Life of Gusto

My guests on this episode are Roberto Saldahna and Laura Rabelo, a Brazilian couple who, just before the lockdown in 2020, took a leap of faith and opened World Green Acai in Larkspur, CA, Despite the challenges of the pandemic, they managed to survive and are now fully open, creating a popular gathering place for Marin residents to enjoy authentic acai and other Brazilian treats. Join us for a brief conversation about their journey to California, what acai really tastes like, and their passion for sharing Brazilian food and culture. You’ll find World Green Açai on the web at worldgreenacai.com and on Instagram @worldgreenacai.

My guest on this opening episode for Season 3 is Lucy Davis. Lucy is currently Director of Product Design at Instagram. Tune in to hear Lucy share insights from her nearly two decades of experience in the design world. We also discuss some of the cultural considerations of user experience, a few of her own design inspirations, and her journey to working for one of the world’s most influential companies. You’ll find Lucy on Instagram. Her handle is @lucepdavis.

My guest on this episode is Haleigh Washington. Haleigh is a professional volleyball player and a member of the US Women’s National Team that won the Olympic Gold Medal in indoor volleyball this summer in Tokyo, Japan. Haleigh is a graduate of Penn State Univeristy, where she was a 3-time All-American and helped lead her team to a Big Ten title, two final four appearances, and an NCAA Championship title. She currently plays for the professional club team Igor Gorgonzola in Novara, Italy. Tune in for a conversation about Haleigh’s journey to volleyball, how a growth mindset fueled her development into an elite athlete, her passion for learning on and off the court, and of course, the road to winning an historic gold medal at the Olympic Games. ⁣ You’ll find Haleigh on the web. She’s @Hales__Storm on Instagram and @Hales__Yeah on Twitter. (FYI those are double underscores).

My guest is Eric Bissell. He’s a climber and photographer based in Bishop, California. After a brief stint working in the art world in New York City, Eric pursued his love for climbing and the outdoors over eight seasons as a climbing ranger in Yosemite National Park. Along the way he’s traveled the world in search of challenging boulder problems and to establish new routes on big walls in Venezuela, Kenya, and Krygystan. Join us for a conversation about his passion for climbing, the challenges of documenting a climb, and what it’s like to scale Yosemite’s famed wall, El Capitan. ⁣ You’ll find Eric on Instagram his handle is @ericbissell. He’s also an Ambassador for @lasportivana and @gnarlynutrition. You can read about and see photos from his trip to Mt. Ololokwe in Kenya at Patagonia Stories: https://www.patagonia.com/stories/first-photo-camels-in-kenya/story-92757.html

My guest on this episode is Joyce Tang. She is a pastry chef and founder of Bake Sum where she and her team craft inventive pastries fusing Asian flavors and ingredients with classic French techniques. Tune in to hear how Joyce stepped away from a burgeoning career in Silicon Valley to pursue her love of baking, her thoughts on creativity, and how, during the depths of the pandemic, she successfully reimagined and grew her business and is now on the verge of opening her very first storefront in Oakland, California. You’ll find Joyce on LinkedIn and on Facebook. Bake Sum is on Instagram @bakesumpastries and on the web at bakesum.com.

My guest on this episode is Azikiwee Anderson. He created Rize Up Bakery based in San Francisco and makes artisan sourdough bread in traditional and nontraditional ways with unique, sometimes unexpected flavor combinations. Tune in to hear about Azikiwee’s own unconventional background as a skater, his transition to food, his creative process, and how he is using Rize Up Baker to connect people with one another and make a difference in the world, one beautiful loaf of bread at a time. If you like what you hear, hit the subscribe button, share the podcast with your friends, and thanks for listening. ⁣ You’ll find Azikiwee & Rize Up Bakery on the web at rizeupsourdough.com and on Instagram @rize_up_sourdough.

My guest on this episode is Michael Mongan, the Solicitor General for the state of California. Mr. Mongan has more than 15 years of experience in both private law and government. He’s worked in Congress, served as a clerk for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court, and was Deputy Counsel for Vice President Joe Biden during the first two years of the Obama Administration. ⁣ Mr. Mongan has argued three cases before the Supreme Court: a defense of DACA which was upheld by the Court in 2020; a defense of the Affordable Care Act in California v. Texas; and the defense of a California rule that grants union organizers temporary access to farms for the purposes of meeting with employees. Decisions for the latter two cases are still pending and are expected in late June. ⁣ Tune in for a conversation about his journey to a career in the law and public service and what it’s like to argue before the Supreme Court, in-person and remotely.

My guest is Mika McKinnon. She’s a geophysicist, disaster researcher, educator, and science communicator. Mika has also served as a science consultant on a number of tv shows and films including Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe, Madam Secretary, and Star Trek Discovery. Join us for a conversation about everything from this week’s volcano eruption in Iceland, what rocks tell us about our past and future, exploring other planets, to what it’s like to work on science fiction shows, and why throwing a block party might be the best thing you can do to prepare for a disaster. Mika’s passion for science is infectious: you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more enthusiastic about learning. ⁣ You’ll find Mika on the web. Her Twitter handle is @mikamckinnon. She’s also on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

The Life of Gusto podcast is back for Season 2! My first guest is Charles Salter, President and Chief Operating Officer of News Literacy Project, which provides educators with the tools and resources to help young people become informed, active consumers of news and information. In this episode, he shares his insights into how we arrived at this period where truth itself is under siege, the challenges of navigating our complex information landscape, and most importantly, why civics education is a key component to helping preserve our democracy. He also shares what he's learned about leadership over the course of his 25 years in education and nonprofit management. ⁣ You’ll find Chuck on the web. He’s Charles Salter in Linkedin and on Twitter his handle is @saltercrs. For more information, free curriculum and resources, visit News Literacy Project at newslit.org.

In this special episode, a round up of Season 1 highlights: a few of my favorite clips, some extended conversations, and a little bonus content sprinkled throughout. ⁣ A big shout out to all of my guests and to all of my listeners for your support, feedback, and encouragement. Come back in 2021 for more conversation about finding your way—and living a life of gusto.