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Finding New Passion In Music With Ray Harkins
Visiting Indiana County, PA
There’s a phrase that I’ve used during my previous interviews that sometimes sets my guests off. I guess I can understand. It could come across as being insulting, but I never mean it that way. That phrase is ‘Middle of Nowhere.’ Or sometimes I’ll say ‘Off The Beaten Path.’ Some guests take that as my way of saying it’s boring or slow.
But today’s guest gets it and they even pride themselves on that label. We’re heading out to Western Pennsylvania to visit Indiana County. They hang their hat on being in the middle of nowhere. In fact, they say that’s a big reason why people come to visit them. People want to disconnect, unplug and touch grass.
But don’t start thinking that there isn’t anything to do in Indiana County. It’s quite the opposite. There’s a lot happening there from music festivals, performance art and plenty of Christmas celebrations.
Joining me today is Laura Herrington. She’s the Executive Director of the Indiana County tourist bureau. We had a great conversation about all the things someone can do while visiting the Christmas Tree capital of the world.
But today’s guest gets it and they even pride themselves on that label. We’re heading out to Western Pennsylvania to visit Indiana County. They hang their hat on being in the middle of nowhere. In fact, they say that’s a big reason why people come to visit them. People want to disconnect, unplug and touch grass.
But don’t start thinking that there isn’t anything to do in Indiana County. It’s quite the opposite. There’s a lot happening there from music festivals, performance art and plenty of Christmas celebrations.
Joining me today is Laura Herrington. She’s the Executive Director of the Indiana County tourist bureau. We had a great conversation about all the things someone can do while visiting the Christmas Tree capital of the world.
Visiting Perryville, MD
Most of the conversations I’ve had for this podcast have been with representatives from counties, states or major cities. But I think it’s time we swing through a small town near my home. I live in Baltimore Maryland. I always say Baltimore is a major city but it kind of feels like a small town since it’s sandwiched between Philadelphia and Washington DC. We are part of an area called the 95 Corridor since the highway Interstate 95 runs right through the center of the major cities on the east coast.
There are a lot of great small towns scattered along that route in between the major cities. If you’re driving from Baltimore north to Philly, you could easily stop off in Perryville, MD. Perryville is a town just south of Delaware. It has a couple of big destinations: The Hollywood Casino and Great Wolf Lodge. I think most people know Perryville because of those spots. But Perryville has a lot to offer besides that. There’s lots of nature, some great food and a lot of Maryland history to check out.
Joining me for this week’s episode of Delightful Destinations is Ashley Hennessy. She’s the community development coordinator for the town of Perryville. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
There are a lot of great small towns scattered along that route in between the major cities. If you’re driving from Baltimore north to Philly, you could easily stop off in Perryville, MD. Perryville is a town just south of Delaware. It has a couple of big destinations: The Hollywood Casino and Great Wolf Lodge. I think most people know Perryville because of those spots. But Perryville has a lot to offer besides that. There’s lots of nature, some great food and a lot of Maryland history to check out.
Joining me for this week’s episode of Delightful Destinations is Ashley Hennessy. She’s the community development coordinator for the town of Perryville. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Luke Smith On Formula One with 'On The Grid'
Like millions of other people during the pandemic, I discovered the Netflix series 'Drive To Survive' and became obsessed. I knew almost nothing about Formula One besides the content that I'd occasionally see covered on Sports Center back in the day. But DTS brought me back in. It's not even the racing that really revs my engine. I'm more interested in the behind the scenes drama. Who is going to drive with who, and which teams are in trouble. All of that is covered in DTS and immediately made me a Formula One fan.
This week's conversation is with Luke Smith, the senior Formula One correspondent for Formula One. He just published a book filled with his own personal stories called 'On The Grid: Live Behind The Scenes Of Formula One.' We had a great chat about the sport, it's growing popularity, Smith's own driving record and why he thinks DTS is responsible for him still having a job.
To find more from Luke, you can check out his posts HERE
Visiting The Greenbrier
Something I’ve loved about doing this podcast is having the ability to learn more about places that I’ve heard a lot about but have never visited. Places like South County in Rhode Island, South Carolina, Dutchess County New York to name a few. But sometimes I get to speak with someone from a place I’ve literally never heard of.
Today’s conversation takes us on a trip to the mountains of south eastern West Virginia. We’re going to The Greenbrier. AFter doing some research, and having this chat, I find it so hard to believe that I’ve never heard of the Greenbrier before. This five star hotel has hosted major sporting events, hosted pre-season practices for NFL teams and has hosted families for centuries.
This episode was also a demonstration of how my phone is listening to me because right after I recorded this interview I started getting all kinds of ads for The Greenbrier in my social media. I’m not mad about it though. I think my family needs to make a trip west to check it out. It’s only about a 5 hour drive from my house.
With me today is Cam Huffman. He’s the director of public relations at The Greenbrier. Cam grew up around the Greenbrier so he holds a special sense of pride for this American treasure. Hearing him describe the beauty and history of the hotel really stuck with me. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Today’s conversation takes us on a trip to the mountains of south eastern West Virginia. We’re going to The Greenbrier. AFter doing some research, and having this chat, I find it so hard to believe that I’ve never heard of the Greenbrier before. This five star hotel has hosted major sporting events, hosted pre-season practices for NFL teams and has hosted families for centuries.
This episode was also a demonstration of how my phone is listening to me because right after I recorded this interview I started getting all kinds of ads for The Greenbrier in my social media. I’m not mad about it though. I think my family needs to make a trip west to check it out. It’s only about a 5 hour drive from my house.
With me today is Cam Huffman. He’s the director of public relations at The Greenbrier. Cam grew up around the Greenbrier so he holds a special sense of pride for this American treasure. Hearing him describe the beauty and history of the hotel really stuck with me. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Visiting Portland Maine
One of my favorite memories of my life happened in Portland Maine. I won’t go into too many details because it’s not relevant, but it involved a concert at the historic State Theater in Portland. I have always had a fondness for Portland. It goes all the way back to my younger years going camping with my Grandfather. We’d swing through Portland from time to time.
It’s such a cool city that probably doesn’t get enough love because, well, it’s in Maine. People think Maine is so far north it’s practically in the North Pole. But actually it’s very accessible. It’s only about 90 minutes north of Boston. That’s really not bad.
Portland has some amazing coastline, incredible artwork and an arts scene, and some wonderful seafood as well as some of the best restaurants in all of New England. Ever since I was a kid I remember Portland being big in the food and arts scenes. And don’t let me forget sports. There’s a lot of minor league sports in Portland that bring in fans from all over to check it out.
I had a chance to talk all about Portland Maine with the president and CEO of Visit Portland, Lynn Tillotson. I even got a little history lesson in the process. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
It’s such a cool city that probably doesn’t get enough love because, well, it’s in Maine. People think Maine is so far north it’s practically in the North Pole. But actually it’s very accessible. It’s only about 90 minutes north of Boston. That’s really not bad.
Portland has some amazing coastline, incredible artwork and an arts scene, and some wonderful seafood as well as some of the best restaurants in all of New England. Ever since I was a kid I remember Portland being big in the food and arts scenes. And don’t let me forget sports. There’s a lot of minor league sports in Portland that bring in fans from all over to check it out.
I had a chance to talk all about Portland Maine with the president and CEO of Visit Portland, Lynn Tillotson. I even got a little history lesson in the process. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Visiting South County Rhode Island
It’s been a few episodes since we’ve made our way into New England on this show, so let’s go back. I spent the first 18 years of my life living in New Hampshire, and I go back up there fairly often to visit my family. But do you want to hear a secret? This is kind of a source of shame for me. I’ve never been to Rhode Island. True story. I’ve been all around New England but have never made it down to Rhode Island. So, let’s head to the smallest state in the country.
I like to say that even though Rhode Island is small, it packs a punch. There’s a lot of beauty in Rhode Island. It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, there’s so much outdoor space to explore, and there’s a lot of art. Especially in South County which is where we are heading in this episode.
South County Rhode Island isn’t technically the name of the county. It’s really called Washington County. But it’s the southern most county of the state. Hence the nickname. South County sounds wonderful. I had a great conversation with Louise Bishop. She’s the president of the South County Tourism Council. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
I like to say that even though Rhode Island is small, it packs a punch. There’s a lot of beauty in Rhode Island. It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, there’s so much outdoor space to explore, and there’s a lot of art. Especially in South County which is where we are heading in this episode.
South County Rhode Island isn’t technically the name of the county. It’s really called Washington County. But it’s the southern most county of the state. Hence the nickname. South County sounds wonderful. I had a great conversation with Louise Bishop. She’s the president of the South County Tourism Council. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
The Business of Taylor Swift with Kevin Evers
If I had to give you a few topics that I'm always down to discuss, Taylor Swift would come in near the top of the list. There are so many aspects to her unbelievable career that we could dive into.
Today we're stepping into the business of Taylor Swift. Kevin Evers, editor at the Harvard Business Review, has put together a fascinating book about the behind the scenes of Taylor's career. It's called 'There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius Of Taylor Swift.'
If you're a Taylor fan, or you know one, this book will be a glimpse into some of the themes from her career that you probably didn't know about.
Visiting South Carolina
One of my bosses loves Charleston South Carolina. No joke, the other day she came into my studio and said, “I haven’t been to Charleston in two weeks and I think I’m starting to get hives.” She loves it. And I hear that from a lot of people. In fact, another coworker is going down to Charleston soon to take part in a 10K. South Carolina seems to be one of those places that, at least in my area, people love to visit. But the state is bigger than just Charleston.
South Carolina has so much to offer. It has a little bit of everything. Beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes and so much more. I would say it’s part of a handful of states that truly offer a little slice of everything that makes this country what it is. You know what I mean? Every state has something special to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a piece of every state.
So let’s take a dive into all that South Carolina has to offer. I’m catching up with Devyn Whitmire. She’s the Digital Engagement Manager for Discover South Carolina. This was a great chat. I think South Carolina is on my family’s radar for a little trip this summer.
South Carolina has so much to offer. It has a little bit of everything. Beaches, history, golf, mountains, rural escapes and so much more. I would say it’s part of a handful of states that truly offer a little slice of everything that makes this country what it is. You know what I mean? Every state has something special to offer, but a place like South Carolina takes a piece of every state.
So let’s take a dive into all that South Carolina has to offer. I’m catching up with Devyn Whitmire. She’s the Digital Engagement Manager for Discover South Carolina. This was a great chat. I think South Carolina is on my family’s radar for a little trip this summer.
Lollapalooza with Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour
I can't tell you how many days and hours I spent in dusty, or paved, parking lots in various cities watching the Warped Tour. It was a part of my summer every year for about a decade. I wouldn't miss it. As much joy as I found at the Warped Tour, it never would've happened without Lollapalooza.
First launched in 1991 as a farewell tour for Janes Addiction, Lollapalooza ended up launching a series of touring festivals, and even helped to shape the festival scene that we have now.
Authors Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour have put together what I think is a remarkable oral history of Lollapalooza. They spoke with everyone to create this book called 'Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story Of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival.'