Finding Favorites with Leah Jones

We are one week out from Passover seders, so what better time to revisit Caroline's advice about preparing for the Spring holiday? New Haggadah alert - The Promise of Liberty by Stuart Halpern & Jacob Kupietzky Where are you leaving? Egypt Where are you going? Jerusalem What are you carrying? The bread of freedom Pesach (Passover) starts on Monday night and Caroline Musin Berkowitz joined Leah to talk about how she gets organized for the holiday. We talk about recipes, family traditions, finding the right haggadah, additions to the seder plate, and how to give gift to your future self with a good spreadsheet. Follow Caroline on Instagram and Twitter Keep up with Hashtag Daf Yomi on Instagram Follow @findingfavspod on Instagram and Twitter. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Bread Machine Challah IIChicken MarbellaMatzah ToffeeCRC Pesach Guide 2022A Slob Comes CleanFly LadyGraphic Novel HaggadahMatza Pajamas Caroline's Legendary Passover SpreadsheetHaggadot.com Sunflower addition

Scott Smith, aka Our Man In Chicago, returns to Finding Favorites to talk about the Mission Impossible movies - why he loves them, how he watches them and where to start with the series. Scott first joined Leah to talk about The West Wing. Keep up with Scott online Our Man in ChicagoInstagram @ourmaninchicagoThe FrunchroomFacebook @thefrunchroom Show Notes Regal UnlimitedThe Mission: Impossible film series on WikipediaGet Smart on WikipediaOSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies on WikipediaMusic Box Films Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop. Want to sponsor an episode or run ads on Finding Favorites? Email Leah

Blaise Miller, an actor/director/writer based in LA, joined Leah to talk about his new web series "Hi, Blaise Miller" and his love of sweatpants. "Hi, Blaise Miller" is a six episode series exploring life for actors in Hollywood today - the world of self tapes and self doubt. The series is distributed by Crafty and new episodes are available every Friday. Leah and Blaise have been friends for 20 years and are celebrating their birthday on March 23 - so we're celebrating with an early drop! Follow Blaise online Hi, Blaise Miller on YouTubeCrafty Short Films2Blazes.com@2blazes on Tik Tok Show Notes The Vacationeers on YouTubeIt's a Disaster on PeacockChicago's PizzaSmashburger.comDMKAu ChevalAuntie Anne'sWetzel's PretzelsFat ChrisChubbies ShortsHome Run Innhttps://www.vons.com/Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Author Joyce Miller joins Leah to talk about her new book Joe Harris, The Moon, her love of greyhounds and her love of dancing with dogs. Keep up with Joyce online Look! You're Dancing: A Memoir of Dogs, Dance and DevotionJoe Harris, The MoonJoyceAMiller.comFollow Joyce on Instagram @joyceamillerwriter Show Notes Joe HarrisGreyhounds "rooing"Greyhounds Reach the BeachThe Grapehound Wine TourGreyhound zoomies Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Alabama based author Bradley Sides joined Leah to talk about his new collection Crocodile Tears Didn't Cause the Flood and his favorite band, The National. Keep up with Bradley online Crocodile Tears Didn’t Cause the FloodBradley Sides on FacebookBradley-Sides.com Show Notes Those Fantastic Lives by Bradley SidesLeVar Burton ReadsCalhoun Community CollegeCommon ReadU.S. Space & Rocket CenterOne City, One BookThe Best We Could DoAlabama Center for the ArtsGabriel García MárquezBig FishThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael ChabonKaren RussellKelly LinkRocket City Reading Fest at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, ALFinding Favorites on bookshop.orgThe NationalAlligatorHomecoming 2023https://thenational.bandcamp.com/track/secret-meetinghttps://thenational.bandcamp.com/track/the-geese-of-beverly-roadhttps://thenational.bandcamp.com/track/mr-novemberhttps://thenational.bandcamp.com/album/trouble-will-find-mehttps://thenational.bandcamp.com/track/sea-of-loveA Conversation Between Matt Berninger and David Lettermanhttps://www.americanmary.com/cherry-treehttps://open.spotify.com/album/24mCiOTIF5Ob1uwluRFERvhttps://www.pattismith.nethttps://www.barteesstrange.com/https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/paul-scheer-hdtgm-la-clippers/https://tylerchildersmusic.com/https://soundcloud.com/tylerchilders/universal-soundhttps://soundwavesartfoundation.com/products/tyler-childers-universal-sound-originalshttps://www.fleetfoxes.co/https://fleetfoxes.bandcamp.com/album/shorehttps://www.mymorningjacket.com/https://www.jasonisbell.com/https://www.brandicarlile.com/https://weezer.com/https://soundwavesartfoundation.com/https://new.sewanee.edu/https://www.thecaverns.com/https://www.thecaverns.com/featured/cavejamhttps://watchhouseband.com/https://stownpodcast.org/https://www.earwolf.com/show/how-did-this-get-made/https://headgum.com/doughboyshttps://headgum.com/high-and-mightyhttps://www.nicolebyerwastaken.com/https://rovos.com/https://www.netflixreality.com/shows/nailed-it/https://www.stringcheeseincident.com/https://www.redrocksonline.com/https://www.jaypritzkerpavilion.com/https://www.ravinia.org/Pavilion Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Ben Tanzer, a Chicago-based author and consultant, joined Leah to celebrate the launch of his new novel The Missing (pre-order on Bookshop.org for March 21, 2024 delivery) and his love of the book The Basketball Diaries. This conversation is a trip down memory lane, because Leah and Ben have been friends for 15+ years. We briefly discuss the suicide of a mutual colleague. Follow Ben online The Missing release date March 21, 2024The Missing book tourBookshopThis Podcast Will Change Your LifeTanzerBen.comtwitter @BenTanzerInstagram @tanzerben/Facebook @BenTanzer Show Notes Amy GüthJen Michalski on Finding FavoritesThe Missing on Kirkus ReviewsThis American LifeExile in BookvilleLee Matthew GoldbergBook CellarFinding Favorites bookshop pageMichael KerenWhen Words Count RetreatElizabeth SplaineThe Basketball Diaries by Jim CarrollAdam LawrenceFlowers in the Attic by V. C. AndrewsSacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior by Phil Jackson and Hugh DelehantyJohn Edgar Widemanhttps://www.hendricksgin.com/https://www.bombaysapphire.com/us/en/https://www.tanqueray.com/en-ushttps://www.dancinggoat.com/deaths-door-ginhttps://empressgin.com/https://alanheathcock.com/https://www.matilda-babyatlas.com/https://davidmasciotra.com/https://sundaysalon-chicago.com/https://www.ptknitwear.com/https://anovelideaphilly.com/https://villagewell.com/https://www.ericspitznagel.com/https://www.meganstielstra.com/ Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Paul Scheer, an LA-based actor, writer, comedian, and podcaster, grew up in New York Knicks territory, but now loves the L.A. Clippers. He joined Leah to talk about his memoir Joyful Recollections of Trauma (available for pre-order now, shipping on May 21, 2024), picking the right sports team for your family, and the inherent drama of NBA basketball. Keep up with Paul Scheer online How Did This Get MadeUnspooledThe FriendzoneFollow Paul Scheer on SubstackJoyful Recollections of Traumapaulscheer (Are you impressed by how calm, cool and collected I've been so far? Paul is one of the hosts of my favorite podcast and he's on MY podcast and that is very cool and I am not collected. I'm so uncollected, that I'm releasing this episode a week early! After the show notes, I'll link to a few episodes that include some links to related episodes of Finding Favorites). Show Notes “Hook” by Blues TravelerHamilton TourMiguel Cervantes on Saying Good-Bye to Hamilton After 2,013 PerformancesThe Book of Mormon TourThe Curse: The Colorful & Chaotic History of the LA Clippers by Mick Minas and Jim Lynam30 for 30 on ESPN HDTGM adjacent episodes of Finding Favorites Kevin Alves loves Letterkenny and PiratesPam Rose loves Jason MantzoukasPoet Dan O'Brien loves British comediesMatt Zoller Seitz and The Deadwood BibleKevin T Porter loves Bruce Springsteen Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Author Esther Goldenberg visits Finding Favorites to share her loves of pour painting and drumming (djembe, not snare). She's also celebrating the publication of her first novel The Scrolls of Deborah. The Scrolls of Deborah is available for pre-order and will ship on February 20, 2024. EstherGoldenberg.com Follow Esther on Facebook and Instagram Show Notes StorahtellingThis Messy Magnificent Life: A Field Guide to Mind, Body, and SoulThe Red TentCyanotypeSure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong AnywhereThe Bloggess: Nowhere Bookshop,Kulu SadiraLeah's Shabbat Shirah A few days after I published Kathie Giorgio's interview, her beloved husband Michael was hit by a car while walking to the bus and suffered a traumatic brain injury. I've been following along on Facebook and am praying for Michael's full and complete recovery. Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Kathie Giorgio, a Wisconsin-based writer and founder of The All Writers Workshop, joined Leah to talk about her lifelong love of writing and her genre-agnostic publishing career. Kathie published her first short story as a teenager, her first book at 50, and will publish her 14th book in 2024. Content Warning: Kathie and Leah are both breast cancer survivors and discuss the illness, as well as bullying, death by suicide, and political violence throughout the episode. UPDATE: Shortly after this episode was published, Kathie's husband suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was hit by a driver in a minivan while walking to the bus. Go Fund Me available here. Keep up with Kathie online KathieGiorgio.orgFacebook @KathieGiorgioAuthor@kathiegiorgioInstagram @kathiegio1Today's Moment of Happiness Despite the News: A Year of Spontaneous EssaysKathie on Bookshop.org Show Notes Hope Always RisesAll Writers’ Workplace & Workshop, LLCSure, I’ll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong AnywhereThis Week's Moment of Happiness Despite the News, the blog the preceded the bookPoet Kelly CherrySoutheast Wisconsin Festival of BooksBrian Mazzaferri/I Fight DragonsThe E Myth RevisitedOddities & EndingsChicago Jewish Book Festival Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Some of your favorite guests are back for the Best of 2023 Call-In Show! Leah asked guests and friends to send in a voice memo with their favorite discoveries of 2023. It's important to find moments of joy during difficult times and that's what each of our callers found! Best of 2023 Show Notes Carolyn Musin Berkowitz Monica Reida Prince FreyaThe Gilded Age on HBOMarked Safe PodcastCoaster radio Cameron McKenzie An introduction to MezcalPaloma cocktail recipeBlindness by Jose Saragamo Vanessa Ricci-Thode World Running Down by Al HessThe Murderbot Diaries Shai Korman, Friday Night Movie podcast Jesse Dukes, Upper Middle Brow Catch a Fire by timothy whiteDemon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Thea Lux https://www.thealux.com/wheel Amy Guth https://amyguth.substack.com/ Rocco Cotaldo https://rocco.substack.com/ Jo McCawley Mitski Pam Rose Tate McRaeFilms To Be Buried With - Brett Goldstein Phil Mottaz https://www.thehives.com/https://www.angelcity.com/ Chris Bagg Joe Haldeman, The Forever WarUpper Middlebrow episode 1 about Forever War Steve Higgins HadestownBarbieDoctor Who 60th Anniversary

Chuck Zagorski was declared the King of Christmas by his family and joined Leah to talk about his favorite holiday. Chuck listens to Christmas music all year, but limits his seven trees and 100+ nutcrackers to a window between November 1 and Three Kings Day. Email a 1-5 minute audio clip to Leah by December 25th to be included in the Best of 2023 show! What did you love in 2023? email your clip to findingfavoritespodcast@gmail.com Get news on new Christmas songs from Chuck on Facebook. November 1: First Official Day of Christmas Music Show Links Add to CartThe Deep DiveFunko PopsPolish Christmas Mushroom Soup Some of the music we cover Dee's Rock N Roll Christmas TaleA Very Special Christmas (all of the albums)Doris DayFrank SinatraKelly ClarksonMariah CareyWinter Wonderland by EurythmicsChristians and the Pagans by Dar Williams Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify.

Emily Drake, host of the podcast Who's Missing, loves a cozy game. Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Cozy Cafe and more! We talk about parallel play, building relationships and so much more. Email a 1-5 minute audio clip to Leah by December 25th to be included in the Best of 2023 show! What did you love in 2023? email your clip to findingfavoritespodcast@gmail.com Follow Emily online Instagram @emdrakeWho's Missing Podcast Show Links Stardew ValleyCozy GroveAnimal CrossingTriple Match 3DMerge MansionGet Played episode "Now That's What I Call Video Game Music: Cozy Edition"Finding Favorites episode "Keidra Chaney loves #KPopDollstagram"The Deep DiveDoughboysHow Did This Get MadeGreens, Beans, Potatoes, TomatoesTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Thank you to Chris and Jesse at Upper Middlebrow for the shoutout!

It's a thanksgiving interlude with a few updates of what Leah's been up to and the trailer for season 2 of Upper Middlebrow Podcast. Stand Up Comedy Broadway Stuff Podcast Stuff Rob Abrazadofindingfavoritespodcast@gmail.com Bring Them Home: Stories of hostages from October 7

Evonne Marzouk returned to the podcast to celebrate the release of the paperback edition of her debut novel The Prophetess. We talk about the process of finding an audience, her lifelong love of writing, and processing difficult times through writing. We talk about donations for pre-orders, but her publisher has extended the donations through the end of the war, G-d willing, soon. Donations are being made to Leket. Keep up with Evonne online: Substack Evonne on SubstackInstagram @heroinewhispererFacebook @HeroineWhispererOrder The Prophetess in paperbackEvonneMarzouk.comUplifting People and Planet: Eighteen Essential Jewish Lessons on the Environment Special thank you to Rob Abrazado who joined the Finding Favorites team as an editor and sound mixer.

Pensylvania-based author and professor Holly M. Wendt joined Leah to talk about their love of all things cycling - from professional races to riding long distances, Holly loves all things two-wheeled. Their debut novel Heading North will be available on November 8th and you can order it today. HollyMWendt.comInstagram @hmwendtTwitter @hmwendtHeading North Show Notes Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crashEnd PapersThe Art of FieldingThe Cactus LeagueThe Desert Sky Before UsIndian HorseTour de FleeceSeagull CenturyBike Rally (Toronto to Montreal)Wild HorsesSepp Kuss (Durango, Colorado)DomestiqueTim DeclercqFarm to Fork

Bee Vargas, AKA the reigning Ms. Illinois, loves power lifting and joined Leah to talk about her journey to embracing her larger body in and out of the gym. Whether its rooftop yoga, crushing dead lifts or representing Illinois at the national level, Bee is a delight. Follow Bee online https://www.instagram.com/thatbeeword/ https://www.instagram.com/allbodiesaregymbodies/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thatbeeword Show Notes https://www.swipefatpodcast.com/ https://www.instagram.com/well_rounded.wellness/ https://blog.nasm.org/powerlifting-for-women https://lipsticklifters.com/articles/female-powerlifters/ https://www.socalpowerlifting.net/post/how-do-powerlifting-meets-work https://www.northamericabeautypageant.com/divisions/ https://www.thewrpf.com/

Donate to American Friends of Magen David Adom Jerusalem-based tour guide Joel Haber joined Leah to talk about Shabbat Stews ahead of the release of his ebook Chulent & Hamin: The Ultimate Jewish Comfort Food. There is so much more to Chulent than beans and meat! Follow Joel on Instagram and his blog Taste of Jew. Follow @findingfavspod on Instagram and Twitter. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts Show links The Red LadyFree Shabbat Stew Cookbook by Joel HaberMachne Yehuda marketGil Marks obituaryIshtabach in JerusalemShamburakBirateinuBeermiscuous in ChicagoCardoonCome for CholentCome for Cholent Again

Taylore Nicholl and Michael Lester, a pair of independent filmmakers from Texas, joined Leah to talk about their love of film, making films, and dream projects. Follow the pair online Support Taylore and Michael on PatreonCarry On (Taylore's first movie)@taylorenicholl on InstagramWhat We Become Tik Tok @mediocre_michael Show Notes Duo of Greenville filmmakersJackassThe Disney VaultIra Glass, The GapDanny McBride on Armchair ExpertLeah Jones - Piper Cub pilotHello, My BabyPretty Like Me

Jesse Dukes, co-host of Upper Middlebrow, returns to Finding Favorites to wrestle with Jimmy Buffett's legacy. We talk about internal rhymes, lifestyle brands, and songs with more meaning on the tenth listen than on the first. Keep up with Jesse online Upper Middlebrow PodcastJesseDukes.com Show Notes NeuromancerTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and TomorrowThe Space Between WorldsJimmy Buffet - Songs you don’t know by heartJimmyBuffett.comMBMBAM and Jimmy BuffettEscape to MargaritavilleRed Headed StrangerInternal rhymeBest rhymes in HamiltonThe melancholy of margaritavilleEater review of Margaritaville in NYCNY Times Jimmy Buffett does not live the Jimmy Buffett lifestyleSteve O interviewDelaney BuffettGo Cubs GoCowboy in the Jungle

Josh Mohr, Seattle-based author of Model Citizen, joined Leah to discuss his new novel Farsickness which he wrote this summer and is illustrated by his daughter Ava. We talk about teachers that change your life, collaborating with your children, making art during the pandemic, and grappling with PTSD. Buy a copy of Farsickness today Silly Gooses with Josh Mohr and Ava Mohr at Valencia 826 (look for more workshops this year) Juniper ShelleyDisney WeddingsTom WaitsFight ClubAlice in WonderlandGrace PaleyDown and Out in Paris and LondonCesar Cruz