Join guest host Kimmi Berlin and Norm Magnusson for this special celebration of Correct me If I'm Norm's 200th episode and four-year milestone on Radio Free Rhinecliff. Past guests share moving reflections on what makes Norm's interviews special—his genuine curiosity and unique conversational gifts. The episode traces Norm's path as both dedicated listener and accomplished artist, covering everything from his solo art shows and the FISM movement he created, to his journey as a father and his deep commitment to serving others. It's a heartfelt exploration of how creativity, community, and authentic connection shape a life and a show.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Norm sits down with Cali Alpert, a professional interviewer with years of experience across television, podcasts, and radio. Cali shares insights into her journey, from her early interest in Barbara Walters to creating her website theinnerviewer.net, where she offers one-on-one coaching on interviewing skills and personal development. Norm goes into Cali's life story, her spiritual journey, and her thoughts on modern relationship dynamics.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Norm chats with Djan Paunovic, whose remarkable career spans continents and decades in the hospitality industry. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Switzerland, Djan now serves as a cornerstone of Rhinebeck's dining scene at Terrapin Restaurant.
Djan shares his stories from his early career in Switzerland, working at prestigious establishments like the Robinson Club and ski resort bars. Most remarkably, as a teenager navigating his parents' divorce, he traveled solo across Europe to reconnect with family, demonstrating the independence that would serve him throughout his career. Returning to the United States, Djan played a key role in opening the Emerson Resort and Spa with Dean Gida. Though he briefly considered relocating to Colorado, a conversation with Terrapin Restaurant owner Josh Kroner led to what became his professional home for the past 17 years, where he serves as lead manager and beverage director. Djan discusses his personal life, including his pride in his children, who occasionally help at the restaurant but wisely chose different career paths. He candidly addresses industry challenges from COVID-19 impacts to staffing difficulties, while sharing entertaining celebrity encounters. His philosophy remains consistent: every guest deserves exceptional treatment regardless of their status.
They explore Djan's Yugoslav heritage, including traditional foods and the craft of making slivovitz, a plum brandy that connects him to his cultural roots. These discussions reveal how his diverse background enriches his approach to hospitality.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Norm sits down with Lillian Lin for an intimate and wide-ranging discussion, exploring the extraordinary tapestry of her life experiences. Lillian discusses her medical odyssey, beginning with a stage four neuroblastoma diagnosis as an infant that recently led to kidney transplant surgery. She reflects on how her health journey has shaped her relationship with her teenage son, whose interest in pursuing medicine stems partly from witnessing his mother's medical experiences.

Norm and Lillian explore the complexities of organ donation, including the emotional challenges that accompany the process. Shifting to lighter territory, Lillian recounts how a chance job as a cocktail waitress became the gateway to her finance career, leading her through the high-pressure worlds of Kidder Peabody and Goldman Sachs trading floors, as well as her professional time in London.

Personal milestones weave throughout their conversation, from meeting her former husband through work to navigating the complex journey of surrogacy, complete with its legal and financial complexities. Lillian's worldview comes into sharp focus as she describes her volunteer work at orphanages across Africa, Guatemala, and Vietnam, experiences that provided profound contrast to her finance career's intensity. She talks about her transition into real estate, her move to Pine Plains attracted by a property with prohibition-era history, and her current pursuits including piano and pickleball. Through it all, Lillian's story is one of resilience, the importance of maintaining perspective, and how life's unexpected turns can lead to meaningful discoveries about ourselves and our capacity for growth.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Norm sits down with graphic designer extraordinaire and jetsetter; Dairo Chamorro “Mayor of Amtrak.” They share Japanese vodka cocktails while exploring Dairo's colorful journey from Reuters journalist to scotch whiskey entrepreneur, discussing his global travels, family stories, business challenges including tariffs and logistics, his talent for befriending strangers from Amtrak trains to international destinations, and his surprising passion for Watford football and Kingston Stockade soccer.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Norm chats with artist Nadine Robbins about her French-American upbringing and artistic journey. Nadine shares memories of childhood in southern France and growing up bilingual.
The conversation covers Nadine's artistic evolution from painting oysters inspired by her Charleston coastal roots to her career breakthrough when an unsolicited gallery submission launched her professional success. She discusses how an eye injury transformed her painting technique, pushing her work toward hyperrealism with enhanced texture. Nadine explains her transition from gallery exhibitions to commissioned portraits, drawing on her graphic design background to create pieces that blend realistic detail with bold colors and rebellious elements. She shares her creative influences and approach to capturing familiar subjects with unexpected twists. They wrap up with Nadine discussing her latest politically-charged series inspired by music and her upcoming participation in the Upstate Art Weekend open studio event. Throughout, Norm and Nadine explore how heritage, artistic vision, and creative process shape her evolving work.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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From Brooklyn to global stages and now Milan, NY-he's a former globe-trotting DJ, a community events organizer and a brand-new dad: please welcome the always charming Zev Le Wolfe.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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Norm sits down with Tanvir Alam to explore an extraordinary immigrant story that spans continents and cultures. Tanvir opens up about his path from Bangladesh to America, beginning with his family's early days in tight quarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his formative years in a multicultural community. Their conversation weaves through the challenges of finding one's place between worlds—the push and pull of maintaining heritage while embracing new opportunities.
As both an engineer and attorney, Tanvir reflects on the unexpected turns his professional life has taken, while also sharing deeply personal moments, including his cross-cultural marriage to a Hindu woman that challenged traditional expectations on both sides. The discussion ventures into philosophical territory as Tanvir discusses how Albert Camus' philosophy of absurdism and the Stoic principle of 'Amor Fati'—embracing one's destiny—have shaped his perspective on navigating life's complexities and uncertainties.

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org