A Note From The Host: Our next guest is a one-of-a-kind creative who just so happens to be someone who crafts the world’s most elevated and unique cocktails. Alba Huerta is a Houston-based bartender + owner of Julep – who won a James Beard award for her work. She’s a cocktail educator, author, and longtime business owner – inheriting that drive from her parents, and who ploughed head-on into her purpose. What is so interesting about Alba’s story, is that while she’s made a serious mark in technique and flavor, it’s people and the hallowed aspects of hospitality that have driven her since the age of 18 to be the celebrated creator and entrepreneur she is today. Here, Alba humbly shares her unique story of cocktails that tell a story, with a lot of advice for business owners and fans of food and drink along the way.

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Julep

Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned by Alba Huerta + Marah Stets 

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A Note From The Host: Years ago when I found her first book in our Oprah Magazine offices books section, I discovered that Aimee Raupp is an NYC-based acupuncturist and women's health specialist. I began seeing her instantly, and have continued to do so to this day. It was back then that I learned about the details of really clean eating. I learned about bone broth before it became a health and wellness buzz phrase. These days, Aimee's practice has evolved to include a focus on guiding women through fertility and pregnancy. In this episode, we're talking nutrition: for fertility and egg quality, for baby, and for general optimal health.

The Egg Quality Diet – what is it? How is this diet good for other aspects of health? What else can it help? Eating for egg quality. Eating for general fertility. How to feed baby once they've transitioned to food. What to focus on feeding baby for brain health and general optimal health. What does Aimee as a health professional, choose to eat, and what does she always avoid? The 3 Avoids. How Aimee chooses food when she lacks the ability to make the meal: the way to cleaner foods and what to order when eating out.

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aimeeraupp.com

Chill Out And Get Healthy: Live Clean To Be Strong And Stay Sexy by Aimee Raupp 

Yes, You Can Get Pregnant by Aimee Raupp

Body Belief: How to Heal Autoimmune Diseases, Radically Shift Your Health, and Learn to Love Your Body More by Aimee Raupp

The Egg Quality Diet by Aimee Raupp

Super Nutrition For Babies by Katherine Erlich, MD

Brodo bone broths

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The Stories – “The first dress that I ever draped was the dress that got on the cover of Women's Wear Daily, for my first collection. That was life changing. It was a dress that Zoe Saldaña wore. It was also the version of a dress that I made for Oprah for her magazine cover. The dress that Michelle Obama wore to a White House Correspondents' Dinner changed my trajectory.”

The Backstory – "It was at Bill Blass that I did my Phd; my Masters." “I grew up in a household where we could talk about fashion, love, music, dance – everything – at the dinner table. Nothing was off limits. And when I came to America, especially in the fashion world, when I would ask questions, people would say, ‘No, I don’t want to talk about that.’ I was shocked.” “You have to figure out what is happening around you, and survive it. In order for me to survive and really live my dreams, I had to be my own cheerleader. I allowed myself to feel things, but then also to move on.”

Wisdom Rains –  “'Too much' and 'too little' are words that have been hurled at me ever since I was little and I've learned to brush it off.” “I've learned that you can't please everyone, all of the time.” “If you’re living your life as part of a marginalized group, you’re in constant fight-or-flight mode and you don’t even realize it. Then that gets amplified with what’s happening politically, culturally.” “In watching my mother I realized that elegance isn’t a posture; it’s a practice.” “Early on, I learned that I was never going to get any validation, I was seen as a ‘cautionary tale’; and what that did was, it freed me from ever needing any.” “I think it’s very important for all of us to live in the world exploring what we want to do in life, and having that encompass joy, purpose, and impact.”

On Inspo – “My mother is my blueprint for strength.”

On Writing His Memoir – “Editing down was really challenging. I made sure that it was done with grace. This is not a salacious, take-down book. That's not my being. I wanted to tell a story. While writing, it was really challenging to relive things. But it was also cathartic.”

On The Fashion Industry – "What I love about the fashion industry, which often doesn't get shared, is the camaraderie that we have. There's a genuine sense of support and understanding amongst all the creatives and entrepreneurs. It's not easy. It might look fabulous and wonderful, but the hard work is real hard work. I always say five percent of it is glamour, the rest is sheer hard work.”

On Anna Wintour – “I know she can be polarizing, but the industry is better because of her.”

On Cynthia Rowley – “She had an independent brand and she worked really hard. What I really loved about her, and I'm inspired by her constantly, is that even in the hardest times she was always joyful. She was always optimistic.”

What Else – “Towards that time, we started the foundation and that’s where I would say everything shifted for me. We started with twelve girls, and we’ve gone to more than three hundred children. These are streetworker’s children; inmates’ children; these are children who have no access to education and a livelihood”

Obsixed – A collection of Prabal’s current lifestyle obsessions.

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parabalgurung.com

Walk Like A Girl by Prabal Gurung

Prabal Gurung Polka Dot Brocade Flounce Minidress

Proem Eau de Parfum by U Beauty

Tracie Martyn Spa

Prabal Gurung: Style and Beauty with a Bite

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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all about the host

Take three deep breaths, and join our conversation with one of the most exciting creatives today, and it all starts with abundant appreciation. In an exclusive interview, we sit down with #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Podcast Host Of On Purpose, Chief Purpose Officer of Calm, and Story + Rain Cover Star, Jay Shetty. This is a favorite, must-listen Story + Rain Talks episode, not only because Jay shares the spot-on words of wisdom he’s known for, but because we take on topics you might not have heard Jay tackle. We get into his brilliance for branding, how his extensive study of public speaking serves him today…and the time in his life when it hadn’t yet served him. He lets us in on the intimate ritual he shares with his guests before each of his podcast recordings, and the four pillars of intentionality embedded within all the work that he does---pillars Jay created when he first started his work---hidden and not publicly known, but that he shares in this intimate conversation with us, here. Jay gets granular about the different aspects of his brand, and the importance in individualizing each of his projects in look and feel and tone, for all of his vast and dedicated audience. When it comes to those On Purpose podcast episodes that we all can’t get enough of, Jay allowed us to pick apart his process, and on the podcast you’ll learn how his candescent conversations take shape. Here’s a hint: you might be surprised to find out that it’s way less polish, so much presence…and all about the "50|50".  We chat with Jay about his lifestyle, and about how and why he learned to pay more attention to his health. We discuss his routines and practices, and the things that top his list of current obsessions in the health and wellness space. Story + Rain, of course, makes them shoppable here, and in our shop on Instagram. Then there’s the sage advice: the book he recommends highly, a message to content creators about substance over form, one of the things that allows him to achieve laser-like focus, and why building relationships slowly is the way to work it. We take a large look at how Jay Shetty took his talent for talk on his recent Love Rules tour, a show peppered with all his personal loves, and where worldwide audiences felt his meticulously-assembled and powerful demonstrations of the magic in growth. We dissect his definition of creativity. And because he’s delightfully curious to the depths, we had to ask Jay to take us through exactly what his research process looks like, and it all starts with something he’s struggling with. This, and so much more on this very special episode. And hopefully more to come, when we catch up with our favorite creator next. He’s a true treasure for how he has and continues to transcend and transform wisdom and wellbeing, and because he puts more beauty and love into our world. Our conversations with creatives continue, as Story + Rain Talks to Jay Shetty. Discover more + Shop The Podcast:

Subscribe to the Jay Shetty On Purpose Podcast

8 Rules Of Love book

Think Like A Monk book

Jay Shetty Book Bundle

40% on Calm App subscription to receive The Daily Jay daily meditations

The Culture Code book by Daniel Coyle

Broc Shot

Rae Wellness Pre + Probiotic 

Omni-Biotic Microbiome Restoration 

Clothing by Bode 

Sony 1000XM5 Headphones in black

follow @storyandraintalks on instagram for our very latest drops + more pod content HERE | follow @storyandrain magazine on instagram HERE | follow our host + founder @tamarararappa HERE | discover, read, shop: fashion, beauty, wellness, tv + film, food, travel, interviews, + more on storyandrain.com

The Stories – “I was out of a job for the first time in my life. During the pandemic I went from someone who was upbeat, to someone who was clinically depressed. Ricardo said to me, ‘Why don’t we do something together, to get out of this state of sickness.” “There is a huge opportunity out there for high quality footwear that has some fashion element to it, but it’s not necessarily runway pieces. Shoes need to address everyday women’s lives.” “Because we make everything in house, we’re able to play with some crazy fabrics. At the end of the day, you have a fashion director giving direction on the product. Think about it: who is running Stuart Weitzman?

The Backstory – Went after her style.com job by approaching legendary editor Candy Pratts Price, who lived in her building, with a note and flowers. Wore her lucky Altuzzara dress twice on interviews with Barneys New York. “Our plaids and velvets… all come from the suppliers for Alaia, Gianvito Rossi, everyone else. We go to the best; we want the best – and we give that to our customer.”

Wisdom Rains – "I have the grit to continue on, every day, and I believe that it has been instrumental in my career.” “The business needs to evolve; the technology is evolving. You have to keep moving. I’ve used that a lot in my career. When I thought I was so comfortable, I then thought… now it’s time to move. It’s key: you need to learn, and you need to move very fast.”

On Inspo – “Those pages, for me, were a dream and the biggest inspiration. The time that I have the most nostalgia about were the years with Claudia, with Cindy, in Chanel pastels. They were happy, they were gorgeous, they were there to inspire you.”

On Authenticity – “It came organically… how we wanted to market the product, how we wanted to pass joy. And we never wanted to be a cookie-cutter brand.”

What Else – “We're adding other creative directors into the fold. We'll take care of your business. So if you want to launch a shoe collection, give me a call."

Obsixed – A collection of Marina’s current obsessions.

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larroudé.com

Larroudé Miso Platform Clog in Dijon Plaid Shearling

Larroudé Verona Macrame Ballet Flats

Larroudé Salma Sandal

Larroudé + Markarian Mule

Larroudé + Altuzarra Pump

Larroudé + Jonathan Cohen Flat Lo Sneaker

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The Stories – “The model to succeed is tough unless you are backed by a conglomerate, or LVMH.” “The place that was smaller, at that point, was Michael Kors. I interned there for two years. It was a dream. Michael Kors showed me how to be a boss – he was nice, kind, funny, and personable.” “My mother would require us to make dinner one night a week so we could learn some basic cooking.” “I wanted every recipe to have a photo. When I look at a cookbook and there’s no photo representing a recipe, not only do I not know what that recipe’s supposed to look like, I also feel like, this author must not think this is an important recipe.”

The Backstory – “I sat at family dinner one night, when I was in the fifth grade, and made the announcement that I wanted to be a fashion designer.” “In 2006 I was working with two different design teams. It was crazy busy; I was fully in the mix. It was full minestrone!” “Cooking was something I’d been doing the whole time. When I was a fashion designer, I was always coming home and cooking, having dinner parties… it was something that kept my feet on the ground in what can be a crazy industry at times.”

Wisdom Rains – “All the focus that began for me in the fifth grade, had turned into blinders. Then I allowed myself to have another dream.” “There’s a point when you’re on the diving board and you need to take that leap of faith, and know that hard work and some level of talent will yield a soft landing. Once you start doing something, your heart catches up with your mind.” “It's almost like the protein is the Little Black Dress. Now how do you accessorize it?"

On Inspo – “Growing up in the Bay Area in San Francisco, in the 70’s and 80’s, it was a really amazing time for creativity and for self-expression, and I felt like I was in the right place at the right time.”

On Tommy Hilfiger---“Tommy, as a person himself, was an amazing mentor, in terms of him really seeing that I had the potential.”

On recipes and putting together his cookbook, Family Style – “I would wake up at 7, 8 in the morning and get to recipe testing. My refrigerator was a Jenga set from hell.” “Five Spice Chicken is one of those Tuesday meals that you can just throw into the oven.” “Knowing it was inspired by my heritage and Cantonese roots, I felt it would be amazing to find an Asian photographer; there’s a common language and experience.”

What Else – “I have a couple of things coming down the turnpike that are in the fashion world."

Obsixed – a collection of Peter Som’s current obsessions.

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petersom.com

Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage by Peter Som 

⁠Burlap + Barrel Peter Som Blends⁠

When The Going Was Good by Graydon Carter 

Todd Snyder Italian Wood Block Paisley Neckerchief 

Lipault luggage

Stan Smiths | navy

Rombauer Chardonnay

La Double J table linens

Atelier Saucier table linens

Matouk table linens

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all about the host

The Stories — "I dyed the bottom of it Manic Panic raspberry-red. I had a belly button pierce. I wore a lot of midriffs. I was a kind of Jewish Shakira, trying to have some influence from Erykah Badu or something, but I was not cool in that way at all.” “I really wanted to be in that movie. I just love Sofia Coppola so much. At the time I didn't have a child. I didn't know much about mothering, and because the writing was so good, I think I knew what to do.” “I want Ida to know that the world is a field of relations. It's cause and effect. Things don't come from nowhere. People don't come from nowhere. Everybody has a heart. It means that she has the ultimate safety in me and in Ben, my husband.”

The Backstory — “When I started doing improv and excelled, it was like realizing that you could run really fast or something.” “[SNL] was a necessary opportunity for me to take. I saw a lot in myself that I didn't expect to see. Though challenging, it completely pointed me in the direction of my own natural success.”

Wisdom Rains — "Every time we love a piece of art, that's our achievement. The original creation is the achievement of the artist and the people who may have helped them, or made them feel encouraged or inspired… the beauty and offerings of their world at that time.”

On Inspo — "When something is ready to be expressed outside of my personal life, there tends to be no hesitation in terms of either putting it in standup or putting it on the page.”

On playing the best friend in both It Ends With Us and Dying for Sex —  “Other than me playing them, I think it's totally two different pieces of work, two different writers… totally different. I'm often cast as people who are 'the funny person,' but in Dying for Sex, what was offered to me was such an incredible combination of character traits.”

On Dying for Sex — “It was a real moment in understanding my own self-defined legitimacy… backed up by Liz Meriwether and Kim Rosenstock writing it. They're so incredible. I thought, Michelle wants me to be here, and she sees me. She's not like seeing hope for what I will be. She's watching my work. She's connecting with me. We're glad we're here. It felt so good. I felt really enrobed in my character.”

On her latest book, Lifeform — “I'd found it really hard to write anything that felt like it could breathe and progress. I found it hard to say something interesting, and that wasn't just me having a tiny little shit fit. That's cruel to say about myself, I know, but sometimes it's just that way. Then, in the summer of 2023, my daughter was two-and-a-half, and I could suddenly just catch a wave.”

What Else — “I really want to write another kid's book, not a Marcel book, but another picture book. And I'm writing a screenplay right now. I would also like to write a theater piece for myself. There's always a lot that I'm trying to do all at once, in small doses, and then something will overtake everything else.” At The Sea, an upcoming film with Amy Adams.

Obsixed —  A collection of Jenny Slate’s current lifestyle obsessions.

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Dying For Sex on Hulu

It Ends With Us on Netflix

Lifeform by Jenny Slate 

Little Weirds by Jenny Slate

About The House by Ron Slate + Jenny Slate

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: Things About Me by Jenny Slate + Dean Fleischer Camp 

Marcel the Shell: The Most Surprised I've Ever Been by Jenny Slate + Dean Fleischer Camp 

Chani Nicholas and the Chani App

Caron Callahan Carissa Shirt

Caron Callahan Lila Skirt

Tulsi Rose Tea 

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all about the host 

The Stories — 

Strecker: “I hadn’t had a partner who was socially savvy until I found Taylor.” "Taylor has a quiet, calming confidence that’s really important when you are working with people who are talent. It’s nerve wracking to be in front of a camera.” “I spent so many years doing morning radio. I would just wake up, roll out of bed. I didn’t even have time to think about what went into getting energized for a show. I didn’t have time to get nervous.” “The entertainment industry is very dramatic, and for a really long time I was addicted to the drama.” 

Donohue: “You could tell by talking to her for two seconds that the things that come out of her mouth are insane. We became friendly and I learned that she had this amazing job at Sirius XM. I was this 26-year-old kid, and I started working for her more and more. We’re total opposites of the spectrum, because I’m behind the camera.” “It’s being proactive versus reactive. And she’s talent, I can only push her so far as her wife and co-worker if she’s exhausted after two or three shows a day and an event.” “Something I’ve learned about myself is that my body needs to recharge. I used to give, give, give, all the time.”

The Backstory — The Taylors met while filming a food video for a chef friend.

Wisdom Rains — Donohue: “Celebrating the small wins with your partner is huge.”

Who Inspires? — Strecker: “Ironically, because they would all say I was their inspiration for getting into podcasting or some form of audio, Stassi Schroeder, @girlwithnojob, and Hannah Berner – all of my best friends.”

On Working Together Every Day — Donohue: “It can be 24/7 so it’s hard to stop. Tay is usually making dinner while I’m wrapping up. And then we love to watch a show at the end of the day. The beautiful thing is we can work from anywhere. The terrible thing is we can work from anywhere. But the thing too, is that a lot of our work is fun.”'

What’s It Like To Have Your Creative-Creator As A Partner, In One Word? — Donohue: “Lucky.” Strecker: “Kismet.”

What Else — Live shows, writing a book, and building The Taylors brand.

Obsixed — A collection of Taylor Donohue and Taylor Strecker’s current lifestyle obsessions.

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Taste of Taylor

Sony record player

One Line A Day journal

Auvon Tens Unit

Converse Chuck Taylors in red

U Beauty Resurfacing Compound

Coleman Saluspa inflatable hot tub

Hulken Rolling Tote Bag

Free People We The Free Good Luck Barrel Jeans

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The Stories: “The class is very methodical and purposeful and scientific in the way that it's designed. The hour is not, ‘I worked out for an hour because that's going to bring me to the body shape that I want.’ It's, I'm committing the hour to self with no phones and with movement in my body. My communication is deeply healing on a lot of levels.” 

“Fake it ‘til you make it? That didn't work for me. Faking it ‘til I make it just evokes too much imposter syndrome. I study until I’m confident. I was thrust into a position where, all of a sudden, I had a successful studio and I was hiring more people. I became focused on reading, learning, taking my own classes, and discovering how I could be better.” 

The Backstory: "Shackles on, shackles off." After landing in Hollywood, and a lot of soul searching, the one-time actor from Canada stepped into her purpose when she tapped into teaching and what made her feel whole. 

Wisdom Rains:  “I believe that carving out sixty minutes of focusing on self, body, and being, is a type of neurological healing that is also a nervous system healing.” 

“Ten minutes of moderate movement after you eat is more effective than thirty minutes of moderate movement at another time of day.” 

On Inspo: “Allow yourself ebb and flow. That's really important. The concept that we have this schedule that's going to last through every life shift and change, and when we fall off, we're bad? We have to remove that thinking because it puts us in a constant state of distress. Where is your space to achieve? Where is your space to explore? Where is your space to have a victory? Those are the things that get us out of bed.” 

On the Fitness Industry: “We've had our own little industrial revolution from 2014 until now. Boutique fitness hadn't had the boom it has had now.” 

On Drew Barrymore: “She's trained with every famous person you can imagine, and she kept being drawn back to the way that I work because of the conversation I ask clients to have with their bodies.”

What Else: Marnie shares the details for how she does life: sleep and morning routines, weekend routines, skin rituals, what she eats, how she detoxes, the self care and body treatments she believes are worthwhile, and how it’s all about waterwaterwater. 

Obsixed: A collection of Marnie's current lifestyle obsessions and brands.

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M/Body by Marnie Alton 

Genmaicha Tea

Heritage Store Organic Cold-Pressed Hexane-Free Castor Oil

Away Hardside Carry-On

Smart Water

Organic Lemons from California 

Silicone Freezer Trays

The Stories: “Usually we'll hear from folks when they're having a big life event, like leaving the city. People will say, ‘you've been a part of my life for the past 11 years.’ Or, ‘I’m moving to LA. Can you recommend something for me there? Do you have any plans of opening there?’ The love is really wonderful."

“Am I doing a good job? What does competition look like? Are we telling the story as good as we used to? I used to pack a lot of the boxes; I cared about the quality. How do we make sure that those quality standards are maintained?”

The Backstory: “No doubt, the pandemic was this real accelerant for what we were doing. It really changed people's habits overnight. We had been trying to get press for years, then, suddenly, press was flocking to us.” 

“My father is a lifelong natural products and natural food entrepreneur. That was what I grew up around. I saw him building out these small-footprint, pre-Whole Foods kind of grocery stores, filled with natural products.” 

“The nice thing about being young and naïve is that I was like, ‘how can I make a million dollar business? The foolishness of that was what made it so fun, the possibilities so endless.”

Wisdom Rains: “What this is doing, at a minimum, is getting people to think about how their health is connected to how they feel and what they eat. We've become very disconnected with it, because people are no longer growing up in the kitchens of their grandparents, learning how to cook.” 

“Customers drive the innovation. Listen to the people you're delivering to. What do they want? That’s kept me busy for the past 11 years.”

On Inspo: “I always come back to and try to remind myself about why I’m doing this. What's really exciting and fulfilling to me, especially being a young founder in an industry where a lot of competitors raised a ton of venture capital and we really have no right existing, it’s been fulfilling to me to go back to the mission of, how do we take the food that I was selling myself at the farmer's market and seeing the issues of customers who would come to the farmer's market. I felt like if there was a few of them, there were many, many more out there who would want this kind of product. And my mission was how do we create this and make it something that is sustainable and profitable.”

On Farmers: “Our farmers are incredible. I think people forget this, but the farmer's job is one of the hardest. There are no days off. Food is something that is highly perishable, growing all the time.”