July 31, 2023: Wuthering skies over the pizza house

Today is all about the unexpected things we encounter. Like a day dedicated to a performing arts pioneer. "The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever" was started by a small theater troupe in London in an effort to get themselves into the Guiness Book of World Records for the most people dressed as Kate Bush. But what started as a half-joking tribute has turned into a global phenomenon, including Greenfield, which may have been the only city in the northeast participating this year. We head to Energy Park not just to learn the choreography, but to hear the stories of the folx who've come together on the birthday of the artist who begat this whole endeavor. And like the surprises we see in the skies when the conditions are right. Dark Skies is a movement to reduce light pollution so that both scientists and civilians might observe the cosmos better, but it's more than that when we look a little closer. We head to the McConnell Rooftop Observatory at Smith College to talk about the efforts to make less illuminated evenings happen with astronomers James Lowenthal of Smith College and Mr. Universe, Salman Hameed of Hampshire College. There we're able to dig into not just the potential scientific benefits of these efforts, their environmental potential, and how to find the places where you too can enjoy the benefits of a darkened sky. It's also in the neighborhood pizza place with a much longer name than we use colloquially. Joe's Cafe Spaghetti and Pizza House becomes our first Hampshire County location for Pizza Quest. For over 70 years the local staple has been serving the folx of western Mass. Since it is a much beloved local of Table & Vine Ambassador Michael Quinlan, we invite him along to test their slices, and find the dish of local urban legend.