The Grands Club

06/05/2026

🎧 PART 1 — MAIN SOCIAL POST (Facebook / LinkedIn)

✨ This week on The Grands Club Podcast…

What happens when a life in music meets a life-changing decision to be closer to family?

Jazz musician and grandmother extraordinaire, Julie Parsons, shares the heartfelt story behind a bold choice she and her husband made after retirement—moving closer to their grandchildren.

It’s a conversation about:
🎶 Following your rhythm in a new season of life
💛 Choosing presence over distance
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 And discovering the everyday magic of being a grand

Because sometimes the biggest life changes…
lead to the most beautiful connections.

🎧 Just click the link below to Join us for Part 1 of this special two-part conversation:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/julie-parsons-part-1/id1790944465?i=1000764561192

From one grand heart to another!

25/11/2025

What happens when a mother–daughter duo builds a food brand around gathering everyone at the table?

On this week’s Grands Club Podcast, I chat with Harrison of Crowded Kitchen about:
✨ Generational cooking
✨ Making space for every dietary preference
✨ Why food is really about connection

Hit play on Apple Podcasts:

Podcast Episode · The Grands Club · 11/21/2025 · 14m

11/11/2025

🌟 New Episode from The Grands Club Podcast! 🌟

In this special conversation, I sit down with my brother, Terry Bracy, whose remarkable life in public service — from speechwriter, aide, and presidential campaign manager for Mo Udall, to Assistant Secretary of Transportation under President Carter, and later Chairman of the Udall Foundation — has always been grounded in one thing: family.

Now a devoted grandfather, Terry reflects on the moments that truly matter — the lessons he hopes to pass on, the values that shaped his journey, and the legacy he wants his children and grandchildren to carry forward.

We talk about civility, integrity, kindness, and the quiet strength it takes to live a meaningful life — the kind that echoes across generations.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/terry-bracy-policymaker-husband-father-and-grandfather/id1790944465?i=1000736319398
✨ Because the greatest legacies aren’t written in laws or titles — they’re lived through love.

Podcast Episode · The Grands Club · 11/11/2025 · 13m

18/09/2025

✨ Introducing The Echoes Initiative -- a storytelling series of The Grands Club Podcast, capturing extraordinary lives from a small corner of America.

For years, I’ve had the privilege of capturing remarkable conversations—ordinary extraordinary voices whose stories stay with you long after the mic is off. The best ones don’t come from celebrities or headlines, but from everyday people doing their best, making a difference, and passing along decades of wisdom for future generations.

That’s what The Echoes Initiative is all about: preserving these voices so their lessons ripple forward, inspiring us all.

And there’s no better place to begin than with Coach Aaron Hutt—a mentor who has spent decades shaping lives here on the Eastern Shore. Aaron’s philosophy is simple but powerful: “Maximize Individual Capacity.” Be the best version of yourself. Follow your passion. See cracks in the court—and in life—not as obstacles, but as opportunities to rise.

This is just the first story in a series of extraordinary lives from a small corner of America.

📖 Read the full feature + listen to Aaron’s interview here: https://thegrandsclub.substack.com/p/aaron-hutt-serving-up-life-lessons

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coach-aaron-hutt/id1790944465?i=1000727068792

28/08/2025

💖 Fingerprints on the Glass 💖

If you’ve just spent time with your grands, you know the feeling—little handprints on the glass, giggles in the air, and a house that feels so full of love (and maybe a little chaos, too!).

I wrote a poem for every grandparent (and parent!) who treasures those fleeting moments.

✨ Read the full post and poem: https://thegrandsclub.substack.com/p/fingerprints-on-the-glass

What “fingerprints on the glass” moments did your grands leave behind this summer? 💕

A Grandparent’s Summer Reflection

28/07/2025

🎤What do jazz legend Erin Dickins and grandparenting have in common?

Apparently... swearing. 😂

In my latest blog on The Grands Club, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing the fabulous Erin Dickins—founding member of The Manhattan Transfer, cookbook author, performer, and yes, a wildly fun step-grandmom.

When I asked her what life lesson she hopes to pass down to her grands, she didn’t miss a beat:

👉 “I want to teach them to swear!”

Not sing. Not bake. Not behave. SWEAR. And somehow—it’s the most glorious, love-filled answer I’ve ever heard.

We talked about everything from jazz tours to blended families to why being a “step” doesn’t make you any less grand.

💫 It’s heartfelt. It’s hilarious. It’s 100% Erin.

https://thegrandsclub.substack.com/p/from-jazz-to-jaw-dropping-erin-dickins

Knowing when to whisper... and when to raise a ruckus.

23/07/2025

🏁✨🚢 It’s Time to Hit That Bucket List! 🚢✨🏁

Think South of France glamour.
Think Grand Prix Finals in Monaco.
Think sailing the sparkling Mediterranean with great friends, grands, and those who make life grand.

Join The Grands Club as we launch our Mediterranean Grand Prix Cruise this coming June 2026 – a once-in-a-lifetime journey where:
🌞 Nice is so very nice! 😎
🏎️ Grand Prix Finals in Monaco
🏝️ Sardinia’s turquoise coves
🌄 Corsica’s wild beauty
🍷 Tuscany’s rolling vineyards
🏛️ Rome’s timeless grandeur

Because life isn’t just about what you do, but who you do it with – grands, greats, and friends who fuel your soul.

Let’s make grand memories with great impact.

👉 https://www.accentontravel.com/hosted-journeys/the-grands-club-mediterranean-cruise/

Embark with Kathy Bernard, on a spellbinding voyage with the Royal Clipper, setting sail from the stunning coastal city of Nice, France. Experience the thrill of the Grand Prix Finals* in the glamorous surroundings of Fontvieille, Monaco before journeying to the serene beauty of Corsica’s SaintFlo...

15/07/2025

💛 Stories Buried in Our Souls

Sometimes, in an interview, everything fades away.

Shar McBee shared being abandoned 5 times by age 3.

Paul Cullen shared the joy of becoming a grandfather – and the heartbreak of his daughter’s incarceration and grandson in foster care.

Scott Turow paused when I asked about his life lessons and legacy. “No one’s ever asked me that before,” he said.

These raw, human moments humble me.
We all carry stories buried deep in our souls.
I’d love to hear yours – and share it so others can learn, connect, and heal.

✨ Read more on the blog. Subscribe to never miss these powerful truths.

Why sharing our hidden stories matters.

09/07/2025

Oh! I love this Tiny House Time! And if it were located in the South of France. How about you?

05/07/2025

🚶🏾‍♀️✨ Walk Where Harriet Walked

I just interviewed Linda Harris, founder of Harriet Tubman Legacy Tours. Her words moved me deeply. She reminds us that Harriet’s story isn’t just history – it’s a living legacy of faith, courage, and fierce love.

Imagine taking your children or grandchildren by the hand and walking the same trails Harriet traveled to freedom. Feeling her spirit. Hearing her story where it happened.

We owe it to them – and to her – to keep her light burning bright.

🖤 Read more about Linda’s work and why these walks matter so much: https://open.substack.com/pub/thegrandsclub/p/walking-with-harriet-how-linda-harris?r=4pr7ok&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

By Kathy Bernard

26/06/2025

💃✨ Some stories only get better with time...

A few years ago, my dear friend Barbara Kline and I poured our hearts, humor, and midlife wisdom into a novel called Perfectly Seasoned—written under our pen name Sarah-Jane Berklin. 📚💋

And guess what? The story still resonates today more than ever.

Perfectly Seasoned follows five incredible women—best friends since the preschool drop-off line—who reunite each season to navigate life’s twists and turns. Now in their 50s and 60s, “the babes” face romance, reinvention, aging parents, grown kids, and second chances—with laughter, grace, and the occasional glass of wine. 🍷💕

It’s a love letter to friendship, resilience, and the fact that life (and love!) doesn’t end at 50—or 60-or 70 ...it just gets way more interesting.

In my latest blog, I reflect on what it meant to write this book with Barbara and why its themes are still so relevant. I also share a preview of my recent conversation with midlife romance author Kisane Slaney—soon airing on NPR member stations and Apple Podcasts!

👉 Revisit Perfectly Seasoned—or discover it for the first time—right here:
Perfectly Seasoned on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Seasoned-Sarah-Jane-Berklin/dp/1509215026/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

👉 Read the full story on Substack:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-166925514?source=queue

Still seasoned. Still sizzling. Still worth the read. 🔥

On writing with Barbara Kline, chatting with Kisane Slaney, and proudly stepping into the “midlife author” club