Looking for a relaxing sleep podcast to help you unwind, quiet busy thoughts, or gently fall asleep? In this episode of The Insomnia Project, Marco and Amanda ease into a calm and cozy conversation about the surprisingly soothing world of towels, sheets, and everyday routines.
The episode begins with a gentle discussion about towels — how Marco folds them and why simple, repetitive tasks can feel so satisfying. From there, the conversation drifts into the familiar challenge of folding a fitted sheet. If you’ve ever struggled with that elusive skill, you’re not alone — and there’s something comforting in sharing the experience.
As the conversation meanders, Marco and Amanda chat about a few courses they’re taking through the city — though not the ones you might expect. It’s a light, curious moment that invites you to wonder what your guess might be.
In true Insomnia Project fashion, Amanda also shares her love of showing “how the sausage is made,” offering a relaxed, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the podcast.
This low-stakes, soothing conversation is designed to quiet racing thoughts and ease you into rest. Whether you’re lying awake at night, winding down after a long day, or listening at work to stay calm and focused, this gentle sleep podcast creates a peaceful space where nothing is urgent.
If you’re looking for a cozy sleep podcast, soft bedtime listening, or a calming audio companion, let this episode keep you company.
Listen when:

• You can’t fall asleep
• Your mind won’t slow down
• You’re folding laundry and want quiet company
• You need a peaceful sleepcast

#sleeppodcast #insomniarelief #fallasleepfast #calmpodcast #sleepcast #relaxingaudio #bedtimeroutine #mindfulness

The Sausage Roll Technique | Gentle Conversations for Restful Sleep
Welcome to the Insomnia Project. I'm Amanda Barker and this is the podcast
Marco Timpano: Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen. As always, we're going to have a calm conversation about the mundane to help you drift off to slee. Thank you for joining us. I'm your host, Marco Timpano.
Amanda Barker: I'm Amanda Barker. Hi. Hi.
Marco Timpano: Hi. How you doing?
Amanda Barker: To you. To everybody.
Marco Timpano: Sorry, I wasn't sure. It was like. It sounded like you were saying it to our kids.
Amanda Barker: Maybe too peppy. It may be too peppy. Is that what you're.
Marco Timpano: No, not at all. I don't think.
Amanda Barker: What did you just mouth to me? He just mouthed the word to me. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm showing you how the sausage is made, folks.
Marco Timpano: Babe, nobody wants to know how the sausage is made. That's why they buy sausage.
Amanda Barker: All the people want to know how the sausage is made because that's a very relaxing task for our listeners to hear about.
Marco Timpano: Okay, well, listen, the sausage is made in a little studio and Amanda brought me a coffee. We're actually recording in the morning. We usually record at night. And I'm so grateful to have this coffee. Thank you.
Amanda Barker: I know you are. He's not. So I'll tell you something while he takes a sip of his coffee. When we first started dating.
Marco Timpano: Oh, no. The sausage. This is really how the sausage was made.
Amanda Barker: Maybe that's what this episode is. when we first started dating, he. I didn't understand his life. I didn't understand a lot of My fellow actors lives. We all had a night job where we performed, which I loved and changed my life. We've talked about that a lot, at the time at the Second City. But, I had a day job as well in marketing. And none of these other actors, like, some had different gigs that they would do. But I wasn't sure how their lives worked. And I remember asking Marco, you know, what does your day look like? And he said, well, I like to get up by 10 o'. Clock. No, I like to get up by 11 o'. Clock.
Marco Timpano: I don't like this story because it makes me look really bad. You like to tell stories that m.
Amanda Barker: Make people look bad, make you look bad. It makes you look like somebody who's living a lovely life. I, don't think there's any shame in that. I like to get up by 11 o' clock in order to watch the View. And I, in my very closed mind at that age, my late 20s or, early 30s, I didn't understand that. I just didn't understand that there were people that would sleep, you know, or did not get up at 8am or 7am M. Or whatever. But what I've come to realize, about you is that you are a night person. At the end of the day, you are not a morning person. And then when we started to date, he said, don't talk to me before 10am Him.
Marco Timpano: How does this make me look good at all?
Amanda Barker: I think it makes you look like somebody who knew his boundaries.
Marco Timpano: I also had a night job. I worked until late.
Amanda Barker: Oh, that's true.
Marco Timpano: Yeah. So.
Amanda Barker: But you are ultimately a person of. Of the night.
Marco Timpano: Yes.
Amanda Barker: You are a lady of the night.
Marco Timpano: That you're gonna say a person of means.
Amanda Barker: yeah, that too. I mean. And I learned a lot, actually. I actually don't think it makes you look bad at all.
Marco Timpano: Well, there you go.
Amanda Barker: Versus me, who just thought I needed to work every second of every day. And I'm still learning. We're both still learning.
Marco Timpano: It's true.
Amanda Barker: How are you doing this morning?
Marco Timpano: I had my coffee. I think I'm fighting something.
Irene recently used our show to fall asleep
But, I wanted to make mention of today's episode. A couple things. so one, we want to say a special hello to Irene, who recently used our show, to fall asleep.
Amanda Barker: She did.
Marco Timpano: So that was great.
Amanda Barker: She did. I mean, but beyond that, Irene, we love you and thank you so much. And I hope you're already asleep. I hope you never hear this because you're just so having the most beautiful sleep.
Irene, when you got married, you said you loved doing laundry
Marco Timpano: Irene, so Diane asked me to, or not asked me, said that Irene, one episode we could do would be talking about folding things like towels and, Ah, sheets.
Amanda Barker: You love to fold.
Marco Timpano: I don't love to fold.
Amanda Barker: Oh, I thought you loved to fold.
Marco Timpano: No, I fold because it has to be done.
Amanda Barker: Well, more behind the sausage.
Marco Timpano: More behind the sausage.
Amanda Barker: So when you got, married, you said you love doing laundry, and I went, that is wonderful.
Marco Timpano: I do like doing laundry. I just don't like. I do all the laundry.
Amanda Barker: How does that make you look bad? Well, it doesn't.
Marco Timpano: It doesn't.
Amanda Barker: But anyways, all the laundry.
There are two ways to fold a towel, folks. One is lengthwise and another is widthwise
Marco Timpano: Okay, so let me talk about how I fold a towel. I actually have a towel in my hand right now.
Amanda Barker: He really does.
Marco Timpano: So there's two ways that I fold a towel, folks. One, my most recent way, the one that I'm using more, is I fold it in half lengthwise. Is that what you call that?
Amanda Barker: I like how you say length lengthwise.
Marco Timpano: Lengthwise. And then I fold it in half, not lengthwise. What would you call that?
Amanda Barker: Well, width wise.
Marco Timpano: And then I fold it in half widthwise to make it a perfect square.
Amanda Barker: Lengthwise, width wise, width wise.
Marco Timpano: But there's another method to my madness, and that is the sausage roll. And let me just.
Amanda Barker: We really are learning how it gets made.
Marco Timpano: Yeah, there's a lot of sausage talk today. So fold it in half width wise, lengthwise. Now hang, on a second. I'm sorry. Width wise, width wise. It's because I'm seated. it's harder.
Amanda Barker: This is width, width.
Marco Timpano: And then those keeping. Roll it with. With, roll with, with roll. And lengthwise, you're rolling it into a sausage like you would see at a spa. You know how they have towels rolled at a spa and stacked?
Amanda Barker: yeah.
Marco Timpano: Or maybe, maybe if you go to a fancy gym.
Amanda Barker: The spas I go to, they fold them. So.
Marco Timpano: Okay, if you go to. You know when you see towels in a cubby hole somewhere fancy and they have them rolled up as sausages, going to go with.
Amanda Barker: Yes.
Marco Timpano: When would you see this kind of a roll? When have you seen stacked rolls like this? Where would be the environment where you've seen it?
Amanda Barker: at our house. And when I pack. Because I roll, pack.
Marco Timpano: No, but you don't roll towels when you pack.
Amanda Barker: Well, if I'm packing a towel, I would.
Marco Timpano: When have you packed a towel? When was the last time you packed a towel?
Amanda Barker: We pack towels when we go to beach places.
Marco Timpano: Not really.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: Okay. So anyways, back to the. The sausage roll towel. So then it's It's. It's kind of looks like a little package. Like a little. You know what it looks like. You know those pillows, that you put behind your neck?
Amanda Barker: Yes.
Marco Timpano: The little round ones?
Amanda Barker: Yes.
Marco Timpano: Some people have them on their beds.
Amanda Barker: Lumbar pillow.
Marco Timpano: Lumbar pillow. It looks like a lumbar pillow, but it's a towel.
Amanda Barker: Okay. Lumbar towel.
Marco Timpano: Lumber towel. So if you have. If you have a sore neck, you could use this essentially as a lumbar pillow.
Amanda Barker: I think people do.
Marco Timpano: So that's how I do it now. And I stack them in our linen closet like I would if. If I had a fancy spa.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: And I like it because you can just grab the towel. It's not going to pull other towels with it. Whereas the first fold that I talked about, the square fold, sometimes they get stacked. And if you have a lot of towels and you stack them high and you pull one, it will. It'll bring its friends down with it. That's never fun.
Amanda Barker: No, not fun. Never fun. When you go in and you go to grab one thing and everything comes with you.
Amanda Pease says she doesn't iron sheets because time is limited
Marco Timpano: So then let's talk about how I fold sheets, please. So when it comes to sheets, I wish I had the time or the desire to iron sheets, because I love a good iron sheet, but I don't iron sheets. I shouldn't say that.
Amanda Barker: It's like you're saying iron Chic.
Marco Timpano: No, iron the wrestler sheets. Iron Chic had a great, wrestling career. Yes. And a great X or Twitter account for the longest time. So. Okay, so if I could iron sheets, I would iron sheets.
Amanda Barker: Why can't you? Who's stopping you? Because it ain't me.
Marco Timpano: It takes a long time.
Amanda Barker: Time, time. Father time is stopping you.
Marco Timpano: And I could be podcasting instead of iron, ironing the sheet. And I'm often podcasting when I'm not. Instead of ironing sheets.
Amanda Barker: I would say I blame you, fans, but it's fine. no one needs iron sheets in this house.
Marco Timpano: It's so wonderful. I will iron sheets when we have guests. So the guest sheets are ironed.
Amanda Barker: Thank you.
Marco Timpano: But it's a long, laborious task. So basically, I try to fold my sheets when they come out of the dryer while they're still warm.
Amanda Barker: That's nice.
Marco Timpano: So I'll take the warm sheets. And so there's a fitted sheet and the regular sheet. I don't know what the regular sheet is called.
Amanda Barker: One magic set where they're connected.
Marco Timpano: We talked about that on the podcast.
Amanda Barker: I wish they made them still.
Marco Timpano: I wish they made more. I just. I can't. If you ever find. If our listeners know where one can purchase sheets, where the fitted sheet and the top sheet, I think it's called the top sheet, top sheet are connected at the bottom where your feet would be. So that when you fold the fitted sheet into the mattress or tuck, I guess you could say, when you tuck the fitted sheet into the mattress, the top sheet is connected at the bottom. So you never have to tuck the top sheet in. It stays connected to the fitted sheet, which is already tucked. And then you just pull that top sheet up to the top of your bed where your pillows are.
Amanda Barker: And I even love it. And I'm a one foot out gal. Like, I often will have one foot
Marco Timpano: out of the bed and one foot in the mouth. We magically bought a set of those years ago on the shopping channel because they were getting rid of them, because I guess people didn't understand how they worked or people just thought it was bizarre. And we bought it because they were very inexpensive and we needed sheets. And sometimes when you need sheets, especially when you're starting out, let's say, and you don't have money because sheets can be expensive, Amanda. Good sheets can be expensive.
Amanda Barker: Yeah.
Marco Timpano: And now with these tall beds, like these tall mattress beds or whatever you would call them, you know, the mattresses that are bigger, you need sheets that are deeper or fitted sheets that are deeper mattresses. And they often don't stay. And it's a frustrating thing, at least for me, because I'm a roll around kind of guy.
Amanda Barker: And I am too, by the way. I'm. My m. Sister used to call me kicky feet when we were little. So I. I guess I kick a lot.
Marco Timpano: So, you know, you wake up and kick. You know, you don't.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: You know, and, you wake up at the mic the middle of the night, and your sheets are off the bed. And that is something I just can't tolerate.
Amanda Barker: Or rope. What I call the rope.
Marco Timpano: Yeah, the rope is the top sheet, not the fitted sheet. I'm talking about the fitted sheet being off the bed.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: So I had garters for my sheets.
Amanda Barker: Sexy.
Marco Timpano: That your mother bought me. And. And they didn't work. I've tried them a million times. They don't work. They don't resist against the force of me in the bed.
Amanda Barker: Yeah.
Marco Timpano: Tossing and turning.
Amanda Barker: They might work an extra night, but then after that, nothing can be matched with the power of our tosses and our turns.
Marco Timpano: So that didn't work. I've tried the deep sheets. The deep. The fitted sheets don't work.
Amanda Barker: Deep pockets.
Marco Timpano: I tried one other method. I can't think it didn't work. So when we purchased our next mattress, we bought a regular sized mattress, which is not easy to do.
Amanda Barker: No, it was hard. And it was actually the most expensive mattress. My goodness, though, I love it.
Marco Timpano: That's also because you're a little bit the Princess and the Pea.
Amanda Barker: Why?
Marco Timpano: You tried a lot of mattresses and you always went back to that mattress.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, I'm.
Marco Timpano: But I'm not complaining because it's a great mattress.
Amanda Barker: It's a great mattress.
The top sheet is pretty easy to fold, and it's a question
Marco Timpano: Okay, so back to how I fold sheets, please. I take the top sheet. The top sheet is pretty easy to fold, and it's a question of how long are your arms?
Amanda Barker: How long are your arms?
Marco Timpano: well, I'm not an albatross, but they're pretty long. They're longer than yours. So take the sheet lengthwise so the longest it can open, and you fold it in half. Then you fold it in half. Then you fold it in half. And then it becomes a long, thin sheet. Long. You take the length, you fold it in half. You fold it in half. I think I fold it in half one more time. And then it's a nice square. And that's the top sheet. Easy enough.
Amanda Barker: I don't think it is. So I'm glad that you do it.
Marco Timpano: The fitted sheet. What I do, and I think I saw Martha Stewart do this, but to be honest with you, I learned this from watching my mother over the years when I was a kid.
Amanda Barker: It tests the mettle of a person.
Marco Timpano: You put your hand and you make your hand like, a. Like an oar. I don't know how to describe this shape. So your fingers together and your thumb tucked behind your fingers like this.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: So you take this hand that I just described that looks kind of like an oar, and you pop it into the.
Amanda Barker: He's putting his thumb in front of his palm, his open palm. That's what he means by oar.
Marco Timpano: Hand behind my palm. Like into my.
Amanda Barker: In front of your palm. Into your palm. Towards your pinky? Yes.
Marco Timpano: Yes. Okay, great. That's a great way to describe it. So then I take this and I tuck it into the inner part of the fitted sheet that would go around the corner of your bed so that my or hand is basically tucked to the point of the fitted sheet from the inside.
Amanda Barker: I don't.
Marco Timpano: Okay, so you know how the fitted sheet goes over the mattress.
Amanda Barker: I get what a fitted sheet is.
Marco Timpano: So that, that part that goes over the mattress, it kind of has a point to it.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: If you look as if you were to put it over your head like a, like a hoodie and wear it and run around the house and let it blow around you like a cape,
Amanda Barker: it's a great idea.
Marco Timpano: If you were to do that, the part that would go over your head like a hoodie. You know how a hoodie has kind of the, the topmost point?
Amanda Barker: Sure, yeah.
Marco Timpano: That's where my hand is. Okay.
Amanda Barker: All right.
Marco Timpano: So then I do that exact same movement to the other side. So now I'm, I'm like conducting a sheet with two hands.
Amanda Barker: It's a, it's a puppet. It's a puppet show.
Marco Timpano: Yeah, it's a puppet show. So now I've got that, those two things in my hand. So then I have to scoop the other side so that on one hand I now have one corner and I have the other corner on top of that.
Amanda Barker: Martha Stewart taught you this?
Marco Timpano: No, my mother taught me this. I saw Martha Stewart do a version of it, but it wasn't as good as my mom's version. Yes.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: Yes. So I did that. And then I, I do that. And then once that happens, I kind of untuck my hands and I fold the now creviced fitted sheet that's in itself down so that I have a direct fold from both corners.
Marco Timpano: And I fold down the other side.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: Hard to imagine, but picture an envelope. And now I folded the two, I folded the part that sort of. Once you've tucked in your letter and you fold that part down.
Amanda Barker: Oh, yes.
Marco Timpano: Okay. So now it looks like a big rectangle.
Amanda Barker: Alright. Yes. And which is what you want? Because the problem is it's an uneven shape.
Marco Timpano: Right. And so now it looks like a rectangle. I'll fold it lengthwise. And then much like the top sheet, I'll fold it in half. I'll fold it in half and I'll fold it in half. And I'll put the top sheet on top of the fitted sheet. And then I will fold the pillowcases in half. Amanda.
Amanda Barker: Okay. It's a good method. I like this. So it's all about trying to get it to a shape that's foldable.
Marco Timpano: Yeah. And square like I guess, is how I would, further, further describe it. So I've got two squares, a fitted sheet and a top sheet.
You need to replace your sheets after a certain time
And then the towels on top. Sometimes if we're traveling with sheets or if we have to bring the sheets somewhere, I will fold them more and then tuck them into the pillowcases, if that's possible, so that they stay in the pillowcases and are easy to transport.
Amanda Barker: I see, I see.
Amanda Barker: Very interesting.
Marco Timpano: And that's my fitted sheet folds.
Amanda Barker: Amazing.
Marco Timpano: But fitted sheets are not easy to deal with. They're not easy to iron, they're not easy to fold.
Amanda Barker: My mother's version, I believe, was sort of just fold them and then shove them in the linen closet. I think that's as far as we would get. I don't know. I think she had a method to it. She's not a messy person at all. But I don't think fitted sheets. My mother also was very much, whatever is the most efficient. My mom was all about efficiency.
Marco Timpano: Sure.
Amanda Barker: Efficiency over beauty even. So if it was not an efficient way of doing something, if it took too much time, she wasn't signing up for it, generally speaking.
Marco Timpano: I see, I see. Yeah. Some people roll them in a ball and put them in their little closet. It just takes up a lot of room when you're doing that. Right. Interesting.
Amanda Barker: Yeah. And how many sets of sheets does one have?
Marco Timpano: You know, it's a good question. How many sheets should one have? How many sets of sheets does one have? You know, these are all questions. And then, you know, after a certain time your sheets are no longer sheetable. So you need to, you know, replace your sheets.
Amanda Barker: It's true. And in. If you do need to replace your sheets, if you are doing spring cleaning and going, you know what, these sheets serve me well through a few winters, but I don't think I want to do another spring or summer with them. Or they're different types of sheets. Maybe they're heavier and you're feeling done with them. I will say this the best way to dispose of them. Well, there's lots of ways, but the best way I know, especially in this city, is to donate them to an animal shelter. Here, in Toronto, we have, the Humane Society.
Marco Timpano: Sure.
Amanda Barker: And they will always take your towels. Towels and old sheets because the dogs ultimately, and cats need them. And, and they need fabric that is soft but not precious, you know, for, you know, when the dogs come out for their walks and so on. So just something to keep in mind. If you are doing a bit of unloading and you're not sure what to do with them and you're like, well, they're good sheets or they have this stain or this tear. I'm not sure what to do with them. That's the best way that I Know to give them, a second life.
Marco Timpano: Sheets in my family were always used as, drop cloths for painting.
Amanda Barker: Oh, that's a good idea too. Yeah. That's another great, fabulous way to do it. If you have a painting project on
Marco Timpano: the horizon, painting a, ah, wall painting, a door or something that you. That might splash paint onto your tiles or carpet, you don't want that.
Amanda Barker: But if you don't have a painting project on the horizon, you just want to unload them. Some of us have small places, then option, option B, I think, or you know, some people. my mom made me a dress that I love and I still have. I don't think it fits me, but I still have it. A cute little dress from a tablecloth once.
Marco Timpano: Oh, really?
Amanda Barker: Yeah. I don't think I've ever shown you that.
Marco Timpano: No.
Amanda Barker: My little tablecloth dress, I wore it a lot when I was like 1920. I just loved it. It was like a brown and blue plaid, very simple, little shift dress, but shift dress and. Yeah, like a dress that doesn't really have any shape.
Marco Timpano: Oh, okay.
Amanda Barker: I was always a big fan of those.
Marco Timpano: I see. Okay.
Amanda Barker: They weren't, you know, constricting me anywhere. I could just kind of throw it on and put on a pair of shoes and out the door. and, that's what she did with an old tablecloth. So there you go.
Marco Timpano: Wow.
Amanda Barker: Yeah. Yeah.
Marco Timpano: What about. Could you do it with a set of sheets or a towel?
Amanda Barker: Well, that's what I was thinking. I don't know about a towel dress.
Marco Timpano: Well, you could do a towel, onesie with shorts and then use that at the beach.
Amanda Barker: That feels like a lot of work for an old towel. It's one of those towels with bleach stains on it. I don't know that you want to onesie it up.
Marco Timpano: I call that style.
Amanda Barker: Okay, well, you can make me a towel onesie. I'm not sure I'll wear it.
Marco Timpano: Imagine. well, you could make a towel into an absorbent sweater for the beach.
Amanda Barker: Again, this is a lot of sewing for an absorbent sweater.
What if I make you an absorbent sweater for the beach
Who needs an absorbent sweater when you
Marco Timpano: get out of the water?
Amanda Barker: Terry cloth robe, I suppose, right? Yeah. But then you're hot in your absorbent sweater. I don't know.
Marco Timpano: What if I make you a shawl out of an old towel for the beach?
Amanda Barker: Sounds beautiful. It would just be called a towel on my shoulders.
M. M. is starting swimming lessons in a few weeks
Do you know I had another dream about swimming last night? All my dreams. I managed to find pools or bodies of water in my dreams. And I'm like, well, here I go. And then I get in them and go swimming.
Marco Timpano: That's. That's nice.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, it's like in my DNA to do that, I think. And I, Last night I was in Thunder Bay at a really big pool by the water.
Marco Timpano: In your dream?
Amanda Barker: Yeah. But I did actually do a, play at Thunder Bay, and I did swim at that pool, so it didn't look like the one in my dream, though. In my dream was huge and sunny.
Marco Timpano: Oh, wow. I'm going to be taking swimming lessons. So that's happening soon.
Amanda Barker: You're starting in a few weeks.
Marco Timpano: That's right. Amanda's a very strong swimmer. Always has been, always will be. And I'm not. So, you know, it's. It's a challenge when you get friends or family to teach you to swim. You don't want to disappoint them. You want to, but you're also. You easily get frustrated with them, and they'll tell you to do things you don't want to do.
Amanda Barker: I just need to clarify. I'm not a strong simmer, in a sense that I do a perfect butterfly stroke or anything like that. Strong simmer that, too. strong swimmer. yeah, I just am. M. Have a level of confidence in water because I grew up in it. So I just need to. To sort of say that because I don't want anyone to think I'm, like an Olympic level swimmer. I'm most certainly not. I just grew up in pools and beach, and I just spent a lot of time in water as a kid. And so I have a level of confidence, and maybe even at one point, overconfidence.
Marco Timpano: But I've learned hubris, if you will.
Amanda Barker: Well, hopefully not. But, anyhow, so when we go, like, if I want to go snorkeling somewhere, if it's a little bit deeper, I know you get. I get scared for you because you're a little nervous. So I do think. I don't maybe always do all the water stuff I want to do because you're a little worried about it.
Marco Timpano: So I'm a chain around your neck.
Amanda Barker: Would you go scuba diving?
Marco Timpano: Maybe.
Amanda Barker: Yeah.
Marco Timpano: Ah, maybe.
Amanda Barker: Well, maybe that's something we can work our way towards.
Marco Timpano: We have to get. You. You should go scuba diving with Niddy. Nitty's a huge scuba dive, right?
Amanda Barker: No, she's like an amazing scuba diva. That would be super fun to go with Nitty. maybe we should. Maybe we should plan a trip with Nitty.
Marco Timpano: Oh, yeah. She'd Love to get your scuba. What's it called?
Amanda Barker: My Patty.
Marco Timpano: Your Patty.
Amanda Barker: Yeah.
Marco Timpano: And I'll just learn a simple stroke. Anyways, I'm excited and nervous about my swim class.
Amanda Barker: And when he's gonna do swim class, I'm gonna do hip hop dancing. Our city offers these very cheap classes, and we didn't really know about them. We thought they were just for kids. And then our dear friend was taking skiing.
Marco Timpano: Dale. Shout out to Dale.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, from the city. I don't know if she wants everyone to know her skiing business. Anyway, which is amazing that there's skiing classes right in the city of Toronto, but she skis at a park and she's learned a bunch. And she went on a proper hill,
Marco Timpano: like, ski resort with family during the break.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, they had a school break last week and she did great. And she was really helpful to the kids that didn't know what they're doing. So she's feeling really confident with those lessons. So she did her skiing and she said. I told her I wanted to do pottery. I've always wanted to do pottery. It's one of those things as a kid I was obsessed with, and I always have just wanted to sit at the wheel and play.
Marco Timpano: and I was buying you pottery classes, but we've got a schedule when you can pot.
Amanda Barker: Yeah. So she said, you know, the city offers pottery classes. And I was like, they do, but here's the thing.
Marco Timpano: Oh, no, here we go.
Amanda Barker: The city offers pottery. these classes to seniors.
Super cast thanks listeners for supporting our podcast
First the 65 and overcrowd. Well, they scoop up all the classes. So then you have to go on waiting list by the time it's your turn, because they get first pick and then they give them a day or two. So all the pottery classes were full by the time I wanted to do it. But you know what? The seniors didn't fill up. Hip hop.
Marco Timpano: I see, I see.
Amanda Barker: So I was like, you know what? I would love to do a dance class. I've been meaning to get back into dancing. That's another thing I did as a kid. it was my family's birthright, since my mom had a school where she taught dance and other performing arts, but it originated as a dance school. And I just thought, you know what? Hip hop is not something I learned because it was not as prevalent. And my mom in God love her, hip hop was not a big part of her dance training in the 60s of Massachusetts. So, anyhow, so I just want to get moving. I don't care how or in what capacity I would have taken any dance, but that's what was available. So there you go.
Marco Timpano: Amanda's going to be a hip hop dancer, and I'm going to be a swimmer. So, we'll see how. City of Toronto, thank you for City of Toronto. Thank you, listeners, for, you know, sending messages to us, rating and reviewing our podcast and just, supporting if you got this far. There's plenty of episodes out there. We have a YouTube channel now as well. You, you can subscribe to us on insomniaproject.super cast.com if you don't want, ads to listen to before our episode starts. But however you listen, wherever you listen, we just want to say thank you so much, and we hope you were able to listen and sleep.

Looking for a relaxing sleep podcast to help you unwind, quiet busy thoughts, or gently fall asleep? In this episode of The Insomnia Project, Marco and Amanda settle into a calm, meandering conversation about the simple ritual of packing a suitcase.
From Amanda’s beloved neck pillow — and how she always makes room for it — to Marco’s thoughtful packing habits (including what he tucks inside his shoes), the conversation drifts through the small, personal details that can make travel feel comforting. Along the way, Amanda shares a slightly “spilly” day, and Marco reflects on the surprise of discovering a birthday card months after it was meant to be opened.
As always, this is a low-stakes, soothing conversation designed to quiet racing thoughts and ease you into rest. Whether you’re lying awake at night, winding down after a long day, or listening at work to stay calm and focused, this gentle sleep podcast offers a peaceful space where nothing is urgent.
So if you’re looking for a cozy sleep podcast, soft bedtime listening, or a relaxing audio companion, let this episode guide you toward calm.
If you enjoy the show, consider sharing it with someone who could use a little extra quiet.
We’d love to hear from you: what’s one essential item you always pack in your suitcase?
#sleeppodcast #insomniarelief #fallasleepfast #calmpodcast #sleepcast #relaxingaudio #bedtimeroutine

Packing a Suitcase | Calm Conversations for a Restful Journey
The Insomnia Project podcast is meant to soothe you and relax you
Marco Timpano: Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen as we have a calm conversation that's meant to soothe you, relax you, chill you at work, and most of all, help you drift off to sleep. I'm your host, Marco Timpano.
Amanda Barker: I'm Amanda Barker.
Marco Timpano: Of course, if you want ad free episodes of our podcast, you could go to YouTube and watch, and listen on YouTube or go to the InsideProject Supercast CA and follow us there. And Amanda, you know our backpack episode was very popular.
Amanda Barker: It is very popular. And now that we've got the housekeeping set aside, I just want to give everybody the permission. You have our permission and the world's permission to close your eyes, sit back, take a big deep exhale, and just follow the conversation.
I wanted to talk about packing a suitcase since the backpack episode was so popular
Marco Timpano: I wanted to talk about packing a suitcase since the backpack episode was so popular. Okay, so tell me, Amanda, for me,
Amanda Barker: the backpack was popular for the reason that I would. I like containment and I like following, things that are contained. I don't feel the same way about a suitcase as I feel about a backpack.
Marco Timpano: How do you pack yours?
Amanda Barker: I will say this. What I do like to pack. Is the, the challenge I most love is actually when we don't have a suitcase and we travel with just the backpack and the neck roll.
Marco Timpano: Okay, tell us about the neck roll.
Amanda Barker: Are you okay with that?
Marco Timpano: of course. And then I'll talk about how I pack my suitcase.
Amanda Barker: That's fine. Great.
Amanda uses a neck roll on a plane to relax on long flights
So the neck roll, if you don't know about the magic that is the neck roll, then let me invite you to the community of neck roll.
Marco Timpano: And I should just clarify neck necker roll.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: Because it sounds like you're saying. It sounds like you're saying one word. Neckerel. And so people might be thinking it's
Amanda Barker: now called a neckerel.
Marco Timpano: The neckerel.
Amanda Barker: That's what it's called. Like almost rhymes with mackerel.
Marco Timpano: Okay.
Amanda Barker: this is something that has changed my travel game. It is a pillow that clips. It's a long tube that has a zipper. It is made of like a nice velvety soft material. You open it up and you can gently roll whatever you'd like to fill this pillow. And then it clips on both ends and becomes a neck pillow.
Marco Timpano: So it's a zippered item that you fill with certain clothing.
Marco Timpano: And it becomes like a sausage.
Amanda Barker: That's right.
Marco Timpano: You then zip it.
Amanda Barker: Yes.
Marco Timpano: And then the two clips on either end clip together.
Amanda Barker: That's right.
Marco Timpano: And it forms a circle or a
Amanda Barker: c. Quite a large and substantial neck pillow that has. If you like a neck pillow on a plane, well then get ready because this thing is. One guy came on a plane once, like he was boarding and I was sitting and he went, well, that's a real neck pillow. And I was like, yes, it is, thank you very much. I take my neck pillows very seriously. It's also my luggage. I didn't tell them that part, but I actually like. What I like about it is it does have the clip on the end with like a little circle on the end and then you can clip it on. And then I use that clip. And when we do a really long flight, which we haven't done actually in a while, but when we do one of those long hauls, you know, overseas, you know, one of those long haul kind of flights, I like about halfway through going into the airport bathroom, clipping that little clip, hanging it down, I gently unzip it so that things don't come tumbling out. They're all kind of stuffed and have found their little place in there, so they usually are fine. I'm going to tell you something. I get completely naked in that bathroom in an airport. In an airline bathroom.
Marco Timpano: Oh, on the airplane.
Amanda Barker: Sometimes in an airport, but more likely on the plane itself. So, okay, so say it's like. Let's say it's a 12 hour flight. Around hour six or seven, time for Amanda and her neck pillow to go to the bathroom. I go into the bathroom, I take all of my clothes off.
Marco Timpano: Oh, my goodness.
Amanda Barker: I have a little wipe.
Marco Timpano: Okay.
Amanda Barker: I do a little wipe down.
Marco Timpano: Okay. We don't need any more.
Amanda Barker: No, I'm not getting specific. I'm just saying I do a little wipe down.
Marco Timpano: Okay, fair enough.
Amanda Barker: you can imagine what you want.
Marco Timpano: Okay.
Amanda Barker: He's trying to. Trying to cancel me.
Marco Timpano: I'm not trying to cancel you.
Amanda Barker: Editing me. We all know what a wipe down is.
Marco Timpano: All right.
Amanda Barker: It doesn't even matter. But like, even my hands like stuff like that.
Marco Timpano: Sure.
Amanda Barker: And then I put an entirely new outfit on, courtesy of neck pillow. Neck roller.
Marco Timpano: I see. Okay.
Amanda Barker: And then I walk back feeling all refreshed, like I've just had a nice little change. And that's how I stay. I don't know, just feeling good on the flight. Like I feel like I've. It almost feels like a new flight.
Marco Timpano: That's how you roll, I guess. Right?
Amanda Barker: That's how I.
Marco Timpano: Pardon the pun.
Amanda Barker: Yeah.
Halifax listens to this podcast and gives me great feedback
So, yeah, I usually like, if we are going to say Halifax, which I want to soon, and we haven't planned
Marco Timpano: it, we need to figure that out.
Amanda Barker: I know. And Halifax is listening to this.
Marco Timpano: Halifax listens and gives me great feedback and I love Halifax for it.
Amanda Barker: And apparently Halifax likes it better when I'm not here.
Marco Timpano: Well, listen is what I heard. Halifax did not say that. Halifax said that they liked my solo episode. That's all they said, really.
Amanda Barker: Halifax is beautiful and supportive and we love Halifax, which is, these are family members. however, my sister in law
Marco Timpano: listens to this podcast and I couldn't be happier, I have to say.
Amanda Barker: I know. She's so lovely. So, if I were going out there and I have done this, a few trips to Halifax, I usually get a nice cheap flight. And I don't pay the extra for the carry on or for the. I just have the personal item, which is everyone's favorite, my yellow backpack. And now it's accoutrement the neck roll that I sometimes clip to the backpack or clip to my head like around my neck. And so that'll usually have two or three pairs of socks, obviously changes of underwear, a couple of shirts, maybe something like a nicer shirt that doesn't wrinkle something more comfy as well. And I usually wear whatever jeans I'm planning on wearing. If, say it's a three, four day trip, then I'll just wear whatever jeans. But I'll always have another pair of pants. Like a thin black pair of pants that goes in there. Really? You can only fit maybe one, maybe two, but you can usually get three or four shirts in there as well. Now the only thing that doesn't.
Marco Timpano: Well, I mean, your shirt, my shirt, you wouldn't be able to get through. You'd be lucky.
Amanda Barker: Depends on the shirt. Yeah, you know, something more casual, something less casual that doesn't wrinkle.
Marco Timpano: For the record, I could probably not even get one shirt in there.
Amanda Barker: That's not true. You use. You use it too.
Marco Timpano: I can get it like a little thin, like a. Not a buttoned up shirt, like just a.
Amanda Barker: Well, and we wear layers too. Like we'll wear a sweater over a shirt on the plane anyway. But. But, the only thing I can't usually get is pajamas. So I either just ask whoever I'm staying with, hey, do you have an extra set of, you know, sweatpants or T shirt or whatever? Or. I've done this. I've just ordered pajamas. Just the cheapest pair. One time I stayed there in April and I ordered Christmas pajamas because they were like $10, you know, and they were like quite big, but. But $10 Christmas pajamas. And I just wore those for three days and just left them there, after which, you know, isn't the most environmental choice. I get it.
Marco Timpano: But sometimes, unless you use them again next time you're there.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, but then you don't want your host to have to keep your old pajamas around, even if you've only worn them a few times. But hey, free pajamas for them if they want them.
Marco Timpano: Sure.
Amanda Barker: I don't know who wanted my Christmas pajamas, but somebody might have.
Marco Timpano: Fair enough.
Amanda Barker: So that's my neck roll.
Amanda's backpack tends to spill out a lot of things these days
Marco Timpano: Amanda's backpack, which is bright yellow, tends to spill out a lot of things these days.
Amanda Barker: I have to say that's not something that's completely true. And I don't know how that's soothing for our listeners at all when we've established that the backpack is orderly and secure. Yes, we've been traveling a lot, and my life has been a little bit chaotic and messy in these last few weeks. So, yeah, there was a bit of spillage today. In fact, it was recent, so that's why he's saying that.
Marco Timpano: And you had a little spill earlier today too, but not with the backpack. No, with the shepherd's pie.
Amanda Barker: Oh, I didn't even think of that. Listen, it was a spilly day. I spilled my coffee this morning. I spilt shepherd's. I made a beautiful shepherd's pie with lentils. I don't use ground beef, usually because we're not the Rockefellers, so I make it with lentils. but it's my. Like, it's my stage two with lentils. I make a big pot of lentils, and we have that with some bread, you know, almost like baked beans. And then that becomes the basis of my shepherd's pie, and I mix it up with vegetables. And then I had a lot of potatoes, so I made mashed potatoes today. And I made one shepherd's pie for us, and then three little casseroles that I put in the freezer. So those lentils. I'm getting a lot of mileage. Two cups of lentils, man, dry. Turn into a big old pot of a crock pot full of, lentil goodness.
Marco Timpano: Nothing wrong with that. Unless you're trying to put the shepherd's pie into your yellow backpack and then spill it everywhere.
Amanda Barker: Why are you making disturbing ideas for our listeners who ask to be soothed?
Marco Timpano: You didn't finish how you spilled the shepherd's pie.
Amanda Barker: Well, I spilt it. I took it out of the oven, and it slipped in my big, gigantic silicone oven mitts. And splash, splishity splash. All over the oven, all over the wall. later. I found it on my toes. Oh, so it really got everywhere.
Marco Timpano: Little bonus.
Amanda takes you through how she packs her suitcase
All right, so I'm gonna take you through how I pack my suitcase, because that's where we were gonna go with it.
Amanda Barker: Should I do disturbing comments that'll unsettle everybody?
Marco Timpano: You should never do disturbing comments on this podcast.
Amanda Barker: That's what you've been. I've been trying to create soothing ideas, and then you rat me out.
Marco Timpano: I don't rat anybody out.
Amanda Barker: You're like, amanda tends to do this awful thing. That's your contribution.
Marco Timpano: Your backpack spills a bit. Okay?
Amanda Barker: You spill a lot of things, too.
Marco Timpano: It's true. But my backpack. So my backpack doesn't spill. But it's all black, and the zipper pulls are all black, too. So I can't find the zipper pulls because there's a lot of areas to zipper.
Amanda Barker: But you have a good system for that.
Marco Timpano: Now I put bright m. Neon, elastic bands around the zippers. So smart.
Amanda Barker: So you know which one is which.
Marco Timpano: It doesn't look stylish anymore. It looks a little bit.
Amanda Barker: I mean, Black backpack is not the epitome of style. You're not on the catwalk.
Marco Timpano: This one here. The style is that everything blends together. So you can't tell where a zipper is. The problem is I can't tell where a zipper is, so.
Amanda Barker: Right.
Marco Timpano: It's problematic. But when it comes to my suitcase, what I usually like to do is, you know, there's always one part of the suitcase that has like these bumps in it.
Marco Timpano: That's where.
Amanda Barker: Where the pulley thing lives.
Marco Timpano: Yeah. So, kind of like where the. Where the. What's that book called? Where the Monsters Live.
Amanda Barker: Where the Wild Things Are.
Marco Timpano: Well, the wild things are like you're
Amanda Barker: where the monsters live.
Marco Timpano: I just can only picture the.
Amanda Barker: The monsters.
Marco Timpano: Yeah. Okay, stop saying that. People are trying to sleep. And so I. Marco sometimes takes his
Amanda Barker: suitcase and it spills everywhere. Isn't that a soothing idea for everybody to hear about?
Marco Timpano: So that's where I put my smaller things like socks and underwear to make a sort of level playing field there.
Amanda Barker: I m. See.
Marco Timpano: Then I'll put usually like any sort of big items like pants or whatnot to make a layer of that. It's almost like you're making a lasagna of clothes.
Amanda Barker: Clothes. A clothing lasagna.
Marco Timpano: A clothing lasagna in your suitcase.
Marco Timpano: Right. So a layer of pants or a
Amanda Barker: clothing shepherd's piece, I guess.
Marco Timpano: but I deal in lasagna. You deal in shepherd's pie.
Amanda Barker: I deal in lentils.
Marco Timpano: Right. So a layer of pants, another layer of pants then I'll use then usually it's pretty flat. And so I will fold shirts properly. My button up shirts, I'll button them all the way up and then fold the sleeves behind. Make a perfect square lay shirt upon shirt upon shirt. T shirts. Sorry, I had to breathe in there
Amanda Barker: for a second there. I'm holding your breath, nervous.
Marco Timpano: And then a shirt, shirt, shirt. And then any other sort of flat clothing will go there.
Amanda Barker: So you don't roll everything. You're not a roller.
Marco Timpano: I'm not a roller.
Amanda Barker: I'm a roller.
Marco Timpano: you're a roller.
Amanda Barker: I believe in the roll, the neck roll, the jelly roll.
Marco Timpano: Yeah, you roll. But I think it's because your clothes are smaller than mine, they can roll better.
Amanda Barker: Well, I live by an ethos of anything I have to iron, I won't. So I shouldn't own it. And I pretty much live that way. I have a few things that are ironable, including my freshly purchased linen suit that I bought.
Marco Timpano: And usually I travel with a suit Jacket too, so that. I can't roll that.
Amanda Barker: No, you can't really roll that. That's fair.
Marco Timpano: plus, women's shirts tend to be more rollable than men's. Like, you have a lot of, like. Yeah, Rayoni things.
Amanda Barker: Oh, yeah, that's what I'm trying to say. I wear all oil and gas products. I wear. Everything I wear is. Is. Is.
85% of your wardrobe is secondhand
Does not break down. I shouldn't say that. That's not true. Now I wear a lot more cotton, so, I'm actually trying to wear more natural fibers. So that's something I'm consciously doing. But because I thrift, because I buy almost exclusively secondhand, pretty much, I would say 85% of my wardrobe is secondhand. a lot of that is rayons and nylons and so on. So, And there's a lot to be. I could do a whole episode on the clothing industry. But one thing I will say is that stuff doesn't usually wrinkle. So that, you know, it's better for me that way.
Marco Timpano: For travel.
Amanda Barker: Yeah. And it's thinner, obviously, but. But I will say in the spirit of trying to buy more natural fibers. When we were in Italy last June, we were very hot. It was the first week of June, but it was a full blast of summer. unseasonably hot even for Rome in the summer. And so after our, however, our week long trip, we went. We were at the airport in Rome and we had gone to Budapest too. And as we talked about, back when we went and that was a little bit less steamy, a little less hot, just a bit. It was still warm, but a bit more temperate. But Rome was definitely humid hot, all the things. So natural fibers. Absolutely. Anything loose. Absolutely. And by the time we were done, because we had worn a lot of cotton, actually I had brought a lot of cotton. But by the time we were done, we went to the airport and there was, a Benetton there, which is an Italian brand, if you remember it, from the 80s, like I do. But even if you don't, it's just an Italian brand. And they had linen shirts and linen
Marco Timpano: pants and linen shorts.
Amanda Barker: And linen shorts.
Marco Timpano: So we bought linen.
Amanda Barker: So we just went, you know what? I'm never going to be without linen again. Because this type of heat, you just want to be in full linen. You really, really do. I really understood it more than I ever had. So I bought just an un. Not even an. Like, it's not even colored. It's this. The color of linen, I think, shirt and pants set. So it's like a suit. I guess it's not really a suit because it's a short sleeve shirt. But kind of feels like a suit when I wear it a little bit and then it feels put together and I love traveling with that. But that does require ironing at least. Or you just lean into the wrinkledness of the linen. Depends on how you roll, I guess.
Marco Timpano: On the other side of the suitcase, here's what I do.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: So I try to keep all my clothes on that one side.
Marco Timpano: And the other side I put my shoes.
Amanda Barker: So I'm not sharing. I thought the other side of this case was my side.
Marco Timpano: Well, sometimes it is. But if, if I have my druthers and my suitcase and, and I'm just neck rolling it up and you're neck rolling it and I'm like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna live the life of luxury and bring all the clothes I can. I'll usually bring shoes.
Marco Timpano: That I tuck my belts into. I'll tuck my, my If I'm wearing a watch, I'll tuck my watch into those shoes and any other things I can fit inside the shoes. M. I bring my slippers, my Birkenstock slippers. Because I.
Amanda Barker: They're sandals. But he calls them slippers. Just so you know.
Marco Timpano: These aren't sandals. Is that what you'd call a sandal?
Amanda Barker: Birkenstock does not. I mean they might make a slipper, but these would never be called slippers.
Marco Timpano: Oh, this is.
Amanda Barker: You're like an old man that calls lunch dinner.
Marco Timpano: No, no, this is, this is a slipper. In Italian this would be a slipper.
Amanda Barker: I know that's why you call them slippers. But I'm gonna, I'm gonna break your heart and tell you the rest of the world would call them sandals. Birkenstock sandals.
Marco Timpano: That. You know what that is in Italian? It's a ciabatta. And that's not what you put meat into and eat bread. That's a, ah, proper slipper.
Amanda Barker: Well, it's a sandal.
Marco Timpano: Okay.
Sandalo is how we would say it. These are Birkenstock sandals, just for the record
Amanda Barker: Sandalo is how we would say it.
Marco Timpano: Okay.
Amanda Barker: Because that's what it is.
Marco Timpano: I disagree. But anyways, it's a Birkenstock.
Amanda Barker: And folks, it looks like a, this isn't a special slipper version of a Birkenstock like the Birkenstock clogs. This is straight up the two, the, the two flaps over with the buckle made, out of, Is that silicone plastic?
Marco Timpano: That's plastic foam.
Amanda Barker: Some sort of foam, you know, good grade, whatever. Birkenstock. I. I'm wearing the exact same ones.
Marco Timpano: I have the leather ones too, but those are my. My casual slippers. So anyways, I bring those two that are also sandals.
Amanda Barker: These are Birkenstock sandals, just for the record.
Marco Timpano: Okay. I bring them, call them what you will, ciabatta. And then I will put my toiletry bag. I think I mentioned that. And any other non. Non cloth item that I have to bring. Toothbrush.
Amanda Barker: you put your toothbrush in your shoes?
Marco Timpano: No, no, no. My shoes are full with. With socks, belts, watches, cufflinks, whatever I might need. if I'm wearing a suit. Okay, we'll go in there.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: Yeah. And then I have my toiletry bag. And then I'll have any other little accoutrement. Ah. That I need that's not a clothing item.
Amanda Barker: Okay.
Marco Timpano: Stays on the other side. And then what I like to do, Amanda. And I do this, but Amanda could care less. I travel with a non permeable pillowcase that I can zip up and I can put the pillow that I sleep on in this pillowcase and I zip it up and I've written on non washable marker my name on it so I don't forget it in the hotel.
Amanda Barker: But you don't do that a lot.
Marco Timpano: I forgot to bring it last time. But I do, I do usually bring that.
Amanda Barker: Do you use the mesh thingy in the middle of the suitcase? The divider?
Marco Timpano: You know, sometimes I do. And I think I have stuff that I forgot in. In there. I'll usually pack. sometimes I'll pack like powdery things in there, like drink aids or whatever and.
Amanda Barker: And not what I thought you'd say.
Marco Timpano: What do you pack in that machine?
Amanda Barker: Not drink aids. I don't know. I pack. Usually I pack my underwear in there and I pack my travel jewelry case in there. Usually, yeah.
Marco Timpano: You haven't used your travel jewelry case for necklaces that I got you? Yes, I have the zippy one.
Amanda Barker: Oh, no, I haven't. Where is that even?
Marco Timpano: I don't know, because sometimes your necklaces tangle. That's why I got you that one.
Amanda Barker: I'm trying to picture what that one looks like. I don't remember what it's like.
Marco Timpano: It's like an accordion. And each one has a little zipper for each individual necklace.
Amanda Barker: Oh, I gotta find out where it is. I guess I was looking for my shamrock necklace and I couldn't find it.
Marco Timpano: Where is it?
Amanda Barker: I don't know.
Marco Timpano: Hm.
Amanda Barker: Not sure. I have a Shamrock. Don't know where it went. Okay, well, better wait till next year.
Your mom used to wish you a happy birthday two days in advance
Marco Timpano: I found something today that so.
Amanda Barker: Oh my goodness.
Marco Timpano: I know we're recording this March 17th and my birthday is December 17th. Just for, for perspective. And my in laws gave me a birthday card in November.
Amanda Barker: My mom is early with the birthday.
Marco Timpano: She's early, but she gave me a birthday.
Amanda Barker: She's chilled out. But she used to like to wish you a happy birthday, like a Facebook tribute. And she would do it solidly like two days in advance, so then everyone would start wishing you happy birthday, like two days early.
Marco Timpano: So she gave me my birthday card when we were all together on a recent trip to New York City. And so I was planning to open it in front of them even though it would be a bit early for my birthday, but I wanted to open it from that. And so I brought it down to lunch with us and I did not open it because we were just talking with friends and whatnot and so it just didn't happen. And then I had this card all through New York, came home, could not find the card.
Amanda Barker: Right.
Marco Timpano: Could not find the card. Couldn't find the card. Couldn't find the card. And then we went to Florida for Christmas and I didn't have the card. And so your mom asked, oh, did you open the card? Blah, blah, blah. I said I didn't. And so she felt bad and she, she, you know, gave me another present and whatnot. And I said, I know I'm going to find the card. Well, today, exactly three months later, I found the card.
Amanda Barker: And where was it?
Marco Timpano: So I keep a copy of our car insurance and our health, insurance in the meshy part of the suitcase.
Amanda Barker: That's right.
Marco Timpano: And that's where it stays.
Amanda Barker: And our passports, Copies of our passports. So if those go missing that we have copies of them.
Marco Timpano: Yeah, So I keep them there just in case we need them. So I know where they are.
Marco Timpano: Well, I guess I took them out when we got back for whatever reason, and the card was in there. So I took it out with the insurance and I put the insurance paperwork down so I would have it for future travel. And the card was there, buried amongst the insurance paper and the passport paper photocopies. And so today I grabbed a whole bunch of papers and I was going to go through them and lo and behold, out pops the card. I'm like, what card is this? And then as I'm opening, I'm like, oh, is this the. And sure enough, it was the card.
Amanda Barker: How was the card?
Marco Timpano: It was really Lovely.
Amanda Barker: Yeah. You should call my parents.
Marco Timpano: I will. I'll call them tomorrow and let them know I found the card.
Amanda Barker: Oh, they'll love that.
Marco Timpano: And, I'm. I'm usually really on top of things like that. I don't generally lose things like that. And then that happened. I think that's happened twice with your folks. Where I've lost the card.
Amanda Barker: They give it to you so early, and then by the time it's your birthday, you're like, what did we do with it? It happens a lot to us.
Marco Timpano: We now have a designated space for early cards and things like that in our home. So we don't. We don't misplace them.
Amanda Barker: We can use an organizational overhaul. Overhaul.
Marco Timpano: True.
Amanda Barker: I think we're due for a little bit of an organizational regroup. what do you think?
Marco Timpano: I agree.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, I think that's. Maybe we'll talk about that on the next one. Like how we're going to reorganize some things in our house.
Marco Timpano: I'd like time.
Amanda Barker: It's time.
Marco Timpano: And spring is here, so it's always
Amanda Barker: nice to have spring cleaning. Yeah. Open the windows.
Marco Timpano: Although today was very cold.
Amanda Barker: It was very snowy, still in the snow.
Marco Timpano: And we have to get our Vespa because the place where we store it, they're like, you gotta come before the 31st.
Amanda Barker: But it was a snowstorm yesterday.
Marco Timpano: Snow.
Amanda Barker: They don't care.
Marco Timpano: They don't care. I can't wait to see crocuses. I'm sure some people listening have already seen the crocus, have seen the tulips coming up.
Amanda Barker: And there's people everywhere.
Marco Timpano: So it's true.
Amanda Barker: They. They're seeing all sorts of stuff. Or maybe it's fall. We're there.
Marco Timpano: Fair. Fair enough.
Amanda shares some tips on what you should carry when traveling
Well, I wanted to talk about suitcases, so thank you for that. Thank you for telling us about the neck roll, Amanda.
Amanda Barker: it'll change your life. Folks.
Marco Timpano: another thing that. That I told our friend. Our mutual friend Mark Browning about, and he went on a trip to the Philippines, and he was so grateful, I told him to bring a travel scale, the kind that's like. It's like a hook on a handle. And. And you put the hook on the suitcase, and you. As you lift the handle with the hook on it, it lifts up your suitcase. And that will weigh the weight of your suitcase.
Amanda Barker: Yeah, it tells you the weight. Yeah.
Marco Timpano: And so he was like, we. He's like, we thought my girlfriend's suitcase was. Was perfectly in weight. Or she. She told him, no, no, it's within weight. And he said, let's just weigh it. And it was £20 over the legal limit.
Amanda Barker: Oh, my goodness.
Marco Timpano: So he's like, I was so grateful because we were able to distribute.
Amanda Barker: So he didn't have, he didn't have one. And you told him, go get one.
Marco Timpano: I told him. He's like, you travel a lot. What are some essentials that you would say to travel with? And I said, one of the things that I love.
Amanda Barker: Did you tell him about the neck
Marco Timpano: pillow, the travel scale, the neck pillow?
Amanda Barker: Did he get one?
Marco Timpano: No, he did not get a neck pillow.
Amanda Barker: When you, when you have, when you've already allotted for the big suitcases, then there's less need. It's more for those, you know, three, four day weekend trips.
Marco Timpano: But the other thing I told him to get, and he was grateful for as well, was spray propolis.
Amanda Barker: Yes.
Marco Timpano: And so we need to tell our
Amanda Barker: listeners what that is. Anyone who's still away.
Marco Timpano: His girlfriend used it when she was feeling like a bit of a sore throat and it helped.
Amanda Barker: Propolis is a magic thing that bees make, and that's what they use to seal their hives. It is antiviral and antibacterial and antifungal. So it keeps any viruses out, any bacteria, foreign matter out of the hive of the hive. And it has properties to repel or kill those things. And so, they make a spray with it. And if you're feeling like you've been around some sick people or you feel that little tickle in your throat, I'm telling you, you spray it in your throat and it feels like magic. It really does.
Marco Timpano: However, I will say this with a big caveat. If you're allergic to bee stings or bee pollen or honey, do not use propolis.
Amanda Barker: We're also not medical doctors, so for
Marco Timpano: the record, don't use everything we say with discretion. And speak to your doctor.
Amanda Barker: I'm going to say, is it. If you like honey, like I do, like I'm obsessed with honey, if you like honey and you like the taste of pollen and things like that, then this product is probably for you. And it's a great thing to travel with. Absolutely.
Let us know what you like to travel with
Marco Timpano: So there you have it, our suitcase. Some of our essentials. Let us know what you like to travel with and what your travel essential is. And for those of you who listen to our podcast, thank you for listening. If you're a new listener, thank you as well. And we hope this episode allowed you to listen and sleep sat.

Looking for a relaxing sleep podcast to help you unwind, quiet busy thoughts, or drift gently toward sleep? In this episode of The Insomnia Project, Marco is especially excited about a new piece of podcast gear — a preamp that has him feeling surprisingly jazzed.
What begins as a conversation about podcast equipment quickly takes an unexpected turn into the world of jazz hands and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. Marco confidently shares what he remembers about Fosse’s life, only to realize mid-conversation that one key detail might not be quite right… which leads the hosts to rediscover that the answer was, in fact, Anne Reinking.
From there the conversation wanders — as it often does on The Insomnia Project. Marco mentions that the entire catalogue of episodes is now available on YouTube, which he believes gives the show a bit of a Miami Vice vibe. Amanda isn’t entirely convinced and asks the very important question: if this podcast were Miami Vice, who would be Crockett and who would be Tubbs?
Along the way, the hosts also share their appreciation for two wonderful spots in Ottawa, Ontario — The Scone Witch, known for their legendary scones, and Bar Cosenza, a cozy Italian café that feels like a hidden neighbourhood gem.
Even though Amanda was feeling a little under the weather during the recording, the conversation turned into one of those warm and gently meandering episodes that The Insomnia Project does best — a calm chat about everyday things that might just help you relax, unwind, and drift toward sleep.
You may find yourself nodding off somewhere between podcast gear talk, Broadway trivia, and a craving for a really good scone.
If you enjoy relaxing conversations that wander through curious little topics, press play and spend a quiet moment with us. And if the episode helps you unwind or fall asleep, consider sharing The Insomnia Project with a friend who could use a little calm in their day.
• Follow The Scone Witch – https://www.instagram.com/sconewitch/
• Follow Bar Cosenza – https://www.instagram.com/barcosenza
Ad-free episodes available on Supercast:
https://theinsomniaproject.supercast.com
Follow The Insomnia Project
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@theinsomniaproject
Website – https://theinsomniaproject.com
Leave a review and help other listeners discover the podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com

​Who’s Crockett and Who’s Tubbs_ - A Calm Sleep Podcast
(March 11th, 2026)


Welcome to the Insomnia Project. I'm Amanda Barker and this is the podcast

Marco:  Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen as we have a calm conversation that's meant to help you drift on over to sleep. To relaxation or just a chillness. Thank you for joining us. I'm your host, Marco Timpano.

Amanda:  I'm Amanda Barker. I have a smoky, dulcet voice tonight.

Marco:  Amanda, you're a little under the weather.

Amanda:  More than a little, friends. More than a little.

Marco:  Well then let me do the majority of the talking.

Amanda:  Happily.

Marco:  So I'm going to say a few things off the top that I'm really enthusiastic about, but I'm going to say it in very gentle ways. Okay, so as you might know, we've had some ads on the podcast and the ads are forwarding us to get equipment for the podcast. So thank you for bearing with it. For those of you who don't want to listen to ads on the podcast, you can always go to Supercast Insomnia. It would be the Insomnia project.Supercast.com I'll have it in the show notes as well and you can get ad free listens there. And the listeners who do use Supercast seem to be very happy with that. So thank you for your patience with those commercials that you hear off the top of the podcast. I made sure that we don't have any inserted into the middle of the podcast or the end so that if you're drifting off, it's not going to affect your listening. Well, I can gladly say that our, uh, ads have afforded me to get two dynamite preamps for our podcast. So I plug our SHURE microphones into the preamp and it's funny because they look like little dynamite sticks.

Amanda:  That's what I thought they were. When you showed me, I had no idea what you're showing me. So.

Marco:  So they're. So they're preamps. Because these mics for some reason record very low. And so some of our episodes may have sounded low in the past, but

Amanda:  I think for our podcast, that's what we want.

Marco:  Yeah, but they might be too low. You want podcasts to be a certain loudness level. So some of our episodes might be a little bit low for people. Well, these dynamite sticks, these dynamite preamps that look like little sticks of dynamite,

Amanda:  it's like an explosion and relaxation and

Marco:  they go into our interface and basically it amplifies the audio from these microphones. I'm not an audio engineer, but that's how I see it.

Amanda:  Not yet. I feel like you are.

Marco:  I kind of am, but with a

Amanda:  de facto audio engineer.

Marco:  Exactly. So that's one of the things that I'm really jazzed about. It's the first time we're using these dynamics, these dynamite preamps with these microphones. So I'm kind of thrilled.

Amanda:  Let us know what you guys, you know, folks think about them.

Marco:  Yeah. So I'm really happy about that. And I want to thank my sister in law and nephew in Halifax who also gave me a gift certificate that I used to purchase them. So all those things, all of our.

Amanda:  All of his birthday and Christmas present asks go towards this podcast, basically.

Marco:  It's true. It's true.


Bob Fosse: He directed Cabaret, Right. I think he might have directed it

Now the other thing that I'm pretty jazzed about is.

Amanda:  You're very jazzed.

Marco:  I'm jazzed. Like I'm even doing jazz hands.

Amanda:  You're Bob Fosse over there.

Marco:  I'm Bob Fosse. Um, you know, I wanted to say the Deer Hunter, but it's not the Deer Hunter.

Amanda:  Deer Hunter?

Marco:  No. Um, the Cabaret he directed.

Amanda:  He directed Cabaret, Right. Deer. Where? Deer Hunter.

Marco:  I don't know. It just came to my head.

Amanda:  Another movie from the 70s.

Marco:  Yeah, another. Another movie. Totally different movie.

Amanda:  All that Jazz. All that Jazz is about him, but, um. And I think directed by him, but, uh. And he's. And starring him. But, um, Cabaret. He. Well, he did the Choreo. I don't know.

Marco:  I think he directed it.

Amanda:  I think he might have directed it. Yeah.

Marco:  And wasn't he married to Marcia, uh, Gay Hardin?

Amanda:  I don't think so. Marcia Gay Harden. No, she was married to a playwright.

Marco:  Okay.

Amanda:  Marcia Gay Harden.

Marco:  He was married to someone from Belle Antonio.

Amanda:  Right now sits in a den in Scarborough yelling at his headphones.

Marco:  Who Was he married to. He was an aunt. She was a nanny. And.

Amanda:  Yeah, he's married to, um, Marsha K. Harden. No. Uh, no. A. Rein King.

Marco:  Yeah, there you go.

Amanda:  Yeah, we got Annie. Yeah, that song.

Marco:  Okay, so we don't have the copyright.

Amanda:  Sing any more of it. But that's the lyric from it, so. And the title of it.


Busted and Rhine King are now all on YouTube

Marco:  The other thing I'm jazzed about, like, Bob Safi.

Amanda:  Bob.

Marco:  Bob. Bob Fosse. What you call Bob Safi? I think I said that's you.

Amanda:  You're Bob Safi today. I'm the knockoff Bob Fosse. Fosse.

Marco:  I'm the. The busted Bob Fosse.

Amanda:  Yeah.

Marco:  Bob Sophie.

Amanda:  We're all a busted version of someone.

Marco:  And you're. You're busted. And. And what's Anne Ryan King.

Amanda:  I'll be. I'll happily be busted.

Marco:  She had a deep voice, right?

Amanda:  Uh, yeah, maybe.

Marco:  Okay.

Amanda:  So Busted and Rhine King.

Marco:  Okay, there you go. So I just want to say this. So, um, I'm very excited. I'm very jazzed. I'm very. Bob. Bob Fossey. S. Oh, my gosh. I can't say it.

Amanda:  We get it.

Marco:  Our episodes, 413 of them.

Amanda:  Wow.

Marco:  Are now all on YouTube.

Amanda:  That's crazy.

Marco:  So if you have friends who like to listen to podcasts at work that are chill, that'll. That'll allow them to work, but also put them in.

Amanda:  Or if you'd rather listen to them on YouTube, go M for it, Right.

Marco:  I'd prefer if they listen to it on an audio.

Amanda:  Oh, okay. All right.


You have access to our entire catalog of insomnia podcast on YouTube

Marco:  On a, uh, podcast.

Amanda:  We're just trying to make it more accessible to the world.

Marco:  Please let your friends and co workers know that they can now have access to our entire catalog of the insomnia project on YouTube.

Amanda:  And why choose?

Marco:  And why choose? Really listen to it both ways. And the reason I did that, Amanda, was it's. It's a long and laborious task, as you know.

Amanda:  You've been working on it hard for

Marco:  about three weeks now. I've been uploading all our episodes.

Amanda:  What have I been doing?

Marco:  Watching and laughing. No, you've been dancing.

Amanda:  I've been cooking and working.

Marco:  Yeah.

Amanda:  Not doing it.

Marco:  So, anyways, we have them all available now for our listeners, so.

Amanda:  Great.

Marco:  I'm very excited about it, Amanda. Uh, um, you'll see that certain seasons have different looks to them when you want. When you watch them. And that's just the way it is. And I have, like, a kind of Miami Vice look, too. So when you watch it on YouTube, it's just a static image. It's not us, actually.

Amanda:  Live of Miami Vice.

Marco:  No, no, of. Of, um.

Amanda:  Because that would be weird. Don Johnson and the other guy.

Marco:  And the other guy. Um, Crockett and. And Tubs.

Amanda:  Right, Crockett and Tubs. That's us.

Marco:  So, um, I'll be Tubs. I'll be Crockett. I don't know who was who because I didn't really watch it. So anyways, um, it's a static image, right? It's not an actual video of us doing the podcast. It's a static image. And I chose. I chose something that looks very, um, that has a Miami from the 80s and 90s feel to it.

Amanda:  Why?

Marco:  You. You're limited with the amount the. I just chose it, okay? That's what I chose. It's both.

Amanda:  Miami in the 80s is the most soothing choice. It should be soothing.

Marco:  No, it is soothing.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  Miami for someone who sat back while I was doing all the uploads.

Amanda:  I didn't know that you were, you know, showing us off like we're a, a, Ah, Cocaine den.

Marco:  We're not a cocaine den. All right. SeaWorld, uh, is what I chose, and that's what it is.

Amanda:  Is it fluorescent?

Marco:  Uh, not fluorescent.

Amanda:  Is it side ponytail?

Marco:  No, it's more in roller skates. It's got the purple look to it. It was just more interesting. I didn't want anything too bright and I didn't want anything too. Too jazzy. I wanted something that was kind of calm and seemed calm to me.

Amanda:  Miami in the 80s.

Marco:  Well, this image isn't quite Miami in the 80s. It has a interesting.

Amanda:  You say Miami in the 80s to me.

Marco:  What do you think Miami's in the.

Amanda:  I think Don Johnson. I think speedboats. I think pounds of cocaine. I'm just gonna be honest.

Marco:  Not that I don't mean to harp on that, but no, it's not pounds of cocaine.

Amanda:  What's the 80s part? That. It's more, um, I think fluorescent warm up suits?

Marco:  No, it's pinks and purples and kind of that. That, uh.

Amanda:  Golden girls?

Marco:  No. Well, okay, let's say it leans more towards Golden Girls than Miami Vice.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  All right. So there you go. So you let us know what you think of it. Um, we offer it to you to check out our YouTube page. Check out the.

Amanda:  Clearly, I've looked at it because this is the first I'm hearing about this Miami in the 80s theme.

Marco:  And, uh, I'm really excited that it's up there. I also transcribed all our episodes.

Amanda:  Amazing.


The transcriptions of our podcast can be found on our website

Marco:  So that's on our. The transcriptions can be found on our webpage, the insomniaproject.com if you should need them. I don't know why you would need a transcription of our podcast, but I'm just trying to get it out there to more people. Right. And of course, we appreciate anything that you do to help elevate our podcast. So thank you so much for listening. That's all to say, I'm very jazzed with everything that I've done for this

Amanda:  podcast, and I'm jazzed that you did it and that I didn't do it.

Marco:  Well, listen, it's great, uh, Amanda.

Amanda:  So listen, uh, I'll make you this promise. If we do another podcast, I will do the heavy lifting on that one.

Marco:  I like the way that sounds. Okay, great.

Amanda:  Foreshadowing.

Marco:  Foreshadowing, indeed.


Amanda loves Ottawa, and there are lots of things to do there

Now, we came back from Ottawa. We were in Ottawa for a little

Amanda:  bit, and we're going back.

Marco:  And we're going back to Ottawa.

Amanda:  Can't get enough of the Ottawa.

Marco:  Is there anything you're excited to do in Ottawa this next trip?

Amanda:  You know, it kills me every time I go. I'm like, I want to skate the ride. Not that I'm a skater, but I want to skate the Rideau. R. Is that you say it?

Marco:  Yeah. R. Canal.

Amanda:  Anyway, and then I never do. And then. And then it's Sunday, and we're like, should we do it? And then we're like, it's raining. And then we leave.

Marco:  Well, this time it was warm, and

Amanda:  I. Yeah, I don't think it was open anyway. I mean, maybe it was.

Marco:  But I'll say this. If you're not familiar with Ottawa or the Rideau Canal, take a look online at people who skate the Rideau Canal. It's really quite lovely. It's the longest canal skate.

Amanda:  Canal skate in the world, or something. Like, longest frozen thing you can skate in the world or something like that. I don't know if that's what the sign says.

Marco:  I think. I think the sign would be a little bit more sure of itself.

Amanda:  Longest thingy that's frozen that you can also skate on.

Marco:  Our niece wanted to skate it this week. She's coming to Ottawa?

Amanda:  Yeah, she's excited. Um, well, there are lots of things we love to do in Ottawa. Eating scones.

Marco:  Oh, my goodness. I gotta. I gotta just say.

Amanda:  Or do you say scones?

Marco:  I say scones.

Amanda:  Yeah, we say scones.

Marco:  We're a Scone family.

Amanda:  We are. And I know that's probably wrong.

Marco:  Is it?

Amanda:  Yeah. If you're in like Edinburgh or Edinburgh as we would stupidly say it.

Marco:  I wouldn't say it like that.

Amanda:  You'd say Edinburgh, of course. Okay. If we were in Glasgow.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda:  And they're all saying scone. Scone.

Marco:  Sconce.

Amanda:  And we're like, well, not sconce, that's a light fixture.

Marco:  What if they were talking about a light fixture?

Amanda:  I don't know. I mean, they have their own dialect.

Marco:  Okay, fair, but say.

Amanda:  They say sconce, but scone, isn't it? I don't know. We say scone. I'm sorry, We're Canadian. We do our best.

Marco:  I'm not sorry. That's the way I say it. And I proudly say scone.

Amanda:  I'm sorry because I'm Canadian. Not sorry, like American.

Marco:  Um, what did I say?

Amanda:  You said sorry.

Marco:  Sorry. Yeah, because I'm Canadian. I love that our podcast is a Canadian podcast and I use my Canadian accent and I don't try to mask it.

Amanda:  You don't have too thick a Canadian.

Marco:  I know, but you know, well, it

Amanda:  depends on who's saying that.

Marco:  Um, the truth is when we're doing auditions, I try to mask my Canadian accent so that I sound more American because a lot of the stuff we go out for is American TV and film.

Amanda:  I know. And you know, and the things that I shoot in Ottawa are American usually. And you know what makes me laug is every time I'm shooting in Ottawa, Ottawa is a beautiful world class city.

Marco:  It really is.

Amanda:  It really is. It's an incredible city, Beautiful museums, It's obviously the capital city of Canada. So it brings all of that. I mean, it really is an incredible city.

Marco:  The arts, the culture, equally French, equally English.

Amanda:  Yes. Um, and smart, smart, interesting people there. But what makes me laugh is every time I go and film something there, it's subbing in. And I'm talking like downtown Ottawa is subbing in for some tiny, small American town. And it makes me laugh because it's usually the opposite. Right. Usually you want to shoot somewhere small and cheap and then make it like New York or something. But it's always some Ohio small town. But we're like downtown Ottawa. And that was the case this week.

Marco:  Okay, Amanda, I have two Ottawa things I need to talk about.


You needed an espresso while filming a podcast in Ottawa

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  So the first is, so you were filming and I was at our hotel. I was doing a lot of this podcasting work actually. It allowed it afforded me the time to work on the podcast and getting things up to speed. Now that said, in the afternoon I needed a coffee and we didn't have in our hotel we didn't have a coffee maker. We did, but it's one of those pod machines.

Amanda:  We don't do that. No.

Marco:  And I wanted an espresso. I really wanted an espresso.

Amanda:  Like a proper one.

Marco:  Like a proper espresso. So I put into the phone where the closest espresso was, was going to be. And it was a 15 minute walk

Amanda:  that I put into the phone.

Marco:  I, I looked into the phone, called it. No, I, I looked it, I typed it in and it was a 15 minute walk.

Amanda:  Mhm.

Marco:  But it was a three to six minute drive.

Amanda:  So what did you do?

Marco:  It was cold. And ordinarily I would want to go for a walk, but I chose to drive.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  So it wasn't far from our hotel. I was like, I'm gonna get an espresso. So I looked up, I, I just typed in espresso and I looked at my options and there was one that was called Espresso Cafe that looked like it could do a proper espresso because, you know, I'm very particular and picky when it comes to that.

Amanda:  You are.

Marco:  And I, I always get a little bit aggravated when I go to an espresso bar and they only do double shots because in Italy that's not how they would do it and that's not how you should do it. And if you only do double shots, you're not the place for me. So I'm like this espresso, it's called Espresso Bar. It looks good. I'm really excited. I'm gonna go there. So as I'm driving, I realize I'm heading into Little Italy. Our hotel was not far from the Little Italy in Ottawa, which is on Prescott Street. So I was like, okay. So I'm driving and I'm driving and then I see Espresso bar, but they spell it with an X. Expresso.

Amanda:  Yeah.

Marco:  And I was like, uh, that could be a signal that they don't know what they're doing. Because if they can't spell espresso.

Amanda:  Mhm.

Marco:  There's gonna be a issue for me.

Amanda:  Right. I wonder why they spelled it like that.

Marco:  Maybe to be fun. Yeah. But I was like, it's in Little Italy, so it has to be a decent place that makes espresso. Right. So I'm trying to find a place to park. I can't find one. So I drive a bit up the street a couple blocks and then I see Cosenza Bar.


Amanda went to Cosenza to try an authentic Italian espresso

Amanda:  Tell us about Cosenza.

Marco:  So Cosenza is an area, uh, is A city in Calabria. A principal city in Calabria, which is the southern part of Italy. The toe where my dad was from. And so I was like, oh, how

Amanda:  far was his town from Cosenza?

Marco:  Well, he was closer to Catzanzaro than Cosenza. I don't know.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  I don't know the distance or the like an hour. Well, I never drove from his, uh. I never drove from my father's hometown to Cosenza.

Amanda:  Oh, no, no, I thought you did.

Marco:  No.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  I didn't.

Amanda:  Why wouldn't I think that you've been there?

Marco:  I've been there.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  Now I can't remember if we drove through Cosenzo.

Amanda:  Okay. But uh, sorry.

Marco:  Well, the story then, that's just a reference. My dad was from there. So I had high hopes, right? And I was like, okay, this place should be able to do a good Italian espresso. And I'm like, oh, but it's in Little Italy. What if it's a gimmicky place?

Amanda:  Mhm.

Marco:  And I was like, uh, and you know, some Little Italy's. No. Only don't have that Italian flavor anymore. Now it's become very gentrified.

Amanda:  We should do a whole episode on the Little Italy's. All the ones we've been to. Oh, we should.

Marco:  That'd be a great idea.

Amanda:  We've been to a bunch. Yeah.

Marco:  Um, so I'm like, I'm just gonna go in and I'm gonna, I'm gonna shoot the dice. I need an espresso. If they can't make it at Cosenza Bakery, where my dad is from, where can they make it? So I have high hopes. Mhm. I walk in and it was like I walked into a scene in a Martin Scorsese film. There was all these older Italian men and they were all having like, you know, conversations. And there was a, like, uh, an 80 year old man sitting at the bar by himself. And there was some younger, younger guys that were kind of hip at their own little table. And I think there was a table that was celebrating someone's birthday, but it was all men in there.

Amanda:  Oh, wow.

Marco:  And it looked very authentic and I could tell. And I walked in there and there was a, um, woman behind the bar was going to make the drink the coffees, right. And was making drinks for the, for the people. And it was, they were very welcoming. But they all looked at me and I thought, oh, is this a private club? As soon as I walked in there,

Amanda:  right, we don't know this guy. Fresh meat.

Marco:  And I was just looking And I was like, oh, is this, is this a private club? And like, no, it looks like a proper bar. And it didn't say private club when we walked in. It just had a lot of. It just happened to be really populated with people that afternoon.

Amanda:  Mhm.

Marco:  And so I go to the bar and I'm like, can I get an espresso macchiato? And she's like, sure, of course. And I look over and they have amaretti cookies in a jar and it says homemade amaretti cookies. Right? And those are little almond, um, cookies just like the size of a quarter, let's say in size and height a little bit, maybe, maybe an inch and a half. And I said, I'll get one of those. And she makes it for me. And it's Lavazza coffee. So already I'm happy because I do like Lavazza coffee. And she makes the proper, the proper macchiato, the kind you would get if you were in Italy. And I was happy.

Amanda:  And she espresso macchiato, not latte macchiato.

Marco:  Right.

Amanda:  Because a lot of people know latte macchiato because that's what Starbucks normally does.

Marco:  Right?

Amanda:  The caramel macchiato.

Marco:  What I'm getting is espresso with a little bit of milk, uh, a little glug of milk inside.

Amanda:  Espresso with a tiny little topper of foam.

Marco:  Thank you. So. And she gives me a little side of water, a tiny, tiny, almost like just bigger than a shot glass of water. And I'm like, oh, they do it right here. And Amanda, uh, that coffee couldn't have tasted any better if I made it myself.

Amanda:  Amazing.

Marco:  So I was really happy about that.


I have two questions. First question, was there one of those fresh press orange machines

Amanda:  I have two questions.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda:  First question, was there one of those fresh press orange machines there?

Marco:  No, there wasn't.

Amanda:  Because in Italy those are every, Every gas station seems to have like, uh, a machine that has like full oranges in it. And they're like, yeah, fresh juice, no problem. Like crazy.

Marco:  They did have a granita machine, a coffee granita machine. And it was running because sometimes in the winter you don't see it runny. And it was, and I was impressed with that.

Amanda:  Second question.

Marco:  Yes.

Amanda:  What language were people speaking?

Marco:  Oh, that's a good question. Because the people closest to me were the younger, the younger crowd. The old gentleman who I sat at the bar with, who was in his 80s.

Amanda:  Mhm.

Marco:  Didn't say a word. Just looked like a character type sitting at the bar.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  Just watching the world go by. The gentleman in the back, like in the back area. Wasn't. Wasn't Scorsi guys, the Scorsese guys. I'm sure they were speaking English and Italian.

Amanda:  Oh, but you didn't hear them?

Marco:  I didn't, I didn't eavesdrop.

Amanda:  I was just wondering if they're speaking dialect or what.

Marco:  No, because I didn't get close enough to hear them because I only got up to see the panini that they had, uh, available for purchase.

Amanda:  Uh, your heart lied elsewhere.

Marco:  Yes. Yes, it was wonderful. And the lovely thing was I had the espresso. Espresso macchiato. You know, it's, it's two sips and it's gone.

Amanda:  Yeah.

Marco:  And I stayed there for a minute. It had really great atmosphere. And then I was like, ah, I can't stay much longer. So I, I said, I'm going to settle up with you and the barista. She goes, oh, going so soon. And I felt very welcomed by that, that I could have just stayed there with the 80 year old gentleman and just sat at the bar for, you know, however long wanted. They wouldn't have minded.

Amanda:  That's nice. Well, you can go back. You know, we're going back to Ottawa.

Marco:  I think I will. And I think I might take our friends Melissa and Matt with me.

Amanda:  Oh, that's a good idea because I

Marco:  think Melissa would really enjoy it. So. Not that Matt wouldn't, but I think Melissa M. Who's also her, her family is from Kalabda, would have really enjoyed it.


The other thing I, I want to say is we never finished the scone conversation

The other thing I, I want to say is we talked about scones earlier, but we never finished the scone conversation.

Amanda:  Well, you have to finish the scone conversation.

Marco:  So there's a place in Ottawa called the Scone Witch. Like, like a cackling witch. Like a, like a, like a witch with a pointy hat.

Amanda:  Yeah.

Marco:  But it's also called Scone Witch because they make sandwiches with their homemade scones,

Amanda:  which Marco never put that together until this past trip.

Marco:  I think I may have put it together last time, but it's been so long that I forgot it.

Amanda:  Maybe we've even talked about this place on the podcast.

Marco:  Oh, I'm sure we have.

Amanda:  You know, the first time I went to Ottawa, or one of the first times. Maybe the first time. First time you and I went together. Um, which was maybe the second time I went to Ottawa. Um, that was the recommend. Everyone was like, you got to go to the scone. Which got to go. And there was one and it was like in the business area, but now there's a bunch and we were chained.

Marco:  We were going on a Sunday to the Scone which. And I said, amanda, I don't even know if the Scone which is open on a Sunday, because the one we had gone to was more of a. Like a business.

Amanda:  Not only was it open, it owns the Sunday. That one.

Marco:  And as we're driving to it, I think that's when I said to you, I don't know if it's even open. And you saw a Scone which bus driving towards us.

Amanda:  Yeah, well, a minivan. A minivan that was dropping off Scone love for all of Ottawa to enjoy.

Marco:  And so we love this place. Once again, neither of these places are sponsors of the show, but if you're in Ottawa.

Amanda:  Not yet.

Marco:  Not yet, but. And they. And, uh, who knows if they'll even know that we're talking about them? I'll try to put it on our social media. But if, you know, if you know people in Ottawa and you know people behind the Scone Witch or Cosenza Bar, let them know, uh, about this podcast and this episode. So we had wonderful scones and you got a cappuccino. And they did a really good job because I wouldn't expect the Scone Witch to do a great job with the cappuccino. And they did a nice job. So I was happy.

Amanda:  You know what? They're lovely. They're lovely people there, people that are eating the scones are lovely. They're not that expensive. The sandwiches are plentiful and big. They have salads if you want them. Yeah. It's a great place.

Marco:  Yeah. So I'm, I'm happy. Amanda's happy. And, uh, we're going. We're heading back to Ottawa. It's a four hour and change drive from Toronto.

Amanda:  Can't wait to do that. That's gonna be super fun, seeing as I'm super sick.

Marco:  Yeah. And I'm trying my best not to get sick.

Amanda:  And he. We were like, let's record this podcast. And I was like, oh, being in the booth with me and my germs. But I mean, we live in a house together and yeah, we share a bed. So, um.

Marco:  And last week I did a solo cast because you weren't feeling well.

Amanda:  So sorry.

Marco:  It's okay. So, I mean, it was like, no, I'll. I'll record with you because I thought maybe I'd have to do another solo cast.

Amanda:  I wasn't feeling well last week.

Marco:  Last week. There's no. There was a reason why Gone. Maybe you knew you were gone. Where were you? I can't remember. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the Solo cast last week. I hope you're enjoying this episode with our new Dynamite Preamps.

Amanda:  I hope you're enjoying the Miami vice themed, um, YouTube.

Marco:  Yeah. Check those out.

Amanda:  The 80s.


The Ottawa Valley has a very distinct Canadian, uh, accent

Marco:  Another word that I realized is a very Canadian way of saying it. South. When people say south.

Amanda:  South.

Marco:  How do you say south?

Amanda:  South.

Marco:  And I heard a, uh, newscaster on Chth. South.

Amanda:  Well, Chth. You want a Canadian accent, you tune into Ch. Hamilton's only. Yeah. They really lean into the oots and the boots.

Marco:  Yeah.

Amanda:  Canada is so known for. Yeah. And it's funny because we don't hear it all the time. And then you hear it on that new channel and you're like, whoa. They, uh, they sound like Bob and Doug McKenzie.

Marco:  They lean into that.

Amanda:  Yeah, they. Well, I don't know if they know they lean into it, but they certainly have it.

Marco:  Yeah. They don't lean out of it.

Amanda:  They don't lean out.

Marco:  Yeah. So that's true. That's. That's something. I. I noticed that today.

Amanda:  I mean, it's fun, right? Like, I hope Canada has so many interesting regional accents. That's one of them. That's not the only one.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda:  But, um, I hope we don't ever lose that.

Marco:  You know, the Ottawa Valley actually has a very distinct Canadian, uh, accent.

Amanda:  I don't know much about it. What is the Ottawa?

Marco:  I don't know either.

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  I know one little phrase they say that is that I cannot say on the air. Oh, yeah. Because it's a little bit, um, inappropriate, but.

Amanda:  Oh, my.

Marco:  Yeah. So there you go.

Amanda:  So Ottawa.

Marco:  Who knew, right?

Amanda:  Who knew?

Marco:  Um, you know, I've never bumped into the prime minister in Ottawa yet. Yet.

Amanda:  And I'm a little busy.

Marco:  I'm hoping I will, because they often go to places that we go to that we frequent, like restaurants and stuff.

Amanda:  Uh, we go to the Scone when she's there.

Marco:  That'd be amazing.

Amanda:  He's like, hey, guys, listen to the podcast.

Marco:  Listen. I'll even take a not retired former prime minister. Bumping into a former prime minister in Ottawa. That'd be fun, too.

Amanda:  Well, we probably will.

Marco:  It'd be nice.

Amanda:  Our former prime minister is living his best life right now.

Marco:  Well, we've got a few.

Amanda:  He's on yachts and things.

Marco:  I mean, not that one, but there's a few that we could bump into. I'd love to bump into Chretien.

Amanda:  Oh, yeah, he's around.

Marco:  Yeah. Paul Martin.

Amanda:  Gretchen's, like, in his 90s.

Marco:  Yeah.

Amanda:  That's why he's kicking, man. He's just as feisty as he always was.


It only takes one of you to recommend our podcast to others

Marco:  Kim Campbell. Love to bump into her, too.

Amanda:  Kim Campbell. Yeah.

Marco:  So there you go.

Amanda:  I think she lives in BC, though, still.

Marco:  What if she's visiting Ottawa and I'd like to bump into her?

Amanda:  Okay.

Marco:  So there you go.

Amanda:  Would you recognize Kim Campbell?

Marco:  Of course I would. Who do you think I am? Of course I would.

Amanda:  I don't know if I would.

Marco:  Well, I keep up to date with those things I liked.

Amanda:  I was a big Kim Campbell fan back in the day. I was. I was the one.

Marco:  Listen, it only takes one.

Amanda:  Yes, it only takes one. And listen, we don't usually get into politics.

Marco:  No, we don't.

Amanda:  We would happily bump into any of them.

Marco:  Yes, exactly. Well, it only takes one of you to recommend our podcast to others. And if you're the one, we appreciate it. Thank you for listening to this jazzy, uh, episode.

Amanda:  So jazzy.

Marco:  We dipped into Miami Vice for some reason.

Amanda:  Well, because the theming.

Marco:  Yeah. Check out our spaces.

Amanda:  Speaking of Miami Vice, which we weren't Dakota Johnson's, if you want a fun architectural tour. Dakota Johnson's Architectural Digest tour is one of my favorites. Okay, just throwing that out there. She has a very soothing voice. I love her mid century modern little. Little COD like, it's not a cottage, but it's in, like, a little wooded area. It's just lovely and I think it's very soothing. I've watched it a few times. So if you're still awake and you're looking for something else, maybe try that.

Marco:  All right. Till next time. We hope you enjoyed this episode, and we hope you were able to listen and sleep.