Crow's Feet: Life As We Age

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This week, the Crow’s Feet podcast brings you something a little different—a special treat just in time for Halloween. Set aside some time to curl up with a lively, fully immersive audio performance of the hair-raising play, Beehives of the Dead, written by Betsy Allen. 

Coquette, a beautician in a small southern town, keeps up on all the latest hair styles, even while her clients cling to their old ways and their old hairdos. It’s only when they pass away that Coquette—called in by the local funeral home—gets to give those ladies the hair that’ll send them off to the cemetery in style. But trouble brews when Coquette crosses Miz Hightower, the richest old dead lady in town. Before she’s through, the formidable Miz Hightower will teach the beautician a hard lesson about messing with feisty old women and show her that, in this life or the afterlife, the customer is always right. 

We extend a special thank you to the folks at Missing Link and the Between Acts podcast for the original production of the play and for giving us permission to re-air it on our show. You can find lots more terrific audio plays by Between Acts here.

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It all started in 2007 when Joe Scaravella opened a unique Staten Island eatery. Instead of hiring trained chefs, Joe hired the best cooks he knew — grandmothers, or Nonnas. Today the restaurant is a bustling place featuring grandmothers from around the world, each cooking from their heart. 

Joe’s story was turned into the 2025 Netflix movie “Nonnas,” starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vacaro and Talia Shire.

In today’s episode, Nancy Franklin talks with Joe at the restaurant, along with Sabbia, an Italian American Nonna who cooks what she learned in her grandmother’s kitchen.

Here’s more about the Nonnas restaurant, where you can even make reservations when you’re in New York. But bring cash, please, they don’t take credit cards.

If you haven’t seen the movie “Nonnas,” here’s a taste.

Here are photos of Joe and the Nonnas in a recent Crows Feet newsletter.

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Here's how to vote for Crow's Feet in both Signal Awards where we're a finalist:

·      Click here to go directly to Crows Feet Podcast in the Genre - Culture, Belonging & Inclusion Category. Scroll to the Crow's Feet logo and vote! (You'll be asked to enter your email and choose a password)

·      Next, click here to go to Crow's Feet Podcast in the Indie Podcast Category — again, scroll to our logo and vote (if you've already created a login, you won't need to do so again).

·      Pat yourself on the back and accept our deep gratitude! Winners of the Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards in each category will be announced October 20 — and we'll let you know how we did!

· Hear the full episode of "Older Not Old: Kathryn Brody Rewrites the Script on Aging" — Melinda Blau interviews Kathryn Brody here.

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How did Jacynth Bassett, 34, come to represent the battle against ageism in the U.K. and become a global force for advancing women’s age inclusivity?

It wasn't her Cambridge University training as a lawyer. 

It was her deep desire to become more entrepreneurial in a way that made a difference.

Jacynth was galvanized  by her mom, who, on the verge of 60, tried hard to find stylish brands that “didn't just cater for young, slim women.” 

Jacynth responded by founding her first fashion brand, the Bias Cut, in 2016. 

Soon after, she realized that really changing the perception and narrative around aging needed a more robust effort. Ageism is Never in Style was launched —now a global consultancy and community platform addressing age inclusivity, intergenerational connection and longevity. 

Join host Jane Trombley in conversation with Jacynth about the remarkable trajectory of Ageism is Never in Style across brands, societies, and cultures. It’s a growing community of spokespeople can potentially include YOU.

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Show Notes:

Ageism is Never in Style

Join the Modeling or Content Creation Networks

Instagram 

The Bias Cut

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In this episode of Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age, Melinda Blau talks to “audio anthropologist" and longtime NPR contributor Karen Michel, who now stars in and produces the Ganja Granny podcast. Karen’s goal is to offer “solid information aimed at seniors and curious others wishing to explore the new cannabis territory.” From art school in Los Angeles to teaching (and driving a dog sled) above the Arctic Circle, to award-winning public radio, Karen has built a life around one guiding principle: never be bored.

Karen shares how a weed-and-wine dinner party sparked her cannabis podcast for older adults, how her mother’s escape from Nazi Germany shaped her appetite for risk, and why aging has made her kinder. She breaks down what older adults need to know about cannabis—buying it and understanding how it can be used safely to treat pain, insomnia, and other medical conditions. She also reminds us that it’s never too late to reinvent or, as she puts it, “reactivate” ourselves.

 Listen to the Ganja Granny podcast here: https://theganjagranny.com/ 

This episode also features an excerpt from “I Never Imagined I’d Be Shopping for Marijuana at 66,” read by Crow’s Feet contributor Kathleen  Murphy.  Check out Kathleen’s Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@kathleenamurphy

 Important: Before using any form of cannabis, consult a physician. Ganja Granny recommends checking out reliable sources of information for older adults:

• Realm of Caring, an independent non-profit, founded in 2013, "serving anyone in need of more information about cannabinoid therapies"
• Dr. Peter Grinspoon on Substack
• Dr. Kenneth Weinberg, founder and chief medical officer, Cannabis Doctors of New York

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Marilyn Raichle grew up in the shadow of Alzheimer’s. Nearly everyone in her father’s family and many in her mother’s developed the disease. Her mother, Jean, told her, “When we get Alzheimer’s, walk away. There is nothing you can do, so live your life and don’t sacrifice it for us.” Instead, while experiencing her mother’s art, Marilyn realized the value of partnering with people with dementia and began to appreciate her mother in a new way.

Join host Jean Feldeisen in conversation with Marilyn about her personal discovery. And consider her invitation to caregivers to separate their grief over the loss of the person they knew, from assumptions about the changed person in the present. She describes a profound difference in how she viewed her mother — not as someone diagnosed with Alzheimers but as a person living with Alzheimers. Or even as a team managing Alzheimers together.  

Marilyn began her career in the performing arts. She founded the Seattle International Children’s Festival, introducing children to world culture through the performing arts. In 2007, she received a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Since her mother’s death she has written a book, Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey that features her mother’s art and how it changed the way Marilyn saw Alzheimers. She has created a foundation, The Art of Alzheimers, that focuses on the power of the creative arts to enrich and empower the lives of people with the diagnosis. She is now the Executive Director of Maude’s Awards for Innovation in Alzheimer’s Care.

Show Notes

Buy Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey, by Marilyn Raichle on Amazon, or on Barnes & Noble.

Link to Marilyn's website 
Link to her LinkedIn page
Link to Marilyn on Alzheimers Authors 

Buy Jean Anne Feldeisen’s recent book of poetry, South Jersey Sand at Kelsay Books or on Amazon.

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Stella Fosse was a teenager when she determined to publish her first book by the age of 25. That didn’t happen. 

 She published her first book at 68. And it was very different from her early aspirations.

Join host Jane Trombley in conversation with Stella, a former Biotech writer who pivoted to “elderotica” — in both nonfiction and as a thread throughout her novels.  
During a 25-year career as a tech writer, Stella focused on writing, submitting applications, and gaining FDA approval for Biotech products. 

Along the way, she joined a group of women authors reading their erotic essays featuring powerful female central characters. Stella began to dabble in the genre, participating in writing and reading her work, what she called “elderotica.” 

It was time to pivot. 

 With little more than an idea for a guide for midlife women exploring erotica, Stella published her first book, Aphrodite's Pen: The Power of Writing Erotica After Midlife. 

It would come as no surprise that the launch party for Aphrodite’s Pen was held at a sex toy shop in Berkeley, CA. 

The rest, as they say, is publishing history. 

Stella shows us the power of the pivot and a commitment to advocating for women’s creativity, often emerging in midlife and beyond. Come join the conversation.

Show Notes:

Website:  www.stellafosse.com

Substack: stellafosse.substack.com

Grandmother Collective on Substack

Crone Hub

Stella’s Books

Rock On: Power, Sex and Money after 60

Write & Sell a Well-Seasoned Romance:

Launch Your Author Adventure in Late-Life Romance

Vampires of a Certain Age:

Five Hundred Years of Loving

Brilliant Charming Bastard:

Getting Rich is the Best Revenge

The Erotic Pandemic Ball:  

Tales of Love in Lockdown

Aphrodite's Pen: 

The Power of Writing Erotica After Midlife

Mentioned in the episode:

Joan Price

Ruth Saxton

Sibylline Press

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Meet Elaine Soloway, whose gift to herself on her 80th birthday was a tattoo! Soloway, the author of three books, The Division Street Princess, She’s Not The Type, and Green Nails and Other Acts of Rebellion: Life After Loss, and her Substack, Escapades, is also a bit of a rebel. “I live my life out loud,” Soloway says, having penned “10 Ways to Be A Rebel After 87” with advice such as “count your blessings,” “get comfortable with technology,” “be honest,” “be curious,” and “never say it’s too late for me.” The real-life inspiration for the award-winning Amazon show “Transparent,” Soloway will share stories from her life and how to start your own “rebellion” while living life to its fullest.

Link to Elaine Soloway on Substack

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Vacation season is in full swing! Enjoy the adventures of author/Crow’s Feet contributor Orrin Onken as he braves the Costa Rican rainforest to seek out waterfalls, lush flora, fabulous wildlife ... and a nice place to sit down.
For more of Orrin Onken’s writing on Medium, go here.

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We all have dreams in our lives. Some are realized quickly, and some (alas) don’t happen. Then there are ones that just take a bit longer — and a lot of work — to come to fruition. For Jan M. Flynn, her dream of publishing a novel with a major company (Disney-Hyperion) has at last come true. Griffin Speaker, the first book in a middle-grade fantasy series, was released in early May and is delighting readers with its story of a brave young heroine who develops a bond with a powerful griffin and seizes a chance to change her destiny in an unfair world. Join us as host Betsy Allen talks with Jan about building an entire fantasy world, how she approaches writing for young readers, and what happens in the real world after a book is published. As Jan’s experience proves, it’s never too late to set goals and make your dreams come true.

Links to Griffin Speaker and other work by Jan M. Flynn:

Amazon/Griffin Speaker

Bookshop/Griffin Speaker

Jan M. Flynn author site

Jan M. Flynn on Medium

Jan M. Flynn on Substack

Social media:

Instagram: @jan_m_flynn  

TikTok: @janmflynn

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