A Calm Conversation to Help You Sleep | Flip Flops & Spa Reflections | A Relaxed Bedtime Wind-Down

In A Calm Conversation to Help You Sleep | Flip Flops & Spa Reflections, Marco and Amanda ease into a softly meandering chat that gently carries you toward rest. In this penultimate episode of the season, they reflect on small but memorable moments — from Amanda’s unexpected flip flop blowout and her decision to retire her “Archies,” to the soothing contrast of a visit to a Russian banya filled with warm steam and eucalyptus-scented calm. The conversation unfolds slowly, with light humour and thoughtful pauses, as Marco invites listeners to reflect on their favourite moments from the season.
As always, this calming podcast is intentionally unhurried and low-key, offering a relaxing conversation designed to help you fall asleep, ease anxiety, and quiet racing thoughts. It’s perfect for background listening at bedtime or during a middle-of-the-night wake-up, when you need something steady and reassuring. There’s no urgency here — just gentle storytelling, soft reflections, and the comforting rhythm of two familiar voices to guide you peacefully toward sleep.

A Calm Conversation to Help You Sleep _ Flip Flops & Spa Reflections
(Original airdate: October 22, 2025)


Insomnia Project ranked sixth on list of top insomnia podcasts for 2025

Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen as we have a calm conversation that's meant to help you find your way to sleep. I say that every episode, or almost every episode, and I hope it does help you find Your way to sleep. Or at the very least, at the very least, it just kind of calms and chills you out. I'm your host, Marco Timpano.

Amanda:I'm Amanda Barker. Hi.

Marco:Hey, Amanda. So we, got in the top 10 of the top 70 insomnia podcasts for this year of 2025.

Amanda:That's incredible.

Marco:We are sixth.

Amanda:That's amazing.

Marco:Yeah. And thank you, everybody. That also includes international sleep podcasts, too. So if you take that, if you those away, we are even higher up on the list. But not to discount anyone's podcast, of course, we celebrate all, podcasts, including sleep podcasts. And I want to thank our listeners who reached out and congratulated us and have been supporting us and telling their friends about us as a sleep podcast.

Amanda:Wait, are we the number one in Canada?

Marco:Oh, are we the number one sleep podcast in Canada? On this list? On this list.

Amanda:You know what?

Marco:I'll look as we do the podcast.

Amanda:That's incredible.

Marco:Yeah, that's pretty great, right? I'm really. I'm really excited. And it's one of those things which I just found out.

Amanda:I need to post about it. You know, I am trying to reignite a healthy relationship with social media.

Marco:Good.

Amanda:I'm not there yet, but I'm. But the effort is there, and I'm going to keep trying to move in that direction because I want to be connected to people, and I find it very tricky. And for me, the easiest, best feeling thing is to not do anything. But then there are times when I want to post, and it's a tricky thing for me.

Marco:Listen, sometimes you just have to do what's right for you in the moment and not worry or let social media sort of, be a albatross around your neck.

Amanda:I am a Virgo.

Marco:Yes, you are.

Amanda:Established this. And so I am, by definition, a frustrated perfectionist. So there's probably new definitions. That's an old one. But you know, somebody who wants to do it perfectly, and if they can't, then they don't do it at all.

Marco:You know what I tell a lot of my students?

Amanda:Yeah.

Marco:So I teach.

Amanda:I mean, I don't. So tell me.

Marco:This is one of the first things I tell my students, and I share this with all of you, and my students are students, at a college here in Toronto. I teach a podcasting course, if you can believe it.

Amanda:But I think it's. To be honest, and we didn't mean. I'm, not. I know you weren't intending to plug this, but can I name the college.

Marco:Oh, of course you can. I'm very proud of it.

Amanda:It's George Brown College. And I actually think that's open to anybody in Canada because it is an online class.

Marco:It's open up to anyone in the world, actually.

Amanda:So anybody that wants to learn podcasting, that's the class to take. I mean, you've had. Unbelievable. Mark, let me. Let me tell you this. And he did not ask me to say any of this. And as always, we planned none of this. But he is a phenomen phenomenal, caring teacher that goes the extra mile. He really, truly is. And he's really gifted in just wanting to help people and help them be the best they can be. I hear you when you teach in this studio, and I hear how much work you're doing for them and how you're helping them every step of the way. So if podcasting is something. But you are like me, a frustrated perfectionist, and you're like, I want to do it, but I don't know. And I don't know if it'd be good, that is absolutely the class to take. I think the next one is in January.

Marco:I think so, yeah.

Amanda:So anyways, podcasting at George Brown College here in downtown Toronto. But again, it's online and open to anyone in the world, so there you go.

Marco:From what I can tell, it's the only Canadian podcast in the top 10. But I haven't done a deep dive, so.

Amanda:Well, we're going to go with that until someone tells us otherwise.

Marco:But we have listeners from all over the world who I really appreciate. This is our penultimate episode for this season, so it's the second last.

Amanda:Now, that said, we've had a few unexpected little divots, pivots, and breaks.

Marco:Yes, we have.

Amanda:Every now and then, there's been a week where we haven't been able to deliver. So I think what I'd like to do is make a commitment here that we can do more. If we do have a season end, and, we do have a bit of a more scheduled break, let's really dive deep into our Patreon in that time. I think that's what we can offer.


In December, we do one episode to celebrate winter and the holidays

Marco:Right, so what's coming ahead, folks, is this is the second last episode for this season. Next week will be our last episode. Then we will have a month break of November. And if you're a new listener, what happens is in December, we do one episode for every day in December to celebrate the winter and the holidays for that month.

Amanda:Exactly.

Marco:So you'll get Every day you'll get an episode. November you won't, but December you will. And there'll be some past episodes, there'll be some new episodes. They'll have a holiday theme, so they might be a bit brighter and more exciting, let's say.

Amanda:I don't know if exciting is the right word because I do find actually, though, for me, me, I actually personally find those episodes more relaxing.

Marco:There you go.

Amanda:Because I do find something that has a bit of jolliness, a bit of mirth, a bit of joy, a relaxing thing, because it makes me feel that all is well in the world and I need that for my sleep. So, some people might even be like me and find them more relaxing, those holiday episodes. But yeah, we deliver one every single day of the month in December. Yeah, that's our gift to ourselves and to you. And like you said, some are fan favorite episodes that come back and then some are new, and it's a really fun little mixture of everything.

Marco:For our listeners who enjoy those episodes, please let me know what you would like me to record in December as a theme for the holidays so that I can. The new episodes that I do, I can incorporate your suggestion or if there's

Amanda:any you want to hear again, or re air if they're not accessible to you because there's a couple. Like, Christmas at the Farm is one of my ultimate favorite episodes you've ever recorded.

Marco:Natasha Boomer.

Amanda:Yeah, that one's a great one.

Marco:It was a challenge of an episode because she likes to swear in it and she. She's very,

Amanda:That woman, man, she's. She's a force.

Marco:So, yeah, if you have a theme or a topic that you want me, want us to cover for that seasonal 31 days of podcast, let us know.


I always say that podcasting is the perfect imperfect medium

I will get back to what I was saying with regards to what I tell all my students, please. So at the start of my class, I always say that podcasting is the perfect imperfect medium. In other words, one of the things that people, myself included, or especially myself, enjoy about podcasts is that they're not perfect like a radio show, and that not every podcaster is a celebrity who has a full studio with audio engineers. Most podcasts are done independently. And so you hear the little blips and blops and snips and snobs in the episodes, and I kind of love that because not the snobs. The snobs are the hardest things to edit out. And there's a joy in hearing real people talk about real things.

Amanda:That's a Good point. So I should approach my social media not as a thing that I have to be perfect at, but as a thing I can be rough and real for.

Marco:Yeah. Just enjoy, the sips and sops.


My flip flops that are Canadian made blew out in Palm Springs

Amanda:All right.

Marco:All right.

Amanda:Sips and sops. I have something I want to talk about. I just read.

Marco:Oh, this is great.

Amanda:I look down at my feet, and it made me think of something, and it made me think of something else. And so here we are. So I'm wearing my new. My newest addition to my shoe collection, which is a pair of Birkenstocks. now I'm gonna go ahead and tell you the real reason I have them.

Marco:Sure.

Amanda:We were in Palm Springs.

Marco:Ooh, fancy.

Amanda:I know. We were being fancy, and we were in Palm Springs last month, and I had a pair of shoes. I don't want to. I want to bring the mirth, but I have to say they were shoes that are Canadian made. And they're. They're flip flops with arches. They're called Archies. And one of their big claims was they'll. You'll never have a flip flop blowout. They're made and they're well made shoes. I thought so. I was like, yeah, well, they blew out, folks.

Marco:So they were flip flops that blew out, even though the company says they're flip flops that will never blow out.

Amanda:Yeah. And they were not helpful at all when I went on there, when I tried to tell them or I, didn't want money back. I just. They're like, we can give you like, 10% on a new purchase, which is not as good as the sale they had on. So I didn't go that route. But I hate that.

Marco:I hate when. When they have a claim and they don't stick by it. But that's. That's me.

Amanda:I was sad about it. Okay, sure. but I don't want to bring any anger.

Marco:But the joy came.

Amanda:The joy came in that the funny thing, the serendipitous thing that happened is that they blew out. And do you know what I mean when I say blew out?

Marco:I would imagine if they're flip flops, the thong piece that goes between your toes broke apart.

Amanda:That's exactly what happened. There's different ways that can happen. In my case with those Archies, it just snapped. And I think it was because it was hot and they just weren't used to it. So it's too bad when you lose your love of a product or company, especially. I was trying to support Canadian, but. Oh, well. Anyway, they blew out in front of a Birkenstock store.

Marco:Oh my goodness.

Amanda:So I had to go into the Birkenstock store and I found a pair that were on sale and they were similar to those flip flops that went into the garbage. which I wasn't happy about because they're not cheap at all, those flip flops. Nor are Birkenstocks, but these happen to be on sale. And they're. Are they plastic or what?

Marco:They're molded plastic, I guess.

Amanda:But they don't even. They're Birkenstock plastic. So they feel richer and more supportive somehow, I guess now that I need to plug a company.

Marco:But they're doing just fine.

Amanda:I, I think they are.

Marco:But I'll say this, they're very comfortable, these shoes. As someone who is flat footed.

Marco:So insomnia is one of the things I, I suffer from and flat footedness.

Amanda:So folks, get ready for the Flat Footed podcast coming soon. Can you imagine?

Marco:Imagine I just do a podcast where

Amanda:I talk about flat feet. Like so specific.

Marco:You probably could if you have someone who's flat footed in your life.

Amanda:My grandfather is flat footed.

Marco:Or you're flat footed yourself.

Amanda:Ah, I am not flat footed. I am, I have all kinds of arch.


Amanda Blade says flat footed people should always wear Birkenstocks

Marco:Let's assume you've meet someone who's flat footed.

Amanda:I have. Yeah.

Marco:Okay. So what you need to let them know is that they should never ever have their barefoot on the ground. They should always put it. Yeah, they should always put it into a Birkenstock.

Amanda:Are you kidding?

Marco:Yeah, flat footed.

Amanda:I didn't know this. I thought having your feet on the ground was like a healthy thing we should all be doing.

Marco:If you're doing it to like connect with the earth, that's one thing. But if you're walking in your home.

Marco:As people do in their socks or barefoot. If you're flat footed. My. My chiropodist says you should.

Amanda:I'm just gonna say we do not disperse medical advice. No, we don't on this program. So just. You should never, never say never. But what you have been told by

Marco:your chiropodist and what I have discovered for myself. Putting my foot in a Birkenstock slipper or sandal. Sandal has made quite a difference and I wish, I wish I knew this years ago.

Amanda:Oh wow.

Marco:I will say this though, and once again, we do not dispense medical advice nor are we receiving any sort of funds from Birkenstock or any other shoe company.

Amanda:But our cheese can suck it.

Marco:There you Go. I'll say this. Birkenstocks, if you're going to wear them for the first time. So if you've never worn a Birkenstock before and your salesperson doesn't tell you this, you heard it from Marco. It's the type of sandal you need to ease into. So the first day you wear it, you wear it for an hour and then you remove it. The next day you wear it for two hours. You slowly, gradually wear your Birkenstock. What you do not want to do is having never worn a Birkenstock and wear them for the day because they're built in a way that will actually make you feel quite a bit of, soreness if you've never worn them and you don't break them in.

Amanda:I think even as a high arched person.

Marco:Oh, you're high arched?

Amanda:Well, you know, I grew up dancing. So arches were like. You wanted the, you wanted the most developed arch you could find.

Marco:Sure.

Amanda:So anything you could do to do it, you're constantly pointing your toe. Right.

Marco:I see, I see.

Amanda:I don't have the world's best arches. I would have wanted a more pronounced arched arch if, if I could choose what my feet look like. But, anyway, but, but certainly more than you and probably more than the average person. anyhow, I would say the same actually for any super Archie. arched shoes like Birkenstocks. again, not Archies, because they have broken my heart. But, yeah, I think you can't just. I don't think you can just wear them like I can't think. I don't think you go from zero to full Burk. Full Birkenstock.

Marco:Sure.

Amanda:You know, I think you do have to kind of let your feet get to know and your body get to know. This is what we're doing now. So I think that's fair for anyone.

Marco:And if you don't have a plastic Birkenstock and you have the cork based

Amanda:one which I had years ago. Yeah.

Marco:There is a product that you can use a sealer to seal the cork because after a while of wearing it, the sealant around the cork will start to wear away.

Marco:And you want to protect that sealant. So there's also that available.

Amanda:I actually have. I forgot. I forget. At their Birkenstocks, I have Birkenstock leather boots.

Marco:Oh, and how do those work for you?

Amanda:They're great for standing.

Marco:Oh.

Amanda:but that said, they're not my favorite to walk in.

Marco:those boots were Made for standing.

Amanda:They were so for work. They're great. They're also, you know, if you can imagine, a Birkenshock shoe tends to have a big profile. And so in boot form, they're a little bit, like, chunkified. I little bit feel like I'm in, like, Blade Runner or something. Like, they're big. but the wonderful man at the wonderful Toronto Birkenstock store, when I bought them, however many years ago, that was like, five, seven years ago maybe. because I do have one leg longer than the other. He built up my only shoes that are actually built up for my legs. He built up one side of them.

Marco:That's why Amanda. It's so fun to slow dance with Amanda because she has one foot.

Amanda:Well, it's getting worse as I get older, as all of us are.

Marco:We just go around in circles.


Virgo talking about two very different spa experiences

Amanda:Okay, all right. Sorry I interrupted your bit there. but being the Virgo that I am, the reason I was staring and pondering my own Birkenstocks that are on my feet right now is because I'm debating, do I wear those or do I wear my cheap flip flops to a spa that I'm going to in two days? Oh, I am going to a spa. And not only that, I was at a spa yesterday, so there's a lot of spa.

Marco:What did you wear to the spa you were at yesterday?

Amanda:I wore their flip flops that they give you, although they don't really give them to you. It's just like a rack of all different, weird, random styles of flip flops.

Marco:And, choose your own adventure.

Amanda:Yeah, so I'll talk about. They're two very different spa experiences. yeah, I guess I'll dive into that.


Nidhi is the creator of the Insomnia Project podcast

So I went to the Russian baths

Marco:yesterday, and for longtime listeners, you'll know that Nidhi had mentioned this bath many years ago.

Amanda:So, yeah, if you haven't listened to that episode and you're still awake. The Niddy Russian Bath episode.

Marco:And some of our listeners went to

Amanda:that bath after listening to the episode.

Marco:After listening. And they weren't expecting what they initially got when they arrived. So.

Amanda:So I guess I should walk us through what happened. so Nidhi, the original creator. Co. Creator of the Insomnia Project. and our dear, dear friend of both of ours and of the show, of course.

Marco:She's so awesome.

Amanda:And you'll have her on soon. I think. I will have her on for our Christmas episodes.

Marco:I'll have her for Christmas episodes. I always find it a great treat when she comes into the studio. Because I don't have to tell her. She has an ease.

Marco:With the mic and with me. That is so delightful.

Amanda:Anyway, she's been an ease for us our whole life. I mean I, Nidhi came into her life. we'll just do a little dive on Nidhi here. she came into her life because I was teaching yoga a long time ago and I would teach the only classes I could. I would teach whatever class any studio would give me. And the only classes they would give me at this one particularly popular studio where everybody wanted to both take and teach. The only ones I could get were the 6:30am classes. So I would get up and I'd have to be at that studio for like 5:45 and have it all ready to go. And you know there are people that, that's part of their routine every day is going to yoga or a few times a week or whatever. And so she was doing a one month unlimited pass trying out all these different classes. And so she and I just began talking after she, after the class and we realized we had a lot in common. And it actually came from a place of me wanting to help her out. She was sort of telling me, oh, this is what's going on with my job and da da da. And so I was like, oh, you should connect with my friend or my, someone I've done some work with. I think you guys, there might be a connection there for you if you're looking, you know, just those types of connections. So I gave her my name and number, I gave her names and number of two or three different people for her to connect with for various opportunities or whatever. And I think what happened was we kept in touch. I think we were on each other's social media back then, Facebook. And we kept in contact and I might have invited her to a few things. I don't remember exactly but the next sort of stage or level of our friendship was. And I'm m not sure how you two connected, but she became the stage manager for me for a show I was doing that ended up being a really interesting show. Should I tell more about that?

Marco:You don't have all the time in the world so you'd have to briefly dip in that and dip out.

Amanda:Okay, well if any listener wants to hear more about it and they're still awake, you can let us know. But I'll just tell you this. It was a show about Randy Quaid and his wife, Evie Quaid. So Randy Quaid the actor. And it was about at that time, they were seeking, refugee status in Canada from the United States.

Marco:Maybe just say the title and people can look at it. Okay.

Amanda:It was called Release the Stars, the Ballad of Randy and Evie Quaid. Anyhow, and she was the stage manager for that show. And one of the remarkable things about that show is that Randy and Evie Quaid, on our final closing night, showed up, and it was a small fringe show, an audience of 50 people, max, each night. So it was quite an extraordinary memory and experience for all of us. So she was on that journey with me, and so we kept in touch, and then I went on tour. And you guys continued to hang out.

Marco:That's right. That's right.

Amanda:And you met for coffee, and then you came up with the podcast idea, and we sit here today.


Musk went to the Russian Baths for his birthday last month

So there you go.

Marco:There you have it. so you went to the Russian bath.

Amanda:So I went to the Russian Baths with her. So for my birthday, which was last month, she gave me a card and said, for your birthday present, we will book a time. It's a surprise, so let's book a time. It's an experience I want to give you. So I went, okay, so that date that we settled on was yesterday.

Marco:Okay.

Amanda:That we booked, you know, six weeks ago or whatever.

Marco:And.

Amanda:And so she just. She texted me, I'm going to pick you up at 11:30. I was like, okay, great. And she said, bring a bathing suit. And so I was like, do I need flip flops? And she's like, not unless you get, you know, skeeved out by wearing communal flip flops. And I was like, girl, we met in a hot, sweaty yoga studio. So I'm good. So anyway, And off we went to the Russian Path. And I didn't know that that's where we're going, but I knew it was a place that involved me wearing a bathing suit, so that narrowed down at least my options on some level. And then we went out west, the west end of the city, into Mississauga. So. Okay, that now narrows down things. And then I was like, okay, wait, I think I know what's happening. But I wasn't prepared for the experience. But it was a really cool and unique experience.

Marco:the interesting thing is it's in a strip mall. Right? So you pull up to a strip mall.

Amanda:Yeah, like, almost barely a strip mall, but, yeah, it's a strip mall, but it's not even. Like, when you pull into the strip mall, it's not like, okay, there's a, you know, a pharmacy and a, shawarma place and a Russian bath. It's like, there's a restaurant and a bunch of things, and then there's no signage for it, so you really have to know it's there. And then you pull into the side door of the strip mall. So not a door. You don't walk through a front door.

Marco:Like a speakeasy spot.

Amanda:Honestly, it is. There's no. There's a tiny little sign on the side door, but you would have to. The only way to find it is to know it's already there.

Marco:If you know, you know.

Amanda:Exactly. And so anyway, we did. We went in. the woman immediately was like, have you been here before? And she was like, it's her first time. Ah, but it's not mine. And so she went, great. And then we went into the change room. Niddy's locker didn't work, so we just. She could have got another locker, but she just went, you know what? She went back out. I think they were dealing with something else. And she's like, let's just share a locker. So we did. And, in we went. So it's very, You know, everyone has different experiences of what they imagine a spa to be. and I was reminded a lot in that experience that Russia is very close to Finland. So I have been into some Finnish spas because of my time in Thunder Bay, which has a strong Finnish population and has, like, three different pancake. Finnish pancake houses, one of which has spas. Like, spas are big. Like saunas, I should say. Saunas are a big part of Finnish culture.

Marco:It's interesting because in modern Russia, Yeah. A sauna is often called a finished. A Finnish banya.

Amanda:Oh, really?

Marco:Yeah.

Amanda:So they refer to it.

Marco:Yeah.

Amanda:So, and the decor there is very unique. I don't know. I mean, that's part of the real fun and charm, I think, of it, really. So we went and changed and put on our bathing suits. And so then you go from there. There is what, Nidhi described aptly as, like, if somebody from Soviet Russia. So that specific time in history. So I'm going to say, like late 70s, early 80s Soviet era, had a cottage in Muskoka. It's like Soviet propaganda posters, but also like, you know, Muskoka chairs and like. Anyway, there's like a lounge.

Marco:Okay, okay.

Amanda:And so the lounge has, like, dimly lit someone's old den, from the 70s with Russian stuff everywhere. We didn't spend much time in there, but it was an interesting thing to look at. And then you open the door and you're into all the heated, different things. So there's a wet sauna, and that's the biggest sauna. Then a smaller dry sauna, a Turkish hammam, steam room. Yeah. some muskoka chairs in there for just rest in between. And a bench as well. And, a cold plunge, wooden tank. And then, like, shower where you pull the. You pull the pulley thing and then you get a good dunk of cold water.


The Russian guy does a treatment where he slaps you with branches

So that's. And you do whatever circuit you want with those four or five elements.

Marco:Okay, cool.

Amanda:Yeah, it's not huge. It's like the size of, like, honestly, like a big living room or something. So it's. If you're somebody from this area or not, and you've been to, say, therma. Or if you're from, like, Los Angeles, you've been to Glen Ivy, which I haven't been to, but I've seen my friends go there a lot, so I've seen pics, you know, that kind of like, outdoor sprawling spa. This is not that place. It's, small, and hidden in the bowels of this. Behind the stores of the strip mall. But what's truly remarkable is that you can do the circuit. You can do it however you want. There is this guy, there who sort of really tries to engage you. The Russian guy. Okay.

Marco:he's an employee.

Amanda:Well, these women were joking. What if he's not an employee? What if he's just, like, a super fan? But no, I think it's his. I don't know if it's his spa. I asked him if it was his spa. He said yes, but I don't know. But, you know, he's volunteering his services to do the treatment where he, like, slaps you with branches.

Marco:Yeah. Those branches are either white birch or oak, or they can be eucalyptus. They're called banevenek.

Amanda:They were not eucalyptus, because I know a eucalyptus sleeve and that was not them.

Marco:Banya bissau is also how they're often called.

Amanda:So, I guess oak. I don't know. The leaves were interesting looking and I,

Marco:you know birch, what birch leaves look like, right?

Amanda:Yeah. It wasn't birch, Uncle Sammy.

Marco:It was oak.

Amanda:It was oak, I guess. Yeah. They had a distinct interesting look to them. Sure. and he does that in the wet sauna, and you're all kind of sitting there, and he just comes in with his person that he's going to do it to, and he tells everybody to move and lets the guy lay down while we all Kind of huddle in one corner.

Marco:And you just watch the guy.

Amanda:And you just watch the guy. Everyone's just watching the gu. Have getting slapped. Yeah.

Marco:With the branches. Okay. I don't think. I don't think they call it getting slapped.

Amanda:What do they call it? A treatment?

Marco:Getting branched.

Amanda:I don't think they call it getting branched.

Marco:They totally call it getting branched. I got branched at the sauna.

Amanda:I'm gonna get branched.


We try to make the podcast 26 minutes, because 26 minutes is ideal

If I go over our time. What's our time right now?

Marco:We've gone over.

Amanda:Have we?

Marco:Yeah, we're 27 minutes.

Amanda:Oh, I'm sorry. It's all right. Well, I'll. I'll continue on just for a bit more.

Marco:We try to make the podcast 26 minutes, because 26 minutes is the ideal number. a time for a short nap. And we do 26 episodes. Today's the 25th episode, so.

Amanda:Well, I will tell you this. The thing I loved the most was the restaurant that, as you go in through the sauna, on the other end, there's another door, and there's this entire restaurant in there. And the decor of it is like that. What is that style called? Looks like a Polish hunting lodge. Like the. I know it's Russian, so Russian finish, but, like, the wood with the white kind of stuccoy.

Marco:But it's. No, it is, though. Scandi meets.

Amanda:I don't know.

Marco:I don't know.

Amanda:Ottoman Empire.

Marco:Sure.

Amanda:Okay. Anyway, And there's tons of, like, Russian vases and tchotchkes and, like. Do you say chachka or Chachki?

Marco:I think you asked me this last episode.

Amanda:Oh, really? Yeah, it's really burning on my brain. In any event, I say Chachi from Happy Days. Amazing. everybody loves. Isn't.

Marco:No, Everybody loves Raymond. Joni loves Chachi.

Amanda:Oh, Joanie loves Chachi, but she doesn't love Raymond. Curious.

Marco:No, she doesn't.

Amanda:We had pierogies. We had the most delectable fried dough sort of pancakes that were different than finished pancakes, surprisingly, but definitely delicious. Like, they were very puffy. And we had cabbage rolls that were amazing. And. And two incredibly delicious vodka cocktails, which, after all that sweat, hit you pretty hard.

Marco:Wow.

Amanda:and then we went shopping for couches. So there you go. That was my day.

Marco:Well, that sounds like a great Saturday afternoon.

Amanda:It was. It was an amazing day with Nidhi, and she's great. And then we came back here, watched some Dateline, and ate Korean food, and it was just the best time.

Marco:And Amanda. So are you going to the Question Bears? Will you Bring your burks to your next spa.

Amanda:I'm not sure. And this is what I'm really hung up on because I'm worried that they're too generic because they're just black and that someone else is going to walk off with them because that's happened to you.

Marco:Yes.

Amanda:So do I. A, wear them and just hope for the best. B, wear my flip flops that say relax on them. No one else is going to have those, but they're not as comfortable as these, admittedly. Or C, plan to wear these but borrow, those little button things that are from, Crocs that my niece would have. And I could, like, fasten one on here so that, like, they stand out. Yeah. So there's like a little ladybug or something on them.

Marco:If you could vote on which A, B or C, Amanda should do.

Amanda:I hope you're not awake. I hope nobody votes, but if you

Marco:want to go for it until then,

Amanda:I mean, I hope you vote if you're awake, but not if you're. I hope you're sleeping.
Marco:Fantastic.
Million Podcast put us in top 10 of their top 70 podcast of 2025
Well, until next time, I want to thank Million Podcast. That's who put us in the top 10 of their top 70 podcast of 2025. Thank you, million Podcasts. I want to thank our listeners, especially those ones who reached out, you know who you are, to say, you know, they were proud of us and they thought we should be higher. And I want to thank Nidhi, of course, and all our listeners. We hope you were able to listen and sleep. And Amanda, good luck with your shoe or your flip flop decision. We'll have that answer for you next week on our last episode for this season, season 10, the month of November, you'll have to listen to some back issues. And if you do listen to some of our back episodes, let us know what your favorites are and maybe we'll do a redo of that topic, in season 11. Until then, we hope you're able to listen, enjoy your flip flop or sandal and sleep.