Milling About

Host Robin Milling chats with The Lodge At Woodloch sommelier Leslie Britt who likes to think of herself as a 'wine slinger.' She jokes with the guests, giving them the proper phonetic pronunciation, as 'som-el-yay'! Leslie is actually a certified specialist in both wine and spirits. Leslie holds a diploma in wine and spirits from the Wine And Spirits Education Trust which is the pre-requisite for a Master of wine out of London. Leslie believes that wine is an essential part of any dining experience. She hosted a wonderful chocolate and wine pairing – two things that go so well together. Her mantra is wine, chocolate, wine. The presentation featured Eclat chocolate courtesy of Good & Evil featured a blonde chocolate infused with porcini mushroom and thyme which Leslie paired perfectly with Sherry, Muscat, a fruity Chardonnay or a Moscato d'Asti. The milk chocolate pairs beautifully with Merlot, Pinot Noir, Reisling and the dark at 72% cacao is a winner with Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Port. She tells Robin she discovered that her family was part of five generations of brewery from the United Kingdom – Black Sheep Brewery. Leslie admits to Robin her passion for beer. She shares her recipe for food and wine pairings with her preference being Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc "going well with any food." But she doesn't discriminate. She is an “equal opportunity imbiber” as long as it goes with food. Her knowledge of the history of wines and the story behind the label are impressive. Cheers to Leslie Britt!

Join host Robin Milling for Let's Do Lunch! at The Tree Restaurant at The Lodge At Woodloch where spa cuisine is much more than a peanut on a rice cracker. Their portions are just right and all about healthy nourishment served with wine or homemade 'clean' cocktails; with herbal ingredients grown right on property in their Blackmoor garden. A hive of bees makes their home here providing honey for The Maple Honey cocktail with Bourbon F617; tried and tested by sommelier Leslie Britt. The lovely server Mallory discusses three courses spaced perfectly during the meal. The White Bean & Kale Soup is creamy with chickpea and roasted red pepper rouille. The Homemade Pumpkin Ricotta Crostini topped with a fig balsamic is yum. The second course is a salad of Willow Wisp Farm Bibb Lettuce sourced locally. The third course offers meat, seafood and vegetarian selections. Mallory recommends Dijon & Panko Crusted Jamison Lamb Rack. The Vegetable-based Roasted Mushroom Stroganoff is made with shitaki, maitaki and oyster mushrooms served over quinoa pasta that melts in your mouth. Roasted Cauliflower Steak is just as satisfying for meat lovers. Before the meal chef Josh Tomson, who went to French culinary school has incorporated the Amuse Bouche starter, meaning “entertainment for the mouth.” It's a little tiny tasting to awaken your senses for the main course. Leave room for dessert. The Caramel Apple Cheesecake is made with caramel corn crust from popped corn. For chocaholics don't miss their Black Cocoa Forest Cake.

Milling About visits The Lodge At Woodloch, a destination spa in Hawley, Pennsylvania in the heart of the Poconos, which offers serenity and relaxation in a woodsy environment that not only makes you feel calm, but also invigorated. The focus is to bring nature into the treatment room. Host Robin Milling chats with Treatments Manager Amanda Clabaugh about their signature massages using herbs grown right on property that are infused into body treatments such as local rosemary in “Rosemary Awakening.” “Chakra Balancing" is a fusion of both energy work and Swedish massage that incorporates seven different oils, relating to each of the chakras. For those of you who like to stick to the classic Swedish; their most popular is the Lodge Massage offered with aromatherapy.   After your treatment experience the eucalyptus steamroom which sends your senses reeling. The hydrotherapy waterfall adds even more massage. There's nothing like the outdoor infinity hot tub on a cold crisp day. The Lodge at Woodloch is steeped in family history going back three generations. Owner John Kiesendahl who is also known as the “man who wears funny pants;” advised by his 13 grandchildren, shares his childhood memories of the original Woodloch Pines family resort dating back to 1958. John tells Robin it is actually the place where his parents fell in love years earlier when they were just teenagers. The philosophy behind Woodloch has always been to treat everybody as if they were coming to the Kiesendahl home. Combining luxurious bedding with down to earth comfort; that's just how it feels when you visit The Lodge at Woodloch.

Director Rob Reiner has made films about presidents before as in the Michael Douglas led, The American President. This time he is exploring the real life making of an American president in LBJ starring Woody Harrelson as Lyndon B. Johnson. Reiner joins host Robin Milling to candidly discuss the making of LBJ from the make-up process Woody had to endure, to how Johnson's children felt about Harrelson's portrayal.  Reiner tells Robin behind-the-scenes stories of using actual locations to recreate the assasination of President John F. Kennedy, A self-described "news junkie," Reiner discusses what this movie might mean to a younger generation.  LBJ opens in theaters November 3.

Back in 1967 Poco was founded by Rusty Young, Richie Furay, George Grantham and Jim Messina. Over the years the band recruited Paul Cotton, Randy Meisner, and Timothy B. Schmidt. Now 50 years later Rusty Young is still making music with his new CD, "Waitin' For The Sun," which includes the familiar and classic Poco sound with his own personal reflections of his life and bandmates who are all still his friends.  Rusty joins host Robin Milling to talk about the inspiration for the songs which were born in his log cabin in Pucky Huddle, Missouri - "population 50" - waiting for the sun to rise over the hill. Rusty tells Robin how the Poco members still have managed to remain like family - even though they've gone their separate ways into other popular bands like The Eagles and Loggins & Messina described in the song "My Friend." Rusty tells Robin stories behind such songs as "Honey Bee," which featues Messina and Grantham,  a tune that pays homage to his grandmother who played piano alongside silent films. "Sara's Song" is a tearjerker that he wrote when his daughter got married, and "Down Home" features his wife Mary who introduced him to the beauty and solitude of country living. And Rusty reveals how Poco's biggest hit "Crazy Love" almost never got recorded, and some of the weirder places he's heard the song being played.

The collaboration between veteran producer Narada Michael Walden and artist Jennifer Saran turned out to be a magical one. It began in South Africa with the single "Wake Up" - a call to everyone to become aware of what was going on in the world through music. It was during the time of Desmond Tutu's 85th birthday and inspired by the turmoil going on at the time. Saran was then joined by local legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo on the song with all proceeds going to the "Desmond & Leah Tutu Peace Foundation." http:www.tutufoundationusa.org They enjoyed each other's company so much they later returned to the studio to record even more songs for her new CD, Wake Up. The result is the title track featuring guitarist Carlos Santana and Jennifer's versions of classics from Bill Withers, George Michael and Doris Day to name a few; along with two original songs that honor her family. Narada and Jennifer join host Robin Milling to talk about how music can affect change and giving back through foundations they've both created so that further generations - including their own children - can thrive.

Never before have Santana and The Isley Brothers, two accomplished musical legends in their own right, collaborated together in the studio until now.  Power of Peace celebrates the musical unity between Carlos Santana, Ron Isley and Ernie Isley. The album also marks a familial gathering as they are joined by their wives - Cindy Blackman Santana, Kandy Johnson Isley (Ron's wife) and Tracy Isley (Ernie's wife) singing background vocals with Cindy on drums.  Host Robin Milling spoke with Carlos and Cindy about their musical and romantic union which Carlos describes as spiritual. He added, "We are bananas for each other both on and off the stage." Their connection is palpable having been married almost seven years. Cindy also talks about contributing the song I Remember which came at a time in her life before Carlos so the song resonates a new meaning. Also joining Robin are Ron and Ernie Isley who discuss their brotherhood with Jimi Hendrix - whose spirit still looms throughout their lives. Ron who lends his soulful lead vocals to such songs as God Bless The Child, What The World Needs Now, and Mercy, Mercy Me discusses the kindred connection to Carlos Santana and how their legacy has been shaped as a result.

Paris Can Wait star Diane Lane and writer/director Eleanor Coppola join host Robin Milling. The two ladies collaboration had been several years in the making -- Lane knows Coppola since she was 17 working with her husband Francis Ford on such films as The Outsiders and Rumble Fish. So when it came time to cast her leading lady in her debut film Lane said 'yes' to the story based on Coppola's food and wine road trip to Paris that she experienced many years ago. Diane tells Robin any thoughts of maintaining a healthy lifestyle went out the car window as she enjoyed the joie de vivre of eating, drinking and pure joy of making the film with Coppola. Eleanor tells Robin even the catering on the set was just as fine for the crew so they wouldn't feel envious of what the actors were eating and drinking.  Paris Can Wait also stars Alec Baldwin as Lane's husband and French actor Arnaud Viard who introduces Lane's character to a culinary experience she wlll never forget.

If you grew up in the 70s then you would surely have heard the music of Bruce Sudano, Born in Brooklyn, New York Sudano co-founded the band Alive N Kickin’ which featured the Tommy James penned “Tighter, Tighter.” In 1977 he met Donna Summer, who would become his wife of 32 years and together they wrote such popular hits as “Heaven Knows,” and “Bad Girls” to name a few. Bruce always had a solo career of his own. In this candid interview with host Robin Milling, Sudano talks about his new album 21st Century World which speaks about his social and political concerns and who is accountable to what is going on in society. He tells Robin what inspired such songs as "Coney Island Days;" a nod to the little boy that still lives inside him and "When Cinderella Dies;" his journey of self-discovery entering back into the dating world and the harsh realization of how marriage is viewed today. Bruce also talks about his talented daughters two of which broke into showbusiness themselves -- Brooklyn stars in the NBC series Taken -- and Amanda fronts the band Johnnyswim. Bruce also reveals exciting new details about the upcoming musical that he is helming which pays tribute to Summer's life and legacy.

Brooklyn-born Donny Most aka the lovable Ralph Malph from Happy Days is now crooning his way into our hearts with a new CD, D Most: Mostly Swinging. Donny joins host Robin Milling to talk about his showbusiness journey from performing in the Catskill hotels as a teenager, to his memories of the Happy Days gang, and his undeniable love for jazz standards and the American songbook which led to his foray into musical recording and performing. Songs on the CD include such standards as Lover Come Back, Blue Skies, Let's Fall in Love, The Tender Trap, Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered, One for My Baby, and I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good. Donny tells Robin about being a number one fan to Bobby Darin and what it meant to him when Kevin Spacey took on the iconic singer in the film Beyond the Sea.  Donny jokes to Robin about how he has the first chapter for his memoirs -- if only he could find them! He also talks about meeting his wife on the set of Happy Days and the wonderful television family that he still keeps close after all these years. D Most: Mostly Swinging is available on Amazon.com, iTunes and www.summitrecords.com. To see Donny in action visit his YouTube channel http://bit.ly/2pxphDy