Sue was on Channel 2 today as their "Travel Expert" and discussed a great deal before the kids go back to school.
|
Monday, July 19, 2010
CHANNEL 2 ST LOUIS
Friday, July 9, 2010
MARTINIQUE PHOTOS
Hotel Bakoua Trois-Ilets Sue loves the flowers Empress Josephine's bed Doodles family with mangoes |
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Martinique Photos
Chef Johnny and Chef Guy Ferdinand aka "Chef Hot Pants" Petibonum Beach Restaurant Black Sand Beach |
TRAVEL PLANNERS RADIO SHOW 5/22/2010
The radio interviews are broadcast over the web and 15 radio stations throughout the U.S. www.globalamericanbroadcasting.com GAB1 Listen Live every Saturday, 8 - 10am central. More interviews from Martinique and photos. The annual top travel association show in U.S. held in Orlando. Our regulars Tom Parsons with Deals & Steals and our regular travelwriter, Patrice, with a report from the Isle of Guernsey. HOUR 1 Gilles Duplan, owner of Trois-Ilets, Martinique overlooking the bay, hotel of charm and suites and villas. We talk about our visit to the birthplace of Josephine, Empress and wife of Napolean Bonaparte. La Pagerie Museum in Trois-Ilets, Martinique 2010 U.S. Travel Association's PowWow with over 5,000 in attendence for convention where billions in travel and tourism sales are made. We also discussed Kevin's visit to Kennedy Space Ctr, where he is the "voice" of the I-Pad for the Ctr. Sue had an adventure day (more to come on that) starting off with an airboat ride, a bi-plane ride and then "I CAN FLY" indoor skydiving at 145mph. Weekly Kevin has the travel news and Sue has the travel tips. Tom Parsons, www.bestfares.com Deals & Steals for our listeners. Regular contributor, Patrice Raplee, travelwriter Editor Travel Excursion & Seattle Spotlight, columnist for Patrice visited the Isle of Guernsey, who knew it is closer to France than to England??? She also talked about being caught up in the delays from the volcano ash from Iceland. All radio interviews are archived 24/7 on |
TRAVEL PLANNERS RADIO SHOW FOR 5/25/2010
We had a wonderful trip to Martinique and interviewed chefs, chocolatiers, hoteliers and talked about museums. Hour 1 Crystal Coita, representative for Martinique with www.franceguide.com talked about life in Martinique and their history, food and culture. An interview with Chef Guy Ferdinand aka "Chef Hot Pants" and Chef Johnny at the Petibonum Beach Restaurant. The black sand beach in Martinique was very hot and the gourmet meals prepared for us were outstanding. Another interview in Lamentin, Martinique was with Chocolatier Thierry Lauzea, Freres Lauzea. We toured and sampled his fine chocolates. HOUR 2 Our regular, Tom Parsons, www.bestfares.com told us about the weeks Deals & Steals. Next interview was with Chef Raphael Fletcher, Fleur de Sel, La Troise Islet, Martinique. French food...can't get any better than that. We spent our last night in Martinique at the Relais & Chateaux, Cap Est and talked with Veronique Tauquin Next week there will be more interviews from the wonderful tropical island of Martinique. |
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Fox News Channel 2
Wednesday, June 16 Sue is the "Travel Expert" for Fox News Channel 2 in St. Louis and was interviewed by anchor John Brown on the Drug Crisis in Kingston, Jamaica and Mexico and the Gulf Coast Oil Crisis. Jamaica http://www.travel.state.gov/ Dept. of State warns against traveling to capital city of Kingston, Jamaica. The Government of Jamaica has imposed a State of Emergency. Prime Minister Bruce Manning agreed with U.S. to extradite one of the world's most dangerous narcotics kingpins, Christoper "Dudus" Coke. His supporters have been stockpiling arms and having clashes with police. Some airlines have cancelled flights into the capital city and access to the Norman Manley International Airport has at times been blocked by the clashes with the police and the criminal elements. The drug lord has been compared to Robin Hood by the locals since he gives to the poor. TIPS Avoid public gatherings and use a high degree of caution when traveling in the Kingston area. Gulf Coast Oil Crisis Edith Parten, Communication Director for the Alabama Gulf Coast Region said, "We have had hundreds of calls and requests from across the state and U.S. asking what they can do to help with the Gulf Coast oil spill crisis. We are asking potential tourists and visitors to keep their vacation plans on the Gulf Coast. That is the best way they can help." "There are so many things to see and do on our Gulf Coast other than getting in the ocean. Swimming pools, shopping, great restaurants and attractions like Bellingrath Gardens and the Exploreum in Mobile, and the Zoo and Fort Morgan in Gulf Shores." "Keep your plans, the beaches are still beautiful in many areas and crews are working hard to clean up what has come ashore." Baldwin County, Alabama has 40,000 travel-related jobs that will be affected and visitor spending is $2.3 billion. Florida Governor Charlie Christ has made preparation and response to the oil crisis his top priority. For primary updates and info on response actions and impacts to the state of Florida Some hotels and resorts are experiencing some cancellations. The residents say they are used to hurricanes and tropical storms, but not this kind of threat with uncertainty. For maps and tracking on the oil spill go to The surface point of the spill is now 160 miles. Destin, FL has piled up 244 loads of sand berms to protect the 15 rare coastal freshwater dune lakes. Santa Rosa Beach, FL has concrete barriers and mesh netting ready if needed to protect their beaches. Rescued birds from the Gulf of Mexico have been moved to the Atlantic Ocean side at Wabasso, FL. MEXICO DRUG WARS Updated travel warnings remain in effect for the Mexico border towns of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarea, Nuevo Laredo, Monterray and Matamoros. Millions of U.S. citizens visit Mexico annually and the resort and tourist areas do not see the level of crime and violence. Most of the victims are Mexican citizens who are associated with criminal activities, security also poses a threat for U.S. citizens. TIPS Avoid dangerous situations, know who to contact in an emergency, avoid areas where crime might occur and visit tourist areas in daylight. |
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Theatrical and Literary Trip to Alabama
Radio Interviews for Travel Planners Radio Show Edith Parten, Gulf Coast Reg. Dir. Tourism Plays and Musicals Opening Night "To Kill A Mockingbird" "It's A Grand Night For Singing" "Color Purple Musical" Shakespeares "All's Well That Ends Well" Edgar Allan Poe's "Fall of the House (Usher)" Anne Forschler-Tarrasch, Curator Birmingham Museum of Art Wedgewood Collection Kevin Travel News Sue Travel Tips Tom Parsons www.BestFares.com Henry Howard (on left in surgeon photo) 1st Sgt. Medical Orderly 31st Alabama Infantry Regimental Field Hospital Re-enactment James Hammond, Battle of Selma Re-enactment Committee Chair |
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION 2010 POWWOW
The PowWow is America's largest travel conference held annually in different U.S. destinations. The conference is aimed at promoting America's travel destinations to International and Domestic buyers. Official Numbers: 5,000+ overall delegates attended 5% increase from 2009 1,000+ U.S. travel organizations represented 1,100 International and Domestic buyers attended Buyers from 70 countries 70,000 pre-scheduled business appointments 400 International and 50 Domestic Journalists Kevin and Sue have attended this conference for 8 years and have made contacts with over 100 destination/state tourism providers. Some of the appointments were with: TSA Secure Flight, Grand Canyon Railway, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, North Carolina, Los Angeles, Memphis TN, Wyoming, San Antonio, Virginia Beach, Hilton Head, Jacksonville FL, West Virginia (Greenbrier), The Breakers (Palm Beach), Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Anchorage Al, Anaheim CA, Haiyi Hotels Worldwide, Rosen Hotels and Resorts, Simmons Family Waterfront Restaurants SF, Kimpton and Intercontinental Hotels Worldwide, Kennedy Space Center, Las Vegas Premier Shopping, Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort. These are just a few of the interviews we'll have coming up this year after attending PowWow. |
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Historic Selma
We had lunch at the historic St. James Hotel, Jesse James and his brother Frank stayed there when in town for a wedding. Live Oak Cemetery re-enactment and march to the battlefield. Back in Montgomery we drove along the Civil Rights Trail and saw the history connected with Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King. |
Battle of Selma, AL
Sue went on a trip to Alabama while Kevin went west to Wildcatter Ranch and Resort. While in Alabama I visited historic Selma for the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Selma. I met an interesting re-enactor, 1st Sgt. Henry Howard., Medical Orderly for the 31st Alabama Infantry Regimental Field Hospital. I was told that it wasn't a civil war battle, it was a battle of the Northern Aggression. The re-enactors started at the beautiful moss-laden Live Oak Cemetery where many notables are buried even a Vice President of the U.S. |
INVITATION TO FOUNDRY ART CENTER
The Spring Art Show in St. Charles, MO was held at the Foundry Art Center. Artists had temporarily set up their art and the upstairs lofts where the permanent artists also were exhibiting. The center can be used for many functions. |
St Charles Tartan Days
Mark your calendar next year to visit St. Charles, MO (our hometown) for the Tartan Festival. You'll see displays of swordmaking, the sheep dog chasing the sheep, booths, music and food. Take a carriage ride up the old brick streets and enjoy the ride. |
TRAVEL EXPERT SUE McCARTHY
I am a guest on Fox News Channel 2 in St. Louis, MO as their "TRAVEL EXPERT". Recently I was asked to be on the Tim Ezell Morning Show and talk about Ryan Air's wanting to charge $1.40 to use the toilet on the plane. Since Tim likes to have fun on the show I was prepared with a roll of toilet paper and a Qt. size zip lock bag in case Ryan Air decides to do this. I reminded Tim that you still couldn't go over 3 oz. in the zip lock bag though. Thank goodness the airlines aren't currently planning on adding this feature. |
St. Joseph, MO Trip
When you go to St. Joseph, MO a must see is the Patee House Museum and Jesse James Home. The Museum was the starting point for the Pony Express and it has been told the horse and rider actually rode right inside the hotel. There is a carousel for the young and old to ride, yes Sue did ride the rhino. Stop by the Pony Express Museum for a tour through history and learn all about how and why it got started. |
Remington Nature Center
On a recent trip to St. Joseph, MO, Kevin and I visited the Remington Nature Center. This is a great place to take the family if you are looking for a day trip or weekend trip. You'll discover what North American Indians lived in the area, how they lived day-by-day, learn about their culture and see the collection of artifacts. The artifacts room contains over 1,000 arrowheads, blades and tools. Take a hike along the Missouri riverbanks, view the nearby Loess Hills Bluffs, identify plants, wildflowers, birds and butterflies. Stop by the animal tracks display where by the push of a button you can see a variety of animal tracks appear and disappear in the sand. Although it is hard to believe people walk right the life-sized Wooly Mammoth and baby it is true. When you enter the front entrance be sure to look around...it is hard to miss! "Where nature and history collide." www.stjoenaturecenter.info or 816-271-5499 for info |
Monday, May 3, 2010
Continental and United Merger
Continental and United Airlines announced their merger today, to find out more about what this means to you |
Friday, April 30, 2010
TRAVEL PLANNERS RADIO SHOW 5/1
HOUR1 Karen Vaughn, Green Chicago Mgr. of Communications Carey Rivers, Co-director Kids day and sleep away camps for summer fun. Jack Perlman, Developer of El Taj Oceanfront newest luxury condo in Playa del Carmen Kevin and Sue Travel News and Travel Tips HOUR 2 Tom Parsons, Bestfares.com Deals and Steals Michelle Newman, Regular Contributor Travelwriter Holistic Cruise |
TRAVEL PLANNERS RADIO SHOW 4/24
LIVE BROADCAST FROM WILDCATTER RANCH RESORT & SPA located in the Brazos River Valley in Graham, TX Kevin headed to the ranch while Sue headed on a Theatrical trip to Alabama. HOUR1 Anne Skipper, Managing Partner Jason McAlister, Resort Manager Julie Albritton, Events Manager Bob "The Cook" Bratcher, F and B Mgr. HOUR 2 Jay Brewer, Horse Barn Mgr. Jim, Activities (Skeet Shooting, ATVs, etc.) |
TRAVEL PLANNERS RADIO SHOW 4/17
LIVE BROADCAST FROM ST. JOSEPH, MO 150 Years of Pony Express HOUR 1 Beth Conway and Gary Chilcote St. Joseph CVB and Historic Patee House Museum Jesse James Home Museum Suzanne Lehr, Mount Mora Cemetary Andrea George, Remington Nature Center Tom Parsons, BestFares.com HOUR 2 Cindy Daffron, Pony Express National Museum Jackie Lewin, St. Joseph Museums Glore Psychiatric Museum, Black Archives Museum, and St. Joseph Museum |
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
VOLCANO PARKING FEES
With everything happening due to Iceland's volcano blowing an extra added expense is parking at airports for those passengers not able to return home. A few of the airports have waived charges for parking at JFK, Newark, Denver and Las Vegas. Kudos to them! |
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Wildcatter Family
I spent two and one-half days at the Wildcatter Ranch and Resort near Graham, Texas and in that short period of time I had the wonderful experience of Texas hospitality, fun activities and incredible cuisine. My cabin suite had a rustic ambiance but the amenities were definitely first class. I might add that the wireless Internet serviced by a T-1 line was flawless. The view of the Brazos river from the patio of my cabin was breathtaking. The Texas Bluebells, along with Indian Paintbrush flowers added a peaceful pastel beauty to the entire area. This was truly an idyllic setting, yet the true wealth of the Wildcatter Ranch and Resort is in it's staff. Jay, Don, Jim, Julie, Bob along with Resort Manager, Jason McAlister and Managing Partner, Anne Skipper are there to see that your visit to the Wildcatter Resort and Ranch will always exceed your expectations. While I was there I met the Bride and Groom who held their wedding at the wildcatter, groups and individuals enjoying a weekend getaway, a romantic vacation and planning a corporate team building experience. To the person, they were all impressed with the Wildcatter's expertise and the ease of making arrangements for their visit. You will immediately feel that you are working with a family run operation that takes pride in everything they do. I asked Anne how she picked and trained her staff. She told me that most of the staff are from the Graham, Texas area and come from many varied backgrounds; finance, local government, law enforcement, recent high school grads etc., etc. I told her that I had never seen such a dedicated, close knit team and questioned her about her training program. Her explanation astounded me. Anne told me that the Wildcatter Ranch and Resort and staff started working with the Wounded Warriors program a few years ago. In doing so, they closed the Ranch to the public for a week and she and her staff worked one-on-one with wounded veterans to help them develop their physical skills and re-build their confidence after experiencing the trauma of war. During this program the staff stayed on the Ranch and worked around the clock with these soldiers. They participated in all the activities with the Vets and even ate all their meals with them. After the first Wounded Warriors week, Anne said that she saw an immediate change in her staff. They jelled into the "family" that now awaits your visit to the Wildcatter Ranch and Resort. Anne and her staff continue their participation in the Wounded Warrior program each year and I think this speaks volumes to their sincere dedication to public service. If all of this doesn't win you over you will have to try Bob the Cook's two pound porterhouse steak and Anne's family recipe for banana pudding served in a jar. Both are irresistible! I really felt like I was part of the Wildcatter family and you will to. I highly recommend the Wildcatter for unsurpassed service and hospitality. I can't wait for a return visit. Wildcatter Ranch and Resort 6062 Hwy 16 South Graham, TX 76450 940-549-3500 |
Views From the Wildcatter
I just wanted to quickly share with you some of the magnificent views from the patio of the Wildcatter Steak House, my room and the infinity pool next to the Spa. This is great stuff! |
Friday, April 23, 2010
Things Really are BIG in Texas
While Sue is in Alabama, I'm at the Wildcatter Ranch and Resort near Graham Texas. Our mascot, Doodles, has been winging her way back and forth and met me this morning as we were touring the Ranch. As you can see, she met up with "Big Boy". Big Boy is a true Longhorn, and in-fact, he has the 3rd largest horns in the state of Texas. At just over 98 inches, we were all impressed. To put that in perspective, if his horns were a couple of inches wider, he would be classified as a "wide load" on Texas highways! When I told Doodles we were going to the gun range to shoot trap, she decided to take off for safer grounds with Sue. There are many activities at the Wildcatter Ranch and Resort including horseback riding, canoeing, bicycling, hiking trails and more. All in a first class resort atmosphere. "Major" the bloodhound is a recent addition to the Ranch. He actually belongs to a neighbor, but seems to enjoy the attention he gets at the Wildcatter. If I didn't know better, I'd think he owns the place. Be sure to stop and pet Major when you visit the Wildcatter. You will have a friend forever. Tomorrow morning I will do our radio show live from the Wildcatter Steak House, after which, I think I'm off to the Spa for a bit of relaxation. I could use a little "whoa" in my life! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
