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Cidiot

Cidiot

By Mat Zucker

Learning to live and love life in the Hudson Valley. Hosted by Mat Zucker. Have you fantasized about living in the country? Curious what the transition is like? Or are you a local and want to see a different side of the folks who've invaded your land? The award-winning podcast Cidiot® has been featured in The Albany Times-Union, Chronogram, Country Living, Hudson Valley Magazine, The Poughkeepsie Journal, NBC's Today.com, and more. For updates visit cidiot.com and follow @cidiot.hv on Instagram and @cidiot_hv on Twitter. Email: goats@cidiot.com

© Mat Zucker 2018-2023
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52. Citiot

CidiotAug 27, 2021

00:00
20:31
99. Ulster Eateries Unfiltered

99. Ulster Eateries Unfiltered

Cidiot®'s back! Jason Bover, photographer, foodie and founder of Ulster Eateries Unfiltered, joins to kick off Season 7.
He shares with Mat his relationship to the Hudson Valley, growing up in the food and bev business and local ingredients. We talk about the Ulster Eateries Unfiltered Facebook group as well as the gatherings and its VIP discount card supporting local restaurants, not to mention his appearance on "Kitchen Nightmares" and meeting Gordon Ramsey. Jason also just started his own coffee brand, Tiny Dog Coffee, bagged and packaged here in Saugerties.
Join Ulster Eateries Unfiltered for free on Facebook. Get the VIP Foodies Card for discounts to more than 70 businesses and support local. Buy online at Ulster Eateries Unfiltered website: ($20) or available in person for $15 at:

Kingston Candy Bar (Uptown Kingston)
Twin Ravens Coffee Company (Ellenville)
Village Pizza (New Paltz)


Some of Jason’s picks:

Urban Fork, Kingston
Mexico Lindo, Kingston
El Mercadito, Kingston
Salt and Fire, Kingston
Kingston Standard, Kingston
Dallas Hot Wieners
Half Moon Rondout Cafe
Supernatural, Hudson
Moto, Hudson
Lagousta’s Lucious, New Paltz


More Jason Bover links:

Wedding photography: Above Weddings
Tiny Dog Coffee
As featured in HudsonValleyOne: Follow the Foodies
Kitchen Nightmares Ep 6 - Gordon Ramsey special guest "Love Bites"


Hudson Valley Garlic Festival - 9/28—9/29/24


Cidiot is the award-winning podcast about the Hudson Valley. Host and executive producer Mat Zucker and editor Isaac Rostan.

2024 Cidiot® is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.
Mar 21, 202431:40
98. Cidiot Unwrapped (Season 6 Finale)
Dec 21, 202311:34
97. Getting Fit in the HV
Nov 16, 202326:26
96. Aging in the HV

96. Aging in the HV

Where should we grow old? Is the Hudson Valley a good place for aging? More and more people think so. And when you find your place, how should we plan for it? How can we stay in our home? How can we get around? What kind of resources are available?  Choosing to move from the city to upstate and now past 50, yeah, Cidiot® wants to know all this and more.

So Mat talks to Brian Jones of the Dutchess County Office for the Aging who debunks myths about the department (no, they don’t just send people to retirement homes) and shares info about the great resources and programs that offices like ours in Dutchess County offers. Brian has tips for successful aging and how to "stay on the upside of dirt." It’s really fun conversation, plus Brian has an awesome voice - no wonder he’ll soon be an announcer for local college sports teams.  Dutchess Office for the Aging (dutchessny.gov/aging)

Tel: 845-486-2555 Links of things mentioned in the episodes:

Thank you for listening to Cidiot, the award-winning podcast about learning to live and love life in the Hudson Valley.

Visit ⁠Cidiot.com⁠ for more information, itineraries on the blog and to join the free Cidiot newsletter. Follow Cidiot on Instagram at ⁠Cidiot.hv.⁠ Copyright 2023. Cidiot® is a registered trademark.


Oct 26, 202332:18
95. Bleats from Sheep & Wool
Oct 21, 202311:09
94. Creative in the HV

94. Creative in the HV

What makes the Hudson Valley special for creative people? This episode, Cidiot talks to Jordan Koschei about building ConnectHV, a creative “network of networks” for creative people in the Hudson Valley and Jordan’s idea of “digital terroir.” It’s about having a sense of place even for a digital network. And just as we’re building on the soil of Hudson Valley’s past, maybe the future will build on this. I think it’s the most thoughtful conversation about living in the Hudson Valley I’ve had in a long time. Tune in. 

And if you’re a creative in the Hudson valley — designer, podcaster, coder, food & bev, business, anything — Jordan has a very broad definition of creative “If you’re not actively destroying thing, you’re a creative” — be sure to go to ConnectHV.com and sign up for free.

Plus we hear his favorite two places — natural and human — places in the Hudson Valley.


Links to what's mentioned in the episode:

Oct 05, 202321:59
93. The Reluctant Gardener - Part 2

93. The Reluctant Gardener - Part 2

Mat gives an update on the gardening project, including flowers vs. vegetables competition. Though his voice notes, you probably get too close to the amateur he is and the struggles he faces — not to mention the neglect he embodies.


Links to what’s mentioned in the episode:


Thank you for listening to Cidiot, the award-winning podcast about learning to live and love life in the Hudson Valley. Visit ⁠Cidiot.com⁠ for more information, itineraries on the blog and to join the free Cidiot newsletter. Follow Cidiot on Instagram at ⁠Cidiot.hv.⁠


Copyright 2023. Cidiot® is a registered trademark.

Sep 21, 202309:43
92. Stationery
Sep 07, 202324:32
91. Ambassador Cidiot
Aug 24, 202314:10
90. Upstate Art Weekend

90. Upstate Art Weekend

After missing it last year, Mat explores the big annual event that is Upstate Art Weekend. More than 130 artists participate across the Hudson Valley, including Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Mat shares the differences between culture in the city versus the country and talks to a New York-based artist, Lauren Cohen at “Brian’s Yard Sale.” It’s hilarious. Artists and galleries mentioned in this episode:

Upstate Art Weekend website

Judith Pfaff Foundation in Tivoli, NY

Available Items in Tivoli, NY


Mother-in-Laws gallery in Germantown, NY

  • Brian’s Yard Sale” by Lauren Cohen
  • “Darkening Skies” curated by Front Room Gallery (artists Pamela Longobardi and Susan Knipperberg)

More recommended art galleries in the area:

Cidiot® is the award-winning Hudson Valley podcast. Sign up for the newsletter and subscribe to episodes on your favorite platform via Cidiot.com. Come visit.

Jul 27, 202310:59
89. Bimi's Canteen in Chatham

89. Bimi's Canteen in Chatham

Why do we move here? To either open—or eat at—restaurants like Bimi's. And live in—or visit—towns like Chatham. This episode is about Bimi's Canteen and Bar, about Ellen & Chris, about a deliciously quaint village called Chatham, NY. Cidiot visits Bimi's, hears the story, the backstory and visits the restaurant and the downstairs speakeasy. As you'll hear from Ellen, the story of Bimi’s is heartwarming, their journey up here is illuminating, she has advice for people opening a business, why Bimi’s is celiac safe, plus she’ll share her favorite places in the Hudson Valley as well.  And if you’re thinking of planning a weekend to Chatham, on the Cidiot Farm Fresh blog you’ll find the first in a new series of Cidiot Weekender Itineraries —ideas for 72 hours or a weekend in Chatham. Thanks to Ellen & Chris for helping me put it together. And stop by Bimi's Canteen & Bar, where if you mention Cidiot, between now and September 30th, you may get treated to a glass of bubbly! Cidiot® is the award-winning podcast about moving to the Hudson Valley and just loving it. Come visit. Links for this episode: Chatham: Bimi's Canteen ⁠Village of Chatham⁠ Fahari Bazaar Columbia Land Conservancy Trails Ben Gable Savories Gentle Time Farm Grimaldi Farm The Blue Plate Crandall Theatre Chatham Brewing The Shaker Museum Kinderhook Farm Samscott Orchards, Kinderhook, NY Hawks Roost Farm, East Chatham, NY Beyond: Six Depot Coffee, West Stockbridge Four Fat Fowl, Stephentown, NY Lost Lamb Bakery, Stockbridge, MA Gaskins, Germantown, NY Rivertown Lodge, Hudson, NY The Stage Coach Inn at Race Brook Lodge, Sheffield, CT Gedney Farm, New Marlborough, MA
Jul 06, 202331:26
88. Green Thumb - Part I
Jun 08, 202315:58
87. Cheese Please

87. Cheese Please

This episode is all about cheese. Who doesn't love it?

To answer them all, Cidiot interviews Lauren Cunningham-Housman, owner of The Corner Counter, a new cheese and provisions shop in Red Hook, NY.

Lauren worked for years with iconic cheese purveyor Murray's Cheese in New York City, and combining her business school education and her experience in (and love of) cheese, built a plan to open her own shop. I ask her how she chose the Hudson Valley, about her journey from intern to opening her own business. I also ask about geography. Is the Hudson Valley special for cheese? And how should one buy cheese? What should I bring to a dinner party? Can we eat the rind? What’s her desert island cheese? This episode is a cidiot primer on cheese, including “affenage” — day care for cheese and facts about cheese you might not know such as there are just four ingredients in cheese, and ideas I never thought about like the seasonality of cheeses.

Tune in to learn, taste with your ears and have a laugh. Plus, for a limited time as part of the grand opening, Lauren is offering Cidiot listeners 10% off cheese and charcuterie when you use the secret code GOATS at checkout.

Links to things mentioned in the episode:

Thanks for listening. Please rate and review Cidiot in the Apple or Spotify podcast stores or simply leave us a review directly through Cidiot.com. Cidiot® is a production and registered trademark of ©2019-2023 Mat Zucker Communications. Come visit.

May 11, 202327:47
86. Route 9 - Albany Post Road

86. Route 9 - Albany Post Road

Sometimes the show takes you to new places, and sometimes the way to get there is the destination. U.S. Route 9 is historic—for much of the portion in New York State, it's The Albany Post Road. Join Cidiot® for a very personal driving tour from Poughkeepsie to Kinderhook with sites, stops and history along the way. Be sure to see the surviving markers, a system developed by Ben Franklin, including the iconic 100-mile marker in Rhinebeck.

Below are some of the places mentioned w/links for more info.


Poughkeepsie to Hyde Park:


Staatsburgh to Rhinebeck:


Red Hook:


Clermont to Claverack:


Claverack to Hudson:


Stuyvesant to Valatie:


Thanks for listening to Cidiot. Send in comments via the contact form on Cidiot.com, and if you’d like to sponsor an episode or be a content partner this season, please get in touch as well. Meanwhile, great news. Cidiot is up again for a 2023 Chronogrammie readers choice award for Regional Podcast in the Arts & Entertainment category. Vote now (and often) through May 15, 2023.


Sources for this episode: Croton History.org, Historic Red Hook, Poughkeepsie Journal, Rhinebeck NY Past & Future, Wikipedia. Photo: Brian Fuhr.

Apr 20, 202316:60
85. Camp Catskill
Mar 16, 202330:20
84. And It Worked (Season 5 Finale)

84. And It Worked (Season 5 Finale)

Cidiot closes out Season 5—the show's biggest yet—with reflections on what worked and what's ahead.

Thank you for making Cidiot one of the Hudson Valley's biggest and most loved shows. Stay warm catching up on past episodes and watching the Cidiot anthem video, available here, via Cidiot.com, and on YouTube.

Thank you for our sponsors and partners this season, including El Sueco and the Don, Greig Farm, Hudson Valley Kitchen Design Center, Hudson Community Incubator, Taconic Toastmasters Club, Sunflower Market in Woodstock and Rhinebeck, and Scot Hastie of Pardee's Agency (A World Company).  

Thank you to all the guests this season, including Ben Senterfit and Paul Rivers Bailey, Andrew Addotta, Allison Chawla, Jeremy Franson and Sandra Franson, Emily Sachar, Osun Zotique, Robinson Greig, Elizabeth Sobol, Mary Howard and four other Taconic Toastmasters, Diane Parisella, Kathy Stevens, Brett Barry, Suzanna Hermans, Amy Zimmerman, Amanda Stromoski, Kendra Sinclair and Jared Vengrin, Alissa Hessler, Anne Sanger and Amy Krane.

Cidiot 's new season begins March 2023. Would love hear your ideas and comments and please rate & review the show at Cidiot.com or on Apple Podcasts. Stay in touch via Cidiot.com, join the newsletter and follow on Instagram. And come visit.

Dec 23, 202213:60
83. Country Colors

83. Country Colors

I love color. I’m fascinated by color. I have questions. Amy Krane is an architectural color consultant as well as a real estate broker. And get this: she has her own podcast on color called Let’s Talk (Paint) Color with colleague Amy Woolf.

On this episode in three fun, chatty parts, Amy and I talk about her journey upstate (she’s not a newbie) and then becoming a color consultant and then into my thousand questions about color especially for rural homes, historical homes - starting with why are barns red - or as you’ll hear Falun Red - and what about painting your outbuildings the same color as your house? And then she surprises with what color was researched to paint your front door for $6,000 more in resale value. You’ll also hear about her philosophy called “Fit In, Stand Out.”

  • Part 1: About Amy’s Journey
  • Part 2: Mat’s Color Questions
  • Part 3: Mistakes to Avoid and Hudson Valley Favorites

Thanks for listening to Cidiot®. Until December 22nd, you can help change history by voting for Cidiot for Listener's Choice in the prestigious Signal Awards in the Lifestyle category. Currently one of six finalists and gunning for gold.

Amy’s Links:

Other Links Mention in the Episode:

Thanks so much to Scot Hastie at Pardee's Agency and to Sunflower Market, with stores in Woodstock and Rhinebeck, for supporting Cidiot this season.

How to contact Scot:

Dec 15, 202242:51
82. Insurance
Dec 01, 202214:60
81. Reclaimed
Nov 22, 202228:58
80. Little Critters
Nov 10, 202212:36
79. Urban Exodus
Oct 27, 202233:02
78. Pinkwater

78. Pinkwater

When you think of art in the Hudson Valley, your head probably goes to the Hudson Valley School and the river, mountains and landscapes of Thomas Cole and Frederick Edwin Church. You know, dead old white men.

Anne Sanger runs the Pinkwater Gallery in uptown Kingston. She’s an artist and her gallery focuses on women artists of the Hudson Valley. We talk about her journey to the Hudson Valley, taking a wrong turn—or was it a right turn—and becoming an artist. We also chat about the types of artists she represents and the etiquette and advice for newbies like me shopping for art. Yes, you can sometimes borrow it!

Thanks to our sponsor Sunflower Market with locations in Woodstock and Rhinebeck. Sunflower is devoted to deepening symbiotic relationships through clean and sustainably sourced food. Visit their site and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Pinkwater Guide to Art in the Kingston Area:

GALLERIES IN KINGSTON

In Uptown / the Stockade:

In Midtown:

In the Rondout / the Strand:

On Route 28 (between Kingston and Woodstock):

FALL LEAF PEEPING + ART

Annual Art Events in Kingston

Art Instruction for Adults

Oct 13, 202227:57
77. The (Other) Best Regional Podcast

77. The (Other) Best Regional Podcast

In a special cross-over in honor of International Podcast Day, Cidiot talks to this year’s winner of the Chronogrammie for regional podcast (we got runner-up!) Brett of Kaatscast podcast. It’s no wonder he won. A pro in audio with a very handsome voice and a public radio style podcast, Brett has recording more than 60 episodes of Kaatscast as well as audiobooks and driving tours of the Catskills. 

Recorded outside at Ole Savannah’s in Kingston on the water, we talk about how working in audio leads to producing driving tours of the Catskills and his award-winning podcast (!) and we also compare the Catskills and the Hudson Valley and talk about bears and snakes. Ick.

Be sure to also tune into Brett’s interview of Mat on his new episode of Kaatscast.

Links

Sep 29, 202228:34
76. Hudson Valley Bookshelf

76. Hudson Valley Bookshelf

If you love books, you’ll love this episode. Cidiot gets local, pro recommendations from Oblong Books in Millerton and Rhinebeck, The Chatham Bookstore in Chatham, Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston, and several Cidiot listeners. Links here and on the episode page on Cidiot.com

Books mentioned:

Bookshops:

Other:

Welcome new sponsor: Sunflower Market, with stores in Rhinebeck and Woodstock, is devoted to deepening symbiotic relationships through clean and sustainably sourced food. Visit their site, follow on Facebook & Instagram.

Sep 15, 202215:59
75. Sanctuary

75. Sanctuary

A big part of why we love the Hudson Valley and Catskills is because of the farms and the animals. In this awesome, moving, eye-opening, and hilarious episode, you’ll meet the fabulous Kathy Stevens and hear how Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties got started and its mission.

You’ll learn about Noodles, a blind horse named Buddy, and a cow named Tucker, what Kathy calls 'random acts of callousness' and about the Underfoot Family. 

“The tours change people,” Kathy explains. 

You’ll also get advice on how to engage with animals on a tour (i.e., take your sunglasses off, sit down, don’t make a loud sound), CAS's unique programming, and why and how to volunteer. We find a job for Mat. And yes, yes, yes, Kathy and I will together make animal sounds.

Welcome new sponsor: Sunflower Market, with stores in Rhinebeck and Woodstock, is devoted to deepening symbiotic relationships through clean and sustainably sourced food. Visit their site and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Past episodes on animals:


Sep 01, 202229:01
74. Summer Break
Aug 18, 202205:22
73. Happy Fourth Birthday!
Aug 04, 202217:32
72. Flatlanders

72. Flatlanders

Is there an equivalent for cidiots in Maine? Yes there is! In fact, Mainers have their own dictionary of phrases I was excited to learn on our two-week vacation. It got me thinking about doing nothing and doing everything. I'll share my update on our to-do list and Robinson Greig sends in an update from Greig Farm.  

Sign up for the Cidiot newsletter for free. Subscribe at Cidiot.com with your email address

Other links:

  • Discover Upstate Art Weekend July 22-24, 2022. Info here.
  • Thanks to our sponsor Hudson Valley Kitchen and Design Center. Mention Cidiot for $500 off your project $5,000 or more. Info here.
  • Send in a quick birthday message to Cidiot with the microphone at Cidiot.com

My favorite Mainer phrases:

  • "From Away" - from somewhere elsewhere than Maine
  • "Flatlander" - someone raised at low altitude
  • "Happier than a clam at high tide" - happy
  • "Tighter than a bark on a tree" - tight
  • "All stove to hell" - in bad shape


Jul 21, 202216:39
71. Mayors of the Mall

71. Mayors of the Mall

Newburgh is one of the oldest towns in New York State and frequently talked about as a city coming around. Cidiot spoke to Diane Parisella, who with her business partner Lisa Morgan, own Designed Grind Cafe at the Newburgh Mall and started The Newburgh Market, held on Sundays from April through the end of October in the mall parking lot 10am-3pm. Hear about the market, their business, what's coming to the mall, her favorite places in the Hudson Valley, and more on Newburgh itself. Stop by Designed Grind Cafe and tell 'em Cidiot sent you and get 10% off a delicious coffee.

Thanks for listening to Cidiot and our sponsors Hudson Valley Kitchen Design Center and Taconic Toastmasters Club. Follow Cidiot on Instagram (@cidot.hv) and subscribe to the free newsletter on the home page at Cidiot.com.

Jul 07, 202219:40
70. Toastmasters Teach
Jun 23, 202212:59
69. Saratoga
Jun 09, 202234:37
68. Strawberries

68. Strawberries

It's strawberry season! Yes, I can't eat them sadly, but you probably can happily. In this special episode breaking from our usual schedule, hear directly from Robinson Greig at Greig Farm on best practices of what to look for and how to pick them. 

Thanks for listening to Cidiot, the award winning podcast about moving to the Hudson Valley, Catskills and Berkshires. Subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on Instagram

Photo courtesy of Greig Farm.


Jun 02, 202206:26
67. Pride Is Back

67. Pride Is Back

Pride starts early in June across the Hudson Valley, Catskills and Berkshires. This episode I talk to Osun Zotique, executive director of OutHudson and the co-grand marshal of Hudson Pride. If you’re following the news, you may have also seen that Osun just announced a historic run for congress to represent the new 19th district. To their knowledge, Osun is the first trans non-binary candidate to run for national office. Learn more at OsunforNY.com.

Osun and I talk about pride in the Hudson Valley, about Hudson (“the P-town of the Hudson Valley”), about LGBTQ contribution to the upstate’s community, economy and culture. Osun also teaches me about “forest bathing” and how this year’s Pride is an opportunity to take that COVID Stickiness and well, dance it out…

Find Pride events mentioned in this episode and many others on the Cidiot.com blog post and follow Cidiot on Instagram.

Thank for listening. And special thank you as well to show sponsors Hudson Valley Kitchen Design Center and Taconic Toastmasters Club.

Photo credit: JD Urban. Provided by OutHudson.

May 26, 202227:31
66. Spring To Do List

66. Spring To Do List

Is it a chore or a passion? This episode of Cidiot we go through seasonal to-do lists, from Mat, from listeners—and from a special guest Robinson Greig of Greig Farm. No one has a longer—or more daunting list—than a farmer. 

If updating your kitchen, bathrooms and pantry is on your to-do list (it's on ours!), then you're in luck since a new sponsor of Cidiot is Hudson Valley Kitchen Design Center. For Cidiot listeners, just mention the podcast to save $500 off a project of $5,000 or more. See recent projects and fun on Instagram @hvkitchendesigncenter, visit their site at hvkitchendesign.com or call 845-615-9410 about a consultation. 

Thanks for making Cidiot the best regional podcast in 2021 Chronogrammies. Voting is finishing up for 2022 and Cidiot is a finalist, so excited to see how the show does again. Get on the mailing list at Cidiot.com and follow Cidiot.hv on Instagram to stay current.

May 12, 202211:14
65. The Daily Catch

65. The Daily Catch

Some of the most important news is local. Mat interviews Emily Sachar, publisher and editor of The Daily Catch. She shares her journey from a newspaper reporter (including an internship under Bob Woodward at The Washington Post), to an art historian and then starting The Daily Catch in Red Hook, NY. We hear about the stories of which she's proudest, behind the scenes of the Daily Catch's Ukraine coverage, what it takes to produce a daily paper, about just doing "the next right thing," and more. And when asked the signature question of her favorite place in the Hudson Valley or Berkshires, Emily brings Cidiot an exclusive!

Cidiot is up for best regional podcast in the Arts & Entertainment category of the 2022 Chronogrammies. Please vote and get other ideas from Episode 64 "A Cidiot's Ballot," or via the blog post on Cidiot.com.

Welcome new sponsors Taconic Toastmasters Club and Hudson Valley Kitchen Design Center. Lucky to have you.

Apr 28, 202241:49
64. A Cidiot's Ballot
Apr 14, 202215:60
63. Comfort & Joy
Mar 31, 202228:37
62. A Little Therapy

62. A Little Therapy

This episode is about managing stress and the proven science of the great outdoors being good for you. I also talk to Allison Chawla, host of Talk to Allison on Radio Free Rhinecliff as well as a psychotherapist, healer, and coach. We talk about change, giving up what is comfortable, about the artistic hamlet of Rhinecliff, parenting, moving up here from the city, newfound diversity, foraging—and keeping a knife under her bed in fear of the silence.

In other news, Cidiot made the finals for 2022 Chronogrammies Best Regional Podcast, so get ready to vote in April. 

Mar 17, 202236:38
61. Floridiot

61. Floridiot

Cidiot is about being new in and acclimating to country life. So what happens if you, say, move to south Florida for a few months and try to fit in there. In this special episode, you'll find out. Mat shares his eight observations comparing life in Florida to the Hudson Valley, including a guest voice: his brother-in-law's brother-in-law Irwin Levy, who is active in the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society. Tune in for some laughs and, of course, warmth. Be sure to stream the new Cidiot anthem on Spotify, Apple Music and more. Hamilton & Adams is offering 15% off at their new online store for fans of the show. Just use the code: CIDIOT. And sign up for the Cidiot mailing list and get more info about the show, becoming a sponsor, and the Hudson Valley, Catskill Mountains, Berkshires and rural living at Cidiot.com
Mar 03, 202217:44
60. Upstate & Chill

60. Upstate & Chill

Maybe you’ve seen the t-shirt. Maybe you own it. I do. “Upstate & Chill” is a trademark saying from Hamilton & Adams, a cool and beloved retailer for men and women in Kingston, NY. For me, it perfectly captures the spirit of moving to the Hudson Valley so much so it’s a lyric in our Cidiot anthem. This second episode of Season 5, I interview Andrew Adotta of Hamilton & Adams about his path up here, opening a business, and more. We play Hudson Valley geography and he also shares his favorite spot not to mention a cidiot hiking story.

Special treat for Cidiot listeners: Get 15% off at Hamilton & Adams new web site. Use code CIDIOT. https://hamiltonandadams.com/discount/CIDIOT

Also, be sure to download the Cidiot anthem, created with El Seuco and The Don of Space Studios in Red Hook on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and more. Links available through the music page at Cidiot.com.

Photo: James J. Reddington

Feb 17, 202226:12
59. Music To Your Ears (Season 5 Premiere)

59. Music To Your Ears (Season 5 Premiere)

Cidiot is back, turning up the volume with a bigger-than-ever Season Five. Four years and 58 episodes have taught Mat a thing or two, plus the listener survey piled up the advice to make this season five-u-lous. We're starting off big, with the a full-play of the new Cidiot Anthem, produced with El Sueco and The Don at Space Studios here in Red Hook. The photo is by Tasha Hurley and we were generously outfitted by Hamilton & Adams in Kingston, NY who thought we did justice to their "Upstate & Chill" aesthetic.  Listen up for a full-play of the song and the backstory in our interview with Ben Senterfit and Paul Rivers Bailey. You'll hear their backstory, how they met through Community Music Space in Red Hook, their favorite places in the Hudson Valley, the process of creating the song, what we each hope to achieve it, and of course, why the two of them are called El Sueco and The Don. Find links to the Cidiot Anthem at the music page on Cidiot.com and more about El Sueco and The Don at their site.
Feb 03, 202237:38
58. June Farms in December (Season 4 Finale)

58. June Farms in December (Season 4 Finale)

I don't think we've talked this season enough about cows. So to close out the year and season four, meet Matt Baumgartner. Matt owns June Farms near Albany as well the Troy Beer Garden, the Berlin Lounge, the Olde English Pub, and Wolf’s Biergarten in Syracuse. We talk about his story, being an entrepreneur, how he started June Farms, about the animals—how pigs are smarter than cows—and you’ll even learn the funny story behind the farm's name.

Thanks for tuning into Cidiot this season, for helping it grow even more, including the win as best regional podcast in the 2021 Chronogrammies. In the mean time, please visit the new Cidiot.com, where you can subscribe to the Cidiot email list for news about the song release in late January, shop, read the blog, rate the show, and, yes, Season 5 planning is already underway. Be sure to also follow the show on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook.

Dec 23, 202123:50
57. Contain Yourself

57. Contain Yourself

Sometimes life comes full circle. This episode, Mat interviews Lori Greenberg and Sarah Goldberg from The Container House in Tivoli, NY, coincidentally (or is it?) owned by a recruiter and business owner from Mat's past. The Container House is an awesome structure designed by Arnaud Cornillon as a model for sustainable living and where Greenberg is building a community for creative people. 

Thanks for listening to Cidiot, the award-winning podcast about moving from the city to the Hudson Valley. Visit the all-new Cidiot.com to join the mailing list, rate and review the show, shop the Cidiot store, follow us on Instagram. And please send your questions about being a Cidiot to goats@cidiot.com. They might make my new advice column in The Red Hook Daily Catch on Fridays: “Ask a Cidiot.”

Dec 03, 202123:43
56. Grab Your Wingman

56. Grab Your Wingman

Meet Kimberlie Dykeman, a Rhinebeck native, who runs Wingman, a personal concierge and estate management business in the Hudson Valley. She and I cover what’s changed, why she started her business, advice for new homeowners, how to treat vendors that come in and out of your house, her favorite spots, and some unique requests she's gotten over the years. Thanks for helping making Cidiot winner of the 2021 Chronogrammies for best regional podcast. Visit Cidiot.com for more info and to shop the store, follow the show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, read the "Ask a Cidiot" column in The Red Hook Daily Catch. Now you can also sign up on the Cidiot mailing list and get show perks including Kimberlie's house manual template when it's ready. 

Nov 18, 202126:08
55. Hike Your Own Hike

55. Hike Your Own Hike

What’s the rush with hiking? What's the difference between a walk and a hike? This episode Mat talks to Sean O’Dwyer, who runs Mountain-Hiking.com, a popular blog for Catskills, Hudson Highlands, Adirondacks and beyond. You’ll hear what Sean loves about mountain hiking, where to go, advice for bears, a warning about radios, how to be a good citizen on a mountain, and why Reese’s Pieces should sponsor him. 

Thanks for listening to Cidiot, the award-winning podcast about moving from the city to the Hudson Valley. Visit Cidiot.com to join the mailing list, rate and review the show, shop the Cidiot store, follow us on Instagram. And please send your questions about being a Cidiot to goats@cidiot.com. They might make my new advice column in The Red Hook Daily Catch on Fridays: “Ask a Cidiot.”

Oct 21, 202135:38
54. Fall Forward
Oct 10, 202110:03
53. Lessons from a County Legislator
Sep 12, 202139:03
52. Citiot
Aug 27, 202120:31
51. Born in the HVA

51. Born in the HVA

Meet Josh Santonja, who helped run Pugsly's Hudson location and has become both a barber and friend to me, my husband, father-in-law, and several friends. He's kind of a cult favorite. Josh also grew up in the Hudson Valley and has lived in multiple towns in the areas which only made me want to talk to him more about it all. We even debut a new game on the show called "Hudson Valley Geography." Thanks for listening to Cidiot. Lucky to be chosen as Best Regional Podcast in the 2021 Chorogrammie Awards. Also, my book Bronze Seeks Silver is now out on audiobook. Here's a link to through Audible program if you want to subscribe with my code.

Aug 20, 202126:15
50. Hudson River Lighthouses

50. Hudson River Lighthouses

There are seven remaining lighthouses on the Hudson River. Come with me as we learn about them, their purpose, their vocabulary, and a few stories. We're very lucky to also get some background and history directly from Sarah Wassberg Johnson of the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Thanks for listening to Cidiot, a podcast by Mat Zucker. Winner of Chronogram's 2021 Chronogrammie for best regional podcast and listed among "8 Hudson Valley Podcasts Perfect for All-Day Listening" by Hudson Valley Magazine. Please rate and review us in the Apple podcast store. For more info and links to episodes, trucker caps, and other merch, visit cidiot.com and follow the show on Instagram.

Jul 25, 202115:37