Travel Writer & Storyteller Elaine Masters: Following Wonder Through Travel, Nature & Life

Wild, Wonderful Alaska: A Windstar Cruise Through The Last Frontier

Celebrate Great Outdoors Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio's Quiltripping Travel" Podcast. Travel expert, photographer and host Rose Palmer joins producer Lisa D. Smith from France — where she's in between trips — to share her unforgettable experience aboard Windstar's brand-new Star Seeker on its inaugural Alaska cruise.  Unlike the big-ship experience, the Star Seeker's small size unlocked a side of Southeast Alaska most travelers never see. Rose takes us deep into Misty Fjords National Monument by zodiac, up close to the Dawes Glacier in Endicott Arm, and through the authentic streets of Wrangell — one of Alaska's last truly uncrowded towns. She shares wildlife encounters including humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, bald eagles, and even a mother black bear and her cubs in Ketchikan. Along the way, Rose explores the Tongass National Forest — one of Earth's last great coastal temperate rainforests — and reflects on why slow travel is the only way to truly experience Alaska's wild, pristine beauty. 📰 READ ROSE'S ARTCILES: 🔗 Sailing Off the Beaten Path on a Windstar Cruise to Alaska: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/windstar-cruise-to-alaska [https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/windstar-cruise-to-alaska]  🔗 Windstar Star Seeker Review: https://quiltripping.com/windstar-star-seeker-review/ [https://quiltripping.com/windstar-star-seeker-review/]  🔗 Rose's Full Alaska Cruise Article: https://quiltripping.com/windstar-cruise-to-alaska/ [https://quiltripping.com/windstar-cruise-to-alaska/]  🎙️ Rose Palmer shares her travel adventures every second Thursday on Big Blend Radio. Find her at: https://quiltripping.com [https://quiltripping.com]  https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/rose-palmer-travel-writer-photographer [https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/rose-palmer-travel-writer-photographer]

Cooking Louisiana: Cajun Culture, Gumbo Secrets & the Spuddy Experience

Get ready for National Herbs & Spices Day (June 10) with this flavorful episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" show with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), featuring Spuddy Faucheux — Cajun cook, instructor, entrepreneur, and owner of the Cajun Cooking Experience in Vacherie, Louisiana.  Located right along the historic Jefferson Highway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Spuddy's place is one of those rare finds that turns a road trip into a memory. Spuddy breaks down Louisiana's renowned cuisine — why gumbo is the ultimate multicultural dish (African okra, French roux, German sausage, Spanish seasoning, and indigenous filé all in one pot), the real difference between gumbo and jambalaya, and why the best seasoning always starts with salt and pepper. Along the way, he shares the story behind his legendary nickname (hint: it involves Sputnik), why he traded 27 years in the restaurant business for cooking classes, and what happens when a UK couple, a pep rally of sixth graders, or an 8-year-old girl walks into his kitchen and takes over. This is Louisiana food culture at its warmest — history, community, storytelling, and a whole lot of flavor!  LINKS & RESOURCES - Visit Spuddy: https://www.cajuncookingexperience.com/ [https://www.cajuncookingexperience.com/]  - Learn more about IFWTWA: https://www.ifwtwa.org/ [https://www.ifwtwa.org/]  - Follow this podcast: https://food-wine-travel.podbean.com/ [https://food-wine-travel.podbean.com/]  - Big Blend Radio "Food, Wine & Travel" Digital Podcast Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/ekxy/#p=1 [https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/ekxy/#p=1]  - Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com [https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com]

Beyond the Postcard of the Caribbean: Voices of Sint Maarten & Beyond

Some islands invite you to relax. This one invites you to discover. Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month with Part Two of this shared Caribbean series where Big Blend Radio's "Wanderers Compass" hosts Joelle Machia and Ryan Slough sit down with three extraordinary voices who have made Sint Maarten their home — each one a living thread in the cultural fabric of the Friendly Island. Former and first Prime Minister and current President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams shares her lifelong journey of public service and her deep passion for the island she has helped shape since its first days as a constituent country within the Dutch Kingdom. May-Ling Chun, Director of Tourism, pulls back the curtain on Sint Maarten's bold new direction — from Carnival preservation and the St. Martin Flavors culinary platform to sustainable tourism and quality over quantity. And in an unplanned but unforgettable conversation, five-decade resident, musician, composer, and entrepreneur Clarence Derby takes us inside the story of Arrow's global hit "Hot Hot Hot" — and shares why giving back will always matter more than the money. Stay tuned to the end for a special music clip from Clarence himself. LINKS & RESOURCES - Full article that includes Part One of the Podcast Special: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/beyond-the-postcard-of-the-caribbean [https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/beyond-the-postcard-of-the-caribbean]  - Follow Wanderers Compass: https://www.wandererscompass.com/ [https://www.wandererscompass.com/]  - Listen to More Wanderers Compass Podcast Episodes: https://wandererscompass.podbean.com/ [https://wandererscompass.podbean.com/]  - Check out the Wanderers Compass Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/WANDERERS-COMPASS-MAG-2026/ [https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/WANDERERS-COMPASS-MAG-2026/]

International Food Wine & Travel Writers Conference 2026 in Milwaukee

Milwaukee is having a moment — and the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) is heading there for their 2026 Professional Development Conference, October 18–21! Big Blend Radio host Lisa D. Smith sits down with three IFWTWA board members to give you the inside scoop on everything that awaits at this year's conference. GUESTS: - Cori Solomon — IFWTWA President & Conference Co-Chair: https://www.writtenpalette.com [https://www.writtenpalette.com]  - Susan Lanier-Graham — Press Trips Committee Chair & Conference Co-Chair: https://www.wanderwithwonder.com [https://www.wanderwithwonder.com]  - Andrew Harris — Culinary Advisor & Conference Co-Chair: https://socalrestaurantshow.com [https://socalrestaurantshow.com]  CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS: - Exclusive private dinner at High Stakes — Chef Paul Bartolotta's brand-new restaurant, opened just for conference attendees - Cheese workshops, Bloody Mary demos & opening reception at Milwaukee Public Market -  Professional development panels — Inside the Industry, Media Kits That Work, No Stupid Questions & more - Milwaukee Day — art museum, Harley-Davidson Museum, brewing history, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, African American history tour, spy bar lunch & more - Closing reception at the historic Women's Club of Wisconsin - Pre & post trips: Shipshewana, Indiana & New Glarus, Wisconsin and more. Open to all IFWTWA members and non-members, the Conference will be hosted at the non-smoking Pottawatomi Hotel & Casino. Day passes available for local Milwaukee writers! LEARN MORE & REGISTER: https://www.ifwtwa.org/2026-ifwtwa-conference/ [https://www.ifwtwa.org/2026-ifwtwa-conference/]

Love Is Strength: Pride Month and World Caring Day Special

What does it mean to truly care — for yourself, your community, and the world? On this special World Caring Day and Pride Month edition of Big Blend Radio, host Lisa Smith and award-winning singer-songwriter and co-host Johnny Schaefer welcome two extraordinary guests for a conversation about love, empathy, music, and the courage to be human. 🎬 Geoffrey Levin — founder of the rock band PEOPLE! and director of the new documentary Brothers Broken — shares his journey from the San Francisco folk scene (alongside Jerry Garcia, Jefferson Airplane & Janis Joplin) to 46 years in Scientology, and his long road back to love and family. 🎵 Grammy Award-winning Melissa Manchester reflects on her anthem "A Better Rainbow" — written the morning of President Obama's second inauguration — and what it means to write a song as a prayer. She also shares news about her upcoming role in the musical Cagney and her new album Audacity with Ann Hampton Callaway. The conversation moves through chosen family, the demonization of empathy, the science of gratitude, and why love is not a weakness — it's a muscle. 🎵 Music to Celebrate Pride Month & World Caring Day Playlist: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Lat96RCZV7cc6KKXjKq4n?si=n5ceqYt6R5ey_7M9d78nWA [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Lat96RCZV7cc6KKXjKq4n?si=n5ceqYt6R5ey_7M9d78nWA]  - YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGHUZITwHVJI4crWLzr9x6gx8Mu6XWWvJ&si=a4dzNyU8vSWeUKEO [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGHUZITwHVJI4crWLzr9x6gx8Mu6XWWvJ&si=a4dzNyU8vSWeUKEO]  📌 LINKS: 🎬 Brothers Broken Documentary: https://www.brothersbroken.com [https://www.brothersbroken.com]  🎬 Watch/Stream Brothers Broken: https://geni.us/brothersbroken [https://geni.us/brothersbroken]  🎵 Johnny Schaefer: https://hearjohnny.com [https://hearjohnny.com]  🎵 Melissa Manchester: https://melissamanchester.com [https://melissamanchester.com]  🌐 Big Blend Media House: https://bigblendmediahouse.com [https://bigblendmediahouse.com]