Tis the season I say for giving and kindness. There is no better guest I can think of than Nick Atkins. If you happen to see a man wearing a kilt around town, that is probably Nick. Long beard, usually rocking a hat and kilt, and a distinct pair of socks. Bright pink ankle socks with moustaches strewn upon them. I was introduced to Nick through a mutual friend Larry Gioia. <— We will save with how awesome Larry is for another podcast, because he is due to come on the show in the near future. Essentially what Larry is, is a connector. I tend to think of myself the same way. You meet someone and you know they HAVE to meet another friend of yours. Energies align, vibes are felt and life takes you along a path to the next soul you are supposed to connect with, for one reason or another. Nick was that next soul. Nick travels the world giving talks to people about global communities and the non profit organization that he founded with ..... Pink Socks. 
What’s the deal with the socks? Is the question he hears when he travels with them. That question, that opening of a conversation... is exactly the deal. An invitation to connect with someone you may never have spoken to. In an age where we are ALL connected to our phones ( I typed this, you are reading this... it happens) As a whole nation on this Earth, everyone is lonely. As lonely as we have ever been, we are connected via the internet, but one on one conversation, and getting out of our “bubble” is becoming more and more challenging. I mean, when was the last time you made a friend in an airport or on a plane, or bus. 
Most humans are engaged in a conversation with their phones. Pink Socks strives to connect people all across the world, urging acts of kindness, sharing and global connectivity. 
It isn’t just the spark of asking what the socks are about, Pink Socks is also about gifting without asking anything in return. That is how this all starting with Nick and ..... They gifted a pair of socks to a stranger and saw his face light up. They wondered if they could make that idea bigger, and bigger, and bigger. And here we are today. They are now a non profit, manuf ah tiring thousands of Pink Socks that get delivered directly to Nick and he sends them around the world, or hand delivers them himself! ( I haven’t met anyone that travels like he does... and that is coming from me) This week he flys to a town that had a shooting in a school to spread that joy. 

We talk about this and so much else in this uplifting episode that reminds all of us, it isn’t just the season. This can happen year round. Let’s spread that love. Head to ... to hear how you can help.

This episode is sponsored by Games Unlimited my go to place for choosing a puzzle, game, for my next quality time.

"Located in the popular section of Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, Games Unlimited opened in 1978 to serve the greater Pittsburgh are a diverse selection of classic, party, and war-games along with jigsaw puzzles. Very soon the phenomenon of Dungeons and Dragons made role playing games a staple and Games Unlimited has been a gaming hub for Pittsburgh ever since. As a small, local business it aspires to make gaming accessible to anyone through it's wide selection of family, cooperative, and strategy games."

Owned by Kylie Prymus, Kylie started his career in gaming writing articles about the intersection of video games and philosophy while teaching and working on his Ph. D. In 2009 he moved to Pittsburgh, and after discovering Games Unlimited, traded in his software and controllers for meeples and dice.

Before long he decided to switch careers and became the manager of Games Unlimited, eventually purchasing it in 2015. As a gaming evangelist he knows that there's a perfect game out there for everyone, even people who say they don't like games"

#132 Actor Chazz Palminteri talks about his musical A Bronx Tale

When I was younger, being Italian and having an older brother mean that I got to watch movies I never would have gotten away with at my age. Namely, a good bit of gangster themed flicks. One name I grew up watching was "Chazz" Palminteri. You knew his voice before you even saw him on screen (A credit to a good bit of his voice over work).

Chazz starred in some of my favorites from the 90's- Analyze This, Mulholland Drive, Jade, Diabolique, and one of all time top 10- The Usual Suspects. But one movie spoke volumes when I was younger about a father, and the mob boss who influenced his son back in the 60's in the Bronx. The film was called A Bronx Tale, and Chazz Palminteri played Sonny the mob boss, starring opposite Robert De Niro. Unlike other gangster films of the 90's- Casino, Goodfellas, Mobsters, just to name a few, A Bronx Tale spoke about interracial love as well as the conflict between father and son.

I had no idea at that time, or years to come that Chazz Palminteri wrote A Bronx Tale. Also that the film was based off of his one man play, and that play was based off a murder Chazz witnessed as a 9 year old boy growing up on Belmont Ave. It was only until I found out that I scored an interview with the famed actor that took me down a spiral into his life, and how close he is to his work. In fact almost 90's of the movie is based off of Chazz's life.

Back when Chazz wrote the play and performed it as a one man show playing all 18 of the characters, he got a visit from none other than Robert De Niro in his dressing room. De Niro asked Chazz if he could direct the movie version of A Bronx Tale. Chazz asked if he could play Sonny and away they went with Chazz as the mob boss and De Niro playing the father. Together in the movie they played perfectly off of one another.

Years later they co wrote together "A Bronx Tale the Musical". With music by Alan Menkin the show is now in touring and will be showing in my hometown of Pittsburgh at the Benedum Center for the Arts on November 19th to the 24th.

Join me as I chat with chazz about growing up Italian in the Bronx, his career, working with De Niro, cooking, family, and his work in this show that speak volumes even today in our society. I haven't seen A Bronx Tale yet at the Benedum Center but I plan on being there when it runs in November to witness one of childhood favorites brought to life through music and dancing on stage.

Big thanks to Buzzy Torek at Epicast and Brett Zoric for helping out with the audio edits on this one! You guys are the best!

This episode is sponsored by Games Unlimited my go to place for choosing a puzzle, game, for my next quality time.

"Located in the popular section of Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, Games Unlimited opened in 1978 to serve the greater Pittsburgh are a diverse selection of classic, party, and war-games along with jigsaw puzzles. Very soon the phenomenon of Dungeons and Dragons made role playing games a staple and Games Unlimited has been a gaming hub for Pittsburgh ever since. As a small, local business it aspires to make gaming accessible to anyone through it's wide selection of family, cooperative, and strategy games."

Owned by Kylie Prymus, Kylie started his career in gaming writing articles about the intersection of video games and philosophy while teaching and working on his Ph. D. In 2009 he moved to Pittsburgh, and after discovering Games Unlimited, traded in his software and controllers for meeples and dice.

Before long he decided to switch careers and became the manager of Games Unlimited, eventually purchasing it in 2015. As a gaming evangelist he knows that there's a perfect game out there for everyone, even people who say they don't like games"

#131  Two Days in London- What to see, eat, drink, and skip.

So you decide to take a quick dip into London. I hear you! My hubby and I recently returned from a trip that included two days in London, and then we took the Eurostar train to France and spent the last 7 days of the trip in the Normandy region and then finished in Paris.

We split this trip up into 3 podcasts for easy listening and access to our favorite spots in each area.

In London we wanted the BEST food, the coolest folks to meet, the weirdest shows, and of course to check out the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. There is so much more to do in London, mind you, but this was just a taste.

So tune in to hear our favorite spots, our trip itinerary, what to get passes for ahead of time, and some of the fabulous places we found in London. Also what to do when you miss your Eurostar train to Paris. :/

#130 Jessica Anne Marino from JamDancer Pittsburgh

There are some times you just want to dance. if you are me, that just happens to be about 80% of the time. I love moving my body and rocking out letting loose and being free. I had always wanted to be a dancer when I was a kid but maybe I started late, maybe I was too pudgy, or maybe the scene with those girls in that snobby class was just NOT ME.

AHEM, I digress. The point is, I love dancing and I have a hard time finding places in Pittsburgh where I can take a dance class. Not to say they aren't out there, they are! It is just overwhelming to try to look up exactly when, where, what it is all about. I wanted one place that had it all on a calendar.

Enter Jessica Anne Marino who runs JamDancer online. A website that brought a newsletter right to my email box, showing me exactly where I can go to rock my body out. We chat about her dance background, schooling, what being a professional dancer does to your body and mental health, and accessibility for kids and adults to be able to dance freely and often!

Big shout outs to Julie Erickson, Slowdanger, and also Katie Mcguire Gaines who is running Minding the Gap which offers mental health support group for dancers.

Get out there and dance people!

#129 Brian Edward from Burgh Vivant

When you meet humans that have your same tastes it is the best feeling in the world. I had a feeling when I danced with Brian Edwards at the City Theatre Gala that I had to get to know him better.

He may be one of the only people I have met that has more interests than I do, and that is a compliment because I truly believe in trying ALL things you may find of interest. One of the passions of Brian is to lift up the culture and arts scene in Pittsburgh through Burgh Vivant.

Pittsburgh has no shortage of talent, culture and arts, we are lucky to have an abundance of it in fact. The only thing is, if you don't have platforms such as Burgh Vivant featuring these events, you may not know to get up off the couch to go see them. So tune into their reviews, subscribe to their newsletter, and go to their events to support this non profit to keep them up, running and driving forward in the name of the arts.

Join us as we talk about our love of kitsch art, how to people can live their truth, finding the courage to go out and try different things, Pittsburgh arts and culture scene, exciting events coming up for Burgh Vivant, and more. This was such a lovely conversation with a like minded, theme party throwing, Batman loving gentleman.

Cheers to you, Sir! See you for a cocktail soon or a dance at the City Theatre's Bash Party!

This episode is NOT sponsored by the new Pittsburgh Libations Walking Tour we created that showcases in a some of Pittsburgh's leaders in spirits, wine, and beer in a 2 hour stroll with Marta on the Move. Grab your friends or roll solo on various Sundays! We play games, have chocolate tastings, win prizes, learn hidden history all while sipping on some fabulous libations.

Come join us! Our next tour is on August 11th. Tickets at Eventbrite!

#128 Costa Rica Guanacaste Region Tips

I am extremely late with this post,(actually I forgot to post it how fun!) but wanted to record an episode about my husband and I's trip to Costa Rica. I left early for this trip and volunteered for a sea turtle conservation project (more on that later), and then met up with Phil afterwards. 

Costa Rica is a fabulous trip from the States because of it's cheap flight pricing, two different convenient airports, acceptance of the american dollar, and a good population of english speaking locals.

It is also a great spot for adventurers that love to get outside. We chat on this episode about getting outside and on their popular zip line at the famous Witch's Rock, and riding ATV's to secret beaches, along with the diving around the area and renting jet ski's.

We also talk (of course) food, drink and more while you are there. We visited Guanagaste region during their dry time of the year in January. If you are looking for the more tropical enviorment with all the peacocks and crazy gorgeous birds, you will need to head more South of Costa Rica and fly into the San Juan airport. This episode is just about Guanacaste province, so take note.

Have you been? Tell us about your trip! We head to England and France soon, and we are pretty stoked, and looking for travel advice on London. Help a girl out, you know the weird stuff I like. 

#127 Billy Kidd- Rockin Female Magician

I grew up thinking of all magicians as male, I am sure most of us have. It is the way they have been portrayed through media through stories, and truly it HAS in history been a man's occupation. The top hat, the goatee, and infamous coat was imbedded in my psyche from childhood until today.

2700 bc marks a man that is the known to use the first ever performance of magic with the use of balls. From 400-1000 men were known to perform magic with the use of cups and balls AND at this time magic was associated with witchcraft, but I haven't read about men being killed for it. In 1584 Reginald Scot publishes a book revealing conjuring secrets of magic that results in many of the books being burnt, 1876 the publication of Modern Magic written by professor Louis Hoffman releases, 1918 Houdini performs his first vanishing act, and so on.

Listen, there are SO many more male magicians and moments in history recorded online that I am not mentioning, the point is that hardly any of them are female. The first female to actually show up on this timeline was Dorothy Dietrich in 1980 who is noted to perform the first bullet catch in the mouth that was televised at that time.

I have personally been captivated by magicians my whole life, having featured numerous personalities on the show, and have always been truly curious about not how they do the trick (I don't want to know, don't tell me), but why they do it.

What passion fueled in them to become a magician? What are their fantasies or dreams? It is not an easy occupation. Truly I think of just the arthritis they must get in their hands shuffling cards all day long to practice. For a man it seems acceptable that he should choose this occupation. Long hours, being on the road constantly, the secrecy. For a woman it comes off as indecent. Not to me, to be sure but I know others in the general population who would feel this way.

This brings me to my guest for this show-Billy Kidd. She is in Pittsburgh at this moment performing at Liberty Magic the newest spot for magicians from around the world to showcase their talents.

What do I say about Billy Kidd? I was curious going into the show, my trained mind of a 37 year old who has established a dominant figure for a magician as being male was skeptical, but hopeful. I felt like a young school girl waiting to watch my first female magician.

Billy Kidd took the stage, and I was hypnotized. Her tricks were impressive, but I found myself looking more towards her story than the trick itself. She weaved humor, sadness, comedy and more into her act and it felt genuine. This is not me saying her tricks took a backseat, they did not. I was wowed by what she performed, but the theme and story weaved everything together so nicely. It felt real. I loved it, and I couldn't wait to chat with her and nerd out a bit over how awesome I think she is, because she is.

Billy Kidd owns her own magician's space in Bath, England. I am now dying to visit. If you can catch her while she is in town, you should. your heart will be lighter, and you WILL have a newfound respect for women in this profession.

Now, excuse me while I go practice my card tricks.

Sponsored by Commonwealth Press for all your screen printing and design needs. Quality driven, competitive and uniquely creative, Commonwealth Press is available online worldwide but based in Pittsburgh, PA. Visit them online or stop by one of their retail shops. www.cwpress.com

"a small group of hard working, fiercely
independent, ink soaked, music addicted, design loving, event throwing, 
Pittsburgh embracing... 

SCREEN PRINTERS." - Commonewealth Press

#126 Gardening in Pittsburgh with Kyle Ethan Fischer

Spring is here! Do you feel it? Are you, like me, pacing around your garden looking for the newest bulbs to blossom, or perennials to possibly return? Do you mutter to yourself the following questions- "Is my lavender coming back? It better be!", "What the hell did I plant here?", "What else can I plant here?", "Are pots on sale yet?", "Why the hell isn't my clematis growing yet!?"

If you have said one of these questions to yourself (or a variation), you are a gardening nerd. CONGRATS! You have entered into a phase of your life that you probably never even considered would happen. You are older, you are wiser, and for some reason flora just gets your gears going.

I realized I had the gardening bug years ago after buying my home. It didn't happen instantly as a homeowner, but over time, I needed to get my hands dirty, and I needed my own vegetable garden. I wanted tomatoes to fill my land, and I have always wanted figs. I dreamt of them since I was little, and now, I could have my own.

Should have been easy, right? Dig a hole, pop some maters and a fig in there and you are good to go. It's not, gardening in Pittsburgh is challenging as all get out. We have four seasons, and thanks to my new friend Kyle Ethan Fischer who is studying to be a master gardener under Phipps Conservatory, I now know that our zone is shifting every year!

Our zone shifting could be the reason you see more and more tropical foliage in Pittsburgh. Still, gardening in this city can be tough, and I for one want the best landscape, and bounty I can get from my small little space I carved out in the world.

Kyle comes on the show to share some tips on how to keep a Pittsburgh garden green year long, how to create a more edible garden, and what key things you can do in order to know your yard.

We could have talked about this stuff forever, in fact, I will probably have him, or another gardener on to cover this subject again, because I LOVE MY GARDEN, and I want to understand how to take better care of it.

Follow Kyle on his Instagram, and check out some pics of my garden below! Have any questions? or have your favorite perennial? Post them in the comments below!

You too can actually see my garden if you stay in our 1 bedroom Airbnb! We also have another Airbnb that sleeps 8-9 and is steps to games and the casino. It contains art from local Pittsburgh talent that we created into an art gallery tour within the house----> Pittsburgh Artist's Gallery You can check out the write up in NEXTPittsburgh about it.

#125 Chuck Leavens from WZUM talks Pittsburgh Jazz

Pittsburgh has a rich history in Jazz, that I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t know about until the past few years. In the 20’s and 30’s we were a haven for artists and a blossoming ground for talent that influenced jazz history around the city. It came from New Orleans on the river boats with the first ever African American Jazz band to travel North. It grew from there and seeped into the souls of citizens in the town. Pittsburgh’s roots are intertwined with Jazz legends like Lena Horn, Billy Strayhorn, and today with roger Humpheries, Joe Negri, Thomas Wendt, Etta Cox and so many more.
It is one of the reasons I wanted to feature Chuck Leavens on the podcast. He is the voice and creator of WZUM Pittsburgh’s Jazz Channel.  He has a voice that could cut through frozen butter with ease. His story is epic and evolving. Proving once again that Pittsburgh houses some of the most creative and interesting people I have had thenpleasure of meeting in my life.

Learn about Chuck’s background in technology. (He became a master electrician by the age of 14) and all of his contributions to keeping music pubic to the people, by offering content that builds to make Pittsburgh community stronger and more intricate in it’s interests. WZUM is a non profit that is brought together by a handful of people that work out of their homes to provide you excellent Jazz. Let’s help keep it alive! Donate now!

#124 Ryan O Shea

Technology is scary. As I am drinking my new addicting matcha with almond milk, and typing on my laptop that I desperately need to

A. Update, or

B. Buy a new one. I say to myself NOOOOO keep it the same. Marta! I am terrified of the unknown, the new gadget, the learning and stretching of my brain that I cannot control, and frankly think I am too outdated to learn. Anyone else feel like that? I hope so, I hope it isn’t just me. Secretly terrified my laptop will die, and I am forced to face another new form of technological breakthroughs that will "simplify" your life. LIES I TELL YOU!
I am scared of “Big brother” but try not to dwell on it. I have a fear of my niece and nephews being cyborgs and latching onto their internet devices from young age and never letting go. Ready Player One is real in my mind and it scares the ever living shit out of me, yes entices me. If it doesn’t scare you, you probably didn’t grow up before the 80’s. lol Stick with me here, I hope I still have you reading.
there are people out there trying to protect us as we drift and push into the future of technology. I am very proud to say two of them are in my hometown. Ryan o’shea and Kenny Chen. We need people like these two. Helping to ask the questions. Should we do this? I know we can, but should we?
I think that question is becoming more and more lost as the possibilities catapult forward with the endless excitement over technology. I chat with Ryan about his many endeavors including Pittsburgh AI. The Future Grind Podcast that addresses sit down conversations about all thing tech and what it means for us as a society. We also touch on his business called Behaivior that created an algorithm that monitors opioid addicts stress levels and alerts friends and family for an intervention. Crazy right? I never knew technology existed like this, but it makes me feel more calm knowing these guys are out there creating things that help preserve our humanity. We chat about this as well. What makes being human, human? The real question in life. You can find Ryan and all his ridiculously intriguing activities on his page, and be sure to check out Behavior because what they are doing will make a difference.

#123 Real Time Interventions

All around us in Pittsburgh there are refugees that are displaced in our city, trying to make a home, adapt to our Pittsburgh lifestyle, and also keep their roots and traditions alive and vibrant. Some woman are trying to do that by opening an Afghan restaurant in the city and are raising funds for it.
Enter Real Time Interventions. This theater company is one of my favorites because they take their love of theater, intimate experiences and fold it into topics that are hard to swallow in today’s world. They make these subjects digestible and relatable to all.
What is more relatable than food? Everyone loves to eat, and the kitchen is known as the heart of the home, the dining table is where the conversations flourish. People meet across different cultures through cuisine.
Rusty Thelin and Molly Rice run Real Time Interventions. Their show called “Khuraki” which literally means “Food” in the Afghan language , pairs an actress with a afghan refugee woman in Pittsburgh. It strives to tell their story through food through a series of four live cultural events This event will celebrate the traditions of the Afghan culture, music, and food through “theatrical portraits” of five strong woman living in Pittsburgh.
I was lucky enough to have one of the girls on the show. Nelab Baheen, and the actress playing her Kelly Trumbull along with Rusty came to chat about the process of working out the details of the show, what they have learned about the Afghan traditions, what amazing food they ate( I LOVE FOOD), and what the Kelly learned from playing Nelab during the show.
There are 50 seats available and half are sold out already. Most of the proceeds are going to help open their dream of an Afghan Restaurant in Pittsburgh. Which I am personally so excited about!
Show dates- Saturday March 23, 2019 7-9pm at New Sun Rising.
Saturday April 6th 7-9pm at Union Project
Monday April 22nd- 7-9pm Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
Monday May 6th 7-9pm at Alphabet City

Tickets are free, but a $20 donation is suggested to help these woman create their dream, and keep productions like this going.

Hope to see you there!
M

#121 Fair Moans Pittsburgh

How about an episode that is JUST in time for the commercially popular Valentines Day! Woot! I myself am not the greatest fan of Feb 14th, but I do love a day that reminds you to love with all you got and to appreciate those around you. I also get really excited when some of my topics fall right into place perfectly timed. This subject is one of them. Plus I am super into the Netflix show Sex Education.

I heard about Fair Moans on Facebook from an event they were hosting called Dirty Talk 101, I was instantly intrigued. I researched them further to find out what they were, and why I hadn't't heard of them sooner.

For anyone that knows me, I loveeeee talking openly about sex. I feel (especially in the United States) that with a majority of the population it is a taboo subject. We can talk about violence, guns, and more, but sex? Don't go there! FOR SHAME!

I have always been an advocate for sexual education, and truly curious in nature when it came to my own sexuality. At the young age of 9 I was reading 500 page zebra romance novels hidden away under my older sister's bed, or sneaking into my brother's room to investigate some mysteriously taped VHS of R or NC-17 rated movie scenes. (Thanks guys!!) When I was old enough I finally got to visit the long standing sex toy shop on McKnight Road, Adult Mart, then came Real Sex on HBO, and finally THE INTERNET.

There was more of course, but it was always an area that I couldn't quite discuss openly with a lot of people. Visiting the Adult Mart was done in secrecy, buying a book from the romance novel section of Barnes and Nobles was shameful somehow. I hated the feeling that I was doing something wrong, and I have always strived as an adult to find different groups that highlight sexual education in my town.

Fair  Moans is one of these groups, and the collective is made up of members-Meredith Maloney, Grizzemily Cross, Jocelyn Kirkwood. Nicole and Merideth joined me on the show to chat about their events, their mission, and possibly opening up a sex toy shop that feels inclusive, and folks can feel accepted when they walk through the door. It was truly a pleasure talking with them, and I hope more events come in the future, along with a growing awareness of one's sexuality and what that truly means.

#121 We Are The Weirdos

We Are The Weirdos instantly had me hooked by it's name. I consider myself to be quite the weirdo, and wear that badge proudly. When I heard there was an event in town that shines light on others like myself, I knew I had to have whoever was behind it on the show. Enter Jamie Fadden Cannon!

We Are The Weirdos celebrates women's stories by hosting an event that allows women to stand up and tell a short 5 minute tale. It is celebrating it's one year anniversary at Mr. Smalls on January 10th, and Jamie was too excited to tell me all about it, and some of her favorite sets she has heard in this past year. All walks of life are welcome to attend the events, but only women, or folks who associate themselves as women are invited to take the stage. Names are put into a hat (Love drawing names!), and then picked out at random to get up on stage.

The nature of the stories are not always comical. They have indeed ranged from poop incidents, and travel mishaps (Some of my favorite topics), but also have included cancer scares and more deep subjects. It allows for an extremely supportive group of people to praise women sharing their inner most feelings. I feel it is a truly remarkable experience to have.

Every new years we set goals, or resolutions to try to stick to in an effort to make better versions of ourselves. In my mind, there is no better version than the side of you that can take a look inside, and truly accept who you are. To be truthful, we are all weirdos, this group just allows for that freak flag to shine brightly. Hopefully I will get to see you at their next event ;)

#120 Meditation With Tim Krupar for 2019

Hey everyone! We are back for 2019. I hope everyone's 2018 and holiday season was wonderful, peaceful, and full of family and friends. My husband had the best idea to start off 2019 with some well wishes and a calm mind for the universe. You all know I love floating, and a good meditation that I could share with my listeners seemed to be the most logical way to achieve this.

Enter Tim Krupar from Sit and Breathe Pittsburgh. Tim teaches meditate and studies with Buddhist monks here in Pittsburgh. He was kind enough to come on the show to answer some questions about starting your own practice, and all the different styles of meditation available. At the end of the show I hope you will join us in the 20 minute guided meditation that he orchestrated for us. He has a group that meets every Monday for meditation at the Carnegie Library in East Liberty at 6:15 on Floor 2, room 2. I hope I will see some of you there this year :)

This guided meditation is perfect for anyone who has been practicing for 50 years, 5, or has never even tried it. I have released this episode in two forms. One as just the meditation for future use anytime needs it, and two with the added dialogue and questions I asked Tim, along with my reflections from 2018.

Let's start off 2019 on a good foot everyone!

This episode is sponsored by Levity. Pittsburgh's premiere sensory deprivation experience in floating. All listeners get $5 with code "Marta" Take some time for yourself to calm your body and mind at Levity.

Tim Krupar from Sit and Breathe in Pittsburgh comes on the show to welcome 2019 with a 20 minute guided meditation to promote wellness, happiness and peace.

Meditation only with ambient sounds to start.

Join us on Jan 2nd at 12pm across the globe to promote peace and happiness with this meditation.

#119 4th Annual True Spooky Stories of Pittsburgh

It's that time again! Thank you to everyone who came out to indulge us in our fun antics, and unearthing of stories that not many people know about in our hometown of Pittsburgh. We have so much fun putting on this event for the public, so thank you for your continued support. If you would like to tune into our past episodes check them out on the site!

We have so many people to thank the list is endless, but some of them include- Rob James and Brett Zoric for contributing their musical talents for our theme song, Tyler Vietmeier for recording audio and video for the event, Barebones Productions for allowing us to have our event there, Patrick Jordan, and Brittnay Spinelli for helping us organize, Jhon Phillipp Yonan for our kick ass Spooky Stories graphics, Helicon Brewing for providing kick ass brews, and Gregor Bender for serving said brews, audience members and listeners for sending in their stories, and also two very special audience members for sharing their stories live on the show, I had goosebumps! You guys rock!

A huge thank you to all of our listeners and patrons for allowing us to be weirdos. We have so much more in store in 2019! Just you wait. FOR NOW. We have made t-shirts that represent a few of the stories that we revealed in the show. The new Hell Town T-shirt is available through Commonwealth Press. Awesome material through Canvas brands, available Small through XXL. Check them out!

We will see you all next year, but are collecting stories year long feel free to send spooky stories to martaonthemovepodcast@gmail.com

'This show was born four years ago after great friends John Schalcosky and Marta Mazzoni discovered their love of all things macabre, spooky, and historical. Spooky Stories started as a salon in Marta's living room complete with friends wearing pj's, psychics, and many a late night conversation. After releasing the episode to the public on Marta's show Marta On The Move Podcast, her and John soon recieved many email requests to make this event live so the public can join in the fun.

Last year they held the first public performance of True Spooky Stories at Carnegie Coffee House, and the tickets sold out within days. This year, they decided to have a larger venue for a greater opportunity for more citizens to join in the fun. Thanks to the support from Barebones Production Company located in historic Braddock, PA. True Spooky Stories will be held there this October 14th at 6:30pm.

Join Marta and John as they uncover history that will make your toes curl in a live podcast with homemade sound effects. After four years, friends John and Marta have gone on ghost hunts, uncovered crazy historical information about Pittsburgh, and they truly love the Halloween season and bringing this history to light. You will laugh, be spooked and learn some interesting history of Pittsburgh you may have never known."

Sponsored by Helicon Brewing and Barebones Productions

#119 Dan White Magician

Halloween is right upon us and one of the best things to do around this time in my mind is seeing a magic show. I have visited The Magic Castle in LA, and have chatted with Lee Terbosic in Pittsburgh.

This time I took my curious nature to New York to chat with Dan White who has a residency in The Nomad Hotel for his show "The Magician". This show is intimate, immersive, and wonderful. Full of all types of magic from slight of hand, mentalism, and illusion. It has been one of my favorite things to do in New York while visiting.

Even though getting tickets are extremely difficult to time into your schedule, it is worth it. At about 2 months away from the date you would like to see the show, tickets go on sale that Saturday at 10am, and they sell out FAST. Meaning, you best set your alarm to get them.

The space that Dan has created is perfect for a date night out in New York, and I highly suggest adding it to your list of things to do while you are visiting. HE has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and across the world for his talent. His show will make you believe magic is truly real. I got called on stage and still can't believe how he pulled off the trick he did on me. ;)

Speaking of things to do in New York, stay tuned for my list of activities that I love to indulge in while traveling there. This is for the non tourist traveler, the person that is looking to get into a deeper scene of New York, or a person that knows my taste! It will feature my favorite immersive experiences, restaurants, escape rooms, speakeasies and more. Stay tuned!

#117 Cinema Psychos Show Podcast

October is here (my goodness it came way too early) which means I am knee deep into the lead up to Halloween features for the show, and discovering all sorts of horror movies to watch. I have a special affinity for B horror films, and love finding new ones.

When I was younger I always wanted to be a film critic. I had visions of myself sitting next to Roger Ebert at 12 years of age, giving my take on the latest film to arise. It is one of the reasons I love film review podcasts. There are a few great ones here in Pittsburgh, and the top two in my mind are You Can't Handle The Truth Podcast and Cinema Psychos Show Podcast.

I have had YCHTT on the show before, and was excited to sit down with THE Cinema Psychos- Brian  Cottington, Laine Wooliscroft and John Wooliscroft (Johnny Nitro). This was a super fun discussion about three friends who met over their love of film, and film making.

We chat our favorite B horror movie titles, and I got to discover a bunch that I had never heard of! I cannot wait to check some of the titles out that I scribbled furiously down during the recording. Some of which include- "Orka", "Sleep Over Camp", "Night of the Demons", "The Tingler", "Troll 2", "Death Bed", "Birdemic; Shock and Terror", and two of my personal favorites-  "The Stuff", "The Hunger" (David Bowie is a vampire guys!) 

These guys are the go to guys for checking out and reviewing films, and remember, don't eat while watching "Society" according to Brian. Check out their podcast on Epicast, Sticher, iTunes, and I heart Radio! What is your favorite B Horror movie? Let us know!

This is the lead up to Halloween! Enjoy previous episodes with Gemma Hoskins from The Netflix show The Keepers, Mia La Monica, Tom Savini, and a whole lot more over the years. Also join us for our True Spooky Stories of Pittsburgh LIVE Podcast on October 14th at Barebones Productions. Free Craft Beer, Tarot Readings, and stories you have never heard unearthed by Marta Mazzoni and John Schalcosky.

#114 Eating and Drinking in Barcelona

This summer Phil and I visited the famed city of Barcelona. We were not prepared with how this city hangs. We arrive late one evening, and decided to hit the town, staying out well past 2am. Little did we know, the city awakens around 11pm and stays up all night long.

Trying to keep pace with the locals, we quickly learn the customs. Tapas is the name of the game here and anywhere between 1 and 2pm you take your major meal of the day followed by a siesta, then back to work. 

Happy hour around town starts at about 8pm and then continues until dinner which could range anywhere between 9:30 and midnight. We saw toddlers out to eat and wide awake at dinner around midnight. It was quite a sight, and we loved every minute of it.

We wanted to share with you some of our favorite spots (LORD KNOWS THERE ARE MANY) and believe me, we don't cover as many as we should, or COULD. It would take eons. We also share some places that are overhyped and overrated for the price on this episode *Cough.. Uma Cough*. Essentially we just wanted to point the newcomer in the right direction whether you were craving a hipster cocktail, a standard glass of wine, the best paella experience, or tapas, tapas, tapas.

Traditional tapas you will see on a menu that are staples- Papas Bravas (Never pay more than 3 euros for a serving), fried padrons, marcona almonds, bread smeared with fresh tomato and olive oil, chorizo, sardine, jambon, and my absolute favorite, blood sausage! They are all SO GOOD. Get them all. No really, eat all the tapas you can until you are sick of it, hopefully at a spot called El Taso De Oro (Surprising you will get sick of it after a while).

One of our favorite things while traveling is meeting new people and making connections that last a lifetime, and this episode has a special shout out to a wonderful family we met through a paella cooking class at their home. Paella is seen EVERYWHERE in Barcelona. Rule of thumb, if you see if on a picture outside the restaurant, don't eat it. Phil and I have been making paellas at home for the past year and will be hosting an Airbnb Experience in Pittsburgh for it soon!We are now friends for life and we knew it shortly after meeting each other! There are a lot of cooking classes boasted in town, but this one located just a short bus ride away is worth it for the cuisine, culture, conversation, and gorgeous grounds. Check it out if you are ever near the area and give our friends Miguel, Marta, Miguel Jr a huge hug from Phil and I. :) You can find it along with many others on Airbnb experiences. 

Another spot we LOVED was an exquisite dining experience for Phil's birthday. It would be something memorable for your last night in Barcelona, Rudolf Plotz from Pirate Cooking. I found it on Eat With, which is one of my go to helpful websites to look for authentic meals cooked by locals and chefs alike. We visited his building and sat with all walks of life to enjoy one of the best gastro fueled meals we have ever had. It was so delicious.Eat With is also mentioned in my podcast episode How To Travel Alone Without Being Lonely. I love this app for traveling.

All and all we came back from Barcelona about 10 lbs heavier, and cannot wait to return to explore more of what Spain has to offer. It is just the tip of the iceberg!

Hope you enjoy and let us know about your travels!

#113 Rob Lee Co-Founder of Pittsburgh's ESports Team-The Knights

#112 Drinking Partners Podcast- Day Bracey and Ed Bailey Talk about Fresh Fest

            Some of my absolute favorite comedians and friends to talk to are back on my show. If you listened to the episode already, you probably heard me snorting from Ed Bailey and Day Bracey, hosts of The Drinking Partners Podcast. We are all Epicast family, so we have been frequent guests on each other's shows from time to time. What can I say, we like each other's company... and beer.

Speaking of beer, these guys love to chat about the craft brewing industry. Trends, reviews, with comedy thrown in between. They are hosting a new concept, first in the nation to be exact called The Fresh Fest which is geared towards men of color in the beer industry.

Let's face it, when craft brewing exploded, it was a white man's game. Now everyone is dipping in their toes, or full fledge cannonballing into the industry, and I fucking love it. Hell, I even make beer as a past time, and received mixed reviews when I first showed up to meetings. It is nice to know the diversity is happening, and that is what Ed and Day are bringing to the Burgh.

Fresh Fest is pulling black brewers from across the country to represent here in the Burgh. Drinking Partners collaborated with Black Brew Culture to make this event happen, and it is sure to be an awesome time. Don't miss grabbing your tickets to the event on August 11th at Nova Place!

Also, these cats just recorded some audio for the Smithsonian! What? Could NOT wait to talk to them about that, and they judged Viceland out in California. That is just too cool. You will also catch us bitching about technology in the modern world, Ed's fashion style, and a ton more we had to catch up on.

We are also giving away a free ticket to Fresh Fest! Ways to enter-

•  Tag 3 friends in the comments section of this post on Facebook
• Retweet on Twitter

Winner will be pulled Next Sunday August 5th!

"The Drinking Partners and Black Brew Culture are proud to present Fresh Fest 2018 on August 11, 2018 from 5-9 pm! Join us for Pittsburgh's first Black beer festival featuring the country's most talented Black brewers and top local breweries collaborating with artists and entrepreneurs from around Western Pennsylvania and across the nation. Get in early for the exclusive VIP “Meet the Brewers” podcast with Pittsburgh’s best podcast, the Drinking Partners. VIP ticket holders will be treated to an up-close conversation with two of Pittsburgh’s best comedians interviewing national brewers about how they got their start and what they have planned in the near future. Experience this first of it's kind cultural event and enjoy a day filled with unique craft beers, ciders, and spirits. Several of Pittsburgh's best food trucks will be parked steps away, and live music will be offered throughout the evening. Fresh Fest 2018 will be hosted at Threadbare Cider and Mead and Wigle Whiskey Barrelroom. Participating breweries and information will be updated daily until August 1st so check back often to see what new beers will be offered! #freshfest18"

#111 Greywalker Metal Band- Brian Howe and Ricky Zimerman

When someone asks me to describe metal music, I can't. I know zero, zip, ziltch about metal bands. I have a friend in Pittsburgh who is part of the Epicast family named Brian Howe that intrigued me when I found out he is the lead singer of a metal band in Pittsburgh called Greywalker. 

Brian and I have hung out occasionally, he always saves the day for my lack of technical audio skills.(He has mad skills) We even recorded a short 1 minute video where I taught him why he should pack light while he travels.

Brian has a soft spoken voice, and seems to be one of the nicest, and wittiest people I have come across in town. When I learned he sings in a metal band, I was floored. He runs his own podcast that is called Start The Beat with Sikes, where he interviews people in the music industry, so he is used to talking, but a metal band? Really?

I was fascinated, and if you subscribe to my podcast (Which you totally should), you would know that if it is something I don't know a lot about, and am intrigued by it, I want it on my show.

What is metal all about? I have to admit my taste varies all over the spectrum, but it has never dipped into metal. Like most music listeners, the deepest I went was Metalica. I am finding out now that that isn't very deep. If I am being honest with myself, I really wanted to find out if these guys were angry. They sound angry, are they filled with rage all the time? I assumed so based on some of the music.

I got to sit with Brian and other band member Ricky Zimerman to chat with them about their music, being a self starter, and balancing work and hobbies. I liked what I heard in their songs, although not my normal taste, I found it intriguing that there was yet another layer to Pittsburgh's ever growing underground scenes that I don't know about. Greywalker has a cult following around the world too, not just in our hometown. Their new album drops on July 7th and they are celebrating with a release party at the Rex. It is sure to be an awesome time.

We also had a surprise guest stop by! Nick Miller from Black Forge Coffee House has been on my show before to talk about how him and co owner Ashley Cortes Black have turned themselves into 16 bit characters for Coffee Crisis. All the good folk connect and collaborate in this town, which is why it is no surprise that Greywalker pitched in to help with the soundtrack of this game! How fun is that. Speaking of collaborations, these guys have their own hot sauce. Now that, is success my friend.

Really I would have loved to release this episode for the lead up to Halloween. I feel as though it would be fitting, but alas, here it is. Enjoy!

The episode is sponsored by Levity, Pittsburgh's premier sensory deprivation experience. Located in Squirrrel Hill on Murray Ave, Levity will have you relaxing in no time at all. All listeners get $5 off with code "Marta"

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