Best Ridgewood Public Library Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 36a: Pádraig Ó Tuama: In the Shelter of Each Other & Saying Hello to the Questions (Rebroadcast) 40:53

24d ago40:53

40:53

This is a rebroadcast of episodes 6 & 7 from October 19, 2022. What power does poetry have to help us navigate the challenges of life? How do we approach art and how does it approach us? Join our guest host Diane Sims for a journey through these questions, and many others, with Pádraig Ó Tuama in an episode so big, we had to split it into two. In P…

1
Episode 36b: Pádraig Ó Tuama: In the Shelter of Each Other & Saying Hello to the Questions (Rebroadcast) 31:42

24d ago31:42

31:42

This is a rebroadcast of episodes 6 & 7 from October 19, 2022. What power does poetry have to help us navigate the challenges of life? How do we approach art and how does it approach us? Join our guest host Diane Sims for a journey through these questions, and many others, with Pádraig Ó Tuama in an episode so big, we had to split it into two. In P…

1
Episode 35: Ellen Jovin & Brandt Johnson: Rebel(s) with a Clause 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

In their new film Rebel with a Clause, grammar guru Ellen Jovin and director Brandt Johnson head off on a road trip to all 50 states to show how comma fights, rather than divide, can bring us closer together. Join Roberta as they talk about the power of language, taking a grammar stand, and the New York Times bestselling book that started it all. T…

1
Episode 34: Ted Opderbeck: Empathy into Action 27:45

3M ago27:45

27:45

Have you ever had a teacher who completely changed the way you see the world? Today, we’re shining a spotlight on one of those incredible educators—Ted Opderbeck! With 30 years of award-winning teaching under his belt, Ted has dedicated his career to putting empathy and global awareness at the heart of every lesson. Roberta talks to Ted about how h…

1
Episode 33: Melissa Davey: Filmmaker on a Mission 40:21

4M ago40:21

40:21

How did a fateful meeting with filmmaker M Night Shyamalan, ignite Melissa Davey’s own career of becoming a director herself. At age 65? Roberta talks with the documentarian and activist about taking risks, shining a light on the value of women over 65, and the importance of living each day to its fullest. Things we talked about in this episode: Cl…

1
Episode 32: Joni Mitchell @ the Hollywood Bowl 33:01

5M ago33:01

33:01

Take a trip to the Hollywood Bowl with Roberta and her sister Andrea and experience two once-in-a-lifetime shows with the legendary Joni Mitchell, alongside all-star guests like Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Marcus Mumford, Elton John, Meryl Streetp, and her Joni Jam band, performing deep cuts and classics like “Cherokee Louise,” “California,” “Sir…

1
Episode 16 (Rebroadcast): One Weekend This Summer 1:26:11

5M ago1:26:11

1:26:11

Please note: We are rebroadcasting Episode 16 which originally aired in August 2023 as a companion to Episode 32. We hope you enjoy! Take a trip to the Pacific Northwest with Roberta to experience the epic return of the legendary musician Joni Mitchell during Brandi Carlile’s “Echoes through the Canyon” weekend at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washingt…

1
Episode 31: Directors Pete Davis and Rebecca Davis 35:27

6M ago35:27

35:27

Director siblings Pete Davis and Rebecca Davis are on a mission! A mission to get you to join a club. A mission, based on the groundbreaking work of legendary social scientist Bob Putnam, that led them to make a documentary: Join or Die: a film about why you should join a club … and why the fate of America might depend on it. They stopped by to tal…

1
Episode 30: Ben Avery, Australian Journalist/True Crime Podcast Host 36:35

7M ago36:35

36:35

In April 1994, Anthea Bradshaw married her high school sweetheart in a beautiful Adelaide wedding. 96 days later, she was found lifeless in a pool of blood, in Brunei, South East Asia, half a world away from home. This month, Roberta talks with Ben Avery, an Australian journalist and host of the Just Married podcast, who is investigating what reall…

1
Episode 29: Live at RPL: Davy Rothbart’s FOUND Tour 37:29

8M ago37:29

37:29

Join the FOUND Magazine crew for a raucous celebration of the best lost, tossed and forgotten items from across the country. Davy Rothbart — bestselling author, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, and frequent presence on NPR’s This American Life — shares his all-time favorite finds, while his brother Peter, a rising folk music star, performs exquisite (…

1
Episode 28: Camp Stories 1:26:48

9M ago1:26:48

1:26:48

Inspired by This American Life’s “Notes on Camp” episode, we asked you for camp stories, and you delivered! Roberta listens to memories of summer days spent at camps, and see how a few short weeks can leave impressions for a lifetime. Episode Credits Our thanks to Jay Friedman, Rebecca Rubenstein, Roberta and Harvey Bernstein, Jin Lee, Mickey Kim, …

1
Episode 27: J.D. Jackson: To Act You Have to Listen (Rebroadcast) 33:57

10M ago33:57

33:57

As we prepare for our special Camp Stories episode in August, we wanted to take a look back at our very first episode that aired on May 18, 2022 featuring J.D. Jackson J.D. is an award-winning audiobook narrator with 400 credits to his name and counting. A 2020 inductee into AudioFile Magazine’s Golden Voices Hall of Fame, J.D. has plenty of experi…

1
Episode 26: Danielle Cohen: Sustainable Nutrition and Community Connection Founder and President (SNACC) 31:22

11M ago31:22

31:22

Ridgewood resident Danielle Cohen embraces not only the importance of eating high quality food, but also of culinary education. Danielle created SNACC, an after-school youth development program that provides weekly at-home cooking lessons led by professional chefs, helping students create healthy and eclectic dishes. Danielle knows top-grade food c…

1
Episode 25: Author Mary Beth Keane 51:56

12M ago51:56

51:56

The New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes, stopped by the Ridgewood Library for an author event to discuss her latest novel The Half Moon about a couple in a small town navigating the complexities of marriage, family, and longing. Host Roberta Panjwani–and audience members–asked Mary Beth about her creative process, writing during a p…

1
Episode 24: Singer/Songwriter, Sherma Andrews: “Messenger of Hope” 30:19

1y ago30:19

30:19

From Trinidad and Tobago to the world stage, Sherma Andrews' journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Starting at Boston's Berklee School of Music, she's played with some of the greats at venues like Lincoln Center and Madison Square Garden, leaving audiences spellbound. Roberta talks to Sherma about some of her greatest inspirations (Aretha, Whi…

1
Episode 23: Fernando Fernandez, From Wall Street to Wine country 34:26

1y ago34:26

34:26

Fernando Fernandez has always had a passion for wine, so when his time in NYC's financial industry was thrown into chaos by the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, he transformed that passion into an award-winning career out on the opposite coast. Join A Bend in the Road host Roberta Panjwani as she talks to Fernando about Puerto Rico, his favorite pla…

1
Episode 22: Deborah Kampmeier, "The Gilded Age" Director 35:32

1y ago35:32

35:32

Deborah Kampmeier's move from the independent filmmaker on silver screen to prestige TV on The Gilded Age has a surprise first act appearance from Oprah and Ava DuVernay? Join Deborah as she sits down with Bend in the Road host Roberta Panjwani to talk about “The Ava Effect,” an accidental email that connected her to many of the best directors in t…

1
Episode 21: Victim Advocates Aiza Stevens & Hoku and Library Therapy Dog Coordinator Victoria Schnure 25:12

1+ y ago25:12

25:12

As we embark on Year 3 of our podcast journey, A Bend in the Road is thrilled to share an inspiring episode that we hope will warm your hearts this winter. Joining us in this episode is Aiza Stevens and the incredible therapy dog Hoku, both vital members of the Orem Police Department's Victim Advocacy Program in Utah, along with Ridgewood Public Li…

1
Episode 20: Roger Durling, Santa Barbara Film Festival Executive Director 1:11:53

1+ y ago1:11:53

1:11:53

From universities to coffee shops, from Broadway shows to the local movie theater, from Panama to NJ to France to NY to Santa Barbara, our guest this episode has had quite the journey to where he is now. Join guest host Diane Sims for a riveting conversation with Roger Durling, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Film Festival for the last 20 y…

1
Episode 19: Guggenheim Curator Megan Fontanella: "Every Painting Tells a Story" 41:09

1+ y ago41:09

41:09

You've certainly heard of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and its varied collections. What you may not know is what guides those collections. Megan Fontanella, the Guggenheim's Curator for Modern Art and Provenance, would tell you a good exhibit, and good art education, comes down to two statements: Every painting tells a story. Every object has l…

1
Episode 18: Author Gretchen Rubin: Get Happy 35:25

1+ y ago35:25

35:25

Yale graduate Gretchen Rubin had quite the pivot when she went from clerking for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to founding the Happiness Project. How that came to be and what her surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love entails (hint: tune in to the five senses) is the focus of this month's episode. An acclaimed communicat…

1
Episode 17: Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde: Learning to Be Brave 43:19

1+ y ago43:19

43:19

"Being brave is not a singular occurrence; it’s a journey that we can choose to undertake every day. " - How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith and Life, In June of 2020, with the eyes of the world watching and the ears of the world listening, Bishop Mariann Budde had the courage to speak up about the mistreatment of protestor…

1
Episode 16: One Weekend This Summer: Our Time in the Canyon with Joni, Brandi & 27,000 Friends 1:26:11

2y ago1:26:11

1:26:11

Take a trip to the Pacific Northwest with Roberta to experience the epic return of the legendary musician Joni Mitchell during Brandi Carlile’s “Echoes through the Canyon” weekend at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington State. Roberta talks with concertgoers who traveled across the country—and the world–about the impact that Joni and music has play…

1
Episode 15: String Things Studio Owner Felicia Eve 39:56

2y ago39:56

39:56

Felicia Eve has been everything: a podiatrist, a stay at home mom, a fundraising consultant, and, currently, a business owner as the CEO and founder of String Thing Studio, a yarn shop in Brooklyn. Join Felicia as she sits down with host Roberta and shares her stories on life, loss, and most importantly, yarn. Things we Discussed in the Episode: St…

1
Episode 14: Writer Ben Greenman 36:09

2y ago36:09

36:09

Have you ever thought about sneezing on Larry King? Well, if you have, then you and Ben Greenman have that in common. Join Roberta Panjwani as she interviews Ben about some of his work and his forays into almost becoming a doctor. For the unfamiliar, Ben Greenman is the New York Times bestselling author of The Slippage and Superbad and the former l…

1
Episode 13: Oprah's Book Club Director Leigh Haber 40:58

2y ago40:58

40:58

You know Oprah? Yeah. That Oprah. We don’t have Oprah but we do have the next best thing. Leigh Haber is the editor and former Vice President of Book at O magazine. Join us as she joins host Roberta Panjwani on a deep dive into Leigh’s role as Director of Oprah’s Book Club, what it’s like to interview writers (or as she calls them, Rock Stars) and …

1
Episode 12: Actor Robert Sean Leonard 41:08

2y ago41:08

41:08

What do you want to do? Who do you want to be? These are the questions that Tony Award winning actor Robert Sean Leonard grapples with. Join him and Roberta as they talk about his work as an actor and some of the artists he’s collaborated with. Wondering why that name sounds familiar? You might recognize Robert as Neil Perry from Dead Poets Society…

1
Episode 11: Comedian and NPR Host Ophira Eisenberg 30:40

2y ago30:40

30:40

Hot off the release of her latest standup comedy special, Plant Based Jokes, comedian and podcast host Ophira Eisenberg joins Roberta to discuss what it’s like to tell stories at The Moth, the riskiness involved with audience interactions, and how storytelling has changed since the pandemic. Ophira is currently the host of the podcast Parenting Is …

1
Episode 10: True Crime Author Sarah Weinman 43:25

2+ y ago43:25

43:25

Best-selling author Sarah Weinman loves true crime and loves wondering why we all love true crime. Her books probe these questions and more, bolstered by impeccable research, immensely readable prose and, at the heart of the story, the desire to present the humanity of the subjects, not the perpetrators, of the crimes. Join Roberta as she talks wit…

1
Episode 9: Nina Groop & Noah Taylor: Telling the Truth to Ourselves 32:11

2+ y ago32:11

32:11

When one shares a story, they can become a part of a healing and empowering experience. Stories are powerful - cathartic, emotive, and full of truths, hidden or not - and our guests this week know that quite well. Nina is a life coach and the author of a new book Creek Music: What a Year in the Woods Taught Me About Seasons, Surrender and Joy. Her …

1
Episode 8: Maite Alberdi: The Most Heartwarming Spy Movie Ever Made 31:00

2+ y ago31:00

31:00

Director Maite Alberdi had a great idea for a new film, one that merged her love of film noir with documentaries, so she began working as an assistant to a Chilean private eye. But when the lead detective broke his hip before filming, she wound up making a very different film - a film that earned her a nomination for a 2021 Academy Award for Best D…

1
Episode 7: Pádraig Ó Tuama, Part 2: Saying Hello to the Questions 31:42

2+ y ago31:42

31:42

As a youth growing up in Ireland, and in the tall shadow of the Catholic Church, Pádraig Ó Tuama grappled with questions of acceptance and identity. In part 2 of our interview with the poet and theologian, we dig into those questions and what innate sensibility gave him the fortitude to step into those headwinds, instead of turning away, with a bri…

1
Episode 6: Pádraig Ó Tuama, Part 1: In the Shelter of Each Other 39:36

2+ y ago39:36

39:36

What power does poetry have to help us navigate the challenges of life? How do we approach art and how does it approach us? Join our guest host Diane Sims for a journey through these questions, and many others, with Pádraig Ó Tuama as he shares his relationship with art, reconciliation and the ongoing road toward finding ourselves in an episode so …

1
Episode 5: Curtis Duffy: One of the Best Chefs "Ever" 44:21

2+ y ago44:21

44:21

Before Curtis Duffy was a world-renowned, Michelin-starred chef and restaurant owner, he was a troubled youth, left alone as a teenager after experiencing unimaginable tragedies. That is, until he took a mandatory middle school home economics class, introducing Curtis to the kitchen, his gift and his purpose. Join Roberta as she sits down with Curt…

1
Episode 4: Pippa Ehrlich: Free Dive 33:32

2+ y ago33:32

33:32

How did one tiny octopus change so many lives? To combat burnout and depression, filmmaker & diver Craig Foster had taken up diving in the icy waters of South Africa's Kelp Forest where he met one very special Common Octopus. A year of observing and filming the octopus' short life later, he sent the film to fellow documentarian Pippa Ehrlich, who c…

1
Episode 3: Olivia Barkley: Dreams From the Depths 23:52

3y ago23:52

23:52

Olivia Barkley loved diving. She ate, slept and breathed it, so much that her one dream was to get a full diving scholarship at a Division 1 school. After a serious accident on a dive left her with a life-altering concussion, the dream vanished…and then reformed in an unexpected new way. Join Roberta as she sits down with Olivia to discuss how she …

1
Episode 2: Florence Williams: The Science of Awe 28:13

3y ago28:13

28:13

Florence Williams is a contributing editor for Outside magazine and the New York Times bestselling author of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey (2022) and The Nature Fix (2017). For the unfamiliar, these books ask questions like: Why do the emotional effects of heartbreak manifest physically? and; how can exposure to nature make: us heal…

1
Episode 1: J.D. Jackson: To Act You Have to Listen 33:32

3y ago33:32

33:32

J.D. Jackson is an award-winning audiobook narrator with 400 credits to his name and counting. An 2020 inductee into AudioFile Magazine's Golden Voices Hall of Fame, J.D. has plenty of experience behind a mic. For this inaugural episode of A Bend in the Road, join Roberta as she talks with J.D. about the teacher that changed his life, the process o…

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