Through The Grapevine | Culture + Hospitality

In this week's show we got to sit down with Todd Utikal. Owner and operator of Sidetrack Bar + Grill in Pleasanton,CA. Todd shares how his experiences pushed him to open Sidetrack. From travel agent, auctioneer, broker, to civic ambassador. Todd gives us insight on how he has always been driven to give more than he takes and the bounty that it has bestowed upon him and his community. He gives us insight on what is it like to open a restaurant from scratch alongside his late friend and mentor Skip Hinsley and what the legacy of Scoozi bread has meant to him since!Tune in now for another great episode with Team TTG.

This episode is loaded with fun, storytelling, laughter, and Wine! You heard it right, it has been too long since Team TTG has opened up a bottle of vino during the podcast. Chef Debbie Casey of Chef Debbie Meal Prep Service is in the studio with us, taking us through her 'Curious' journey as a publisher, teacher, world traveler, foodie, and now big league Chef helping to feed the Tri-Valley. From chicken feet to baked potatoes we talk all things food. Tune in now for another great episode bringing you closer to another mover and shaker here in the Livermore Valley.

In this episode, Hannah Berglund takes us through her journey from small business dreamer to small business owner. Sharing what sacrifices had to be made so she and her husband Nic could one day become business owners. Hannah & Nic stumbled upon Livermore in 2017 and immediately fell in love with his small-town charm. Since opening its doors in 2022, they have quickly climbed the ranks as one of the top Chiropractic & Rehabilitation practices in the city. Hannah is not shy about taking us through some of their most challenging times as small business owners. While also sharing many of her favorite Livermore Valley todo's be it Story Coffee or pizza at Wingen Bakery. Join us for a great converstion with Mastermind Alum Hannah Berglund!

In this episode, TTG is joined by Hospitality Entrepreneur & Real Estate Developer Michelle Boss. She owns the new Livermore Valley Wine Country Inn and is hoping to break ground soon. This 30-room boutique is a much-needed wine country acquisition that can help drive some amazing new tourism here in the region. Michelle takes us through her professional journey and shares what it has taken to get her to this point. Michelle also joined us for our first Masterminds sessions at Good Morning Maxwell and shared her takeaways. Join us for another great conversation with Team TTG.

After three generations and over 100 years in business, Livermore is excited to announce that Meadowlark Dairy is headed our way! Slated to open this summer, the historic Meadowlark Dairy is opening its second location here in the heart of Downtown Livermore. We are joined by third-generation owner Jesse Takens as he takes us through the history and inception of 2.0. Please help us welcome Jesse and the Meadowlark family into Livermore and share this episode with everyone you know. #eatlocal #drinklocal #livelocal

Team TTG ventures a bit outside our normal conversation today. Feeling the weight of some rather polarizing national headlines. We felt the need to unpack some feelings with one another. Since taking office, our new administration has come on strong, targeting Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Making it the scapegoat for many of America's current socioeconomic downfalls. While at the core, we aim to galvanize meaningful conversations around the Tri-Valley Hospitality space, we are also human and sometimes need to talk about some real things that affect us all. We are not looking to save the world with this conversation, but we hope it may open the door for you to do some of your unpacking. This conversation also allows us to advocate for more local civic duty in your town, wherever that may be. National media is the noise meant to keep us distracted and misinformed. We firmly believe that making an impact in your community is the best next step for those fighting for change. And we try and point out some of those avenues for you. We are grateful for you continued support and hope you enjoy the converstaion.

Team TTG is back in the studio since their enormous R.I.S.E. Bankhead Theater event and is excited to chat about what is next. R.I.S.E. Masterminds is an in-person follow-up giving us the chance to sit down on a more intimate level and continue to create a community and a critical mass of small business entrepreneurs to help us move the needle and operationalize our success. We share some exciting local happenings from businesses to look out for and Tri-Valley Restaurant Week as well as SF Beer Week which run Feb 21st - March 2nd. Tune in now as we spark back up a year of meaningful conversation centered around hospitality & culture.

This episode is all about food that makes you happy and the wines that we enjoy drinking with them. SVC + JTM hit up the Livermore Valley Interwinery Tasting to check out the 2024 vintage here in the region. We recap wines and people to be excited about, wines of the night, the biggest surprises, and more. JTM then surprises SVC to pair the best wines from the tasting with a few of her favorite Livermore Valley eateries. Tune in for all the latest Livermore Valley Wine Country news and happenings. Be sure to subscribe and join the Tri-Valley's first and only hospitality podcast. #eatlocal #drinklocal #livelocal

Spoiler Alert - If you have not completed The Bear season 3, consider this your warning. In this episode, Jeremy Troupe-Masi & Savannah Vento-Chun review the highly acclaimed and Emmy award-winning show 'The Bear'. SVC & JTM challenge various reviews while also offering a few of their own and ultimately answer the question. Did season 3 live up to the hype!? Tune in now and find out for yourself. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe and stay up to date with our weekly releases. Next week's episode covers the 2024 Livermore Valley Wine Country Vintage Review.

,Join us as we sit down with Frances[Franny] Catano and Joe Tomaszak, the owners of Livermore's very first fish bar. Cured Fish Bar offers up some of the freshest seafood bites within 40 miles, reminding us that while inland, we are a coastal town. In this episode, we sit down and look under the hood at what it took for them to take the leap of faith and go all in on themselves and why they chose Livermore. Fran and Joe are seasoned vets with experience from LA to SF and are excited to offer their style and cuisine to the region. If you enjoy this episode, PLEASE hit that subscribe button, as our voice is only as strong as our following. And be sure to go see Joe & Fran over at Maple Street Plaza.

The gang is back together, chatting about all the latest Livermore Valley + Downtown News. We also take on the topic of tipping. As so many have felt, tipping has become a significant financial consideration and burden in some cases relative to going out and spending money. We take a stab at dissecting what has caused such an uptick in what is being deemed 'guilt tipping'. Tune in now and let us know if you feel the same.

Join JTM & SVC for another TTG Short. This new segment allows us to experiment with some creative writing and offerings. In this segment, SVC takes the lead and shares why our Livermore Valley Farmers Market is more than meets the eye. And to her, why the Farmers Market serves as the center of community. We hope that you continue to enjoy these, share our podcast dang it and give us a follow!

Come hang out with JTM and SVC as we continue digging into a new segment called TTG Shorts. This series will take you through fun and meaningful reviews of your favorite local businesses. In this episode, JTM takes a heartfelt moment to reflect on the impact that the late Anthony Bourdain has made not only on the industry but also on JTM. We hope you enjoy these new segments. Let us know how you like them and leave us a review! Hit that subscribe button and stay tuned on all TTG happenings.

,,,We are back after a few weeks away from the microphones. While we were away though, Advanced Creative saw an expansion, doubling in size and offering TTG a brand-new recording studio. This is the first time in a several episodes hosts SVC, JTM , & Matt were able to record together as well. We spend much of our discussion catching up, sharing some summer happenings and find ourselves missing home.

What an amazing conversation this one was. TTG prides itself on bringing you closer to the Tri-Valley area's movers, makers, and shakers. And this episode does not disappoint. Tom Hall is the CEO & Founder of a real estate investment firm "Greenleaf Capital Partners." He is also a serial investor and an independent business owner with a wealth of experience in many fields and areas that are common themes on this show. We could not be more excited to offer you this episode. We do not doubt that you will find loads of gems in this session with one of the brightest entrepreneurial minds in the Tri-Valley. If you like what you hear, please follow us, as our voice is only as loud as our following. Follow us on instagram @TTG_Podcast for behind-the-scene takes with our guests.

In this episode we are joined by Jenny O'Leary - the Marketing Coordinator for the Livermore Valley Wine Growers. It has been a while since we spent time with a wine country guest. Jenny gives us a good look into what you should know this summer. As well as sharing her story as another one of those Fremont transplants who has found a new home in the Livermore Valley. We discuss wine country's challenges, its relationship to the rest of the Tri-Valley economy, and where she believes we are headed. As always, she shares a few of her favorite local Livermore spots to hang out, whether with the kids or flying solo with the hubby. Tune in for an insightful and lively conversation with SVC and JTM! For more information on wine country happenings, check out their website at https://www.lvwine.org/ Learn more about TASTE 2024 - the Livermore Valley Wine Country Signature Event. And if you want a pantry refill on the freshest spices in the Tri-Valley check out www.jtminthekitchen.com

In this episode, we are joined by Owner and Founder of The Muffin Lab - Janneh Merritt. Brooklyn-born & raised foodie was brought to the West Coast by the emerging tech industry. After spending over a decade in the industry, in June of 2023, Janneh decided to go all in on himself. Launching the Muffin Lab! Like many of our guests, Janneh is a licensed cottage operator, allowing him to turn his home space into his place of business and kitchen. Specializing in English Muffins, he has spent the past several years dialing in his recipe, helping to re-invigorate the local breakfast sandwich scene. Tune in for an awesome conversation alongside JTM & SVC. Muffin Lab can be found weekly at various Tri-Valley Farmers Markets and pop-ups. You can also order daily deliveries online anywhere in Tri-Valley. As always, if you enjoy what you are listening to, follow us and be sure to share with a friend who might be looking to take their independent business to the next level. Support JTM now by checking out his website at www.jtminthekitchen.com for the best local spices on the market.

What an episode—the long-awaited arrival of Livermore's newest and hottest pizzeria. Kam and Joe Fernandez join us for an episode that you won't want to miss. While we went a bit long on this one, the conversation flows effortlessly as we learn more about this Guamanian or Chamorro couple. It is an inspiring story that we are lucky to have landed here in the Livermore Valley. Joe combines his love for food and New York-style pizza alongside his wife Kam's retail and hospitality background to bring us ONE HELL OF A PIE. Or, as they would have it, no gimmicks, just pizza. Tune in now for an episode that you won't want to miss.

JTM & Matt try a new format this week as Savannah celebrates being accepted into Grad School. TTG Crew is excited to dig more into a new review style format that is hopefully unique to us. Please leave us a review after the show and let us know what you think.

A familiar voice joins Team TTG - Nakoah hits the microphone with us and let's us help bring in the day. We spin the tires on some local happenings in the food and beverage world. Followed by diving into a great blind tasting of 3 wines provided by SVC. Tune in and see if you can't guess the varietals alongside JTM & Nakoah. Be sure to subscribe and leave a review on the podcast! We appreciate the continued support - until next time! Find us on Instagram @TTG_Podcast