Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA

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Episode 11

In this episode, I speak with Aaron Joseph to learn about Bourbon. If you are under 21, go ahead and skip this episode. With my daughter being in a school near Kentucky, John and I have discussed checking some bourbon trails, but I know nothing about the beverage, so I invited Aaron to get me up to speed on what I should know.

Aaron Joseph is a beverage consultant who has participated actively in the hospitality industry for over 19 years. He has spent time behind the bar in various roles from 2001 to the present. Starting at the esteemed Inn at Perry Cabin located in St. Micheals, Maryland, Aaron has visited and worked at a number of the establishment, including La Samana( ST.Maarten), Bourbon Steak located in the Four Seasons Washington D.C., Wit and Wisdom located in the Four Seasons Baltimore, and R.bar located in R.house ( Baltimore). Through these experiences, Aaron has found his passion for the creation of award-winning cocktails as well as a genuine love for taking care of the guest. 

Aaron is using his many talents to serve as a beverage consultant in the Baltimore area, where he has designed bar build-outs, created beverage menus and advised on numerous bar programs throughout the D.M.V.(D.C. Maryland, Virginia area). Aaron has also created cocktails for Major Brands on National Levels and small brands local to his Market. Through his hard work and crafty cocktail creation, Aaron has had cocktails published in national magazines, Chilled, Food and Wine Magazine, Tasting Panel, Imbibe, as well as hospitality-driven websites, Liquor.com, Chilled.com

Are you ready? Let’s Roam!

Please check out Aaron’s business CAnE Collective for amazing mixers for cocktails and mocktails.

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Episode 10

In this episode, I speak with Shawn Tylka about Atlanta to get an insider view of the city. Shawn has lived in Atlanta since 1994 making her practically a native by Atlanta standards.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her rescued Alaskan Malamutes, Hercules and Beethoven, and is the proud mother of a grown daughter, Mackenzie.  

Shawn Tylka serves on the Americas Field Marketing Team for Ciena focusing on the MSO Practice and the Lumen team.  With more than 25 years in telecommunications, she has been honored as a Cable Pioneer by The Cable Center for her 20+ years of work with the cable industry.

An avid volunteer, Shawn is the logistics leader for Women Orthopaedist Global Organization, WOGO, an Operation Walk team which serves under-served communities around the world. WOGO undertakes yearly trips to developing countries where orthopedic reconstructive procedures are not readily available. Shawn manages all of the non-medical logistics for the team, moving 65 people around different developing nations.  She also spends time volunteering for Atlanta-based charities.

Shawn has a Bachelor of Science from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her rescued Alaskan Malamutes, Hercules and Beethoven and is the proud mother of a grown daughter, Mackenzie.  

Links for Experiences:

Atlanta City Pass - https://www.citypass.com/atlanta
Center for Puppetry Arts - https://puppet.org
College Football Hall of Fame - https://www.cfbhall.com
World of Coca-Cola - https://www.worldofcoca-cola.com
Georgia Aquarium – www.georgiaaquarium.org
Atlanta Botanical Gardens - https://atlantabg.org
Atlanta History Center - https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com
The Margaret Mitchell House - http://museu.ms/museum/details/501/margaret-mitchell-house
Fernbank Museum - https://www.fernbankmuseum.org
Martin Luther King Historical Site - https://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm
The Fabulous Fox Theater - https://www.foxtheatre.org
Zoo Atlanta – www.zooatlanta.org
High Museum of Art – www.high.org
Various Movie Tours (MCU, Walking Dead, Stranger Things and more) https://www.viator.com/Atlanta-tourism/d784-r26993027291-s384239531

Links for Dining:
Le Bilbouqet Buckhead - https://www.lebilboquetatlanta.com/
Atlas - https://atlasrestaurant.com
Gunshow - https://gunshowatl.com

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Episode 9

I speak with Leroy Kelly about roller coasters and theme parks in this episode. Leroy has visited over 44 theme parks and is what I would call a roller coaster aficionado. He even gives me tips on where to sit to help my motion sickness.

Are you ready? Let’s Roam!

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Episode 8

In this episode, I speak with Julie Cohn about when and how to work with a Travel Advisor. Julie Cohn, the owner of Wander & Bloom Travel, has been a travel advisor and travel concierge for over 35 years in both the corporate and leisure travel world. In addition to being a travel advisor extraordinaire, Julie is a travel writer and social media marketing expert. She likes to cook, play board games, and stalk wiener dogs in her spare time. 

Are you ready? Let’s Roam!

You can find her at:

Wander & Bloom Travel - https://wanderbloomtvl.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wanderbloomtravel/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WanderBloomTravel

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Episode 7

In this episode, I speak with Lisa Dean about London to get an insider view of the city. Lisa has lived in London for 25+ years. She works in commercial real estate as a market analyst. She says at this point, she feels more British than American as she has lived more than half her life in London.

Are you ready? Let’s Roam!

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Episode 6

The podcast is back! Today I am giving you a quick update on what is happening at The Roaming Yeti and give you a preview of upcoming episodes. I have some great guests and some fun future plans, so make sure you are subscribed, so you don't miss an episode. If you haven't signed up for The Roaming Yeti BinGO, head over to learn more and sign up. 

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Episode 5

In this episode, I speak with Michelle Kershner about traveling in a trailer. Michelle lives in Frederick, Maryland, and loves to explore the area and travel with her husband, Zack, and two sons. They purchased their used 17’ Palomino Stampede hybrid camper during COVID and have traveled to Assateague State Park, Delaware Seashore State Park, Watkins Glen State Park, and even wineries and breweries.

You ready? Let’s Roam!

Harvest Hosts - https://harvesthosts.com/

You can find her at:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mahker

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Episode 4

In this episode, I talk with Laurie Luck about her and her husband’s trips to the CM Ranch in Wyoming. The ranch includes lots of horses, beautiful scenery and of course some dogs.

Laurie loves running, dogs, and microbrews — but not necessarily in that order. She owns Smart Dog University where she offers board and training services for puppies 10 weeks to 5 1/2 months. In addition, she has raised over 20 puppies for service dog work. She and her husband love to travel and drink local beer wherever they go. Because of this fondness for local beer, they also run a lot. They have found that running when they travel allows them to see places they may not have otherwise seen.

Ranch Website: https://cmranch.com/

You can find her at:

Website: https://www.smartdoguniversity.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartdogu/ or https://www.instagram.com/danesandlabs

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Episode 3

In this episode, I talk with Joanne McCoy about her walk along the Camino de Santiago. I was unfamiliar with this pilgrimage until Joanne told me about her trip 5 years ago, and I am so glad she joined me on this episode to share this amazing adventure. The Camino de Santiago’s ancient paths begin in various locations throughout Europe. Still, they all end in the city of Santiago in Spain. People have been walking to Santiago from the 10th century onwards as a way to earn grace and forgiveness for their sins. The number of pilgrims increased dramatically In 1492 when Pope Alexander the 6th declared the Camino de Santiago one of the three great pilgrimages of Europe-- along with Jerusalem and Rome. While the origins of the Camino were religious in nature, over the centuries, people’s reasons for walking its various paths have changed a lot.

When Joanne is not visiting America’s National Parks, riding Amtrak’s historic train routes, visiting MLB stadiums across the country, fulfilling her quest to step foot on all seven continents, and exploring the beaches of the world, you will find Joanne McCoy and her husband Jim in the company of their extended family (including 10 grand kids between the ages of 2 and 16) and many interesting friends. In addition to traveling, she loves to read, play word games, watch baseball, study Irish history, listen to live music and watch independent films.

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Episode 2

In this episode, I talk with Amy Benton about Paris and how the city of lights has something to offer for every interest. You can truly choose your own adventure when in Paris.

Amy loves to travel and hates to fly. She's often planning her next adventure alongside her husband, Tom. If she's not traveling or planning a trip, she can often be found in her backyard entertaining friends, watching a movie, or obsessing over her garden. She's an active member of her community and is most proud of being a mother to her children, Hana, Skyler, and Chloe. Her latest love, her Granddaughter, Maya, is the cherry on top. 

Last year she launched Paris Is Calling, a personal blog site to channel her writing energy. She's taken a slight pause on that endeavor to start a new career with Goodwill Industries. She hopes to be writing again soon, as her upcoming trip to Paris is providing inspiration. 

You can find her at:

Website: https://www.parisiscalling.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paris_iscalling/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pariscalls

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Like this episode? Share it in your stories and tag me @the_roaming_yeti

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Ready for more from The Roaming Yeti now? Visit our website.