Curiosity Quest Blog

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hey there CQ fans!

It has been a long time since I posted a video blog. Sorry about that! I have missed you guys.

It has been a very busy couple of months for the CQ crew. We have been hard at work preparing new shows for you. You will love them!

In the meantime, I decided to read some of my recent letters to you. I get hundreds of letters every month, so it is hard to choose just a few. But, keep writing! Maybe I will read one of your letters for my Vlog.

Thank you for being such awesome and dedicated fans! I love you guys!!!

~ Joel

An Awesome Summer!

2011-08-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hi CQ Fans,

Well I has been on a whirlwind adventure this Summer. First I went to Florida on vacation with my Family. If you haven't visited the Florida Keys, you must do that at some point. It is one of those places that sucks you in and doesn't want to let you go. It is beautiful and peaceful and I already am looking to planning another trip there.

Right after my vacation, the CQ crew headed to Alaska to film 3 new episodes of Curiosity Quest. Can you guess what topics we focused on while we were up there? Sadly, it rained on us everyday during our shoot, but that did not hinder us, one bit, from having an amazing time. We met fantastic people, took incredible adventures and dined on unforgettable food. I will not forget how wonderful the experience was and what a joy it was to get to share all of that with my awesome crew!

Here is my latest VLOG for you guys. Again, I am reading some of your letters. CQ has the greatest fans. You write hundreds of letters to me every week. I can't keep up :) Keep them coming and check out this video to see if I read your letter.

Thank you for being an awesome supporter of CQ! Love to you all and remember. . .

Stay Curious!

~ Joel

Hello Again!

2011-06-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hey there CQ Fans!

Sorry it has been a little while since my last post. These last couple of months have been crazy for Curiosity Quest. Anyway, here are some of your great CQ letters that you have sent to me! You guys are so creative and curious! Thank you for your ongoing letters and support. If I didn't read your letter out loud this time, don't worry, I will try to get to it next time :) We get thousands of letters every month, so it is impossible to get to them all. But, my crew and I read every single letter that is sent, so keep them coming!

In the meantime,

Stay Curious!
~ Joel

Have You Sent Me A Letter?

2011-04-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Have you sent me a letter in the last couple of weeks? Watch this video to see if I read your letter and answer your question! Don't see your letter here? Don't worry. Every month I will be reading quest letters. Keep writing!!!!

In the meantime,

Stay Curious!

~ Joel

I am reading your letters!

2011-03-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

Hello CQ Fans,

Have you sent me a "quest letter" recently? Tune in to see if I read it and answer your question on my vlog.

Keep checking back to see if I read your letter.

In the meantime,

Stay Curious!

~ Joel

CQ Update

2011-03-03T22:38:00.000-08:00

Joel is reading a few of the hundreds of Curiosity Quest letters that we receive. See if he reads your letter!

Thanks for watching.

As always,

Stay Curious!

~ Joel

Are You On the Map for the Month of November?

2010-11-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hey CQ fans,

Have you made it on the map for the month of November? We are taking some of our favorite letters and showing them on the CQ map. Our goal is to reach out to every state in the country starting this month. Make sure you get your mark on the map! Send us your Curiosity Quest letter and we may add it to our map. Can't wait to hear from you!

In the meantime,

Stay Curious

~ Joel

Curiosity Quest New Season

2010-11-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Well it is that time again. Where we wrap up our Curiosity Quest Goes Green season 3, and begin filming a new season of Curiosity Quest episodes. This season promises to be the best yet. I know I say that every season, but it is true, every season gets better.

This season will, once again, take us all over the country. From California, to Utah and Michigan. We are on a mission to answer your questions of curiosity. And, boy, do you have a lot of questions! We will be exploring topics such as horseback riding and bread making, to cheerleading and movie animatronics, to fashion design to orange packing. And that is only half the season!!!! Stay tuned for news on when you can catch these amazing episodes.

Curiosity Quest continues to stretch it's reach across the USA. This is proven by the letters we receive from all over the country. We have a new goal here at CQ and we hope that you can help us reach it. We would like to get a letter from each of the states in the United States. Help us make our footprint all over this great country. If you are curious about something, be sure to write to us! We will add you to our map below and you can watch our progress. We will make weekly updates to the map until the New Year and see how far we get. Look for your mark on the map!!!!

Thank you for your support. I am overwhelmed by your kind letters, and your kind words when you come up to me on the street and tell me how much you enjoy the show. It keeps me going and excited about bringing you better and better episodes. Thank you again!!!!!

Stay Curious

~Joel

Cool New Product!

2010-09-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hello CQ Fans!

I just wanted to take a moment to mention is this great new product that I have discovered. No, this is not a promotion, it is simply my opinion of something that I came across that my 7 year old daughter loves. It is the Pocketdoodles books from the publishers Gibbs-Smith. My daughter has the Pocketdoodles For Girls edition by Anita Wood, with drawings from Jennifer Kalis. There is also a Pocketdoodles For Boys edition. If you have not heard of these books, you need to check them out! They are awesome! They are pocket sized (or purse sized for Mom's), paperback books that encourage young girls and boys to use their imagination and draw to their heart's delight. The best part is, the books prompt them on what to draw. For example, one page says, "Design your own dream car." Another reads, "Who is one of your heros?" No scraps of paper around the house either. The book has space for all of the creative drawings. I don't know about you, but my daughter has a beautiful imagination and I love to see what she comes up with on these pages. We recently brought this book with us on a long plane ride and it kept her entertained for more minutes than I could count. I highly recommend this product. It will make a great gift for the upcoming holiday season also. I will put my stamp on anything that keeps my daughter entertained as well as encourages her to imagine and be creative. What I would like to know is, where is the Pocketdoodles for Grown-Ups book? I am totally jealous :) Look for Pocketdoodles at your local book store :)

Anyway, as far as updates on Curiosity Quest, currently all of the excitement is happening behind the scenes. We are in the process of editing our shows for our upcoming Green series that debuts this fall. We are also beginning our prep for filming our new regular season. Now more than ever, we need your ideas! What are you curious about? Think big and outside of the box. We may choose your letter next! Keep an ear out on our Facebook Page. We may be coming to your area soon! Also, look for us in syndication, not just PBS! We may be on a network near you!

Thank you for your support and as always . . .

Stay Curious!

~ Joel

2010-07-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Wonderful CQ Fans!

I don't know how you all feel, but I feel that Summer is moving along so quickly. It is hard to believe. My daughter will be starting school in just two weeks! What happened to the long, lazy summers that I remember from my youth? I guess that was a long time ago, but nevertheless, I am grateful for the beautiful sunshine, the smell of barbeque and lazy moments in the pool. I intend to soak up every second!

We are currently in the thick of filming and editing our current season. We are filming both CQ Goes Green and regular Curioisty Quest episodes. Of course, filming is my favorite part of the job. And why wouldn't it be? A new adventure at every turn that I get to be a part of? It is awesome!

This past week we had the pleasure of visiting Warner Springs Ranch where I had the exciting (and sometimes scary) experience of learning all about horseback riding from Jeff and the wranglers Sierra and Sheena. My horse was a beautiful, yet tempermental, black and white paint named Domino. Along with my cute little co-hosts, Devyn and Trisitn, I learned how to prepare a horse for a ride as well as all of the technical terms and purposes for all of the gear the wranglers used. I also learned appropriate riding techniques and I was led on a beautiful trail ride. Though the ride was beautiful, I do have to be honest .......... very large, strong animals that weigh 1100lbs can be quite intimidating. I said Domino was tempermental? Well, he was easily spooked as well. He startled several times at passing vehicles and, more than once, I was sure I was going to land face first in the dirt. Luckily that did not happen. I have to say that I was quite grateful to dismount and saftely touch ground as well as ease my aching backside. Too much information you might think, but hey, were all friends here. Just want to give you the full picture of the experience. :) After filming this show I have a new appreciation for these amazing animals.

Thank you for all of your continued support. I look forward to brining you the best season yet! In the meantime,

Stay Curious

~ Joel

Join Our Green Challenge!

2010-05-21T15:58:00.003-07:00

Hey there CQ fans!

Curiosity Quest is hosting a Green Challenge! We want to know what you are doing at home or at school to make a difference on this beautiful planet. Don't miss your chance to share with us!

All you have to do is go to www.CuriosityQuest.org and click on the "Send us on a Quest" link. Then write us a detailed essay about all of your efforts. The person with the best letter will win a Curiosity Quest prize package including a t-shirt from Green Label Organic. You don't want to miss this opportunity to brag about all of your hard work. All entries must be received by June 30th, 2010. The winner will be announced on Facebook on July 5th. We look forward to hearing from you.

In the meantime Curiosity Quest is hard at work planning for our new series of shows. We need some fresh new ideas. Think big and tell us what you are curious about.

I hope that you all are enjoying your summer thus far. I know that I am!

In the meantime,

Stay Curious!

~ Joel

Happy Earth Day! Check out our "Green Challenge"

2010-04-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

It's Earth Day today! Today we celebrate this beautiful planet that we inhabit and how we can increase our efforts to protect and preserve it. Cheers to Mother Earth!

Today I was honored by being asked to present in front of approximately 1200 elementary school students at 3 different assemblies. Needless to say, it has been a very busy day :) But, one that made me feel proud to be a part of the movement.

So you might ask what little old me had to say to 1200 students? Well, believe it or not, I have picked up a few things in the 118 episodes that we have done, and 30 of those have been specifically on "green" topics. Wow, has it been that many? Hard to believe. Anyway .... what I like to tell kids is that they are the change of our future. They are the ones who hold the power in their hands. I talk about what I like to call, AHA! That is becoming Aware, changing Habits, and becoming Ambassadors of our environment. This is something that I strive to do in my own life. I figure I had better be someone that can "walk the talk." :) Through each green episode that we film, I increase my awareness of the problems and solutions that are out there. After I learn, I challenge myself to gradually change my habits to help lessen my footprint on the planet. And now, I am proud to be an Ambassador of the environment and share everything that I have learned with today's youth. And let me tell you, they totally get it! To them, it is not an overwhelming task. Being the change is absolutely attainable! I challenge you as well, young or old, to be the change.

Want to win a cool prize? We are hosting a "Green Challenge" to all the students and to all of you as well. Send an e-mail to CuriosityQuest01@yahoo.com and tell us what you have become aware of, how you have changed your habits and how you are an ambassador of our environment. We will choose the best letter and will send you an awesome Curiosity Quest gift package. Be The Change and tell us how you are doing it. It is that simple.

In the meantime, take care of Mother Earth and do your part :) And as always Stay Curious!

~Joel

Happy Spring!

2010-04-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Happy Spring to you! It is a beautiful day here in Southern California, if you don't take into account the hurricane force winds that we are experiencing where I live :) Regardless, it is a beautiful day. The trees are blooming, the frogs are croaking and I am happy to say "good-bye" to Winter.

Springtime for Curiosity Quest is a time where we start to build our Summer shooting season and schedule. We are putting together the ideas you sent us and forming them into episodes. We will start filming again in the Summer. So, I guess you could say this is the boring part of having a TV show. Not much action right now, but nevertheless it is important to do all the legwork before we start to shoot. So, since there isn't much to discuss on the CQ front, I thought that I would share some of the letters that we have received lately.

One recently came to us from Kris in Auke Bay, Arkansas. He wrote, "I'm curious about the ice sculpting event located in Fairbanks, Alaska. These sculptures are sooo large! How is this possible?"

Well Kris, I was not aware that this event even took place! But, after a little research I learned the competition, where they carve these amazing ice sculptures, is called the World Ice Art Championship in Fairbanks. It takes place in February and March of each year and countries from all over the world participate. Not only does Fairbanks host this amazing competition, but it is also one of the best locations to view the Aurora Borealis. It sounds like an amazing place to visit. Alaska is definitely on our list of places to go and we will keep your letter in mind when we finally do. Thanks Kris!

Another letter came to us from Jenna in Whitehouse, Ohio. She wrote, "I love the mini, hard carrots! I have them almost every day! I'm curious about why they are so small. Do they cut them from larger carrots or do they just grow that way? I'm curious! "

I love this question Jenna. I have to say that I never really thought about it, but now that you brought it to my attention I am very curious! When I browsed thru the internet in search of the answer, I found mixed answers. Some say that they are cut into the 2 inch pieces from large carrots and others say that they breed these carrots to be sweeter and harvest them when they are young. Looks like a great show idea! We will definitely keep this one in mind so that we can solve the baby carrot mystery :) Thank you Jenna!

We love all of your letters that come flooding in every day from all over the nation. Thank you for continuing to support Curiosity Quest! We look forward to hearing from you!

In the meantime,
Stay Curious!

~ Joel

My Proud Moment With The Harlem Globetrotters

2010-02-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

My shining moment had arrived. It was Monday, February 15th. The day that I had been invited to be a guest player on the opposing team for the Harlem Globetrotters, the Washington Generals. This was going to be my moment of glory. This was going to be a day I would never forget. I had practiced, two days prior to the game, to ensure I was warmed up. I was scheduled to play a couple of minutes in the second quarter. I wished that I could play the whole game, but that was okay ... I was going to do the best that I could in the short time that I had. My goal? Make at least one shot. One point was all that I cared about. I was taking on the team that had never lost a game, to play on the team that always looses. Needless to say, I had my work cut out for me.

When the moment came to step onto the court, I was overwhelmed. Basketball is one of my passions. It is one of the things I look most forward to in my week. I love it. The competition, the comaradarie, the smack talking. It is the best! Being such a huge fan of the game, one of my fantasies has always been to do a warm up with a real team, on a real court. That is exactly what I got to do. It was absolutely awesome. I even made a couple of the warm up shots. Let's forget the fact that I stood out like a sore thumb. I looked shockingly pale in my green uniform and I felt unbelievably short. But, it all added to the experience. I was in heaven. My dream had come true. It is a good thing too..... because the imminent whooping was about to begin :)

At the start of the second quarter, the announcer called me into the game. He said my name and announced that I was the host of Curiosity Quest. Was I nervous at that moment you may ask? Well, a little. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I had watched the Washington Generals, get embarrassed, be made fun of, even get their shorts pulled down. I was in for it. I went up against Big Easy Lofton. All 6 feet 9 inches of him. How did it go? Well .... right out of the gate I air-balled it. No really I did! With the entire audience watching. Did Big Easy let my mistake go? Oh, nooo!!! He wasn't about to let that one slide without making fun of me. He and his teammate, Flight Time, did a reenactment of my air-ball that had the whole audience laughing at my expense. At the other end of the court, Big Easy, easily boxed me out and made a shot over my head. How could I possibly block a guy who is over a foot taller than me? Next, I got a chance for redemption. My turn to make an outside shot again.... and this time? Miss! Again! Was the pressure getting to me? I am worried that it is. Following that, I had an opportunity for a lay-up. If I missed this, I knew, the ridicule might never end. I lifted off the ground, with a silent prayer. Yeesss! In the basket! My hopes for one point has been realized. With my confidence lifted slightly, I stepped up to the free throw line, after a foul. Slightly nervous, and certainly hoping I don't miss, I throw it up and ..... another point! Yeeessss, again! I made a free throw! But, Big Easy wasn't about to let me off the hook easily. For my second free throw, he pulled my shorts up to my waist and held them there while I attempted the second shot. Unfortunately, it circled the rim, but bounced out. With that, my adventure on a professional basketball court came to an end. I enjoyed the rest of the show, quite happily, from the bench.

So did I mind the fact that my every move was under scrutiny and embarrassment? Not even close! I absolutely loved every second! It's not every day that you get the opportunity to be shown up by a Harlem Globetrotter. It was an extraordinary day that I wouldn't have changed a second of.

I have the greatest job in the world :)

Thank you to all the fans at the show that stopped by to say "hi" and let me know how much they enjoyed Curiosity Quest. It means the world to hear that you all, out there in the PBS viewing world, enjoy what we do. Stay tuned for our next adventure :)

In the Meantime,
Stay Curious!

~Joel

Win Tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters!

2010-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

You heard right! You can win tickets to see the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters! The Harlem Globetrotters have been performing for 84 years to over 120 million people and this is your opportunity to enjoy their eye-popping performance.

And.....Guess what? The Harlem Globetrotters have invited me, JOEL GREENE, to play on the Washington General opposition team for the Harlem Globetrotters during the 1:00 PM game at the Ontario's Citizen's Business Bank Arena on Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. OH MY GOSH!!!!! How cool is that? I can't wait! Anyone who knows me, knows that I love basketball. It is, by far, my favorite sport to both watch and play. You can find me at the gym several times a week playing basketball. I have always had a dream of being able to play on a professional court. Don't get me wrong, I have no delusions about my purpose there. I understand that I am there simply so they can make my mediocre skills look embarrassing in comparison to theirs, but I don't care :) I say bring on the humiliation! I am just honored to be asked to participate.

The Curiosity Quest crew will be in attendance, as well, filming the event to be included as a new episode for this season. That's right, our very own CQ cameras will be there to capture my defeat.

So here is the deal. The kind people of the Harlem Globetrotters have given us (4) Family Four Packs of tickets to attend the game. Do you want to come and see this amazing, family friendly show?

So, what do you have to do, you ask? Simply become a subscriber to my blog! That is it. Everyone that is a subscriber to this blog before Monday February 8th, will be entered to win a 4 pack of tickets to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the Citizen's Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California on February 15th at 1:00 PM. What does it mean to subscribe? All that means is that you will get an e-mail whenever we post something new to our blog. Easy right? So get to it! Subscribe :) Simply enter your e-mail address where prompted on the left side of this blog page. You will then be sent an e-mail to confirm your subscription. Once you confirm you are entered to win.

Four e-mail addresses will be chosen at random as winners of the tickets. If you are a winner, you will be notified via e-mail on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

We look forward to seeing you at the game :)

Stay Curious!
~Joel

John's Incredible Pizza

2010-01-28T12:06:00.001-08:00

Hello CQ Fans,

Recently we have received several letters asking us to do a show about pizza. Many of you want to know how it is made. Well.... ask and you shall receive :) This week we did a shoot at John's Incredible Pizza and learned all about how they make this favorite dish. They gave the CQ crew access to all of the behind the scenes action. We literally started from scratch, beginning with the dough making process, to the baking and then to the eating (truly my favorite part). Did you know that there are 6 ingredients that go into dough? Can you name them?

One thing that I learned about myself is that I am surprisingly good at tossing dough. I think I surprised everyone around me, but I knew I could do it. Not a single bit of dough hit the floor. Yes!!!

The CQ crew even got to develop our very own Curiosity Quest pizza. We each added our own choice of topping. It turned out to be a garlic pesto pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, canadian bacon, olives, and a quarter of the pizza had jalepenos, at Brad's request. It was delicious. I think John should seriously consider adding it to their menu :) If you ever go, you should see if they will make it for you. The only problem was that I piled the toppings on so high that the pizza couldn't cook completely right. But we didn't care. It was fabulous!

Anyway, we had a blast and really appreciate John's Incredible Pizza allowing us to mess up their kitchen and learn all about pizza. At John's Incredible they don't just make pizza though. Aside from their pizza, I fell in love with their cinnamon rolls. I won't disclose how many I ate, but let's just say it was far too many :) My sweet tooth definitely got the best of me, as it usually does.

This show will be airing this spring, but to get just a small taste of it I have included a couple minutes of behind the scenes footage. You can see how much fun we really have on these shoots. My crew rocks!

Stay Curious!
~Joel

Happy New Year!

2010-01-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, Happy New Year to you all! What is my New Year's resolution you may ask? It is to try to blog more often. I vow to do a better job of letting all of our fans know what Curiosity Quest is up to.

We are already 2 weeks into 2010. Where is the time going? Well, for the staff of Curiosity Quest it is flying by quickly. Before I get into what is up and coming, let me highlight some of our latest quests.

December was a very busy month for us. We shot 3 episodes. We first went to the Red Rock Climbing Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I learned all about indoor rock climbing. Let me tell you, I had a blast. Our co-host, and manager of the facility, Bill McLemore was kind enough to show us the ropes, literally :) I learned all about the art of tying knots, a vital skill in this business, as well as the steps of belaying. The biggest challenge of the day? Climbing at a 45 degree angle. Bill made it look so easy, but for me it was ridiculously difficult, and if I am to be honest, unsuccessful. Oh well, a host has to be humble right?

December also took the CQ crew to the Orange County Fire Authority in Southern California where I had the distinct honor of learning how firefighters are trained. Ok, so nearly every little boy dreams about being a firefighter right? Well, I was no exception. So, it was like living out a childhood fantasy, well, ....... except it was much harder than it was in my fantasy :) I always knew that being a firefighter was hard work, but I have a renewed respect for how truly difficult this job is. What they put their bodies through is truly remarkable. By the end of the shoot, I was exhausted. I don't know, .... maybe there is a career change in my future? All of the firefighters that were training me said that I did a great job, but I am sure that they were just trying to make me feel better about the fact that I was completely out of breath. Ha, ha!

Our last shoot of the year took us to Snow Summit Mountain Resort, in California where I learned how they keep a mountain in prime skiing conditions in the warm California sunshine. I learned how snow is made. We have had to start some shoots early, but this was, by far, the earliest shoot we have ever done. We started at 2:30 a.m. on the mountain. Yes, we were tired and freezing, but surrounded by beauty. There is nothing like watching the sunrise on the mountain. This was no ordinary shoot. I got to play! Snowball fights, jumping in the snow, sliding on my stomach and snowboarding. Ahhhhh, I love my job.

Our new, exciting season starts airing, here in California, in February and around the nation in the Summer. Look for our first episodes on how arena floors are changed and snowmaking. Can't wait to share these awesome shows with you.

Thank you for all the hundreds of letters that we get every month that continue to inspire me and my crew and puts us on the path for incredible quests. We couldn't do it without you.

Keep writing. We are looking for "green" ideas right now. We would like to find letters that think outside of the box. We have focused a lot on recycling, but we are now ready to tackle bigger and better ideas of "going green". There are so many ways out there to help our planet. What are you curious about?

In the meantime,
Stay Curious

~Joel

Guide Dogs for the Blind

2009-11-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. Curiosity Quest is in full swing as we film new episodes. We have been traveling the country and working hard to make sure that we are getting the answers to your quests.

One of our recent quests brought us to San Rafael, California (just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge). We had the honor of touring the national headquarters of Guide Dogs for the Blind. I had the pleasure of meeting the valuable staff and trainers that educated me about how these amazing dogs are raised. Did you know that, at this particular facility, the puppies are born and they live there for 8 weeks where they are socialized with people and other dogs? They just get to be puppies. Adorable puppies, may I say? Most of the guide dogs are labs or golden retrievers. After 8 weeks they move to the homes of a volunteer where they will live for about a year and they become a puppy in training. After the year, the dog returns to begin official training to become a Guide Dog for the Blind. They will start to work with a trainer and will learn commands, how to keep their handler safe, and manage obstacles. Did you know that the dog is not leading the handler? The dog's roll is not to lead, but to keep the handler safe and be the guide to the handler's destination.

One of the highlights of the shoot was having the opportunity to be blindfolded and have Cherry, a yellow labrador, guide me through an obstacle course. Without my sight, my senses were heightened and I had to put my complete faith in Cherry to keep me safe. As you will see on this wonderful episode, Cherry kept me away from all obstacles.

The impression that I got was that everyone that works at Guide Dogs for the Blind loves what they do. Just walking through their offices I noticed how almost every employee had a dog sitting next to them at their desk. They love the animals and the people they assist.

The people that we interviewed that were blind, said that their lives changed for the better when they got their dog. The dog is not only their guide, but when the dog is not working, he/she is their companion.

I was touched by the people and amazed by the animals. I can't wait to share this episode with you. We will keep you posted as to when it will air.

In the meantime, keep writing your letters. We look forward to hearing from you.

Stay Curious

~Joel

This Week's Winners!

2009-10-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

We have two more winners of our Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs prize package. This week's first letter came to us from Lola, 7 years old, from Wilmington, North Carolina. She wrote,

"Dear Curiosity Quest
I'm curious about how you make gummy worms. Are they really worms?
Lola"

Lola, How did you know that gummy worms are one of my favorite candies? I wonder how they are made too. Did you know that the candy company Trolli came out with the gummy worm in 1981. Gummy worms remain one of the top selling gummy items today.

Our next letter came to us from David, 6 years old, from West Covina, California. David wrote,

"Hi i'm a new kid of yours. I watch your show sometimes and I'm curious about marshmallows.
How do they make them."

David, one of my favorite things to do with my family is roast marshmallows in our fire pit at home. I hope that we can do a show on marshmallows soon, but in the meantime, did you know that Americans buy 90 million pounds of marshmallows each year, about the same weight as 1,286 gray whales. That is astounding! I am sure a couple of pounds of those are eaten at my house :)

Thank you to both of you for you letters. Congratulations!

If you would like your chance to win a Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs prize package, go to CuriosityQuest.org and click the "send us on a quest" link and tell us what you are curious about. Supplies are running out fast. We look forward to hearing from you soon. In the meantime:

Stay Curious

~Joel

Source: http://www.farleysandsathers.com and mallowmaster.com

Beautiful Wisconsin

2009-10-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys! I just got back from the beautiful state of Wisconsin. What a trip we had. Thanks to your letters, we kicked off our first shoot learning how cranberries are harvested. This will go down as one of the shoots that was the most fun. Believe it or not, it snowed on us the entire shoot, but it did not damper our spirits. The good folks at Hableman Brothers Cranberry, Russell Rezin and Son's Cranberry Company and the Cranberry Discovery Center were incredibly kind and welcoming. We learned so much and had an absolute blast. Did you know that there are only 5 states in the country that grow cranberries? They are Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington.

After the cranberries, we spent the next few days learning how to make a variety of cheeses. The Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese showed us how cheese is made starting with milking the cows to making Le Freres and Petite Freres Cheese. From the Klondike Cheese Company we learned how to make Feta Cheese. Chalet Cheese Cooperative showed us how to make Limburger cheese from Master Cheesemaker Myron Olsen. And at Roth Kase USA we learned how to make Gruyere cheese. Did you know that they make over 600 kinds of cheese in Wisconsin alone? What a whirlwind trip. I have to say that I think my favorite of the four cheeses is the Gruyere, but I came back with a tremendous appreciation and an adventurous spirit when it comes to cheese.

This is a busy time for Curiosity Quest. We are currently filming 3-4 shows a week. We are having so much fun though. Tonight we will be heading to the Citizen's Bank Arena to learn how they change the floors after a basketball game and get it ready for a hockey game. It should be awesome!

Thank you to all of you for your continued support. Stay tuned for this weeks "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" prize package winners. In the meantime:

Stay Curious

~Joel

This Week's Winners!

2009-10-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

We have two winners this week for our Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs prize package. Our first letter comes to us from Sara, 8 years old, in Los Angeles, Ca. She wrote:

"Dear Joel, How do they make flutes?" Thank you Sara. I would love to learn how flutes are made. Did you know that the flute is the oldest known wind instrument, dating back to the 9th Century B.C. Isn't that amazing? The modern flute that we see today was developed in the 1830's by Theobald Boehm.

Our next prize winner is Shaina, 8 years old, from Ontario, California. She wrote:

"Dear Joel, I would like to know how they make scooters." That is an awesome question Shaina. I would like to know as well. Did you know that the Razor Scooter was invented by Gino Tsai? He owned a large bicycle factory and claimed that his legs were too short to get around the factory efficiently. He, therefore, updated the old fashioned scooter into the Razor, that we all know and love today, so he could get around faster. Cool Huh?

Thank you and Congratulations to both of our winners. If you would like to have a chance to win a "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" prize package, go to our website at CuriosityQuest.org, click on the "Send Us On a Quest" link, and submit your letter.

We look forward to hearing from all of you.

Stay Curious

~Joel

Sources: http://inventors.about.com: www.flutehistory.com

Prize Winner

2009-09-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kayla Morgart from Dixon, Missouri! She is our first winner of a "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" prize package. Kayla was automatically entered into our contest when she submitted her quest letter. Kayla wrote,

"Dear Joel, My birthstone is diamond. I would like to know everything about diamonds. Where do they come from, how much are they and where can I get them?

Sincerely, Kayla

P.S. Can you get me a diamond on your quest?"

Did I mention Kayla is only 9? A girl who knows what she wants :) I think this is an awesome idea. I am sure that my wife and daughter would agree as well.

Thank you Kayla and congratulations again.

If you would like to be entered to win a prize package, simply send us on a quest. Go to CuriosityQuest.org, click the "Send us on a quest" link, and submit your letter.

We look forward to hearing from you. Maybe it will be your letter that we choose next.

In the meantime, Stay Curious

~Joel

"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"

2009-09-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

On Monday, my family, as well as the producer of the show, Melissa, were invited to attend the premiere of the new movie, "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs." We saw it in 3D Imax. My 6 year old daughter as well as her 9 year old cousin attended with us. Let me tell you my unprofessional opinion .......

It was Fabulous!!!

We loved it. It is one of the funniest, most family friendly movies that I have seen in a long time. I was laughing out loud through the majority of the movie. My daughter and I have been fans of the book for a long time, so it was really exciting to see it come to life with such extraordinary imagination. The story is well written and thought out. The humor is both adult and kid friendly. And the overall message of the movie is one of love, forgiveness and the power of believing in oneself. And above all else, who wouldn't want to imerse themselves in a world where it can snow ice cream..... even if just for a little while.

I hope that you will make a date with your kids and take them to see this wonderful film.

In the meantime, Stay Curious :)

~Joel

Enjoying the Summer!

2009-07-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Curiosity Quest has been on hiatus for most of the summer as we prepare for a new season. During this break, we have enjoyed some quality family time. We left the cameras behind and took the kids on a road trip that first led us to Mammoth Mountain. Mammoth is so beautiful. We stayed very busy with day trips to Yosemite and Bodie State Park. I also rented an off road vehicle and climbed the very steep, but beautiful mountain. We even entered a Ben and Jerry's ice cream eating contest :) From there we headed to Lake Tahoe where we visited Virginia City and, best of all, floated down the Truckee River. Our last stop brought us to Sequoia National Park to stand in awe of the majestic trees. We had an amazing time.

Work for Curiosity Quest never ends, though. We are continuing to prepare for our upcoming season and are always looking for new ideas. Don't stop sending your letters. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hope you are enjoying your summer as well!

Stay Curious

~Joel

Facebook and Twitter

2009-06-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I am trying desperately to keep up with technology :) It is not an easy task. Thanks to my wonderful staff, I am now on Facebook and Twitter. Check out recent photos and send me posts and receive notifications of what I am up to.

I look forward to being able to hear from you. Tell me what your curious about, what is your favorite quest, or what do you think of my latest haircut :)

With all of these options (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace) there should be no reason that you can't have your voice heard. In the meantime, Stay Curious.

~Joel

Winner of two 2009 Telly's

2009-06-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

Curiosity Quest is proud to announce that we have just been honored with two 2009 Telly Awards! We won for the Steinway and Sons Piano episode as well as for our Sanitary Landfill episode. This makes a total of 9 Telly's for Curiosity Quest. We are so excited. You can check out excerpts of both of these episodes on YouTube. Our link is:

http://www.youtube.com/user/curiosityquest

Thank you for your continued support.

Stay Curious

~Joel

Gearing Up for Summer

2009-05-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Curiosity Quest is gearing up to begin shooting our new season this summer. We need your help. We are looking for creative, fun, exciting ideas for our new shows. Tell us what you are curious about. We cannot do it with out you, so get writing! Click on the link to "Send Us On A Quest," on our website. We look forward to hearing your ideas. In the meantime, Stay Curious.

~Joel

Joel Celebrates Earth Day!

2009-04-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Loyal Curiosity Quest Fans :)

Thank you for continuing to watch and support the show.

This past weekend I had the honor of Emceeing the Earth Day Celebration at Dos Lagos in Corona, California. It was a great day that brought awareness to an important cause as well as showcased the talents of the local community. I had a blast and felt very proud to be a part of it.

Our new Curiosity Quest Goes Green shows are still going strong. Look for our show this week highlighting one of the "greenest" companies in the USA, Patagonia. Learn how they make eco-friendly clothing as well as how they "tread lightly on the environment". We are very proud to highlight such a great company.

Today we want to say thanks to all of you who continue to write to us. We read and appreciate every letter that we receive. We wanted to highlight one of our funniest letters of the week. It comes from Edward in Los Angeles, California. He wrote,

"Dear Joel, Is there a real Godzilla?" :) Well Edward, somehow I doubt that there is a real Godzilla, however I think it could be fun to find out how the story of Godzilla came to be.

Could be an awesome adventure. Thank you for your letter and sparking our curiosity ( as well as making us laugh ). Keep the letters coming everyone! We look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, Stay Curious!

~Joel

Have You Gone Green?

2009-04-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Curiosity Quest Fans!!

Happy Spring!

Our Curiosity Quest Goes Green series is in full swing. These are fantastic shows and we couldn't be prouder. I hope that you caught our episodes on the Eco Station and Food Rescue. These are some of my favorite shows yet. Each one with a very different message, but each so important. Make sure that you don't miss any of the new episodes. They air Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Friday nights at 6:30 p.m. You have one more chance to catch the food rescue show this Friday. It will touch your heart and remind you that there is always someone in need. Maybe you could be the one to help.

Thank you for your ongoing letters of Curiosity. You are the ones that continue to guide us on our adventures. We couldn't do it without you. We will soon be gearing up to begin pre-production for a new season of our regular Curiosity Quest shows. Please continue to send us your ideas. Be creative and think big. In the meantime, Stay Curious!

- Joel

Ready for New Episodes of Curiosity Quest?

2009-03-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

Your patience is about to pay off. Our new season of Curiosity Quest Goes Green will be making it's season debut on Monday March 30th at 7:30p.m. Check out all of our new episodes Monday nights at 7:30p.m. and Saturday mornings at 7:30a.m.

We are very proud of our upcoming season. We can't wait to share these episodes with you. They are our best green shows yet. Some of the exciting topics that we will be highlighting are: Patagonia clothing company, Storm Water, Planet Pals, Food Rescue, and many more. I hope that you learn as much as I have about how to tread lightly on our planet and how to do our part to take care of it. In filming these shows, I knew that we were doing something special.

In the meantime, don't stop sending us your letters. We could not continue to do what we do without your support and curiosity. We look forward to hearing from you.

Stay Curious

~Joel

Almost done recording the new season of Curiosity Quest Goes Green

2009-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

We have almost completed recording all of the episodes that will be included in the next season of Curiosity Quest Goes Green. We just got back from Georgia and Alabama where we learned how sport turf is made.

That was an awesome trip! Georgia is a very beautiful state but it was cold - like 32 degrees! We live in California and we aren't used to that kind of winter =)

This season is scheduled to begin airing the last week of March 2009. We will post the full airtime schedule as March gets closer.

We continue to receive great "quest" letter from our fans. Our favorite one that came in this week was from Madalynne in Averill Park, NY. Madalynne wrote, "I would like to know how they make the prescription for eyeglasses." What a creative question. I have always wondered that myself.

Don't stop sending your "quest" letters. We love hearing from you. And remember, stay Curious!

Joel Greene

Having Fun Filming our New Season

2008-11-03T15:24:00.001-08:00

Hey there CQ Fans! We hope that you are enjoying our new shows. We had so much fun filming them. Our episode this week is a tour of the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. This is one of our best shows yet. I had the most fun in the Stuffing Room. What an awesome company. Don't miss it!

We are currently in the middle of filming for the upcoming Curiosity Quest Goes Green series. We are having a blast and learning so much about how to be caretakers of this beautiful planet that we inhabit. We can't wait to share all of the new information that we have learned. This series will be airing in the spring. We will let you know air dates as they approach.

Keep writing those letters. Your letters are what fuel the show. Let us know what you are curious about. Wouldn't that be awesome if we chose your letter?

Thank you for your continued support of our show. We couldn't do it without you, and that's a fact! Keep Watching and Stay Curious!

~Joel

New Season in Full Swing

2008-10-20T16:03:00.001-07:00

Well, our new season is in full swing. We are very proud of these episodes and we hope that you are enjoying them. Make sure you check out our new episode this Thursday at 7:30. We will be taking you on an inside tour of the Jelly Belly Factory. This is a real dream come true for the CQ staff. We had an amazing time filming it and left the factory with a definite sugar rush.

We are proud to say that we get an increasing number of letters from our viewers every week, but don't stop now. We need more! The Curiosity Quest staff reads every letter of curiosity that comes our way. You never know, we could choose your letter next. Please continue to write and tell us what you are curious about. Right now we are, specifically, looking for letters on "green" issues.

We received an unprecedented number of letters from viewers over the weekend. Thank you to all of you. Our favorite letter of the week came to us from Daniel in Cortland, NY. Daniel is

5 years old and he wrote,

"My Quest Idea is: To go in a research submarine to view sea creatures of the deep

and draw what we see. I'd really like to go on one of the subs that has a
big viewing window so I can see a lot of stuff easily and have room to draw."

Thank you for your letter Daniel. We hope that we can do a letter on submarines sometime soon :)

Thank you for everyone for your ongoing support. We look forward to hearing from you.

Stay Curious!

~Joel

New Season Ready to Launch

2008-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hey there CQ fans. The moment that you have all been waiting for is finally here! The first episode of our new season airs on Thursday, October 2nd at 7:30. This is definitely going to be our best season yet. Watch every Thursday as we explore topics such as: how motorcycles are made, what it is like to be a chef and touring behind the scenes at the Ben and Jerry's Factory. We have been working so hard on each and every episode and can't wait to share them with you. Thank you for being so patient while you waited for our new season. We think you will find that it was worth the wait.

Keep writing your letters. We are already starting pre-production on our new Curiosity Quest Goes Green series. Tell us what you would like to know about Going Green. We look forward to hearing from you.

Stay Curious

~ Joel

I Love New York!

2008-09-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Remember our Curiosity Quest contest to find the best "quest" idea? Well...contest winner, Dorothy Kang and just got back from Long Island City, New York where we learned all that we could about how pianos are made at the infamous Steinway & Sons. And let me tell you, I will never look at a piano the same way again. The gracious staff at Steinway & Sons took us step by step through the very long process of making a piano. After the shoot, the CQ crew got a chance to hang out with Dorothy and her family at the American Museum of Natural History and the famous Boathouse resturant in Central Park! We had a tremendous time that will never be forgotten. Check out this episode airing December 2008.

Till next time....stay curious!

~Joel

2008-09-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Joel's blog! This will be your avenue for the latest Curiosity Quest news. Check out our weekly updates telling you all about where the CQ crew is filming, who we are meeting and what we are up to next.

Joel will also be answering some of your emails and sharing some of our best letters. Email us at CQ@CuriosityQuest.org.

We look forward to hearing from you.