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Come hungry! Every third Sunday, Travel Avoyelles hosts Wilbert Carmouche and Mary Guillory join Lisa D. Smith for a visit to Avoyelles Parish in Central Louisiana. This time they brought a special guest: caterer John Ed Laborde of Panaroma Foods in Marksville, the creator of Crawfish Bread®. We talk crawfish étouffée, boudin and boucherie, cracklins, court-bouillon, sweet potato crunch, king cakes, cinnamon rolls, drive-through daiquiris and gas station plate lunches. Then each of them plans a full day of eating for first-time visitors, from breakfast to dinner. Pull up a chair for this shared episode! LINKS Plan your visit: https://TravelAvoyelles.com  Panaroma Foods, John Ed Laborde: https://panaromafoodsinc.com  Crawfish Bread: https://www.nolacrawfishbread.com  Big Blend Radio: https://bigblendmediahouse.com  New episodes of the Travel Avoyelles Podcast air every 3rd Sunday at 6pm CST on Big Blend Radio. Listen: https://travel-avoyelles.podbean.com/

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 do Grand 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

Think Ashland, Oregon is only about Shakespeare? Think again! On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Sip, Savor & Travel" Podcast, producerLisa D. Smith and travel writer Linda Kissam, the Food, Wine & Shopping Diva, sit down with Katharine Cato, Director of Travel Ashland, to explore everything Ashland offers beyond the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Katharine shares how a town of about 21,000 residents welcomes more than 300,000 visitors a year, and why Ashland's spot right off I-5, where the Cascade and Siskiyou mountain ranges meet, makes it both an easy stop and a true destination. Linda brings her food, wine and shopping expertise to the conversation, and Lisa asks about the best seasons to visit. In this episode: - Where to start your morning, from a marshmallow in your latte at Case Coffee to afternoon tea at Lovejoy's Tea Room - Independent shops, 100+ restaurants, and the Oregon Chocolate Festival - Rogue Valley wines, with 70+ varietals, plus Rogue Creamery cheese and Oregon Wine Month in May - Lithia Park's 93 acres, including the newly renovated Japanese garden - Skiing, summer fun and a drive-in movie night on Mount Ashland, Klamath River rafting, and Crater Lake just two hours away - Wellness, spas and the healing Lithia water - The Playwrights Walk, 365 days of theater, and the Festival of Light Read Linda's article: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/ashland-oregon-you-havent-discovered-yet  LEARN MORE: - Plan your visit:  https://www.travelashland.com  - Linda Kissam: https://foodwinetravelchix.com/  - Sip, Savor & Travel Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/sip-savor-travel-podcast  - Sip, Savor & Travel Digital Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/sip-savor-travel-magazine

It's October in California's Sequoia Country, and there's a lot going on. On this shared "California Sequoia Country" episode with the Sequoia Tourism Council, Big Blend Radio host Lisa D. Smith is joined by Holly Streit of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Suzanne Bianco of Visit Visalia to kick off fall. The episode starts with an anniversary: on October 1st, 1890, General Grant National Park was established to protect the General Grant Tree, the second largest tree in the world and the nation's only dedicated living shrine to service members. Holly explains how that four-acre park became part of Kings Canyon, what's closing for the season at Cedar Grove and Mineral King, and how the park's December wreath ceremony at the nation's Christmas tree works. It's also bear season, so Holly shares what to do if you see one, including keeping 50 yards back and storing food and scented items properly, and why fallen sequoias and dead trees matter to the forest. Plus, October 27th is a fee-free day for Teddy Roosevelt's birthday. Then Suzanne walks through October in Visalia and Tulare County: the Tulare Crush Party on October 9th, the Exeter Fall Festival on October 10th and the downtown Scarecrow Contest, Visalia Pride, Books & Brews and the Taste The Arts street festival on the weekend of October 17th, and the Sequoia Symphony playing Pirates of the Caribbean at the Fox Theater. You'll also hear about Cosmic Creeps at the Planetarium on October 23rd, the city's Halloween house map, mini pumpkindishes at the Vintage Press, a few ghost stories, and a visit to the Tulare County Museum for Global Diversity Awareness Month. Plan your visit and get more information: - Discover the Sequoias: https://www.discoverthesequoias.com  - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks: https://www.nps.gov/seki  - Visit Visalia: https://www.visitvisalia.com  - New Sequoia Tourism Council episodes air every first Thursday: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/california-s-sequoia-country-podcast

On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures" Podcast, travel writer Debbie Stone takes us to the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. Most people know the area for Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous house, but it's actually a mecca for Wright's work. Debbie starts at Polymath Park, a private conservation effort by Tom and Heather Papinchak. There, two Wright homes, Duncan House and Mäntylä, were taken apart piece by piece in Illinois and Minnesota and rebuilt in the Pennsylvania woods. She shares what it's like to actually spend the night in Mäntylä, living with Wright's design and his blurring of indoors and outdoors, and waking to a deer crossing the yard. She also describes dinner in a private treehouse-style dining pod at TreeTops Restaurant, with Heather Papinchak as chef. From there it's on to Kentuck Knob, one of Wright's last projects. It has an "invisible" window, a Woodland Walk with a piece of the Berlin Wall, and a British lord as its current owner. The finale is Fallingwater, the cantilevered masterpiece built over a waterfall so the Kaufmann family could hear the water throughout the house, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read Debbie's article: - https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/frank-lloyd-wright-laurel-highlands  Plan your visit: - Polymath Park: https://www.polymathpark.com  - Kentuck Knob: https://www.kentuckknob.com  - Fallingwater: https://www.fallingwater.com  - Laurel Highlands: https://www.golaurelhighlands.com  Global Adventures with Debbie Stone: - Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/global-adventures-with-debbie-stone  - Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/global-adventures-travel-magazine

Happy World Car Free Day! On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri" Podcast, travel journalist Terri Guthrie kicks off a new series exploring Amtrak's Mardi Gras Train, joined by Knox Ross, Chairman of the Southern Rail Commission. Terri just rode the full route herself — from New Orleans, through coastal Mississippi, to Mobile, Alabama — and shares what stood out most about slow train travel along the Gulf Coast: the wide seats and legroom, alligator sightings from the window, and the walkable hotel scene waiting at every stop. Knox walks through how the route came back after two decades without Gulf Coast passenger rail service post-Katrina, the Mississippi-led push to fund it, and why it's become one of the highest-rated customer service trains in the entire Amtrak system, with 150,000 riders in its first year. Along the way: the best places to stay near each station, why downtown Mobile is quietly having a food-and-culture renaissance, what's in the café car, and the Facebook community of Mardi Gras Train superfans already planning their next trip. This episode kicks off Big Blend Radio's new Mardi Gras Train series — stay tuned for upcoming episodes diving deeper into Bay St. Louis and Mobile. Links & Resources - Amtrak Mardi Gras Service: https://www.amtrak.com/mardigras   - Southern Rail Commission – Mardi Gras Service: https://www.southernrailcommission.org/amtrak-mardi-gras-service   Listen to Terri's New Orleans Episodes: - The Roosevelt: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/the-roosevelt-new-orleans   - Travel New Orleans: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-new-orleans-with-terri   Keep up with Terri's Podcast & Digital Podcast Magazine at   https://www.travelwithterri.com/

On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine, and Travel" Show, in partnership with the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), travel writer and photographer Sharon K. Kurtz reports live from the Riviera Maya, where she's a guest of Lomas Hospitality at the adults-only El Dorado Royale. Sharon shares what makes Lomas's More Inclusive concept different from a typical all-inclusive stay, from cenote swimming and horseback riding at the Bonanza Ranch to snorkeling with sea turtles and stingrays off Maroma Beach. She also talks culinary culture at the Fuentes Culinary Theatre, Grupo Lomas's 45-year story as a Mexican hospitality company, and the range across the resort collection, from family-friendly properties to the adults-only, over-the-water Palafitos bungalows. Along the way, the conversation touches on safe, hassle-free travel for U.S. visitors, sargassum-free beaches, destination weddings, and why this stretch of Caribbean Mexico has become one of the most talked-about travel regions in the world. Learn more: - Lomas Hospitality: https://www.lomashospitality.com/  - Sharon K. Kurtz: https://www.sharonkkurtz.com/  - IFWTWA: https://ifwtwa.org/  - Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/

It's Fall Y'all in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana!  Big Blend Radio host/producer Lisa D. Smith is joined by Natalie Roblin of the Avoyelles Commission of Tourism, filling in for regular co-hosts Wilbert Carmouche and Mary Guillory, who are at the Jefferson Highway Conference in Joplin, Missouri. Together they explore why fall is one of the best times to visit the Centre de la Louisiane. Natalie shares the story of how Marksville got its start with a broken wagon wheel (hence Broken Wheel Brewery), what's happening at Paragon Casino Resort and the Fox Theater, and how fall in Avoyelles is marked by food: home-cooked church dinner plates on Sundays, cochon de lait, sweet potato harvest season, boudin, barbecue, and even gas station breakfasts you won't forget. Then it's time to roll the windows down. Explore Bunkie Trade Days, Griffin's, Hoover's Five and Dime and the retro full-service gas station along the Jefferson Highway; learn about National Hunting and Fishing Day at the Outdoor Education Center in Woodworth; and discover the Solomon Northup Trail, the Louisiana Colonial Trail, the Zachary Taylor Parkway, and the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.  Natalie also shares outdoor favorites including the Big Bend Museum and Sarto Old Iron Bridge, the Big Bend loop (LA 451), Spring Valley WMA, the Tunica-Biloxi Nature Trail, and Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge, plus a Louisiana music playlist of swamp pop and Zydeco. Events mentioned: National Hunting and Fishing Day (Sept. 26, free, 8:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Woodworth); Couillons of Comedy at the Fox Theater in Marksville (Oct. 3); Bunkie Trade Days (Oct. 3); church dinner plates and fairs throughout the parish in September and October. Plan your visit: https://TravelAvoyelles.com   Events page: https://TravelAvoyelles.com/events      Last Month's Fall Event Episode: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/fall-in-avoyelles-parish-louisiana-2026  New episodes of the Travel Avoyelles Podcast air every 3rd Sunday at 6pm CST on Big Blend Radio. Listen: https://travel-avoyelles.podbean.com/