Épisodes

  • 48. The Mediterranean Diet Rx: Food as Medicine with Hudson Valley Food Icon Laura Pensiero
    Dec 11 2025
    The Valley Girls chat with Laura Pensiero of Gigi in Rhinebeck about opening a restaurant in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the overwhelming scientific evidence in favor of the Mediterranean Diet for good health, hosting for the holidays without demolishing your good eating habits, cooking well on a budget while reducing food waste, and the burgeoning Food is Medicine movement. Hungry for more from Laura? Check out her latest edition of her “Laura’s Corner Table” column in Sanctuary and sign up for the Gigi Hudson Valley monthly newsletter for updates and recipes!Thanks to our Season 4 sponsor, Bryant Home Improvement! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley. To hear all about what Bryant Home Improvement can do for your Hudson Valley home, check out episode 46 for the Valley Girls’ chat with owner Matt Bryant! Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
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    32 min
  • 47. Thrifting and Gifting: Secondhand Shopping with Sheila Hyer
    Nov 27 2025

    The Valley Girls chatted with Sheila Hyer, owner of Convenient Curations, about the bounty of thrift shops in the Hudson Valley, how to evaluate whether a secondhand purchase is worth it, and whether it’s acceptable to give secondhand finds as gifts. (Spoiler alert: IT IS.) Thrifting can scratch your itch for a treasure hunt, support community groups who use resale stores to fund their aid programs, keep items out of landfills, and occasionally lead to unbelievable scores - if you know how to do it. Listen now for Sheila’s advice before you hit the thrift shops!

    A huge thank you to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryant Home Improvement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring Season 4 of the podcast! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley.

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    16 min
  • 46. Coming in Handy: Winterizing with Bryant Home Improvement
    Nov 13 2025

    The Valley Girls chat with Matt Bryant, owner of Bryant Home Improvement, about how to make sure your home can weather the winter (hint: clean your gutters NOW); how to find and source reliable home repair professionals and tradespeople; and how not to be a nightmare client for your contractor.

    A huge thank you to Matt and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryant Home Improvement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring Season 4 of the podcast! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley.

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    32 min
  • 45. You’re Getting Sleepy: The Truth About Hypnotherapy with Mark Gerlach
    Oct 30 2025

    The Valley Girls chat with Mark Gerlach, a Certified Hypnotherapist (CHt), about what hypnotherapy can and cannot do, (spoiler alert: it won’t make you quack like a duck); whether we can hypnotize ourselves; and the possibilities of astral travel and past-life regression.

    A huge thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, ⁠⁠⁠Bryant Home Improvement⁠⁠⁠! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley.

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    34 min
  • 44. At Home Inside the Globe and in the Hudson Valley with Author Gail Straub
    Oct 9 2025

    The Valley Girls chat with author Gail Straub about her newest book, Home Inside the Globe, about what she’s learned on her journeys from Paraguay to Paris, from the Sahara to the Himalayas, solo travel for women, and the indomitable human spirit that connects us all.

    A huge thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, ⁠⁠Bryant Home Improvement⁠⁠! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley.

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    31 min
  • 43. Taking Charge with Lena Rizkallah: Enriching the Second Half of Life
    Sep 25 2025

    The Valley Girls chat with Lena Rizkallah, a financial advisor who started her business mid-life, during the pandemic, with no clients, and now specializes in helping women take charge of their money - and consequently, their power. Hear Lena’s take on how women approach investing differently, generational attitudes toward money, and a 5-step action plan for taking charge of your financial future starting now. To start receiving Lena’s newsletter, email her at LRizkallah@contewealth.com

    A huge thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, ⁠Bryant Home Improvement⁠! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley.

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    32 min
  • 42. The Next Chapter of Betsy Jacks: Reframing the Second Half of Life
    Sep 11 2025

    The Valley Girls are back for another exciting season! To kick off Season 4, The Valley Girls welcome back Betsy Jacks, a favorite guest from our episode exploring the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, NY, to chat about her post-Cole life. (Spoiler alert: it’s still filled with beautiful art.) Betsy shares her new journey painting full-time and her work that, much like Cole’s, uses the glory of nature, and especially trees, to craft a narrative; in this case, a fresh narrative about women over 50 creating and curating fecund, vibrant, blossoming lives all their own.

    More to explore:

    • ⁠ExploreThomasCole.org⁠ - a labor of love from Betsy & team to let you get your nose right up to the paintings, too.

    • Find Betsy at ⁠current & upcoming exhibitions⁠.

    • Read more about ⁠Barbara Novak⁠, a pioneer in the study of American art

    • Discover artist ⁠Kiki Smith⁠ and ⁠why you shouldn’t be afraid to make art⁠

    A huge thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, Bryant Home Improvement!

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    22 min
  • 41. Summertime, and the Hudson Valley Living is Easy
    May 28 2025

    The Valley Girls - including Rebecca and Danielle from season 2 segments "A Capital Idea" and "The 411 of Westchester" - are joined by Melaine Rottkamp of Destination Dutchess and Hudson Valley Tourism to wax nostalgic about childhood summer fun and share their lists of must-do Hudson Valley summertime activities. Also check out our ideas in our two blog posts to supplement your own summer wish lists - one for the Capital District and one for the rest of the Hudson Valley!

    Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!

    To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.

    Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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    1 h et 13 min