I hadn’t heard of Samantha until I YouTube searched a Childish Gambino freestyle performance at Fatbeats in LA I totally should have been at. And while I was curious as to who Donald Glover’s cute DJ friend laying down the dope beats was, it took me until I saw her play two sets in San Diego during Comic-Con before I knew I had to interview this lady with serious tastemaker style. Countless plays of her Cruel Summer mix track later, I got a hold of Sam to ask her how she met Donald (it was on Twitter talking about their obsession of an Amerie remix) and learned her full-time gig is leading the PR department at branding agency 722 Figueroa. Samantha admitted she rarely relaxes and is always working, but fashion and music are her passions so she does whatever it takes. Want to get to know her a little better? Yeah you do. You can start with two things she’s totally excited about right now.

Photo by TigerTiger Photography

1. Last month I had the honor of DJing in Singapore, and I opened for Dâm-Funk, a funk artist I really admire. I also got to go record hunting with him, and he picked out a record for me! That memory is still so unreal to me, every time I think about it. One of the coolest things that happened this year.

2. I’m generally not so savvy in the kitchen, but I made a really delicious salad the other day that I’m very proud of. Check this out: Kale, arugula, feta cheese, smashed up pita chips, lemon & olive oil, maldon salt, and freshly ground pepper. You just don’t know exciting until you know this salad!

Take it from me, Chaz Bundick (Toro Y Moi) is one of the most approachable people you’ll ever meet. I’ve always felt awkward butting into conversations, but had no problem walking right up to his circle of friends for a chat at Outside Lands this past weekend in San Francisco. Chaz was nice enough to take a few minutes from his ultra-busy press schedule to talk about his new EP, what his dreams are like and the two things he’s most excited about right now. Have a listen below.

Chaz Bundick Interview

If you’re in your 20s or 30s, chances are that Blake Sennett has been involved with something you remember fondly. After circling around Kettner Blvd. and finding the tour van a parking spot outside The Casbah, I chatted with Blake about his recent tour for The Elected, Rilo Kiley’s breakup, Boy Meets World and Suzanne Somers (yup, that actually came up). Oh and let’s not forget two things he’s excited about right now. Have a listen below.

Blake Sennett Interview

Dennis Rodman is and always will be someone who fascinates me. Yeah, he’s probably the greatest rebounder in the history of the NBA, but what I envy even more is that he doesn’t give a damn what people think and does things his way. Admittedly it does get him into trouble now and then, but I think it’s something all creatives can embrace at some level because a free spirit can accomplish a lot. I knew it’d be a long shot to interview the guy, but he was awesome enough to dish on what he’s been up to and two things he’s excited about these days. Oh and Dennis, we are totally going to blog about some better hats you might want to pick up.

Photo by Stacy Jo Grant/WENN

What’s Keeping Him Busy:

Being me. Spending time with friends and family and helping my friend raffle his house to raise money for a homeless shelter drug treatment center.

What He’s Excited About:

1) Doing my celebrity DJ thing. I’ve played St. Tropez, Ibiza, Tokyo and all over the USA.

2) Being me. I live by the notion that everyone should be themselves. I’ll be me, and you be you. Just be happy in your own skin and love life.

Meaghan O’Connell is a writer and her words are all kinds of wonderful. You see, there are approximately 10 people in every generation who know a thing or two about a thing or two. Meaghan O’Connell knows how to write. She knows how to paint a picture with her words and provoke a sense of “holy shit, I can totally relate to that” in her storytelling. Sure, I can tell you she lives in Brooklyn and works at Tumblr (well, Kickstarter starting next week) but the real magic happens here. Her observational style is sharp, witty, fresh, foul-mouthed and more raw than Eddie Murphy’s absurd leather suit. There is no joke when I say Meaghan O’Connell is to our generation of writing what Bob Dylan was to music or Richard Linklater’s “Slacker” was to my 20′s. Yes, it’s that good. And if you don’t get it, you probably don’t get the awesomeness of this or the humor in this. I asked Meaghan to tell us 2 things she’s totally stoked on right now and why. Here goes:

“Lately I’ve spent a lot of time hiding out in my apartment looking for ways to stay happy and in denial of all the things I wanted to write this year but didn’t. Staying warm without opening a Word document! This is a talent, and I have honed it. HERE IS HOW:

#1 Smitten Kitchen. I always swore I would never cook. Like, actually swore to my grandmother I wouldn’t and she told me I would make a bad wife. It was just not my Thing. I think I saw cooking as some sort of emblem of practicality and timewasting that was not for a strong-willed lady of letters like myself. Then this fall, something switched. I lost my strong will. Just kidding. Maybe I wanted to save money but still hang out with my friends, maybe I just got sick of running down the block in thirty degree weather to get ten dollar tacos, maybe I grew up a little and realized that paying seven dollars for a microwaved Amy’s burrito every night is just Sad–all I know is something has come over me and all I want to do is roast vegetables and bake pies.

And basically for all of this I blame, or credit Smitten Kitchen. Smitten Kitchen is a cooking blog run by a woman named Deb who lives in New York and who I am pretty convinced will be my new best friend any day now. I don’t know “the food internet.” Food and cats, two major Internets I always avoided. The other night I looked at a few other cooking blogs a friend sent me and all I could think was POOR MAN’S SMITTEN KITCHEN. She’s candid, hilarious, and totally honest about either how good a recipe is or what a pain in the ass it is to make. Lady has spunk, and I admire it. Also, all of her recipes are FUN and REALLY DAMN GOOD. Like, you invite a friend over and they will be like, “Holy SHIT, who are you?” And I’ll be like, “Dude, I dunno. smittenkitchen.com.” Also, cooking is a great way to feel productive without yelling at the Internet or hating people. ALSO it warms up your apartment. And your HEART.

#2 Twin Peaks. Until a few weeks ago, I had either never seen this show or saw it when it was on network television in 1991, in which case, Mom, why did you let me watch that when I was seven years old? My friend and co-editor/bookwife, Melissa, is obsessed with Twin Peaks in a very real way. As in she has a framed picture of Tibet, a rug like the carpet in the Red Room, just bought a donut maker, is Laura Palmer. The last time we found ourselves sitting in her living room mailing hundreds of books around the world, she finally forced me to watch the pilot and MUCH TO MY CHAGRIN, I was instantly hooked. This show! I haven’t finished watching it yet so do not ruin the ending for me (I have somehow gone 20 years without knowing who killed Laura Palmer), but it’s all online and now I usually spend all my time after midnight with my laptop on my lap (Twin Peaks ALSO comes with warmth as fringe benefit!), yelling at my computer screen in disbelief that this show was ever made, that it was ever on television, much less 90s television, utterly flabbergasted that it is 2010 and Kyle MacLachlan is somehow still not my husband.

Check out previous Do-Tell features here.

Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits has a focus on simplicity that leaves me calmer and more relaxed every time I read it. It’s therapeutic and means even more coming from someone who admittedly didn’t always or still doesn’t have everything figured out. Leo just released his latest book Focus, which I really believe can change many people’s lives for the better by learning to manage distractions (seriously, read it – the basic version is free). Leo was cool enough to let me distract him a little though to tell us two things he’s totally stoked on. You’ll find his answers below.

1. Life. I am very excited by life. It’s so much fun to live, every day, and it’s filled with complete wonders, with everyday miracles, with so much to see, learn, taste, feel, and do. Every single day, I’m astounded that I’m alive, and can’t wait to see what life has in store for me.

2. Pizza. It’s my biggest weakness right now, but I don’t care. I love it. I’ve been exploring Neapolitan pizza here in San Francisco, and it’s absolutely incredible. I believe pizza is Godsent and that it will be served at lunchtimes in heaven.

Somewhere in between twenty minute hikes to stages across Golden Gate Park and those delicious sweet potato fries, I caught up with Chromeo at Outside Lands to find out two things they’re really excited about right now. Coupled with their funny fixation on my phrasing (you’d think I was the first person to ask them what they’re “pumped” about), P-Thugg and Dave 1 gave us the inside scoop on some collaborations from their new album, Business Casual, out September 14th. Hint: it involves an awesome redhead and a blood-sucking indie rocker. Are you ready to get stoked, pumped, and psyched? Watch on.