Episode 45: Candy Canes for Breakfast, Wearing Pants Outside and Other Holiday Parenting Tips from Ana Gasteyer

Comedian Ana Gasteyer joins Mallory in the MILK Studio. Best known for her incomparable work on Saturday Night Live from 1996 - 2002, Ana brought iconic characters like “Delicious Dish” radio host Margaret Jo and middle school music teacher Bobbbi Moghan-Culpa to life, and created spot-on impressions of Martha Stewart, Celine Dion and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Ana has since worked steadily in film, television, theater and voiceovers, while raising her family, and can currently be seen in Maria Bamford's Netflix series “Lady Dynamite” and in TBS's acclaimed series “People Of Earth.” She recorded her debut album I'M HIP, which is now available on iTunes, continues to tour the country with her live cabaret style show, and is currently working on a jazzy, holiday album in time for next Xmas.

Ana and Mallory talk for this special holiday episode about the pressure and pleasure of gifts, the vulnerability of failure, and how messing up a lyric while performing the National Anthem can be applied to parenting

Episode 44: Aerial Dance, Writing Your Feelings and Not Safe For Mom Group (NSFMG) with Writer Alexis Barad-Cutler

Alexis Barad-Cutler joins Mallory in the MILK Studio. Alexis is a writer and the founder of Not Safe For Mom Group, a digital space and community for mothers to tell their stories and express unfiltered feelings without judgement.

Through #NSFMG Alexis has opened a frank, vulnerable dialogue that moms have been craving. Alexis also creates content for sites like Mindr, Fatherly, Beyond Mom, Hey Mama, and Well Rounded — among other outlets that cater to the parenting set.

She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, and their two young boys — who not only provide endless material for her writing, but also inspire her undying affection for dirty martinis. Find her @notsafeformomgroup on Instagram.

Episode 41: Being Goldilocks, Positive Self-Talk, and Racing Like a Mother with Peloton Instructor Christine D'Ercole

Peloton indoor cycling instructor Christine D’Ercole joins Mallory in the MILK Studio for part two of a MILK/Peloton series on motivation and self-care for moms.

Photo courtesy of Peloton.

Christine is a decorated track racer who brings that expertise to every class. Grounded in science, music, grit and grace, Christine believes that as a rider you have two tools at your disposal: your breath and your inner monologue.

Christine has been an actress, a model and a bike messenger prior to becoming a fitness professional, and conducts workshops on positive self talk in addition to the empowerment work she does on the bike for other riders. Her mantra is “I am I can I will I do.” 

Check out Christine at https://christinedercole.com/ and @IAMICANIWILLIDO on Instagram. And check out @onepeloton

Episode 40: Spinning, Swearing, Sweating and Self-Care with Jenn Sherman of Peloton

Peloton indoor cycling instructor Jenn Sherman joins Mallory in the MILK Studio for part one of a MILK/Peloton series on motivation and self-care for moms.

Photo courtesy of Peloton.

Jenn is an experienced fitness professional who became Peloton’s first instructor over 5 years ago. The company has since blown up, reinventing fitness with live & on-demand boutique studio classes you can take anytime on a bike, treadmill with a Peloton App.

Jenn and Mallory talk about the company’s backstory, about finding your “thing” after having kids, and being a woman over 40 in the fitness world. Jenn is a mom to two teenagers, and brings a no BS approach to every ride she does. Don’t f*&k with her playlists, her love of summer camp, her sports teams or her tribe.

Check her out @pelotonjenn and check out @onepeloton.

Episode 39: What Would Virginia Woolf Do about Aging and Raging Gracefully with Author Nina Lorez Collins

Author Nina Lorez Collins joins Mallory in the MILK Studio. Nina is the author of "What Would Virginia Woolf Do: And Other Questions I Ask Myself as I Attempt to Age Without Apology." In her forties, Nina found herself awash in a sea of hormones. As symptoms of perimenopause set in, she began to fear losing her health, looks, sexuality and sense of humor all at once. Craving a place to discuss her questions and concerns, and finding none, Nina started a Facebook Group with the ironic title “What Would Virginia Woolf Do?” and that forum has grown exponentially into a place where women – with strong opinions and humor – share their private selves with bravery and most of all, with truth. WWVWD has morphed into an on and offline community, and into Nina’s funny and informative book. 

Nina is a lifelong New Yorker, graduate of Barnard College, and holds a masters degree from Columbia University in the field of Narrative Medicine. She enjoyed a long professional career in book publishing, both as a literary scout and then as an agent. She has four nearly grown children and lives in Brooklyn, where she is a trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library. Check out her website, with information about the book, the group, and a new podcast, at www.TheWoolfer.com

Episode 38: protest, Puppets, and Voting like a mother With Activist anD Storyteller Sara Berliner

Sara Berliner is the founder of “Vote Like A Mother,” an organization that sells ethically sustainable merch with a wink, benefits mom run organizations, and acts as a filter for activism. Sara is also a children’s media executive, content curator, activist, and mom.

Her career has been focused on storytelling across platforms and genres, launched from a Harvard degree in Folklore & Mythology, with criss-crossing paths through puppet theater, documentary film, the music industry, festival production and live events, children's book publishing and TV animation, and digital apps. Sara has told stories with collaborators like Todd Oldham, Julianne Moore, Sesame Street, Warner Bros., the Harry Potter film team, Disney, DreamWorks, Mattel, Highlights for Children, Scholastic, National Geographic, Penguin Random House, and Nickelodeon. 

After 15+ years creating children’s content, Sara founded Vote Like a Mother in March of 2018, making parenthood and empathy a lens for political engagement. Born in Chicago, Sara lives in New York with her husband and two kids. Find her @votelikeamother on Instagram, Twitter, FB and at www.votelikeamother.org

Episode 37: Black Women, Higher Heights and Making the Sausage with Political Fundraiser and Activist Kimberly Peeler-Allen

Kimberly Peeler-Allen has been working at the intersection of race, gender and politics for almost 20 years, and she joins Mallory in the MILK studio. Kimberly is the Co-founder of Higher Heights, a national organization building the political power and leadership of Black women from the voting booth to elected office. A highly skilled political fundraiser and event planner, Kimberly ran her firm Peeler-Allen Consulting, LLC from 2003 to 2014, the only African American full-time fundraising consulting firm in New York State. 

Prior to that, she served as the deputy finance director for the 2002 gubernatorial campaign of H. Carl McCall. In 2014, Kimberly served as finance director for Letitia James’ successful bid to become Public Advocate of the City of New York and the first African American woman elected citywide in New York’s history. In 2018, Kimberly was selected as one of the Roddenberry Fellowship's 20 established and emerging activists to devote an entire year to projects that will make the U.S. more inclusive and equitable through their inaugural cohort. She runs Higher Heights with co-founder Glynda Carr, and runs her family with the help of her entrepreneur husband. Check out at www.higherheights.com for more information.

Episode 36: Like A Mother: Feminism, Science and the Culture of Pregnancy With Journalist Angela Garbes

Journalist Angela Garbes joins Mallory in the MILK Studio. Angela is a Seattle based writer specializing in food, bodies, women’s health, and issues of racial equity and diversity, and is the author of “Like  A Mother: A Feminist Journey through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy.”

As a new mom food writer at Seattle's alt-weekly, The Stranger, Angela wrote a piece called “The More I Learn About Breast Milk, the More Amazed I Am.” The story became the publication’s most read piece in its twenty-four year history, and the inspiration for “Like A Mother.” Angela is an experienced public speaker, frequent radio and podcast guest, and event moderator.  She grew up in a food obsessed immigrant Filipino household and now lives in Seattle with her husband and daughters. Find her on twitter @agarbes

Episode 35: Mom Memoirs, MeToo Media, and Katy Perry Kisses with New York Times Styles Reporter Katie Rosman

Journalist Katie Rosman is in the MILK Studio with Mallory. Katie is a reporter for The New York Times, where she covers popular culture for Styles, and a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of “If You Knew Suzy: A Mother, A Daughter, A Reporter’s Notebook," which marries a daughter's quest to truly know her late mother, with a reporter’s attention to detail, humor, and pathos. Katie and Mallory talk about the democratization of media, getting harassed online by Katy Perry fans, and about how a bad death can overshadow a good life.

Photo: Katie Rosman

Katie is a yogi, DIY crafter, and a mom of 2. Originally from Michigan, she lives in New York with her family. Find her @katierosman on Twitter and Katherine Rosman at the New York Times.

Episode 34: Parkway Cabana Club, Hanging Backstage with The Boss, and Selling Houses with Real Estate Pro Rosyln Neiman

Rosyln (Roz) Neiman joins Mallory in the MILK Studio. Rosyln is a real estate sales professional with 31 years of experience with The Howard Hanna Agency in Pittsburgh. Roz was voted best realtor in Pennsylvania and one of the top realtors in the United States by The Wall Street Journal.

Born in the ‘burgh, Roz has been married to her high school sweetheart, Sandy Neiman, for 51 years. They have three grown children and three grandchildren. Roz hung with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band throughout the 1980’s and 90’s, when Sandy managed sax player Clarence “The Big Man” Clemmons, while building her own career and raising her family. On this Mother’s Day edition of MILK, Mallory talks to Roz about Mallory’s mom, Judi Kasdan, and how Roz saw their lifelong friendship. They laugh and remember the good moments at Parkway Cabana Club, and the sad ones too.

Check out Roz at HowardHanna.com