Send us a text

In this episode of "The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast," I’m beginning a new journey: an odyssey to find the coziest spots in upstate New York.

But before I can begin, I receive guidance from Maria M. Silva, a reporter for the Times Union and someone who knows all about cozy restaurants. Her cozy map of Hudson Valley restaurants for the Times Union proved to be a crucial resource in my initial research.

We chat about what it takes for a restaurant to be truly cozy, how to make a map the whole community can use, and why I may or may not be in a feud with the Times Union.

It's very cozy! Be sure to check out Maria's recently-updated map here: https://www.timesunion.com/projects/hudsonvalley/cozy-restaurants-fireplaces/

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

In the first episode of 2025, we start with an end: The end of "This Old Vibe."

Join me as we hear from some of the enlightening experts along the way and reveal the results of my Vibe Enhancement Project: the Desolate Corner.

Be sure to pick up a copy of "Sean Scherer's Vignettes" here:

https://bookshop.org/a/95638/9780865654419

Subscribe to The Jiffy newsletter:

https://thejiffy.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Visit The Jiffy:

https://thejiffy.xyz/

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

In this special episode of The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast, we check in with our entertainment reporter, Jimmy Jam, who brings you intimate access to the stars of the Hudson Valley as they walk the Denim Carpet on their way out of the back door of the service kitchen of the Holiday Inn in Coxsackie to their cars.

Jimmy talks with Taco the Best Farm Dog of the Year, with Maria of MX Morningstar Farm; Bella, the winner of Best Dressed Alpaca of the Year; we check back in with the elusive Kinderhooker Instagram Feed, a New York village meme account with disproportionate political power; and we get to know the Wife of the Year 2024, Jessica Lima! It's all here in our coverage of the 2024 Jiffy Awards Denim Carpet Closing Ceremonies.

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

In this episode, we revisit a conversation I had with Candice Hopkins for my series, "This Old Vibe" – it's an EXTENDED CUT, and we talk about so many things:

What is a land acknowledgment statement? Are they helpful? Why should we write one, and what should people think about when writing one that truly, literally supports the tribes they're hoping to "acknowledge," and more.

Candice is the executive director of Forge Project, a Native-led organization that's dedicated to cultivating and advancing Indigenous leadership in arts and culture.

We also visit Brenda Shufelt at the Hudson Area Library's History Room to learn about how to start the research process, because we're going to write a land acknowledgment statement here at The Jiffy. More to come in a following episode!

To learn more about Forge Project and to support, visit: https://forgeproject.com/support/fundraising-values

To learn more about Hudson Area Library's resources, visit: https://historyroom.hudsonarealibrary.org

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

What is The Jiffy? This trailer holds all the answers.

To learn more, visit: jamescave.xyz

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

Things got really stressful last week, so we're taking a Sleep Hike.

And this time, we're Sleep Hiking through Innisfree Garden in Millbrook, New York. It's a beautiful place, very relaxing.

What is a Sleep Hike? It's when I do the hiking while you do the sleeping.

So sit back, relax, kick off your shoes, and let's take a hike.

To subscribe to The Jiffy, click HERE.

To learn more about Innisfree Garden, click HERE.

Good night!

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

In this episode, we visit The Kitchen Shrink to get to know Tamar Adler, author of "The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z," and learn about the Secret Room and how to cook a giant duck egg. Guest-hosted by The Hungry Eye.

Subscribe to Tamar's newsletter: tamaradler.substack.com

Follower Tamar on Instagram: @tamar.e.adler

Upgrade to the J'Fay Supreme membership for just $5 a month: https://thejiffy.beehiiv.com/upgrade

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

This is a special episode of The Jiffy Newsletter Podcast: For my ongoing series, "This Old Vibe," we are invited into the Hudson home of chef, author, and artist, Susan Simon to try and understand just what makes a Hudson Valley home a "Hudson Valley home."

This is the first time anybody has ever invited us into their home, and it is also the first time we're taking the podcast out of the studio and into a real life scenario. So much could have gone wrong. But thankfully, we had a fun time, and nobody was injured.

It's a Susan Simon Super Special episode, and you can see photos of Susan's house at the James Cave Instagram Feed: @jamescave (link here: https://www.instagram.com/jamescave)

Visit W.W. Norton for information on Susan's new cookbook, "The Cook and The Rabbi." (link here: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781682688106/about-the-book/product-details)

You can subscribe to The Jiffy here (link here: https://thejiffy.beehiiv.com).

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

In this episode, we discover that my house has a terrifying corner known as a Vibe Desert, and the only remedy is a new Deep Dive. We also get to know our fashion photographer, James C'Avedon, a bit more — but is there really ever "knowing" James C'Avedon? We also hear about a Cow You Should Know!

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Send us a text

In this episode, we get to know my new Neighborhood Local Day Job Neighbors in the historic — and uncommonly idyllic — village of Kinderhook, New York.

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.