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PODCAST

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton

Jen & Chris Fenton

Dinner, Dialogue & DebateWelcome to Plate & Ponder — where a longtime married couple, now proud empty nesters looking for a highly constructive way to occupy our time, pour a glass of wine, share a meal, and tackle the biggest stories shaping our world. She"s an inner-city charter school director, elected official, and former school board president. He’s a media executive, professor, and author. Together, they bring decades of parenting, public service, politics, and purpose to the

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All Episodes

38:01

PLATE & PONDER - "ICE... ICE... Baby... BIG Problems...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2026/01/15

First off, Jen gets feisty with some really fun banter... We had a very energetic dinner discussing what to talk about during this episode... And it spilled into the episode itself! And that makes it extra fun! Serious topics include: Iran ICE MN Law Enforcement Police Proper Training China And, Then we bring it back to more fun banter. And a full-out Mic drop! Please follow, download, enjoy, review, and spread the word!

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38:02

PLATE & PONDER - "Golden Globes, Iran, Minnesota, &...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2026/01/12

Welcome to our second episode of this already intriguing year of 2026! Yes, we hit on Minnesota, Iran, and Venezuela as part of our serious subjects, but... Importantly... we pivot towards more fun and enjoyable topics like the Golden Globes, our favorite films of the year, Tim Chalamet, GLADIATOR, the Sky Bar, etc..... AND, even better, Jen dives into her personal George Clooney story! But alas, when we can't deny the anxiety filling the air around the globe and also here in the USA anymore,...

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39:37

PLATE & PONDER - "The 2026 Kickoff & HOW BOUT THEM...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2026/01/10

Sorry about the delay between episodes, but we were in 5th gear enjoying the final week of hanging with high-energy college kids before the... the.... super sad... send-off!...... And that, just happened, TODAY! So what better way to get over that emotional distress than to KICK OFF 2026 with another EPIC episode of our podcast! During this 39 minutes, we cover: THE MIAMI HURRICANE'S AWESOMENESS JOHNNY DEPP HARD ROCK STADIUM CAPACITY AND TICKET SALES FOR THE NATTY BEIJING'S SOFT POWER PROWESS...

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39:45

PLATE & PONDER - "Reflections on 2025 / Epic Family...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2026/01/01

So much to cover... So little time... First off, we just spent 4 days hibernated with the Brodkin family in Fallbrook, CA. 4 Acres of awesome outdoor fun and a pretty darn cool pad to boot... And nothing too pricey either. The important part: Getting two families together to spend quality time together while our four, college-age kids are all home. Priceless! No horse in this race (IE, we are not promoting this property for any other reason than it was fun, and we recommend ...

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34:50

PLATE & PONDER - "2025: Reflections, Resolutions, &...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/29

Phil and Katie Brodkin (w/ a cameo by Jenna Brodkin) join us again as we breakdown this past year and our excitement for the upcoming one! It's hard to believe, but yes, it's almost 2026! Serious subjects include: 1 - What we are thankful for. 2 - Habits we want to continue and build further upon. & 3 - The importance of both resilience and reflecting on accomplishments. And we add some fun shout-outs and epic banter in this episode too... Please download, follow, enjoy, and review... Hap...

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35:14

PLATE & PONDER - "Our Christmas Eve Extravaganza...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/24

Well... the day started very early... 3am to be precise... thanks to a leak in our bedroom that decided to drop H2O on Jen's beauty sleep! (Don't worry. Our home-from-college-kids slept til noon!) Ah yes, the wonders of atmospheric rivers in Southern California... They just don't make roofs like they used to! But other than that, Christmas Eve is moving nicely towards a fun evening with Santa, his reindeer, and gifts under the tree on Christmas day! Our serious topics include: 1 - The l...

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34:12

PLATE & PONDER - "The Epstein Files, Incompetency...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/21

And, oh yeah, we cover Venezuela too! After a brilliant Sunday morning surf session with family and friends, we cover some serious topics that will continue to be discussed throughout the holidays: 1 The Epstein Files 2 Brown University Incompetency (and the tragedy we must not forget that happened there) 3 And where did all this Venezuela stuff come from? Bottom-line, we Plate & Ponder, EMPTY-NESTING-STYLE! Please follow, download, review, and enjoy! Happy H...

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38:50

PLATE & PONDER - "Tin Foil Hat Conspiracy OR...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/19

Ok, don't fault us, but we did go down the rabbit-hole of what happened at both Brown University and MIT this past week. The tragedy affecting so many generated a nation-wide passion to find the person responsible. BUT, in the process, we also witnessed some bizarre behavior, events, and narrative that created powerful fodder for conspiracy discussions... We tackle that, and even admit our own personal flaws of falling into that said conspiracy trap... or, are we justified for doing that? Wha...

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37:50

PLATE & PONDER - "You can't handle the truth!"

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/16

(Photo: "Stand By Me") - The late (and great) Rob Reiner was prescient. Maybe we can't handle the truth... Or perhaps many in leadership want to make sure we never come to know it. Whether red or blue or green or purple, it simply doesn't matter. This past weekend was tragic, and a symptom of much of what isn't working within our system... the system of humanity. Yes, this show is about escapism and bantering about interesting subjects that fascinate us all on a daily basis. It's also about t...

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43:29

PLATE & PONDER - "Lauren Crotty Is in Da House -- The...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/12

Yeah, we were an empty house for only a beat... That Thanksgiving to Christmas return to school barely lasted more than a blink of an eye, and now the kids are back! Game on! First one back to the South Bay is the VIP of VIP's, Lauren Crotty. Part of the family of South Bay Royals known as The Crottys!!! She's a Georgia Bulldog, and once we get thru the catching-up chit-chat, we go straight to what it is to be a true DAWG! Lauren walks us thru SEC Football, Greek Life, Chicken and...

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37:37

PLATE & PONDER - "Flynn's Birthday Extravaganza & Why...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/08

A final Sunday evening before we go FULL-HOUSE for the next month with the kids home for the holidays... That means one last leisurely dinner with our friends Katie & Phil Brodkin (and our epic dogs). Then the chaos of college kids will sweep thru our little beach town! Most importantly on this episode, we celebrate the TENTH BIRTHDAY of our favorite furry friend, FLYNN! Then we discuss the importance of pets to the well-being of their owners. You want to live longer and healthier? Get a ...

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40:03

PLATE & PONDER "LA Tunnels, Water Cooler TV, Jury...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/05

Yes, Los Angeles has tunnels, and we've used them! Want to know where they are? We tell you! And what happened to the old Water Cooler? You know, the one that we all gathered around and conversed about who-knows-what -- regardless of political affiliations, religious beliefs, or what-have-ya... And what about the television shows we discussed around those said-coolers? And, oh yeah, a near miss with Jury Duty this week... And finally, what's the deal with Potluck dinners and gatherings? Is th...

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37:32

PLATE & PONDER - "Where Did Everyone Go?" -...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/12/01

For all of us newbie empty-nesters, our small town felt completely overrun by college kids returning home to get some free meals, have mom do their laundry, catch-up with old friends at their former stomping grounds, and, eventually, leave a little bit of havoc in their wake... And it all repeats again in a few weeks after Finals! So yes, we discuss that a bit... But we also hit some serious topics too: 1 - Coaching loyalties, both in high school sports and college. 2 - USC Trojan achievement...

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20:17

PLATE & PONDER - "Brodkin, Seiffer, & Fenton Kids -...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/29

EMPTY NEST = FULL NEST = OUR TOWN IS PACKED WITH KIDS HOME FROM COLLEGE! AND WE LOVE IT!!!! We have Eric & Jenna Brodkin, Dash Seiffer, and Kaylie & Dylan Fenton as our VIP GUESTS on this amazing episode. It's a short one, because they all have things to do (PG-13 Kind of Stuff), but we do cover: Some Glazing... Puppies... Thanksgiving Favorites... COVID Connections... And a lakeside story for the ages... Please follow, download, review, and ENJOY..............

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37:37

PLATE & PONDER - "Thanksgiving w/ Guest, Dylan Fenton"

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/27

Empty-Nesting? Say what? We don't have that today! It's Thanksgiving, and we have a FULL HOUSE, so our son, Dylan Fenton, joins the podcast to share his insights from Montreal, Canada, where he attends McGill University, playing lacrosse with some living legends (lots of shoutouts) and studying international business (while also finding some time to be a bro at Zeta Psi).... Serious topics today include (FYI, THE STOKE WAS SICK!): AI use at McGill University... The stressful experience of Car...

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33:02

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING - "Fake Christmas...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/24

EMPTY NESTING HIATUS ALERT!!!!!!!!!! We have one kid back from Tulane - Kaylie! One more, Dylan, coming home later this week! It's Thanksgiving! AND WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE IN THE WORKS! So why not talk to our kids about life and global issues over dinner and a drink.... Serious Topics Include: Fake Plastic Christmas Trees vs The Real Thing AI as a Tool for College AI vs Human Interaction for Things That Are REAL! Nothing better than the perspective of an 18-year-old. Let's go! Enjoy...

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38:38

PLATE & PONDER - "Sharing & Caring w/ Katie & Phil...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/21

Oh boy...... We have fans around the world, and we have fans who are also VERY close friends (and fellow empty nesters!)..... How about having two of our most favorite friends join us on Episode 11??? Well, that's what we did! Manhattan Beach's finest people, Katie & Phil Brodkin. EMPTY NESTERS who love to plate, ponder, and gab... so we have LOTS in common!!! Serious subjects include: Jeffrey Epstein Black Friday Madness Pickleball And the Art of Sharing!.......... Enjoy, Follow, ...

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38:07

PLATE & PONDER - "Skill It Up: Degrees Required?"...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/18

We are back... Been a week, but the NOLA SET Conference & Tulane Parents Weekend interrupted our flow.... But all for good reasons. Yeah, it rained in LA (not kidding!), and we got a leak in our roof. So it goes... But on the fun-side, we met some great football recruits, chugged beers at The Boot, ate insanely good Gumbo, hung with our epic daughter, met her friends, danced to some groovy beats, and just soaked-up some life moments... On this episode we hit the serious topics of: Creativ...

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40:31

PLATE & PONDER - "Travel, Tourism, & Toronto: The...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/11

Yes, lacrosse season is over in Montreal (HUGE SHOUT-OUT TO THE MCGILL REDBIRDS MEN'S LACROSSE TEAM!), but don't you worry, we can still helicopter parent with the best of them. This empty-nester team is heading to NOLA to see our daughter! Get ready for us, Kaylie!! On a serious note, we do talk FAA delays that affected our Canada trip last weekend. AND THEY RAN OUT OF ALCOHOL ON THE FLIGHT! Hopefully we get the skies back to normal soon! DC, are you listening??? We know Amsterda...

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38:38

PLATE & PONDER - "Time to Pay Air Traffic Control &...

PLATE & PONDER: EMPTY NESTING w/ Jen & Chris Fenton ·

2025/11/07

We're handing over the keys to friends to watch our dog and home for the weekend, but before we go: 1 - Can we pay the people in the control tower? Please! If anyone deserves their regular paycheck, it's the people who keep us safe in the skies! & 2 - What is the meaning of life? What makes someone truly happy? We know a few answers to those questions for us - a) watching our daughter play violin in her orchestra or leading her cheer team on the sidelines of a BIG game, and b)...

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