Podclair

Episode 66: Montclair Brewery

We speak with Denise Ford Sawadogo and her husband Leo Sawadogo. In the last year, they launched Montclair Brewery on Walnut Street here in Montclair. Leo has a lifetime of experience brewing beer with his family in his home in the West of Africa. Leo’s background also includes being a creator and owner of a small, trendy bar and restaurant for 8 years, in his hometown of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in West Africa. Leo’s background also includes being a radio personality and journalist at one of the first FM stations in his hometown. 

 

His wife, Denise, has degrees in fashion, merchandising and marketing so she keeps busy in both her day job as a marketing pro and then gets out the word on brewing and runs the business side of the brewery on nights and weekends and every other moment that she isn't mothering her active, sports-loving son. Their business on Walnut Street has quickly become a sort of living room to many Montclairons, who bring their laptop and a sandwich to eat while sipping a brew, working remotely or just talking to neighbors.

Episode 65: Montclair Jazz Festival & Jazz House Kids

We speak with Jazz House Kids board member Susan Gifford and her husband Chris.  These Montclair residents have been extremely active with Jazz House Kids and the Montclair Jazz Festival,  which is celebrating 10 years this year! If you like music and you love to move to the groove, there’s nowhere else you want to be this week and next than right here in town.

The Festival runs through August 10th featuring over 250 incredible musicians like the six-time Grammy Award winner Christian McBride, the spouse of Melissa Walker who founded of Jazz House Kids. Together they’ve built the Montclair Jazz Festival which this year will feature artists like Bettye Lavette, Eddie Palmieri, Mark Whitfield and Quincy Phillips, and of course, the amazing Jazz House Kids, just to name a few.  The festival is being held in venues throughout the town - with the grand finale concert happening on Sunday August 10th from noon until 9pm at Nishuane Park.

Episode 64: Gelati by Mike

We speak with Mike Guerriero of Gelati by Mike, formerly Gelotti on Bloomfield Avenue, who tells us how he came to build several gelato shops in our area. He takes us through the dramatic story of his highs and lows as he navigated his way from an arrogant kid working a summer job to a seasoned shop manager and finally, to a successful partnership in a thriving chain of local businesses centered around the delicious award-winning gelato that he has learned to craft. 

Episode 63: Wombkeepers

We speak with Dr. Michelle Aristizabal, an obstetrician and gynecologist who founded Wombkeepers, a maternity wellness center on Valley Road. She shares why she wanted to build her own OB-GYN practice, how she ended up working alongside her mother, the role your partner plays in your health, and how centering a women's autonomy in her own birth choices has resulted in a c-section rate that is 20% below the national average. As a solo practitioner, she has single-handedly delivered 2,000 of our local babies!

Check out the show notes for curated resources from Dr. Aristizabal on birth control, childbirth, menopause, and local dad's groups. For those looking for more insights, we posted a recent in-depth podcast interview she gave about her book.

 

Episode 62: MishMish, Marcel, & Luisa

We speak with Meny Vaknin, chef and owner of MishMish on Glenridge Ave, Marcel on Valley Rd, and Luisa on Walnut St (opening this summer). He shares how his love of food was inspired by growing up in a small, Israeli desert town and how his wife introduced him to the Montclair area. He discusses his role on Food Network's Chopped, his chance to work alongside famed chef Daniel Boulud, and what inspired each of his Montclair cafes and restaurants. 

Check out the show notes to see the New York Time restaurant review that put him on the map, his Chopped appearance, and links to his menus.

Episode 61: COPE Center, Inc.

We speak with Sue Seidenfeld of COPE Center, Inc. COPE Center is a non-profit agency that strengthens communities by helping people overcome challenges with drugs, alcohol, family issues, and HIV/AIDS. Its four tenets — Counseling, Outreach, Prevention, and Education — spell out COPE.

Since 1971, they have provided adolescent counseling, alcohol & substance abuse counseling and programs for adolescents and adults as well as family counseling and parenting workshops and many other services for people with HIV/AIDS, mental health issues and Veterans. They serve all sectors of the Montclair population from youth at risk & the working poor to families dealing with stress, loss of a family member or mental issues that call for outside help or resources.

Episode 60: Cool Cat Music Company

We speak with Ken DePoto of Cool Cat Music Company, a business in town that is all about making music every day.  As we celebrate Make Music Day here in Montclair, we talk with Ken about opening his new shop and how he and his Dad came to the business. We'll also drop into the music sessions going on at the store on Make Music Day to talk with a few of the talented folks and their listeners who are making music all over town.

Episode 59: Hello Products

We speak with Craig Dubitsky, the founder of the fastest growing oral care brand, Hello, born right here in town. In this deep dive interview, Craig shares how a string of coincidences inspired him and his family to move to Montclair and how saying yes to meeting new people led to his involvement with industry-changing companies Method and EOS. Craig drops many colorful puns as he explains his plans to nudge the toothpaste and oral care industry towards a friendlier future.

Episode 58: Montclair Farmer's Market

We speak with Andrew Myszkowski, the market manager of the Montclair Farmers' Market, as well as tours the tents, speaking with some of the farmers and artisans who supply our town with their delicious food.

In 1993, there were only three farmers’ markets in all of northern New Jersey. But that year, Montclair resident Grey Russell organized a support coalition and a committed group of residents got together and founded the Montclair Farmers’ Market, which is now in its 27th season. 

Today, there are over one hundred farmer's markets around the state but the Montclair Farmers’ Market is one of the busiest, most exciting, and most successful markets in the state. Most all of the familiar farmers have returned again this season, with produce usually picked within 24 hours; most of which are grown or prepared right here in the Garden State.

This year’s market boasts more than a dozen delicious food artisans as well. 

Episode 57: Family Jam Montclair (with Dirt & Noise and Little Nest Portraits)

This week we speak with Melissa Adler (owner of Dirt & Noise) and Brittany DeMaio (owner of Little Nest), the co-founders of the Family Jam festival, previously known as Kidchella. They share how they became friends inspired to create a local festival, what's behind their festival's name change, and what they have both learned as downtown business owners.