:35

6y ago59:35

59:35

In our July 2019 episode, we have a summer surprise! Special guest host Bob Brink fills in for Rob while he recuperates from a solstice cold. Bob, who also happens to be J.’s husband, is a fine wine buyer and hospitality expert. He’s also not a regular BHG magazine reader, but you know what, sometimes an honest outside opinion is refreshing…like th…

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The June 2019 Episode 58:39

6y ago58:39

58:39

t's LGBTQ Pride Month and Rob and J. search desperately for some signs of gay life in this month's magazine. Though there's little to be found on the pages, there's plenty of love at the bottom of their cocktail glasses (thanks to the strawberry basil smash cocktails, lifted from the recipe section). J. explains why this episode was delayed and sha…

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The May 2019 Episode 1:00:06

6+ y ago1:00:06

1:00:06

In this episode: Deception! Lies! Big baskets! Secrets revealed! But even those might be another deception. As Rob pours Kentucky Derby mint juleps made gayer with lavender and berries, J. digs up memories of a childhood dinner gone horribly wrong. (This is the Food Issue, after all.) We discuss what charities really want (NOT your #KonMari non-joy…

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Sidebar: Purple As A Neutral/Friends/Rent 9:56

6+ y ago9:56

9:56

If you listened to our April 2019 episode, you heard us discuss the "New Neutrals" article, about redefining what a neutral color is and how to make any color a neutral (in theory.) That led us to a sidebar conversation that didn't quite fit into the main episode (hello, tangent!) but did show our pop culture side. We'll be back with our May 2019 f…

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The April 2019 Episode 1:02:58

6+ y ago1:02:58

1:02:58

Kids these days... In our April 2019 episode, we become art critics, in that it's the Art of Color issue and we're highly critical. How many Tags For Hate can one episode handle? Apparently pink is here to stay (baloney is so on trend right now), beige is back (thank you Gen X), anything can be a neutral, and the most exciting thing about spring is…

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The March 2019 Episode 1:08:42

6+ y ago1:08:42

1:08:42

This month we make sure you're a real trendoid by dissecting our most (and least) favorite so-called trends from BHG's Trend issue. We're dubious about '70's glam (curate it, please), all-in on mural wallpapers, and totally over a certain color--this time, even the #houseplants get in on the action. Rob is only here for the zoodles, while J. does s…

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The February 2019 Episode 57:47

6+ y ago57:47

57:47

Welcome to Season Two of Could Be Better! If a certain #3 magazine is still pumpin' out issues, we're still pumpin' out episodes. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Rob brews up a red signature cocktail to get your blood racing: a Mid-Hudson Mule. They do pack a kick, because it takes us about three sips to start talking dirty about the February iss…

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The January 2019 Episode 1:19:55

6+ y ago1:19:55

1:19:55

To celebrate our one-year anniversary, we recorded our January 2019 episode live at the Crafted Kup Coffeehouse in Poughkeepsie New York! And because we had a captive audience (and a timer!) we touched on a only a few highlights from the BHG magazine, instead of letting ourselves ramble for hours. Guests got to see the pages with us in a slideshow-…

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The Citrus Surprise Holiday Bonus Episode 16:59

6+ y ago16:59

16:59

Happy holidays, party people! Here’s our gift to you, a special bonus episode to tide you over while we take a little Christmas break (there’s a lot of eggnog and pom-ginger shandies to drink). We’re also putting this out there because we won’t have a new episode later this month since we’re talking about the January issue (which already arrived in…

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The December 2018 Episode 1:07:56

6+ y ago1:07:56

1:07:56

Oh, the irony! We've been looking forward to the December issue all year, and then when it arrives (super-late, for Rob) we get...more pink. Can we please declare a new It color for 2019? J. and Rob unwrap a holiday surprise when Santa reveals the hottest seasonal decorating trend: not using red and green. Stuff your stockings with thumbprint cooki…

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The November 2018 Episode 1:05:30

7y ago1:05:30

1:05:30

In our November 2018 episode, we switch things up and hang out at J's house, where green is a neutral. We tried hard but we could not find many tags for hate in this issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine! Maybe it's because we both love Thanksgiving so much. Maybe it's because the issue was mostly about the food (though we did do a fun recipe ta…

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The October 2018 Episode 1:09:47

7y ago1:09:47

1:09:47

In the October 2018 episode of Could Be Better, we try to be a little nicer, a little more helpful, and a little less judgy. But that's no fun so we quickly devolve to our usual cocktail-fueled opinions. Though the cover of this month's Better Homes and Gardens mag has us hopeful for autumn color--and the Halloween features are on point--our time m…

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The September 2018 Episode 1:11:33

7y ago1:11:33

1:11:33

In our September episode, we plant the seeds for fall with a new focus on decor. (Foodies, don't worry: check out our YouTube channel for our monthly recipe tastings). Rob mixes up a signature cocktail inspired by this BH&G issue's global flair (a Chocolate Spice martini) but J's excited by this month's Editor's Letter: cue another dramatic reading…

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The August 2018 Episode 1:13:02

7y ago1:13:02

1:13:02

In our August 2018 episode, the magazine leaves us thirsty (only one beverage recipe, and it’s plain ole iced tea) so Rob creates his own signature cocktail–the Salty Be-otch–inspired by this month’s paint can lid hues. After sampling another array of excellent foods from Chef Tim, J. confesses that he forgot his magazine…and it’s all downhill from…

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Mini Episode: YouTube House/Before & After 15:00

7y ago15:00

15:00

In this bonus episode we're featuring two segments from our July 2018 episode taping that didn't make the cut (because we can't stop blabbing). These are a little more design-y in nature, and they share a few common themes: white on white (on white...) kitchens, "rustic" wood and a little more womp-womp talk about our least favorite big-name design…

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The July 2018 Episode 1:05:16

7y ago1:05:16

1:05:16

It's the summer/gay pride issue we were all waiting for (and didn't get in June). We hit record on a 100-degree afternoon as Rob pours us a berry lemonade martini inspired by the "Burger Bash" feature. Tim serves lighter-than-they-look snacks by the pool before we escape the heat to the cool confines of our recording spot. The lemonade has us in hi…

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Mini Episode: The New Victorihemians 14:21

7y ago14:21

14:21

The new what? In this segment from the June 2018 episode, Rob and J. own up to confused feelings about "The Natural Life" feature on page 116 of the Better Homes & Gardens June 2018 issue. Meet the forager family behind the Insta account Fox Meets Bear and decide for yourself if their style is 1980's "Country Living," an update on Victorian natural…

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The June 2018 Issue 1:05:06

7+ y ago1:05:06

1:05:06

In this episode of Could Be Better, it's time for Gay Pride Month, but something's a little amiss. There's only one rainbow in the whole issue, the recipes feature low-alcohol cocktails, and the Editor's Letter leaves us filled with regret. We're determined to make it #werk, however, so we plow on while sipping this month's signature cocktail, the …

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Mini Episode: Untucked 12:49

7+ y ago12:49

12:49

This episode is extraaaah! Here are two segments that didn't make it into the main May episode: our convo about the Before & After segment, and a featured food article (with gorgeous wallpaper-worthy pics by Con Poulos). The main theme of these two "cut" bits. Call us the Hardy Boys, because we finally solved the mystery of why most men photographe…

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The May 2018 Issue 1:15:45

7+ y ago1:15:45

1:15:45

In this episode of Could Be Better, we pregame with the classic Tulip cocktail as featured in the magazine and the brandy goes straight to our heads. We imagine that our podcast has made an impact on the editors since the issue is a) all about tulips b) much more diverse and c) a greatest hits of the past few issues: dark wallpapers, a return to pa…

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Extra Episode (3a): Pink and Blue 8:42

7+ y ago8:42

8:42

This episode is extraaah! We’re sharing our uncut conversation about the “Colorful Past” feature in the April 2018 issue. You heard a little bit of it during Episode 3 but we cut a bunch out to fit (because as you know we always run long) and we didn't have a lot to like (Rob didn't even tag it!). But, as you listeners keep saying, you like it when…

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The April 2018 Issue 1:08:38

7+ y ago1:08:38

1:08:38

In this episode of Could Be Better, we introduce a new feature--a signature cocktail (or two). After we pre-game with a sparkling pomegranate cocktail, we hit record, open the April issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, and start on a few shakers full of Earl Grey tea martinis. Things quickly devolve to discussing whether or not to chop up your…

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The March 2018 Issue 1:06:40

7+ y ago1:06:40

1:06:40

In this episode of Could Be Better, we delve into the March 2018 issue of Better Homes & Gardens: the gardening issue. For the first time in the magazine's history (as far as we know) there's a single (as in, photographed alone) hot guy on the cover! It's all about the boys in this episode, plus more #houseplants, the horrors of vinyl shutters, and…

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Could Be Better, Part 2 (Thirty Thousand Things Episode 9b) 1:24:16

7+ y ago1:24:16

1:24:16

This is part 2 of the original Thirty Thousand Things episode, which functions as the pilot episode for Could Be Better. "When we move on to examining the January 2018 issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, the gloves come off and we really spill the tea about what we think of it. But it comes from a place of love. Really." We delve into baskety…

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Could Be Better, Part 1 (Thirty Thousand Things Episode 9a) 21:47

7+ y ago21:47

21:47

This intro episode is really Episode 9 of J. Dewey's podcast "Thirty Thousand Things," which was all about the emotional connections people have with the things in their homes. "I interview my good friend Rob (over cocktails) about his huge collection of back issues of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and we discuss our shared love for the magazi…