Beyond The Fog Radio Season 3 launches NEXT WEEK! We couldn't be more excited to share more amazing stories from the Bay Area — and this will be our biggest season yet! To tide over our loyal listeners (and ourselves) for the next seven days, we have one more episode to revisit: our conversation with Naizar Mubarak, Executive Chef at Florio Restaurant in San Francisco (Season 2 Episode 12).

Mubarak began his culinary career at age 19 in his home country of Sri Lanka. He moved to the Bay Area in 2006, and has since left his mark on restaurants like Marzano, Garibaldi’s, Bocanova, and the Duck Club. Mubarak puts his own spin on his mother's recipes and native cuisine; at Florio, he mixes French and Italian dishes with Sri Lankan spices to create an eclectic, innovative, and oh-so-delicious menu.

Join Susan, Michaela, and Jae as they look back at their interview with Naizar Mubarak — and we'll see you next week to kick off Beyond The Fog Radio Season 3!

Welcome back to Beyond The Fog Radio! We're almost ready to launch Season 3 — can you believe it? Before the new season begins, however, the team is looking back at some of our favorite episodes from the first two seasons. This week, we're revisiting our interview with award-winning artist and educator Margo Hall, the new Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansbury Theater in San Francisco (Season 2 Episode 15).

Margo Hall has been active in the Bay Area theatre scene for over 30 years. She is a founding member of the multicultural Campo Santo theater company, which collaborates with local artists to put on new works for Bay Area audiences. She teaches at both UC Berkeley and Chabot College to support and mentor young actors and playwrights who are discovering their voice. With so many accomplishments and awards to her name, it's safe to say that Margo Hall has left an unmistakable mark on the Bay Area — not just in theatre, but in community.

Join Susan and Michaela in revisiting their conversation with the amazing Margo Hall!

(For more information about Margo Hall, please visit www.margohall.com .)

Season 2 Episode 11 R: Gregory Cole- Re- Release

Welcome back to Beyond The Fog Radio! Recording for Season 3 is still underway, but in the meantime, our team is looking back at some of our favorite episodes from our first two seasons. This week, we're rediscovering Touch of Class Choir (Season 2 Episode 11) and the man behind its magic — Mr. Gregory Cole!

Mr. Cole has taught music and made a difference for Bay Area children for over 40 years, to the point where we can’t list all of his accomplishments here in the episode description! His greatest endeavor, however, began in 1984 at Sala & Phillip Burton Academic High School, where he founded Touch of Class Choir (TOCC). In the midst of three underserved neighborhoods in San Francisco, Mr. Cole teaches his students a wide range of music from religious to jazz and R&B, and along with tremendous talent, this versatility has led TOCC on tours across the entire world.

Along with music, Mr. Cole teaches his students about important life skills and the power of personal achievement, motivating them in so many different ways. Former TOCC students look to him as a father figure, and we couldn’t think of a kinder person to have such a beloved status. Join Susan, Michaela, and Jae in revisiting their interview with Mr. Gregory Cole!

(For more information about Mr. Gregory Cole, please visit: http://touchofclasschoir.org/gregory-cole-director/ .)

"Welcome back to Beyond The Fog Radio! Recording for Season 3 is underway, but in the meantime, our team wanted to take a look back at some of our favorite episodes from both Season 1 and Season 2. This week, we're rediscovering our episode on San Francisco's North Beach (Season 1 Episode 18). Our esteemed guests are three 80-years-young North Beach residents who are just as lively as the neighborhood itself!

Nina Clima, Charles Farruggia, and Don Di Basilio grew up together in North Beach and remain dedicated to their community. San Francisco's "Little Italy," North Beach is home to charming Victorian homes and family-owned shops and restaurants that keep older Italian traditions alive and well. Many prominent figures of the Beat Generation helped make famous North Beach institutions like the Saloon and City Lights Booksellers, and Francis Ford Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope has its home in the Sentinel Building at the neighborhood's edge. Nina, Charles, and Don went VERY in-depth about North Beach and its history, and we had such a wonderful time chatting with these equally wonderful people.

Meet Nina Clima and the Gang!"

Season 2 Episode 23: Shelley Lindgren and A16

Shelley Lindgren is a Bay Area-based wine sommelier and a restaurateur. She co-founded restaurant and wine spot A16 in 2004, focusing on the food and wine of Southern Italy. Shelley trained under two of San Francisco’s most well known Chefs and Restaurateurs Hubert Keller and Maurice Rouas, owners of the top SF French restaurant Fleur de Lys. This training inspired her passion for wine and fine dining, and after receiving her professional wine Sommelier degree, Shelley opened A16 in hopes of introducing unknown Italian wines to the Western United States. The specificity of the food and wine she serves coupled with impeccable culinary skill has since awarded her restaurant numerous honors, including the San Francisco Bay Area Rising Star Restaurateur Award. She’s even recently partnered with Kitty Oestilen to create Tansy, an Italian-inspired wine made here in California.

Shelley is humble and kind, She loves to do whatever she can to make one’s dining experience memorable. To her, nothing could be better than enjoying a delicious meal with a glass of fine wine in your hand.

For more information on Shelley Lindgren and A16, please visit: https://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com/feature-story/restaurant-poll-interviews/rp20-shelley-lindgren-a16

Meet Shelley Lindgren!

Season 2 Episode 22: Antoine Hunter

Mr. Antoine Hunter, also known as Purple Fire Crow, is an award winning Deaf, Disable, African, Indigenous producer, choreographer, Founder and Artistic Director of the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival, as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of the Urban Jazz Dance Company. Antoine studied dance at The California Institute of the Arts and the Paul Taylor Dance School in New York City. Deafness allows Antoine to experience music somatically, thus connecting him more deeply with the visual form of communication that dance offers. In doing so, he uniquely cultivates a universal language through which he expresses his experience with exceptional artistry. As such, not only has he performed with some of the Bay Area’s most well-known dance companies, but has also received many awards for his work. His career has also taken him overseas, from Cuba and Rome to Peru and London. He is currently faculty at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, the Shawl Anderson Youth in Arts, and Dance -A- Vision.

Antoine is a secure, balanced human being who harnesses the energy of music in unique and refreshing ways. His intuition for dance has made him the bridge through which visual communication flows among all communities. Upon meeting Antoine, we knew we were in the company of someone very special. We hope you enjoy our interview with him.

For more information about Antoine Hunter, please visit: https://www.realurbanjazzdance.com/mr-antoine-hunter.html

Meet Mr. Antoine Hunter!

Beyond the Fog Radio Holiday Special: a message Hosts Susan, Jae and Michaela,

t would not be the Holidays if we did not take the time to thank our listeners, our team and everyone who helps us each week with producing this podcast. We began this amazing journey in September 2020 when the world was still dormant from the Pandemic lockdown. Many places were closed, a vaccine had not been released yet and people were working and attending school from home. My friend Jae Yee called me to ask how my tour company and blog Beyond the Fog was coming along. After telling him it was asleep until further notice, Jae had the brilliant idea of starting this podcast. He said: “San Francisco is changing so fast, let’s do a podcast about the History of our city!” Being an artist myself, I wanted to focus on the History of Art and Culture of the San Francisco Bay Area.The plans were set in motion, and Jae invited his friend Michaela Joy O’ Shea to be the photographer. She quickly became the third co-host, and voila! We have a podcast. Michaela’s husband Tim O’Shea composed our theme music, Jae is our sound engineer, and I am the producer. Arlyss Hays is our copywriter, Connor Chang is our sound editor, and Tim Johnson designed our website. Over a year later, our small team of six are still having a blast.

Most of all, we would like to thank our listeners. Without you, we would not have a podcast at all. So from all of us at Beyond the Fog Radio, THANK YOU for listening. We are so humbled and grateful.

Happy Happy Happy Holidays!

— The Beyond the Fog Radio Team

Season 2 Episode 20: Robert Moses

Robert Moses is the Founder, Artistic Director and Choreographer of the internationally acclaimed dance company Robert Moses’ Kin. Since 1995 Robert Moses’ Kin has told complex stories about human nature through contemporary dance, focusing on expanding the expressiveness of the human body and speaking often from his African American heritage.The company’s dynamic works are distinct from other dance companies in that they blend still photos, videos, music and live voices to creatively amplify each piece’s message. Robert Moses collaborates with numerous prominent dancers, musicians and composers. He also works with poets, sculptors, authors and designers, creating totally new performances that move audiences in unexpected ways.

Robert Moses’ Kin has toured all over the world with its home base in our very own San Francisco. The company has received numerous awards as well, including seven Bay Area Isadora Duncan Awards. In 2005 Robert Moses was named Choreographer in Residence and Artistic Director of the Committee on Black Performing Arts at Stanford University. He was also on the dance faculty at Stanford University from 1995 to 2016.

Robert’s imagination has no limits; for him, daily life is a chance to make something extraordinary happen. We are excited to share our interview with him this week on Beyond the Fog Radio.

For more information about Robert Moses and Robert Moses’ Kin, please visit: https://www.robertmoseskin.org/

Meet Robert Moses!

Season 2 Episode 19: Blanche Brown

Our first guest in the History of Dance series is a Dancer, Choreographer, Haitian Dance teacher, and mother of our Co-Host and Producer, Susan. Blanche Brown began dancing while studying at San Francisco State University, and although she initially left to support her husband’s political career and raise their three children, she returned at 35 to receive her Masters in Physical Education with an emphasis in Dance. In the 1970’s, she joined the Wajumbe Performance Ensemble, touring with them in Nigeria for an international dance festival called Festic 72. Her time in Nigeria inspired her to become Priestess of Oshun in the Yoruba Tradition.

Blanche has since become a teacher, and founded her own dance company in San Francisco called Group Petit La Croix. As Choreographer and Artistic Director, Blanche toured with her group throughout the Western United States for 15 years. She also became the Board President for the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and served on the San Francisco Art Commission. Though she has attempted retiring four times, she cannot keep herself from her life’s passion. At 86, Blanche still teaches Haitian Dance at ODC Dance Commons in the city’s Mission District.

For more information about Blanche Brown,

please visit: https://dancersgroup.org/2015/05/teacher-priestess-dancer-blanche-brown/

https://odc.dance/gdpafrohaitian

Meet Blanche Brown!

Season 2 Trailer 4: History of Dance in The San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco has always been a city that has a vibrant, creative and robust dance community. The Variety of dance in the Bay Area is vast, and deeply rooted in San Francisco inclusive , cultural community. Dance is celebrated in this city like no other place on the earth.

We open our new and exciting History of Dance series with these Three guests:

Blanche Brown Choreographer, Dancer, Legendary Teacher of Afro - Haitian Dance

Robert Moses Choreographer, Founder of Robert Moses Kin, Artistic Director

Antoine Hunter also known as Purple Fire Crow award winning Africian, Indigenous, Deaf, Choreographer, Dancer, Dance teacher and Deaf Advocate.

Enjoy our History Dance Series!

Season 2 Episode 18: Flicka McGurrin & Jeannette Etheredge

Every city has its legendary places that reflect its personality and charm, that are “living museums” of its rich history. This week we interviewed two entrepreneurs who’ve cultivated two of San Francisco’s iconic restaurants. The first, Flicka McGurrin, is a sixth generation San Francisco native who launched Pier 23 Cafe over 35 years ago. It has consistently been a local favorite, not just for the delicious seafood, but for the long-time community that is now ushering in its second generation of locals. Flicka’s own children have impacted the restaurant, too, as they now run Pier 23 Cafe for their mother. This classic SF restaurant would not be what it is today without the leadership and soul of Flicka McGurrin.

The second is Jeannette Etheredge. She is the former owner of North Beach’s Tosca Cafe, a bar and now restaurant that’s (quite literally) famous for being a favorite of world class celebrities like Sean Penn, Francis Ford Coppola, and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. The bar’s popularity can be attributed to Jeannette’s leadership after purchasing it in 1980. Her warmth and charisma made customers feel at home, and many feel the Cafe’s success is due to her welcoming presence and dedication to her North Beach community.

For more information about Flicka and Jeannette, please visit:

https://www.flickamcgurrin.com/about

https://www.bonappetit.com/restaurants-travel/article/best-last-dive-bar-in-world

Meet Flicka McGurrin and Jeannette Etheredge!

Season 2 Episode 16: Zoe Elton

An Oakland resident for many years now, England-born Zoë Elton has colored the Bay Area’s film and theater world with her many talents. She is a film curator, writer, cartoonist, interviewer, director, jewelry-designer, and the long-time Program Director for the Mill Valley Film Festival.

Not only has her leadership and dedication to filmmaking helped the international Festival flourish, but her keen creative eye has helped the Festival choose films that would go on to win Oscars.

Elton’s passions and experience has allowed her to explore new avenues with the Festival, too. She initiated the Active Cinema Program, which examines artist's works with a cause, and Mind the Gap, a women’s initiative that supports women filmmakers. Her long-time exposure to the Film world and knack for interviewing has also given her great opportunities to learn from successful filmmakers and luminaries such as Dustin Hoffman, James Franco, Viola Davis, Helen Mirren, and more.

Zoë is infectious to be around. Her calm and gentle manner disarms those around her, allowing them to get to know her with ease. Her stories of traveling the world in search of films and accounts of her wonderful years in the Bay Area are endless. It was an honor and pleasure to document some of Elton’s stories in this week’s episode of Beyond the Fog Radio.

For more information about Zoë Elton, please visit: https://www.zoeelton.com/about

Meet Zoë Elton!

S2 E15: Margo Hall Lorraine Hansberry Theater

Margo Hall is an award-winning activist, educator, actor, director, playwright, and newly-appointed Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theater, San Francisco’s premier African American Theater. Originally from Detroit, Hall has been an active director and performer in the Bay Area for over 30 years. She recently directed How I Learned What I Learned at the Marin Theater Company and BARBECUE for SF Playhouse, as well as acted in Ah, Wilderness! for the American Conservatory Theater. She was also recently seen in the films BLINDSPOTTING with Oakland native Daveed Diggs and All Day and a Night on Netflix. Her most recent on-stage credit is Exit Strategy at the Aurora Theater. Margo Hall has also won many awards for her outstanding work, including the Glickman Award for best new play in the Bay Area for her play The People’s Temple, featured at Berkeley Repertory Theater in 2005.

Margo devotes herself not only to the Theater, but her community as well. She is a founding member of Campo Santo, a multicultural San Francisco-based theater company that collaborates with local theater artists to put on new works for Bay Area audiences. She is also a theater professor at UC Berkeley and Chabot College, where her mission is to support and mentor young actors and playwrights who are discovering their voice. Through her devotion to the dynamic world of theater, her students, and her theater community, Margo has been able to enrich not only herself, but the Bay Area at large. We are very excited to have the unique opportunity of interviewing someone who is so passionate about the Theater!

For more information about Margo Hall, please visit: https://www.margohall.com/

Meet Margo Hall!

S2 E14: Musical Theater with Brendon Chan

Brendon Chan is a singer, dancer, actor, and native San Franciscan. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Dance degree, and began his professional career traveling the world performing on cruise ships. He then moved to New York City to pursue musical theater. His years of performing and hard work have proved fruitful, as he was most recently featured in the San Francisco cast of Hamilton at the Orpheum Theater.

Brendon is a delightful person from the moment you meet him. His personality exudes performative energy–– upon meeting him for our interview, he excitedly kicked his leg up high as if hailing a cab. We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to interview Chan. Please enjoy his stories of a life in the arts, from dance studio classes in the Sunset District to performing in a Broadway show in his home city for the first time.

Meet Brendon Chan!