SOMAPSO Pod - BONUS: Leigh Friend + SOMA Wheelhouse = A Big Cheese Hug

SOMAPSO Pod - Week of March 13, 2025

We rewind to Artie’s, Perla, Philadelphia, and Heidi Gallery. We’re looking forward to Just Like a Girl, The Colored Museum,Rocky Horror, Safe Streets, Know the Bear Facts, Call Jane, backgammon and chess open play, CHS AP Art Showcase, and the South Mountain Conservancy annual meeting. Three Things with a call for local dancers, a book study, $7 movie tickets, private shopping events, Food Stroll tickets, and protesting the ICE Detention Center in Newark. We’re on hiatus for a while, but we’ll see you soon! Thanks for listening everyone! LINKS Meadowland Park Dance Festival [https://meadowlandpark.org/events/mpdf/] Safe Streets Meeting [https://www.facebook.com/events/1682655752320748/] Virtual Book Study featuring "The Anxious Generation" [https://www.somsdk12.org/news/connect] $7 Movie Ticket Tuesdays [https://sopac.cinemalab.com/now-playing] Botanica Boutique Private Shopping [https://thebotanicaboutique.com/] South Orange Food Stroll tickets [https://www.southorangedowntown.org/events-calendar/k05e02d313rvlcxs0ap64gv0sah9d0] ICE Detention Center Protest [https://www.facebook.com/760867019407827/posts/1064291279065398]

SOMAPSO Pod - Week of March 6, 2025

We rewind to Coda, birthdays, Three Daughters, the Ancestral Call exhibit, N&K Prime, Corner Slice, and researching the NJ governor’s race. We’re looking forward to the Stitch & Bitch, Downtown Bingo Bash, knife skills class, Essex Funk Collective, Groove Together at SO Elks, (zombie) Edith Wilson, Songs of Ireland, swing dancing, poetry, meditation, figure drawing, and Warren Zanes. Three Things with a new market, Downtown After Sundown, crossing guard appreciation, bike lane meetings, tax help, Irish soda bread, Poppy and Sesame, and SOMA Sweets. LINKS: NJ Governor’s Race [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/01/02/heres-who-is-running-for-new-jersey-governor-in-2025/77053910007/] South Orange Bingo Bash [https://www.southorangedowntown.org/downtown-bingo-bash-whm-edition] Downtown After Sundown Performer Application [https://www.southorangedowntown.org/downtown-after-sundown-performer-application] Virtual Bike Lane Meetings [https://www.maplewoodnj.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/3421/17] AARP Tax Aide [https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp-taxaide/] Irish Soda Bread pre-order [https://www.generalstoreshopsandcafe.com/product/irish-soda-bread-pre-order-/10658?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false] Poppy and Sesame [https://poppyandsesame.com/] SOMA Sweets [https://www.somasweets.com/]

SOMAPSO Pod - Week of Feb 27, 2025

It’s Munsday and you know what that means! Whelp, neither do we. We rewind to Luna Stella, poetry at The Write Space, and winter hibernation. We’re looking forward to Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey tasting, InterACT Theatre The Wolves performance, Ramadan Moon Lighting, Windows for Women, Mardi Gras in Maplewood, My Black is Beautiful at SOPAC, March Fourth run and dog walk, the closing reception of Ancestral Call, Women’s History Month proclamation, self-care crafting, Hey! I Heard You’re Black, Business Plan Writing Workshop, Homeboy Came to Orange lecture, and Lee Rocker in his leopard print tux. Many more than Three Things with Felina Steak House, chicken coop registration, a call for art, crowdfundraising for Maplewoodstock, how to report ICE sightings, safe streets meeting, N&K Prime doughnuts, economic blackouts, and a listener’s tip on how to be part of the resistance. We hope you’ll join us in the economic blackout on Friday 2/28! LINKS: The Write Space [https://www.thewritespacenj.com/] Register Your Chicken Coop [https://www.maplewoodnj.gov/government/public-health-social-services/health-department-services/licenses] 5 Calls [https://5calls.org/] Just Like a Girl [https://www.maplewoodartsandculture.org/news/just-like-a-girl-call-for-art] Maplewoodstock crowdfundraising [http://givebutter.com/maplewoodstock2025] (or text "maplewoodstock" to 53-555) DIRE Hotline [https://diresupport.org/] Essex Safe Streets for All [https://www.ecdpw.org/essex-ss4a.php] N&K Prime doughnuts [https://www.nkprimemarketplace.com/] Economic Blackout Feb. 28 [https://medium.com/@robinsonbetsy/national-boycott-feb-28th-1d035cf219db]

SOMAPSO Pod - BONUS: Leigh Friend + SOMA Wheelhouse = A Big Cheese Hug

We sit down with Leigh Friend of SOMA Wheelhouse to get the low-down on the new brick-and-mortar space, eat cheese, and, of course, talk Muppets. Leigh schools us on cheese, cheese-makers, and cheese-making and tells us some of the BIG plans for the new space. It’s coming soon and we can’t wait! We chat about cheese pairings, cheese sweat, local producers, and cheese as a metaphor for life. This episode feels like a giant cheese hug and we enjoyed every moment of recording it. Thanks, Leigh!

SOMAPSO Pod - Week of Feb 13, 2025

It’s Valentine’s Eve! If you celebrate, get ready to hang your silk stocking by the mantle for cupid to fill with chocolate and candy hearts. We rewind to the Mercantile fundraiser, poetry, even more Corner Slice, and the Super Bowl. We’re looking forward to Valentine’s events and date ideas, Black History Month events and celebrations, Oscar Nominated shorts at the Village at SOPAC, West Coast Swing, a dance party, trivia night, movies, talks, and more! Three Things with Galentine’s at Perch, Groove Together’s next dance party, Windows for Women submissions, cool happenings at the Village at SOPAC, and indoor heated winter swimming. We hope you’ll join us in the Economic Blackout on February 28. LINKS: Galentine’s at Perch [https://www.instagram.com/p/DFx7KxqRssn/] Groove Together Dance Party Tickets [https://ra.co/events/2084137] Windows for Women [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdy2D65vR9IEuHLSIy-v44nZZkIZSVRIPkIyJPozmYJ6lRmcQ/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawIR0M1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHT6fgVjiSXrl1GXoMK25wkzKT-4aBGHJ3tBEA_XRdBzTFyi9KHVHtDp_UQ_aem_FdfriZwyA3mfsKHdVM4oSg] Encore membership Village at SOPAC [https://sopac.cinemalab.com/membership] Newark Pool access [https://register.capturepoint.com/reg/login.cfm] Economic Blackout Feb. 28 [https://medium.com/@robinsonbetsy/national-boycott-feb-28th-1d035cf219db]