Archive

'Alaska’s Wild Gourmet' makes me want to go foraging

I haven’t had the chance to do much foraging this year. I missed the window for fiddlehead ferns, but I have big dreams of turning my backyard into a forager’s paradise for EJ. I want to put rhubarb and raspberry bushes up along the fence, plant wildflowers in

Watching HGTV’s new show, ‘House Hunters: Grand Alaska’

I’m writing this week’s newsletter from Kasilof Beach, while watching my family dipnet. Since I was pregnant last year and probably would have floated out to sea, I didn't go. This year, it's because of my leg. It felt like an accident waiting to

A familiar face in 'Wild West Alaska,' plus a new AK-based HGTV show premieres this week

There was once a show about a gun shop in Anchorage that ran for four seasons. I'm honestly surprised it made it that long. Wild West Alaska premiered in 2013 on Animal Planet, and showed the everyday life of the staff who work at the shop. The shop

'Aliens in Alaska,' and clocking into the 'Love Island' factory

Before we get into it, yes, I want to believe in aliens-slash-life outside of Earth. Aliens in Alaska only got one season (and it's labeled as a documentary which made me LOL), but had some pretty familiar faces from local politicians, including Bob Bird and Dustin

Every Alaska myth tested in ‘Mythbusters'

When I was a pre-teen, my mom came home from work and told my brother and I the Mythbusters had stopped by work. This was not the norm in Willow, especially in the winter. I never ended up watching the episodes until now, so let's get into

In 'Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet,' viewer discretion is advised

Dunk came home when I was watching Dr. Dee perform surgery on a guinea pig. Oh, I can't do this, he said, and went into the other room. Each episode of Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet begins with a viewer discretion advised notice. Castrations, spay and neuter clinics in

Searching for the illusive Iliamna Lake monster in 'River Monsters' and 'Aliens in Alaska'

Back in June of 1980, the Anchorage Daily News offered a $100,000 reward for proof of the Iliamna Lake monster's existence. People have lived on this land for more than 7,000 years, and for centuries, they've fished these lakes wearing lightweight waterproof parkas made

The Alaskan Hotel is one of the 'Portals to Hell'

This newsletter is going to be a lot more fun to read if you believe in paranormal activity and can suspend your illusion of disbelief. Portals to Hell got three seasons, totaling 39 episodes – and season 1 episode 1 is about The Alaskan Hotel. It aired in 2019. Jack Osbourne

TLDW: 'Southern Hospitality' > 'Southern Charm'

In Bravo's arsenal of reality television are two shows with too similar a name. Until I watched them, I was mixing up Southern Charm and Southern Hospitality constantly. A running joke in our household is that if I'm watching either show, it's referred to

'Flying Wild Alaska,' the end of an Era

Discovery+ has a treasure trove of Alaska-adjacent shows. I have been watching Flying Wild Alaska through free trials the last two weeks. Flying Wild Alaska follows the Tweto family, Jim, Ferno, Ariel and Ayla (there is a third sister, but she wasn't in the series). There are

Comparing the Alaska episodes of 'Man v. Food,' 10 years apart 🍔

Some weeks, I know what show I want to watch for AK IRL. Other times, it comes down to me searching "Alaska" and seeing what comes up. Yesterday was the latter, and I came across Man v. Food. Basically, the show highlights "big food." Adam Richman

My husband got me a Cirie Fields Cameo for Mother's Day

Dunk texted me at 12:01 a.m., but I didn't see it until I woke up. Hey I got this message for you??? Happy Mother’s Day?? ❤️❤️ Under it was a 3-and-a-half-minute video from my parasocial bestie Cirie Fields. I was scream-laughing

I spent my Saturday binging 6+ hours of 'Slednecks'

I have been holding off on watching Slednecks (mainly because I couldn't find it anywhere to watch for free). MTV has done a real good job of keeping this one on lock. Or maybe it was never popular enough that people were looking for it, who knows. This

TLDW: 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island,' 'Fear Factor' reboot and '90 Day Fiancé'

TLDW: (Some) affluent women share their lives and what comes along with it. Last month, I was featured on a friend's podcast, where we chatted about reality television (shoutout Cody and Crude!!). I mentioned I watch certain shows because I am entertained by them, not because I like

Alaskans featured on 'Shark Tank,' and I broke my dumb leg

We are so back, everybody. Sorry that I didn't publish AK IRL last week – I had a pretty bad fall, which resulted in surgery and a few nights in the hospital. I broke my left tib and fib, and tore the ligament tucked between those bones. I'

When Bristol Palin tangoed her way into the 'Dancing With the Stars' finale

I was in middle school when Sarah Palin announced her course correction from governor to VP nominee. She was smack dab in the middle of campaigning when news hit the tabloids that her teenage daughter, Bristol, was pregnant. Bristol was on an episode of The Secret Life of the American

Laura Cole's 'Top Chef' season, plus 'Summer House' drama in the Bravo-sphere

I have been making my way through the new season of Top Chef: Carolinas (23) that's currently airing. It felt fitting to go and watch Laura Cole's time on the show – she appeared on season 15, set in Colorado. I'm from Denali National Park,

'Alaska Mega Machines' is heavier than six blue whales

Do you want to watch Alaska Mega Machines with me? That sounds like my kind of show, Duncan answered. This was a two-season show from Discovery that I found on Tubi (which is free), with 10 episodes total. I guess there were only so many mega machines they could

TLDW: 'Age of Attraction' and 'Australia V The World'

Starting this month, AK IRL's paying subscribers will get a monthly roundup of what I'm watching that isn't Alaska-reality-tv-related. I'm aiming for this to be sent out on the last Thursday of each month. There are so many shows

Frankie Doom's competitive side comes to play in The Boulet Brothers' 'Dragula,' 'Resurrection' and 'Titans'

I am so sorry this newsletter comes out on Sundays, because last night was drag queen Frankie Doom's last performance 🥀 She's not dying, she's just moving out of Alaska. Think Monster High Doll meets The Exorcist. Frankie is one of my favorite Anchorage queens.