76. Hotel Art

01/13/25 • 17 min

3 Listeners

A watercolor of a harbor? A black-and-white photo of a pile of rocks? Some hotels are trying to do better. Zachary Crockett unpacks.

SOURCES:
- Melanie Kettring, director of studio design at Best Western Hotels.
- Jessica Poundstone, visual artist.
- Gavi Wolf, founder and C.E.O. of Indiewalls.
RESOURCES:
- Indiewalls.
- Best Western.
EXTRAS:
- "Used Hotel Soaps," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023).
- "The Hidden Side of the Art Market," series by Freakonomics Radio (2021).

A watercolor of a harbor? A black-and-white photo of a pile of rocks? Some hotels are trying to do better. Zachary Crockett unpacks.

SOURCES:
- Melanie Kettring, director of studio design at Best Western Hotels.
- Jessica Poundstone, visual artist.
- Gavi Wolf, founder and C.E.O. of Indiewalls.
RESOURCES:
- Indiewalls.
- Best Western.
EXTRAS:
- "Used Hotel Soaps," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2023).
- "The Hidden Side of the Art Market," series by Freakonomics Radio (2021).

Previous Episode

75. Butchers

Before beef ends up at your favorite steakhouse, it passes through the hands of a trained specialist with an encyclopedic knowledge of bovine anatomy. Zachary Crockett chews the fat.

SOURCES:
- Bryan Flannery, co-owner of Flannery Beef.
- Katie Flannery, co-owner of Flannery Beef.
RESOURCES:
- "National Weekly Boxed Beef Cutout And Boxed Beef Cuts — Negotiated Sales," U.S.D.A. Agricultural Marketing Service (U.S.D.A. Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, 2025).
- "Understanding Beef Carcass Yields and Losses During Processing," (Penn State Extension Articles, 2022).
- "Beef Cow-Calf Production," by Cheryl A. Fairbairn, Lynn F. Kime, Jayson K. Harper, and John W. Comerford (Penn State Extension Articles, 2020).
- "Major Supermarket Chains Changed How They Label Meat, Surprising Customers and USDA," by Roberto A. Ferdman (The Washington Post, 2014).
- "What’s Your Beef — Prime, Choice or Select?" by Larry Meadows (U.S.D.A Blog, 2013).
- "From Calf to Kitchen: The Journey of a Beef Cow," by Dave Eames and Mike McGraw (The Kansas City Star, 2012).
EXTRAS:
- "The Future of Meat," by Freakonomics Radio (2019).

Next Episode

77. Hand Models

You can be a top model and still not get recognized on the street — as long as you keep your cuticles healthy and your moons white. Zachary Crockett points a finger.