On today's episode of The Main Course, host Patrick Martins is joined in the studio by Denny Abrams. Denny is best known for the creation of the Fourth Street Shops in Berkeley, California, but also has been involved in the building of three radio stations in the United States. Tune in to hear Patrick and Denny discuss the importance of public spaces in urban development, and why local economies benefit from sound urban design. Why are streets so important to democracy? Listen in to hear Patrick and Denny discuss the best neighborhoods in the country, and what features make them so distinctive. Learn more about young people's fascination with urban authenticity. Later, Patrick calls up Miles from Jupiter in Berkeley to discuss the restaurant's operation, as well as the public's opinion of San Francisco. This episode has been sponsored by White Oak Pastures.

"The street is the expression of real democracy. The street belongs to everyone."

"Oakland is very much like Brooklyn- local businesses are paramount to the local economy."

-- Denny Abrams on The Main Course

Hear how Let's Get Real has evolved from a podcast into a TEDx talk on this week's episode. Erica Wides talks about how she went from the world of guerilla PR to the main stage for TEDx Berkeley. Later, Erica performs her TEDx speech for her Let's Get Real listeners. What distinguishes real food from foodiness? Learn how 'the real food movement' falls short and doesn't serve the people who really need it. Erica doesn't preach compromise, but talks about realistic goals for consumers. This program has been brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Music has been provided by Idgy Dean.

"Processed foods are super convenient. All you need is a hand, a mouth, and a dollar." [13:10]

-- Erica Wides on Let's Get Real

This week on The Main Course, Patrick and guest host Shanna Pacifico are joined by special guest, acclaimed author, and beef & corn expert Betty Fussell.