LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY

With Magsy
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

Margaret Croom is ‘Magsy’, a local of Whidbey Island, Washington. Whether you’re a local, a would-be islander, or just someone who loves a good story, ”Local Whidbey” is your weekly dose of community, inspiration, and a reminder that the best places aren’t just found on maps—they’re found in people. Are you an AUDACIOUS ISLANDER(tm)? For more info, go to https://LocalWhidbeyPodcast.com

  1. 1d ago

    HE BOUGHT A FOREST THEN REINVENTED IT

    Welcome back to Local Whidbey Podcast. I'm Magsy, and this week I'm bringing you a conversation from Season One that I decided deserved a second look through the lens of my Reinventions series. When I originally interviewed Scott Price, I thought of him simply as an interesting islander—the creator of Price Sculpture Forest in Coupeville. But listening back, I realized there was a much bigger reinvention story here. Scott spent much of his career in commercial real estate, including as a senior real estate program manager with Microsoft and owns and manages many types of his investment properties. After years of working in that world, he and his wife began planning their eventual move to Whidbey Island. What happened next took them—and the property they had purchased—in a direction they never anticipated. Today, Scott is running a nonprofit and bringing together two things he and his wife love: nature and art, while creating something that the entire community can experience. And I think his story is a wonderful reminder that sometimes the most meaningful reinventions aren't planned at all. Let's go back to my conversation with Scott Price. SCULPTURE GARDEN WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  2. Aug 12

    BUILDING RUBY: A COUPLES NEXT CHAPTER

    Another great local story in my REINVENTION SERIES. For many people, retirement or a career change marks the beginning of something different. But today's guests didn't wait for one chapter to end before beginning the next. Martha Valle has spent her career creating memorable experiences as a bartender with Morale, Welfare and Recreation on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Earlier this year, Tony Valle retired from the U.S. Navy after years of military service and now works as an aircraft structural assembler. Together, they're bringing something new to downtown Oak Harbor—Ruby Lounge + Kitchen. Ruby isn't simply another restaurant or bar. Their vision is a gathering place where craft cocktails, Latin-inspired food, music, dancing, wine tastings, mystery nights, and mixology workshops come together to create memorable experiences. It's the kind of place designed to bring people together, celebrate community, and offer something a little different for Whidbey Island. But every great space begins with a story, and in Ruby's case, that story includes friends, mentors, tradespeople, neighbors, and a community that helped transform an idea into reality. Today we'll talk about building a dream while still balancing careers, creating a place where everyone feels welcome, and why sometimes the most rewarding reinvention is one you build together. Martha and Tony, welcome to Local Whidbey Podcast. FOLLOW RUBY LOUNGE + KITCHEN: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  3. Aug 5

    JEN SCHMITZ GIVES COUPEVILLE A PLACE TO BE YOURSELF

    My guest today is someone who perfectly embodies the idea of having the courage to create something new in her life. By day, Jen Schmitz serves Island County as the Natural Resources Manager, helping protect the land and waters that make Whidbey such a remarkable place to live. It's thoughtful, technical work that requires science, collaboration, and long-term thinking. But outside of her day job, Jen and her partner have brought something completely unexpected to Coupeville: The Spectacled Sasquatch Taproom. This isn't just another place to grab a drink. It's become a gathering place for people who don't always fit into traditional nightlife. Whether it's karaoke, Show & Tell nights, themed events, games, or simply celebrating your favorite nerdy obsession, The Spectacled Sasquatch is building a community where being a little different isn't just accepted—it's encouraged. Today we'll talk about why someone with a successful career in environmental science decided to open a neighborhood bar, what it takes to build a welcoming space from scratch, how community can grow around shared curiosity, and why sometimes reinvention isn't about leaving one life behind—it's about making room for another. Jen, welcome to the Local Whidbey Podcast. WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  4. Jul 29

    FINDING CONFIDENCE IN A NEW CHAPTER ON WHIDBEY ISLAND

    Welcome to Local Whidbey Podcast. I'm Magsy, and this is another episode in our Reinventions series, where we explore the people who have found new purpose by embracing change. Sometimes reinvention isn't about starting over. It's about taking everything you've learned in one chapter of your life and applying it in an entirely new way. Today's guest is Andrea Mansfield, owner of Little Gemme, a resale boutique in Langley, built on the idea that fashion can be joyful, sustainable, and deeply personal. Before opening Little Gemme, Andrea spent fifteen years as a life coach in Portland, Oregon, helping people build confidence and navigate life's transitions. When that chapter naturally came to a close, she and her wife made a bold decision. They put all of their belongings in storage, left Portland, and set out to travel, and searched for a place where they could build a new life in a welcoming, inclusive community. That journey led them to Whidbey Island. What began as an online boutique eventually became a Pop-up shop, where carefully curated clothing and accessories reflect Andrea's belief that what we wear isn't just about style—it's about feeling comfortable, authentic, and confident in who we are. Today we'll talk about knowing when one chapter has ended, taking risks in pursuit of a life that better reflects your values, and why sometimes the greatest reinvention isn't changing who you are—it's finally becoming more of yourself. Contact Andrea at Little Gemme: WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  5. Jul 22

    REINVENTING HOW A COMMUNITY FEEDS ITSELF

    During the early days of the pandemic, people were literally driving to farms and knocking on doors, hoping to buy eggs, vegetables, or meat. The usual ways of getting local food had broken down almost overnight. That's when today's guest and a community of farmers got together and said "There is a way!" The Whidbey Island Grown Cooperative's FOOD HUB began. Today's story begins in the uncertainty of 2020. When the world shut down during the COVID pandemic, so did many of the traditional ways local farmers reached their customers. Farmers markets were disrupted. Restaurants closed. Supply chains were uncertain. For many small farms, years of hard work suddenly hung in the balance. But while many people were asking, "What now?" today's guest was asking, "What if?" Shannon Bly, Executive Director of Whidbey Island Grown, helped reimagine how local food could reach local families. Working alongside farmers, volunteers, and community partners, she helped launch the Whidbey Island Grown Cooperative—an online marketplace where people could order products from multiple farms in one place and pick their order up at convenient locations around the island. It wasn't simply an online grocery store. It became a lifeline. The cooperative helped many local farms continue selling their products during one of the most uncertain times in recent history. What began as an emergency solution has continued to grow into a thriving model for connecting farmers and consumers while strengthening Whidbey's local food system. Today we'll talk about innovation born from necessity, what it takes to build something completely new in the middle of a crisis, and how one idea helped strengthen an entire community. SHOP AT THE FOOD HUB INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE ARTS FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  6. Jul 15

    The Sea That Built Whidbey: Stories from Our Maritime Past

    Welcome back to the Local Whidbey Podcast and another episode in our special Saltwater Lives series, where we're exploring the people, history, industries, and traditions that make life on Whidbey Island inseparable from the sea. Before there were highways connecting towns, the water was our highway. Steamships carried passengers, freight, livestock, and mail. Fishermen, loggers, farmers, shipbuilders, and merchants all depended on the surrounding waters. Nearly every chapter of Whidbey Island's story has a maritime connection. Today's guest is someone who has spent decades preserving and sharing those stories. Lee James is a respected maritime historian, author, researcher, and longtime educator whose work has helped document the rich nautical heritage of Whidbey Island and the surrounding waters. Through years of research, public presentations, and historical interpretation, he's become one of the island's most knowledgeable voices on the people, vessels, industries, and events that have shaped this remarkable place. When I began planning this episode, Lee was recommended by Peter Wells, the President of the Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation, saying he would bring both the historical knowledge, and the storytelling needed to tell Whidbey's maritime story. I'm grateful he accepted the invitation. In this conversation, we'll travel through centuries of history—from the island's earliest inhabitants and the arrival of European explorers to the growth of shipping, fishing, commerce, the Navy's influence, and the maritime traditions that continue today. Along the way, we'll hear some fascinating stories about the people who made their living on these waters and why preserving this history matters for future generations. So, let's cast off and dive into the remarkable maritime history of Whidbey Island with historian Lee James. Lee, welcome to the Local Whidbey Podcast. It's wonderful to have you here. Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  7. Jul 8

    WHIDBEY SEAFOOD: From Sea to Table with Andrew Hosmer

    There's a particular rhythm to life on Whidbey that you can't find anywhere else—a tide-driven cadence that shapes everything from when we wake to what ends up on our plates. In the "Saltwater Lives" series, we're diving into the stories of those whose lives move with the water, whose hands bear the marks of nets and lines, and whose identities are woven into the very salt spray of this island. Today, we're sitting with Andrew Hosmer of Whidbey Seafoods, two generations carrying forward a legacy built on the waters surrounding us. Their story isn't just about catching fish—it's about stewardship, family, and what it means to build a life tethered to the sea, ensuring that every meal travels from the ocean to the table under their own watch. https://whidbeyseafoods.com/ and on INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

  8. Jul 1

    DR. FLORIAN GRANER & THE STORIES HIDDEN UNDERWATER

    Some people look at the ocean and see a frontier; others see a home. For Dr. Florian Graner, the waters around Whidbey Island are both a laboratory and a canvas. He is a scientist, a conservationist, and an award-winning filmmaker who has taken the hidden world beneath the waves and brought it to screens across the globe. From his work with Disney and Netflix to his latest acclaimed film, Orcas — Life in Black and White, Florian uses light and motion to tell stories that demand we pay attention. Today, we explore how he balances the rigors of science with the art of cinema, and why he believes that seeing is the first step toward saving our coastal environment. FLORIAN GRANER SEA LIFE PRODUCTIONS INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK SOUND WATER STEWARDS   Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook. You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

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Trailer

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About

Margaret Croom is ‘Magsy’, a local of Whidbey Island, Washington. Whether you’re a local, a would-be islander, or just someone who loves a good story, ”Local Whidbey” is your weekly dose of community, inspiration, and a reminder that the best places aren’t just found on maps—they’re found in people. Are you an AUDACIOUS ISLANDER(tm)? For more info, go to https://LocalWhidbeyPodcast.com

Information

  • Creator
    With Magsy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY

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