Friday, September 5: Welcome to Ep14 of the Questions Bar, the new podcast and video show sponsored by Inkandescent Women magazine, which invites you in to listen in on a chat with two girlfriends talking about topics of the day that touch their minds, bodies, spirits, souls, and hearts: AlinaZ in Los Angeles and Hope Katz Gibbs in Washington DC.
The mission of the show: To share tools and experiences to manage stress and find hope in our lives each and every day. In Season 1, the hosts engaged in some girlfriend therapy as they discussed issues that were challenging them, and found healthy solutions to transform the pain to joy (see some of the topics below).
In Season 2: Every Friday, Alina and Hope bring inspiring guests onto the show and ask them 3 Big Questions to mine deep into their hearts as they tell the stories of their lives:
This week: Our guest is Jennifer Kurtz Rubin, founder of Northern California’s Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge.
About our guest: Originally from the East Coast, Jennifer moved to Southern California after college. In L.A. she worked in the film industry in production for Paramount and Disney studios. It was there that the original concept for Petroglyph was born. That inspiration, coupled with the desire to start a family, prompted a move to Santa Cruz.
With the firm belief that all of us should have creativity and bold expression in our lives, Jennifer founded the first Petroglyph studio in Santa Cruz, CA in 1993. Her vision was to build a stylized space for adults and children to ideate, socialize, and paint original ceramic pieces. She soon opened additional stores in Los Gatos, San Jose, and Roseville.
Jennifer also led the expansion of another original concept to explore candle making and launched the highly-successful Glow Candle Lounge in December 2012 adjacent to Petroglyph in Willow Glen. Jennifer’s philosophy behind the extension into candle-making is her resounding conviction that socializing around a creative endeavor is a wonderful shared and meaningful time.
About Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge: The pioneer of the do-it-yourself ceramic movement, Petroglyph was created in 1993 and the first Petroglyph opened in Santa Cruz, California, followed by studios in Los Gatos, Roseville, and Willow Glen. In 2012, she opened Glow Candle Lounge, our first candle-making studio, in Willow Glen. It’s thriving and a great additional activity to Petroglyph, right next door. More than just a local art studio, these shops are modern-day gathering places.
“All of our Ceramic Lounge creative studios are designed to be comfortable, inspiring spaces where people can spend time with friends, engage in meaningful community activities, and express themselves through art,” explains Jen. “A petroglyph is a prehistoric drawing or carving on rock. The dictionary definition is writing on stone and is often described as rock art. We like the association: the Stone Age was a magical time in history when people lived in small communities, communicated without writing, and lived in harmony with the Earth.” More importantly, she insists, “a petroglyph is a personal statement, a form of individual expression, storytelling, and creativity. It seemed a perfect and fitting name. So leave your mark in the heart of Northern California, and personalize your presence in one of our unique studios.”
Touch hearts with The Questions Bar: If you missed it, check out Ep9 where Alina answered the questions. In Ep10, Hope shares her thoughts and feelings as she responds to the 3 questions. In Ep11, the hosts welcomed Stun Gun Jen who shared important tips about how women can protect themselves. Ep12 introduces us to celebrity chef Angelique Santana, author of “Food is Love.” In Ep13 we interview artist and women’s activist Cynthia De Lorenzi, co-founder of our Empowered Together Network.
Please join Hope and Alina and raise a glass to The Questions Bar. Tune in for a new episode every Friday. Cheers!
You are invited: Would you like to be on The Questions Bar? Let us know what’s going on in your world!
If you missed Season 1, here’s a replay — Ep1: Alina and Hope had their first chat about their lives and the anguish they feel post-election in 2025. What will we do to cope with the changes by an administration that does not have our best interests at heart? Ep2: Joy is the topic of the week! And last week on Ep3, the duo discusses how to maintain humor amidst the chaos. In Ep4 they talked about ways to cope with you feel out of control. Ep5 was a discussion about Staying Grounded, come way may. In Ep6 they offered ideas on how to Tap into the Universal Support System, and in Ep7 they talked about ways to Ride the Roller Coaster of life. In Ep8, the hosts finish Season 1 with a wish — Finding Peace on Earth.
About Alina Z: An award-winning Board Certified Health Coach, Chopra Life Coach, Detox Specialist, and former chef, named creator of the #1 Best Diet in America by Harper’s Bazaar, Alina holds a degree from Parsons School of Design and a Master’s in Communication, blending style, soul, and science into one transformational experience. Through her signature Wholistic Self-Discovery Coaching Program, Alina helps high-achieving women reconnect with their true purpose by transforming how they eat, dress, and live. Alina’s philosophy? When you eat to nourish your soul and dress to express your truth, you shift your inner state — and from that space, everything changes. Peace returns. Confidence rises. Sparkle comes back. Learn more: alinaz.com.
About Hope Katz Gibbs: The founder and president of Inkandescent® Inc., a national PR firm and publishing company that this long-time journalist founded in 2008, Hope is on a mission to help entrepreneurs supersize their small businesses. She and her team of 10 publish online magazines (InkandescentWomen.com and BeInkandescent Health & Wellness: BeInkandescent.com), produce dozens of podcast shows on InkandescentRadio.com, and film, direct, and produce videos featured on Inkandescent.tv.Inkandescent also promotes and publishes books, including her own titles: PR Rules: The Playbook — an entrepreneur’s guide to supersizing your small business using the 8 Steps to PR Success — and Why Divorce: 5 Reasons to Leave. Learn more: Inkandescent.us.
