CONTENTS BIG WEEKLY BLEND 5. Editors Block 6. Big Weekly Blend Podcast
FOOD & DRINK 8. Visit Hershey’s Chocolate World 12. A Taste of Yadkin Valley 18. Ruth’s Pumpkin Soup Recipe
NATURE & WILDLIFE 20. Adventures in Africa 23. What Owls Know 24. Russian River Redwoods
TRAVEL & EVENTS 28. Cruising Alaska in 2024 30. Holiday Fun in Costa Mesa 32. Palm Springs is Quality of Life 35. Fall in Southwest New Mexico 36. Faldorado in the Front Range 38. Christmas in Natchitoches 40. Adventures in Philadelphia
HISTORY & CULTURE 44. Haunted Louisiana 46. Guy Fawkes & Bonfire Night
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EDITORS BLOCK "Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all other seasons." Jim Bishop This issue celebrates the heart of the fall season with fes�ve event news, adventure stories, des�na�on spotlights, foodie fun, historic happenings, and conversa�ons about nature and wildlife. There’s so much to experience! Get a taste of Yadkin Valley, North Carolina, home to over forty wineries. Sa�sfy your sweet tooth at Hershey’s Chocolate World in Pennsylvania. How about trying a new pumpkin soup recipe for your next gathering? Reconnect with nature on an adventure in Africa or be awed by California’s beau�ful Coastal Redwoods. And learn about the incredible world of owls in the new book “Alfie & Me.” Celebrate the fall and holiday season in Natchitoches, the oldest city in Louisiana, or in sunny Costa Mesa and Palm Springs in Southern California. There’s also England’s popular Bonfire Night with roots that lead back to Guy Fawkes and the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605! Visit historic Philadelphia or plan a cruise to Alaska. Follow in the hoof prints of equestrian explorer and travel writer Isabella Bird in Colorado or explore the haunted sites of Louisiana along the historic Jefferson Highway. Happy November! Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith Big Blend’s mother-daughter publishing, podcas�ng, and travel team.
FRONT COVER IMAGE: Front cover image is by Jamie Edwards. Hear her Adventures in Africa podcast on Page 20
BIG BLEND MISSION STATEMENT: Big Blend is a company based on the belief that education is the most formidable weapon that can be waged against fear, ignorance and prejudice. It is our belief that education starts at home and branches outward. Education leads to travel, and travel leads to understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of cultures and customs different to our own, and ultimately to world peace. Our company is further based on the principle that networking, communication, and helping others to promote and market themselves leads to financial stability; thus paving the way to better education, travel, and the spirit of giving back to the community. This magazine is developed by Big Blend Magazine™, copyrighted since 1997. No part of it may be reproduced for any reason, without written permission from Big Blend Magazine. Although every effort is made to be accurate, we cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies or plagiarized copy submitted to us by advertisers or contributors. PAGE 5
BIG WEEKLY BLEND PODCAST Celebrate Early November!
Produced by Big Blend Radio, the Big Weekly Blend podcast �es music with each week’s holidays and observances, pop culture, and historic happenings. Featuring special guests and interes�ng conversa�ons, the show broadcasts every Sunday at 10am PT / 1pm ET. This week’s episode features Tucson Sisters in Crime writers Eva Eldridge, Elaine A. Powers, and Patrick Whitehurst. We look forward to the upcoming episode (Nov. 5-11) with singersongwriter Johnny Schaefer, equestrian trainer and author Christy Wood, and ar�st Andrea Faye.
You can follow the podcast and its music playlists on BlendRadioandTV.com.
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By Debbie Stone
Welcome to Hershey's Chocolate World PAGE 8
This way to all things chocolate! If you have a sweet tooth or are a chocoholic, make a beeline to Hershey, PA, the “Sweetest Place on Earth.” First stop - Hershey’s Chocolate World, where you can enjoy a free, simulated factory tour ride and discover how all the sweet stuff is made. You’ll hop on an amusement-style car and journey from cocoa bean to a fully wrapped candy bar. Robot cows in a barnyard tell you about the importance of milk in Hershey’s chocolate and their repe��ve tune will follow you throughout the tour…and longer. Feel free to clap along if you so desire! Your Disney-fied, narrated experience of this Willy Wonka-like kingdom con�nues into the chocolate factory, where you’ll hear about the many steps involved in readying the cocoa beans for use, from sor�ng, cleaning, roas�ng, and milling to grinding, pressing, drying, blending and refining them. Music accompanies the ac�ons of whirring machinery and moving conveyor belts along with flashing strobes. Then smile for your picture and off you go down the exit ramp to receive your mini chocolate bar, catchy cow song s�ll reverbera�ng in your head. Enter the Chocolate World marketplace, where you can choose from more than 500 different candies spanning more than forty different brands, find humongous-sized candy bars including a Hershey’s Bar weighing in at an impressive five pounds, 25pound crates of Reese’s Peanut Bu�er Cups, an en�re wall of Hershey’s Kisses in assorted flavors, an oversized Hershey’s Syrup coin bank, chocolate
candles, even a denim jacket with rhinestone Hershey Kisses. And the list goes on… You can also create your own candy bar, stuff a onepound Reese’s Peanut Bu�er Cup with your favorite mix-ins, par�cipate in a chocolate tas�ng adventure, and solve a chocolate mystery in an interac�ve 4-D show. And wait, there’s more! Just outside Hershey Chocolate World is Hersheypark, the largest amusement park in Pennsylvania. It’s packed with thrilling roller coasters, family-friendly rides, and a water park. Take five at The Chocola�er, the full-service restaurant onsite, where dishes come with a fun culinary spin and you guessed it, hints of chocolate. Try the Heath Bar Crusted Salmon, Hershey’s Cocoa Barbecue Ribs, Reese’s Peanut Bu�er Hummus or the Very Berry Salad topped with Hershey’s Chocolate and Raspberry Vinaigre�e. And don’t get me started on the desserts! If you’re curious about the man behind the candy, you’ll need to head over to the Hershey Story Museum, located on aptly named Chocolate Avenue. A series of installa�ons with a variety of engaging and interac�ve components chronicles chocolate pioneer, Milton Hershey, from failed entrepreneur to chocolate king and philanthropic benefactor. Exhibits detail Milton’s ambi�ons, setbacks, and the inner drive and ambi�on that helped him surmount challenges and overcome the odds. Con�nued on Next Page…
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Milton Hershey
The museum is full of interac�ve exhibits
You’ll learn that Milton was fourteen when he was first appren�ced to a printer. Unhappy in this line of work, he was then appren�ced to a confec�oner in Lancaster, where he discovered a passion for candymaking. A�er learning the trade, he moved to Philly to start his own candy business, which was shortlived, ending in bankruptcy. Subsequently, his second candy business in NYC also failed. Back to Lancaster he went, where he sold homemade caramels from a pushcart and eventually founded Lancaster Caramel Company with the help of a friend.
more of the milk’s moisture. The result was a thick mixture of sugar and milk that mixed well with chocolate to create the perfect taste and texture for milk chocolate.
Hershey Con�nued…
It was the 1893 Columbian Exposi�on in Chicago, though, that gave Milton that defining “aha” moment. The new inven�ons and innova�ons on display spurred him to purchase his first chocolatemaking machines, leading him to establish the Hershey Chocolate Company a year later. And by the end of 1900, he had sold his first Hershey bar. A few years later, he broke ground on a new factory in Derry Church, now Hershey, PA. Though cocoa was around for centuries before Milton came along, his innova�ons revolu�onized the confec�on, transforming chocolate from a luxury to an everyday treat. His discovery of milk chocolate was the key. Through trial and error, he found that adding the sugar prior to condensing allowed him to remove
Industrializa�on, par�cularly the inven�on of automated wrapping machines, also played a major role in Milton’s ability to produce milk chocolate quickly and efficiently, enabling him to essen�ally have a monopoly on the milk chocolate market. Finally, Milton was the master of promo�on, as he understood early on that products, even good ones, won’t sell if people don’t know about them. So, he included colorful postcards wrapped inside each chocolate bar, depicted eye-catching artwork on packages, and featured elaborate displays to a�ract customers to his shops. He simultaneously made his wares and his name famous. Milton not only built the Hershey factory but also the community in the town that bears his name. He chose the area because it was near dairy farms, had available land, and good train transporta�on. It also happened to be his birthplace. For forty years, he worked to create an enriching home for his employees, for tourists, and for him and his family. Over �me, Milton built his legacy, too, with the M.S. Hershey Founda�on, which has supported educa�onal and cultural opportuni�es since 1935.
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Chocolate World Exhibits shine a light on the many community buildings, schools, civic centers, gardens, and cultural ins�tu�ons he founded. Of special note is The Milton Hershey School, which nurtures kids in social and financial need, preparing them for success in all aspects of their lives. Originally named the Hershey Industrial School in 1909, it was the frui�on of a vision and dream shared by Milton and his wife Catherine. Unable to have children of their own, the couple opted to use their wealth to create a home and school for orphaned boys. The famed chocola�er passed away in 1945, but his spirit, ideals, and ingenuity are s�ll alive and well in Hershey, PA. www.chocolateworld.com www.hersheystory.org
Streetlights along Chocolate Avenue are shaped like Hershey Kisses PAGE 11
By Jo Clark
Elkin Creek Falls If you follow me on social media, you already know—I’m all about the food. Well, and the wine!
Surry County has its own (legi�mate) wine trail, and it is the place where the Yadkin Valley AVA got its start in 2003.
My road trip through Surry County in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley was no excep�on. My planned “long weekend” of visi�ng all their wineries— Shelton Tas�ng with Jen was a dismal failure. I arrived to learn that there are FOURTY-FOUR wineries in the Yadkin Valley, and twenty of those are in Surry County! Now, I’m an over-achiever, but even I had to throw in the towel upon hearing that sta�s�c! Jo Clark on Big Blend Radio: Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
The Shelton brothers, Charlie and Ed, were the driving force to have the area designated North Carolina’s first American Vi�cultural Area by the federal government. Unsurprisingly, the Shelton Vineyard is the largest family-owned estate winery in North Carolina. Their 1,000 acres spread over Dobson’s rolling hills—on Cabernet Lane, naturally! Unbelievable, but there are more than 136,000 vines planted on the farm.
Growing Grapes
In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you find the perfect eleva�on for growing European grapes. About three-fourths of those varietals produce dry and semi-sweet wines. Of course, that leaves lots of choices to make sweeter wines! The grapes that are especially happy to grow in the mountains include: Riesling Cabernet Franc Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay Syrah Chambourcin Tannat Merlot Vidal Blanc Pe�t Verdot Viognier Pinot Grigio
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Golden Road Vineyard I admit to liking nearly all wine. When asked what kind of wine I like, my usual response is, “Bo�led!” Truthfully, it has its �me and pairing. With the right food and mood, I’m happy drinking it all
Vineyards and Wineries
On the road trip through Surry County and beyond, I discovered so many deligh�ul wineries—and even more deligh�ul people! It isn’t o�en that you meet so many folks who love their jobs! That is unless you’re in a room full of travel writers!
These are the wineries I visited. You can read
all the details in My Adventures on the Yadkin Valley Wine and ’Shine Trail on Recipes, Travel, and Culture. In the ar�cle, you will find links to each winery and vineyard so you can follow in my footsteps, err, �re tracks? • Golden Road Winery • Grassy Creek Stony Knolls Living Room
• Stony Knoll • Haze Gray Vineyard • Linville Falls Winery • Roaring River Vineyards • Elkin Creek Vineyard & Winery • Carolina Heritage Vineyards • Shelton Vineyard • JOLO Winery and Vineyards • Skull Camp • Old Nick Williams Dis�llery
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Con�nued on Next Page… Grassy Creek Tas�ng
Perfect logo placement Audrey enjoys wine by the firepit
Chef Becky - her Stainless aged Chardonnay Yadkin Valley Con�nued… Skull Camp
Elkin Creek Tas�ng
The Honor Wall
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A man and his s�ll in Williams
Elkin Creek Old Nick’s Award-winning spirits
Jonah at Stony Knoll Winery
Con�nued on Next Page… Linville Falls - granddaughter Jessica
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Places to Lay Your Head No need to worry; just because you’re on the back roads of the North Carolina mountains doesn’t mean you’ll have to pitch a tent! Tucked among the vines at several vineyards are historic cozy cabins. These log houses come complete with rockers on the porch, firepits on the pa�o, and twinkling stars in the sky. I spent nights in cabins at Grassy Creek Vineyard and Stony Knoll Vineyards. I would be delighted to return for more nights at either! I slept like that proverbial “bug in a rug” and woke to the sun shining in my window! Wisdom Table Apple Tart Yadkin Valley Con�nued…
Places to Eat in Wine Country You may need to pull into a drive-thru for a quick bite when zipping between wineries. The usual fastfood places are available but remember that most wineries have food or food trucks. So slow down and try the local eats! Most of the wineries have North Carolina products available for purchase. These tasty treats include Ashe County cheeses, San Giuseppe Salami, and crackers made by the Accidental Baker. There are food trucks in the area, and many of them make the rounds of the wineries, especially on weekends when many of them have live music in the vineyard. One of my favorites was the Lobster Dog truck. They sure know how to cook a lobster! You’re bound to work up an appe�te with all your winery hopping. Fortunately, there is lots of food for full meals at the ready in the Yadkin Valley. The Yellow Door Café blends French cuisine and Soul food at lunch and dinner and is open for brunch on Friday and Saturday. (Insider �p: order the collard green wontons with Thai chili dipping sauce. You can thank me later!) The Wisdom Table is a wine bar, but it is also a perfect place for dinner or just for desserts and a glass to end your day. A small but temp�ng menu lists a variety of boards, entrees, small plates, and desserts. I couldn’t resist the warm Apple Tart, glazed with an apple cider concoc�on and topped with house-made apple bu�er. The scoop of vanilla ice cream didn’t hurt either. The Wisdom Table’s wine flights change weekly, so you can go o�en and try something different on every visit! In addi�on to wine, North Carolina cra� beers are on the menu, too.
Bed and Breakfast Inns are the anchors in many small towns. And in Elkin, the first building on Main Street, back in the 1800s, has been recreated as bou�que units with a roo�op deck. How cool is that?
Fes�vals and Celebra�ons in Wine Country We Southerners love a good fes�val—most anything will do for an excuse. Are the shrimp running? It must be �me for a Shrimp Fes�val. Are the Autumn leaves star�ng to fall? Throw an Oktoberfest (they’re more “fes�ve” if you use fancy spelling!) In the Yadkin Valley, there are lots of celebra�ons throughout the year, so look for these annual fes�vals during your visit: Fiddler’s Conven�on - April Wine & Cra� Beer - May Hot Nights, Hot Cars - May – October Wine Fes�val - May Music Fes�val - August Mayberry Days - September Pumpkin Fes�val - September Autumn Leaves - October For detailed informa�on, dates, and a complete list of events, visit the h�ps://www.yadkinvalleync.com Enjoy your trip to the Yadkin Valley—I sure enjoyed mine! Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer based on South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She has a thirst for knowledge, history, great food, and wine! She does her very best to live up to her Instagram handle, JoGoesEverywhere! She is the editor of h�p://www.RecipesTravelCulture.com
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By Ruth Milstein
Ruth Milstein on Big Blend Radio: Listen here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
Ingredients Con�nued… 2 tablespoons thyme leaves 1 tablespoon curry powder 1-12 ounce can of coconut milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 2 scallions, washed and cut into ½-inch slices. 1–8-ounce container of sour cream, op�onal. Method: In a large pot put the oil and sauté the onion un�l golden. Add the garlic and the ginger and sauté for another minute. Add the carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, and 3 cups of boiling water and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes un�l the vegetables so�en; s�r occasionally.
Fall and Winter mean a lot of things - Harvest, Oktoberfest, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Pumpkin! But if Pumpkin is not your thing, this delicious Pumpkin Soup recipe will most certainly make you a convert! Family and guests will ask for more! Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions peeled and chopped. 5 cloves garlic peeled and chopped. 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into ½- inch cubes. 1-pound Pumpkin peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes. 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes.
Add the thyme, curry powder, coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Transfer the en�re soup to a food processor and process into a thick and silky texture then return the mixture to the pot and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour into a soup bowl and sprinkle the scallions on top. Add 1 tablespoon of sour cream in the center if desired. Serve hot with toasted fresh bread. Makes 8 servings. Ruth Milstein is the author of the Gourmand award-winning recipe book, “Cooking with Love: Ventures Into the New Israeli Cuisine”. For more of Ruth’s recipes see www.RuthMilstein.com
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Cheetah Looking Out in Botswana's Okavango Delta From tracking Silverback Gorillas in Uganda to sipping tea up in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, this episode of Big Blend Radio's Vaca�on Sta�on "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with IFWTWA features travel writer and photographer Jamie Edwards. Watch the podcast here in the YouTube player or download it on Acast. Jamie states, “What is it about Africa that has pulled me back so many �mes? I wish I could sum it up in a few sentences, but anyone who has been there will likely agree. Africa is indescribable. It's the sounds of the Botswana bush deep in the night—lions roaring and hippos croaking. It's the gentle silverbacks of Uganda with their telltale glimmer of metallic-colored fur and the country's famous climbing lions. But it's also the buzz and tempo of vibrant Marrakech and ge�ng lost for hours in the souks. And the 6am sigh�ng of a solo cheetah on the hunt and the waddle of penguins on Boulder Beach in South Africa. Africa is a des�na�on worthy of many trips. I've been fortunate to visit mul�ple �mes. But it's not enough. With luck, my travels will get me back there again one day.”
Check out Jamie’s stories about her Adventures in Africa: * Uganda Silverbacks * Uganda Beyond the Silverbacks * Botswana * South Africa * Morocco Atlas Mountains * Marrakech Jamie Edwards is an avid traveler, photographer, and award-winning travel writer. She launched h�ps://iamlostandfound.com/, her adventure/ luxury travel website, a�er 25 years of living and traveling around the globe. Jamie’s goal is simple, to inspire travel. Con�nued on Next Page…
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Vendors at a Souk in Marrakech
Africa Con�nued…
Souks of Marrakech
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ALFIE & ME: WHAT OWLS KNOW, WHAT HUMANS BELIEVE
This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connec�on" Show features ecologist Carl Safina, author of the new book “Alfie & Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe.” Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast. When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that, like other wild orphans they’d rescued, she’d be a temporary presence. But Alfie’s feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. As Alfie grew and gained strength, she became a part of the family, joining a menagerie of dogs and chickens and making a home for herself in the backyard. Carl and Patricia began to realize that the healing was mutual; Alfie had been braided into their world and was now pulling them into hers. “Alfie & Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe” by Carl Safina, Ph.D. is the story of the remarkable impact this li�le owl would have on their lives. The con�nuing bond of trust following her freedom—and her raising of her own wild brood—coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a year in which Carl and Patricia were forced to spend �me at home without the normal obliga�ons of work and travel.
Witnessing all the fine details of their feathered friend’s life offered Carl and Patricia a view of existence from Alfie’s perspec�ve. One can travel the world and go nowhere; one can be stuck keeping the faith at home and discover a new world. Safina’s rela�onship with an owl made him want to be�er understand how people have viewed humanity’s rela�onship with nature across cultures and throughout history. Interwoven with Safina’s keen observa�ons, insight, and reflec�ons, “Alfie & Me” is a work of profound beau�es and magical �ming harbored within one upended year. More: h�ps://www.carlsafina.org/
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The Clar Tree is believed to be one of Sonoma County’s oldest and tallest trees. Photo: Vivian Chen, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League
Coast redwoods growing from the roots of the ancient giants on the Russian River Redwoods property. Photo by Smith Robinson Mul�media, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League
Home to the Clar Tree, One of Sonoma County’s Oldest & Tallest Coast Redwoods Supporters from every U.S. state helped Save the Redwoods League acquire a 394-acre redwood forest in Sonoma County, named Russian River Redwoods, from the RMB Revocable Family Trust. Save the Redwoods League secured $6.5 million to purchase Russian River Redwoods, including a $2 million bridge loan from the David and Lucille Packard Founda�on, a $500,000 matching gi� from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and dona�ons from more than 2,000 supporters. Dona�ons will also support the nonprofit’s project costs and stewardship of the forest un�l it can be transferred to Sonoma County for long-term protec�on.
On Big Blend Radio: Jeff Stump, Senior Manager of Land Protec�on for Save the Redwoods League. Listen here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
The Clar Tree rises through the canopy on the Russian River Redwoods property. Photo by Smith Robinson Mul�media, courtesy Save the Redwoods League.
The purchase of Russian River Redwoods is the next step toward safeguarding the Clar Tree, one of the county’s oldest and tallest coast redwoods, and 1 mile of Russian River frontage near Guerneville.
“The Clar Tree is beloved in this community, and so many people have come together to help us protect
this beau�ful forest,” said Jeff Stump, senior manager of land protec�on for Save the Redwoods League. “Thanks to the generosity of more than 2,000 individuals and several significant contribu�ons, including a challenge grant from the Con�nued on Next Page…
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A 394-acre coast redwood and Douglas-fir forest along the Russian River near Guerneville, CA. Vivian Chen, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League
Save the Redwoods League staff admire the Clar Tree, the last remaining old-growth giant on the Russian River Redwoods property. Vivian Chen, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League
Redwoods Con�nued…
Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, we have purchased the Russian River Redwoods property. We are se�ng the stage for nearly 400 acres of redwood forest to heal and become old again, so future genera�ons can experience what was lost so long ago.” Nearly all the old-growth redwood trees at Russian River Redwoods were cut down more than 100 years ago—all except the Clar Tree. This ancient giant is 16 feet in diameter and stands 278 feet tall a�er the intense winter storms of 2023 sheared roughly 30 feet off the top. As part of the sale of Russian River Redwoods, the RMB Revocable Family Trust donated the Clar Tree to Save the Redwoods League. The Clar Tree is surrounded by younger redwoods that are regrowing from the roots of the ancient giants. There are dozens of mature trees throughout the property, many of them a century old. This coast redwood forest is in the tradi�onal lands of the Pomo people. The Russian River is home to steelhead trout and coho and Chinook salmon. Russian River Redwoods includes a half-mile sec�on of Mays Canyon Creek, a well-known stream for steelhead.
The site also connects a con�guous habitat corridor of more than 4,000 acres of protected lands, home to northern spo�ed owls, bobcats, gray foxes, and red tree voles. The League plans to transfer the land to Sonoma County within a year for ongoing stewardship and restora�on to improve wildfire resilience and advance the forest toward old-growth form and func�on. Sonoma County Agricultural Preserva�on and Open Space District will support and help fund the transfer, and it will receive a conserva�on easement and recrea�onal covenant over the property to ensure permanent protec�on and to create an opportunity for future access. One of the na�on’s longest-running conserva�on organiza�ons, Save the Redwoods League has been protec�ng and restoring redwood forests since 1918. The League has connected genera�ons of visitors with the beauty and serenity of the redwood forests. Our 400,000 supporters have enabled the League to protect more than 220,000 acres of irreplaceable forests in 66 state, na�onal, and local parks, and reserves.
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For informa�on, please visit h�ps://www.savetheredwoods.org/
Totem Poles PAGE 28
Alaska's Scenery is Spectacular
See the Glaciers
The Color of the Blue Ice is Incredible
It's all about planning an Alaskan Cruise in 2024 on this episode of Big Blend Radio's Vaca�on Sta�on "Hey Wanna Go" Travel Show with travel advisor Cheryl Ogle. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
Alaska has a beauty all its own. It is rugged, unspoiled. Along with visi�ng various port ci�es, some of the main highlights of an Alaskan include seeing the blue glaciers, watching wildlife, hiking around totem poles and salmon swimming upstream, watching a fun lumberjack show and so much more! It's the perfect mul�-genera�onal vaca�on. Read more about it on Cheryl's blog: h�ps://�nyurl.com/txyddp On Big Blend Radio every third Wednesday, Cheryl is a world traveler, accredited travel advisor, and owner of Hey Wanna Go that specializes in travel to Europe and the UK, as well as river and ocean cruises. More: h�ps://heywannago.com/
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Visit the “City of The Arts” In Southern California This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with IFWTWA features Paule�e Lombardi-Fries, the President of Travel Costa Mesa, who shares what to experience in the "City of The Arts" during the fall and holiday season. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
visual and performing arts scene, diverse shopping and delectable dining opportuni�es, beau�ful local parks and outdoor spaces, and nearby beaches and theme park a�rac�ons. With its esteemed selec�on of hotel proper�es, it also makes for an ideal mee�ng, conference, retreat, wedding and special events des�na�on. Plan your Costa Mesa Adventure at h�ps://www.travelcostamesa.com/ Photos courtesy of Travel Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa is centrally located in Orange County, Southern California and is known for its public, PAGE 31
La Plaza area in Palm Springs, courtesy Visit Palm Springs
The Sun Shines Brightly in this Inclusive Desert Des�na�on From the big open blue skies and desert sunshine to a suppor�ve and inclusive community, this episode of Big Blend Radio's 2nd Saturday “Palm Springs Sunshine Stays” Show features Gregory Douglass who talks about the Quality of Life that Palm Springs provides visitors and locals alike. Listen here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast. Along with being a noteworthy singer/songwriter and performer, Gregory is a writer for Bou�quely Palm Springs Newsle�er for the Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels, and co-publisher of h�ps://www.thepalmspringsguys.com. Also visit his music site: h�ps://gregorydouglass.com/
Follow this Big Blend Radio Podcast here: h�ps://�nyurl.com/38883u9e
Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels is a consor�um of independently-owned bou�que hotels in the desert resort community of Palm Springs, in Southern California. Plan your visit and sign up for the monthly Bou�quely Palm Springs newsle�er at: h�ps://www.palmspringspreferredsmallhotels com/ PAGE 32
Gila Cliff Dwelling near Silver City, New Mexico This episode of Big Blend Radio’s “New Mexico Bed & Breakfast Associa�on” Show features Becky O'Connor, co-owner of Casitas del Gila Guesthouses, which is nestled in the beau�ful high desert of Southwestern New Mexico. From hiking, bird and wildlife watching to scenic drives, fes�vals, art galleries, restaurants, and museums, hear about the fall events and ac�vi�es you can experience in southwest New Mexico. Watch here in the YouTube player or listen to the podcast on Acast.
Stay New Mexico True and Visit: h�ps://www.nmbba.org/
A Stress-Free Zone, Casitas de Gila is located on a 265-acre nature preserve overlooking the Gila Wilderness. Five sparkling guesthouses complete with kitchen and fireplace. Wildlife, dark skies, wifi, hot tub, vistas, silence await you near Silver City. More: h�ps://www.casitasdegila.com/ Photo on right: A por�on of the Day of the Dead ofrenda mural in Silver City PAGE 35
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Terryall Valley in the Fall This debut episode of Big Blend Radio's "Lost Angel Travel Adventures with Linda Ballou," shares how travel writer and author Linda Ballou set out to trace noteworthy equestrian explorer and travel writer Isabella Lucy Bird’s hoof prints through the Front Range of Colorado, where she rode 800-miles solo though this high country in the winter of 1873. The story “Faldorado in the Front Range with Isabella Bird” is featured in Linda’s travel memoir, “Lost Angel Unleashed.” Watch the podcast here in the YouTube player or download it on Acast. Linda’s historical fic�on novel, "Embrace of the Wild" shares the story of raw courage and fierce strength of this plucky English woman’s unflinching desire to be free. Some people live to travel; Isabella Lucy Bird traveled to live. “Embrace of the Wild” saddles up with this equestrian explorer on her way to becoming the best-loved travel writer of
her day all while she breaks through physical and social barriers to follow her dreams. Learn more here: h�p://www.lindaballouauthor.com/Embrace-ofthe-Wild-.html Listen to Big Blend Radio's "Lost Angel Travel Adventures" Show every 3rd Wednesday at High Noon PST, here: h�ps://shows.acast.com/linda-ballou
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St Augus�ne Church in Natchitoches
Fireworks Display
Louisiana’s Oldest City Celebrates its 97th Annual Christmas Fes�val of Lights! Experience History during the Fall and Winter Holiday Season in Natchitoches, Louisiana on this episode of Big Blend Radio's Vaca�on Sta�on "Go to Natchitoches" show! Featured guest is Arlene Gould - Execu�ve Director of the Natchitoches Conven�on & Visitors Bureau who talks about historic sites and experiences like Cane River Creole Na�onal Historical Park, Melrose Planta�on, St Augus�ne's Catholic Church, Annual Christmas Fes�val of Lights, Fort St. Jean Bap�ste, KaffieFrederick Mercan�le, and much more. Listen here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
Arlene Gould on Big Blend Radio
It all began with a star. The Christmas Fes�val tradi�on began in 1927 when employees of the City of Natchitoches’ u�lity department decided to give their customers a Christmas present. They erected an 8-foot star made of white lights and placed it downtown so everyone could see and enjoy the wonders, not only of the season, but also of electricity.
This year marks the 97th anniversary for the Christmas Fes�val, running from November 18 – January 6, 2024. Over 300,000 lights and 100 plus set pieces are on display every night at dusk, plus, every Saturday you can enjoy fes�ve live music, kids’ ac�vi�es, fireworks, and much more! You also won’t want to miss the Annual Fes�val on December 2, 2023.
Over the years, new electrical displays were added. And in 1936, local businessmen added fireworks for the community to enjoy. This was the start of something big – the beginning of one of the na�on’s oldest and most spectacular communitybased Christmas celebra�ons – the Natchitoches Christmas Fes�val.
Plan your trip today and see why the Natchitoches Christmas Fes�val of Lights is the premiere holiday light fes�val in the state. Don’t miss this celebra�on 97 years in the making! For more informa�on and complete schedule of events, please visit www.NatchitochesChristmas.com and www.Natchitoches.com.
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By Mary Farah
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Founding Footsteps Trolley Tour This episode of Big Blend Radio's Vaca�on Sta�on "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with the Interna�onal Food Wine & Travel Writers Associa�on (IFWTWA) features travel writer Mary Farah who shares her fun and fascina�ng adventures in Philadelphia. Hear all about the dining and bar scene, museums and galleries, the Founding Footsteps Trolley Tour, Magic Gardens, the Independence Park Hotel, and more. Listen here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
Travel Notes from Mary:
The foodie scene is incredible with such a vast variety of cuisine o�en within streets of each other. Philadelphia’s Chinatown is one of the oldest in the na�on along with San Francisco, Manha�an, and Boston. At EMei Restaurant, I enjoyed the most authen�c Sichuan dinner I’ve had (and all gluten-free). I wasn’t expec�ng the plethora of museums to peruse. One could easily spend a week in town merely focusing on the wide range of exhibits. I had a CityPASS and that enabled me to see up to five in town and get a great start. At the Barnes Founda�on, I was wide eyed as they have some of the largest collec�ons of Renoir, Cezanne, Ma�sse, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Modigliani.
The Olde Bar, Philadelphia Con�nued on Next Page… PAGE 41
The Magic Gardens
Philadelphia Con�nued…
On the eclec�c side, I could move into the Magic Gardens. Isaiah Zagar and his wife were the masterminds behind this extremely unique nonprofit gallery. He used handmade �les, bo�les, bicycle wheels, mirrors, and interna�onal folk art to chronicle his life and influences. The space is made up of two indoor galleries and a bi-level outdoor sculpture garden. As an avid collector of Mexican and Spanish art, you’ll see a lot throughout Park Hotel in Old Town Philly the haven he collected and even some works of I had such a cozy stay at the historic Independence Park Hotel in Old Town Picasso. Philly. Speaking of hotels, six of Philadelphia's world-class hotels have made this year's Conde Nast Traveler's Readers Choice Awards list for the MidThe Founding Footsteps Atlan�c category. Over half are in the pres�gious Ri�enhouse Square. I had trolley tour was a two-hour the pleasure to spend a morning there and can a�est it’s a beau�ful, upperlong journey led by guide, class sec�on of the city. Warren. Warren should be on Broadway for his Check out Mary's "Gluten-Free Dining Guide to Philadelphia" at unstoppable energy and h�ps://�nyurl.com/u6wv8erh and plan your visit to Philly laughs. He improvises each at h�ps://www.visitphilly.com/ tour which makes for a truly one-of-a-kind Mary is a freelance travel writer based in Los Angeles. She's wri�en on her adventure. Best part? blog, Along Comes Mary, since 2012. Her work can also be found on various Founding Footsteps invites online outlets. Mary is a proud member and former execu�ve board member you to BYOB! of IFWTWA. Visit: h�p://www.alongcomesmaryblog.com/ PAGE 42
HAUNTED LOUISIANA
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Ghostly Stories & Sites on the Historic Jefferson Highway This "Spooktacular" episode of Big Blend Radio's "Jefferson Highway" Show features wild Louisiana ghost stories and some of the state's historic haunted sites you can visit in Natch�oches, Alexandria, and New Orleans. Listen here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
Featured Guests: - ARLENE GOULD - On the Board of Directors of the Jefferson Highway Associa�on and Execu�ve Director of the Natchitoches Conven�on & Visitors Bureau. More: h�ps://natchitoches.com/ - SHAYNE CREPPEL of Northwestern State University of Louisiana shares the legend and story of campus ghost Isabella. More: h�ps://�nyurl.com/yc6hjcyh - SHIRLEY INGRAM from Alexandria / Pineville Area Conven�on & Visitors Bureau shares some fascina�ng haunted history from the region's planta�ons and historic lodgings. More: h�ps://alexandriapinevillela.com/
The Jefferson Highway Associa�on originally founded the Jefferson Highway in 1915. This interna�onal highway is also known as “The Pines to the Palms Highway,” and runs from Winnipeg, Canada to New Orleans, Louisiana (or vice versa). More: h�ps://jeffersonhighway.org/ The Big Blend Radio "Jefferson Highway" Podcast airs every 4th Thursday at 6pm CT. Follow the show here: h�ps://�nyurl.com/yc2ur6mr
- KATHLEEN WALLS is a travel writer and author who has wri�en three ghost books, one being "Hosts with Ghosts" that features some ghost stories from New Orleans. More: h�ps://www.katywalls.com/ghost_books.html Photo to right: Rapides Cemetery PAGE 45
GUY FAWKES & BONFIRE NIGHT IN ENGLAND By Glynn Burrows
Guy Fawkes by Henry Perronet Briggs Glynn Burrows on Big Blend Radio: Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Acast.
The story was just the sort that children loved, with lots of hiding in cellars along with blood and gore involved in the execu�on, ending with decapitated heads on poles! We learned very li�le about why the plot was hatched, apart from the fact that Guy Fawkes and his friends weren’t happy, but that didn’t really ma�er to us, we just enjoyed the bonfire night spectacle and fireworks. Bonfire night usually included us making an effigy of Guy himself, to put on the fire and lots of fireworks. We also usually had hot soup and hot dogs. Today, there are fewer family bonfire par�es and more organised fireworks displays. These shows are well a�ended and are o�en put together by bodies such as Scouts, Chari�es, and even the Fire Brigade! There are now stalls where you can buy burgers, jacket potatoes, sparklers, hot dogs, and those plas�c light-up tubes!
On, or about, the 5th of November every year, we celebrate the foiling of a plot, in 1605, to kill the King and Members of Parliament, which very nearly succeeded. When I was a child, I remember that we all learned the story of Guy Fawkes, a man who, together with a few others, filled a cellar under the houses of parliament, with gunpowder and was about to light the fuses when he was discovered. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered and his head was displayed on a pole to warn others.
So, what is the real story behind this strange event in England, where we revert to burning an effigy of a man on a massive fire, while we enjoy a mug of hot soup and why do we have fireworks? The events of November 1605 were rooted in the previous hundred years when there had been much unrest in the various fac�ons of The Church.
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Guy Fawkes Conspirators As England was removed from the Catholic Church by Henry VIII because the Pope wouldn’t allow him to divorce Catherine of Aragon, there were many dissa�sfied Catholics in the country. Queen Elizabeth I persecuted Catholics, was considered by many, as a bastard and not righ�ully Queen at all and, when James VI became King in 1603 many were hoping that his cousin Arabella Stuart would replace him and bring the Catholic Church to again become the accepted Church in England. This was all not to be and we find a group, led by Robert Catesby, plo�ng to blow up the Houses of Parliament, along with everyone in them, on 5th November 1605, to rid England of not only the King but parliament too. As well as Guy Fawkes and Robert Catesby, eleven other men eventually joined the conspiracy: Thomas Wintour, Jack Wright, Thomas Percy, Robert Keyes, Robert Wintour, John Grant, Kit Wright, Thomas Bates, Ambrose Rookwood, Francis Tresham, and Sir Everard Digby. (If you have any of these names in your own family history, it would be interes�ng to see if you can find a connec�on.) On 26th October 1605, a le�er was delivered to Lord Monteagle, telling him to go to his country estate and not a�end the opening of Parliament because if he did he would be killed. Lord Monteagle showed the le�er to the Privy Council and the King and a search of the cellars resulted in the discovery of the plo�ers. Interes�ngly enough, the cellars of The Palace of Westminster are s�ll searched by the Yeomen of The Guard before the Opening of Parliament. Guy Fawkes was arrested and thrown into prison, where he was tortured. The planned Catholic uprising came to nothing, and the other conspirators a�empted to flee. Catesby, Percy, Jack, and Kit Wright were killed while a�emp�ng to escape the authori�es, but the surviving eight plo�ers were captured and
eventually found guilty of treason on Monday 27 January 1606. Sir Everard Digby, Robert Wintour, John Grant, and Thomas Bates were hanged, drawn, and quartered on 30 January in St Paul’s Churchyard. Fawkes, along with Thomas Wintour, Ambrose Rookwood, and Robert Keyes, suffered the same fate a day later at the Old Palace Yard at Westminster. An Act of Parliament passed in the months following the plot ensured that the failure of the Gunpowder Plot would be marked every year. Church a�endance on 5 November was made compulsory under the terms of the act, and congrega�ons had to give thanks for the failure of the conspirators. These services of thanksgiving developed into a less formal event, with an emphasis on fun and spectacle, so, as the idea was to blow up the Houses of Parliament, what could be be�er than a large fire with lots of explosions? While we have the fire, we may as well burn the perpetrator too, so an effigy of Guy Fawkes o�en takes pride of place on top of the pyre. The actual descrip�on of hanging, drawing, and quartering is too awful to include here, but if you are sufficiently interested in it, a quick search on the internet it will fill you in with detailed descrip�ons. I do say here that it isn’t a pleasant read, so do not look it up if you will be upset or offended by it. Glynn provides customized, private tours and also helps his clients trace their English family history. Past guests have visited and experienced stately houses and gardens, castles and churches, ruins and villages, birding and wildlife, World War II airfields, and general area taster tours too. Accommoda�ons can be in all types of establishment, from character buildings such as windmills, thatched co�ages and castles, selfcatering or five star luxury – just say what you want and it can be arranged. Nothing is too much trouble for Glynn! Visit www.Norfolk-Tours.co.uk
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