Salt and Pepê Podcast

As they end their second season, Lia and Shakira talk about their experiences with goodbyes. How have they been left by previous partners? How have they ended things in return? Most of all, how do they feel about closure, the concept of forever, and the transient nature of love? Our hosts send you off with valuable insights as they take a break between seasons.

Salt & Pepe Podcast celebrates its first anniversary with the same question. Our hosts revisit the complexities of love with a conversation about forgiveness, repair and rebuilding. Don't miss this Valentine's Day episode!

The feeling of belonging is considered a basic human need. Join our hosts as they navigate friendships in middle age, the lessons they've learned in managing their social circles, and how sometimes it's better to miss out than to fit in.

Happy New Year! The new year is all about new beginnings and making changes, and Lia and Shakira are here to share their experiences with changes, both planned and unexpected. What is the secret to keeping a steady ship in times of rough seas? Our hosts begin 2025 by sharing some tips.

Starting off with a listener-requested skin care reveal, and then moving on to the holiday season, Lia and Shakira discuss the difficulties of being queer or LQBTQIA+ during the time of family gatherings and reunions. They talk about how to respond to rude or inappropriate comments, and how being secure in oneself is key in facing awkward situations during this time of the year. Happy Holidays!

Hello, love, again! Our hosts share their thoughts on this latest hit movie before proceeding with their Thanksgiving conversation. After discussing the true origins of the Thanksgiving holiday, Lia and Shakira talk about the benefits of practicing gratitude, using gratefulness exercises, and how to avoid toxic gratitude. Your friendly neighborhood titas share their life experiences and how their...

November is Self-promotion Month, and in this episode Lia and Shakira examine why Filipinos and Asians view self-confidence as a negative. They share their own experiences and the hurdles they've faced, the role of colonization in our self-depreciation, common attitudes against self-promotion, and how to battle our harshest critic (ourselves).

For National Nutrition Month, Lia and Shakira share their wellness journeys by talking about our relationship with food, poor eating habits, and how to approach food both as a source of pleasure as well as a source of fuel.

"Tumataba ka! (You're getting fat!)" seems to be the default greeting these days. Lia and Shakira go through the toxic traits they've encountered both in the Philippines as well as in their interactions as immigrants abroad. Where do these toxic traits come from and how do we address them? Let's learn how to be better Filipinos this Filipino-American Heritage Month.

As promised, our first deep dive into a much-awaited topic. Lia and Shakira tell stories from their dating days, giggling like schoolgirls at times, and taking a seriously sexy tone in others. This conversation focuses on how to tell if the moment is right, or how to know when it's safe to make the first move. Don't miss this exciting and educational episode!

Our Gen X titas talk about how social media has impacted their lives, and what changes they've made to curtail their social media habits. Lia and Shakira discuss the troubling stats of social media use, addiction, and its impact on mental health, as well as the current generation's only experience of an interconnected world of constant notifications and yearning for validation.

Season 2 begins today! In commemoration of Labor Day in the US and Canada, Lia and Shakira talk about the jobs they've had through the years, the expectation of linear education and career paths, their respective nonlinear journeys, and helpful tips on getting a job, keeping a job, and the right attitude when it comes to existing and succeeding in a workplace.

As our season ender, our hosts thought it best to discuss the pros and cons of taking a breather in relationships. Lia and Shakira discuss the concept of "cool off" or taking a hiatus in friendships, jobs, and romantic relationships as they also wrap up Salt & Pepe Podcast's successful first chapter. We'll be back in September!

For the last Pride episode of Salt & Pepe Podcast, our hosts created a crash course on how to be an inclusive LGBTQIA+ advocate or ally, specifically directed at the older Pinay whose terms and principles may be stuck in the past. Lia and Kia discuss intersectionality, the colors of the queer rainbow, trans visibility and protection, how not to be a TERF, and how to incorporate current events,...

For Pride Month, Lia and Shakira talk about their experiences as children and teenagers with developing bodies which might not have been a perfect fit for their personalities and budding sexual orientation. They also talk about gender dysphoria, the disadvantages of having a queer body in a straight society and health system, and how our attitudes about our bodies may harm us in the long run.

"Grief is a bill that has to be paid eventually," said Liz Gilbert. "If you are grateful for life, you have to be grateful for all of it," said Stephen Colbert. Lia and Shakira take a deep and solemn dive into the people they've lost, hoping to impart some lessons and ideas when coping with grief.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. In celebration of Mother's Day, Lia and Shakira recount not only their experiences with their own mothers, but the women in their lives who have mothered them as well. Join us in celebrating mothers of all shapes, relations, and circumstances. Happy Mother's Day!

“If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere” it’s the Salt & Pepe NY episode! An unexpected episode because of the short but memorable New York trip Lia and Kia had recently. They will share the reason why NY is their favourite City. They both agree that NYC has this energy that keeps them wanting to go back. Make sure to listen until the end and join them as they show you their favour...

Money is the second most common reason for divorce, so it's essential to discuss it. For Financial Literary Month, Lia and Shakira talk about their experiences with money management, common financial issues and their causes, and how to have healthy conversations about money within relationships and households.

In line with Holy Week, Lia and Shakira explore the rabbit hole of faith, religion, and spirituality. Beginning with their religious upbringing and their personal experiences, they analyze how they came up with their current ideas and attitudes on their faith and how they use their spirituality as a guide in their lives.

In celebration of International Women's Month, Lia and Shakira talk about approaching their golden years and what that means for them. No, they are not old, but they are also no longer young! Enjoy another fascinating conversation about what their twenties, thirties, and now forties have taught them, life's hard lessons, and the great things that resulted from their biggest disappointments...

The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have a problem. Lia and Shakira take a deep dive into their personal flaws and shortcomings in this tell-all episode. How important is accountability to our personal growth? How does our past carry over into our present? What are the advantages of knowing one's weaknesses? Our Salt & Pepe Podcast hosts bare it all.

For Valentine's Day, Lia and Shakira redefine love based on their experiences from the last thirty years. They take a deep dive into love's various stages, the phases of a long-term relationship, as well as lessons they learned about self-love, internalized homophobia, and manipulative codependence.

For Salt & Pepê’s maiden voyage, Shakira and Lia talk about Moving On and beyond. They begin with what brought them back to podcasting and how Salt & Pepe came about. Then they get to the topic. Do we need to enforce deadlines on moving on? What is the hardest part of moving on? Heartbreak is inevitable but we do have control of everything in between.

For Salt & Pepê’s maiden voyage, Kia and Lia talk about moving on and beyond. They begin by telling the story of their return to podcasting as well as how Salt & Pepe Podcast came about, before getting to the topic. Do we need to enforce deadlines on moving on? Do we need to have a grace period before dating again after a break up? Heartbreak is everywhere, but we do have control of everyt...