Up + Adam with Adam Montiel

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Veterans Day: The Last Watch - Dick Grantham’s Final Story Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

Happy Veterans Day!

Met Richard “Dick” Grantham in 2021 when I hosted a Veterans dinner at the Elks. He stood up, shared his WWII story, and left the whole room in awe. He served in the Navy, survived some of the fiercest battles in the Pacific, and was awarded a Purple Heart after a kamikaze strike hit his ship.

Nearly a year later, his daughter reached out. Dick was home, frail, and in hospice care, but wanted to sit down with me and tell his story in full. I spent over an hour with him at his kitchen table. His voice was weak, but his memory was sharp. We talked, we laughed, we cried.

A few hours after I left, I got a text:

“My dad went to heaven to be with my mom. He loved you.”

I’ll never forget it. On his final day, he chose to share that time with me, and I’m forever honored.

Today on Up+Adam, I’m sharing that interview again with new reflections so his story, his bravery, and his voice can continue to be heard.

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

The Rewatch You Didn’t Know You Needed — Ugly Betty Stars are Up+Adam #VivaBetty Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

What happens when two of the most unforgettable characters from Ugly Betty sit down to relive the show that made being different feel like a superpower? You get Viva Betty, a rewatch podcast that is heartfelt, hilarious, and loaded with behind-the-scenes gold.

In this episode of Up+Adam, Ana Ortiz and Mark Indelicato, aka Hilda and Justin Suarez, join Adam for a conversation that goes far beyond nostalgia. From representing communities and culture on primetime to the moments on set that changed them forever, this one pulls back the curtain on the impact Ugly Betty had and why it still matters.

Stream the Viva Betty podcast now on:

• iHeart Radio

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

Follow the show and the hosts:

• Viva Betty on Instagram → @vivabettypodcast

• Ana Ortiz → @therealanaortiz

• Mark Indelicato → @markindelicato

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Tapped In and Turned Up in AG - The Arroyo Grande Beer & Wine Fest This Weekend! Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam shines a spotlight on the heart and soul of Arroyo Grande with three local legends making waves in wine, beer, and hospitality. He’s joined by Josh Klapper, the winemaker behind Timbre Winery and owner of LoBro Studios (where this very show is recorded), Laura Beth Amy of Humdinger Brewing, a dual-threat in AG and SLO, and Mindy Calmenson, general manager of Rooster Creek Tavern and a pillar of the Village scene.

Together, they preview the 4th annual Arroyo Grande Beer and Wine Festival, happening this Saturday, November 8, at Heritage Square Park. Expect 30+ craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries, food trucks, live music, and that unmatchable AG energy. Whether you're in it for the pours or the people, this episode serves up all the flavor of the fest and the Village with a whole lot of heart.

Tickets and event info:

my805tix.com

Follow the guests:

• Timbre Winery → timbrewinery.com

• Humdinger Brewing → humdingerbrewing.com

• Rooster Creek Tavern → roostercreektavern.com

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Rob Rossi On How a Trashed Frat House Turned Into Dreams, Deeds, and Disney Trains! | Up+Adam Exclusive Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

Rob Rossi isn’t just a developer - he’s a straight-up architect of identity on the Central Coast. In Part One of this two-part interview, Adam sits down in the Timbre LoBro Studios with the man behind some of San Luis Obispo’s most iconic buildings, boldest bets, and most emotional preservation projects.

From buying a trashed frat house out of college to rescuing original Disneyland train cars... from shaping downtown SLO to reviving the world’s first motel - this is a rare, real conversation with one of the most quietly influential people this area might have ever seen.

And you better believe we’re just getting started.

He talks about the $5,000 loan that launched it all, what it was like to bring four original Disneyland coaches to Santa Margarita Ranch, and what the real vision is for places like the Motel Inn and Avila Golf Resort, and a LOT more.

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

The New Face (and Publisher) of SLO Life Magazine: Meghan Burkhardt is Up+Adam Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

What does it take to step into the spotlight of a legacy brand while holding a toddler’s hand and carrying new life inside you? In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Meghan Burkhardt, the new publisher of SLO Life Magazine, for a conversation about bold pivots, personal purpose, and the stories that make this Central Coast community so rich.

Meghan shares the moment she knew she had to own the magazine, what keeps her up at night (besides a toddler), and how she is redefining what makes a story cover-worthy. You will also hear the hilarious behind-the-scenes tale of the time Adam pitched himself to the old publisher to get on the cover. Yes, that happened. And how the new energy Meghan is bringing might just change the game for local storytelling.

This is a conversation about vision, reinvention, and what happens when someone says, “I’ll do it. I’ll be the one.” Whether you are a local, a creative, a parent, or someone just waiting for a sign to go for it, this one is for you.

Connect with Meghan and SLO Life Magazine:

• SLO Life Magazine Website

• Instagram @slolifemagazine

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Conviction & Convictions: Local Activist Zoe Rosenberg on Her Felony Conspiracy Sentencing, and Oh Yea, Meat #TrueCrimeTuesday Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

On this True Crime Tuesday, Adam sits down with Zoe Rosenberg, an animal rights activist from San Luis Obispo who’s no stranger to headlines. From being tackled on an NBA court to getting arrested at Cal Poly at just 15, Zoe’s activism has been bold, controversial, and now convicted.

In her first exclusive local interview, Zoe talks about the felony charges she just caught for taking chickens from a Petaluma poultry facility. She calls it a rescue. Prosecutors called it theft. Either way, the jury found her guilty. But Zoe doesn’t flinch, not even when Adam asks her straight up, “Do you think people should have the right to eat meat?” Her answer: “I don’t.”

No matter where you stand, this is a fair and honest conversation. Zoe answers every question, and Adam doesn’t hold back. They talk about DxE’s tactics, the blurred lines between civil disobedience and criminal conduct, and the real-life consequences of activism taken to the edge.

Hit play. You’re not going to want to miss this one.

• Zoe Rosenberg's sanctuary: Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary

• Follow Zoe on Instagram: @zoe.rosenberg

• Learn more about Direct Action Everywhere: directactioneverywhere.com

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Confessions of a Catholic School Survivor: Actress/Author Marianne Leone Has Range From The Sopranos to the Saints Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Today on Up+Adam, we’re joined by powerhouse actress and author Marianne Leone. You may know her as Joanne Moltisanti on The Sopranos, or from working with legendary directors like Martin Scorsese, John Sayles, and Nancy Savoca. But today, she’s with us as the author of one of the most irreverent, heartfelt, and hilarious novels to come my way in a long time.

In this episode, Marianne opens up about her new book, Christina the Astonishing, a coming-of-age tale set in 1960s Boston where sainthood, sarcasm, immigrant grit, and Catholic guilt all collide. It’s fiction, yes, but it’s rooted in real truth, real grief, and real girlhood. Adam and Marianne go deep on what it means to write through pain, the sacred power of humor, and why rebellion can be holy when it comes from the heart.

This one’s for the readers and the rebels, the mothers and the misfits, and for anyone who’s ever tried to be “good” in a world that made them feel wrong.

• Get Christina the Astonishing: Buy on Amazon

• Read Marianne’s memoir Knowing Jesse: Buy on Amazon

• Visit Marianne Leone’s website: marianneleonecooper.com

• Follow her on Instagram: @strega54

• Learn more about the Jesse Cooper Foundation: jessecooperfoundation.org

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Halloween Therapy: Guidance vs. Gaslighting - Amy Hargreaves & Landry Bender, Stars of 'SELF-HELP' (In Theatres Today) are Up+Adam Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

On this Halloween episode of Up+Adam, Amy Hargreaves and Landry Bender drop in with a thriller built for tonight. Self-Help follows a young woman who goes undercover inside a self-actualization community to pull her mother away from its dangerously charismatic leader. We talk about power, persuasion, and the thin line between guidance and gaslighting. Amy and Landry open up about the scenes that rattled them, what they protected as co-creators, and why this story sticks to you on the ride home. Self-Help is only in theaters today, October 31, 2025.

• Official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMADDlO0Utg

• Showtimes and tickets: https://www.fandango.com/self-help-2025-242828/movie-overview

• Rotten Tomatoes page: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/self_help

• Amy Hargreaves on Instagram

• Landry Bender on Instagram

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Life Elements

City of SLO