Episodes

Winter in the Hudson Valley is not a metaphor. It’s a physical, emotional, and occasionally muddy reality—one that arrives early, lingers late, and demands respect (and better boots). In the Season 8 finale of Cidiot, Mat wraps up a year-long exploration of the “Creative Human” with a practical—and lightly self-deprecating—survival guide for making it through a Hudson Valley winter with your sanity intact. From generators and wood-burning stoves to libraries as lifelines and the quiet hero...

What does it look like to build a creative life without a ladder, a map, or a five-year plan? In this crossover episode, I sit down with Kingston-based cinematographer, podcaster, and all-around creative human Drew English, host of the podcast No Set Path. We interviewed each other for our respective shows, and this is the Cidiot cut—rooted in the Hudson Valley, flavored with dirt, neighbors, and the reality of figuring it out as you go. Drew shares his journey from years in the NYC film w...

Live from Hudson, NY, it’s an author Q&A with Brian Shaefer and his debut novel Town & Country. Recorded in front of a live audience at Spark of Hudson, Mat moderates a conversation about character, plot, and the worlds of weekender and local coming together. The story follows a congressional race set in a fictional town of Griffin, inspired by the Hudson Valley. “Duffles” is Brian’s word for cidiots. One lesson which I really appreciated is the importance for all of us in a community, as ...

Meet Patrick, owner of Lily’s Natural Pet Store, which just opened its second location after Poughkeepsie in Hudson. We talk dogs—a favorite subject—and why he chose Hudson, why not on Warren Street for his second location, why it’s not your average pet store, about running a pet business (I was thinking of doing one!), and tackle my burning questions such as the smell of bully sticks and what’s so great about raw. And like on many other Cidiot® episodes, we end with favorite places in the Hu...

Meet Amy and Joyce, owners of The Yoga House, now with three locations in the Hudson Valley — Kingston, Highland and Poughkeepsie. One grew up in the HV; one is a transplant from Queens—what a great fit for coming on Cidiot. We talk about yoga, the different types, and poke a bit of fun (well, I do, and they’re good sports about it). They share how they got into yoga, which you won’t believe has quite a bit to do with roller derby. They also share some travel advice for cidiot bodies in th...

James Lauren is a board certified nurse practitioner who recently opened up a primary care clinic in Hudson. James is also a new homeowner and bravely let me try in-person recording at his adorable farmhouse with my miniature new recording system. We talk about primary care—what it is and why it matters, plus who their clinic serves. Short answer: everybody. We also chat about being a new homeowner, bartering labor, talking to people, being nice, painting a subfloor (which is a thing) and ...

Let’s talk about money and about Beacon. This episode, Mat chats with Lena Rizkallah of Conte Wealth Advisors, who is a Chelsea-turned-Beaconite financial advisor. Through Lena, we’ll get to know Beacon better, including lots of great places to eat. We’ll also hear Lena’s story and all she does as a part of the community and building financial literacy in the rest of us. She hosts panels and speakeasies about money, and even does stand up storytelling. Lena was named 2023 Chronogrammies Best ...

“Libraries are rooms of requirement.” — Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director, Mid-Hudson Library System This week on Cidiot®, we’re talking libraries — not just the quiet, book-filled havens you remember, but vibrant community hubs evolving with the times. I’m joined by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, executive director of the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), which spans 66 libraries across 70 locations in five Hudson Valley counties. We cover everything from the history and future of libra...

“This area attracts talented creative people seeking opportunities to play out, all seeking opportunities to play with each other.” — MK Scully Join MK Scully, afternoon host and promotions director at WKZE in Red Hook, as Cidiot® digs deeper into the local music scene. Who are the local bands? Where would you go to see them? We talk about both as well as about songs about the area. Genre wise, it’s everything. Singer-songwriter-folk to rock and roll to metal to funk bands to (great) cover...

In Episode 117 of Cidiot® , host Mat Zucker sits down with Christy Counts, the president and founder of Neverstill Wines, a New York State-based winery with a tasting room right in Hudson, NY. Christy shares her journey from wine enthusiast to entrepreneur, detailing how she built Neverstill Wines with a focus on sustainability, community, and a deep love for the Hudson Valley. Christy discusses her philosophy behind the Neverstill label, including her commitment to minimal intervention winem...

This episode was inspired by a spontaneous poetry commission on the street in Hudson, NY. A poet named Jacqueline crafts “Cidiot, Come Hither,” and Mat takes stock of escaping bubbles and breaking routines. Thanks so much for listening. Please rate and review Cidiot® and sign up for the show’s newsletter at Cidiot.com. Links to places and resources mentioned in the episode: Moto Coffee, Hudson, NY (https://www.motocoffeemachine.com/) Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY (https:...

Meet Madeline Hung of Castle, a finance app that helps homeowners save time and money managing their homes. Madeline says she’s a San Francisco cidiot trying to recreate her Bay Area lifestyle here in the Hudson Volley. She and her husband Hugo have created a service that does two things: One is to understand the money you’re saving, and the second part is to help you optimize and save. Their average customer, as you’ll hear, is saving $10,000.00. That’s real money. “It seems like it all should ...

Ready for something different? On this episode of Cidiot®, you’ll hear from John Burton, host of the popular podcast “Home From Here.” Hear John’s history from Rhinebeck to New York City to Westchester—and his plans to get back up here to the HV. As John explains, he wants to get back to his people. The people of the Hudson Valley are “Sophisticated and simple at the same time, smart and funny at the same time.” John puts it all out there. We talk about his wife’s incredible cancer journey, h...

What can we learn from the nature—and animals—around us? Meet Jessica Morgenthal, host of the new, already award-winning “Resilience Gone Wild” podcast. Mat’s been a guest, and now Jessica is one on Cidiot®. Join us for talk of talk about donkeys, goats, chickens, sea turtles, beehives, and more. Nature can be loving, nature can be harsh. The answers we’re looking for are sometimes right in front of us. And at the end, bonus: you’ll hear the real difference between turtles and tortoises. ...

“We're trying to create the best version of a night out” — Mike Burdge of Story Screen Cinema The arts are huge in the Hudson Valley, including film and cinema. In this episode, Mat talks to Mike Burdge of Story Screen Cinema about independent film and theatres in the Hudson Valley. Hear Mike and his partner Diana DiMuro’s story, from working in hospitality and hosting after-hours movie pop-ups to owning their own unique cinemas—first in Beacon now in Hudson. Mike also shares how they d...

Welcome to Season 8 of Cidiot®! Mat kicks off by re-grounding us in what partly makes the Hudson Valley so special—the space. Inspired by local young writer Will Forge and his new book “Hudson Valley Reveries,” Mat helps us lose ourselves among an iconic Shawongunk tree. Will writes, “Patricia herself was a peculiar sort….. preferred the company of trees to people…” Will’s advice for cidiots is also Mat's for this season opener. Let’s appreciate where we’re at, think about where we’re at, und...