Could Be Better
42 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 10 ratingsHosts Rob Conlon and J. Dewey, two friends from New York's Hudson Valley, have a mutual love and appreciation for Better Homes & Gardens magazine. In this podcast, they pour drinks and spill the tea about what they really think about the latest issue. It's queer eye for the home decor magazine. If you’re a fan of witty banter about interior design magazines, LGBTQ issues, gardening, baking, parenting and home decor ...you may want to listen to something else. But if you’re the type who flips through a design magazine and thinks “where did they hide all the clutter?” then you’re in our tribe. OK, even if you aren’t that type, you should listen and subscribe anyway, because your home and your garden can always be a little bit better than your neighbors'...and your best friend's. Please note that this show is not endorsed by or affiliated with Better Homes & Gardens magazine or its publishing company. We’re just big fans. Subscribe today on your favorite podcast platform for a monthly dose of cocktails and banter (plus special mini-episodes here and there). Cheers!
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Episodes
The Finale
December 20, 2020 14:01 - 42 minutes - 19.7 MBThis is it, folks! Could Be Better is winding to a close after three years. In this bonus episode, Rob and J. say farewell, reminisce about some favorite moments, and share their final advice on home decor. Who will deride all-white interiors and Magnolia now? Who knows but we are sure someone will. Thanks to the thousands who have tuned in over the years, special thanks to the designers and magazine editors who supported us, and to hands-on help from Tim, Michael and Bob. Theme music was by ...
The December 2020 Episode
December 04, 2020 13:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBIn our final regular episode, we are all about Christmas. And spending all your remaining moments between now and Christmas crafting your handmade decor. At least, that’s what the magazine seems to be saying. No more worries about free time or boredom! You won’t have a moment to spare. Whether you go mad for plaid, feel fine with pine, or you’re down with brown, we’ve got you covered. (Especially the brown…there’s a lot of it.) Rob gets his mind blown by the serendipitous inclusion of his chi...
The November 2020 Episode
November 01, 2020 13:10 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBIt’s November again, Thanksgiving (arguably the best holiday for food of the year) is approaching, and you’re wondering what design trend to highlight on your family table. Spoiler alert: it’s dowdiness. How to turn a negative into a positive? Pretend it’s cool! You could also throwback things (like the Throwback feature, which is back, sorta) to a trend you embraced a loooonng time ago, like the one we highlight as our “last page.” (Boycotting the Stylemaker feature.) Rob goes all-in on 90’s...
The October 2020 Episode
October 04, 2020 13:26 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MBFor our October 2020 episode, we go full-on Halloween and revel in the autumnal palettes of the season. We sip apple cider-based cocktails and gush over the “not too spooky” handmade projects in the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens–and, shocker, J. admits to liking these crafts! There are very few tags for hate, so the editors either did a good job or we drank the pumpkin-flavored Kool-Aid. We talk Halloween candy favorites, ghosts (that when wet can look like other things that are e...
Mini Episode: Pride Flags
September 04, 2020 11:05 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBWelcome to a special episode of Could Be Better! In the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens, they featured rainbow-hued items as a trend in decor. (A little late for Pride month, but whatev.) That led us to a discussion about Pride flags, and the current debate between the traditional six-color Pride flag and more inclusive versions–the Philadelphia Pride flag, the Progress flag, et al. Here’s our full conversation about rainbows and Pride flags, unedited. And we’re projecting joy, pr...
The September 2020 Episode
August 30, 2020 11:05 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MBSeptember is here, if you can believe it! In this month's episode, we discuss how the magazine celebrates gay pride a few months late, railroad stripes, and how to project joy throughout your life. It may have been PROject joy in the mag but we've turned it into ProJECT Joy. Which we kind of fail at by lamenting more white walls and even (maybe) having a falling out over plans for J.'s upcoming kitchen reno. Oh, the drama! We're also not sure if one front porch is more M.C. Escher or Q-bert. ...
The August 2020 Episode
August 03, 2020 11:01 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBIt’s August 2020 and we’re back with another fact-filled episode of Could Be Better! Do you know what the watermelon emoji means? Do you know what color makes Rob go ga-ga for paint can lids? Can you guess what culinary tip J. has been keeping from Rob for years? What is the kids’ favorite song and parents’ least-favorite song? Find out the answers to all of these puzzlers in our August episode! Plus: more hot male gardeners, pickling with the gays, and defying the architecture of your house ...
The July 2020 Episode: Part Two with Special Guest Paul Trudel-Payne
July 04, 2020 11:05 - 1 hour - 81 MBIt’s a summer surprise: not one but TWO episodes of Could Be Better! In Part Two of our July 2020 episode, we talk with award-winning interior designer, real estate expert and podcast host Paul Trudel-Payne. He hosts the awesome In Your Mind podcast, which we’ll be on in a few weeks. We review a section of the July 2020 issue of Better Homes and Gardens with him, talking paint can lids, the color green, Southwestern style, and some budget-friendly home updates. Whether we are into these thing...
The July 2020 Episode: Part One
July 04, 2020 11:00 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBIt's July, it's summertime, and after months of quarantine/shelter in place/safer at home you deserve a little treat--so we're bringing you TWO episodes for July. In Part One, we do our usual schtick and go through the magazine offering up our unsolicited opinions (spoiler alert: there are tags for hate and tags for love). In Part Two, hear our conversation with our very first guest, Paul Trudel-Payne, an actual award-winning designer who hosts his own podcast! (We'll be on a future episode o...
The June 2020 Episode
June 06, 2020 11:05 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBThis month is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and it’s “How To Decorate Your Patio” time again! Despite the pandemic and protest marches, we are still here doing what we do: obsessing over a home shelter/food/crafting magazine as if it were the end-all, be-all of American experience. But we know we are not saving the world, and that this is all just design. If it makes you happy–and you are privileged enough to have a home to decorate, more power to you. Unlike the magazine, we are not changing our forma...
The May 2020 Episode
April 26, 2020 11:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MBIn our May 2020 episode, we are still under a "Safer At Home" mandate in our home state of New York and so we recorded this episode via Zoom video conference once again. We each make our own signature cocktail: J. does a classic vodka gimlet, partially inspired by the lemon curd tart on the cover of the May 2020 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, while Rob pulls a recipe for ginger punch from the mag's new Stylemaker column. May means Mother's Day so we cover a few ideas for a special Sunday ...
The April 2020 Episode
April 03, 2020 20:01 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBIn this month's episode, Rob and J. are on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic of course--so we recorded this by a socially distant Zoom meeting. Thus we have two signature cocktails: a classic Mary Pickford for Rob, inspired by the Throwback feature, and J. created a "Social Distance" cocktail, a modified Greyhound. It's the color issue packed with lots of practical, hands-on tips for fixing up the home you're now trapped in. We stretch to find anything to hate once past the pink cover ...
The March 2020 Episode
March 13, 2020 19:58 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBIn our March 2020 episode, we discuss the latest trends in home design. Or the latest popular things that are about to be overexposed. At least the houseplants are paper this time. Another plus: lots of green and nary a pink! Rob invents a Dark & Bootchie cocktail inspired by the “give up alcohol” article (as if), and Chef Tim gets sour with the Lemon Tiramisu from the recipe section. Also: caning, ferns, a Queer Eye-adjacent article, and a kitchen that makes J. proclaim “this is my favorite ...
The February 2020 Episode
February 07, 2020 19:00 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBOn this month’s episode of Could Be Better, we indulge in some speech therapy practice as J. heads towards recovery from a brain hemorrhage. Can you say “editor’s letter” without blending the sounds together? We warm up with a ginger-liqueur cider but say “tag for hate” on another outdoor entertaining suggestion. We’re in for the chocolate spice cake skewers, though. There’s a lot of food in the February issue but we do have paint can lids in mint green. A less polarizing pastel? We decide. A...
The January 2020 Episode
January 12, 2020 12:55 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBIn this episode, we field a few pressing (not really) questions from readers (not really, the editors did that) instead of the usual “New Year, New Me” features. This month we have lots of dark paint colors instead of the usual white, including a purple/blue that Rob tags for love and J. tags for hate. Yet paint can lids are in scarce supply. We range from tips on cleaning (when should I clean?) to tips on landscaping (native plants all the way) but end with a throwback feature that is too re...
The December 2019 Episode
December 07, 2019 12:55 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBIt's December once again and we're in the holiday spirit...and into the holiday spirits with Rob's family recipe for egg nog. We have a few glasses and dish up our opinions on the latest issue of BH&G. There's a lot of Christmas and not many of our usual features, like I Did It or paint can lids. Instead we get lots of snow-white rooms warmed by holiday colors, even some non-traditional hues which is nice. Tag for love! Tag for hate on the oversized 5th grade play decorations. Sorry we weren'...
The August 2019 Episode
August 01, 2019 09:00 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBWe're in the summer doldrums (but savoring them) so we're going shirtless for this episode! Why not enjoy a few stone fruit margaritas (inspired by the August issue's articles on peaches and plums, and how to throw an ice cream social) and hang out topless with your cohost? This month, we dive into beekeeping and hot beekeepers (new fetish alert!), why you should invest in your laundry room, and OCD pantry organization. The Color of the Year makes a return after a nine-month hiatus, the Edi...
The July 2019 Episode
July 01, 2019 12:28 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBIn our July 2019 episode, we have a summer surprise! Special guest host Bob Brink fills in for Rob while he recuperates from a solstice cold. Bob, who also happens to be J.’s husband, is a fine wine buyer and hospitality expert. He’s also not a regular BHG magazine reader, but you know what, sometimes an honest outside opinion is refreshing…like the Sandy Bottom, a watermelon-flavored signature cocktail. We talk frankly about hot dogs, toppings (of course), where not to put your child during ...
The June 2019 Episode
June 13, 2019 10:55 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBt's LGBTQ Pride Month and Rob and J. search desperately for some signs of gay life in this month's magazine. Though there's little to be found on the pages, there's plenty of love at the bottom of their cocktail glasses (thanks to the strawberry basil smash cocktails, lifted from the recipe section). J. explains why this episode was delayed and shares a very painful housing-related memory. Rob gets tongue-tied over a supergay font but otherwise feels kinda "meh," especially about all the #whi...
The May 2019 Episode
May 03, 2019 11:05 - 1 hour - 55 MBIn this episode: Deception! Lies! Big baskets! Secrets revealed! But even those might be another deception. As Rob pours Kentucky Derby mint juleps made gayer with lavender and berries, J. digs up memories of a childhood dinner gone horribly wrong. (This is the Food Issue, after all.) We discuss what charities really want (NOT your #KonMari non-joyful items), what no one wants (Grandma’s silver trays), an instant classic color scheme, and another hot male gardener. (Brace yourselves for that ...
Sidebar: Purple As A Neutral/Friends/Rent
April 24, 2019 11:05 - 9 minutes - 9.11 MBIf you listened to our April 2019 episode, you heard us discuss the "New Neutrals" article, about redefining what a neutral color is and how to make any color a neutral (in theory.) That led us to a sidebar conversation that didn't quite fit into the main episode (hello, tangent!) but did show our pop culture side. We'll be back with our May 2019 full-length episode very soon! Music by Bensound.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The April 2019 Episode
April 04, 2019 11:05 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBKids these days... In our April 2019 episode, we become art critics, in that it's the Art of Color issue and we're highly critical. How many Tags For Hate can one episode handle? Apparently pink is here to stay (baloney is so on trend right now), beige is back (thank you Gen X), anything can be a neutral, and the most exciting thing about spring is cleaning your toilet. Oh, and the Could Be Better Department of Outdoor Living really needs you to turn in the paperwork attesting that you've dec...
The March 2019 Episode
March 01, 2019 12:01 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBThis month we make sure you're a real trendoid by dissecting our most (and least) favorite so-called trends from BHG's Trend issue. We're dubious about '70's glam (curate it, please), all-in on mural wallpapers, and totally over a certain color--this time, even the #houseplants get in on the action. Rob is only here for the zoodles, while J. does something unconventional and has to get something off his chest. And which of these trends did we totally call in our January live episode? Remember...
The February 2019 Episode
February 14, 2019 12:14 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBWelcome to Season Two of Could Be Better! If a certain #3 magazine is still pumpin' out issues, we're still pumpin' out episodes. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Rob brews up a red signature cocktail to get your blood racing: a Mid-Hudson Mule. They do pack a kick, because it takes us about three sips to start talking dirty about the February issue. Though lacy envelopes don't do it for us, we do fall for a white-on-white room (don't worry, it's a guest space so it's OK), a kitchen makeover...
The January 2019 Episode
January 22, 2019 12:05 - 1 hour - 73.2 MBTo celebrate our one-year anniversary, we recorded our January 2019 episode live at the Crafted Kup Coffeehouse in Poughkeepsie New York! And because we had a captive audience (and a timer!) we touched on a only a few highlights from the BHG magazine, instead of letting ourselves ramble for hours. Guests got to see the pages with us in a slideshow--which you can also check out on our website! We also asked for listener submissions for what we called the "You Did It!" section. To wrap up, we d...
The Citrus Surprise Holiday Bonus Episode
December 18, 2018 12:05 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MBHappy holidays, party people! Here’s our gift to you, a special bonus episode to tide you over while we take a little Christmas break (there’s a lot of eggnog and pom-ginger shandies to drink). We’re also putting this out there because we won’t have a new episode later this month since we’re talking about the January issue (which already arrived in our mailboxes) during our LIVE episode taping on January 18th. And boy, do we have a LOT to say about January! In this bonus ep, we un-sidebar t...
The December 2018 Episode
December 06, 2018 12:30 - 1 hour - 62.2 MBOh, the irony! We've been looking forward to the December issue all year, and then when it arrives (super-late, for Rob) we get...more pink. Can we please declare a new It color for 2019? J. and Rob unwrap a holiday surprise when Santa reveals the hottest seasonal decorating trend: not using red and green. Stuff your stockings with thumbprint cookies, pom-poms, pom-ginger cocktails, water bottles (sooo romantic!) and clothespin dolls--if you're lucky to get them at the craft swap party. J. sh...
The November 2018 Episode
October 29, 2018 10:55 - 1 hour - 60 MBIn our November 2018 episode, we switch things up and hang out at J's house, where green is a neutral. We tried hard but we could not find many tags for hate in this issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine! Maybe it's because we both love Thanksgiving so much. Maybe it's because the issue was mostly about the food (though we did do a fun recipe tasting at J's house--check our YouTube channel for that)! Never fear, we managed to find plenty to talk about: more white walls and big art, pumpkin...
The October 2018 Episode
October 11, 2018 11:55 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBIn the October 2018 episode of Could Be Better, we try to be a little nicer, a little more helpful, and a little less judgy. But that's no fun so we quickly devolve to our usual cocktail-fueled opinions. Though the cover of this month's Better Homes and Gardens mag has us hopeful for autumn color--and the Halloween features are on point--our time machine has us trapped in the horrors of 1970's design. Dark colors, spider-thin staircase railings, and ghostly-white walls play up the witchy vibe...
The September 2018 Episode
September 07, 2018 11:00 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBIn our September episode, we plant the seeds for fall with a new focus on decor. (Foodies, don't worry: check out our YouTube channel for our monthly recipe tastings). Rob mixes up a signature cocktail inspired by this BH&G issue's global flair (a Chocolate Spice martini) but J's excited by this month's Editor's Letter: cue another dramatic reading! In this Stylemaker issue, white walls reign supreme, purple is a neutral, citrine green and peacock blue are "it" shades, kitchens suffer from vi...
The August 2018 Episode
August 03, 2018 11:55 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBIn our August 2018 episode, the magazine leaves us thirsty (only one beverage recipe, and it’s plain ole iced tea) so Rob creates his own signature cocktail–the Salty Be-otch–inspired by this month’s paint can lid hues. After sampling another array of excellent foods from Chef Tim, J. confesses that he forgot his magazine…and it’s all downhill from there. Before the pitchers of peach-flavored cocktails run out, we discuss hazardous ottomans, outdoor showers, the #partyboard trend that just wo...
Mini Episode: YouTube House/Before & After
July 20, 2018 21:00 - 15 minutes - 13.7 MBIn this bonus episode we're featuring two segments from our July 2018 episode taping that didn't make the cut (because we can't stop blabbing). These are a little more design-y in nature, and they share a few common themes: white on white (on white...) kitchens, "rustic" wood and a little more womp-womp talk about our least favorite big-name designer (guess who). Plus, Rob picks out a decor trick that he knows J. will totally, totally hate...and he's right. Watch the feed for our August 2018 ...
The July 2018 Episode
July 07, 2018 00:53 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBIt's the summer/gay pride issue we were all waiting for (and didn't get in June). We hit record on a 100-degree afternoon as Rob pours us a berry lemonade martini inspired by the "Burger Bash" feature. Tim serves lighter-than-they-look snacks by the pool before we escape the heat to the cool confines of our recording spot. The lemonade has us in high gear before we even get past the Editor's Letter and we wind up with our naughtiest episode ever! Listener discretion is advised. We get kinky (...
Mini Episode: The New Victorihemians
June 21, 2018 11:55 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBThe new what? In this segment from the June 2018 episode, Rob and J. own up to confused feelings about "The Natural Life" feature on page 116 of the Better Homes & Gardens June 2018 issue. Meet the forager family behind the Insta account Fox Meets Bear and decide for yourself if their style is 1980's "Country Living," an update on Victorian naturalism, trapped-in-the-70's-Woodstock--or do we have it totally wrong? (J. provides a little corrective at the end of this mini episode.) By the end, ...
The June 2018 Issue
May 31, 2018 12:05 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBIn this episode of Could Be Better, it's time for Gay Pride Month, but something's a little amiss. There's only one rainbow in the whole issue, the recipes feature low-alcohol cocktails, and the Editor's Letter leaves us filled with regret. We're determined to make it #werk, however, so we plow on while sipping this month's signature cocktail, the Tito's Smash (courtesy of the back cover...we're making a real difference, girls). We take a trip back to the mid-80's for color trends, swoon over...
Mini Episode: Untucked
May 17, 2018 12:55 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBThis episode is extraaaah! Here are two segments that didn't make it into the main May episode: our convo about the Before & After segment, and a featured food article (with gorgeous wallpaper-worthy pics by Con Poulos). The main theme of these two "cut" bits. Call us the Hardy Boys, because we finally solved the mystery of why most men photographed for the magazine have to untuck their button-down shirts. Plus: stacked tiles, tulip tables, naked vegetables, and the first "fancy" wine that Ro...
The May 2018 Issue
May 03, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBIn this episode of Could Be Better, we pregame with the classic Tulip cocktail as featured in the magazine and the brandy goes straight to our heads. We imagine that our podcast has made an impact on the editors since the issue is a) all about tulips b) much more diverse and c) a greatest hits of the past few issues: dark wallpapers, a return to paint can lid color samples, painted kitchen cabinets and dads with untucked shirts. Plus, an "I Did It" neither of us have done, what party hosts lo...
Extra Episode (3a): Pink and Blue
April 17, 2018 12:55 - 8 minutes - 7.97 MBThis episode is extraaah! We’re sharing our uncut conversation about the “Colorful Past” feature in the April 2018 issue. You heard a little bit of it during Episode 3 but we cut a bunch out to fit (because as you know we always run long) and we didn't have a lot to like (Rob didn't even tag it!). But, as you listeners keep saying, you like it when we don't like stuff, so…here it is. Grab an extra cocktail and have a listen. We’ll be back in just a few short weeks with more drinks, more dish,...
The April 2018 Issue
March 30, 2018 00:09 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBIn this episode of Could Be Better, we introduce a new feature--a signature cocktail (or two). After we pre-game with a sparkling pomegranate cocktail, we hit record, open the April issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, and start on a few shakers full of Earl Grey tea martinis. Things quickly devolve to discussing whether or not to chop up your leather chaps to make vases, installing wallpaper on your ceiling, the I Did It we've all done, and a disagreement over color that may end Rob and...
The March 2018 Issue
February 28, 2018 03:46 - 1 hour - 61 MBIn this episode of Could Be Better, we delve into the March 2018 issue of Better Homes & Gardens: the gardening issue. For the first time in the magazine's history (as far as we know) there's a single (as in, photographed alone) hot guy on the cover! It's all about the boys in this episode, plus more #houseplants, the horrors of vinyl shutters, and navy as a neutral. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Could Be Better, Part 2 (Thirty Thousand Things Episode 9b)
February 28, 2018 03:39 - 1 hour - 38.6 MBThis is part 2 of the original Thirty Thousand Things episode, which functions as the pilot episode for Could Be Better. "When we move on to examining the January 2018 issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, the gloves come off and we really spill the tea about what we think of it. But it comes from a place of love. Really." We delve into baskety pendants, where to put the lube, #houseplants, and, though we're both firmly out of the closet, the most remarkable closets your houseguests have ...
Could Be Better, Part 1 (Thirty Thousand Things Episode 9a)
February 28, 2018 03:34 - 21 minutes - 20 MBThis intro episode is really Episode 9 of J. Dewey's podcast "Thirty Thousand Things," which was all about the emotional connections people have with the things in their homes. "I interview my good friend Rob (over cocktails) about his huge collection of back issues of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and we discuss our shared love for the magazine and others like it. When we move on to examining the January 2018 issue, the gloves come off and we really spill the tea about what we think of ...