Shows
Botanical TrailsToe Squished Grapes returns to host another holiday episode/season finaleWake the kids, call the neighbors - Toe Squished Grapes is back to cap our 2024 season with a special holiday episode. However, instead of wine this year, they are exploring non-alcohol options for the holidays, with not one, not two, but three beverages for us try. In this jam packed episode we cover the new drink concocted by Molly - the Lemon Drip, sneak in a little football talk, try to figure out if it is an adaptogen or adopt a gin, discuss gift ideas for kids, tackle some Christmas movie trivia, and share three special Off The Beaten Pa...2024-12-201h 06Botanical TrailsDrinks with Brian (once again) - Two Spanish GinsIn our second to the last episode of the season, our fan favorite Brian Place joins us for a third time to enjoy two amazing gins from Spain. As we savor the flavor of our beverages we chat about his trip to Spain from a few years ago, including the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, discuss exactly what paella is, and share two great Off The Beaten Path topics.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear about Brian met someone directly linked to one of our OTBP topics 🎙Cheers!!My thanks to Dari...2024-12-1659 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Steve - Two Navy Strength GinsAs we approach the end of 2024 and look to wrap up season 2, we have three more episodes to release, starting with my buddy Steve joining me for episode 9. In this episode we try a couple of Navy Strength gins. While enjoying these high octane drinks, we discuss how the term Navy Strength came about, Steve’s trip to Krakow, Poland, and my adventure in picking up his kids in the school pick-up line.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear about Steve’s love of a good Old Fashion and a Voocaray, and how we questi...2024-12-101h 00Botanical TrailsDrinks with Rishi - Two gins from the UKMy guest for our latest episode has had quite a hand in shaping the selection of gins that we have tasted on the show. Rishi, from Rishi’s International Beverage in Grand Rapids, is our guest for this episode. And while enjoying two tasty gins from the UK, we discuss his journey of starting his own bottle shop and how tastes have impacted the growth of his business over the years. We also talk about how his customers are now searching more for quality over quantity, and his enjoyment of being able to influence the palates of his customers. And h...2024-09-1354 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Marc - Two Scottish GinsIn our latest episode, my cousin Marc joins us as we enjoy two delicious gins from Scotland. Throughout the episode, we learn about some of the very cool places that Marc has had a chance to visit - including Wales, England, Cuba and New Zealand. And in Off The Beaten Path, Marc adds a new category to my favorite segment.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear about Marc filming a documentary in Cuba 🎙Cheers!!This episode can be found at: https://botanicaltrails.buzzsprout.com, as well as Apple...2024-08-0957 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with the Outlaws - Two gins from South CarolinaFor our latest episode, my guests are affectionately known as “The Outlaws” - Beth Jester, Andy King and Alyssa Jester. They are also my cousin-in-laws. And in this episode, we try a couple of gins that I picked up while visiting my cousins in South Carolina. And as we try these new gins, we talk about the annual documentation of showing who married up, nicknames that we might be able to use for Alyssa, how to avoid conversations at work, and drugs we never tried.Come for the gin, and enjoy the debut of our new trivia...2024-06-281h 10Botanical TrailsDrinks with Todd - Two gins from DetroitMy cousin Todd joins us as we try two gins from Detroit, the Arsenal of Democracy as it was known during the Second World War. While sipping the gins, we talk about the Detroit Lions and their new uniforms, how Todd is related to those who resemble Aaron Rodgers and John Elway, his podcast - “Saturday at Seven”, and we go through our final rounds of gin trivia.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear how Todd teaches us how to make smoked ice 🎙Cheers!!This episode can be found at: https...2024-06-1453 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Adam - Two Gins from Far Away PlacesMy cousin-in-law Adam joins us as we try two gins from far away places. During our enjoyment of the gins, we chat about Adam’s love of Disney, whether or not Goofy is a dog, my first exposure to Mr. Bill on Saturday Night Live, a trip to Alaska, and Adam’s experience of being a pilot. We also follow up on a question about Daffy, the Goddess of Gin.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear how Adam subtly sneaks in two topics for Off The Beaten Path 🎙Cheers!!This episode c...2024-06-031h 03Botanical TrailsDrinks with Drew (again) - French Gins & the conclusion of the Rhine River ChroniclesDrew joins us again to try two French gins as we conclude the Rhine River Chronicles. While enjoying these gins and putting a wrap on this three-part series, Drew and I discuss if I can actually taste lavender, how he went to Euro Disney at perhaps not the greatest time, why there are pumpkins in Slovenia, his fear and basic avoidance of deep water and nostalgia for some of our favorite comedy movies.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear his interesting Off The Beaten Path topic 🎙️Cheers!!This e...2024-04-1258 minBotanical TrailsDrinks (again) with Greg - Two more gins from his trip to EnglandOur old friend Greg is back to join us again as we look to try two more of the gins that he brought back for the show from his trip to England last year. As we try our first ever gin from Sicily and another from CBA Gin, we celebrate Greg being the first guest to have an episode hit 100 downloads, talk about his return as head coach of Tulip City United for a third season, suffer through him teasing me about my jeans and ankles and hear how in his opinion I might not be the best personal chef. We...2024-03-2859 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Maki - Dutch Gins (aka Part Two of the Rhine River Chronicles)We are incredibly excited to kick off season 2 with a very special guest - my Mom, aka “Maki”. In the kickoff episode to the season, we pick back up with the Rhine River Chronicles, and in this second installment of the series we try a pair of Dutch Gins. As we give these two gins a try, we chat about our river cruise this past fall, my mom’s favorite international trip, and I share an old family favorite for my Off The Beaten Path selection.Come for the gin, and stick around to learn the origin of the p...2024-03-1452 minBotanical TrailsToe Squished Grapes hosts the season finaleIn a holiday themed episode, the lovely ladies of Toe Squished Grapes are back to help me put a bow on the first season. Kelly brings two wines for us to try and has the patience of a saint while dealing with the snarky comments from the peanut gallery. She also utilizes her bible - “Wine for Normal People” to teach us a bit more about the regions these two wines come from. As we enjoy the wines, Molly leads our discussion around holiday gift ideas, Christmas traditions, and her love of rabbits. And it ends up that Kelly loves ra...2023-12-221h 14Botanical TrailsDrinks with Jamie - Blue GinsWhat do you get when you combine a former intern, an AI questionnaire and the Pink Panther? You end up with episode 21 with Jamie Belt as our guest. During the episode we sample two blue gin and discuss how robots are now screening your resume, the proper way to prepare a pop-tart, and how seeking a large coffee in Europe might be a search in vain.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear if Malibu Barbie is the best name to give your daughter 🎙️🍸🍸My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce th...2023-12-151h 04Botanical TrailsDrinks (again) with Brian - German Gins (aka Part One of the Rhine River Chronicles)Episode 20 is the first of our Rhine River Chronicle series, which is a three part series that will stretch into the beginning of season 2. On this episode, our old friend Brian Place joins us again as we try two gins from Germany that I picked up on a recent river cruise up the Rhine River. As we try these two local products of Speyer, Germany, we discuss our experiences on separate Viking River Cruises, have Brian push for a corporate sponsor for the podcast, and get our first ever Bar Bathroom story (though it technically does not take place in...2023-12-0955 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Lori - More Italian GinsAre you a fan of pizza? If so, this might be just what your ordered. My guest (and Good Samaritan) Lori Wilson and I try a couple of new Italian gins. One is our first ever listener donated gin, and the other is a fun little discovery. While sampling these two gins, we chat about our journeys through Italy, the talents of Michelangelo, and how Lori was responsible for my luck in landing the awesome producer for this little podcast.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear Lori’s story of performing a good deed and en...2023-10-1256 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Amie - Wisconsin GinsIn this episode we travel to the land of the Cheeseheads - Wisconsin. My sister Amie, a resident of Madison, has introduced me to a couple of great distilleries there, and we try two of their gins in this episode. While enjoying these tasty gins, we chat about the treacherous waterways of Death’s Door passage, how we connected through football early in our lives, a couple of Beastie Boy concerts, our trip to Morocco, and an idea for a new segment for the show - The Bar Bathroom Chronicles.Come for the gin, and stick around to he...2023-09-1155 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Jim (again) - Two Gins that reflect things that connect usWake the kids, call the neighbors - Jim is back for his second stint as guest on the podcast. For this episode, I came up with two gins that have a bit of a connection between us, and Jim does an amazing job of guessing what those connections are. While enjoying the gins we also chat about different movies theaters we have gone to, lament the passing of Paul Reubens, debate if root beer tastes good, and for trivia, Jim phones a friend for a little bit of help.Come for the gin, and stick around to he...2023-08-311h 10Botanical TrailsWait . . . What . . . Wine? It's a podcast takeover. Enjoy Toe Squished GrapesThe guest for episode 16 is actually me!! It’s a podcast takeover, and two of my former guests are hosting. On the debut of Toe Squished Grapes, Molly & Kelly are having us try wine. They follow the same criteria - we try two wines, have a bit of trivia and go Off The Beaten Path. Along the trails we learn how the region that a grape is grown in can impact the wine, talk about mouth feel, and delve into swearing. Throughout the episode Kelly is doing her best to impart her wine knowledge on the two common...2023-07-281h 07Botanical TrailsDrinks with Jon - Two tasty ginsMy guest for episode 15 is my buddy Jon Kuipers. In this episode we enjoy a gin he introduced me to a couple of years ago, and try a new gin from Portugal. While sipping these tasty gins, we chat about his trip to Alaska, how little we actually know about Orcas, gray hair, and how tonics can compliment a gin.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear Jon phone a friend when it is his turn for gin trivia 🎙️🍸🍸My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.For questions, com...2023-07-221h 00Botanical TrailsDrinks with Greg - Spiced Gins from EnglandIn 1984, my guest Greg and I ended up in a math class together. The rest, as they say, is history. Greg recently traveled to England and brought back some gins for us to try. While enjoying these spiced gins, we chat about his trip, our recent tour of a distillery, riding camels and eating abroad.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear about how I now question our friendship due to his lack of enjoyment of chocolate.My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.For questions, comments, or...2023-07-071h 01Botanical TrailsDrinks with Jax - Plymouth Gin and a Sloe GinMy guest for episode 13 - Jax - loves trying things and tends to always be up for an adventure, so she joins me as we try two new styles of gin for the show - a Plymouth Gin and a Sloe Gin. While we sample the gins, we also chat about a podcast she has been a part of (Is This My Thing), adventures in Australia, and the proper way to follow a drink recipe.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear about Jax’s combo pick for Off The Beaten Path, and...2023-06-2845 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Laurie - Scottish Gins (If it's not Scottish, it's crap)Much like the old SNL skits at the All Things Scottish shop, in Episode 12 when it comes to the gins, if it’s not Scottish, it’s crap! My sister Laurie joins us as we indulge in a couple of gins from the homeland of our ancestors from Scotland. During the episode we hear about her trip to Edinburgh, recyclable gin pouches from the highlands of Scotland, our enjoyment of old SNL skits, and how I don’t follow my own advice. We pack a whole lot into this episode.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear a...2023-06-1250 minBotanical TrailsDrinks with Angie - Rose GinsA rose is a rose is a rose, and then there is a rose gin. My guest Angie and I try a couple of rose gins in Episode 11, one from the USA and one from Ireland. During the course of the episode we also chat about Playmobile, World Gin Day, bees, ants, praying mantis, murder hornets and F. Scott Fitzgerald. There is a whole lot packed into the episode.Come for the gin, and stick around to hear how bees defend their hives against murder hornets.My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to pro...2023-06-0259 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 10 - Drinks with Scott (AKA Girl Drink Drunk) - Colorful International GinsAre you a fan of Kids in The Hall? If so, do you remember their “Girl Drink Drunk” sketch? Well, if you do, that best describes my guest Scott, who loves a vacation in a glass. In episode 10 we try a couple of international, colorful gins - a pink gin from Ireland, and a blue gin from France. We also chat about how he sort of blames me for his love of gin, my one trip to France, and how he was introduced to his Off The Beaten Path selection at one of his many The Black Keys concerts.2023-05-0940 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 9 - Drinks with Alyssa - Japanese Gins"It tastes like Christmas" - that's how my guest Alyssa describes gin, and I love that. In episode 9 we try a pair of Japanese gins, and discover how the two distilleries actually have a little history in common. In addition, we chat about how I was afraid I was going to lose track of my mother-in-law at the Tokyo train station, how Alyssa was concerned I was having her try a coffee flavored gin, and we put a different spin on Off The Beaten Path, where Alyssa talks about something she actually would not recommend - and I end up...2023-05-0144 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 8 - Drinks with Jim - San Francisco (area) GinsWake the kids, call the neighbors - in episode 8, my best friend for the last 46 years Jim joins me. He calls San Francisco home, so we try a couple of gins from that area. But we end up having so much fun that we sneak in a third drink for the Off the Beaten segment. Prior to that, we talk about visiting one of the distilleries from this episode, our idea for a butcher shop, a controversial Halloween costume that we wore nearly 20 years ago, and how Jim once left me as collateral at an auto repair shop.2023-04-211h 03Botanical TrailsEpisode 7 - Drinks with Dave - Scandinavian(ish) GinsIn episode 7, my fake son Dave joins me to try a couple of gins with a Scandinavian influence. And as we sample these spirits, we discuss my favorite class at Michigan State, what might be the ideal way to taste a new gin, and both take a musical trail when we go Off The Beaten Path.Come for the gin, but stick around to see how he became my fake son, and why he should start a beer podcast.My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.For questions, comments, or...2023-04-1342 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 6 - Drinks with Drew - Gin CocktailsIn episode 6, my guest Drew convinced me to concoct a couple of gin cocktails, as opposed to the usual gin & tonics that I serve. And as we imbibe those, we discuss the Old Tom style of gin, discover how Drew came upon the cocktail that he made, find out the gin for my cocktail is at a distillery only about 30 miles from our neighborhood, and potentially figure out why there is a cat on the label of the bottle of Old Tom Gin we enjoyed in this episode. Come for the gin, but stay for the stories in this ep...2023-04-0341 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 5 - Drinks with Kelly - London Dry Gin vs American or New World Dry GinsIn episode 5, my guest Kelly and I explore two similar styles of gin - the classic London Dry style, and their New World or American Dry cousins. And along the way we chat about Downton Abbey, morning game shows and soap operas and mix in a bit of cilantro, and that's before we even get to Off The Beaten Path. Kelly also takes great enjoyment in my constant struggle to pronounce things correctly. Come for the gin, but stay for the interesting paths this episode takes.My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.2023-03-2849 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 4 - Drinks with Molly - Two Favorites (But is a Hater Going to Hate?)In episode 4, we encounter a dilemma - my guest Molly is not a fan of gin. So I break out two of my favorites to try and answer the age old question - is a hater going to hate? One is Empress 1908 Indigo Gin, and the other is Alkkemist Gin (which has an interesting relationship with the full moon). And as usual, we get in a couple of rounds of trivia and blaze a few new trails on "Off the Beaten Path". Come for the gin - but stay the laughs. My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helpi...2023-03-0948 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 3 - Drinks with Brian - Irish GinsIn episode 3, my guest Brian and I decide to ring in St. Patrick's Day a little early and explore a couple of Irish gins. One is Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and the other is Dingle Gin. In addition to the two rounds of trivia, Brian also tries to go down multiple paths when we go "Off the Beaten Path".My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.For questions, comments, or to suggest a new gin to try, feel free to send us a message on our Instagram account: @thebotanicaltrails2023-03-0346 minBotanical TrailsEpisode 2 - Drinks with Sean - Italian GinsIn episode 2, my guest Sean and I explore a couple of gins from Italy. One is Malfy Limone, and the other is Piedmonte gin. We also get in two rounds of trivia, and Sean has an interesting selection for "Off the Beaten Path".My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.For questions, comments, or to suggest a new gin to try, feel free to send us a message on our Instagram account: @thebotanicaltrails2023-02-2154 min
Botanical TrailsEpisode 1 - Drinks with JerryIn the first episode, Jerry and I try Monkey 47 and the Nautical version of Sherlock & Sons gin. We also go through two rounds of gin trivia and go "Off the Beaten Path".My thanks to Darin VanderMolen for helping to produce this podcast.For questions, comments, or to suggest a new gin to try, feel free to send us a message on our Instagram account: @thebotanicaltrails2023-02-0938 min
Paint on Canvas on TapeEpisode Four: Klimt and Mapplethorpe and a Bonus Painting from Mike RosenfeldThanks for watching! This week on Paint on Canvas on Tape, Sinclaire discusses Gustav Klimt's "Woman in Gold" aka "Adele Bloch-Bauer." Kendal discusses the famous gay erotic photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe, and his photograph "Brian Ridley and Lyle Heeter." Hope you enjoyed! Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Rate and review us on iTunes! POCOT Instagram: @paint_on_canvas_on_tapeEmail: paintoncanvasontape@gmail.com2021-06-1355 min
The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast|Real Estate InvestingLessons Learned from Financial Crisis, with Chris PrefontaineChris Prefontaine is the best-selling author of Real Estate on Your Terms: Create Continuous Cash Flow Now, Without Using Your Cash or Credit. He’s also the founder of SmartRealEstateCoach.com and the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast. Chris has been in real estate for over 25 years. His experience includes the construction of over 100 single-family and duplex homes (mostly in the 1990’s and selectively to date), has owned a Realty Executives Franchise (Massachusetts 1994-2000) as broker/owner which maintained high per-agent standards and eventually sold to Coldwell Banker in 2000. The 2000’s included coaching ½ million and higher REALTORs® in order...2021-02-1027 min
ICONIC WOMEN PODCAST with Sarah HeeterTODAY'S WOMEN: Stacey Abrams (USA)There are so many iconic stories of women who impacted this election but there’s one that arguably contributed more than maybe any other. Stacey Abrams is an American politician, lawyer, author, and voting rights activist from Georgia. She served in the Georgia House of Representatives for 10 years before running for Governor in 2018 against Brian Kemp, who was then Georgia’s secretary of state. During that election, there was an unbelievable amount of corruption, interference, and massive voter suppression - orchestrated in part by Kemp himself, who ended up winning the election and defeating Stacey, preve...2020-11-1109 min