Advertise on podcast: REal Talk with Kandi and Garrett

🎙️ Join Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett for our Candidate Crawl interview with Alison Lafayne, a write-in candidate for Ione City Council who previously served on the council until July 2026. 🏡 Alison brings her own perspective on the council and the community she hopes to serve again. Hear why Ione means so much to her, what’s motivating her to run, and insights we haven’t heard from other candidates. ❤️ She also shares her journey to Ione and the remarkable recovery from a health condition that she describes as miraculous. It’s a personal part of her story you won’t want to miss. 🎥 Watch Alison’s interview:https://youtu.be/Exk99PF69aA 📲 Connect with Alison on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594909414149 📋 Find county candidate information through the “Candidate Information” section of Amador County’s election page:https://www.amadorcounty.gov/government/elections/current-and-upcoming-elections/2026-general-election 🇺🇸 What is Candidate Crawl? We sit down with the people who want to lead our communities so you can hear their stories, understand their perspectives, and make informed voting decisions. Get to know the candidates, ask questions, and do your research! 🎙️ Missed Friday’s podcast? Kandi and Garrett talk about the importance of voting and how their own voting journeys began. Watch here:https://youtu.be/Yn_LvVhhHAM?si=RdYh91AidwQCuHX1 🗳️ Get out and VOTE on November 3rd! 👍 Like, share, and subscribe to help more neighbors find these conversations. 🔗 Follow Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #CandidateCrawl #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #AlisonLafayne #IoneCityCouncil #IoneCA #AmadorCounty #VoteNovember3

🎙️ Join Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett for another Candidate Crawl interview as we sit down with Amador County native Raymond Estey to hear why he’s running and what serving his hometown means to him. 🇺🇸 Public service runs in his family! His father previously served on the Plymouth City Council and as a school board trustee. Now, Raymond has reached a chapter in his life where he has the opportunity to serve the community that helped raise him. ❤️ Hear about his local roots, his reasons for running, and his excitement about giving back to a community that has given so much to him. 📲 Connect with Raymond on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594072095904 🗳️ Visit Amador County Elections for candidate information and resources to connect with candidates directly:https://www.amadorcounty.gov/government/elections/ 🎥 Why Candidate Crawl? We want you to get to know the people running for office, hear their perspectives, and make informed voting decisions. Watch, ask questions, do your research, and remember to VOTE! 👍 Like this interview, share it with your neighbors, and subscribe for more local conversations! 🔗 Follow Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #CandidateCrawl #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #RaymondEstey #PlymouthCA #AmadorCounty #CityCouncil #LocalElections

🗳️ Four years of experience. What’s next for Plymouth? 🎙️ Join Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett for another Candidate Crawl interview! We sit down with Wendy Bottomley, incumbent Plymouth City Council member running for her second term. 🏡 Hear how Wendy’s journey brought her to Amador County, what her experience serving on the Plymouth City Council has been like, and what her plans are for the next four years if reelected. 📲 Have questions for Wendy? Visit her campaign website to learn more and find her contact information:https://wendyforplymouth.com 🇺🇸 Candidate Crawl is about getting to know the people who want to lead our communities. We give candidates an opportunity to share their stories and perspectives so you can make informed decisions at the ballot box. 💬 What questions matter most to you about Plymouth’s future? Share them in the comments! 👍 Like, share, and subscribe for more Candidate Crawl interviews. Do your research, get involved, and remember to VOTE! 🗳️ 🔗 Follow Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #CandidateCrawl #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #WendyBottomley #PlymouthCA #AmadorCounty #PlymouthCityCouncil #LocalElections

🎙️ In Season 2, Episode 51 of Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett, we’re breaking down why voting matters and why taking the time to participate is so important! 🏘️ From our local communities to the bigger picture, voting gives us a say in the decisions that shape our future. Pull up a seat for a real conversation about showing up, making informed choices, and making your voice count. 🔎 Research your ballot.💬 Ask questions.🗳️ Vote with purpose! Whatever your political views, we encourage you to get informed and participate! 🇺🇸 👇 What motivates YOU to vote? Tell us in the comments, and keep the conversation respectful! 👍 Like this episode📲 Share it with a friend🔔 Subscribe for more Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett! 🔗 Find our episodes and connect with us:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #WhyVote #YourVoiceMatters #GetInformed #Season2Episode51

🎙️ We feel so blessed that Steve Hilton took the time to join Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett for our Candidate Crawl series! In this short but sweet interview, he shares his vision for California and what he would work to change if elected Governor. For us, this conversation goes beyond party labels. It’s about the concerns affecting Californians every day: 💸 The high cost of living🔥 Wildfire prevention and resource management📈 Rising insurance costs🏡 The housing affordability crisis💰 The tax burden on families and businesses Regardless of where you stand politically, these issues deserve real conversations and clear answers. We believe California needs change, and we want to hear directly from the people asking to lead our state. 👀 Tune in to hear what that change could look like under Steve Hilton’s leadership, explore his priorities, and decide for yourself. ▶️ Watch the full interview:https://youtu.be/FHt5-2A_dR4 🌐 Learn more about Steve Hilton’s platform and proposals:https://stevehiltonforgovernor.com/ 💬 What issue matters most to you when it comes to California’s future? Tell us in the comments! 🔔 Subscribe to Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett, follow along with Candidate Crawl, and share this interview so more people can join the conversation! #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #CandidateCrawl #SteveHilton #CaliforniaGovernor #CaliforniaPolitics

🎙️ What a pleasure it was to welcome Congressional Candidate Michael Masuda to Studio 49 for Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett’s Candidate Crawl series! 🇺🇸 We sat down with Michael to hear about his Amador County roots, his journey to running for California’s 5th Congressional District, and what he hopes to accomplish for our communities if elected. 🤔 What should our county expect from its representative in Washington? How can that position bring resources and opportunities back home? In this interview, Michael shares his ideas for: 🔥 Pursuing federal grants to help our communities prevent wildfires🏡 Addressing housing challenges📈 Tackling high insurance costs💼 Supporting local jobs and our economy🏛️ Making federal resources work for the communities he hopes to represent 🗳️ Candidate Crawl is here to help you make informed voting decisions. Regardless of your party, take the time to hear directly from the candidates, ask questions, research their proposals, and decide who best represents your priorities. ▶️ Watch the full interview:https://youtu.be/HhRLKsWD1Qk 🌐 Explore Michael’s campaign, priorities, and ways to get involved:https://www.votemasuda.com/ 📍 Sign up for campaign updates and event invitations to learn when he’ll be in your area. Attend an event, bring your questions, or explore volunteer opportunities! 💬 What would you like your congressional representative to prioritize for Amador County? Let us know in the comments. 🔔 Subscribe, follow, and share Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett to help more neighbors get to know the people asking to lead! #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #CandidateCrawl #MichaelMasuda #AmadorCounty #CaliforniaDistrict5 #Studio49

🚗 Let’s take a trip down memory lane with Kandi & Garrett! From our very first cars to what we drive today, we’re sharing the rides and memories along the way on Episode 50, Season 2 of Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett! Do you name your cars? Do you switch rides often or drive them until they die? Are you all about American muscle, or do European cars have your heart? 🏁 Drop your first car and the year you got it in the comments! We want to hear your stories! 👇 📺 Watch here: https://youtu.be/9ufhcn0tg3c 🎙️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow us on social media, and share this episode with a friend who loves talking cars! 🗳️ We’re also currently in the running for TopHost and the chance to win an iHeartRadio-produced podcast! We’d love your vote for Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett. Click below to support us, and share the voting link with your friends! Vote here: https://tophost.org/2026/kandi-thompson Thank you for watching, listening, voting, and cheering us on. We appreciate your support! ❤️

🎙️ Join Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett as we sit down with Susan Feist, a current Sutter Creek City Council member running for re-election! Susan is also the winemaker at Feist Wines, with a background in local business and city government. 🗳️ Get to know Susan ahead of the November 3 election! ▶️ Watch Susan’s interview:https://youtu.be/5JVhvWxY4s4 📧 Public business email: [email protected]. 💬 Watch, share, and join the conversation!🔗 Find more Real Talk episodes: https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg

🎙️ Kandi & Garrett sit down with Mayla Swift-Burgess, who is running for Sutter Creek City Council! Mayla is a certified public accountant with Castillo, Bordwell & Swift CPAs, and her professional experience includes local government auditing which she feels would be beneficial on the City Council. 🗳️ Get to know Mayla ahead of the November 3 election! ▶️ Watch Mayla’s interview:https://youtu.be/3h8UQsb9JhU 📲 Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayla.swift📧 Public candidate email: [email protected]. 💬 Watch, share, and join the conversation!🔗 Find more Real Talk episodes: https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg

🎙️Aaron Linker, an Amador High School graduate and Sutter Creek resident, joins Kandi & Garrett to talk about his run for Sutter Creek City Council! He’s excited to see younger generations begin playing a role in local politics and getting involved in their community. 🗳️ ▶️ Watch Aaron’s interview:https://youtu.be/IDZXNYPMZ2o 📲 Connect with Aaron on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/hello.im.aaron 📧 Email Aaron: [email protected] 💬 Watch, share, and tell us what matters most to you!🔗 Find more Real Talk episodes: https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg

🎙️ From Kandi’s front office to our own studio, we’re looking back at how Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett began and what we’ve learned along the way! In honor of International Podcast Day on September 30, Episode 49 of Season 2 takes you behind the scenes of our podcast journey. 🎬 We’re talking lighting, cameras, stands, microphones, programs, and the tools that have helped us keep growing. If you’ve thought about starting a podcast or wondered what goes into ours, come join the conversation! 🎧 ▶️ Watch Episode 49, Season 2:https://youtu.be/u6HY13XHptI 💬 Have questions about any equipment or programs we use? Drop them in the comments or email us!📧 [email protected] Follow along on our journey!👍 Like this video🔔 Subscribe to our channel📲 Follow us on your favorite platforms↗️ Share with someone who’s thinking about starting a podcast! 🔗 Find all our platforms and catch up on Real Talk:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #InternationalPodcastDay #StartingAPodcast #PodcastEquipment #BehindTheScenes

Is the real estate market crazy right now… or are buyers and sellers just playing by two completely different sets of rules? 🏡📈 Kandi & Garrett break down what we’re actually seeing in the market every single day. In Episode 48 of Season 2 of Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett, we’re talking about the market we’re experiencing every single day as REALTORS® in Northern California. No crystal ball. No pretending we know exactly what comes next. We’re sitting in the same shoes as real estate professionals across the country, navigating changing interest rates, buyer hesitation, seller expectations, affordability, inventory, negotiations, and a market that can feel completely different from one property to the next. In this episode, we dive into: 🏡 What we’re seeing from buyers right now🏡 What sellers need to understand about today’s market📉 Interest rates and how they’re affecting decisions💰 Pricing, offers, negotiations, and affordability📊 What we’re experiencing in our Northern California market🔮 What we think could happen next, without pretending we can predict the future💡 Strategies buyers and sellers can consider in the current market🎙️ And plenty of real-world perspective from two REALTORS® living this market every day This isn’t a national market report filled with predictions. It’s the real estate world according to Kandi & Garrett, based on what we’re seeing, hearing, and experiencing firsthand. Kandi Thompson and Garrett Gray are Northern California REALTORS® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Divine Properties. 🎥 WATCH THE FULL EPISODE:https://youtu.be/HMolSaqU6kU 🔗 FIND REAL TALK ON ALL PLATFORMS:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg If you enjoy Real Talk, SUBSCRIBE to the channel, LIKE this episode, SHARE it with someone thinking about buying or selling, and drop a COMMENT below. What are YOU seeing in the real estate market where you live? Are you buying, selling, waiting, or trying to figure out what your next move should be? Real Talk with Kandi & GarrettReal life. Real stories. Real conversations.New episodes every Friday. #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #RealEstateMarket #NorthernCaliforniaRealEstate #RealEstate #HomeBuying #HomeSelling #InterestRates #Realtor #CaliforniaRealEstate #BerkshireHathawayHomeServices

✨ WE STRUCK GOLD IN IONE! ✨ This week on Getting to Know Amador County, Kandi & Garrett are heading to Ione to visit the new and improved Gold’s Bakery at 31 E. Main Street! ▶️ WATCH THE FULL EPISODE:https://youtu.be/bovqtOHOklc 🔗 FOLLOW REAL TALK ON ALL PLATFORMS:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg Gold’s Bakery is more than just a bakery. It’s part of a longtime, generational Ione family continuing to invest in the community they call home. We sit down with Ronnie Gold and take you inside their beautifully renovated location to see what they’re bringing to Main Street Ione. 🥪 Sandwiches🥗 Fresh salads🍪 Sweet treats🥐 Cinnamon rolls🥖 Spectacular loaves of fresh bread…and plenty more! 📍 Gold’s Bakery31 E. Main St., Ione, CA ⏰ Tuesday–Saturday | 10:30 AM–4:30 PM🎉 Special events available on Sundays and Mondays Come along as we meet Ronnie, tour the new space, talk about the Gold family’s roots in Ione, and show you why we think you just might STRIKE GOLD when you stop by! Getting to Know Amador County takes you inside the people, places, businesses and stories that make our small towns special. If you love discovering Amador County with us: 👍 LIKE the video💬 COMMENT with your favorite thing from Gold’s Bakery📲 SHARE this episode🔔 SUBSCRIBE and follow along as we continue Getting to Know Amador County! #GoldsBakery #IoneCA #AmadorCounty #GettingToKnowAmadorCounty #IoneCalifornia #ShopLocal #SupportLocal #SmallTownCalifornia #NorthernCalifornia #AmadorCountyCA #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett

📼Home Videos, Protecting Our Kids Online, Email Scams & a Military Scam You Need to Hear About🚨 Some episodes have a plan. This one went wherever the conversation took us. Episode 47 of Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett is very real, very unscripted, open and honest. We’re talking about memories, our kids, technology, scams, online safety and a story involving military members that you’re going to want to hear. ▶️ WATCH THE FULL EPISODE:https://youtu.be/v6sTPElraSk It all started when Kandi came across old home videos of her girls from about 21 years ago. The little voices. The personalities. The everyday moments you think you’ll remember forever, until suddenly two decades have passed. That led us to a conversation we think every parent should hear: 📹 VIDEO YOUR KIDS.Not just the birthdays, graduations and big events. Record the ordinary days too. Their voices. Their laughs. The silly things they say. The way they interact with each other. Someday, those ordinary moments may become the videos you treasure most. And if your family memories are still sitting on VHS tapes, MiniDV tapes or other old formats, this is your reminder to think about converting them to digital before those memories become harder to access. Then the conversation takes a completely different turn. 🚨 We’re talking scams, online predators and protecting our kids. How do we teach kids to recognize that the person behind a screen may not be who they claim to be? What red flags should parents be watching for? And how do we have those conversations without assuming our kids already understand the risks? We also get into: 📧 Email scams and the red flags we’re seeing🔐 Protecting personal information online👧 Helping kids recognize potentially dangerous online interactions📱 Why parents need to stay involved in their kids’ digital lives🎖️ A long-running scam targeting military members and families😂 And, because this is Real Talk, plenty of completely unscripted conversation along the way NOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:What are YOU doing to protect your kids from online predators? Drop it in the comments. Your suggestion might help another parent. Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett is about real life, real stories and real conversations. No scripts. No pretending we have everything figured out. Just the same kinds of conversations you’d have sitting around with friends. 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, talking about everyday life and whatever gets us talking that week. 👍 Like this episode💬 Join the conversation📲 Share it with someone who needs to hear it🔔 SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss the next Real Talk Friday Missed an episode? Go back and catch up on the ones you’ve missed. And you can find Real Talk with Kandi & Garrett across all of our platforms. 🔗 Real Talk Links:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett #RealTalk #Podcast #HomeVideos #FamilyMemories #OnlineSafety #ProtectOurKids #OnlinePredators #EmailScams #ScamAwareness #MilitaryScams #Parenting #DigitalSafety #RealConversations #PodcastFriday

🎓 Who is James Marzano, and after nearly eight years on the Amador County Unified School District Board, why does he want to keep doing this work? In this Real Talk Candidate Crawl with Kandi & Garrett, we sit down with James Marzano, District 3 School Board representative, to get beyond the board meetings and decisions and learn about the person who has spent nearly eight years serving our local schools and is now set to serve another four-year term uncontested. 🗳️ 🇺🇸 Veteran. 👨‍👧‍👦 Father. 🏈 Football coach. 🏫 School Board member. 🤝 Active community member. And most importantly, someone whose heart is truly with our kids. James' story started long before he joined the School Board. We talk about where he came from, his childhood, the challenges that helped shape him, how he rose above difficult circumstances and became a proud member of our military, and how those experiences influenced the father, coach and community member he is today. ❤️ Then we get into his nearly eight years on the School Board, and they certainly haven't been uneventful. 🏫 We talk about the upcoming consolidation vote and the difficult decisions facing our district. 🔄 We discuss the significant turnover within the district's cabinet and leadership, what that journey has been like from a board member's perspective, and what he has learned through all of those changes. 😷 We go back to COVID, when our schools faced circumstances no one could have anticipated. James shares what it was like sitting on the Board and navigating decisions during one of the most challenging periods our schools, students and families have experienced. ⚖️ Through leadership changes, difficult votes, community disagreements, COVID and many other challenging moments, we wanted to know: Why does he keep doing it? ❤️ For James, so much of that answer comes back to the kids. 🏔️ James represents District 3 and our upcountry families, bringing the experiences and needs of that community with him when he takes his seat at the board table. We talk about why that representation matters, what nearly eight years of service has taught him, and what he hopes the next four years will bring for our students, families and schools. 🎙️ Candidate Crawl isn't about endorsements or telling you how to vote. It's about giving our community an opportunity to get to know the people who are making decisions on behalf of our families and our kids. 🗳️ James may be running uncontested, but that doesn't make this conversation any less important. He will continue representing District 3 for another four years, and our community deserves the opportunity to hear his story, understand his perspective and learn why he keeps showing up. 🎥 WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JAMES MARZANO👉 https://youtu.be/ZYCp_YSTOy0 📲 CONNECT WITH JAMES MARZANO Have a question for James or want to reach out to him directly in his role as your District 3 School Board representative? 📧 Email: [email protected]📱 Phone: (408) 394-9547 🗳️ MEET THE OTHER SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES As part of Real Talk Candidate Crawl, we interviewed the School Board candidates individually. No candidate was allowed to watch another candidate's interview before completing their own, giving everyone the same opportunity to answer our questions and share their story without hearing another candidate's responses first. 🎙️ Want to learn more about the other people running to represent our students, families and schools? 📺 Watch the other School Board Candidate Crawl interviews here:👉 https://www.youtube.com/@REalTalk-KG 📌 Shane Crowe did not participate in a Candidate Crawl interview due to scheduling. 🎤 Real Talk Candidate Crawl with Kandi & GarrettGetting to know the people who want to lead. 🔗 Follow Real Talk and find all of our links:https://linktr.ee/realtalkwkg #JamesMarzano #CandidateCrawl #AmadorCounty #ACUSD #SchoolBoard #District3 #AmadorCountySchools #Upcountry #LocalElections #RealTalkWithKandiAndGarrett