Vacation Station

Why would a cruise line skip the hot seafood chowder in the Caribbean, then serve it on deck in Glacier Bay? 
On this shared episode of BIg Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Podcast with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), host Lisa D. Smith sets sail with Emma Ciciriello, Senior Manager of Food & Beverage Product Development for Holland America Line and Seabourn, for a behind-the-scenes look at destination dining at sea.
Emma explains how menus, cocktails, table settings and even a Panama hat help guests taste the place they are visiting, from Alaskan halibut and glacial ice cocktails to Caribbean rum and a global fresh fish program. We also visit Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island, where a new beach club is bringing an all-inclusive day on the sand. Plus: Magnolia Bakery banana pudding, baked Alaska nostalgia, Marmite versus haggis, Emma’s perfect day of eating at sea, and tips for breaking into cruise food and beverage.
MORE INFO:- Holland America Line: https://www.hollandamerica.com - IFWTWA: https://www.ifwtwa.org - More Food, Wine & Travel podcast episodes: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/food-wine-travel-with-ifwtwa - Travel, Food & Wine Podcast Magazine:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine 
Photos courtesy of Holland America. 

Why do we keep coming back to New York City? Travel writers Joelle Machia and Ryan Slough have a lot of answers, and they’re not what the typical headlines say.
Joelle has just wrapped a week in the city. She was born here and spoke at a United Nations side event during the General Assembly. Ryan joined her for part of the trip, riding Amtrak in from Harrisburg. He once almost had a panic attack in a New York taxi. Now he says every visit is better than the last.
On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Wanderers Compass" Podcast, they share what the city feels like today, plus the practical tips that make a first visit easier.
In this episode:- Why Ryan went from city-nervous to city fan- Safety, street smarts and walking at all hours- What New York really costs, and the free things to doGrand Central, the High Line, Hudson Yards and The Edge- How CityPASS helped Joelle see the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the American Museum of Natural History, the Intrepid, Ellis Island and more- Amtrak, flying into Newark, skipping the car and mastering the subway- Seeing Hamilton on Broadway, plus the real history at Fraunces Tavern- Smart tips for solo theater tickets and for your first trip- The best time of year to visit- Eataly, bodegas, bagels, pizza, gelato and Asian cuisine
KEEP UP WITH WANDERERS COMPASS🔗 Blog: www.wandererscompass.com/🔗 Podcast: www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/wanderers…ass-podcast🔗 Digital Podcast Magazine: www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/wanderers…ss-magazine
New episodes of the Wanderers Compass Podcast air every second Monday on Big Blend Radio.

Celebrate America 250 in upstate South Carolina! On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Jo Goes Everywhere" Podcast, travel writer Jo Clark takes us to Ninety Six National Historic Site, a backcountry crossroads where 12 roads met and later the site of the longest land siege of the American Revolution, from May 22 to June 18, 1781. This park also turned 50 this year.
Jo walks us through the Star Fort and Kosciuszko’s brick-lined mine tunnel. She also tells the tale of the engineer who got shot in the butt, poses for a selfie with the big replica gun, and explains why the kids’ tunnel is such a hit. She shares what it’s like to hear reenactments and cannon fire (earplugs recommended!) and why Lake Greenwood State Park is worth adding to your trip.
Then it’s time to eat and stay. Jo takes us to Break on the Lake and Indigenous Underground, where Chef Erica “Trudy” McCier serves soul rolls and Black Eye Pea Gumbo. She also stops at Main Street Coffee Co., The Rough House and 96 Pecan Company (don’t miss the Lemon Crunch!), and spends the night at The Veranda on Main. At the end, Jo toasts with her Spooktacular Halloween Cocktail.
RESOURCE LINKS:- Read Jo’s full article, with all the details, tips and links to every stop: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/ninety-six-national-historic-site - Get Jo’s Spooktacular Halloween Cocktail recipe: https://recipestravelculture.com/spooktacular-halloween-cocktail/ 
Follow More of Jo:-  https://www.haveglasswilltravel.com/ - https://recipestravelculture.com/ - Jo Goes Everywhere! Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/jo-goes-everywhere-podcast - Jo Goes Everywhere! Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/jo-goes-everywhere-magazine 

Travel writer Erin Coyle takes us to Oman, where a cup of coffee is an invitation and hospitality is a way of life.
On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Food, Wine & Travel" Podcast with the International Food Wine Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), host Lisa D. Smith talks with IFWTWA member Erin Coyle, a freelance travel writer and ESP teacher who moved to Oman in 2018 to teach, started writing about travel during the pandemic, and now lives in Muscat.
Erin shares what it’s really like to travel in Oman: the warm welcome, the customs worth knowing, the food, and the landscapes that pleasantly surprise first-time visitors.
In this episode:- Why Oman feels calm and welcoming to travelers, and where it sits on the map- Erin’s path from teaching English in Sur to writing about travel- What an Omani wedding looks like, from the late-night start to the bride’s grand entrance- How to dress respectfully in a Muslim country, from wadis to mosques- Oman’s food: shuwa (goat cooked in the ground), mishkek kebabs, kabuli rice, and Paplou fish soup- Why coffee is the heart of Omani hospitality, plus dates, halwa, and the secret of shaking your cup- Modern Muscat versus traditional villages, falaj water channels thousands of years old, and a skyline with no skyscrapers- Wine and alcohol for travelers, wellness and breathwork, and nature from mountains to coast- Erin’s Hot Pot and the one-pot meals every culture shares
It's the perfect episode to celebrate Global Diversity Awareness Month! 
READ ERIN'S OMAN ARTICLE:- https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/oman-hospitality-things-to-do 
CONNECT WITH ERIN:- https://erinshotpot.com - https://www.instagram.com/erinshotpot/ - https://www.facebook.com/erintravelwriter 
IFWTWA:- International Food Wine Travel Writers Association:https://www.ifwtwa.org/ - More Food, Wine & Travel podcast episodes:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/food-wine-travel-with-ifwtwa - Travel, Food & Wine Podcast Magazine:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine 

On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Quiltripping Travel with Rose” Podcast, travel writer and photographer Rose Palmer of Quiltripping.com joins us fresh off the MSC World America, MSC’s newest mega ship, sailing from Miami to the Caribbean and the private island of Ocean Cay in the Bahamas. 
Rose and her best friend celebrated milestone birthdays in the exclusive MSC Yacht Club, a “ship within a ship” with its own restaurant, lounge, sun deck, pool and a personal butler. Rose compares it to flying business class: the attention of a small luxury ship with the dining and entertainment of a big one, at a fraction of the cost of Ponant or Seabourn.
In this episode:- Life in the Yacht Club, where fewer than 300 guests share the top decks of a ship carrying about 6,500 people, and the butlers in tails and white gloves.- Finding breathing room on a mega ship, and why it feels like business class versus coach.- Sweet Temptations, the Jean-Philippe Chocolate Café, the craft brewery and The Gin Project, and dinner at Eataly, Paxos, Hola and La Brasserie.- The not-so-secret secret telephone booth that isn’t on any deck plan.- What’s included in the Yacht Club, and why this ship works for multigenerational families and solo travelers.- Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island, transformed from an abandoned sand-mining site into a Caribbean paradise, plus the MSC Foundation’s work.- Spa and thermal rooms, Queen and Dirty Dancing shows, and dueling pianos at The Loft.
RESOURCE LINKS:- Read Rose’s full article and listen on the Big Blend site:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/msc-world-america-caribbean-cruise - Rose’s blog, Quiltripping.com: https://www.Quiltripping.com - Big Blend Radio’s “Quiltripping Travel with Rose” Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/quiltripping-travel-with-rose-podcast - “Quiltripping Travel” Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/quiltripping-travel-magazine 

What does it look like to explore Sweden at the pace of a ferry? On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Wander the World" Podcast, travel writer and photographer Sharon K. Kurtz takes us on a slow-travel journey through Stockholm, Gothenburg, and the islands of the Southern Archipelago, by ferry, by train, and by kayak.
Sharon shares the Swedish ritual of fika, the daily pause for coffee, a cinnamon bun, and friends. She also talks about fresh fish and a Michelin-starred vegetable-and-fish dinner in Gothenburg, and Swedish meatballs, from a fine restaurant to IKEA. In Stockholm she visits the Vasa Museum, the ABBA Museum, and Skansen, the world's first open-air museum, where she joined the Midsummer maypole dance. She also stayed on Skeppsholmen Island, took a Nordic food tour, rode the train to Gothenburg, and cruised its canals on the Paddan boat tour. Then it's on to a kayak trip off Styrsö and Donsö and a stop at Popsicle, a café and knitting shop in an old firehouse.
RESOURCE & LINKS: - Plan your trip with Visit Sweden: https://visitsweden.com/ 
- Sharon's full article has the links and details for planning your own trip: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/sweden-by-land-and-sea 
- Wander the World Podcast: https://wandertheworldwithsharon.podbean.com 
- Wander the World Digital Podcast Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/gyoy/#p=1 
- Sharon K. Kurtz: https://sharonkkurtz.com 

It's October in Asheville, which makes it ghost-watching season. In Part 2 of this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Adventures in Asheville" visit with Dawn Bankson of Star Watch Night Vision Tours, we head out after dark to historic Riverside Cemetery in the Montford neighborhood, a couple of blocks from The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast.
Host Lisa D. Smith and Nancy J. Reid join Steve and Karen Wilson, Dawn, and her guide Todd Robertson at the old vault that ghost hunters report as the most haunted spot in the cemetery. Through military-grade night vision goggles, the building seems to shimmer with waves of twinkling lights. They compare notes on what they're seeing, spot what might be orbs, and keep an eye out for the mother bear and two cubs said to be living in the cemetery.
Then it's out to a farm under a sea of stars to talk about satellites, strange moving lights, how Dawn got started with night vision tours, and why she and Todd love searching for stars and Bigfoot near Mount Pisgah. Todd shares his own Sasquatch call, a camping mystery with no bear tracks, and the squeals that made the group wonder what was out there.
Listen to Part 1, watch the full episode, and get more information:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/star-watch-night-vision-tours-asheville 
Follow Dawn & Star Watch Night Vision Tours:- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057159232266 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starwatchnight 
Stay at The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast:https://www.lion-rose.com 
More Adventures in Asheville:- Podcast Channel: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/adventures-in-asheville-podcast - Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/adventures-in-asheville-magazine 

Step inside the 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, a 1922 Chitlin' Circuit landmark and Mississippi Blues Trail stop just across from the historic train depot. On location for Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri" Podcast, this shared episode features travel journalist Terri Guthrie who sits down inside the hall with Rachel Dangermond, the writer and award-winning journalist who purchased it in 2018 and now leads the nonprofit that keeps it alive. It's the perfect episode to celebrate Global Diversity Awareness Month! 
Rachel traces the hall's roots to a self-reliant benevolent association formed in the Black community during Jim Crow, and shares the skits, the manless weddings, and the legendary musicians who played here, including James Brown, Ray Charles, Etta James, Guitar Slim, and BB King. She also explains how a Mardi Gras crew began in the hall as the Merrymakers, why the Chitlin' Circuit story is more nuanced than most people know, and how the hall's mission has grown to celebrate every community through A Soulful Christmas, Día de los Muertos, and the Matzo Ball.
You'll also hear about the hall's four annual fundraisers: Rock 'N' Roux in January, Swamp(gr)Ass Get Down in April, Booker Fest over Labor Day weekend, and Cigars Under the Stars benefiting Gulf Coast veterans. Rachel talks about the endowment protecting the hall's future and why visitors from as far as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand keep coming back. Along the way, Terri shares the route of Amtrak's Mardi Gras Train, which runs twice daily between New Orleans and Mobile.
RESOURCE LINKS:- Plan Your Visit: 100 Men Hall: https://100menhall.com/ - Listen to the previous episode about Amtrak's Mardi Gras Trainwith Knox Ross, Chairman of the Southern Rail Commission: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/mardi-gras-train-gulf-coast-amtrak 
TRAVEL WITH TERRI:Travel with Terri: https://www.travelwithterri.com/ Travel with Terri Podcast: https://www.travelwithterri.com/podcast Travel with Terri Magazine: https://www.travelwithterri.com/magazine