Ep07 An Empty Seat: A Root Beer Float and Lessons in Grief

Ep07 An Empty Seat: A Root Beer Float and Lessons in Grief

What if grief could be a guide instead of an enemy?  In a special solo episode, Kayla shares a root beer float with her dad – gone thirteen years, but invited to pull up a chair in spirit. What follows is five hard-won lessons about loss, presence, and the love that has nowhere to go but everywhere.  Alongside her dad, Kayla reflects on:  * Why the "I've lost someone" club has the most beautiful members — and the unspoken shorthand that forms between people who've grieved * How to navigate Father's Day, Mother's Day, birthdays, and the calendar dates that hit the hardest * Why suppressing the share erases the experience — and the most generous thing you can do for a grieving friend (hint: it's not in the first week) * Why pedestals are a disservice to the people we've lost * Grief as a shapeshifter — and the moment after a loss when it really lands * The paradox of time — its ability to both heal and steal   Tender, vulnerable, and root beer float-fueled, this episode is for anyone already in the club, and anyone who hasn’t yet found their way there.  A written companion to the episode is on Substack and available without a paywall to subscribers and non-subscribers alike: substack.com/@kaylagorski [http://substack.com/@kaylagorski] SHOW NOTES: 📺 Discover where to watch Andrea Gibson's documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light,” at https://andreagibson.org/events [https://andreagibson.org/events].  📖 Read “Marrow,” by Elizabeth Lesser, or “Signs” by Laura Lynne Jackson, both available wherever books are sold. KEYWORDS: grief, Father’s Day, Dish + Tell, Kayla Gorski, food podcast, Andrea Gibson, Elizabeth Lesser, Laura Lynne Jackson, root beer float, recipe

Ep06 Old Fashioned, On Purpose: Brown Butter Miso Donuts and the Case Against Throwaway Consumerism

Fast fashion is having a moment – and not a good one. When SHEIN bought Everlane, the Millennial girlies (Kayla included) mourned loudly…but now will they keep shopping? On the latest episode of Dish + Tell, Kayla is joined by Madysen Rosenberg to ask the question: at what point does consumer grief actually change anything?  Over Brown Butter Miso Donuts (the recipe is linked below), Kayla and Maddy trace the thread from Maddy’s multi-generational upbringing – sharing donut and black coffee with her grandma – to the repair, repurpose and reuse movement she’s building in Bozeman, Montana, to combat throwaway consumerism head-on.  In this episode, Kayla and Maddy explore: * Why the SHEIN-Everlane acquisition feels like a gut punch - and what it reveals about sustainability as a marketing tool  * How growing up with generational living can influence your relationship to things: what to keep, what to repair, and what to pass down * The staggering stat that will make you think twice before your next purchase (hint: garbage trucks are involved)  * Why borrowing, swapping and shopping your friends’ closets might be the most underrated sustainability move * What to expect at the upcoming Hidden Gem Repair Fair – zipper rescue, Mystery Ranch gear repair, embroidery, and more  Come for the donuts, and stay for the quiet argument that repair is the newest act of rebellion! See you at the Repair Faire on June 13th, 1-5pm, at Studio Wheelhouse in Bozeman!  SHOW NOTES: 🍩 Score Kayla’s recipe for Brown Butter and Miso Donuts by subscribing to the Dish + Tell Substack [https://substack.com/@kaylagorski].   🧵 If you live in the Bozeman-area, make a plan to visit the Repair Fair on Saturday, June 13 from 1pm - 5pm at Studio Wheelhouse.  💎 Follow the Hidden Gem Market for Repair Fair and other updates on Instagram @HiddenGemMarket406.  ☕️ Whether you’re in Bozeman or beyond (they deliver!), caffeinate with Roly-Poly Coffee (https://rolypoly.coffee/ [https://rolypoly.coffee/]). KEYWORDS: fast fashion, SHEIN Everlane acquisition, sustainable fashion, repair culture, thrifting, vintage fashion, slow fashion, textile waste, fashion sustainability, upcycling clothes, mending and repair, Hidden Gem Market Bozeman, repair fair Bozeman, Dish and Tell podcast, Dish + Tell, brown butter miso donuts, donut recipe, Bozeman Montana, generational living, millennial sustainable fashion, conscious consumerism

Ep05 Ride or Die: Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats and the Art of Adult Friendship

Love is on the brain at Dish + Tell because when this episode drops, Kayla’s friend and guest Morgan Klaas is days away from walking down the aisle. And while they could have talked about romance, they went somewhere even richer: the big, brave, beautiful world of adult friendship. Over a plate of Kayla’s Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie treats (which Morgan has since rebranded "divorce treats" — you'll have to tune in for that story) and a glass of cava, they unpacked lost friends, the ones who stayed, and what loyalty looks like in action. Kayla also shares her belief that experiencing awe together might be the secret sauce to a lasting bond. In this episode, Kayla and Morgan explore: * Why adult friendship requires a different kind of intention — and what gets in the way * The "10X friendship" philosophy and how to apply it to your own circle * The difference between leading with love vs. leading with loyalty when making new friends * How shared experiences of awe — in nature, in music, in travel — create bonds that last * The loneliness epidemic and what it really means that 16% of Americans are turning to AI for companionship * Morgan's beautiful, tender definition of what true friendship looks like in its purest form As you listen, think about your own circle. Who's on the bus ride with you — and are they truly deserving of that seat? And is there room to invite someone new on for the next leg of the ride? The recipe for divorce treats (officially: Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie treats, with a super secret ingredient) is live on Substack: substack.com/@kaylagorski [http://substack.com/@kaylagorski] 🥂 Cheers to Morgan and her HUSBAND, and all of the ones who show up. SHOW NOTES: 🎙️ Listen to The Huberman Lab [https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/cultivating-awe-and-emotional-connection-dr-dacher-keltner] podcast episode with Dr. Dacher Keltner referenced.  📖 Pick up a copy of Dan Sullivan’s 10x is easier than 2x wherever books are sold.  🌹 To re-live the moment when Kayla and Morgan FINALLY understood the magic and poetry of Drums and Space, listen to this Dead & Company show [https://open.spotify.com/album/3LsXJ5KjcPWjZpDSTVYmaR?si=B9EdxmOzRQeq-EXhBjUfAw] from Folsom Field, Boulder, July 3, 2023. KEY WORDS: friendship, loyalty, vulnerability, adult relationships, awe, support, connection, personal growth, social dynamics, emotional health, adult friendship, making friends as an adult, loneliness epidemic, 10X friendships, shine theory, meaningful relationships, friendship advice, Dish and Tell podcast, Rice Krispie treats recipe, salted brown butter treats, cava wine pairing

Ep04 75 Scoops of Wisdom: A Blind Ice Cream Taste Test and Why Friendship Makes Life Sweet

Some people sit down at the table and brighten it immediately. Tom Levandoski is one of those people — and for his 75th birthday, there was only one way to celebrate: a blind ice cream taste test on Dish + Tell. Tom's love of ice cream runs deep, from hand-churning fresh peach ice cream with his dad to standing around the kitchen island, everyone sharing a spoon straight from the carton. So I gathered three contenders — Straus, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, and McConnell's (Nancy Silverton's pick) — and designed a judging rubric that would make a sommelier nervous. Who won? You’ll have to tune in!  We also get into 75 years of wisdom: why Woodstock taught him to never leave a concert early (sorry, Jimi), why friendship is the only thing that really matters, and Tom's personal motto: "Don't deny yourself anything. You're on vacation." Full judging rubric and details are on the Dish + Tell Substack [https://substack.com/@kaylagorski].  Curious about the science behind friendships that transcend age? It's worth reading this Harvard Study [https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/bonds-that-transcend-age].

Ep03 When Life Gives You Lemons: Lemon Bars and Leaping Into the Unknown

What does it really mean to follow your happiness — and what does it cost? In this episode, Kayla sits down with Carolyn Williams, founder of Zephyr cycling and movement studio in Bozeman, Montana, over lemon bars and dog treats – because wherever Caro goes, her pups are at her side! Caro built something beautiful — and then had the courage to let it go. What she learned through that experience, and through other heartbreaks and heartquakes along the way, is the kind of wisdom that lingers long after the last bite: that following your happiness doesn't guarantee an easy, smooth, or grief-free path. But it does guarantee that the path is yours. This is a conversation about authenticity, entrepreneurship, reinvention, and the quiet bravery it takes to listen to your own heart — even when it's hard. Pull up a chair, we saved you a seat! Show Notes: * Score Kayla’s recipe for Lemon Bars and CharLu Ranch Bites by subscribing to the Dish + Tell Substack [https://substack.com/@kaylagorski].   * For more of Caro’s wisdom, subscribe to her Substack, The Aerie [https://luasmom.substack.com/]. She often features animals available for adoption, so give her a follow if you’d like to put her matchmaking skills to work!   * Did the bug soup analogy resonate? Learn more about Martha Beck’s “Change Cycle [https://marthabeck.com/change/].”  * If you love the sight of dogs without leashes, pick-up a copy of Dog Songs by Mary Oliver.  To learn more about the animal organizations mentioned in this episode, visit Heart of the Valley [https://www.heartofthevalleyshelter.org/], Spay Montana [https://www.spaymontana.org/], and Stafford Animal Shelter [https://staffordanimalshelter.org/] - there are a number of ways you can get involved!