Welcome to CHO & TELL!
Hi, thanks for finding me here on Substack!
First, a little about myself…
I’ve spent most of my career in TV news: CNN, ABC, CNBC and now — CBS Sunday Morning.
I recently won an Emmy Award…
I’m one of a handful of American journalists to report from inside North Korea...
And yes, I’ve covered the fashion runways in New York and Paris… interviewing almost every major designer along the way… the late Karl Lagerfeld... Donatella Versace... Michael Kors… Donna Karan… Vera Wang… and the new guard, too.
I’m also co-producing an upcoming Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart directed by R.J. Cutler — so excited to be working on this!
On the personal side… during lockdown, I learned how to cook… I could barely boil an egg pre-Covid… most of my friends were equal parts shocked and amused.
Food has become a passion – much like fashion has always been for me – and cooking has really made me appreciate chefs at the top of their game… maestros like Eric Ripert, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and David Chang.
Some of the people I’ve just name checked are friends.
And that got me thinking.
I have some amazing people on speed dial… some, famous… a few, household names… and all, brilliant in their chosen fields.
I asked myself… what if I took a deep dive into my digital rolodex and caught up with some of them? What makes them tick? How did they get so successful?
Ever feel like you have friends you know but don’t really know. I certainly do.
That is where Cho & Tell comes in…
My goal for this newsletter is for you to get to know some of the people I know… in a different way.
See — if I’ve learned anything in my 20+ years in journalism, it’s this: a person tends to be more revealing in an interview when they’re comfortable, when they feel like they can trust the person asking the questions.
When that interviewer happens to be a friend… well, you get the picture.
So, here’s what I have on tap:
Vera Wang on #STOPASIANHATE and looking fabulous at 72.
Donna Karan on getting Covid and dressing post Covid.
Eric Ripert on the 3 things you need to know if you’re grilling this summer.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten on how Covid has been very good for business.
Bill Rudin on the future of real estate in NYC (his family owns one of the biggest real estate companies in the city).
A lot of fashion, a little food, some business… art and travel, too.
I also want to hear from YOU… let me know who you want to hear from… would you be interested in a style guide? A travel guide on, say, Capri or Paris?
I’ll be posting on Tuesdays and Fridays… so come back… and, if you want to make sure you see my interviews, please subscribe below.
See you soon!
x Alina