8/1 - A Restaurant Ruined My Life

"I was Don Quixote. I was chasing a windmill. I didn’t see the obstacles in my way."

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Robert Maxwell, photographed by Dave Gillespie for Toronto Life

With zero experience running a professional kitchen, home cook Robert Maxwell poured his life savings into his passion project: a gastropub-inspired Toronto restaurant. It became a crash-course in coping with stress, managing his cashflow, and curbing his ego.

In this funny, forthright interview with Olly, Robert reveals how chasing a dream led to him selling his house, hitting the bottle and falling out of love with the thing he loved the most... cooking.

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Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers whether or not he is a B.U.M.M.E.R after reading Jaron Lanier’s new book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now.

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The Beech Tree, Robert's restaurant, is still open in Toronto - under new management

Elsewhere, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from co-hosting Radio 1’s new podcast Unexpected Fluids - advises a Mann-fan on the best techniques for couples to get jiggy… when you’re both fat.

We’re delighted that, for another series, The Foxhole is being supported by our friends at MyCondom.com - remember to use our discount code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF your basket at Checkout.

Also this week, in the Lifehack, uncover some top meditation tips, courtesy of Zoe from The Refinery, Hackney.

The Lifehack is sponsored by Podcast Lounge - the new podcatcher app for Windows 10 devices. Get your free trial at the Windows App Store now.

Finally, our record of the week is a stonking track for the Summer - ‘Violet City’ by Mansionair, available to stream courtesy of Glassnote Entertainment:

Enjoying the show? Support us! Consider taking out a beer money subscription, sponsoring an episode, or leaving us a review wherever you get your podcasts.

And, if YOU have a suggestion for a future guest, a question of sex for Alix or a challenge for Ollie, please fill out our Feedback form. 

Our thanks to Toronto Life, who first published an article by Robert Maxwell, bringing his story to our attention. 

See You Next Tuesday!

7/10 - Hands-On Dad

Ben Ryan’s two year-old son, Sol, was born with a blood clot in his arm.

Following amputation, the medical advice was to wait until Sol’s third birthday before fitting a prosthetic that grabs. But former psychology teacher Ben saw the developmental benefit of acting much sooner...

In this astonishing interview with Olly, he recalls his rollercoaster of emotions when Sol was born; the sponge ‘arm’ he initially bodged together with cotton wool and Micropore tape; and how he learned to use 3D printing and CAD software to help Sol and other children around the world.

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Ben’s business, Ambionics, involves parents in early rehabilitation and ultimately aims to develop printable hydraulic arms for babies at low clinical cost. He’s a finalist in the 2018 Nesta Inventor Prize, and is currently seeking more funding.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the real meaning of his SMS exchanges with Olly, using ‘texting relationship analyzer’ app Crushh; tests out Sandow's fizzy cold brew coffee; and explores the trend for ‘fashion drops’. If you have a challenge for Ollie to try for our next season, reach out via our Feedback form.

Elsewhere, in an especially NSFW edition of The Foxhole, Alix Fox provides an erotic review of podcasts and audiobooks designed for aural foreplay. On the menu: Rose Carraway’s ‘Kiss Me Quick’; Girl On The Net’s audio hub; Peach Booth podcast ‘Sugarcast’; Bijoux Indiscret’s Orgasm Sound Library, and the Reddit Gone Wild collection. If you have a question of sex for Alix, submit it via our Feedback form today - you can remain anonymous if you wish.

Many thanks to MyCondom.com for their sponsorship of The Foxhole throughout this series. They have an incredible range of toys, lube and contraceptives at great value prices, and they dispatch in discreet packaging. Remember, you get 15% OFF your entire order if you use our discount code, ‘FOXHOLE’.

For this week’s Lifehack, food and drinks journalist Johanna Derry offers up her Top 3 tips on how to get the best meal when eating out - check the quality of the ingredients, don’t put up with a snooty atmosphere, and ignore the hype! 

Our record of the week, 'Next Day' from solo artist Inner Tongue, is out soon on Mount Silver Records. But you can check out his other great work now... here's the video for 'Teeth', also off his forthcoming debut album:

If you would like to sponsor a future edition of the show, or if you have a suggestion for a future guest, please be in touch via the Feedback form.

And, if you enjoy the show, please consider buying us a beer - you can do it monthly, as a one-off amount or via PayPal. Your donations keep us going, thirty episodes per year. Thanks!

That’s it for this season of The Modern Mann - we’ll be back for our eighth season on June 26th.

7/9 - The Declutterer

‘You can’t organise around clutter. It’s impossible.’

Former investment banker Nicola Lewis likes to organise. Which is just as well, because the demand for decluttering has never been higher.

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Her clients might be coping with a bereavement, and the resultant truckload of unwanted furniture; or just moving house after decades of unintentional hoarding.

As she explains to Olly in this laid-back chat, Nicola's skills lie in helping folks decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw out…

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* NEW: You can now also listen to the show via our new Alexa Skill on your Alexa-enabled device. Get it here.

Ollie Peart on stage at Spark London

Elsewhere this episode, Ollie Peart returns from trying his hand at a spoken word evening to flag up this week’s trends in The Zeitgeist. To wit: the return of the bucket hat, and a revival for passive-view telly… in your internet browser.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox considers the internal workings of the clitoris, and whether a trans-man’s clit might continue to expand inside his body as a result of taking testosterone.

(The Foxhole is, as ever, proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. Remember to use our discount code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF).

In this week’s Lifehack, Natasha Lombe from RemyHairClub reveals her Top 3 tips for choosing a wig: select your material carefully, bear the climate in mind and scan social media for inspiration! (Speaking of which, you can check out Natasha @remyhairclub on Instagram.)

Finally, our record of the week is by rising LA producer Hoodboi. It’s called Long Distance, and it’s the third single from his upcoming EP, out May 22nd on Fool’s Gold records:

That's it for this week - but, if you have a question for Alix, a challenge for Ollie or would like to suggest a future interview for Olly, just fill in our Feedback form.

And, if you enjoy the show, please vote for us to win the Listener Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards: BritishPodcastAwards.com/Vote.

Thanks!

See You Next Tuesday.

7/8 - Cloudspotting

‘I just feel like there’s lots of spaces where I don’t belong, and I’m not welcome’

Professional dancer Raquel Meseguer had back surgery at the age of thirty, to treat chronic neuropathic pain. But, it didn’t alleviate her symptoms.

In this insightful interview with Olly, she explains how this bombshell has impacted upon the daily practicalities of her life, why she doesn’t feel welcome in our ‘vertical culture’, and how well-meaning members of the public have repeatedly shamed her for committing the cardinal sin of... lying down.

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If you’d like to find out more about Raquel’s quest to establish a network of public resting spaces, visit uncharteredcollective.com

In this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart ponders the emergence of trendy ‘microbrands’ on Instagram, reveals a surprising sensitivity to salt, and undertakes a challenge to test the best recipe boxes on the market. (On the list: Hello Fresh, Gousto, Mindful Chef, Born And Bred and Bakedin)

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox is back on Bumble but avoiding ‘The Tinder Trance’, and ready to advise a listener keen to explore the world of tantric sex.

The Foxhole, as ever, is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - visit their store to get your mitts on an astonishing range of condoms, lubes and toys; and remember to use our code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF.

In this week’s Lifehack, Jenni Gwiazdowski of the London Bike Kitchen offers up her Top 3 tips on keeping your bike happy - pump your tyres, clean your chain, and take your bike into the shower (really). To hear more from Jenni, check out her podcast ‘Wheel Suckers’.

Finally, our record of the week is ‘Glue’, by Toronto-based band Bernice:

If you’d like to offer your services as a sponsor or Mannbassador, or you'd like to propose a trend challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, or a guest suggestion for Olly, just fill in our feedback form. 

This week’s show is supported by Harrys. Alix Fox uses their razors on her muff. To get started shaving with Harry’s today, claim your Trial Set for £3.95. It includes a razor handle, 5-blade cartridge, foaming shave gel and travel blade cover – all delivered to your door.

See You Next Tuesday!

7/7 - The Ten Commandments of Touring

‘Why do bands break up? Why do people go insane on the road? Because it’s such an intense bubble of life’

Tom Meadows and Olly Mann

Being in a band - on a world tour - is the stuff rock n roll dreams are made of. But the contemporary reality is a corporate concern, involving hundreds of people, all separated from their families. Surviving is an art in itself.

Tom Meadows is a freelance drummer who's worked with Girls Aloud, Duffy, Leona Lewis, and - for the past nine years - Kylie Minogue.

What are his top tips to keeping your cool when you're out on the road? And how does Pink Floyd's 'Ten Commandments of Touring' mantra stack up in the modern era?

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The Ten Tour Commandments, as seen in the exhibition Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains at the V&A

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* NEW: You can now also listen to the show via our new Alexa Skill on your Alexa-enabled device. Get it here.

Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart, standing beneath a mid-sized billboard of his own face, champions 'FaceGyms' and mines his own data  with typical journalistic rigour.

If you have a challenge for Ollie or a trend you'd like him to explore in next week's Zeitgeist, get in touch.

Olly and Ollie bear witness to a mid-sized billboard of Ollie's face. In Slough.

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox recounts how a list-based podcast brought her together with Gail Porter, and advises a male listener who wants to spend more time wearing women's panties.

Thanks once again to MyCondom.com for their sponsorship of the Foxhole - remember, if you want condoms, they should be your first port of call - and you get 15% off when you use our discount code 'FOXHOLE', just for being a Mann-fan!

If you have a question of sex for Alix, get in touch here. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

Also, in this week's Lifehack, Dominika Piasecka, Media & PR Officer at The Vegan Society, offers up her three top tips to help YOU go vegan.

Finally, our record of the week is from Ellevator, an experimental-pop band from Hamilton, Ontario. The track’s called Voices, and they’re on tour now:

Olly and Alix's favourite 90s choon

That's it for this week's show, but if you've enjoyed it, please do share it with your friends on social media, leave us a five-star review on iTunes, or support the show directly by buying us a beer.

We're an independent podcast and it's only thanks to the donations of Mann-fans like you that we are able to produce 30 episodes per year. Thanks.

See You Next Tuesday!