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Bar Talk: a collection of unscripted conversations from all walks of life

What are the people saying tonight? Sit down with a new pair New Yorkers each week as they catch up at a local watering hole. Frustrations, dreams, conspiratorial musings … the night is young and at The Richardson bar, the world is bigger than ever.

The Idea

Andrew Mullen and I were seated at a bar one night when the idea came to us. As usual, we were discussing literature. The buzz kicked in. We began talking about Literature with a capital L, leaving behind the particulars of our work. We were dreaming, we were philosophizing, we were rambling. Then we abandoned literature altogether and made sure our souls were spent by the end of the night. When we asked for the check, we realized that we were curious about what kind of conversations other people might have once they reached that tipping point. People completely different from us. Would they conform to our stereotypes? Or would the universality of the human condition take over after three drinks? We set out to snatch those conversations and make a collection out of them. One that could come to represent New York City in 2022 and become an anthropological record to be consumed as both entertainment and future reference.

 

If you like our work, you can support Bar Talk on our Patreon. Your contribution goes a long way, as our YouTube videos tend to be ineligible for monetization due to the bar's background music.

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Episodes

Bar Talk Ep. 31: Two Brewers Talk the Perfect Beer, Teaching Your Kids Hip Hop, Finding Community
42:36

Bar Talk Ep. 31: Two Brewers Talk the Perfect Beer, Teaching Your Kids Hip Hop, Finding Community

"You know my mission is to push boundaries and fuck around, but right now I just wanna make a perfect after-cycling-in-the-French-Mountains white beer, so that we can all just sit around and just fuckin' talk again." Meet Augie and Jesse, two beer masters who have made a name for themselves crafting strong brew--the kind that brings people together. A mutual love for De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, a penchant for tasteful bathroom vandalism, an ongoing search for community in the wake of the pandemic... We're back, folks! It's Episode 31, and the open-source Bible of beer is on tap. Augie Carton is owner of Carton Brewing Co. of Atlantic Highlands, NJ, and co-host of the podcast Steal This Beer. An epicurean of the most hedonistic order, he first met Jesse through their wives, and the two immediately bonded over good cooking and good beer. One day Augie turned to Jesse with a question: Why couldn’t they find a low-alcohol beer loaded with hops? They devised a recipe, called Boat Beer, which became the flagship beverage of their future business, Carton Brewing. Jesse Ferguson is owner of Interboro Spirits & Ales, Brooklyn's first craft brewery and distillery. Formerly manager of independent rap label Def Jux, Jesse has a long history in the hip hop scene of 2000s Brooklyn, collaborating with artists such as Run The Jewels and Junk Science. Follow Augie on IG @cartonbrewing Follow Jesse on IG @interboronyc Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ 00:00 Teaser 00:12 Intro 00:29 Straight Vodka & Gin 01:11 Missing De La Soul 04:22 The Day MCA Died 07:11 My Daughter & De La 10:24 The Right Kind of Vandalism 15:09 Rick Rubin & The Kick in the Ass That Was 2022 24:02 Beer As An Open-Source Bible 28:23 Drinking & Zooming 31:13 Secret Agents 33:18 Redbreast Taste Test 34:31 Give 'Em What Makes Them Happy Because There's No Happiness Left 40:00 We Are Drinking Gin Drinks 42:20 Shout-Outs Intro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults
I thought I was a wizard growing up! That's why I became a conductor.
03:36

I thought I was a wizard growing up! That's why I became a conductor.

Meet Zoe and Nick, two prolific up-and-coming music creators taking on the world one stage at a time, supporting each other all along the way. To learn more about them, check out the full Episode 30 on our channel! Zoe Ko is a young NYC-based singer-songwriter journaling her life through the emotive juxtaposition of upbeat & moody pop rock. Praised for her vulnerable lyrics and infectious melodies, Zoe is quickly establishing herself as a prominent tastemaker in the alt-pop genre. Her lead single "Line" quickly amassed over 415K streams, landing on numerous Spotify editorial playlists including Fresh Finds ‘Class of 22’ & Young and Free. Her latest single, “Lovesick in Public,” has seen editorial placements including Spotify’s Fresh Finds Pop & Rock ‘Best of 22’, The New Alt, & Apple’s New In Pop. Nick Sienkiewicz is a NYC-based conductor, music director, and educator. Raised in Romeo, MI, Nick’s passion for music started with piano and voice lessons at age 6, along with an early proclivity for wizardry. A recovered chemist, Nick went on to double-major in Biochemistry and Voice in Western Michigan University, and obtained a Master’s Degree in Conducting from Indiana University at age 23 . He’s currently living the musician’s life and conducts the Lehigh Valley Chorale and the Youth Pride Chorus, while also teaching in the musical theatre department at the New York Film Academy. Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ Outro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults #bartalk #conductor #wizard #growingup #magicspell #choralconducting #conductors #justchatting #overheard #singersongwriter #poprock #musicianlife #doginthebackground #nocap #potions
Bar Talk Ep. 30: Two Musicmakers Talk Coming Out, Cedric Diggory, Making It Rain
41:02

Bar Talk Ep. 30: Two Musicmakers Talk Coming Out, Cedric Diggory, Making It Rain

Ever wonder what it’s like to come out to your mom on stage? Conjure a bolt of lightning out of thin air? Bet a thousand dollars on camera? Meet Zoe and Nick, two prolific up-and-coming music creators taking on the world one stage at a time, supporting each other all along the way. Zoe Ko is a young NYC-based singer-songwriter journaling her life through the emotive juxtaposition of upbeat & moody pop rock. Praised for her vulnerable lyrics and infectious melodies, Zoe is quickly establishing herself as a prominent tastemaker in the alt-pop genre. Her lead single "Line" quickly amassed over 415K streams, landing on numerous Spotify editorial playlists including Fresh Finds ‘Class of 22’ & Young and Free. Her latest single, “Lovesick in Public,” has seen editorial placements including Spotify’s Fresh Finds Pop & Rock ‘Best of 22’, The New Alt, & Apple’s New In Pop. Nick Sienkiewicz is a NYC-based conductor, music director, and educator. Raised in Romeo, MI, Nick’s passion for music started with piano and voice lessons at age 6, along with an early proclivity for wizardry. A recovered chemist, Nick went on to double-major in Biochemistry and Voice in Western Michigan University, and obtained a Master’s Degree in Conducting from Indiana University at age 23 . He’s currently living the musician’s life and conducts the Lehigh Valley Chorale and the Youth Pride Chorus, while also teaching in the musical theatre department at the New York Film Academy. Follow Zoe on IG @itszoeko Follow Nick on IG @nick.sienkiewicz Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ 00:00 Teaser 00:17 Intro 00:33 No One Knew My Second Life 03:04 Deaf in One Ear 05:12 Pink Noise 07:40 The Higher the Heel, the Tighter the Skirt 09:00 Keeping Up Appearances 13:25 Romeo, Oh Romeo 15:23 I Used to Steal Make-Up 17:57 Coming Out on Stage 21:51 The Robert Pattinson Affair 27:04 Muddy Paws 28:52 You're a Wizard, Nick 35:05 The Bowery Ballroom & The Flying Bra 39:42 Shout-Outs Intro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults Outro Song: "Line" by Zoe Ko
Bar Talk Ep. 29: Two Restauranteurs Talk ChatGPT, Stevie Wonder, Zombie Apocalypse
39:38

Bar Talk Ep. 29: Two Restauranteurs Talk ChatGPT, Stevie Wonder, Zombie Apocalypse

Buckle up, bartalkers, tonight we’re going for a ride through the uncanniest of valleys. Meet Tom and Aaron, two friends in the hospitality business coming to grips with the light-speed world around them. Whether it’s traversing the city or surfing the interwebs, talk is cheap and attention is short in the modern day. How are we supposed to find community in the midst of so much transience? How can we stay in tune with the real? What is real, when AI chatbots are writing poetry and conjuring images out of thin air, and the algorithm doesn’t seem to discriminate between truth and fiction? Are schools still how we educate ourselves? It’s a trip and a half cruising down the cosmic superhighway, and Tom and Aaron are tackling the loftiest of questions, from the astronomical to the astrological. Aren’t we all just hitchhiking our way through cyberspace? Aaron Beener is a Harlem-based restauranteur, linguist, and artist. He is the owner and cofounder of Seasoned Vegan, NYC’s premier vegan kitchen, which he operates with his mother Brenda. When he’s not whipping up gourmet vegan soul food, Aaron putting his MS in Spanish Language and Linguistics to use to decipher and share modern language phenomena on TikTok @WordsMeanThingsBro. Tom Buddha Spaceman (TBS) is an artist, writer, symbologist, and hospitality executive. They met Aaron while working together at Seasoned Vegan and have been close collaborators ever since. With 14 years of experience in the hospitality industry, they have served the people in restaurants, studios & temples alike, and are currently composing their first album & first novel for release this summer. Follow Aaron on IG @cool_beens Follow Tom on IG @tombuddhasp3c3m3n Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ 00:00 Teaser 00:09 Intro 00:25 How May I Assist You Today? 01:21 More Love on the Streets, Bruh 02:11 Rihanna vs. the Critics 03:58 Community in the Anthropocene 06:14 The Mysteries of ChatGPT 08:08 The Newer Beings 11:06 AI Drawings, Scopophilia, Susan Sontag 15:02 Anchor Tom 16:37 Zombies are the Great Equalizer 21:05 Fake Butts and Michael Jackson 24:52 The Magic of Stevie Wonder 27:18 The Year of the UFO 31:22 Buying Land & Growing Your Own Food 36:18 The World Needs Some Buddha 39:22 Shout-Outs Intro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults
Bar Talk Ep. 28: Two Brooklyn Natives Talk Best Fillmore Concerts, NYC Pizza, Paulie Negroni
39:00

Bar Talk Ep. 28: Two Brooklyn Natives Talk Best Fillmore Concerts, NYC Pizza, Paulie Negroni

"It is what it is." "Whaddaya gonna do." Born and raised in the great borough of Brooklyn, Paulie Gee and his friend Jimmy C. go way, way back. Lifelong friends, business partners, ski buddies, live music lovers, the two have a hearty rapport that stretches back decades of meals, concerts, and good cheer. As Paulie put it, "Back in 1970, Jimmy and I used to buy low and sell high." Folks, if you thought you knew pizza, mix yourself up a brew - it's episode 28! Paulie Gee—owner and proprietor of Paulie Gee's in Greenpoint, Brooklyn—is a New York pizza legend. In 2010, at the age of 56, he left a corporate IT career to turn his culinary passion into a "retirement plan." Soon after, he opened Paulie Gee's, which quickly cemented itself as an NYC landmark—in a city that prides itself on the best pizza in the world, a crown jewel. In the years since, he has gone on to open a vintage mid-century slice shop around the corner, as well as locations in New Orleans, Chicago, Columbus, and Philadelphia. Jimmy C. was born in Brooklyn and has lived there ever since. In his mid twenties he left the retail company he was working with, and with his wife, Bess, started their own business, Landing Gear LGX, located in the Roosevelt Field Mall. Follow Paulie on IG @pauliegee Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ 00:00 Teaser 00:26 Intro 00:41 The Sazerac & The Paulie Negroni 02:23 A Little Morrissey Thing Going on There 03:36 A Famous Mobster Hangout 04:49 Breaking the Wall with Jackie Gleason & Billy Cobham 11:20 I Think I'm Ready for Another One 13:36 I Made New Friends 16:14 Making Pizza on a No-Carb Diet 18:50 If I Ask for Another One, Cut Me Off 20:31 Sofia Coppola in Sicily 22:01 My Favorite Cure Song 23:49 Chef's Night Out 25:25 As You Get Older in Life 27:18 If You Could Go Back & See One Concert 28:48 A Lift for a Steak Dinner 31:25 The Englishtown Flea Market 33:00 I'd Like to Talk to the Owner Intro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults
Bar Talk Ep. 27: Two Actors Talk Wedding Planning, Playing Villains, Crying Onstage
41:32

Bar Talk Ep. 27: Two Actors Talk Wedding Planning, Playing Villains, Crying Onstage

Ever wondered how actors tear up at will on stage? The flip of the switch can be stark: one minute they’re joking around backstage, the next they’re donning the mask of a cold-blooded villain on camera. When the muse calls, can you turn a deaf ear to your better angels? Meet Shea and Anna, two friends and vibrant actors bold enough to kick it at the bar, and, well—be themselves! Folks, it’s episode 27, the masks are coming off, and we’re pulling back the curtain. Whether it’s planning your own wedding, parsing King Lear, or binging Emily in Paris between subway stops, the show must go on. Shea Kelly is a Brooklyn-based actress from Western Massachusetts. Recent projects include Finding Olive at Pushkin Hall, Martyrs at La Mama, we/them/us with Bedlam, and recurring silliness on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Anna Crivelli is a San Francisco Bay Area native currently residing in Brooklyn. She most recently starred in 2nd Stage's production of 53% Of written by Steph Del Rosso and directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene. Other notable credits include How to Defend Yourself (Victory Gardens/43rd Humana Festival) and Evil (CBS).  Follow Shea @likethebutter27 You can find Anna on the stage, but you won't find her on social media :) Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ 00:00 Teaser 00:14 Intro 00:29 Give It Up for the Wedding Planners 04:55 Big Opinions from the Bridegroom 06:27 I Would Call That "An Interesting Actor" 09:45 Reading King Lear For the First Time 11:40 Off-Leash in the Bar 13:31 Emily in Paris & Bernie Madoff 15:40 The Mailman & The MOMA 17:23 Digby Can't Give Me That 20:10 Where'd You Learn How to Cry Like That? 25:40 Oscar Isaac & Rachel Brosnahan 28:40 Anton Chekhov & Olga Knipper 31:39 How to Be Hate-able 34:34 "Crivelli Makes Us Feel..." 36:14 Escape from the 20s 41:16 Shout-outs Intro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults #actorslife #weddingplanning #chekhov #shakespeare #cryingstatus #friendsforever #theater #auditions
Bar Talk Ep. 26: Two Kava Lovers Talk NYC Dating, Giving Up Alcohol, How to Beat Social Media
40:13

Bar Talk Ep. 26: Two Kava Lovers Talk NYC Dating, Giving Up Alcohol, How to Beat Social Media

“This city loves very deeply, very hard. People here are tough, but man, they are loyal… When I realized [New Yorkers] are not as tough as they think and they actually are sweeter, more caring, and super loving people, under this exterior of I don’t care, I don’t give a fuck. No, they do.” NYC moves fast. We drink, we eat, we swipe for love, we wake up six months later and wonder what just happened. But at Kava Social®️ in Williamsburg BK, time moves a step slower. Meet Alex Sienkiewicz, Founder & CEO, who launched the alcohol-free bar and lounge in January 2020 and in the years since has built a bona fide community of friends and devotees. You won’t find, say, a Negroni Sbagliato on the menu, but you will find an imaginative array of mocktails centered around kava and kratom, two plants native to the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia renowned for their medicinal properties. One such kava lover is Madison Sutton, a friend of Alex’s and regular at Kava Social. Also known as @TheNYCAgent, Madison is a highly-accomplished and respected realtor, with a following of over 150k individuals across social media platforms. Her insights have been widely recognized and documented by media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, TheRealDeal, Inman News, Business Insider, Bloomberg, CNN, FOX Business, and more. Follow Alex @thealexversion Follow Madison @thenycagent_ Instagram & TikTok: @bartalkseries https://www.patreon.com/bartalkseries/ 00:00 Teaser 00:11 Intro 00:27 Alcohol-Free Dating 01:57 Giving Up the Drink 04:50 What Does Your First Date Look Like? 07:03 Muddying Up Your Fairytale 08:29 Playing the Slots 11:03 The Dating Age Gap 12:50 Do You Want a Family? 16:50 Kava Social Is Your Baby 19:47 Masculine & Feminine 22:10 Projecting Vulnerability 23:30 A Stroll Down the Highway in Glen Arbor, Michigan 27:08 Plungers, Condoms & Beers: The Paradox of Choice 31:34 Deliver Me from Social Media 34:06 Rotary Phones & Making Friends 37:14 My Take on New Yorkers Intro Song: "Brooklyn" by Glass Vaults
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