Canal Street Dreams – Episode Summary
Episode: Baohaus is Open, Natashia is Gay Again & We Can't Be Poly
Date: March 17, 2026
Hosts: Eddie Huang & Natashia Perrotti
Episode Overview
In this lively and personal episode, Eddie and Natashia record from their newly opened Bauhaus restaurant. They unpack Bauhaus’s reopening week, share thoughts about sexual identity and celebrity crushes, and reflect on their relationship boundaries (and why polyamory just won’t work for them). The conversation twists through queer awakenings, parenting philosophies, literary preferences, restaurant gossip, and the wild energy of the downtown New York creative scene.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Natashia’s (Re)Queer Awakening & Celebrity Crushes
[00:00–06:27]
- Natashia confesses a “fat crush” on rising musician Julia Wolf, attributing her latest "being gay again" moment to Julia’s music and vibe.
- Describes Julia Wolf’s appeal: “She’s just, like, a dark…long dark hair, she’s a little emo…she likes Twilight…it’s really cute…she has a masculine energy, which I actually really like.” (Natashia, 00:48–01:34)
- Reflects on how queer identity—and being bisexual—has changed over time. Natashia identifies as pansexual, saying, “I'm definitely like pansexual. I don't care. I'm into everything.” (B, 06:06–06:10)
- Extended, playful riff on “walk sexual” vs. “pansexual.”
2. Handle & Identity: NYC vs. The World
[02:49–04:15]
- Eddie and Natashia riff on the unique pride of New Yorkers putting “nyc” in their Instagram handles, something nobody else does for their city:
“It’s only New York and Miami. Nobody’s shouting out Boston in their handle.” (A & B, 03:34–04:06)
3. Relationship Dynamics & Polyamory Fantasies
[06:27–10:22]
- Natashia’s “polyamorous” fantasy sparked by the 2012 movie Savages: “My dream in life to just have, like, two boys…want to make out with me.” (B, 07:01–07:15)
- Both agree open/poly relationships wouldn’t work for them:
“I would beat the out of you…whoever I’m with, like, no.” (B, 09:16–09:27)
“For three minutes I was like, fuck, man, do I have to deal with Natashia being gay? Then I was like, nothing’s changing, it’s fine.” (A, 09:37–09:59) - The “crushes” are playful, not actionable, and the “one-way street” dynamic (Natashia can share her crushes, but Eddie can’t):
“It doesn't go both ways. This is a one way street.” (A, 10:25–10:28)
4. Queer Literary Obsessions
[10:48–14:24]
- Discussing the book Big Swiss and female writers who portray “despicable women,” including Jen Beagin, Otessa Moshfegh, Miranda July, and Emma Cline.
- Memorable exchange:
“Once a lesbian, always a lesbian.” (Jen Beagin, as quoted by Eddie, 11:34) - Both appreciate books centering on the “dirty, messy, unkept parts of self,” celebrating female writers who “write about kind of, like, despicable women.”
5. The Bauhaus Opening: Community & Music
[23:27–25:29]
- Bauhaus reopening felt like a big New York creative reunion.
- Significant moment: playing the Phil Collins x Dame Dash x Brucie B hip hop remix at the party:
“When the drums dropped, it was like, eruption!...People knew what time it was.” (A, 24:34–25:27) - Music’s role in setting the vibe and building community: “Of all the art forms, music is the one that inspires me the most.” (A, 24:34–25:27)
6. Restaurant Life: Allergens, Alcohol, Food Innovations
[16:47–22:31; 35:41–37:10]
- On peanut allergies and why Bauhaus can never be peanut-free.
- Alcohol program: sticking to wine and beer to keep the vibe elegant, intentionally forgoing a cocktail license to avoid wild party energy.
“Chinese food, I do think…wine is a really nice, like, take the edge off thing here.” (A, 18:22–19:06)
“I don’t want dudes having Long Island iced teas puking in a tree.” (A, 19:44–19:52) - Innovative kitchen moments: accidental creation of a new halibut dish when a chef used the wrong sauce—an example of “failing up”:
“He fully was firing it with mumbo sauce…that ended up being even better!” (A & B, 36:13–36:28)
7. Parenthood & Reflections on Upbringing
[28:21–30:15]
- Parenting their son Senna—hopes he’ll look back and appreciate the ups and downs.
- “Kid’s talent is having notes about you. That’s what they do.” (A, 29:10–29:14)
- Both hosts reflect on their own childhoods, the inevitability of passing some trauma along, and accept their imperfections as parents.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Natashia on Julia Wolf:
“I have a big girl crush on her…she just, like, kind of has a masculine energy, which typically with girls, I always go super feminine.” (B, 01:15–01:34) -
Eddie on New York pride:
“I feel like people have been sleeping on New York for like, the last five, six years…it’s only New York and Miami.” (A, 03:21–03:53) -
Natashia on Poly Dreams:
“That’s the thing about all of this that doesn’t work…it’s only a me thing. It’s a me fantasy. Part of it is that the person has to be just like, I love that for you, but not for me.” (B, 09:29–09:37) -
Eddie quoting Jen Beagin:
“Once a lesbian, always a lesbian.” (A, 11:32–11:34) -
On Restaurant Allergens:
“If you can’t be in the vicinity of peanuts, you should not be on this block. There’s peanuts everywhere.” (A, 17:38–17:58) -
On Music & Community:
“This is what we talk about when we talk about downtown New York and community. People knew what time it was.” (A, 25:19–25:27) -
Natashia’s “Type”:
“My type is…a bird. Penelope Cruz looks like…a hot, exotic toucan…you can’t find that shit. You tell people about it; they’re like, that doesn’t exist because you can’t find it again.” (B, 32:18–32:55) -
On Accidental Kitchen Magic:
“Sometimes it’s like how somebody invented pizza…he fully was firing it with mumbo sauce, and it was more fire.” (A, 36:13–36:17)
Selected Timestamps for Important Segments
- Julia Wolf crush & queer identity: 00:17–06:27
- NYC Instagram handle chat: 03:21–04:15
- Polyamory discussion & 'Savages' movie: 06:29–10:22
- Book talk: Big Swiss & despicable women: 10:48–14:24
- Parenting reflections: 28:21–30:15
- Opening night and Phil Collins track moment: 23:27–25:27
- Restaurant’s allergen reality: 16:47–17:58
- Wine vs. liquor license debate: 18:22–22:12
- Kitchen “mumbo sauce” innovation: 35:41–36:28
- Rapid fire “Penelope Cruz” segment: 31:32–33:47
Tone & Style
The episode’s energy is candid, self-deprecating, quick-witted, and deeply personal, with hosts riffing off each other in a uniquely New York, creative, and slightly chaotic style. Eddie and Natashia strike a balance between banter and insight, making the conversation relatable, even as they dish about the restaurant industry, queer pop culture, and parenting.
Closing Note
For anyone interested in downtown New York’s creative scene, queer and cultural discourse, or the realities of opening a new restaurant, this episode is both grounding and hilarious. Expect big energy, lots of laughs, and sharp-edged honesty from Eddie and Natashia in their new culinary clubhouse.
