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Send us Fan Mail Episode 158 Episode Description What do a Ziegfeld Girl, a 12-year-old named Mary, a projectionist nicknamed Fink, and a man who admits he made up a ghost story have in common? Apparently, none of them are very good at leaving the theater. In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we’re visiting six historic American theaters where the stories happening offstage may be just as interesting as the ones performed onstage. From Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre and its famous Ziegfeld Girl to a Wild West theater with more than 140 bullet holes in its walls, these buildings have collected plenty of history, and plenty of ghosts.  Along the way, we’ll meet the mysterious Mary of Memphis’ Orpheum Theatre, George at West Virginia’s Apollo Civic Theatre, longtime Tampa Theatre projectionist Fink, and a Missouri theater employee who freely admits he invented one ghost story, but insists the theater really is haunted. And before we leave, we’ll explore the tradition of the ghost light and why theaters around the country leave a single bulb burning on an empty stage.  Because sometimes the most interesting part of a ghost story isn’t whether the ghost is real. It’s figuring out where the story came from. Featured in this episode:  New Amsterdam Theatre in New York CityOrpheum Theatre in Memphis, TennesseeApollo Civic Theatre in Martinsburg, West VirginiaLanders Theatre in Springfield, MissouriTampa Theatre in Tampa, FloridaBird Cage Theatre in Tombstone, Arizona.You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 157 How did Halloween go from homemade popcorn balls and apples to Fun Size candy bars and houses famous for handing out full-size Snickers? In this Snack Society episode of Pop Culture Passport, we're digging into the history of trick-or-treating and the treats that have filled Halloween bags over the years. We'll discover why early trick-or-treaters might have come home with cookies, nuts, coins, and homemade treats; how candy corn went from “Chicken Feed” to a Halloween icon; and how PEZ transformed from an Austrian peppermint marketed to adults into the character dispensers we know today. We'll also look at the Halloween candy safety panic of the 1970s, why individually wrapped candy became so reassuring to parents, and the surprisingly contentious history of the words “Fun Size.” So grab your plastic pumpkin and let's go trick-or-treating through a century of Halloween candy history. In this episode: What trick-or-treaters received before candy took overHow candy corn became a Halloween stapleThe wonderfully weird Nik-L-NipHow PEZ went from anti-smoking peppermint to character candyThe Halloween candy-tampering panicHow individually wrapped treats changed HalloweenThe surprisingly complicated history of Fun Size candy barsHow the full-size candy bar house became neighborhood royaltyYou ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 156 Looking for something a little different than a beer trail or an ice cream trail? In this episode of Pop Culture Passport, we're taking a spooky road trip across the United States to explore haunted trails, paranormal passports, cryptid museums, UFO hotspots, pirate legends, abandoned amusement parks, and even one motel filled with clown dolls that I'll definitely never spend the night in. Along the way, we'll visit  West Virginia's Paranormal Trail New York's Haunted History Trail Nevada's Paranormal Passport Southern Indiana's wonderfully weird Stranger Things in SoIN passport North Carolina's First in Fright trail. Whether you're planning a fall getaway or simply looking for your next unforgettable side quest, these destinations prove that some of America's most fascinating travel experiences come with a ghost story... or at least a really good legend. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 155 What do beer tunnels, a Cold War bunker, a buried city, a salt mine, and an underground citrus garden have in common? They're all hidden beneath our feet. This week we're exploring five fascinating underground destinations across America, each with an incredible story to tell. We'll visit: Cincinnati's historic lagering tunnels beneath Over-the-RhineThe secret Cold War bunker hidden beneath The Greenbrier ResortStrataca, the underground salt mine museum in KansasSeattle's buried original downtownThe remarkable Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, CaliforniaAlong the way, we'll discover how these places were created, why they still matter today, and why some of America's most memorable stories aren't only found on the skyline, but beneath it. Whether you're planning your next road trip or simply love uncovering forgotten history, this episode will have you looking beneath your feet the next time you travel. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 154 Hollywood has always loved beaches and boardwalks, but sometimes the places you see on screen aren't where you think they are. This week on Pop Culture Passport, we're visiting some of America's most iconic coastal filming locations, from the vampire-filled Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in The Lost Boys to New York's legendary Coney Island, the storytelling soul of Asbury Park, and the endlessly versatile beaches of Malibu. Along the way, we'll uncover the surprising story behind Boardwalk Empire and discover why one of television's most famous boardwalks wasn't filmed in Atlantic City at all. Whether you're a movie buff, a TV fan, or simply love discovering the stories behind iconic places, this episode will have you looking at America's beaches and boardwalks in a whole new way. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 153 What do Scottish women, rooftop golf courses, fairy-tale castles, and glowing monsters have in common? They're all part of the surprising history of miniature golf. This week on Pop Culture Passport, we're tracing the story of one of America's favorite summer traditions, from a quiet act of rebellion at St. Andrews in Scotland to the rooftop mini golf craze of 1920s New York City, through the Great Depression, and into today's elaborate themed and blacklight courses. Along the way we'll visit: Whispering Pines Miniature Golf in Irondequoit, NY — the oldest continuously operating miniature golf course in AmericaTom Thumb Golf and the fairy-tale vision of Garnet and Frieda CarterNew York City's incredible rooftop mini golf boomThe rise of Putt-Putt GolfModern Monster Mini GolfWhether your favorite course has windmills, castles, pirates, or glowing monsters, miniature golf has been bringing generations together for more than 150 years. The next time you pick up a putter, you'll know the remarkable story behind the game. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 152 What if the best baseball experience in America isn't at a Major League stadium? In this episode, we make the case for Minor League Baseball as the ultimate side quest, the affordable, community-driven, glorious alternative to the big leagues that most travelers completely overlook. We start with a personal story: the night the Rochester Red Wings played as the Rochester Plates, a nod to Rochester's most famous regional dish, the Garbage Plate. From there, we dive into the surprising history of Minor League Baseball, the extraordinary story of the Rochester Red Wings and the 72 Day Miracle that saved the franchise, and the Bull Durham connection you might not know about. Then we get into why Minor League Baseball belongs on every traveler's radar: the affordable tickets, the deep community ties, the absolutely unhinged alternate team identities (the Hartford Yard Goats, the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Jersey Shore pork roll in bowling shoes), the local food experiences, and the promotional nights that prove this league truly understands joy. In this episode: The Rochester Plates and why we chose that night on purposeA brief history of Minor League BaseballThe 72 Day Miracle that saved the Rochester Red WingsWhy MiLB is the ultimate side quest: affordable, community, food, alternate names, promos, and nostalgiaWherever you're traveling this summer, check if there's a minor league team in town. You might just find your new favorite side quest. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail A scrap dealer buys a railroad. The engines start to cry. And he makes them a promise he keeps for the rest of his life. That's just one of the extraordinary stories inside today's episode, and it only scratches the surface of what makes the East Broad Top Railroad one of the most remarkable places in America. In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Greene, Director of Sales and a qualified brakeman at the East Broad Top Railroad, America's oldest operating narrow-gauge railroad, tucked into the mountains of south-central Pennsylvania. Andrew is also the founder of what the Washington Post called the premier American ragtime ensemble in the country.  In this episode: Why trains feel more alive than any other form of transportationThe history of the East Broad Top RailroadThe scrap dealer who bought a railroad and made a promise to a steam engineThe Smithsonian's extraordinary endorsementThe belt-driven machine shop, which is the last of its kind in North AmericaWhat to expect on a visit, from plush coaches to the cinder carThe future of the EBT, including rail bikes, track expansion and a 10-year visionPlan your visit: Website: https://eastbroadtop.com/Phone: 814-447-3285Location: 20 minutes north of PA Turnpike Exit 180 — Fort LittletonYou ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 150 While spending two and a half weeks in Western New York, I set out to complete what I called Day Trip Palooza: four day trips within 90 miles of our home base. Did it go according to plan? Not exactly. In this episode, I’m sharing what happened when weather, holiday hours, work schedules, and real life got in the way, and why two great day trips turned out to be better than four rushed ones. Join me as I recap visits to: East Aurora, home of the historic Roycroft Campus and the famous Vidler’s 5 & 10Buffalo, where we tackled the great wing debate and visited the Herschell Carrousel Factory MuseumFairport, a charming Erie Canal town where a last-minute pivot turned into a fun afternoon.Plus, in this Snack Society Field Report: Duff’s vs. Anchor BarThe history of Buffalo wingsBeef on WeckBuffalo’s beloved sponge candyThis episode is a reminder that you don’t need a perfect itinerary—or even a full vacation—to discover something new. You ready? Let’s roam. In This Episode What Day Trip Palooza was and why I created itWhy some trips happened, and others didn’tEast Aurora highlightsBuffalo food and attractionsFairport and the Erie CanalThe value of flexible travel plansWhy day trips are staying in my travel rotationResources East Aurora Day Trip GuideBuffalo Day Trip GuideFairport Day Trip GuideGet your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 149 Did you know Atlantic City has over 100 murals telling the stories of its soul, and most visitors walk right past them? Atlantic City is one of America's most recognized destinations, but for most people, the story begins and ends with the casinos and the boardwalk. In this episode, I sit down with Kiara Davis, Tourism and Community Affairs Manager for Visit Atlantic City and proud Atlantic City native, to uncover the layers of history, culture, art, and community that make this city so much more than its reputation. In this episode, you'll discover: The Orange Loop. Three blocks straight off the Monopoly board that have become the most vibrant and authentic neighborhood in Atlantic City right now, home to local restaurants, an independent music venue, community gardens, and the city's thriving arts sceneThe African American Heritage Museum, founded by Mr. Ralph Hunter through his personal collection and passion for preserving Black history and culture, and why Kiara calls it one of the most powerful places in the cityThe foods you absolutely cannot miss, from the legendary White House Subs to saltwater taffy mixing tips that will completely change how you eat itAtlantic City is layered, resilient, and full of stories waiting to be discovered. After this conversation, you'll never look at it the same way again. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 148 What if the beach town you thought you knew was actually the birthplace of rock and roll? The Wildwoods, New Jersey, have been a Jersey Shore staple for generations, but there's so much more to this five-mile island than boardwalk rides and saltwater taffy. In this episode, I sit down with Ben Rose, Director of Marketing and PR for the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority, to uncover the layers of history, culture, and architecture that make the Wildwoods truly one of a kind. In this episode, you'll discover: Why the largest collection of mid-century Doo Wop architecture in the country calls the Wildwoods home, and why even new developers are voluntarily keeping the aesthetic aliveHow the Wildwoods became the birthplace of rock and roll, the Twist, and American Bandstand, and why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame agreesThe surprising origin story of those iconic tram cars that have been rolling the boardwalk since 1949The Wildwoods are more than a beach vacation; they're a living, breathing piece of American pop culture history. After this episode, you'll never look at a neon sign the same way again. You ready? Let’s roam. Learn more about what you can see and do in The Wildwoods at https://wildwoodsnj.com/ Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 147 What if the best adventures were hiding within 90 miles of home? This summer, we're trading airports and hotels for day trips, road snacks, and coming home to our own beds every night. Welcome to Day Trip Palooza — a summer series built around one home base, a 90-mile radius, and a whole lot of curiosity about what's been waiting right in our own backyard. In this episode, you'll discover: What Day Trip Palooza actually is and why the sweet spot between a staycation and a full-blown vacation might be exactly what you need this summerHow I research and plan day trips — from QuirkyAndCool.com to Google rabbit holes to Reddit gems that don't show up on the first page of search resultsWhere we're headed this summer — Buffalo, East Aurora, Corning, Skaneateles, and wherever the side quests take usDay trips aren't just a budget-friendly alternative to a big vacation. They're a mindset. And this summer, we're inviting you to come along and maybe plan your own Palooza while you're at it. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 146 Did you know there's an entire city humming along beneath the streets of Kansas City? Kansas City has a well-earned reputation for barbecue, jazz, and the Chiefs. But scratch the surface, and you'll find a city full of stories that don't make the highlight reel. In this episode, we honor the classics and then go exploring, from a steamboat buried under a cornfield for over a hundred years to an underground business complex the size of a small city. In this episode, you'll discover: The extraordinary story of the Arabia Steamboat Museum, a nineteenth-century time capsule found twenty-five feet underground in a Missouri cornfield, perfectly preserved for over 130 yearsSubTropolis, the world's largest underground business complex, carved out of ancient limestone mines beneath Kansas City, and yes, you can actually drive through itThe surprising Kansas City origin stories of two iconic American snacks you've almost certainly had but never knew came from hereKansas City kept surprising me at every turn, and I have a feeling it's going to do the same to you. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 145 Is Cincinnati chili really chili… or is it something completely different? In this Snack Society episode, we dive into the history, controversy, and flavor profile of Cincinnati chili, the Greek-inspired meat sauce that divides an entire region. From Skyline to Gold Star to the lesser-known Worthmore, we conduct an official taste test and unpack how this unexpected dish became a city icon. In This Episode: The surprising Greek origins of Cincinnati chiliHow to order it “the right way” (and why you never twirl the spaghetti)An official Snack Society taste test: Skyline vs. Gold Star vs. WorthmoreWhether you’re Team Skyline or still skeptical, Cincinnati chili proves that the best regional foods are the ones bold enough to be unapologetically themselves. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.

Send us Fan Mail Episode 144 What happens when you wander just a little off the main path in Seattle? Seattle is famous for coffee, the Space Needle, and grunge music, but the real magic of the Emerald City shows up when you lean into curiosity. In this episode, we explore the quirky landmarks, pop culture filming locations, and creative spaces that make Seattle a city that rewards side quests. In this episode, we’ll cover: How Seattle’s geography shaped its creative and independent spiritIconic side quest stops like MoPOP, the Fremont Troll, and Gas Works ParkHidden gems, filming locations, and playful food stops that go beyond the obviousIf you’re planning a trip or just love discovering what makes a city feel unique, this episode is your guide to Seattle’s curious side. You ready? Let’s roam. Get your free Field Notes Travel & Snack Journal by signing up for the newsletter. Connect with me on social: Facebook or Instagram. Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti Love the show? Leave a 5-star review, and let me know where you'd like us to roam next. Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.