All The Best

This week we’re bringing you stories about food, cooking and the richness it brings to our lives. 

Food warms bellies, embodies memories and generates some pretty great stories!

Discovering Koshari

First up, Shivika Gupta, our resident food expert here at FBi Radio, tells us about one of her all-time favourite culinary delights - Koshari. 

You can hear more foodie stories from Shivika by tuning into 'Snack Time', a segment on 'Up For It' every Wednesday mornings on FBi Radio.

Plus, follow her instagram handle ‘The Hungry Sprouts’ for community-focused and vegetarian tips on where to dine in Sydney. 

Patricia from Paraguay

Then, we share the story of Patricia from Paraguay. Patricia invites us into her world of culinary delights and shares her remarkable journey of embracing her love for cooking and starting a small food struck business called Salsa Sol, in Tasmania.

This story was originally from 177 Nations of Tasmania, a podcast by Mark Thomson.

To hear the full episode head to www.markthomsonmedia.com or search ‘177 Nations’ wherever you get your podcasts.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re bringing you some yarns from SPUN stories, an event held in the northern territory in front of a live audience. These stories are all about mothers.

A Mother's Love

First, Eileen, a Rembarrnga Ngalakan woman from Central Arnhem Land, shares her experience of being stolen from her mother as a child of the stolen generations.

Written & Performed by Dr Eileen Cummings.

Seeing My Mum...

Then, Donelle, an Aboriginal Education Worker, tells stories of her mother - from a few moments of mischief to the many moments of strength.

Written & Performed by Donelle Dingo.

All The Best Credits

Mix & Compile by: Sebastien Fijac 

Production Manager: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

Image: Dr. Eileen Cummings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s no one universal story of COVID times. As much as it was a global pandemic, it was also a local story. For the town of Bega, the impacts of Covid on a local scale were intertwined with the devastation of bushfires.

This story comes from an episode of ‘Hope Loss Resilience’ a podcast series produced by local audiomaker Craig Garrett as part of the Bega Valley Shire Library’s Talking Together oral histories project.

Listen to further episodes: Hope Loss Resilience Podcast

Craig's collaborated with organisations including the Migration Museum and Speaking Volumes (UK); the CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia); the Digital Writers’ Festival (Melb); Ranu Welum (Indonesia); the QLD Poetry Festival, Vulcana Women’s Circus and House Conspiracy (Bris); and Noted Festival (Canberra).

The Talking Together project was funded under the joint Australian Government–NSW Government Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements 2018 through the NSW Reconstruction Authority.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, connecting to the natural world through birds.

This episode explores ideas of how we can be more mindful of our surroundings, that there is beauty in the Natural world everywhere you look. It also encourages us to take action in protecting the landscapes we love in order for the natural world to thrive.

Rainforest

First we hear a beautiful soundscape featuring birdsong. 

This project builds on previous research interest in topics such as soundscapes, spatial audio, and health and well-being.

The first piece is entitled 'Rainforest', we also hear a segment from the second piece 'Beach'. 

Produced by Sebastien Fijac.

Guess Hoo

Powerful Owls are the ghost birds of the Sydney cityscape — you’d be lucky to spot one without help. And even then, the bird-watching community likes to keep Powerful Owl locations on the down low to protect them.

Amelia, a self-confessed “bird nerd”, has never seen any type of owl in the wild but maybe that is all about to change.

Produced by Amelia Mertha

Supervising Producer Maddy Macquine

Featuring interviews with Graeme Robinson, Stephanie Chambers, Louise Turnbull, Areebah Mirza and Steve.


All The Best Credits

Production Manager: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re playing two more stories from the Black Snapper International Audio Competition. 

First up, a college email catastrophe...

The Bello Tolls for Thee

On 9th October 2014, students at University College, London, received an email from their provost via the all-students list. 

It consisted of a single word: “bello!”. Soon students discovered that everyone was able to reply all to the initial email, and have their message sent to UCL’s 40,000 strong student body. Unsurprisingly, chaos ensued.

Produced by Nadia Mehdi.

Amongst the Sheep

What does it mean to be autistic? Our second story explores this question.

Kieren was diagnosed as an adult, and is finding it a difficult question to answer. In this feature Kieren sits down with family and friends to try to make sense of his past, and discover what it means to be autistic in an unforgiving, neurotypical world.

Produced by Kieren Davis.

Find out more about the Black Snapper International Audio Competition and discover a playlist with more shortlisted entries at www.blacksnapper.org

All The Best Credits

Production Manager: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re bringing you two stories from our regular partner Queerstories.

Safe House by Patrick Abboud

First up after a wild night of partying among fellow closeted friends, Patrick nearly loses the safe haven he has carefully created. 

A warning that this story includes some swearing.

Slut by Steven Oliver

A heads up that this story contains swears, references to drug use and sex. Steven has so many slutty stories to tell – but somehow he whittles it down to three…

All The Best Credits

Production Manager: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On December 14th, All the Best set up an audio storytelling installation at the Powerhouse Museum’s after-hours event ‘Powerhouse Late’. 

We invited attendees to take the mic and share the things they’ll never forget from 2023, and their hopes and aspirations for 2024.

First up, Nat shares how a medical diagnosis that left them feeling a bit lost, led to the discovery of a new passion. Then, Elise shares the rollercoaster series of events that unfolded on her holiday.

Turning to 2024, Marie shares her dream travel plans for a special birthday. 

Also looking to the new year, Trey and Theo drew on their creative practices to write letters to their future selves.

Poet Ying shared a reading of her beautiful work 'Bloom' traversing the climate anxiety that shrouds our present and future.

Finally, FBi Radio volunteer and All the Best Community Coordinator Patrick, who shared his New Year's ritual.

Thank you to all of our story contributors and to the team at the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo for facilitating this night of story-making and telling.

All The Best Credits

Recordist: Harvey O'Sullivan

Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Story Factory is a not-for-profit creative writing center that engages hundreds of young people in under-resourced communities across Sydney and NSW every year. 

They are a champion for young writers and as a program that values emerging audio creators, we are so excited about this partnership! 

In this episode, you’ll hear an eclectic mix of prose and poetry - from love-song mashups to tender reflections on personal identity. From tales of the sparkling vista of Rio de Janeiro, to the buzzing LED-lights of nightclub bathrooms.

The readings took place at Story Factory Parramatta in October 2023. You'll hear:

Antoinette Luu - “Dinner Talk”

Hayden Field - “Consumed” 

Christos Floratos -  'Body of Water' and 'Kookaburras'

Aamina Musthafa - “Let Me Be”

Saarah Gierdien - “Love songs”

Israa Merhi - “Generational Ingredients"

Annabella Luu - “After Sounds”

Bea - “DJs had us falling”

Atoc Malou - “Rio de Janeiro”

Isaiah T Soares - “Cabramatta House"

Interview with Richard Short - Storyteller-In-Chief, Story Factory

Thank you to Story Factory and congratulations to the truly wonderful storytellers published in Platform. 

You can find even more writings from young artists and get involved with Story Factory programs, at www.storyfactory.org.au.

A copy of 'Platform' can be purchased here.

All The Best Credits

Recordist: Lana Lusina

Mix & Compile by: Sebastien Fijac 

Production Manager: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re bringing you another feature from our partnership with the podcast ‘177 Nations of Tasmania’.

This week’s story belongs to Ali from Lebanon. Ali spent his childhood in Beirut, a city that was once a pearl of the SWANA region torn apart by violence. However, it wasn’t the war but a series of unexpected events that led Ali all the way to the other side of the world to raise a family in Tasmania…

Ali paints a vivid picture of Beirut in the 1980s and the changing fortunes of Lebanon in the 20th century.

Content Warning: This story involves descriptions of war.

All The Best Credits

Production Manager, Mix & Compile by: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Snapper International Film Festival is the first festival of its kind in Australia. This year they’re also hosting a landmark international student audio competition.

All the Best are partnering with the team at Black Snapper to bring you a couple of stories that we believe are great examples of the art of audio storytelling. 

The Sound of Silence

The Sounds of Silence is an audio documentary by Phan Dieu Linh To, also known as Liz, focusing on the real-life experiences of war victims in Vietnam. The piece is an evocative soundscape that mixes history and memory in an act of defiance against media manipulation and the suppression of human voices in depictions of war.

Liz, is currently pursuing her Master's degree at Macquarie University in Australia and works as a visual designer in Sydney, with a focus on graphic design, layout design, film, and video production.

Written & produced by Phan Dieu Linh To.

A Moonlight Memory

In this vivid soundscape, Salma travels back in time to an evening in her childhood, growing up in Kano, Nigeria in the 1970’s. Coming home from Christian Missionary school as the sun sets, Salma walks up the garden…

Featuring Salma Ahmed Caller
Sounds from YleArkisto, reinsamba, Benboncan, Julius_galla, Straget, FaireDesVagues and SoundLover16 on freesound.org
Produced by Taqwa Sadiq

This story was originally produced for Short Cuts, a Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4.

All The Best Credits

Production Manager, Mix & Compile by: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Manager: Mell Chun

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.