In this episode of Love Living Local 315, we sit down with Chef Tim Hardiman, founder of Hardiman Hospitality, co-founder of Tailor and the Cook and host of The Hospitalitarian Podcast for a conversation that goes way beyond what’s on the plate. Tim shares how being born into the restaurant world shaped his path, and how his son’s early food allergies completely transformed the way he thinks about sourcing, cooking, and feeding people. What started as a personal shift at home turned into a farm-to-table movement that helped change the way our entire region looks at food.

We dive deep into the why behind local sourcing, the realities of restaurant economics and the details most people never notice. Tim breaks down what hospitality really means, why before-and-after the transaction matters just as much as during and how intentional service creates lifelong loyalty. We absolutely geek out about New York State wine & cooking at home.

Now in this next chapter with Hardiman Hospitality, Tim is bringing the experience straight to your kitchen with private in-home dinners, interactive cooking classes, wine education and a podcast spotlighting the stories behind the food, farms, and makers of New York. It’s thoughtful, it’s intentional and it’s deeply rooted in community.

We Discuss:
• What sparked Tim’s farm-to-table philosophy
• Why using the whole animal matters (and what that really means)
• The true definition of hospitality and how to go beyond the transaction
• Why local food isn’t as expensive as people think
• What’s next for Hardiman Hospitality, cooking classes, and NY wine advocacy

If you love food, wine, business, or just thoughtful conversation about doing things the right way this one’s for you 🍷🍽️

This episode is brought to you by Vault Capital Partners.
(https://www.instagram.com/vaultcapitalpartners)

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Show Markers:
(0:00) - Welcome & Introduction
(1:00) - Born in the Business
(2:00) - Local Food Economy
(3:15) - Focus on the Source
(7:00) - Local Wines
(9:00) - Starting Hardiman Hospitality
(11:20) - Difference in Quality
(12:45) - European Experience
(14:45) - Economics of Local Sourcing
(16:30) - Cooking For Smaller Parties
(18:45) - Kitchen Requirements?
(22:15) - Only So Many Filets
(25:15) - Tim's New Podcast
(27:15) - Centralized Stores & Co-Ops
(32:20) - Mohawk Valley
(33:40) - Changes From Pandemic
(35:50) - Defining Hospitality
(38:30) - Beyond the Transaction
(41:00) - Details Matter
(44:35) - What's Next?
(50:00) - Rapid Fire Questions


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Tim's Links:
Website - https://www.hardimanhospitality.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@hospitalitarianpod
Hospitality IG - https://www.instagram.com/hardimanhospitality
Podcast IG - https://www.instagram.com/hospitalitarianpod
FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?

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Love Living Local Links:
Podcast Email - media@lovelivinglocal315.com
Website - https://www.lovelivinglocal315.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@LoveLivingLocal315
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lovelivinglocal315
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@lovelivinglocal315
Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1
Scott's Website - https://www.scottgrates.com
Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org

In this powerful and moving episode of Love Living Local 315, we sit down with Jennifer Boulanger - author, educator, and longtime community advocate to talk about her memoir A Song for Olaf and the story behind it. Jennifer shares the journey of writing about her brother, Olaf, whose life and death during the early years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic shaped her understanding of love, grief, advocacy, and service. What begins as a sibling love story quickly opens into a much larger conversation about stigma, resilience, and the importance of remembering moments in history we can’t afford to repeat.

Jennifer takes us behind the scenes of caring for her brother, the fear and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS in the 80s and 90s, and how the COVID pandemic ultimately became the catalyst for finally writing the book. With honesty and grace, she reflects on grief as something that never fully disappears and how purpose, writing, and community service can transform loss into action. This conversation balances heartbreak with hope, reminding us that empathy, early testing, and access to care quite literally save lives.

Beyond the book, we explore Jennifer’s decades of work in education, refugee resettlement, and women’s advocacy, including her involvement with the Center for Refugee Services and the Whitney’s Legacy Foundation. At its core, this episode is about being a good human, showing up for others, telling the hard stories, and choosing compassion even when it’s uncomfortable.

We Cover:
• The story behind A Song for Olaf and honoring a brother lost to HIV/AIDS
• Life during the early AIDS epidemic and the lasting impact of stigma and fear
• Why grief never really ends—and how purpose helps us carry it
• The importance of early testing, treatment access, and continued advocacy
• Jennifer’s work in education, refugee support, and women’s health initiatives

This episode is brought to you by Vault Capital Partners.
(https://www.instagram.com/vaultcapitalpartners)

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Show Markers:
(0:00) - Welcome & Introduction
(1:00) - Why This Story Had to Be Written
(3:45) - Growing Up with Olaf
(5:15) - Music, Teaching, and Olaf’s Creative Spirit
(7:55) - HIV/AIDS in the 80s & 90s
(9:00) - Diagnosis, Illness, and Caregiving
(9:45) - Writing About Love, Illness, and History
(11:45) - Grief That Never Fully Leaves
(13:50) - What's Next?
(15:15) - Early Testing & Modern Treatments
(16:30) - Advocacy & Education
(19:00) - Impact of Book
(21:00) - Background in Education
(23:00) - You Don't Know the Effect You're Having
(25:20) - The Writing Process
(28:15) - Community Work & The Center
(32:45) - Whitney's Legacy
(36:30) - Rapid Fire Questions


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Jennifer's Links:
Website - https://jenniferboulanger.info
Amazon Book - https://www.amazon.com/Song-Olaf-Sibling-HIV-AIDS-Pandemic-ebook/dp/B0DYR9J2KP
IG - https://www.instagram.com/a.song.for.olaf
FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573940342465

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Love Living Local Links:
Podcast Email - media@lovelivinglocal315.com
Website - https://www.lovelivinglocal315.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@LoveLivingLocal315
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lovelivinglocal315
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@lovelivinglocal315
Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1
Scott's Website - https://www.scottgrates.com
Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org

In this episode of Love Living Local 315, we sit down with Mike Curran, founder of Wrapology, to talk cars, creativity, and what it really looks like to build a passion-first business in Central New York. What started as Mike wrapping his own car turned into a decade-long journey building one of the most recognizable automotive wrap brands in the region—known for bold color changes, meticulous detail, and serious craftsmanship.

Mike opens up about choosing to stay small and focused, why he only does wraps (and nothing else), and how moving his shop to Utica was a conscious decision to invest back into the city he calls home. We get into the realities of running a niche business in Upstate NY, the challenges of finding the right market, and how personal branding, merch, and social media helped Wrapology become more than just a service—it became a lifestyle brand.

From wrapping Lamborghinis and Ferraris to working on national commercial projects, movie promotions, and touring installs across the country, Mike breaks down the artistry, pressure, and pride behind every job. The episode also dives into what’s next: scaling through education, launching a wrap training course, and building something that can impact the industry far beyond Utica.

We Discuss:
• How Wrapology started—and why passion came before profit
• The difference between wrapping and painting (and why wraps just make sense)
• Building a lifestyle brand through social media, merch, and consistency
• Wrapping high-end cars, national commercial work, and insane attention to detail
• What’s next for Wrapology, including a wrap education platform and course launch

This episode is brought to you by Vault Capital Partners.
(https://www.instagram.com/vaultcapitalpartners)

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Show Markers:
(0:00) - Introduction
(1:00) - Eat Sleep Breathe Cars
(2:00) - What is a Car Wrap?
(4:00) - Moving Business to Utica
(5:30) - Wrapping vs. Painting
(7:00) - Biggest Obstacles
(9:30) - Personal Branding & Social Media
(12:00) - Most Difficult Job
(13:50) - Self Taught & Learning Through Doing
(15:15) - Working on the Road
(16:30) - Using Technology
(19:00) - Traveling Billboards
(21:45) - What's Next? Online Course
(24:45) - Lead with Your Best
(26:35) - Rapid Fire Questions


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Mike Curran's Links:
Wrappology IG - https://www.instagram.com/wrappology
Personal IG - https://www.instagram.com/mikeecurran
FB - https://www.facebook.com/wrapologyinc
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@wrapology3408

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Love Living Local Links:
Podcast Email - media@lovelivinglocal315.com
Website - https://www.lovelivinglocal315.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@LoveLivingLocal315
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lovelivinglocal315
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@lovelivinglocal315
Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1
Scott's Website - https://www.scottgrates.com
Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org