Milling About

Cooking Channel host Ching of 'Easy Chinese' joins Robin Milling to talk about her healthy recipes for traditional and gourmet Chinese meals. Ching, who spent her childhood in Taiwan living on her grandparent's farm tells Robin how observing her grandmother, a.k.a. 'The Mistress of the Wok,' prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for the extended family of 25 influenced her cooking. Ching says she really stood out with her exotic Bento box lunches she took to school which contained little rice parcels with pickles, salted duck egg and dried meats! Ching has come a long way since her first preparation of steamed sticky rice stuffed with braised pork belly, peanuts and shallots. She shares her essential ingredients and signature recipe for pearl pork dumplings, yummy! Ching has inspired even the most intimidated like Robin to take on Chinese cooking to 'Wok on!' For more of these recipes, check out Ching's cookbook 'Everyday Easy Chinese.' Watch Easy Chinese every Saturday @ 8:30 PM ET on the Cooking Channel or

Angela Bowie joins host Robin Milling to talk about her new book Lipstick Legends. The very candid and provocative ex of David Bowie speaks unabashedly about the early days of Glam Rock and how her friends used drag to express themselves when it wasn't fashionable. Angela recalls what it was like to be traveling through the world in the heady days of rock n' roll shaping Bowie's image and encouraging his success. She reveals why the marriage ended, dispels the myth about the song 'Angie,' and shares fantastic stories. Her next book Pop Sex explores sexuality through the ages. For more information visit www.angiebowie.net

'For Ellen' producer Jen Gatien joins host Robin Milling for a special conversation from The Lighthouse International Film Festival. Jen tells Robin how Paul Dano who recently starred in Being Flynn got so into his character's isolation that he would hang out at the local bar by himself, and retreat to his motel room. Jen talks about using her hometown of Cornwall, Ontario for some of the shooting locations and the perks that come along with that. She also reveals the downside of shooting in Canada in a post 911time, where one crew member was not allowed to enter the country. For Ellen will be released in New York September 5.    

Tyler A. Chase joins host Robin Milling for a talk back after a special screening of her film, a work in progress, Touched By Duse for acting students at William Esper Studios in New York.  An artist/filmmaker, Tyler discusses what inspired her to tell the story of Eleonora Duse, an actress in the late 1800s known as the mother of modern acting, who inspired Stanislavski to create 'The Method' style of acting. She tells Robin how she gathered followers such as Paul Sorvino and Ellen Burstyn who has an invaluable collection of her memorabilia. Tyler's next step is to take her crew to Italy, the hometown of Eleonara Duse to complete her story. She is also working on a two-film documentary project, A Castle in Brooklyn, King Arthur and the Serfdom of Kent about the preemptive forced eviction of artists from Brooklyn both at the Broken Angel building and 475 Kent. For more information visit http://www.touchedbyduse.com/

Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford graces the big screen in Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding. Chace joins host Robin Milling to discuss working with movie legend Jane Fonda, and newcomer Elizabeth Olsen. Chace, who plays an organic butcher in upstate, New York says it was a working vacation shooting the film near the idyllic countryside of Woodstock and New Paltz. Chace tells Robin he will miss his Gossip Girl friends when the show wraps this season, but will not miss constantly being under the radar. For future roles, he hopes to shoot a musical biopic some day like his Gossip co-star Penn Badgely, set to play Jeff Buckley. Peace, Love and MIsunderstanding opens in theaters nationwide June 8.

Actor, writer, director, and producer Michael Wolfe joins host Robin Milling to talk about his debut film, Maybe Tomorrow. The multi-talented Wolfe wrote the story tailor-made for his acting buddies of three friends who reunite after 15 years to explore a long-forgotten crime and cover-up that has affected the course of their lives. Wolfe, who's character snorts a line of cocaine from a 12-step brochure, tells Robin the energetic Vitamin B-12 which doubled for the white powder was so realistic that a rehab director at the film's location thought he was really hopped up! Michael jokes about filming the sex scene with his co-star Carolina Ravassa on top of a washing machine is not the most sexiest, but Michael Douglas would be impressed! A native of Long Island, Wolfe is very excited to show his film at the upcoming Hoboken Film Festival in New Jersey. For his sophomore project Wolfe wrote and will perform in I Love You, I'll Miss You, Goodbye, an intense and touching on-the-road comedy. For more information

Nathaniel Shaw, founder and Artistic Director of The Active Theater joins host Robin Milling on Memorial Day. Nathaniel talks about the provocative play Body Language which explores a woman's dark secret and how she comes to accept it. He tells Robin some of the scenes and nature of the piece can make audiences uncomfortable but that conversation is what fuels the mission statement of The Active Theater, now in it's fourth season; to move the audience. The son of modern dancers, Nathaniel began his career dancing with the Paul Taylor Dance Company and tells Robin how his dance background came in handy when staging his theatrical productions. He also helmed such musical theater classics as Hair, A Chorus Line, Hairspray and Damn Yankees. Nathaniel is looking forward to celebrating The Active Theater's fourth season with a Spring Gala on June 4th He is hoping to bring productions of William Donnelly's No Wake, and the New York debut of Anna Ziegler's Variations On A Theme for season five. Body Language runs

Movie star, writer, director, and restauranteur Chazz Palminteri joins host Robin Milling to discuss his new film Mighty Fine. Chazz tells Robin he didn't have to look any further than his own Bronx upbringing to tap into his character's violent temper. Chazz witnessed a murder from the stoop of his childhood home, which years later would become the inspiration for his famous play and movie, A Bronx Tale. Chazz also talks about his upcoming projects which include hosting a writer's retreat, launching his own website, www.askchazz.com where you can ask him everything about the movie biz, and his next foray for the stage, Human. Chazz also hopes to expand his Bronx-themed restaurant aptly named for him from Baltimore to Las Vegas.

Paranormal Activity creator Oren Peli joins host Robin Milling to talk about his new adventure thriller Chernobyl Diaries. Oren tells Robin what inspired him to write the story about a group of 20 somethings who travel to the nuclear ravaged town of Pripyat in the Ukraine for an 'extreme vacation.' Oren weighs in on getting flack from Friends of Chernobyl who say he is sensationalizing a very serious happening for Hollywood. To date the mega successful Paranormal Activity has grossed more than $576 million worldwide which Oren hopes to surpass with sequel four. His other future projects include writing and directing Area 51 and collaborating as a producer with Rob Zombie for Lords of Salem. You can check out the trailer at http://www.chernobyldiaries.com/

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.