Dale takes a break from his elaborate solstice preparations for a conversation with cartoonist and graphic novelist, Julia Wertz. Dale invites Julia to talk about her new book, Tenements, Towers, and Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City, which is an extraordinary, eclectic, ambitious work full of beautiful drawings of New York as it once was and as it appears in the present day. Like Dale, Julia enjoys a good historical tangent, and the book contains numerous insightful digressions into the personalities and peculiarities that continue to shape modern city life. Having a touch of seasonal sadness this time of year, Dale maybe picks up on maybe too much emptiness in some of Julia’s work, but the two have a fine conversation about spending time alone and growing up among the strange architecture in old buildings. Plus a deep dive into the ancient messages of hot springs, an update on the wildfires, and Dale recounts his first visit to Manhattan.