Dancing in the Kitchen

Welcome back to Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast!

Did I mention April is my Birthday month? HAHA. So who better to have a conversation with, than the person who brought me into this world - my MOM. On this episode Mom and I sat at the table and chatted about so many things. We talk about my dad being an identical twin and some funny stories she remembers while they were dating and even now, how my dad and uncle are often thought to be each other and the jokes they play on people. Mom was a teenager in the 1950's so she loves the music from that era still to this day, and she shares her story of going to see Elvis in concert - even though she didn't really like him prior, she sure did like him after.

I always love chatting with my mom. Every time I learn something new. And I guess now ya know where my love of baking and cooking comes from, huh? It’s so fun to sit down with your parents, or grandparents and hear their stories – it just takes you to a different time and place; and really know where you came from. Don’t you think it really puts your own life into perspective too? I think it absolutely helps to connect the dots so to speak. I hope you enjoy this conversation and that you have a chance to chat with your mom; if not, I hope and pray you have fond memories of her and hold them close to your heart.

Love you Mom!

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Facebook Group @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast / IG @diningwithdebi

Welcome back to Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast!

April is my BIRTHDAY month! Birthdays have always been very important in our family, so I wanted to focus on family for the next few weeks to celebrate that. In today's episode I sat down with my oldest son, Dominic. We chatted about his favorite foods, his love of video games and where that's leading him today; our Christmas cookie tradition and how it got started; and how he and his fiance dance in the kitchen.

It was really fun having this conversation with Dominic. He is such a kind, caring, loving kid…I mean man. Oh my gosh! How did my little Domino that was always picked on in school grow up to be such a tall, intelligent, creative, handsome MAN?! I love how he still looks out for his little sister and has a good relationship with his brother too. Now that he has been on his own for a few years, I miss him…and his hugs…he’s always managed to make me feel loved no matter what. Having him over for dinner or just visiting is always so special. I’m so proud of the man he has become and where he is heading in life. I can’t wait for you to meet him.

P.S. I'm gonna be real here for a minute, and please forgive me...but there are parts of the audio that fade out and I just can't figure out how to fix it. Guess it's part of being self-taught and figuring it all out as you go.

Let’s connect:

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Facebook Group @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast / IG @diningwithdebi

Today on the podcast we are going to do a little slow dance around a subject that not many will talk about – suicide survival. While we don’t go into all the details here, and I promise this slow dance doesn’t consume our entire conversation, but my friend Amy Fowler is a shining example of someone who was at her lowest point and has found the way to shine a light on her experience and let us know it’s possible to heal the hurt and find happiness and purpose in everyday life.

Amy lives in Ontario, Canada with her hubby, Aug and their adorable pup, Pepper… and like I said…she’s a suicide survivor. During the course in which I met her, she discovered it was her purpose to share her story and is now helping others through her intuitive energy healing sessions. She will brighten up the room with her smile and is that friend that will hold your hand and drag you out on to the dance floor. She is truly hungry for happiness! Amy also hosts a podcast called “In Her Feelings” and talks about all the things. I can’t wait for you to meet her! She will share a bit of her story, where she was and where she’s heading. We will talk about how music stirs her soul and how she and her hubby have always loved dancing in the kitchen!

Thanks again friends for tuning in. I would love to see what you’re up to! Come join us in the Facebook group Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast and introduce yourself! Shoot me a DM there if you, or someone you know would like to join me on the dancefloor in my kitchen (aka on this podcast), or if you have any questions. Friends, could you also do me a favor and please subscribe to this podcast and leave a review, it really helps to get the word out to make a difference.

Before we leave, and in light of today’s episode I want you to know that help is available, and you are not alone. If you or someone you love is feeling hopeless and having suicidal thoughts, PLEASE reach out. I will always be here to sit and listen and just be still with you. Find someone you trust and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Or if that’s not an option, please call a professional counselor or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. I honestly believe God has a plan for you…please trust in that …even in the hurt and hard times. There is sun on the other side of the clouds.

You can find Amy on Instagram @treat.yourself.first or on Facebook @AmyFowler

Until next time…keep Dancing in the Kitchen!

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Let’s connect:

Like the podcast? Subscribe and leave a review!

Facebook Group @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast / IG @diningwithdebi

Isn’t it great that we can meet so many people from around the world with all of the technology that we have access to today?

Moving along through the month of March and celebrating International Women, today you will get to meet my friend Mariam Berzon. Mariam is a child of Russian immigrants, born in Memphis, TN and currently living in Modi’in Israel …but tucked in there she also lived in New York for 10 years while her husband attended medical school and completed his residency. I met Mariam through…you guessed it…the program I took last Fall called Made To Do This. And I swear I’m not getting paid to talk about this all the time. It truly has changed my life. It still just blows my mind that a 12-week course has opened my eyes, my mind, expanded my community and my skills, created so many new friendships… everything. Like I said, it’s simply changed my life and my world. And I am so grateful that I’m able to share it with you.

One of those new friendships that has been such a blessing to me, is of course that with Mariam Berzon. Mariam has created an amazing Coaching Through Art program that has been super therapeutic for me, and everyone else that has taken one of her classes. She has combined her talents of coaching women and creating art. Think along the lines of a wine and paint party with your girlfriends…but learning and healing at the same time. And without the wonders of technology, we would have never experienced this together. She is a fantastic artist, and has a beautiful family…who happens loves dancing in their kitchen every Friday. I love how Mariam reminds us to be present and mindful of where we’re at…right here and right now. And to be grateful…for overcoming challenges... and enjoying life. I guess I never thought of dancing as another form of meditation, but when you think about it, she’s totally right… it really does allow us to be in the present moment and celebrate.

You can find Mariam on Instagram @MariamBerzon

Let’s connect:

Like the podcast? Subscribe and leave a review!

Facebook Group @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast / IG @diningwithdebi

Continuing with our celebration of International Women this month… today you are in for a treat and I cannot wait for you to meet my friend Jennifer Legra. Jen is a Cuban transplant from Jersey living in Guadalajara, Mexico by way of the Dominican Republic. You will feel her zest for life right through the airways! She is someone you would definitely want to enjoy a cocktail or two with…or the whole bottle for that matter. And speaking of that…she has created such a fun atmosphere with the virtual Happy OURs that she co-hosts with her husband and shares on her blog and website…rightfully titled “Drinking the Whole Bottle”. From hosting private parties and creating a book club called “The Collective Pour”, to helping others live life uncorked and savor every drop. I love the metaphors she uses for living life uncorked and will let her tell you all about it along with her other ventures and what it is that makes her dance in the kitchen.

You can find Jen her on Instagram @drinkingthewholebottle or find her Facebook group by the same name…and don’t forget the blog and website www.drinkingthewholebottle.com.

Let’s connect:

Like the podcast? Subscribe and leave a review!

Facebook Group @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast / IG @diningwithdebi

March is International Women’s Month – or some say it’s Women’s History Month, either way March is all about inspirational women here on the podcast!

In today’s episode you will meet my friend, the beautiful and multi-talented Vanessa McMahan. Vanessa is a professional dancer and actress living in New York City who literally loves to dance in her kitchen. I love watching her Instagram reels and feeling the joy she sends out by sharing her love of food and dance. You will hear about her family’s Mexican heritage and the memories she shares from her childhood… how she got started dancing at a young age…her time as a Radio City Rockette…and how she’s transitioned into acting and teaching/coaching. Follow her on Instagram @thevanessamcmahan or her Facebook Group – Groove Is In The Heart! and check out her website: vanessamcmahan.com

Until next time…keep Dancing in the Kitchen!

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Let’s connect:

Like the podcast? Subscribe and leave a review!

Facebook Group @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast / IG @diningwithdebi

Hey, have you ever met a group of totally random strangers and wondered what the heck did you just get yourself into? But then once you meet them, you just know and feel it in your gut they are going to be your bff’s for life?! Or maybe you have a group of girlfriends that you could just pick up right where you left off as if no time passed since the last time you got together?

Well, today you will get to meet that group of girlfriends for me! This was definitely a divine download of us coming together. God knew what he was doing when our Pod9 was created. We’ve ugly cried, laughed our butts off, had all night chats, inside jokes, and we support each other…both personally and professionally. We came together through the program called Made To Do This…you may have heard me talk about it a time or twenty. From the very beginning we just clicked. When the program got hard, and trust me…it got pretty intense at times, we were always looking out for each other and named our little Pod 9 as the "Got Your Back Girls". And even though the program has ended, we are still soul sisters.

On this episode you will join us for Happy Hour which we recorded around the holidays as we talk about so many things that make us hungry for happiness.

Let's connect!

Facebook: @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast (group) or @diningwithdebi33

Instagram: @diningwithdebi (that’s my cooking & community page for singles and empty-nesters)

Here's where you can find my friends and support their businesses:

Debbie Friedlander - @deborahlynnedesigns on IG and FB and www.deborahlynnedesigns.com

Lianne Lum - @wherethewildpinesgrow on IG and FB

Isabelle Mosca - @ourlifeonthebrightside on IG; @LifeOnTheBrightSide on FB; OR website: www.faces4autism.org

Jennifer Fuchs - @jenniferfuchs on IG

Jenn Taylor - @JTJoySeeker on IG

Ginny Iabonni - @DontSweatTheClassroom on IG

Today, you will meet my friend Terry Thomsen, Founder of Feel Good Dough, a 100% clean organic and vegan pizza dough & more. I met Terry years ago and we have shared many memories around food and being in the kitchen. In this episode she will share how she started her business and brand from scratch in Cleveland, Ohio at the West Side Market; and her product is now available in 20 states. She created Feel Good Dough out of her need for clean eating and realized others must have the same issues. We talk about the toxins in wheat, her favorite meal which stemmed from childhood, her granddaughters, our time together with The Pampered Chef, and how clear she is about her purpose.

ANNOUNCEMENT: WE ARE DOING OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY! For everyone who takes a screenshot of this episode, tags Terry (@feelgooddough) and I (@diningwithdebi) and shares it on your social media – you will go into a drawing to win a FREE Feel Good Dough dry mix! How cool is that?! I’m telling you… this dough is the bomb! We will choose 5 lucky listeners at random on Wednesday, February 24th and will announce the winners on my Instagram, @diningwithdebi. Oh, it will also be in the Facebook group, Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast. Aaannnd...I will shout out the winners on next week’s episode!

Thank you for listening! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen, so you don’t miss an episode. and join me on the dance floor – in your kitchen, or wherever it is that you find joy!

Until next time…keep Dancing in the Kitchen!

Let’s connect!

Facebook: @DancingInTheKitchenPodcast (group) or @diningwithdebi33

Instagram: @diningwithdebi (that’s my cooking & community page for singles and empty-nesters)

You can find Terry on Instagram and Facebook @FeelGoodDough. Order your dough online: www.feelgooddough.com or find a store near you.

Welcome back to Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast! I met Kelly Bailey a couple years ago in a local networking group and trust me, you will fall in love with her! She’s funny, she’s so full of life, very active, she’s gorgeous, and did I say she’s funny? In this conversation we talk about her #thefunnyfitnesstrainer and how it came to be, the impact it’s had on her personal and business life, and how she deals with stress through humor. We talk about the silver linings in hard times, our shared love around travel and taking a food trip, her balanced eating habits, intermittent fasting, eating disorders, and the relationships we should have with food. She is a great trainer/coach and she helped me personally lose 15 lbs. in her IF coaching group which has made me feel great. She is such a light and has such a great energy about her.

If you’d like to learn more about Intermittent Fasting, balanced, intentional eating and fitness... then I highly recommend you follow Kelly at #thefunnyfitnesstrainer, or on her Facebook page Kelly Bailey Fitness, or check out her website: kellybailey.fit (that’s www.kellybailey.fit) and stay up-to-date on her upcoming programs and services.

If you’d like to connect and see what I’m up to…as always.. then head on over to social media! I’m usually hanging out on Instagram @debs_410 or @diningwithdebi (that’s my cooking and community page – and by the way Debi is spelled d-e-b-I and it’s all one word diningwithdebi), you can find it on Facebook too @diningwithdebi33. I would love to see what you’re up to as well! Check out the brand-new Facebook group Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast and introduce yourself! Shoot me a DM if you, or someone you know would like to join me on the dancefloor in my kitchen (aka on this podcast), or if you have any questions. And could you do me a favor? Could you please subscribe to this podcast and take a screenshot of this episode, tag me, and share it with your friends? – that would be AWESOME! Because how cool will it be if we can make a difference in just one person’s life by sharing our stories and talking about our favorite foods, favorite music, and what lights us up? I hope you leave today inspired and ready to find what makes YOU hungry for happiness. So again, please subscribe… and join me on the dance floor – in your kitchen, or wherever it is that you find joy! Until next time…keep Dancing in the Kitchen!

Welcome to Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast! On this episode I invite you listen in on a conversation with my beautiful daughter, Kayleigh. We reminisce about younger days around the dinner table and her brothers (my sons) , youth cheerleading, her choice to become vegetarian at a very young age and now living a vegan lifestyle, dance parties in the kitchen, and her art. We talk about an inside joke regarding salad, because the extended family just didn't get the whole vegetarian thing (at the time) and always said, "well, you can have a salad" at various functions. (Maybe you had to be there.) You know, as a parent when you’re raising your children, you hope what you teach them, sticks…and that they remember those lessons. So, when I heard her say what she did in this conversation, it made my heart dance!! It's great to hear her talk about the positive relationship she has with food now, and how important that is in relationships and life in general.

I would also love to connect with you on social media! You can find me on Instagram @debs_410 or @diningwithdebi (that's my cooking & community page), or join us in the new Facebook Group - Dancing in the Kitchen Podcast.

Can't wait to take you on this journey with me and hope it inspires you to discover what stirs your soul! In the meantime, keep on Dancing in the Kitchen!