We'll Take One Order of Shame. With a Side of Fried Pickles.

Filed under: Inside The BPP

The BPP ordered BBQ for lunch today.

 

Dan Pashman

1:04 PM ET | 05-16-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Welcome, Little (Big?) Isaac Stewart Wolff

Filed under: Inside The BPP

From executive producer Sharon Hoffman, to everyone in the known world:

...Introducing the very first Bryant Park baby.

Everyone's healthy and happy.

Laura Conaway

7:09 AM ET | 05- 6-2008 | permalink | comments (23) | e-mail post

Friday at BPP HQ: Prepping a Video You Can Taste

Filed under: Inside The BPP

BPP producer/newscaster Mark Garrison is ready for the Kentucky Derby.

Dan Pashman, NPR

 

When Mark Garrison first joined the BPP crew a few weeks ago, I recall him pitching a story with a caveat that went something like, "Of course we all agree that excessive alcohol consumption is dangerous to one's health..."

Now several weeks later, he's offering to make mint juleps in honor of this weekend's Kentucky Derby. He's going to do it on camera, and we'll post the video instructions later today.

Dan Pashman

11:28 AM ET | 05- 2-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

How Do I Twitter the BPP?

Filed under: Inside The BPP

A Twitter update from No. 10 Downing Street (thanks, @marilynm)

 

Listener Marc Naimark says he signed up for Twitter, and now he wants to know how to Twitter the BPP.

Here's the answer: In the space where Twitter asks what you're doing, write something that includes @bpp. Example: "Hey @bpp -- what's that weird noise on your show?" Your message will show up in our "replies" queue -- everyone has one.

New to Twitter and looking for friends? The fellow BPP folks listed here have volunteered.

Laura Conaway

9:17 AM ET | 04-30-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Morir Soñando

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Chillag, you know not what you drink.

 

Chillag: What do they have to drink?
Pashman: Well, they list flan as a beverage. And they have something called Morir Soñando.
Chillag: Get me one.
Pashman: What is it?
Chillag: I don't know.

The Morir Soñando is on its way to the BPP along with too many Cuban sandwiches. Garrison said it translates to "to die dreaming." Any guesses what I'm about to drink? No Googling.

Ian Chillag

1:03 PM ET | 04-28-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

It's a Small NPR World

Filed under: Inside The BPP

We had a small-world moment on the show today. We interviewed film director Josh Seftel, whose new movie War Inc. debuts this weeknd at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. A few years ago Josh made a movie called Breaking the Mold: the Kee Malesky Story.

I came across this little fact as I was doing my homework on him before the interview. If you're an NPR fan, you might hear something famliar in that title. Kee Malesky is the name of a longtime reference librarian at NPR. Turns out Seftel approached Kee and asked her if he could use her name in his fictional coming-of-age story about a young girl with a thing for cataloging. After looking over the script to make sure it was free of any kind of errors that might disturb those who've devoted their lives to facts, history and context, Kee agreed to lend her name to the project.

Kee is usually based in Washington, D.C., but she coincidentally was in New York this week spending some time with us. So we held an impromptu reunion between filmmaker Seftel and his muse Malesky at the end of the show. Good times.

Bonus: The trailer for Breaking the Mold: the Kee Malesky Story

Laura Conaway

11:52 AM ET | 04-25-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

We Told You We're Short Staffed...

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Milo Pesca, son of BPP host Mike Pesca, stopped by today in honor of Take Your Child To Work Day. He promptly took over production duties and called for increased coverage of Elmo, lollipops, and the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Mike Pesca/NPR

 

Dan Pashman

6:03 PM ET | 04-24-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Caitlin Checks In: The NPR Vending Machine

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Non-nutritious Product Receptacle

Caitlin Kenney/NPR

 

It's usually about this time of the day that I start hankering for a snack, something salty or sweet to fill up the space between meals.

Back in New York, this would have led to a trip to Pret or Le Mirage for a granola bar or a piece of fruit, but here in D.C. it means a trip to the vending machine on the third floor. One of the first things I noticed when I got to NPR headquarters two weeks ago was how unhealthy the food in the vending machines is.

Of course, I know vending-machine food by nature is not nutritious, but this one really goes to the extreme: loads of candy and cakes and even Sno Balls. When is the last time anyone really enjoyed a Sno Ball? What does this say about our office? Are we all a bunch of sweet tooths or are we so busy chasing down stories we'll eat just about anything we have to time to cram in?

Caitlin Kenney

10:00 AM ET | 04-24-2008 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Caitlin at Internet Camp

Filed under: Inside The BPP

The N stands for Nternet

Ian Chillag/NPR

 

Our own Caitlin Kenney was recently awarded a Knight Fellowship, which has her at NPR HQ for several weeks. It's a great honor, so we've done our best to belittle it. Pashman calls it "Internet Camp." I went down to D.C. yesterday, and dropped in on iCamp, where I'm happy to report everyone was using actual computers.

Ian Chillag

9:17 AM ET | 04-24-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Chillag Finishes Boston, Eats Pizza

Filed under: Inside The BPP, News, Sports

Ian Chillag: Marathoner, BPP Staffer, Awesome.

BPP Producer Ian Chillag finished the Boston Marathon in about 3 hours and 50 minutes -- all the while Tweeting and taking pictures. Ian ran with his friend Amby Burfoot who, 40 years ago, won Boston. I caught up with him as he was boarding a train back to New York. (For the record, Robert Cheruiyot won the marathon in 2 hours, 7 minutes and 46 seconds. It's his fourth win and second in a row. Dire Tune of Ethiopia won the women's race in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 25 seconds.)

Ian will have a full report on tomorrow's show, in the meantime here's a post-race lowdown:

Matt Martinez

4:16 PM ET | 04-21-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Who's Hosting the BPP?

Filed under: Inside The BPP

NPR's Esteemed Mike Pesca.

Our dear host Alison Stewart has left us for maternity leave, so you may be wondering, "Who's steering this ship in her absence?"

Glad you asked. Mike Pesca and Rachel Martin will be at the helm for the next few months, and Mark Garrison will be your able newscaster.

We're going to be hearing from Alison every once and a while, too -- on the blog and on the air. She will not Twitter the birth. Don't even ask.

Matt Martinez

8:33 AM ET | 04-21-2008 | permalink | comments (25) | e-mail post

BPP Dance Party in Honor of Alison Stewart

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Video

Today is Alison's last day before maternity leave. We wish her and her husband Bill Wolff all the best.

Zena Barakat

4:29 PM ET | 04-18-2008 | permalink | comments (19) | e-mail post

"You Are All Pieces of Garbage"

Filed under: Inside The BPP

On the show today, you may have caught the debut performance of the Bryant Park Project Players. It all started when we found some pages leaked on the internet supposedly from the upcoming Oliver Stone biopic about President George W. Bush. We don't know if the script is real, but we really hope it isn't.
I think it's fair to say that we're pretty horrible actors, so it's good that we pre-taped it. But we wanted to share this outtake with you: It's Rachel playing one of Bush's fraternity brothers at Yale. It took a while to get the line right, but we think it may be the next "I drink your milkshake."

Enjoy.

Win Rosenfeld

1:18 PM ET | 04-11-2008 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

BPP on Location: Win Rosenfeld Out of His Element

Filed under: Inside The BPP

You can take the boy out of the city...

NPR

 

Win Rosenfeld and I are working on a video story about raw milk. Yesterday we went up to Freedom Hill Farm in Otisville, N.Y., one place where raw (unpasteurized) milk is legally available.

Check out some more production stills after the jump...

Continue reading "BPP on Location: Win Rosenfeld Out of His Element" »

Dan Pashman

8:27 AM ET | 04- 7-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Help Resolve Two Lingering Questions from Today's Show

Filed under: Inside The BPP

But why?

Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images

 

1) Is April 3rd "Tweed Day" in honor of the distinguished woolen fabric, or in observance of the birthday of infamous New York politician William "Boss" Tweed?

2) Why do deer freeze in the headlights?

A shiny dime to anyone in BPP Nation that can give me a definitive answer, or at least a convincing theory.

Ian Chillag

8:23 AM ET | 04- 3-2008 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

How's the View?

Filed under: Inside The BPP

BPP HQ is getting a window washing today.

Dan Pashman, NPR

 

Dan Pashman

8:31 AM ET | 03-28-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Our Segment Runneth Over

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Bob Powers, the man behind the story-a-day Girls Are Pretty blog, stopped by to read a couple stories on our show today. Sadly we ran out of time and had to cut him off before he could finish his second piece. He was kind enough to stick around and record it for us in full. Enjoy.

Ian Chillag

11:09 AM ET | 03-27-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Get the BPP Weekly's Newsletter

Filed under: Inside The BPP

We've started compiling a list of weekly highlights from the Bryant Park Project. We send it through our Facebook group on Friday afternoon. It's free, easy and features lingering notes of citrus and smoked chocolate.

First, you need a Facebook account (that's the free part, and it's largely painless, too). Then join the BPP group (that's easy). Come on over.

Laura Conaway

8:09 AM ET | 03-24-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

New on the BPP: Never as Good as the First Time

Filed under: Inside The BPP

I've always loved the idea of celebrating the people who break through all kinds of barriers to become the first to achieve something -- men and women who have crashed the gates of all-boys clubs, all-white clubs, or all-of-one-kind-or-another clubs. Today, we're kicking off a new series on the BPP to profile trailblazers like these.

Of course the biggest news in possibly impending firsts is the country's first female or African-American president. Exciting, but I think it's amazing that in 2008, there are still so many firsts yet to be achieved. No Oscar-winning female directors, no Asian-American Supreme Court justices, no Latino governors of California.

Is there a first you're just itchin' to finally see happen? Or know of someone about to break a barrier of their own for the very first time? Give us a shout.

Angela Ellis

6:53 AM ET | 03-20-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Caitlin Kenney Wins Irish Soda Bread Bakeoff

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Caitlin Kenney's winning Irish soda bread on the left. Loser Tricia McKinney's bread on the right.

Bryant Park Project

 

I would like to thank judges Brian McCabe (official Irish citizen) and Ian Chillag (wannabe Irishman) for selecting my Irish soda bread as the winner of the BPP Bakeoff. Ian described my bread as "sweeter" and a "more enjoyable eat", and Brian chose it for its classic presentation.

I used a more traditional recipe than my competitor Tricia McKinney, who used currants and caraway seeds, but I must admit my recipe includes a few ingredients you would never see in a real Irish soda bread. I made a few tweaks to the recipe I used by leaving out the caraway seeds, adding more buttermilk to the dough after mixing it, and letting it rest for 30 minutes before baking.

I would like to thank the ultimate Irish culinary team Margaret Martin and Joe Jackson for their thoughtful advice and guidance. Beannachtai na Feile Padraig!

Caitlin Kenney

9:26 AM ET | 03-17-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Bacon Equation and Cheese

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Mmmm . . .

From the Food Network

 

Much time spent yesterday debating the opposite of a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. Is it a cricket flavored with bacon and cheese powder? Or is it not food at all? Is the mathematic inverse of a BE&C in fact a delicate flute solo? Questions remain.

But we may be a step closer to discovering what we get when we multiply a BE&C by a BE&C. I contend it's not a double bacon, egg, and cheese or an M1 Abrams tank, as has been long believed. It's this. The Lady's Brunch Burger. Yes, this sandwich on a donut bun is called the Lady's Brunch Burger, from Paula Deen and the Food Network. Can you do worse better?

Ian Chillag

7:16 AM ET | 03- 5-2008 | permalink | comments (13) | e-mail post

Surest Thing In the World Today

Filed under: Inside The BPP

So Matt's all proud of this big theory he has about tonight's American Idol... which is that David Hernandez is going to sing "Private Dancer." And he's all, "if I'm right, I get to eat a bacon, egg, and cheese." And he's further all, "if I'm wrong, I will eat the opposite of that."

Well, I know an easy bet when I see one. And we just happen to have the indisputable opposite of a bacon, egg, and cheese right here in the office, thanks to a previous weird segment.

Win Rosenfeld/NPR

 

The minute you see Mr. Hernandez NOT singing "Private Dancer" tonight, think of poor Matt eating crickets tomorrow. Because the truth is, he asked for it.

Sharon Hoffman

5:31 PM ET | 03- 4-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Where Do You Hear Us?

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Sound Off

So you know we tried something new, producing-wise, with the A-Block yesterday. (Or if you don't know that, listen to it here.) I'm fascinated by the conversation that experiment started; your comments are insightful and helpful to us as we figure out how best to evolve as a great news show.

Tell us more -- for example, HOW do you listen to us? Do you stream us live? (Why or why not?) Do you hear us on Sirius, or the radio? Do you prefer the podcast? Do you listen to the whole thing?

Sharon Hoffman

8:13 AM ET | 03- 4-2008 | permalink | comments (53) | e-mail post

Gettin' Our 'A' Block On

Filed under: Inside The BPP

We tried something a little different in the "A Block" of our show today. The "A Block" is what we call the first 16 minutes of the audio broadcast -- it includes our open, the lead story, the newscast and a topical, talkable news interview.

Well, we blew that up today. There was no featured lead, no segmented newscast and no news interview. Instead, it was a mix of news from the morning and the weekend told with soundbites and excerpts from stories culled from the NPR newsroom.

I'm going to talk more about why we decided to do what we did tomorrow on the show, but before I do I want to know: what did you think?

Click on our handy flash player to give a listen -- and don't forget to leave a comment.

Matt Martinez

4:20 PM ET | 03- 3-2008 | permalink | comments (28) | e-mail post

Snow Falls on Bryant Park

Filed under: Inside The BPP

It's snowing in New York! This is a view of Bryant Park from NPR offices, way up on the 19th floor.

Matt Martinez

10:03 AM ET | 02-22-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Christian Sex Piece Strolls to Top of NPR List

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Way up there? That's us.

 

Dan Pashman tried. We know he tried. But his quest to hit the top spot on NPR's list of Most E-mailed Stories stalled at Number 2. So much for kittens, quinoa and Ron Paul.

Meanwhile, a BPP interview on the Joy of Christian Sex Toys has hit Numero Uno.

End of comment.

Laura Conaway

1:47 PM ET | 02-18-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Cool to See: A Year on Bryant Park

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Stuff We Love

Photojojo's Time Lapse Video of Bryant Park from Photojojo on Vimeo.

A year on Bryant Park, in photos (with thanks to Twitter pal w8in for the link).

Laura Conaway

6:29 AM ET | 02-18-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Monday's Rundown

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Links From the Show, Tomorrow's BPP, Video

Bake Off winner revealed!

Win Rosenfeld

2:50 PM ET | 02-15-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

BPP Bake Off Winner Caitlin Kenney

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Celebrity judge and NPR New York office manager Agnes Janiszewski

BPP

 

I am proud to say that I am the official winner of the BPP Bake Off with my chocolate espresso mousse cake with fresh raspberry puree. Ian was a great challenger, and his dish was very artistic but in the end Agnes put it best when she described Ian's cake as "a healthy brownie." I would like to thank my mom for giving a love of baking and my dad for teaching me that you can never have too much butter or too much cream. Glad to know I can still live up to my high school nickname, Betty.

Caitlin Kenney

9:27 AM ET | 02-15-2008 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Ron Paul, Star Wars, and Other Searchable Keywords

Filed under: Inside The BPP

As you may have heard, we've created a radio piece designed specifically to make it to Number One on the NPR.org Most E-mailed Story list.

How? By studying the list and incorporating all the most popular themes and elements into one story. If you never thought you'd live to hear Ron Paul, quinoa, and Masterpiece Theatre in the same story, these are truly your salad days.

But we need your help. Right now we're up to #2 on the list, trailing a story that shall remain nameless. Go to the story, listen to it, enjoy it, click on the "E-mail Page" button, and email it to all your friends. (Please note that if you type in a list of names all at once, it counts only for one e-mail. So you might want to call in sick and spend the day sending the story many times to various individuals.)

Dan Pashman

6:54 AM ET | 02-14-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Video: The Most , 02.13.08

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Video

The keepers of the Great Seal of the United States, the familiar emblem on the back of the $1 bill, want you to know what it is not. It is not a sign that Freemasons run the country, it has nothing to do with the occult, and it does not contain clues to a fabulous hidden treasure.

Check out all The Most links right here:

Demystifying the Great Seal/Town's only business burns down/How do I get you alone?/Secretly Hitched: Gary Coleman!

Win Rosenfeld

11:57 AM ET | 02-13-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Our Evil Genius Plan Is Working! Bwahahahahahaha!

Filed under: Inside The BPP

The brilliant Dan Pashman (positive reinforcement, learned it in supervisor school) put together a most e-mailed mash-up this morning that is now #12 on NPR's Most E-mailed page. I think we just totally ripped the space-time-continuum or something like that. Keep e-mailing!!!

Matt Martinez

11:51 AM ET | 02-13-2008 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

The (Video) Most

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Video

Being the crazy experimental narcissists that we are here at the BPP, we thought it might be fun to show you what our trademark segment, "The Most" looks like. Turns out, it looks like us.

Enjoy!

Win Rosenfeld

4:43 PM ET | 02-12-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

BPP Bake Off: Bake No Prisoners

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Mmm. Tastes like smackdown.

Getty Images

At first, it seemed so innocent, so nice. Caitlin made delicious coffee cake for all the unfortunate staff working on New Year's Day. Then, a couple weeks later, Ian brought in some homemade chocolate chip cookies.

The rest of the staff thought they were lucky to have not one but two able bakers on the staff. Little did they know, a bitter rivalry was brewing, er, baking, between them.

Caitlin brought in some "Boy Scout bars," which Ian publicly denounced as "craptacular." Of Ian's next contribution, butterscotch oatmeal cookies, Caitlin said, "Baked goods? More like baked bads."

There is only one way to settle it: BPP Bake Off. On Valentine's Day, Caitlin and Ian will submit a sweet something to be judged by the rest of the staff. But we need your help. We need you, BPP nation, to determine the key ingredient. In the comments here, submit your nominations.

Tomorrow, Matt and Tricia will pick from the nominated ingredients and announce it in the Rundown. Then it's on.

Ian Chillag

12:31 PM ET | 02-12-2008 | permalink | comments (22) | e-mail post

BPP Out

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Getty Images

We are powering down for the weekend, though we'd like to leave you with this breaking news from the Associated Press:

BC-APNewsAlert,0040

LONDON (AP) - British singer Amy Winehouse's representatives say her visa to the United States has been granted.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-02-08-08 1705EST

We know you'll sleep better tonight knowing that Amy is free to traverse the Atlantic to America's welcoming shores.

Back on Monday.

Matt Martinez

5:09 PM ET | 02- 8-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

A New Sound for the BPP. You Like or No?

Filed under: Inside The BPP, Sound Off

Our producers tried something new today for the opening block of the show. Basically they created a tapestry of cool sounds for a Super Tuesday report, and then folded the opening newscast right in.

I'm interested to hear how you like it.

Laura Conaway

10:09 AM ET | 02- 6-2008 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

Lee Siegel: The Human Hunger for More

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Forward this beefcake to a friend.

In his ongoing look at our blog and Twitter feed, Lee Siegel turns his considerable attention today to the nexus of sex, money and the Internet. Put them in whatever order you like, just try to be human about it.

Siegel's the author of Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob, a little book worthy of a big stir.

Earlier in the week, we went around with Siegel about a BPP post on High School Musical, a Tweet on Chekhovian potatoes and a cupcakes post that served as an island refuge.

Laura Conaway

1:28 PM ET | 02- 1-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Lee Siegel No Watches 'High School Musical'

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Lee Siegel doesn't know from High School Musical.

Jill Krementz

In his ongoing critique of the Bryant Park Blog and Twitter feed, Lee Siegel offers a true confession: He has no idea what High School Musical is. And the wonderful thing is that he's cool with that.

Siegel's the author of Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob, a little book worthy of a big stir.

Today, Siegel's on about the cult of popularity. I've also seen him Tweeting on our Twitter feed this morning. Earlier in the week, we went around with Siegel about our Chekhovian potatoes and a cupcakes post that served as an island refuge.

Laura Conaway

8:57 AM ET | 01-31-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Siegel to the 'BPP': Where Are the Comments?

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Lee Siegel could deal with a little less "noise."

Jill Krementz

Lee Siegel and his new book -- Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob -- are everywhere right now. Siegel's even quoted on that television thing in our office elevator. The powerhouse critics has agreed to critique the Bryant Park blog and Twitter feed this week.

In our conversation on day one, he cautioned against mere talkativeness, then relished a Tweet about cupcakes. Today he's onto a Tweet about our daily breakfast order, and also an anonymous comment about him. Someone wrote, "Lee Siegel is a genius," and signed it "Sprezzatura." That's Siegel's onetime nom de net, one that got him into something of a pickle, let's say. He's brave about it.

Laura Conaway

3:11 PM ET | 01-29-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Siegel to BPP: 'Your Cupcake Is an Island Refuge'

Filed under: Inside The BPP

Think of them as islands in the raging digital stream.

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

This week the Bryant Park Project is proud to host the amazing Lee Siegel, a senior editor of the New Republic and author of Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob.

The New York Times calls Siegel a "swaggeringly abrasive cultural critic" and says his skinny lit