Milling About

Donna Summer was the queen of disco so it was very poignant that I spoke with her in the last year of the 80s, the decade where she reigned supreme. Donna had just  celebrated her 40th birthday the year before so our conversation was very personal as she spoke about her hopes and dreams for her children, and ironically fears for them as the new decade approached. But most importantly she was looking forward to getting out on the road which she loved most, performing for her fans. My most favorite memory was getting whisked away to her show in Atlantic City in the late 80s by limousine, spending time with her daughters Mimi and Brooklyn, named for her husband Bruce Sudano's childhood home, and then having a private dinner at midnight in the hotel talking, laughing, eating, and feeling like a part of her life in that moment in time. Donna Summer's light may have dimmed, but her music will never be forgotten.

Robin Milling hosts a special conversation with director Rik Cordero for the Big Vision Empty Wallet (BVEW) screening of his new film, Starla starring his real life wife, Nancy Mitchell. BVEW creates opportunities for independent artists to showcase their work. Cordero is known for his unique music video projects with such top hip-hop artists as Jay-Z, The Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, Wale and Nas. Starla is his third feature, having also directed the documentary The World Is Watching, about the culture of York City high school basketball, narrated by Spike Lee. Rik tells Robin how directing Mitchell in such an emotional role of a mother who loses her only daughter during a botched surgery, only helped to strengthen their relationship. Nancy wasn't as thrilled with acting underwater as she actually went through shock and hypothermia in the freezing waters of the Hamptons in March! His next project will be a supernatural thriller so stay tuned...   Watch Starla:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_0Z-zF2xPA For more

Maggie Gyllenhaal joins host Robin Milling to talk about her new film Hysteria. At the time of the chat, Maggie was pregnant with Gloria Ray who was born April 19. Maggie shared her pregnancy cravings and feelings about tabloids infringing on her baby's privacy. In the film Hysteria, Maggie admits to being a bit embarrassed when it came to watching scenes of women coming to orgasm by the invention of the vibrator in the 1800s; especially she says when she practically did an 'S&M' film called Secretary.

Jason Ritter joins host Robin Milling to talk about his very busy movie career including A Bag of Hammers, The Perfect Family and Free Samples, to mention a few! Jason explores fatherhood in A Bag of Hammers, working with the legendary Kathleen Turner in The Perfect Family and flashing unsuspecting passersby in Los Angeles for Free Samples! And if movies aren't enough to fit in, Jason discusses his upcoming pilot County from the writer of Parenthood, where he's brushing up on his CPR skills to play an intern in Los Angeles County Hospital.

MarieBelle owner Maribel joins host Robin Milling for a delightful afternoon at her Soho store for conversation, sampling her signature chocolates with Rodolfo Martinez, and tasting delicious thick Aztec inspired hot chocolate. Maribel tells Robin how her love affair with chocolate began and grew into the Cacao Bar and Tea Salon, spreading internationally to London, Paris and Japan. Maribel shares the secret ingredients that make her chocolate special enough for neighborhood celebrities like Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg and Ralph Fiennes (he orders online from England) to become regular and very satisfied customers. For more information visit www.mariebelle.com

Eddie Izzard joins Milling About host Robin Milling from London to chat about fulfilling his boyhood dream of being a pirate, as Long John Silver for SyFy's Treasure Island. Eddie describes the action adventure swashbuckler as the 'Goodfellas' version of the classic story. He tells Robin his tales of not having to find his sealegs as he wound up getting seasick on dry land! He also offers acting tips for working with his faithful parrot co-star. Eddie mastered hobbling about on one leg with a 1700s crutch which he says will come in handy for Treasure Island two. Watch Treasure Island premiereing Saturday, May 5 on SyFy.

Captain Larry Credle and his son Cliff hosted Let's Do Lunch! on The Lady Jane, a family vessel named after Credle's mom and Cliff's grandmother. All kinds of exotic sea creatures were caught up in the net; some were thrown back such as sea turtles and stingrays, horseshoe crab, and puffer fish. But the shrimps met their fate with Cliff's quick twist, offing the head; a trick he mastered when he was 9. Host Robin Milling chats with Captain Larry and Cliff, while tasting the freshest shrimp caught right from the waters of St. Simons Island. For more information visit www.shrimpcruise.com.  

Halyards on St. Simon's Island is the go-to restaurant for seafood lovers. Owner and Chef Dave Snyder prepared a potpourri for Let's Do Lunch! that was a fisherman's feast. The menu included grilled shrimp with salas, sauteed flounder with caramelized vidalia crab scampi butter, cornmeal fried trout, oysters grilled with garlic oil and chimichurri, deviled crabs with remoulade, and good old-fashioned clams casino. Host Robin Milling spoke with Chef Snyder about the Asian influence in his cooking using all the fresh ingredients from the South. Everything you always wanted to know about fish but were afraid to ask; Dave has the answers! For more information on Halyards visit  www.halyardsrestaurant.com

Let's Do Lunch! visits Southern Soul BBQ in St. Simons Island, Georgia for some down home southern style ribs and chicken, fried okra, collard greens, and to top it off fried Oreos! Host Robin Milling chats with owner and smokin' chef Griffin Bufkin to find out the secrets behind the best BBQ in the Golden Isles! For more information visit  www.southernsoulbbq.com

Southern hospitality was at it's finest at The King & Prince Hotel in St. Simons Island, Georgia as Let's Do Lunch! got the royal treatment.  The hotel is an historic landmark which rests on a secluded beach surrounded by majestic ancient oak with Spanish moss flowing from it's branches. The intoxicating aroma of jasmine in the air only complimented the fine cuisine. Host Robin Milling chats with Sales & Marketing director Bud St. Pierre about what The King & Prince has to offer. Food & beverage director Vinny D'Agostino, aka the macerating mixologist shares his signature cocktails from Thirteenth Colony Distillery, accompanied by Artisan Cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy, Thomasville, GA drizzled with sweet honeycomb. Chef Jeff Kaplan, only 11 days on the job whips up a dazzling display of Southern's finest with Apalachicola Oysters on the half shell, sweet corn, asparagus, tomato and cilantro vinaigrette, Wild Georgia Low Country Shrimp and Grits prepared with Chef Dwayne and the help of Wake

Lawrence and Meg Kasdan join host Robin Milling to talk about their film Darling Companion. Dogs rule for the Kasdans who were inspired to write the story when their own beloved companion Mac was lost in the Colorado Rockies.  Missing for three weeks, they did everything they could to find him including searching themselves which inspired hiking scenes between movie husband and wife Kevin Kline and Diane Keaton. Lawrence tells Robin how his 30- year plus relationship with Kline began when he auditioned for Body Heat. The role as we know went to Bill Hurt, but Kline was memorably cast a few years later for The Big Chill. Known as a mensch in Hollywood, Lawrence wrote the part for Kevin Costner in Silverado when he graciously accepted the fact that his coffin scene only made it to the cutting room floor.

Kevin Kline joins host Robin Milling to talk about his film Darling Companion. Everyone on set loved Casey, the dog who is the canine co-star except Kevin's character who had to remain neutral for his character. Kevin says the dog was a method actor staying clear of him. In real life, Kevin tells Robin how he rescued his dog Joe during a Broadway run of The Seagull. Directed by his buddy Lawrence Kasdan, their plus 30-year relationship actually began with Kevin auditioning for Body Heat. Kevin says he still gives him a hard time for choosing William Hurt over him! Kasdan would later make up for it by casting Kevin in The Big Chill.

Taken star Maggie Grace joins host Robin Milling as she suits up for the futuristic sci-fi action flick Lock-Out. Grace under pressure is a natural fit for the 5' 9" stunner who tells Robin how she took on the physically challenging role. Grace got on with the boys club antics which included pranks from co-star Joe Gilgun. She also enjoyed working with her hunky co-star Guy Pearce, and took it on the chin literally from the Aussie. Next Maggie tries on her contacs and fangs for Breaking Dawn 2 and reunites with her Taken family for the long awaited sequel.

Harry's Law star Mark Valley joins host Robin Milling. Born in upstate, New York Mark talks about his tour of duty as a West Point cadet, and how his military background oddly gets worked into his roles. Mark tells Robin he actually tried to 'sneak' into the Vietnam War with his uncle at the tender age of six. Acting was his true calling, and we're glad as he cuts a dashing figure in all types of characters from action to the courtroom. Next he'll play an FBI agent on the big screen in Stolen with Nicolas Cage, reuniting with Human Target director Simon West.

In honor of director Francis Ford Coppola's 72nd birthday on April 7, host Robin Milling revisits her 2009 conversation with the famous film maker, when he released the film Tetro. Seventy-two is a special number for Coppola who released his masterpiece The Godfather in 1972.  Robin talks with him about how he came to make the Oscar winner. The Coppola patriarch discusses the importance of family whose extended clan has created it's own legacy in show business.

Clive Owen confronts his own fears and nightmares when it comes to his children. Starring in the film Intruders he tells host Robin Milling how easy it is for unwelcomed intruders to make their way through the Internet and how he regulates his daughters' social media. Clive tells Robin how he adopted Madrid as his second home after falling in love with the food, wine and lifestyle of the Spanish people. Making his way to Cuba and Paris, Clive shares how he researched everything Hemingway to portray the mysterious writer in Hemingway & Gellhorn.

We were desperately seeking Susan Seidelman since her last film Boynton Beach Club seven years ago. Seidelman is back with Musical Chairs, a ballroom dancing film where paraplegics get their due spinning on the dancefloor. Seidelman tells host Robin Milling about this fascinating world of wheelchair waltzing, and shooting amongst the Latin community in the Bronx. It's been 25 years since Desperately Seeking Susan featured a then unknown Madonna. Susan reveals how she felt about W.E. and Madonna's directing skills. Almost 60, the self-described forever punk rocker tells Robin how she celebrates middle-aged womanhood and basketball in her just recently wrapped film, Hot Flashes.

Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt join host Robin Milling to talk about their coupling in the wonderful film Salmon Fishing in The Yemen. The chemistry between the Scottish McGregor and the English Blunt is quite sweet. They are obviously still friends, almost like a tag team, as they discuss their adventures in flyfishing and their dream projects. In light of the release of Star Wars in 3D, Ewan who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi for the saga has some interesting comments about seeing it again and the bleak future of cinema.

Jason Isaacs joins Robin Milling for a lively and fun chat as always, at Bobby Van's Steakhouse in New York City. The Harry Potter star retired from wizadry, graces the small screen in the fantastic NBC thriller series Awake (Thursdays @ 10pm). Jason plays a detective who grapples with the death of his son from a car crash by living in alternate worlds. Isaacs, who is also producing the series tells Robin how he creates a family atmosphere using cheesy disco music on set. Currently residing in Los Angeles, he took his parents to visit the larger than life billboard in Hollywood, miles away from he lives. However in New York, he only had to go to Times Square giddily taking a picture of himself posed in front.

In memory of Davy Jones, host Robin Milling revisits Milling About with Micky Dolenz who reminisced about The Monkees from the first audition to what made them such a cultural phenomenon. Jones, who left us too soon at the age of 66, once told Robin in a 2005 interview how he'd like to be remembered. He said, 'I don’t want to be remembered as a Monkee or as the Artful Dodger or as an actor or as a singer or as a songwriter. I want to be remembered by each person differently. They all have something they can tell about and things we’ve been intimate over whether it be conversation or whether it be a kiss. I want to retire unknown and anonymous and just fade away. I want to be on a cruise ship or something and when I know it I’ll be overboard before anybody knows and be eaten by a whale. I’ll be back somewhere on some beach somewhere. When my kids go to the ocean I want them to know I’m there. So that would be kind of a romantic (legacy) in my way.'