Unteathered Talks Heather Strobel

"Here I am, in my kitchen," Daniel says as we start our talk recorded back in November when the first of the rains were coming in. I’ve been sitting on this recording for too long, like I think it’s a fine wine waiting for the tannins to settle. Never mind any silly reasons for the delay: I am no longer hoarding one of my favorite conversations-- with Mr. Daniel D’Agostini (: A farmer, teacher, writer, photographer, among many other things, this OG Amadorian is not only dynamic but Bio-Dynamic, which we learn is a holistic and sustainable way of stewarding the land. 

We talk at his 'stead, the Abbondanza Lavender Farm in Amador's Shenandoah Valley, while (appropro-ly) sipping Zin and slurping split-pea soup. "True stories are easy to tell because they're true," as he begins telling another one. As always, I wish I talked less and let my guest talk more, but Daniel maneuvers around my interjections with such grace and insight. I learned. I laughed. I truly enjoyed. And I hope you do too!


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This Halloween edition may be my most untethered episode yet! Traditionally on here, I go pretty in depth with one person for a couple of hours --but this was recorded at a live tarot reading event and we get to meet multiple people throughout while I sit with my guest (or am I hers?). Aunt Johanna is aunt to Break Even owner Kevin; a Wiccan since high school, she awesomely refers to herself as “an old witch”.
It’s a little wacky listening at first with so much going on but if you close your eyes, it’ll feel like you’re there having your cards read at the tavern, eating Chef J Lew’s Spooky Popcorn, kid and puppy noises abound. Within the lovely chaos, we learn more about Aunt Johanna and how she made her way to the county, something I’m always curious about. She was living up in Washington when her nephew Kevin asked her one day, “want to come down for one more adventure?” Those sound like famous last words to me!
We also meet a fair amount of fellow Amador Citians, including an OG inhabitant of String Bean Alley. As the evening wraps up, I do a few readings myself from my golden tarot deck and we even get a visit from the rad lady Ginger of Small Town Wine Bar. Thanks to everyone who came out and participated—that was so much fun! Happy Halloween!

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Sat down with Jake from the Break Even Beermakers' team located in Amador City to "talk nonsense", as he says. Originally from Kirkland Washington, Jake has an action sports background from his exposure to HO Sports where his dad was a graphic designer. 

We discuss the difference between board and plank sports, some punk and a bit of funk, and what it's like being dad to little Lemmy, one of the coolest babies (now toddler) I've ever met. I had a lot of favorite quotes of Jake's: "the best boot out there is the boot that fits you" or "drone dancing is probably less lame than dating in the metaverse". 

Lady Jen joins us on the side from time to time throughout this live 'cast recorded at the Break Even tavern. Did you guys know DMX has a cover of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer???


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Welcome to the pilot of a new format Unteathered Talks has adopted (not exclusively but very excitedly!). This is the first episode of a series of "Tavern Talks" recorded LIVE for fellow audience members to listen in real-time and join-in at the Breakeven Brewery in Amador City on certain upcoming Thursday nights in Fall 2022. I am happy to introduce our first guest, local mayor Anne Kel-Artinian, whose self-professed "hair flows mellifluously as she rides her e-bike down Amador Creek Road." Okay lol this quote was in the context of Anne using a new word we learned in a sentence, but the description does her such justice! And it's also how the two of us met: at a bike event last spring, the Poppy Pedal --also thrown together by Breakeven, so it seemed even more fitting to have our conversation here.
We are joined with cameos from fellow BE brewer Aaron Wittman and his lovely event coordinator Jenn Anderson. You may even hear Red the Shred say a thing or two in the background. We discuss how Anne came to the county, how it feels to see your name on an official ballot alongside names likes Joe Biden, and the lost art of actually reading a book-- as we sip Shrub Soda, a non-alcoholic yet delicious offering available at the tavern! Anne speaks of her travels to cities such as Yereman, Stockholm, and Bangalore. We learn she has five sons and how walking miles and miles of beach on the Southern Oregon coast is what's nourishing to her soul. The next talk is scheduled for September 8th; hope to see you there!

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On this episode we are joined by fellow podcaster Cory Faust. Cory grew up in the county, was able to "escape" for most of his young adulthood, and has recently returned to what he says is pretty much “exactly the same”. We discuss how to beat the heat (Amador County stays in the mid to late 90s most of July and August), feel-good video games, remembering how to actually read a book, and how dangerous Shia Lebouf can be in a game of Dungeons & Dragons.

Cory tells us about what it was like to attend yet not quite complete Air Traffic Control school: “I was just a broken person they were trying to mold.” You can also hear Cory, along with former guest Brandon Carroll from our Episode 4: Love in the Time of Covid, on their podcast “Talk Good!”. Thank you for joining!


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Excited to present Chef Tim Blankenship whose tasty treats I hope you have had the chance to imbibe. And if you haven't, it can be a little hard to convey the hearty delight of his Japanesey Tex/Mex fusion fresh tapas. Tim can be found chefing at local taproom Provisions and is now offering wine-paired foods at Yorba's tasting room just around the corner! You may also remember his bomb breakfasts from the days of Element or before my time here in Sutter Creek when J&D's Steakhouse was still around. 

This isn't the first episode to be recorded in two parts (see "Truth about Cats & Dogs of War" with Kevin Conklin who is also mentioned in this chat), but it is the first two-parter recorded in the same day and my very first episode to have music in the background--which is one of my favorite things about being untethered: we can do whatever we want!

Tim is an avid sports fan and our podcast was scheduled the same day as the Texas elementary school shooting that happened a little over a month ago. After we finished the first interview, Steve Kerr, a coach of one of his favorite sports teams who was playing in Texas that day, released a statement that inspired Tim to want to hit the record button again. And I'm really glad we did! 

Part I has the feel of a daytime interview; we discuss how he arrived to the county, what made him want to be a chef, and how he gets creative about working without an industrial kitchen. Part II shifts to a casual evening vibe, where discussion gets a little more philosophical and a LOT more sportsy. I can't help but relish Tim's disdain at how little I know about sportsball(: Accompanied by Timothy's vinyl pick: "The Dead Set"-- Hope you enjoy the talks!


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