Meet Michelle Andrea | Long Island Local & Podcast Host

A conversation about community, creativity, teaching, secondhand style, spirituality, and creating a soft place to land.

Meet Michelle

On Long Island, Michelle Andrea is creating a life rooted in connection.

Currently based in East Setauket, Michelle is a creative, podcast host, community builder, and, most recently, a preschool teacher on her way to becoming a teacher. Her world moves between creativity and care. Astrology, spirituality, fashion, nature, movement, deep conversations, thrifted clothes, coffee shops, flea markets and time spent with the people she loves.

She has a particular way of noticing the places around her. A coffee shop becomes a ritual. A flea market becomes a treasure hunt. A piece of clothing becomes a memory. A quiet beach becomes a place to come back to herself.

Michelle describes her world as “flowing, nurturing, magical,” and it comes through in the way she talks about both people and place.

She's also the creator of A Soft Place to Land, a podcast and growing community centered around honest conversations, connection, and becoming more fully yourself.

We asked Michelle about the places she loves, the things she keeps, the people who inspire her, what she's learning, what she's building, and what it means to be a local on Long Island.

A Conversation with Michelle

What three words best describe your world?

Flowing, nurturing, magical.

What are you known for among your friends?

Hmmm creativity! My warm love! My care!

What do people often come to you for advice about?

Embodiment/life, astrology, spirituality.

Who are you when no one is asking what you do for work?

OOOOOO OOO OO OHHHHH I AM free.

What comes naturally to you?

Caretaking/nurturing, being in nature, exploring, interest in beautiful and historical places, playing dress-up, spending quality time with friends and family, creating — painting, drawing, through fashion.

What gift do you bring to your community?

A wholehearted presence.

What are you currently learning or getting better at?

Reiki, tarot, astrology, grounding/regulating, interviewing, podcasting.

You're now teaching at a local preschool and working toward becoming a teacher. How has that experience been for you?

It’s been the most fulfilling career move I’ve ever made - I see the work, love and light that I’m merely reflecting from these little beans and it’s such a deep and profound form of self-regulation as I’m literally teaching them to regulate and process their big emotions. Granted it’s no walk in the park but being here over some silly nyc fashion gig is the best decision I’ve ever made (knowingly and unknowingly)

Michelle's World

What object, possession, or keepsake best tells your story?

Hmmmm, either my labradorite ring I wear everyday that I got at a flea market in Florence, Italy OR my baby blanket “Blankie” who has traveled across the world with me and is my fiercest companion in life.

Where do you go when you're searching for a bit of peace?

Solitude. Nature, peace, quiet, regulatory. If I can, the beach/ocean. Otherwise, a park/forest.

What local business do you return to again and again?

Cafés/coffee shops, specifically Southdown, Dark Horse, Druther's and Tiger Lily. My favorite crystal store, Breathe. Local Planet Fitness because I live on Long Island and I'm existing in this 2D reality and that consists of being human! And going to a funny gym!

Where do you gather with people you love?

Nature, homes, 3rd spaces, libraries, parks, cafés, New York City, the beach.

What recipe, dish, or food tradition feels most like home?

Hmm, probably a soup because that reminds me of “home,” specifically my mami. Anything homemade though that is made with love and you can taste that ingredient.

Is there a local restaurant that captures the spirit of your community?

Awh, I would have to say something along the lines of Crazy Beans, a staple of 3village (the local towns), or something in Port Jefferson. I wouldn't necessarily say I love them, however they do a good job of capturing the spirit of the community.

Style & Discovery

What local businesses or boutiques do you wish more people knew about?

Hmmm I would say spaces that carry only local designers and people that are living in the community already. Earring Tabu is a great space, as well as Madison's Niche and even Mather Hospital Charity/Thrift Shop.

What's the last local business you fell in love with?

I was on the phone with you, I walked past this little haven, Kadampa Meditation Center in Port Jefferson and it's been here for 15+ years and it is precious.

What brand, maker, or designer feels most aligned with your values?

Ethical, sustainable, swaps, circular. Individuals who are looking to lessen their consumer footprint.

What brand, business, maker, or person are you excited about right now?

LOCALS CLOSET AND LOCALS WORLD MF.

Where do you discover new people, brands, or ideas?

Social media, WOM — friends, family.

What does your wardrobe say about you?

Well I would say all over the place, a little chaotic yet curated, heart-centered, eclectic. A bit of everything. Comfortable and cute. Ambitious!

Tell us more about the clothes you keep.

Nothing in particular… lots of thrifted clothes and hand-me-downs. I will keep a piece just because I like it, regardless of the designer or name.

I have a lot of pieces from my childhood friends. Yes, I keep them in that good of condition! My ex-boyfriends' moms, younger and older sisters of friends. Clothes with stories and memories.

Rituals, Inspiration & Community

What daily or weekly ritual helps you feel most like yourself?

Cacao, grounding in nature, time alone, the gym, cooking, cleaning and organizing, quality time with loved ones.

Who has shaped the way you see the world?

:,) The photo omfg... (Editor’s note: she’s referring to our questionnaire photo of me and my one year old niece) AH my friends! And other loved ones! People who inspire me who are uninhibited and going after what the fuck they want.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Billie Holiday, Amy Winehouse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Maya Angelou, Sade, Chaka Khan, Beatriz González.

What book, podcast, or piece of art changed your perspective?

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a FUCK, and of course — A Soft Place to Land.

What are your favorite forms of movement?

Yoga, stretching, strength training, Pilates, walking, swimming.

Who do you gather with? What are you helping grow?

My people; when I can. Mostly family, leading by example. My podcast, little by little. Locals World. My brain and community on Long Island.

If you could direct a newcomer to one local organization doing meaningful work, who would it be and why?

You, because it's actually meaningful to connect with your community and the people around you where you live. (Editor’s note: she’s talking about Valerie and Locals World since I recently moved back home the past year and have attended events, non-profit, fashion markets, women organizations, co-working spaces, farmers markets and much more in getting involved again after moving away for some time)

Looking Ahead

What does a perfect Saturday in your world look like?

Exploring, flea markets, coffee shops, nature, connecting with people, thrifting/shopping, time at a beach.

What are you currently building?

MY PODCAST WORLD AND HER COMMUNITY.

What are you cultivating right now?

To build a life I don't run away from. Travel as I please, connect with people and the world and the earth in a sustainable and heart-centered way. To help people lean into and be uninhibited, i.e. learn how to be the fullest version of themselves.

What kind of people are you hoping to meet more of?

People like me; starseeds, glitches in the matrix, soul-preneurs, bad bitches, boss women.

What makes a place feel like home?

Sunlight, nourishing food/meals, a comfy bed, good smells, good energy.

What's your favorite season?

Spring or fall.

What does living locally mean to you?

Immersing myself in the local community / environment. Shopping and supporting local brands and businesses.

A Soft Place to Land

Michelle's podcast, A Soft Place to Land, is an extension of the world she's already building around her.

It's a place for conversation, curiosity, connection and the messy process of becoming more fully yourself. It's also part of a larger dream Michelle is cultivating — a community where people can feel seen, explore who they are, and connect with others who are figuring it out too.

And right now, that dream has a chance to grow.

Michelle recently applied for an iHeartRadio competition for podcast hosts, and A Soft Place to Land was accepted into the competition.

She's now asking her community to show up for her by voting.

Help Michelle Make This Dream a Reality 🎙️

Michelle is competing for the opportunity to have episodes of A Soft Place to Land professionally produced through iHeartRadio.

She's asking friends, family, listeners, and anyone who believes in what she's creating to take a few minutes to vote and share her competition page with their own communities.

If you've connected with Michelle's work, her podcast, her perspective, or simply want to support a Long Island local chasing a big dream, this is one small way to show up for her.

Vote for Michelle A. Barnett

Vote for Michelle on Top Host →

Every vote is a little reminder that the community she's been cultivating is listening.

Michelle's World

Michelle's perspective captures something we love about being a local: it's not only about the place you live. It's about how deeply you experience it.

It's the coffee shop you keep returning to. The thrifted dress that reminds you of someone. The beach you go to when you need to breathe. The little meditation center you suddenly notice after walking past it for years. The people who know you, the people who inspire you, and the people you are still becoming.

Michelle is building that kind of world in East Setauket. One rooted in curiosity, care, creativity and connection.

She's teaching. She's podcasting. She's exploring. She's collecting stories.

And, little by little, she's creating a life she doesn't want to run away from.

Discover more of Michelle's world:

Instagram: @mishisonline
Podcast: A Soft Place to Land
Instagram: @asoftplace222land

Written by Valerie Jana for LOCALS WORLD

Photographs by Valerie Jana

A Note from the Editor:

Michelle Andrea and I have been friends since she walked into The Assemblage NoMad, NYC with crutches and her foot wrapped up in a cast. She was coming to her interview for an internship while attending the Fashion Institute of Technology that I had posted days before on behalf of the women founder and CEO at the time.

Michelle is a Sag, so in the years since our friendship began till now, she’s lived in Italy, on the back of motorcycles and working for student travel groups, she’s lived in Hawaii on a farm, also somehow found herself on the back of motorcycles there too, and bathed her higher self in memories of sand, hostels, and meeting locals. 

Michelle is the epitome of Locals World, the living breathing person who travels the world as if it’s her backyard, and at the same time, holds her home so close to heart as a soft place to land. That is why we love her so much, and you will see from her article that you’ll find to love her too. 

Make sure to subscribe to A Soft Place to Land Podcast on Spotify. Follow Michelle Andrea on Instagram @mishisonline and @asoftplace222land, and yours truly @locals.world for more articles and features of LOCALS like you. <3 

We are obsessed with Local go-to places, and style. Our platform Locals World acts as a digital magazine, while Locals Closet covers fashion and local style. We want to feature more LOCALS on our platforms, tell us about your dreams, what you’re up to, how you exist among your community, and your style to be featured email create@locals-world.com 

xx V

Michelle Andrea in Northport Long Island on Saturday, October 3rd 2026