Duologue with Leslie Heaney

We're kicking off the Duologue Summer Travel Series with one of the most beautiful and beloved corners of the country — the Hudson Valley.

Leslie sits down with Lidey Heuck, cookbook author, New York Times recipe contributor, and the voice behind Lidey Likes and the Lidey Letter Substack. Lidey lives in the Hudson Valley with her family and knows the region the way only a local can — the antique shops worth the detour, the farmers markets, the swimming holes, the restaurants, and yes, a few cautionary foraging tales.

Lidey's culinary journey began with none other than Ina Garten (yes, they talk about Jeffrey), and her debut cookbook Cooking in Real Life has become one of Leslie's all-time favorites.

In this episode: favorite antique stores, must-visit restaurants, hidden gems in the Hudson Valley, Litchfield County, and the Berkshires — plus what makes this region so worth falling in love with.

Whether you're planning a trip or just love dreaming about charming getaways, this one's for you.

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Confused about the SAT vs ACT? In this episode, Leslie sits down with Bryan Bibler, CEO of Thirty-Six Education, to break down everything parents and high school students need to know about standardized testing, college admissions, and test prep strategies for 2025.

They cover the key differences between the ACT and SAT, how to choose the right test, when to start preparing, and how recent test-optional college admissions policies—including at Ivy League schools—are changing the landscape. Bryan also shares proven methods to improve SAT and ACT scores, realistic prep timelines, and affordable test prep resources for families without access to private tutoring.

Perfect for high school students, parents, and college applicants, this episode delivers actionable insights on SAT prep, ACT prep, college application strategy, and maximizing test scores.

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Five years ago, Genevieve "Veve" Wheeler Brown flipped over a jug and found a woman's signature. What followed was a five-year quest across three continents — and a book. In this episode, Leslie sits down with her longtime friend and author of Beyond Blue and White to trace the hidden history of Delftware: from Dutch Golden Age workshop owners who built trade empires, to the Gilded Age women who founded their own museums when no one would let them in. Four centuries. One ceramic. Countless women history forgot to credit. The perfect listen to close out Women's History Month.

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In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation from The Interview vault with author and journalist Ed O’Keefe.

In this episode, Ed shares the remarkable story behind his book The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt: The Women Who Created a President. What began as a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School led to an unexpected discovery: unpublished letters between Theodore Roosevelt and the women who shaped his life. Those letters uncovered a deeper, more nuanced history... one where Roosevelt’s rise was not his alone, but profoundly influenced by the extraordinary women around him.

As we reflect this Women’s History Month, this re-release feels especially meaningful. It’s a reminder that behind some of history’s most influential leaders are stories that deserve to be told.

If you missed this episode the first time, it’s one you won’t want to skip.

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In this episode of Duologue, Leslie sits down with Nicholas Varney.

Nick is the founder and designer behind Nicholas Varney Jewels. His work has earned him widespread recognition—from appearances in Vogue, Town & Country, and W Magazine, to being named by Forbes as one of the “Five Jewelers Working Today That You Will Be Collecting Tomorrow.”

In their conversation, Leslie and Nick discuss his creative inspirations, his design process, and what it was like growing up as the son of the legendary interior designer, the late Carleton Varney.

They also explore where the world’s most extraordinary gemstones come from, the global journey they take before becoming jewelry, and how Nick approaches his work not just as a designer, but as a true artist.

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