Westwood Living Podcast Network

Tom Leyden connects with Mike Xidea, the Dealer Principal of Cadillac of Norwood.  Mike Xidea has spent 25 years in the car industry, most of that time working at the Cadillac of Norwood dealership on Providence Highway.  Tom and Mike discuss the recent history of the auto industry, how selling a car has changed over the years, the importance of service, how the advent of electric vehicles has aff...

Tom Leyden connects with Maddie McDaniels, Brynn Garritty and Sonali Gopal to preview the Westwood Stage production of "Anything Goes."  Maddie, Brynn and Sonali are each experienced seniors in the Westwood Stage program and share their thoughts on the journey they've taken over four years in the program and what they're looking forward to most as "Anything Goes" is performed live in the Westwood...

Tom Leyden connects with Jen Palmer, the founder and owner of Universal Power Yoga. Universal Power Yoga has three locations, Westwood, Norwood and Wrentham, each started by Jen Palmer after she spent 10 years in the corporate world. The conversation provides some insight on how Yoga has affected Jen's life, how thrilled she is to have a studio open in Westwood and what she suggests for people of...

Tom Leyden connects with the owners of Dream Spa Medical, Diana Brouillard and Leah Mofford. Diana and Leah share the fascinating story of how they met, how Diana eventually brought on Leah as an ownership partner and how the two of them have led Dream Spa Medical to success with three locations now open. What started in Canton, has expanded to Brookline and Foxboro, where the latest location was...

Tom Leyden connects with Rick Bern and Mike DiSarro moments after Rick shot Mike's brand new headshots. Rick Bern has been an incredibly instrumental driving force behind what makes Westwood Living successful. Every month, Rick shoots the cover and feature photos that make our publication what it is. Mike DiSarro is the owner of Neroli Mercato & Ristorante. He and his team are getting set to celeb...

Tom Leyden and Dr. Ryan Welter discuss the topic of hair restoration and the many options that are available to both men and women. Dr. Ryan Welter is the founder and owner of Regeneris MedSpa & Cosmetic Surgery and a major part of his practice at NE Hair focuses on hair restoration and surgery. This conversation addresses how hair loss affects men and women very differently and the steps both sho...

Tom Leyden and Dr. Ryan Welter from Regeneris MedSpa & Cosmetic Surgery have a fascinating conversation about the positive effects of regenerative medicine. Dr. Ryan Welter is the an Expert Contributor in Westwood Living and is renowned internationally for the work he does in the Med Spa & Cosmetic Surgery field. His commitment to regenerative medicine and cell-based technologies stems from his ba...

Tom Leyden and Dr. Ryan Welter connect for a conversation in the offices of Regeneris MedSpa and Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Ryan Welter is driven, most notably, by his commitment to family. His life choices and career path were influenced most significantly by his dedication to being present for his wife and children and living a life in medicine that provided balance. In this episode, the first of thr...

Tom Leyden and Melissa Rush connect to share stories and talk comedy. Melissa Rush is a 1989 graduate of Westwood High School and, among other things, a stand-up comedian. Melissa will be performing at the inaugural Galentine's Night Luxury Purse Bingo Event on Thursday, February 8 at Neroli Ristorante. Melissa shares some background on what made her pursue the opportunity to do stand-up, how she...

Tom Leyden and Charles Donahue catch up to discuss the amazing collection of college courses available for free at the Westwood Public Library. Charlie and Nancy Donahue have continually updated a fantastic and thorough collection of "The Great Courses," university-level courses on DVD led by some of the most well-respected college professors in the United States. The courses can be borrowed from...

Tom Leyden catches up with Charles Donahue to learn more about his fascinating life and career. Charles Donahue retired last spring from his role as Chairman of the Westwood School Committee. He spent nine years working with educators, parents and students in town. His career as a Health Care Executive is nothing short of extraordinary, as he helped implement and organize some of the nation's most...

Tom Leyden connects with Eric Arnold, the executive director of Hale Education. Eric Arnold has been the executive director at Hale Education for 22 years and announced in mid-December his plans to step down from his position in August of 2024. Tom and Eric discuss the mission of Hale Education, the unique path Eric followed to land the job as executive director in the early 2000s, how residents o...

Tom Leyden and Nathalie Homsy chat about Nathalie's new venture, a chocolate delicacy company named Omniya. Nathalie Homsy is a native of Lebanon and has lived in Westwood for many years. This winter, she is embarking on a new challenge, launching a luxury chocolate company named "Omniya," which translates to "A Wish" in Lebanese. The unique, high-end, classy chocolate is aimed to bring a touch of...

Tom Leyden and Dr. Alana Bednarz from Dental Arts of Westwood connect to chat about a great holiday promotion and a special party being hosted at Dental Arts on December 14. One lucky patient will receive a free treatment (braces or Invisalign), if they visit the office for a complimentary consultation, commit to treatment and leave a deposit. The first 20 patients who sign up between now and Dece...

We're thrilled to unveil a new monthly feature - The Barrows Featured Artist. Carol Ahearn is a longtime Westwood native and member of the Westwood Artists group. We spent some time at the Westwood Public Library talking about her passion for art and the success she's had following that passion. Truly, a lovely person and a perfect choice as our first featured artists. Thanks to Barrows Custom Win...

Tom Leyden and Christopher Bean catch up from the warmth of the shed at The Bean Family Farm. It's time to buy your holiday decorations! Christmas tree sales start Friday, November 24. Chris Bean, who was featured along with his grandmother, Elena, on the cover of the August issue of Westwood Living, is the owner and operator of The Bean Family Farm. He has taken the bull by the horns and picked u...

Tom Leyden connects with Dr. Peter Kevorkian and Dr. John Redhead from Westwood Family Chiropractic. Westwood Family Chiropractic was a Platinum Sponsor of the Westwood Living Lessons From Leaders Series, and both Dr. Peter and Dr. John participated in the in-person sessions with Westwood High School students. We talk about their experience with the kids and also what separates Westwood Family Chi...

Tom Leyden connects with Laura Macs and Kara Kennedy at the Westwood branch of Dedham Savings. Laura and Kara are both longtime employees of Dedham Savings, the presenting sponsor of the Westwood Living Lessons From Leaders series. In this episiode, Tom, Laura and Kara talk about their experience with the Westwood High School students. They also discuss the various opportunities available at Dedha...

Tom Leyden connects with Dr. Cory Lavallee in the offices of Westwood Eye Care & Optical. Dr. Lavallee is the owner of Westwood Eye Care, a practice he purchased outright in 2020. Along with Dr. Michaela Temple and his staff, Dr. Lavallee cares for patients from their office conveniently located on Route 109 in Westwood. Tom and Cory discuss his background, how an injury to his eye when he was you...

Tom Leyden and Kristen Bender Daaboul give an overview of Kadeema Rentals Shop Local Give Back Furniture Sale scheduled for November 8, 9 & 10.  Kadeema Rentals is at the forefront of the furniture rental business for corporations and individuals planning and hosting special events. Over the course of three days, Kristen and her team are hosting the Shop Local Give Back Furniture Sale, offering co...

Tom Leyden and Tom Mullen catch up from the offices of Breakwater Capital Group in Westwood. Tom Mullen is a Certified Financial Planner (TM) and partner at Breakwater Capital Group. The Westwood resident and father of three children has more than two decades of experience working with families as they plan their financial futures. Specifically, Tom considers himself an expert and specialist in fi...

Tom Leyden has a fascinating and educational conversation with Derek Stearns, the Manager of Marketing, Sales and Design at Plymouth Quarries. Tom and Derek chat about Derek's experience at the Lessons From Leaders Series, what he does as an artist and marketing expert at Plymouth Quarries, his history as co-host of Rock Solid and Indoors Out on DIY, the formation and development of Plymouth Quarr...

Tom Leyden previews the upcoming production of Game of Tiaras with Mr. Jim Howard, who runs the Westwood Stage program, and seniors Ella Mansour and Nora Fortune. Performances of Game of Tiaras are scheduled for Thursday, November 2 at 7:30 and Saturday, November 4 at 2:00 and 7:30. When the aging king of a Magical Kingdom (England) decides to split his empire between his three daughters, Cinderel...

Tom Leyden chats with Nicole Mollica and Ryan Roach from Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree. Nicole and Ryan lead the Admissions Department at Archbishop Williams, a Catholic co-educational school for students in grades 7-12. The Bishops will host a pair of open houses - Sunday, October 22 and Sunday, November 5 from 11am-1pm. Tom, Nicole and Ryan talk about the state of Catholic educati...

Tom Leyden and Rob Hare chat at the studios of Robert Hare Photography in Concord, MA. Rob Hare is the official photographer of the Kick Off The Holidays Party and has been present at countless of big events over the last 15 years since opening his own photography studio. Tom and Rob catch up about his background, what drives him and Rob shares some stories about his time shooting the Patriots Che...