Westwood Living Podcast Network

Tom Leyden and Diana Brouillard, the co-owner and CEO of Dream Spa Medical, connect to chat about a bunch of topics related to aesthetic and wellness care. Diana, whose story was featured on the cover of Westwood Living's May, 2023 issue, details the growth of Dream Spa Medical and what has changed in the world of aesthetics recently. Not only are more people regularly making aesthetic care a part...

Tom Leyden and Maddie Walter, who was featured on the March cover of Westwood Living, chat at Terma Goods in Dedham. Maddie, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in May, 2015, has been a force in the TBI community thanks to her intelligence, fitness and drive. Her commitment to recovery and dedication to helping other people who are experiencing similar challenges is nothing short of inspiring. T...

Tom Leyden and Anne Cloherty Fortune connect to talk about the Westwood Community Chest and the 2025 Gala of Giving, scheduled for Saturday, March 29 at the Norfolk Golf Club. Anne Fortune is co-president of the Westwood Community Chest, sharing duties with Jim McLaughlin. In her third year on the board, Anne details the many ways The Westwood Community Chest serves Westwood's neighbors, helping f...

Tom Leyden connects with Derek Field from Field Martial Arts Academy as he prepares for the Norwood Dancing with The Stars event on Friday, April 18. Derek is joining a collection of Norwood business owners to help raise money for the Norwood Circle of Hope, and he's dusting off the dancing shoes to do it. Tom and Derek talk about his preparation for the competition, how people can attend the even...

Tom Leyden connects with Sarah Lovely, Lauren Watson and Kate Peltz, known collectively as Backyard College Counseling, to learn more about their partnership and a unique opportunity they are presenting for parents of 9th and 10th grade students on Monday March 24.  Sarah, Lauren and Kate are each individual college consultants, working individually with high school students as they begin to navig...

Tom Leyden and Marissa Mihos connect from the Revival Wellness Studio in Medfield. Marissa Mihos is the owner and operator of Revival, which opened in 2023 on Route 109. She describes the facility as a self-care sanctuary that's designed as a place where clients can step out of reality and press pause, because we don't do that enough. Everybody needs a break in their day, and that's what Marissa h...

Tom Leyden connects with James Masison the owner of American Event Rental, at Everything Bagel in Foxboro. You may be familiar with James Masison's work. American Event Rental has provided the tents used for two Westwood Living events - our Spring Sunset Party at Hale Education and our Summer Bonanza at The Bean Farm. American Event Rental specializes in tents for events, as well as everything you...

Tom Leyden chats with Lauren Buza, Olivia Li and Saoirse Prendergast previewing the Westwood Stage production of "Catch Me If You Can, The Musical" Lauren, Olivia and Saoirse are each seniors at Westwood High School who play instrumental roles as leaders in the Westwood Stage family. They discuss how a well-known movie, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, has been adapted for the stage as a...

Our Expert Contributor in Realty & Design, Roula Bakis, sheds some light on what to expect in the real estate market as spring approaches. There's been a shift in the market as more people have made the decisions to buy and sell their homes. With interest rates likely to remain roughly the same in the months ahead, there's no sense "waiting" anymore for them to drop. Roula has key tips if you're t...

Tom Leyden connects with Dave Fleischman, the owner of APR Physical Therapy, at the Foxboro studio - one of two studios operated by Dave and his team. Dave Fleischman has spent decades in the field after graduating from West Virginia University and is Westwood Living's Expert Contributor in Physical Therapy. During our conversation, he talks specifically about his mission to provide concierge serv...

Lauren Watson from Watson College Consulting provides some great tips for parents and students as they make plans to visit college campuses in the coming weeks. Lauren has spent more than 20 years in the world of college admissions, on both sides of the equation - both with colleges and universities and also in high school guidance offices. She has owned and operated her own college consulting bus...

Tom Leyden introduces you to Leah Kofos, one of Westwood Living's newest Expert Contributors, in the field of Estate Planning and Elder Law. Leah Kofos joined the firm of Samuel, Sayward & Baler, LLC almost a year ago. In that time, she has worked closely with families preparing them for issues related to estate planning, trusts, guardianship and probate. Thursday, February 13, Leah is hosting a s...

As the four Westwood elementary schools continue their 100th Day of School Food Drive, Tom Leyden and Maya Plotkin connect to chat about the Westwood Food Pantry and how the team serves our community. Maya Plotkin has been a member of the Westwood Food Pantry board since 2010. In those 15 years, she has seen great growth in town, both with those in need and how beneficial the Westwood Food Pantry...

Tom Leyden chats with Lauren Leonard and Erin Colleran about the work they've done with the Girls On The Run program and how it's expanding in 2025 to the middle school level. Lauren Leonard and Erin Colleran are both "Sheehan Moms," who have taken their love of fitness and running and helped build a very successful "Girls On The Run" program in Westwood, which started at Sheehan Elementary and ex...

Tom Leyden connects with Joseph Vinci as the Westwood native gets set to play in the National Championship Game for Notre Dame against Ohio State. Joseph Vinci is the long snapper for Notre Dame's punting unit, and has played in seven games this season, including all three of the Irish postseason wins. Notre Dame will face OSU Monday night in Atlanta for the national title, and Joseph, less than a...

Tom Leyden connects with Dr. Patti Giuliano at the offices of Westwood Family Chiropractic to discuss her new book, "Holy Sh*T! I'm Gonna Be a Mom! What Was I Thinking?" Dr. Patti Giuliano opened Westwood Family Chiropractic with her husband, Dr. Peter Kevorkian, 43 years ago, and together they have built a community of support and vitality, nurtuing generations of families through their chiroprac...

Tom Leyden connects with Morgan Donahue, to get to know the man behind the mic for so many of Westwood High School's athletic broadcasts on Westwood Media Center. Morgan shares some details about his full-time job at Oracle, how he was inspired to pursue the opportunity to do play-by-play for WMC, and why he's so dedicated to preserving memories for Westwood families. Be sure to follow Morgan on I...

Tom Leyden and Mike O'Brien connect at Comella's and touch on all kinds of things, from real estate, to sports, to music. Mike O'Brien has successfully transitioned to real estate after a long career in sports broadcasting, where he served as a play-by-play announcer in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Lowell and Trenton. You may also know Mike from his stint as an update host at 98.5 The Sports Hub and col...

Tom Leyden connects with a quartet of Westwood moms who work together as part of the WHS PTO Board. Michelle Micone Doherty, Sandra Castaldini, Brooke Brown and Stephanie Finegold joined Tom at Neroli Mercato and provided a great overview of what the Parent-Teacher Organization does, how it's structured, who benefits from the work and how parents can get involved.

Tom Leyden connects with Manolis Christo under the protection of his most-prized pergola and comfort of his outdoor kitchen. Manolis Christo is a Westwood resident and owner of Boston Pergolas. His work graces the back cover of Westwood Living each month, with stunning photos from both residential and commercial projects his company has completed throughout Boston and the suburbs. Tom and Manolis...

Tom Leyden and Randy Hatch have an illuminating conversation. Randy Hatch is a long-time Westwood resident who has been working as an electrician since he was 19-years-old. Not only does he serve many Westwood residents by lending his electrical expertise, he also warms the heart of hundreds who cruise by his house on Briar Lane during the holiday season. Randy shares the details of his display, w...

Tom Leyden connects with Doug Pollard at Pollard's Test Kitchen in Westwood. Doug and his wife, Stephanie, bought High Street Market from Liz Adams in 2023 and opened for business in November, 2023, just before Thanksgiving. In the year since, Doug has already left a footprint in Westwood, bringing his unique and delicious style and taste to Pollard's Test Kitchen, and also catering two of Westwoo...

Tom Leyden connects with Justin LaRose of JPL Media Works. Justin LaRose, a graduate of Skidmore, formed JPL Media Works in 2020, as a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic. He coupled his passion for storytelling with his training as a business consultant to build a unique company focused on serving the digital video needs of clients throughout the Boston area. Justin shares the story of his inspira...

Tom Leyden chats with Nicole Mollica and Ryan Roach from the Admissions Office at Archbishop Williams High School. Archbishop Williams is a premier, co-ed Catholic school in Braintree, welcoming prospective families to a pair of open houses on October 27 and November 3. Tom, Nicole and Ryan discuss what makes Archbishop Williams special and unique, how families and students benefit long term from...

Tom Leyden connects with Terris Jones, William Russell and Ava Blessing, three Westwood High School seniors to preview and discuss the upcoming production of Much Ado About Nothing. Three shows are scheduled: Friday, October 25 - 7:30pm Saturday, October 26: 2:00pm Saturday, October 26: 7:30pm Purchase tickets at http://westwoodstage.com