August in Montclair: Medieval Feasts, High-Altitude Workouts, and an $11 Million “Surprise”

Summary

Podcast Summary: August in Montclair: Medieval Feasts, High-Altitude Workouts, and an $11 Million “Surprise”

Hosted by Farnoosh Torabi and Mike

---

Season Wrap-Up and Reflections

As So Money with Farnoosh Torabi transitions into its latest episode titled "August in Montclair: Medieval Feasts, High-Altitude Workouts, and an $11 Million “Surprise”", Farnoosh and co-host Mike take a moment to reflect on the achievements of the podcast’s second season. Celebrating milestones such as over 20,000 downloads and a growing international listener base—including countries like the UK, France, Ireland, and even Romania—they express gratitude to their audience and share their excitement for what's to come in season three.

Notable Quote:

Mike [07:09]: "We've hit some awesome milestones since launching the show in January. More than 20,000 downloads, more than 5,000 followers on Instagram."

---

Local News Highlights

Two-Alarm Fire at Ahava Felici Dodd Hair and Body

A significant incident shook the Montclair community when a two-alarm fire broke out on July 29th at Ahava Felici Dodd Hair and Body salon located at 4 Midland Avenue, adjacent to Bloomfield Avenue. The fire, which occurred around noon when the salon was unoccupied, also impacted the neighboring Fleet Feed storefront. Fortunately, no one was injured. Authorities have labeled the fire as accidental, though the exact cause remains under investigation. Both businesses are currently closed pending further updates.

Notable Quote:

Farnoosh [15:05]: "If you'd like to help though, there's a GoFundMe campaign for the salon's recovery and we've got a link to that in the show notes."

$11 Million Deficit in Montclair Schools

During a recent community meeting at Glenfield Middle School, Superintendent Rupee Turner disclosed a staggering $11 million deficit affecting Montclair schools. A substantial portion of this deficit—approximately $4.5 million—is owed to the Essex Regional Educational Services Commission. Additionally, over $2 million relates to unpaid teacher salaries, sparking concerns among parents and educators alike. The community is calling for a forensic audit to uncover the root causes of this financial shortfall.

Notable Quotes:

Mike [15:15]: "We knew something like this was coming... but it was made official last week during a community meeting."

Farnoosh [17:44]: "We need to understand what was at the root cause of this so it doesn't happen again."

---

Community Spotlight

Quickcheck Closure and Valley Mart Opening

A sentimental segment covers the closure of Quickcheck, a beloved local eatery known for its extensive menu and convenient touch-screen ordering system. However, the introduction of Valley Mart, a new family-operated store, has successfully filled the void left by Quickcheck. Mike shares his positive experience at Valley Mart, noting that while the ambiance remains similar to Quickcheck, the quality and portion sizes have even improved.

Notable Quote:

Mike [18:03]: "I went there and man, I did some damage immediately. It felt just like old times. It was great."

---

Featured Events

Medieval Fest 2025

One of the episode's highlights is an in-depth discussion about the upcoming Medieval Fest, organized by the nonprofit Montclair Early Music. Taking place on August 24th at the Montclair Art Museum, the event transforms the venue into a 14th-century setting filled with activities such as archery, medieval folk dances, and live music performances. Organizer Saad Rahman emphasizes the event's appeal to millennials and their children, attributing its popularity to cultural influences like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.

Notable Quotes:

Saad Rahman [30:13]: "The Medieval Fest is the biggest, most popular event of the summer. Last year we had over 900 revelers having a great time at Montclair Art Museum."

Farnoosh [31:02]: "It's very family friendly. More than half of them came in costume."

---

Fitness and Wellness

Brain and Body Method: High-Altitude Workouts

Farnoosh and Mike explore Brain and Body Method, a unique fitness studio in Montclair that offers high-altitude workouts tailored for individuals over 40. Hosted by Lex LeBlanc, a certified women’s health coach and yoga teacher, the studio utilizes advanced resistance machines and AI-driven custom workouts to enhance strength and cardiovascular health. The hosts share their firsthand experience, describing the workouts as both challenging and invigorating.

Notable Quotes:

Mike [37:57]: "I definitely feel like everything's tingling a little bit in a good way."

Farnoosh [38:15]: "How do you feel?"

Mike [39:12]: "It did look like something from the right stuff... I kind of want to do it again."

Special Offer: Brain and Body Method is extending a special offer of three complimentary sessions to podcast listeners who mention the Montclair Pod when inquiring.

---

Music and Entertainment

Local Concerts and Performances

Mike shares his recent experience attending a show at Forest Hill Stadium in Queens, highlighting performances by bands like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. He also mentions upcoming acts, including Headhunters—a renowned 70s jazz funk band fronted by Mike Clark. Farnoosh and Mike discuss the vibrant local music scene, encouraging listeners to explore both Montclair and city venues.

Notable Quotes:

Mike [41:12]: "While I was there, I actually made a new friend who happens to be the manager of the Headhunters."

Farnoosh [43:26]: "June Cross and everyone else at Columbia who still remembers us... We'd love to collaborate."

---

Local Recommendations

Pools and Water Activities

The hosts exchange recommendations for local pools and water parks, acknowledging that while facilities like Funplex in East Hanover offer great water slides and activities, other pools in Montclair and neighboring towns either require residency or come with higher fees. They humorously contemplate the idea of "investigating" the local pool scene, highlighting the need for more family-friendly and affordable water activities.

Notable Quotes:

Farnoosh [44:40]: "Maybe we can get press passes or something. I want to cover 100."

Mike [45:06]: "We've got three pools, if I'm not mistaken. But they're all just like, they were probably really nice pools when they opened in like 1963."

---

Upcoming Events

Wine and Wheel Ceramics Workshop

On August 25th, the Montclair Art Museum is hosting "Wine and Wheel," a ceramics workshop where adults can try their hand at the potter’s wheel in a relaxed, social setting. The event is BYOB and tickets are available on the museum’s website.

Jazz Fest Soundcheck

A preview of Jazz Fest’s Soundcheck series scheduled for August 20th at the Wellmont Arts Plaza promises an evening of live music and community engagement. Free and open to all, the event features a cash bar and showcases local talent.

Montclair Comedy Festival Applications

Administrators of the Montclair Comedy Festival announced that applications for the November event are now open. Aspiring comedians are encouraged to submit a video clip, bio, and availability by August 31st via montclaircomedyfestival.com.

Notable Quotes:

Farnoosh [45:59]: "If you want to get on stage at the Montclair Comedy Festival, apply now."

Mike [47:12]: "There's gotta be somebody who’s the straight man and somebody who's the wacky man."

Aziz Ansari at Wellmont Arts Plaza

Comedian and actor Aziz Ansari is scheduled to perform at the Wellmont Arts Plaza on August 24th. Tickets are available now, offering fans a chance to enjoy his sharp wit and observational humor.

---

Conclusion and Next Steps

As the episode wraps up, Farnoosh and Mike express their enthusiasm for engaging with the Montclair community and encourage listeners to stay connected through subscriptions and email newsletters. They hint at upcoming content focusing on enhancing personal and community well-being, reinforcing the podcast’s commitment to delivering valuable and relatable content.

Notable Quote:

Farnoosh [48:21]: "Thank you so much for listening for hanging out with us this season. We hope you'll continue to stick around and we will see you in town."

---

Additional Resources

• Medieval Fest Tickets: Available at montclairearlymusic.org
• Wine and Wheel Workshop: Tickets on the Montclair Art Museum website
• Montclair Comedy Festival Applications: Submit at montclaircomedyfestival.com
• Brain and Body Method: Special offer details mentioned in the podcast

---

Note: This summary has excluded advertisements and non-content sections as per instructions, focusing solely on delivering a comprehensive overview of the podcast's key discussions, insights, and community interactions.

Transcript

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Hi, it's Farnoosh. Are you building a personal brand or business and craving real behind the scenes support? I'm reopening my intimate mentorship program, Farnoosh bts and applications are officially open. It's my four month mentorship program to help fast track your success. You'll learn all my strategies across all the different verticals from podcasting to writing books and I'll connect you with very important people in my life. Applications are available at varnushbts. Com. I look forward to helping you Foreign.

[Mike]

This episode of the Montclair Pod is brought to you by Montclair Film, our town's hub for film storytelling and community connection. From thought provoking indie screenings and Q&As with acclaimed filmmakers to improv nights, live performances and classes in filmmaking, screenwriting and much more, Montclair Film offers something for everyone who loves the power of a story. It's also home to one of the country's premier film festivals each fall drawing audiences and talent from around the world. Right here to Montclair. Want to see what's playing or sign up for a class? Visit montclairfilm.org for the full calendar of events and ways to get involved. Now on with the show.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Hey so Money friends, I know many of you are thinking about starting your own business or you're already in the trenches making smart, strategic money moves. And if that's you, I want to personally recommend a podcast that can seriously help you get to that next level. This is Small Business what I love about this new season is how real it gets about something we talk about a lot here. Risk Every episode shares honest stories from founders who faced tough financial decisions, taken bold but calculated risks, and made it through the highs and lows of building a business. Host Andrea Marquez breaks it all down in a way that's actionable and relatable. You'll hear exactly how these entrepreneurs tackled things like funding, pricing, and note knowing when it's worth betting on yourself. If you're looking for real, practical insights that can help you move forward with clarity and confidence, this podcast is it. Follow and listen to this Is Small Business now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, don't wait to start making smarter money moves today. Lately, I've been turning to quince for just about everything. Clothes for me, pieces for my kids, even stuff for the house. If you don't know quince yet, they make high quality, timeless wardrobe staples like cashmere sweaters, linen sets, silk tops and denim for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere. And with this late summer heat wave, I just picked up some new linen tops and bottoms because I was running out of the good stuff. Everything from Quince fits beautifully and feels amazing. Light, breathable and effortlessly polished. I also grabbed a few new bathing suits for my daughter, who's growing faster than I can keep up. The quality is just as good, if not better, than more expensive brands. And that's the beauty of quince. They work directly with top factories, cut out the middlemen and pass the savings to us. Most most pieces cost half as much as similar luxury items, and they're made with premium fabrics in safe, ethical factories. Elevate your fall wardrobe essentials with quince. Go to quince.com sewmoney for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q U-I-N C E.com Sewmoney quince.com Sewmoney.

[Karen Rankin]

My plans for August are to try to do a few things. We try to go out for dinner on a weeknight every week because we usually don't do that during the school year because it's harder. Just try to do little things here and there. Try to get to a Yankee game. That's on the list of things to do. We haven't gotten to one yet this summer, so that's something we want to do. Last night went to Applegate, so had some ice cream. Things like that. Just things that we don't have time to do during the work school year.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Welcome back to the Montclair Pod.

[Mike]

I'm Farnoosh and I'm Mike coming at you, Lakeside. I'm up in the Catskills with a bunch of families. We've been coming to the same house for 15 years, but this being our final big episode of season two, I just, I couldn't miss it. Obviously it's vacation, but I'm dialing in.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Thank you. I appreciate you dialing in. And you know what I've always said from the beginning, this podcast, it's fun. It's like 60% fun, 40% work. So long as that mix is consistent, I'll dial in from anywhere to do it.

[Mike]

Of course, that's how I think about my work life in general. Now, to be quite honest, is you're kind of always on, especially when you have your own business, which we both do. You just understand that's comes with the territory.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

You dialing in from vacation is apropos, Mike, because this episode is all about making the most of August. We have some Great last minute places to go, things to try and experience that are either here in town or just a short drive away. Are you gonna do anything wild this week? I know it's been 15 years, but it doesn't get stale.

[Mike]

Usually we just go swimming, I do some fishing, we go on some hikes and it's mainly eating consumption of various types. And I grill a lot when I'm here. But this time I brought a major rotisserie set up and I impulse bought on Amazon a full rotisserie thing that you can do like a whole pig on or something. So I am doing with a big pork shoulder over an open fire outside and all the kids are going to help, I'm sure. And Duke is here and he's going to love it. The dog loves this place already.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

The video you sent me of the swans.

[Mike]

Oh yeah, those weren't real swans. No, those were. I think those were plastic swans that were. Yeah, that are there we think to scare the geese away or else they're just really kind of weird and ugly lake ornaments. I don't. We don't get them. So August in Montclair though, it's like a ghost town. Those are the vibes. July and August are the top two months for using pto. Google trends and travel booking data also show a spike in searches and reservations for vacations in August. And as we know in Europe, August is essentially a national holiday month. Everybody's like off.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, they know what's up, they know how to do work, life balance. But if you are sticking around these here fine parts, stay tuned. We have some really cool options that you can't google or simply ask chat GPT for. I tried not. Nothing good. Nothing good.

[Saad Rahman]

Yeah.

[Mike]

So we've got interesting music, family friendly events, water activities and wild workouts. That sounds very suspect. What kind of wild workouts? Anyway, we'll tell you we're covering a lot of ground today and sharing some really cool and maybe surprising options. Many free or very low cost.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

As we mentioned, this is our final episode of season two. So let's. Let's take some time now to reflect on a few of our favorite moments and also give you a sense of what's coming down the Montclair pod pipeline the rest of the year.

[Mike]

Yeah, we've hit some awesome. Awesome. That's what I wanted to do. The guy. Awesome. Some decent milestones.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Substantial. It's substantial.

[Mike]

Yeah. Yeah, it's substantial. That's the PE guy, by the way.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

The PE guy. Johnny Hill Brand Johnny.

[Mike]

Shout out to Johnny. All right. But we have hit some awesome milestones since launching the show in January. More than 20,000 downloads, more than 5,000 followers on Instagram. And we have listeners beyond Montclair across the country and even in Europe, including the uk, France and Ireland. Also listeners in Romania, which I don't quite understand the international appeal, but who's complaining? And by the way, I am a quarter Romanian, so shout out to the. Yeah, yeah. On my mom's side.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Maybe they know.

[Mike]

They know. They must know. They looked me up. I don't know.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Maybe they think they've subscribed to a true crime podcast of which Montclair has had its fair share. Remember the 2018 murder at a home on North Mountain?

[Mike]

Oh yeah, they covered it on 2020. Actually, James R. Ray III, a Montclair lawyer, shot the mother of his six year old daughter and then fled to Cuba. And he was convicted of first degree murder.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Would you live in a house where there was a crime like that? I don't think I could.

[Mike]

I don't know. What's the statute of limitations on disclosing a grisly murder in your house? Speaking of famous houses, did you know that the show the Americans was based on a Russian spy couple that was living in Montclair?

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I've heard this now from a few sources. I didn't watch the Americans. I know, shame on me.

[Mike]

It's a great show. But when that happened, you and I were both working at the street. Or at least I was. You might have been gone by then, but I figured out who these people were. And this is the hilarious part, like I called, I found out that their name, they were going by the name Murphy. That was not their real name, but they picked like a nice Irish name. And I found their phone number and I called the house and the answering machine picked up. I swear to God, it was like, hello, hello, I am Johnny Murphy. It was the thickest Russian accent I've ever heard. I was like, this cannot be real. You have reached the Murphy house. No one can take your call. Right. First of all, it was like that.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Who had an answering machine still in two?

[Mike]

The Murphy's did the Russian Murphy's and I did a whole story for the street about it.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Is that still out there?

[Mike]

I think I found it once on the the Wayback Internet machine, but it didn't. It didn't have the actual audio still there because I embedded it using it probably doesn't exist anymore.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Wow. So anyway, maybe Montclair True crime could be the subject of an episode in season three. We hear you, Romania. We hear you. And we're gonna deliver the true crime. Anyway, where were we? We were trying to highlight some of the best moments from season two.

[Mike]

I personally enjoyed our pizza crawl and our interviews with parents in town who send their kids to private school. Really interesting stuff, and not just because they can afford it financially. There were some very serious reasons. It was very compelling and telling. I learned a lot in that episode.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, for sure. And you know, I love the story on the tariff impact. I didn't love it, obviously. I don't love that small businesses or, or any business is suffering through tariffs. But I, I really appreciated how so many small businesses were open and honest about the trickle down effect of tariffs. And yeah, we're probably gonna have to raise prices. We might have to lay people off. And that story is not an old story. It's resurfacing now because last week we had the EU trade deal. We've been covering tariffs since we launched this podcast, and I think we're gonna have to revisit it again in season three.

[Mike]

Speaking of next season, we're going to take a little hiatus. Our run 12 episodes long and they're intense. We take on topics and issues that are complex and we give voice to many sides. We interview a lot of people for these stories. And for the next month or so, we're going to continue to host the podcast. Every Thursday, a new show, but it'll feel more like talk radio. And we'll focus on the news and highlight some events and cool things we may have done that week with a few guests dropping by. So be sure to subscribe and never miss an episode. And we'll be back with the full shebang soon enough.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, and as always, we do like to cover central topics like small business, real estate, education, the arts. And so if you have ideas for us on those topics or any topic, our lines are open. Our email is hello, montclairpod.com you can DM us. Also on Instagram.

[Mike]

All right, we have many, many ideas how to make the most of August. But first, the news. And this week, we're calling it news you might have missed while packing for your son's sleepaway camp. That's a shout out to you and your intense packing for Evan's two week sleepaway camp. Farnoosh, are you okay?

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I'm gonna get there eventually. Today my daughter asked, mom, are you gonna cry when you drop him off? I said, yeah, prepare for that probably. We're new to it. And I'm also new to this gigantic List for a two week stay. Thankfully I have a list at the camp provided because I wouldn't know what to pack him. But they want so many things. It's, I don't know, 12 nights and they ask for 14 T shirts. They want us to pack him deodorant. He's never worn deodorant in his life. He's 11. But I'm worried. But I actually think it's a good idea because I'm not sure if he's going to remember to shower. So I have to teach him how to use deodorant.

[Mike]

I think. You have no idea what my mom had to do to prepare me for sleep. I saw some things in your house that reminded me of the prep. Like I saw that big cedar trunk in your living room that the kids get sent to. I had one of those too. But I remember before sleepaway camp, my mom would get labels with my name on them for all of the clothes and she would literally sew them in to all of my clothes. And I'm like. And by the end of. Was just basically a Sharpie that said shredded.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, yeah. You're all. You're very ambitious at the beginning of the summer. You're very Martha Stewart at the beginning of the summer. I just hope he has fun and he wants to go back and that he remembers to shower.

[Mike]

I'm sure he'll be fine. He can always make more T shirts out of like pine. Pine needles. Maybe he can. He can just gather leaves and stick them to himself. Just make sure it's not poison ivy. They're not going to let him do anything. These camps are soft.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I know.

[Mike]

Like back in.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I'm imagining Lord of the Flies. I don't know.

[Mike]

No, you do have to figure out how to deal with a new kind of social hierarchy. Because when they turn the lights out at night, like it gets real all of a sudden and there are kids that will stay up. I was like, can we all just go to sleep? I'm real tired. I don't want to. I don't like all the talking. Like it would freak me. The first year I went to camp, I was just like.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

You weren't going around interviewing everybody?

[Mike]

No, I wasn't athletic. I wasn't good at anything. So I was funny and that's what got me through. But I got. I used to get homesick at camp. It was. Yeah, it was all right.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Okay, well, I'll tell him about the pine needles.

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah, just tell him. Just cover himself in wet leaves. All the kids will be real nice to him if he does that.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Hey, that's one way to beat the social hierarchy.

[Mike]

Oh, my God. All right, all right. No more jokes. Here's the news. We begin with a two alarm fire that broke out last Tuesday, July 29th at Ahava Felici Dodd Hair and Body. That was at 4 Midland Avenue right off Bloomfield Avenue. It happened around noon. The salon was empty at the time and nobody was hurt. Firefighters responded quickly. Fleet Feed, a neighboring storefront was also impacted by the incident. The fire is being called an accident, though authorities are still investigating the specific cause. The both the hair salon and the sneaker store remain closed until further notice.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

If you'd like to help though, there's a GoFundMe campaign for the salon's recovery and we've got a link to that in the show notes. A lot of people are contributing.

[Mike]

Next Montclair schools are $11 million in the hole. This could be the least surprising news of the week. We knew something like this was coming. But it was made official last week during a community meeting at Glenfield Middle School. Superintendent Rupee Turner, guest of the pod in the past, shared that we are 11 million in the red. And the local has a quote from Turner who says that the 11 million is what they know of as of today and they're hoping it stays at that figure. But they've yet to get through everything. And that sounds incredibly ominous.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Doesn't sound promising. A lot of that bill, the biggest chunk of it I was reading, is owed to the Essex Regional Educational Services Commission. About four and a half million of that. That 11 million, another 2 million plus dollars is for unpaid teacher salaries. Can you imagine? You're still waiting for a paycheck. I don't understand this.

[Mike]

That can't be right. Yeah, I don't understand that either. Like, like maybe they owe somebody else who already paid the teacher. I'm sure like the teachers got paid.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

That's not allowed.

[Saad Rahman]

There are laws.

[Mike]

You can't just stiff people for two years. No, but that Essex Regional Education Services Commission is one of the places where municipalities like our send kids who have special needs. Like they'll go to a special school that's run by that organization. And as we reported in a previous episode, they just forgot to pay that bill. For some reason. Many parents in the teachers union have been calling for a forensic audit. And someone shouted at the meeting that the board of ed has, quote, dirty books.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Well, I went down a rabbit hole and let me share one thing. There is a very thought provoking subreddit over this $11 million deficit. Some interesting theories on how the district got to this point. If you're interested, we'll link to that in our show notes. Perhaps the least salacious of all the thoughts, but very sensible in my opinion. A very sensible prediction is that the district is just really bad at budgeting like most people.

[Mike]

It is nice to know though that the board of Ed is just like us, financially incompetent, borderline.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

And I believe, and this is also in the local. I was reading that the board says they can't afford an outside forensic audit. I get that you're $11 million in debt, but come on, when your house is on fire, you don't question the cost of water. We need to understand what was at the root cause of this so it doesn't happen again.

[Mike]

There must be somebody in town that has like a good auditing company that will donate their services to the municipality. It'd be a good tax write off, I'm sure. And they can get to the bottom of it in six months maybe.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

But do they want to get to the bottom of it? I feel like there are gonna be some skeletons in this closet. I can't even imagine not to speculate.

[Mike]

But yeah, no, we don't know. We do not know. We know nothing. A quick update on our recent reporting about the demise of Quickcheck and the vigils that were there. And I have since shown up at the new store that's there. It's a family operation, it's called Valley Mart. And I went in and you guys know I was really concerned that we weren't gonna be able to get all night. Like bad food, like good bad food. Like the chicken fingers and french fries. Because you could go to Quick check at any time and touch screens and bada bing, bada boom. You got an Italian sub, you got french fries, you got. They have 8,000 things on the menu. And guess what? The new place also has touch screens and they also have chicken fingers. And they're just as good. I would say the chicken fingers are about the same, although there's more of them. It's a better portion. And I spoke to one of the guys working there who's a member of the family that owns the place now. And he's like, we're always looking for ways to improve. So if you've got any advice or have any specific product recommendations, just let us know and we'll get it in there. I got. It's great and it looks very similar. They bought the entire place. Lock stock. It's like nothing's changed. I think they, they need a new color motif or something. But they were lovely people. They're still getting their bearings a little bit. It's brand new and this is their first store. I gotta say, I went there. It was a late night. I was getting home late for some reason, I can't remember why, but I was just like, I'm gonna take this opportunity to check this out. I went in and man, I did some damage immediately. It felt. It was just like old times. It was great.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I'm glad to hear that. I hope they succeed.

[Mike]

Yeah, me too. I think they will. All right. That is the.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

You know that feeling when it's midnight and your brain just won't shut off the to do list, tomorrow's meetings, the million things on your plate. That's me most nights. Until I tried Bolen Branch. My husband and I both tend to overheat at night, especially during these warm summer months. But since switching to bowl and Branch's per kale sheets, our sleep has totally transformed. They're light, crisp, and incredibly breathable. Honestly, it feels like slipping into a perfectly made hotel bed every night. What I love most is how they're made. 100% organic cotton, no toxins, and crafted by artisans, persons who are paid fairly. And they come with a 30 night worry free guarantee. So you can really feel the difference. I noticed it the first night, how soft and cool the sheets felt. And with every wash, they just keep getting better. Feel the difference an extraordinary night's sleep can make. With bolan branch, get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of [e-mail] Sewmoney that's Boland branch. B O L L A N-D branch.com Sewmoney to save 15% and unlock free shipping, exclusions apply. My best friend and I are planning another trip to escape from the day to day. Yes, that's right, a vacation. Just because just the two of us. No kids, no work, just fun. We've been browsing Airbnb's guest favorites from the Hudson Valley to Charleston. And the hardest part has honestly been narrowing it down. There are so many beautiful, unique homes that feel like they were made just for a weekend escape like this. Behind every great stay is someone making it all happen. And often it's a co host working behind the scenes. Airbnb's co host network is a smart way for Airbnb hosts to get help managing bookings, answering guest questions, and making sure the place is ready for every guest. It's perfect for people who want to earn extra income but not take on the full time job of being a host. Find a co [e-mail] host lately I've been turning to Quince for just about everything. Clothes for me, pieces for my kids, even stuff for the house. If you don't know Quince yet, make high quality, timeless wardrobe staples like cashmere sweaters, linen sets, silk tops and denim for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere. And with this late summer heat wave, I just picked up some new linen tops and bottoms because I was running out of the good stuff. Everything from Quints fits beautifully and feels amazing light, breathable and effortlessly polished. I also grabbed a few new bathing suits for my daughter who's growing faster than I can keep up. The quality is just as good, if not better than more expensive brands. And that's the beauty of Quint. They work directly with top factories, cut out the middlemen and pass the savings to us. Most pieces cost half as much as similar luxury items and they're made with premium fabrics in safe, ethical factories. Elevate your fall wardrobe essentials with quince. Go to quince.com sewmoney for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com somoney quince.com so so money. Popsicles, sprinklers, a cool breeze. Talk about refreshing. You know what else is refreshing this summer? A brand new phone with Verizon. Yep. Get a new phone on any plan with select phone. Trade in and MyPlan and lock down a low price for three years on any plan with MyPlan. This is a deal for everyone whether you're a new or existing customer. Swing by Verizon today for our best phone deals. 3 year price guarantee applies to then current base monthly rate only additional terms and conditions apply for all offers.

[Mike]

So like we said, August can be a pretty slow month. Some people may be taking trips to the Hamptons or the Jersey Shore or like me to the beautiful Catskills. But plenty of us are getting busy locally. I walked around town last weekend to bother people as they were biting into their lunches outside or hanging out and I got nosy and asked them to share their fun August plans in and around town and here's what they said.

[Karen Rankin]

I'm Karen Rankin from Mottville, New Jersey. Just love the feeling of summer and it's more laid back and I just feel I don't know it's just a bit. Everyone has a better attitude. More sunlight. So many things that I liked.

[Mike]

I feel like everybody gives each other a break a little bit. It's okay if it takes a little longer to get back to me.

[Karen Rankin]

I agree. And there's always a certain percentage of people that are on vacation in my office anyway. So it just makes it a little bit more. Agreed. Laid back. My plans for August are to try to do a few things. We try to go out for dinner on a weeknight every week. Because we usually don't do that during the school year because it's harder. Just try to do little things here and there. Try to get to a Yankee game. That's on the list of things to do. We haven't gotten to one yet this summer, so that's something we want to do. Last night went to Applegates, so had some ice cream. Things like that. Just things that we don't have time to do during the work school year.

[Mike]

You live in Monville, but you grew up in Cedar Grove. Anything down by you that you think people should check out in Morris County?

[Karen Rankin]

I'm trying to think in my town. I go to our summer concert series. But I'm sure they have that everywhere. I know we used to go to Brookdale park or we used to go to the parks around here. Nothing really.

[Mike]

My God, this is a bad commercial for Morris county in general. Come on, something. Give me something.

[Karen Rankin]

Like I said, I like to get outside. So we go to.

[Mike]

Yeah, a good hike is okay.

[Karen Rankin]

Yeah, we go to. We do hike. We go to Pyramid Mountain Hiking.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Hi, I'm Melissa and I'm from Bloomfield, New Jersey. I really like visiting Almost Ready Records in Montclair, New Jersey. They have really cool records. It's a small business owner from Brooklyn. You should check it out because it's a lot of fun. And every week they introduce new records. And they have all genres there too. We really like the Beatles, but I love me some like Tame Impala. Any blues records like Nat King Cole.

[Mike]

Sam J. What are you looking forward to doing during August? And any ideas for people around here? Seaside Heights is an hour and a half away. It's cleaned up a lot since my youth. I went five years ago and it was rough back then. But when I went this year, it cleaned up a lot. It's a lot more family friendly and it was actually. I wasn't expecting it to be so nice. We did a weekend down there. It was nice. Yeah, it's clean. The water looks like it's cleaning up the boardwalk is cleaned up and Anthony's cheesecake in Bloomfield all year round. But I have to say that August is cheesecake month. Maybe for you they're all cheesecake month. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I am Nicholas Withers. I'm a student at Bloomfield High School going into my senior year. Any other plans for the summer? I am going to keep reviewing and studying for the upcoming SAT In September. I might go to some function in Jersey City. It's a cultural thing for the West Indian and Caribbean peoples. And also I'm just going to keep training for sports like kickboxing as well as track and field, where I do it at Bloomfield High School as a sprinter and a pole vaulter. So now I hope to clear 10ft or higher. Amazing.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yep.

[Mike]

I would injure myself irreparably. My name is saad rahman. I'm 14 and upcoming sophomore in Montclair School. I think I'm going to be just staying in New Jersey, Montclair, but also going to the beach and having maybe a barbecue at home. Oh, that's nice. So some beach days, like drive down to the beach. See, I grew up in D.C. you couldn't. It was too far away. You couldn't just drive to the beach. It was like a whole thing. You had to stay overnight. But Jersey, yeah. All the beaches are close by to. Especially where we are in Montclair. Less than an hour and a half. What's your favorite? I like Point Pleasant Beach. Why? What's so great about Point Pleasant? I don't know. It's just where all my family meets up. My name is Rakin King. I'm the supervisor for Sweet Roots. It's a nonprofit organization and we promote young entrepreneurs for the summer. Wife's birthday coming up. So we try to get away. Sometimes we would leave, like, maybe go to like Jamaica or Mexico. But if we stay local, then, you know, we stay local. We enjoy it. I love the beach. I'm a beach guy. Hit the museum up, too. Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. It's something that me and, you know, my son or daughter look forward to doing. But because of busy schedules and stuff, like, it's hard to do it. But when we do, we do it and we enjoy it and, you know, try to make a memory of it.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I'm so proud of you, Mike. You were timid in the beginning of the season doing these men on the streets, women on the streets.

[Mike]

Never, Tim. I was just lazy. I was lazy.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Maybe lazy. I was being kind. Just a Little apprehensive about going up to strangers and. But now people know what the Montclair. No, but it's still always even. I still get a little. Is it okay if I. It's true, you know, you're stepping on their territory.

[Mike]

It's also, I will say it's different doing it where you live. Like when I used to do it in the city or in a neighborhood that I didn't live in or wherever. It's different when you're doing it. And if you're a jerk or whatever, you get spotted at the grocery store a week later you want to be anyway. So there is. There's more built into it. I guess you're right.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

There's more at stake.

[Mike]

Yeah, I do like talking to strangers.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I think they like talking to you. The gentleman at the end who said he just wants to create memories with his kids, I thought that was very endearing. And he's actually part of an entrepreneur group, right? A farm stand.

[Mike]

Yeah. So all those people at the end, him and those kids, they were part of a young entrepreneur group and they were running this farm stand at St. James Church. And they're doing it for two more Saturdays. So this coming Saturday and the next Saturday. And they cultivate fruits and veggies from local farms for certainly for the veggies. Some of the fruits, I think come from further away, but it's all like either organic or GMO free. But it's good stuff. And the kids are learning how to sell, how the business works. And it's a community organization out of Montclair High and Bloomfield High. The kids that I spoke to were all from either of those schools. It's also a nice way to spend a Saturday kind of hanging out, doing some good, learning something. Next. What if I told you that your dreams of stepping back in time, turkey leg in one hand, sword in the other, are about to come true? This month, Medieval Fest is back in Montclair for its second year, turning the art museum into the 14th century for one day only, rain or shine. Sunday, August 24th from 11:00am to 5:00pm yes.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Very exciting. I have to say. I spoke to its co organizer, Dana Hawkins Simons about all that's in store. Take a listen. Is it true that Medieval Fest is the hottest event of the summer in Montclair?

[Saad Rahman]

Absolutely. That's right. The Medieval Fest is the biggest, most popular event of the summer. Last year we had over 900 revelers having a great time at Montclair Art Museum.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

What is it about the medieval times that we just can't get over we want to relive the medieval times.

[Saad Rahman]

Yeah, that's a great question. I thought about this, and if you look at who came to our event last year, it was about three quarters of the attendees were millennial age people and their children. So it was very family friendly. I would say more than half of them came in costume. Clearly it's something that appeals to that generation in particular, and it may be because they grew up with what Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, Dungeons and Dragons. And I think it holds special appeal to that generation.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

That's a great point. That makes a lot of sense. Walk me through it.

[Saad Rahman]

We have the people are there in costume. So many people come in costume. There's so much going on for children. So we have something called Whack A Night where we have another nonprofit group called the Knights of Acre. They're an amazing medieval reenactment group. They come and they wear their full armor and they are very historically accurate in their appearance. And they're wonderful. They play all kinds of games with the kids. There's also archery for the kids. Last year we had indoor dance. We had a medieval folk dance inside, which was like there were several hundred people in there. And then we have a stage where we have music. There's beautiful medieval Renaissance music all afternoon. Just gorgeous. Plus we have great vendors. Montclair Brewery, they made a special Medieval Fest ale for us last year. They're doing it again this year. A delicious mead. I'm sure. I can't wait to try it. We have Sankofa Cafe, was brand new last year and they came and offered their delicious. I love their cold coffee. It's the best in their hibiscus tea. We also had Montclair Bread Company, which is now Montclair Bread la French dad. They were there offering amazing pomegranate cookies and of course, apple cider donuts and things like that. And then we also. This year, one thing I want to mention is that new vendor we have is called 0.5 Jersey. It's the only, like sophisticated sips, non alcoholic company in standalone shop in New Jersey. I think it's their first time doing a festival. Then we also have wonderful medieval vendors. So we say that we have a medieval marketplace. It's wonderful. And my goal, okay, my goal this year is that when you mentioned jazz fest and lit fest and film fest and all these moncler festivals that you also mention Medieval Fest, I think we've earned it. I think this is our second year at the Montclair Art Museum. And I think we should be right up there.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Thanks, Dana Hawkins Simons, for chatting with us. Tickets for Medieval Fest are still available @montclair early music.org and they're still accepting sponsors and volunteers. And as mentioned, Medieval Fest is organized by the nonprofit Montclair Early Music. It's an ensemble of musicians who love to play medieval, Renaissance and baroque music. Primarily, the members are recorder players. Mike, I feel like you would do very well with a recorder in your hand.

[Mike]

I like a recorder. This is actually funny. So, you know, as you might have heard, I'm in a band called Bard and Bard. It started out at St. James Church, and Jamie, the lead singer, started a Shakespeare group at St. James. You take like parts of these plays and he would write music into the scenes and turn the scenes into songs. And so it was all Shakespeare. It was all medieval type music. And over time it evolved into more of a rock band. And we take music from different poets and stuff like that. But back in the day when it was mainly Shakespeare stuff, and this was before I joined, they tried to play some Renaissance festivals and the music was too modern. They were just like, no, it's got to be period specific.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

It has to be historically accurate. Nope. No. Thank you.

[Mike]

To some extent. Yeah. And I'm sure, like back in the medieval times, people were walking around with blue slushies and turkey legs all the time. But whatever. I'm not going to. I'm not going to nitpick.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

All right, next. Montclair, as we know, is a fitness mecca. We have many wonderful options when it comes to our health, our fitness, and August is a great month, like any month, to start on your health goals. There's one fitness studio in particular that literally stopped us in our tracks on Bellevue Avenue. It's called Brain and Body Method. So true story. I was reporting on a local story and notice this sign for this place. And a neighbor told me right then and there about how they do astronaut workouts. And I immediately knew that we had to come back.

[Mike]

Yup, we went. All right last Friday. We suited up or. Well, I wore linen pants and I think that's what astronauts wear in space, too.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

They said to dress comfortably. They said we could dress comfortably.

[Mike]

No, we did.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah.

[Mike]

I was very comfortable. I was wearing my pants and a T shirt. I knew I was going to be on camera. I don't wear shorts on camera typically. And we entered the Brain and Body Method, and it's tucked into the back at 204 Bellevue Avenue in this sort of oasis I didn't even really know it existed or I didn't know any stores were back there.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, it was this bright leafy alleyway that sort of reminded me of how some of the small side streets in beach towns. And there nestled is Brain and Body Method, a state of the art studio with a very specific focus. Helping people over the age of 40 build strength, boost cardiovascular health and take control of how they age. Inside we meet its owner, Lex LeBlanc, who is also a certified women's health coach and yoga teacher.

[Mike]

Lex LeBlanc, the coolest name by the way. I was expecting to meet one of the Avengers or some sort of alter ego for a superhero. I don't know. Listen, as she put me and Farnoosh through a high altitude workout. She put us in all of these machines. I had never seen them before. I think you're going to get a kick out of this. Take a listen.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

He's vibrating. His whole body's vibrating.

[Mike]

Really vibrating.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

What'd you have for lunch today, Mike?

[Mike]

I had some Pasco rotisserie chicken.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Stepping inside Brain and Body Method in Upper Montclair, we quickly learned from its owner, Lex LeBlanc that this is not your typical gym. We are about to experience a strength training session, but not your average strength training session. We do things a little bit differently.

[Mike]

That's right. A full body workout is just 20 to 30 minutes. It's challenging, but you can come wearing whatever's comfortable. Spandex is optional.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

You also won't find free weights or a treadmill. Instead. Brandon Body Methods Studio is equipped with high tech resistance machines. And then on go, you're about 50. They use AI to to create custom workouts. Like everything in life that's evolving with technology, so has exercise. A lot of the equipment is used by pro athletes or top CEOs. It's almost like something that's been kept a secret. Like the way that they age so gracefully and so strong. We wanted to bring it to the public so that everyone could have access to it. Clients tend to come just twice a week and within a month they say they have better strength and stability. What we do here is really good for people 40 plus who don't want to go to the gym, who might be afraid of getting injured. Everything that we do adapts to the user, meaning it's very safe, very effective, very efficient. It looks a little intimidating. I'm not going to lie. These machines don't look familiar to most people. What's great about what we do here is every session is guided.

[Mike]

One on one, which I for one, was very thankful for. The first machine I hopped on was called the power plate. It sounds intense, but actually it's pretty relaxing. Like, imagine a theragun gently working your entire body all at once.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

And this is more of a warm up. This is a warm up. Yep. A lot of our clients are very busy with life, parenting, work. So when they come in here, sometimes they can be a little bit stressed or they brought some of the stress of the day with them. So this is a time for them to kind of get centered, get into their body. How do you feel?

[Mike]

I definitely feel like everything's tingling a little bit in a good way.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Next up for Mike is the leg press machine, which is designed to work slower and more intentionally than a traditional leg press. I'm going to give you four reps.

[Mike]

Okay.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

The first two are going to be your discovery reps. The last two you'll be able to push a little bit harder. And then the main thing you want to remember is that you want to breathe through the entire set. Breathe and plank.

[Mike]

Yes.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Breathe and press.

[Saad Rahman]

Almost there.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Almost there. And shoot.

[Mike]

That was much harder than I thought it was going to be. Next, Farnouche and I hit the All Core360 machine to put our abs to the test. For this, we get strapped into a chair with a red workout ball squeezed between our thighs.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

LeBlanc says the machine reminds her clients of either a roller coaster, space training, or a torture device. What was it like for you, Mike?

[Mike]

It did look like something from the right stuff. First of all, you're very snug in that thing. A lap belt came around, and it really keeps you in place. I don't know what to say except for the fact that I'd never done anything like it, and I kind of want to do it again.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Eventually, as you lean back, you're going to start to resist gravity, so then your core is going to turn.

[Mike]

I mean, I don't know if I technically even have a core at this point.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

The all core 360, by the way, was developed by a renowned chiropractor. It engages more than 50 core muscles while moving your body full circle in the air Anti gravity plane. How the astronauts went out, right? Yeah.

[Mike]

You're ready to go to Mars with Elon.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

And that was our trip to the brain and body method. This is cool. Brain and body method has a generous offer for our listeners, giving three complimentary sessions. For anyone interested in trying them out, Just mention the Montclair pod when you inquire. They're located again at 204 Bellevue Avenue. Go towards the back. They're in sweet C on the ground floor. Also check out our Instagram to actually see Mike do a 360 degree plank.

[Mike]

I had some college friends in town and I showed them that video and they laughed at me quite a lot. I think you'll enjoy it. Next, let's get into some music stuff. There's a lot to see and hear around Montclair, but also in the city. And I say that because this week it was the first time I saw a show at Forest Hill Stadium in Queens. And that's where the US Open used to be before it went to Flushing Meadows. It's an amazing space and they have a ton of upcoming shows. I just saw King Gizzard and the Lizard wizard there, and they were freaking amazing. A really cool band, but they've got kind of something for everyone. In August, I think they got Mumford and Sons, the Black Keys. Louis CK is doing a show there, John Bellion. And at the beginning of September, Leon Bridges is playing there. And Vanessa's going to that show and I might go with her for that.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Really cool.

[Mike]

It was a neat venue. And it's still like an active tennis club. There are like grass courts and there's lots of good food there. It's a little overpriced. They don't let you bring anything in, but there's tons of good stuff to eat. And it's just. It's a big stadium, but it's also intimate and it's outdoors.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

How is the drive?

[Mike]

I made it there in an hour and 20 minutes going, and I got parking for 20 bucks using an app. And it was about an hour and 20 home. It wasn't horrible. I took the GW Bridge. So you didn't have to pay congestion pricing or anything.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Look at you. Did you use Spot Hero?

[Mike]

No, I used Park Whiz, which is like the same thing.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Okay.

[Mike]

And while I was there, I actually made a new friend who happens to be the manager of the Headhunters. Now, I don't know if you guys know this band, but Headhunters is probably the most famous 70s jazz funk band of all time. Herbie Hancock used to lead it. I've loved them forever. Herbie Hancock's no longer in it, but their drummer is this guy Mike Clark. And guess who Mike Clark is married to? Farnish. Our professor. June Cross from Columbia J Square. Yeah, I'm friends with her on Facebook. And then a few years ago, I saw that she was getting married to Mike Clark. And I was like, oh, my God, June Cross is marrying, like, one of the coolest drummers of all time. And I fanboyed a little bit, and I would drop hints. I'd love to go see a show with you sometime, June. Because I worked for June for a little while, too, but maybe she'll go to that show.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

June Cross and everyone else at Columbia who still remembers us, who might know that we're doing this podcast. We'd love to collaborate. Columbia Journalism Review. I tagged you recently on an Instagram post.

[Mike]

Oh, I did notice that.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Let's get the word out about what we're doing. This was all hatched at J School.

[Mike]

This was born in Morningside Heights. That's true. So just to get back to the show, the Headhunters are playing at Iridium on August 14, and I think we should go. I think it's gonna be a sick show. And maybe we'll get June to come with us.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I see here you also have Lady Gaga at the Garden. What?

[Mike]

Yeah, Lady Gaga's at the Garden. I think if you're into a big show and maybe you're not going anywhere for the rest of the summer and you want to splurge a little bit, you could do worse than to go see Gaga at the Garden. I think that would be probably a pretty spectacular show.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Well, thanks for that music roundup, Mike.

[Mike]

You got it. And there's obviously plenty of music in and around Montclair.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, we got Jazz Fest coming up. We gotta warm up. We gotta warm up. I want to contribute some water ideas. I have a recommendation. My husband took the kids to Funplex in East Hanover last weekend, about 20 minutes away from Montclair. They've got a great water park with slides. Depending on when you go time and date, it costs between 35 and 55 bucks per wristband. The funplex.com is the website. One caveat. My kids said that if you go on, like, the weekends, most likely there are long lines to get up and ride down those slides, but well worth it. I would also recommend the Montclair pools, although the word on the street is that they're kind of meh. They could use some tlc. No, it's no Funplex, but it's no Verona. Or the Glen Ridge pool or the Maplewood pool. Everyone's been telling me about these other town pools and how they're so much nicer, not always free. And obviously, if you don't live there, you might not be able to join. I. I know that Maplewood, for example, you gotta be a resident. But they do allow friends. The Glen Ridge pool is, I think, open to people outside of Glen Ridge, although it's not cheap.

[Mike]

The Verona one, which is great for kids, they've got water slides and this and that. You just have to know a local who brings you as a guest.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Maybe we can get press passes or something. I want to cover 100. You know what? If I'm really desperate, I'm going to quote, unquote, cover the pools.

[Mike]

We're doing an investigation.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

They won't let you in if you're doing an investigation. If it was earlier in the summer, we could have embarked on a full blown investigation on the pool situation in town.

[Mike]

We've got a few pools in Montclair. That's what we got going for us. We got three pools, if I'm not mistaken. But they're all just like, like they were probably really nice pools when they opened in like 1963. Whenever that was.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

All right, now let's get into some hot events happening this weekend and sprinkled throughout the month since we are talking about the entire month of August. This Friday at the Montclair Art Museum, check out Wine and Wheel, a fun ceramics workshop where adults try their hand at the potter's wheel in a relaxed soap social setting. This is byob. Tickets are available on the museum website. That is cool.

[Mike]

I'm sorry we're gonna miss that. Vanessa would have loved that. She's amazing at pottery.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Now later this month, get a preview of Jazz Fest. The festival's Soundcheck series continues on Wednesday, August 20th at 7 o' clock in the evening at the Wellmont Arts Plaza where you've played.

[Mike]

Mike, that's a great spot.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Yeah, it's so much fun. There's usually a cash bar.

[Karen Rankin]

It's.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

It's free to obviously experience it, open to everybody and this is cool. The folks behind the Montclair Comedy Festival reached out to let us know that while the festival is happening this year, November 13th through the 15th, the applications are due this month. So if you want to get on stage at the Montclair Comedy Festival, you want to get in your application, which needs to include a video clip, your bio and your availability go to montclaircomedyfestival.com the application window closes August 31st.

[Mike]

Should we do it?

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I'm thinking we should do it. I performed at Caroline's, Mike. I feel like we need to come up with some fresh material.

[Mike]

I did a standup routine at something called the Asshole Monologues, which was like a charity. So you know the Vagina Monologue with Eve Ensler years ago? So this was something that a friend of mine who was raising money for the Crohn's and Colitis foundation created. He called it the Asshole Monologues. And I did a standup routine. This was like 20 years ago.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

How does it work with two people, though, doing stand up? Oh, like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah. But there's actual comedy duos. Somebody's gotta be the straight man and somebody's gotta be the wacky man.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Gee, I wonder who that's gonna be in our duo. Speaking of comedy, Aziz Ansari is performing at the Wellmont August 24th. Is that the same night as Lady Gaga is coming to the city? No, you can do Lady Gaga on the 22nd and then Aziz Ansari on the 24th at the Wellmont. Tickets are on sale. He's one of the stars of the hit show Parks and Rec and he's the creator and star of the Netflix series Master of None. Brilliant show. I wish it would come back.

[Mike]

Yeah, he got canceled for a minute, but he seems to be coming back now.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

I think he was redeemed. Treat yourself.

[Mike]

That's a nice way to end the show. Treat yo self well. It's been a real treat exploring so many topics and issues in town this season. We will see you back here next week and be sure you're subscribed and that you join our email community. Be among the first to learn about the important updates, news and exclusive promotions and events and all the great things we have to share.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

People so much in store. Thank you so much for listening for hanging out with us this season. We hope you'll continue to stick around and we will see you in town.

[Mike]

See you in town, Sam. This episode of the Montclair Pod is brought to you by Montclair Film, our town's hub for film storytelling and community connection. From thought provoking indie screenings and Q&As with acclaimed filmmakers to improv nights, live performances and classes in filmmaking, screenwriting and much more, Montclair Film offers something for everyone who loves the power of a story. It's also home to one of the country's premier film festivals each fall, drawing audiences and talent from around the world. Right here to Montclair. Want to see what's playing or sign up for a class? Visit montclairfilm.org for the full calendar of events and ways to get involved. Now on with the show.

[Farnoosh Torabi]

Popsicles, sprinklers, a cool breeze. Talk about refreshing. You know what else is refreshing this summer? A brand new phone with Verizon. Yep. Get a new phone on any plan with select phone. Trade in and MyPlan and lock down a low price for three years on any plan with MyPlan. This is a deal for everyone whether you're a new or existing customer. Swing by Verizon today for our best phone deals. 3 year price guarantee applies to then current base monthly rate only. Additional terms and conditions apply for all offers. Looking for a high yield savings account or car insurance? I've curated my go to financial tools all in one [e-mail] these are the resources I trust, presented in partnership with Money magazine. So Money Links is no overwhelm, no fluff, just solid vetted options to help you save more and stress less. So moneylinks.com check it out.