So New England with Ian Brownhill

Ian Brownhill
  • 5.0 (23)
  • Comedy
  • Updated Weekly

Hosted by New England's own Ian Brownhill, we will be talking and interviewing with some of New England's best! From Social Media, to the Restaurant industry to pioneers of the New England region!

  1. 3d ago

    #8 Business Spotlight — Lily's Soups and Scoops: From Bone Broth for a Sick Baby to a Rhode Island Favorite

    It started with a sick three-month-old and a pot of bone broth — and turned into one of Rhode Island's most beloved local spots. This week on the Business Spotlight, Ian and RJ sit down with Lily, owner of Lily's Soups and Scoops in Cranston, Rhode Island. Lily shares how making bone broth to help her infant son through RSV turned into a company she started in her own kitchen, and how that grew into a full soup, ice cream, and grilled cheese shop. She breaks down her bone broth process, her favorite menu items (including the legendary Hangover Helper), and gets hilarious and honest about the challenges of running a small business in Rhode Island. Then Lily assigns a soup to every New England state — and Connecticut does not come out unscathed. A genuinely funny, heartfelt conversation about food, family, and building something real. You can find Lily's Soups and Scoops at 1850 Broad Street in Cranston, on Instagram @soupsandscoops, and at lilyssoupsandscoops.com. Follow So New England for new episodes every week — life's better in New England.

    #8 Business Spotlight — Lily's Soups and Scoops: From Bone Broth for a Sick Baby to a Rhode Island Favorite

  2. Jul 14

    #89 Darren Battista: From Rock Bottom to Building Boston's Fitness Movement Ritual

    Getting cut from his college basketball team felt like rock bottom — it turned out to be the start of everything. This week, Ian and RJ sit down with Darren Battista, the Waltham native and founder of Battista Bootcamp. Darren shares how that one cut pushed him into the gym, how he became a top-five trainer at Equinox, and how he built a nine-person virtual coaching team and a sold-out Boston fitness movement called Ritual — from 80 people at the first event to 500-plus every weekend. He also gets honest about the industry: why there are no 30-day shortcuts, how to spot influencer nonsense, why human connection beats AI, and his take on the GLP and peptide craze. Plus New England state rankings, his ultimate cheat meal, and how to spot a New Englander in the wild. You can find Darren at @BattistaBootcamp. Follow So New England for new episodes every week — life's better in New England.

    #89 Darren Battista: From Rock Bottom to Building Boston's Fitness Movement Ritual

  3. Jul 7

    #88 Brian Daly: The "Seger Bar Guy" on Going Viral, Boston Dive Bars & Hot Takes

    It started with one random request at a dive bar — and turned Brian Daly into New England's beloved "Seger Bar Guy." This week, Ian and RJ sit down with Brian Daly (@wickedfast), the Watertown native who went viral asking Boston bars whether they'll throw on a little Bob Seger. Brian shares how his cousin's offhand suggestion accidentally became his whole identity, how to spot a real "Seger bar," and the wild ride since — the Boston Globe, NBC, and Bob Seger's own marketing team reaching out (though Seger still has no idea). Then come the takes: why fair-weather Pats fans don't deserve it, why Red Sox fans are the worst right now, his honest thoughts on the T and Boston's bike lanes, his New England state rankings, and even a Bob Seger song for every state. You can find Brian at @wickedfast. Follow So New England for new episodes every week — life's better in New England.

    #88 Brian Daly: The "Seger Bar Guy" on Going Viral, Boston Dive Bars & Hot Takes

  4. Jun 30

    #87 Caroline Barry (Make Boston Home): A Georgia Girl Goes Full New Englander

    What happens when a Georgia girl moves to Boston and never looks back? You get Caroline Barry. This week, Ian and RJ sit down with the Make Boston Home creator (nearly 200K followers) for a fresh-eyes take on New England. She ranks all six states, explains why "bless your heart" would start a fight in Boston, reveals how she built her entire real estate business on Instagram, and tells the story of hiking Katahdin's terrifying Knife's Edge — plus the time Tyler Perry filmed a movie in her childhood home. Funny, sharp, and proudly New England now. Find Caroline at @makebostonhome. Follow So New England for new episodes every week — life's better in New England.

    #87 Caroline Barry (Make Boston Home): A Georgia Girl Goes Full New Englander

  5. Jun 23

    #07 Business Spotlight — Brad Scott of Scott's Volkswagen: A 78-Year Rhode Island Family Story

    A floor-sweeper made a handshake deal to save a failing dealership, then lied about his age to become the youngest Volkswagen dealer in America. That was 1948 — and his family still runs the business today. This week on the So New England Business Spotlight, Ian Brownhill sits down with Brad Scott, owner of Scott's Volkswagen in East Providence, Rhode Island, for the full 78-year, three-generation family story. Brad also gets refreshingly honest about the car business — why dealers barely profit on new cars, whether paying cash matters, the truth about end-of-month deals, and why his single-location family model lets them treat customers better than the corporate giants. He even makes the case that the VW R32 drives better than a Porsche. You can find Scott's Volkswagen at scottvw.com. Follow So New England for new episodes every week — life's better in New England.

    #07 Business Spotlight — Brad Scott of Scott's Volkswagen: A 78-Year Rhode Island Family Story

  6. Jun 16

    #86 Marc Lewis: Boston Content, Brutally Honest Takes & Ranking the New England States

    Boston content creator Marc Lewis doesn't hold back — and this episode proves it. This week on the So New England Podcast, Ian Brownhill and RJ sit down with Marc Lewis, one of New England's most prolific and unfiltered content creators, known for his food reviews, honest takes, and golf course reviews you can actually trust. Marc gets candid about the road that got him here, including the three-year gambling addiction he overcame before going full-time into content. He explains why he treats every piece of content like an audition, and gets into the real state of being a creator in 2026 — the algorithm chaos, the parasocial relationships, the platforms that actually pay, and why everyone claims to hate content creators until they need one. Then the hot takes start flying. Marc names his most overrated things in New England, with Plymouth Rock and the lobster roll both taking serious hits. He ranks all six New England states (sorry, Vermont), power-ranks the Boston sports teams with a controversial choice at number one, and explains why getting roasted is the ultimate New England sign of love. The guys also cover their most absurd "fat moments," the eternal rotary debate, and the greatest Boston movies ever made. You can find Marc on Instagram at @marclew1s. Follow the So New England Podcast for new episodes every week. Don't forget — life's better in New England!

    #86 Marc Lewis: Boston Content, Brutally Honest Takes & Ranking the New England States

  7. Jun 8

    #06 Business Spotlight — Josh Mackintosh of the No Fame Games: Reviving Celtic Strength Culture in New England

    What if picking up a stone could connect you to thousands of years of history? That's the idea behind the No Fame Games — and on June 13th, it's coming to New England. This week on the So New England Business Spotlight, Ian Brownhill and RJ sit down with Josh Mackintosh, the private chef and cultural steward behind the first-ever Celtic Strength World Championship in Milford, Massachusetts. Josh explains how stone lifting is like time travel, the story of the 370-pound famine stone freighted from Ireland to Boston, and how the games are reviving Irish collar-and-elbow wrestling — a sport once practiced by George Washington. The timing is serendipitous too: June 13th is the day Scotland returns to the World Cup at Gillette Stadium, 25 minutes away, with talk of 40,000 Scots in town. Josh walks through the whole festival, from Highland Games and a Guinness beer garden to live music, food trucks, kids' activities, and Sheena Melwani singing the national anthem. And he shares the real meaning behind the name — honoring the unsung heroes and ancestors who never got the spotlight. It's a family-friendly festival for everyone, Celtic heritage or not. Saturday, June 13th in Milford, MA. Tickets start at $15 for adults and $8 for kids. Use promo code SONEWENGLAND for 30 percent off at nofamegames.com. Follow the No Fame Games on Instagram @nofamegame and Facebook at No Fame Games. Follow So New England for new episodes every week — life's better in New England

    #06 Business Spotlight — Josh Mackintosh of the No Fame Games: Reviving Celtic Strength Culture in New England

  8. Jun 2

    #05 Business Spotlight — Brendan O'Donnell of Newport Craft: Brewing, Distilling & a Rhode Island Cultural Hub

    Bob Dylan went electric on this property in 1965. Now it's home to one of only 275 craft "brew-stilleries" in America — and Brendan O'Donnell is the man running it. This week on the So New England Podcast Business Spotlight Series, Ian Brownhill and RJ go on-site at Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co. to sit down with CEO Brendan O'Donnell. Brendan moved to Newport from New Jersey in 2014 after meeting his wife in New York City — and never left. Today he runs Newport Craft, Heritage Hospitality (which has acquired legacy Rhode Island restaurants like Brick Alley Pub), and Wally's Wieners, the three-location hot dog and martini concept his team has built from scratch. In this episode, Brendan shares the launch of "It's Called Soccer," Newport Craft's beer designed around the upcoming World Cup. He breaks down why he and his family acquire legacy Rhode Island restaurants instead of building new ones, the "cheat code" of New England restaurant succession, and how Newport Craft has become a venue for Jay Leno comedy shows, the Rogue Island Comedy Festival, and one of the most underrated event spaces in Rhode Island. He also shares the cultural history of the property where Bob Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival, and why he believes a soccer field might be in the brewery's future. You'll also hear Brendan's thoughts on Rhode Island as a product-testing market for major brands, how Quonset Point has transformed regional economic opportunity, his honest take on whether New Jersey or Rhode Island has worse drivers, and his perfect New England day. You can find Brendan on LinkedIn as Brendan O'Donnell, and follow Newport Craft at newportcraft.com. Heritage Hospitality information is at heritagehospitality.com. Follow the So New England Podcast for new episodes every week. Don't forget — life's better in New England!

    #05 Business Spotlight — Brendan O'Donnell of Newport Craft: Brewing, Distilling & a Rhode Island Cultural Hub
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
23 Ratings

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Hosted by New England's own Ian Brownhill, we will be talking and interviewing with some of New England's best! From Social Media, to the Restaurant industry to pioneers of the New England region!

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