HOW TO ACHIEVE EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

My wish for you this year is to turn your trips into fabulous experiences and unforgettable moments. Create an experience beyond your itinerary. Do the things that will turn you into a story teller. By this I mean; Get up close and personal with the destination. 

Embrace and learn the culture. That could be anything from religion to food. 

Pay attention to the small things like the flowers and the colors. 

Live in the moment and take time to reflect on what you're feeling. 

Meet people you're sharing space with who are traveling from other places.

Find the pulse of a city and immerse yourself...  Like an outdoor cafe or bistro in France to do some people watching, Dance to Zydeco music on the streets of New Orleans, Take a pasta making class in Italy.

Do something luxurious like fine dining, buying one expensive thing or a fabulous spa.

Go to an out of the way place, search for the best view in town and visit neighborhoods.

When taking photos think about telling a story.

I want to leave you with the quote by Aarti Khurana that inspired me to write this. "While you are alive, collect moments not things"

Ja'Vonne Harley

HOW TO KEEP THAT NEW YEAR RESOLUTION TO TRAVEL

It's that time again, time for a resolution and one resolution at the top of a lot of lists is to travel more. How many times have you put travel on your list only to fail to make it happen?

Here are some ways to keep that travel resolution.

• Be specific. Rather than just saying I want to travel, decide where you want to travel.
• Pick a place that is realistic. It doesn't have to be the trip of a lifetime. Think of a place you want to visit that doesn't have an if or when attached to it. Like, if I won the lottery or when I get married.
• Do your research to know how much it will cost, the best time to go, the things to see and do.
• Put the vision in writing or create a vision board including the results of your research.
• Finally, make a date and a plan. Determine how much money to save and create a schedule for saving.
• Keeping your dreams to yourself without action is a sure way to keep a dream a dream.

Happy New Year!
"Remember, the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page"
Ja'Vonne Harley, Co-Host

Four Over The Counter and Household Product for Your Travels

Packing a medicine bag is essential to your travels. Finding some things in a time of need and especially in a foreign country can be difficult.  There are four over the counter and household products I like that can aid in a medical situation.

First, yellow mustard can be used to alleviate cramps. Mustard has acetic acid, which helps the body make more acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter that stimulates your muscles to work.

Second, a histamine blocker as a general dose works for an allergic reaction including anaphylaxis. If there is an anaphylactic shock it can slow down the reaction to an allergen.

Then there's honey, especially dark honey. It can be used to treat conditions associated with asthma. Honey soothes the mucous membranes in your airways that forms in the bronchial tubes and causes airway constriction.

Lastly, Triple Ointment, it contains key ingredients that stop the growth of bacteria and treats bacterial skin infections.

These are types of alternative treatments that can provide you relief, however, they shouldn’t be your only source of treatment in case of an emergency. In case of emergency you should always call 911 and seek professional medical attention.

Ja'Vonne Harley

OUR PONY EXPRESS NEVADA ITINERARY

On The Road Again!

FERNLEY: This is where we began our adventure. Because of it's close proximity to Reno, Fernely thrives today. It's also the gateway to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Territory and Pyramid Lake.

What to do:

• Drive west to Pyramid Lake. Pyramid lake is absolutely beautiful and serene. The blue green color of the lake is unbelievably vibrant with beige mountains as a backdrop and Tufa Rock formations dotting around the lake. Tufa rocks are porous limestone formed when calcium carbonate is deposited by springs or lakes.
• Before heading to Pyramid lake stop by the Pyramid Lake and Paiute Indian Tribal Museum. Here you can learn the history of the Paiute Indian Tribe.

DAYTON: Gold in Nevada was first discovered here and is one of Nevada's oldest settlements of European Americans.

What to do:

• Take the Historic Downtown Dayton walking tour. Visit Dayton's Historic Society Museum and stop by the 1881 Depot, the only Carson and Colorado station depot in Nevada.

FALLON: Called the "Oasis of Nevada" is surrounded by farms and ranches.

What to do:

• Eat at Slanted Porch, a farm to table restaurant that has the freshest food that is deliciously prepared and seasoned with fresh herbs and spices.
• Visit Lattin Farms and taste "Heart Of Gold Cantaloupe. The sweetest of cantaloupes, we are told.
• Stop by the Churchill County Museum, which houses exhibits of The Pony Express, the earl days of Churchhill County and Northern Paiute culture.
• Leaving Fallon Grimes Point is along Highway 50 and a great stop to discover Petroglyphs, pre-historic rock art.
• Traveling along Highway 50 pay a visit to Middle Gate Station for some kitsch and a good burger
• Next stop Cold Springs Pony Express Station. This is a historic marker and photo stop.

AUSTIN: A boom and bust town that is now on the National Historic Register. Discovery of silver was the reason for boom and made Austin the second largest city in Nevada at that time. 

What to do:

• Take a historic walking tour and visit the Courthouse and The Gridley Store Museum.
• Drive up to the Cemetery. Towns have great history in cemetery's and this one has the best view in town.
• Stokes Castle was built by a mine developer as his summer home in the late 1800's.
• The Little Blue Bird Mine shop for silver and turquoise jewelry

EUREKA: Highway 50 runs through the middle of this well preserved historic town.

What to do:

• You can take a quick walking tour of the historic buildings and it's a good place to stop for a bite to eat.
• Visit the Museum, the Opera House and the Court House

ELY: Originally established as a stagecoach station and post office, Ely has grown into a vibrant city with a lot to offer. In our opinion it's the best city to finish The Pony Express Trail in.

What to do:

• Nevada Northern Railway for a train ride through town.
• Renaissance Market (Saturdays and seasonal) Old homes were built for the immigrant railway workers
• Nevada Northern Railway Museum
• Dine at the Cell Block Steak House for some fine dining without big city prices.
• Great Basin National Park

Accommodations: There's plenty of comfortable and affordable places to stay from motels to B&B's

We stayed one night in Fernley, Fallon and Austin and we stayed two night in Ely.

We flew into Reno and out of Las Vegas.  Fernley is just 30 minutes from Reno and Ely is about 4 hours from Las Vegas.

Most of your road trip will be along Highway 50, "The Loneliest Road". You'll stop along the at Pony Express outposts and stations, discover the history in the towns and witness some of the best scenic beauty.

The Traveling Eye gives The Pony Express Nevada and The Loneliest road two winks!

Tune into to our radio show this week on The Pony Express Nevada. www.wvon.com at 11am Central time September 19 and Sirius XM channel 141 at 11am Central time September 20

THE PONY EXPRESS NEVADA

Sometimes you have to pay a visit to the road. A long stretch of pavement, be it highway or byway, that beckons for visitors from near and far. Wheels to the pavement mapping a course, retracing history, embracing the solitude, taking in the surroundings and meeting the locals at unassuming sometimes planned and other times unplanned stops along the way.



You see a "Road Trip" is not about arriving as you set out to do, rather it's about discovering, getting lost and all the in-between's.




We received the call and answered with our modern day steed (a Chevy Tahoe). With wheels to the pavement we set out to discover, "The Pony Express Nevada", along Highway 50 aka, The Loneliest Road in America. Highway 50 runs through Nevada and along side The Pony Express Nevada Trail. 

Two city girls left Chicago, flew into Reno, NV, picked up our steed, drove to our first town for a quick overnight and viola .... became two city gals taking on the west. We didn't really know what to expect. We read the history and visited the website but still had no idea what we were about to embark upon. As we rolled in and out of the historic towns that make up The Pony Express Nevada Trail, we had a Eureka moment, long before we rolled into the town of Eureka. We were experiencing a piece of a 17 million acre museum; The history of The Pony Express, The Paiute Indians and the towns we visited; The geography and archaeology; The early discovery of the west by its European settlers and let's not forget natural beauty. It all unfolded before our eyes and for that we will never view "The Road" merely as a way between two places again.

Our five day road trip following the Pony Express Trail took us from Dayton to Fernley, Fallon, Austin, Eureka and finally Ely. Actually because Fernley is closest to Reno we began there, headed west to Dayton and then back east again.

Gitty Up!
Photos by Howard Little

Ja'Vonne Harley
Tune into The Traveling Eye, Friday on WVON @ 11am Central time and Saturday on XM Channel 141 @ 11am Central Time for our show on The Pony Express.

PLANNING YOUR OWN CULINARY TOUR

Of course, you can join or sign on to a scheduled or organized food tour and they are great.  However if you want to design your own or if you have specific interests here are some tips on designing and planning your own culinary tour.

HAVE A PLAN

• First have a plan on your specific goals or interests. Consider best of like best burgers, best pizza, best hot dogs, best ice cream, etc. You get the picture.
• Go online ahead time and google local food bloggers to get their picks.
• Map out your locations so you can maximize your time.
• Another way to maximize your time is to select neighborhoods
• If you want to get around by train or bus get the routes and schedules.

CONSIDER YOUR STOMACH

• On one trip I did to New Orleans I ate everything that was put in front of me and at restaurants I ordered full meals.  Believe me when I tell you, I was miserable.
• At restaurants order appetizers
• When possible order snack or tasting portions. You can tell the restaurant what you're doing and they may have or prepare a small plate for you.
• Plan your days so when necessary you can have a splurge meal and the rest are small portions.
• It's a good idea and it's fun to do a bit of walking.

HAVE FUN AND BRING BACK MEMORIES

• This is a fun way to explore a destination so make it fun.
• Ask the locals for their favorites
• Take photos of your meals, the restaurants, the staff and people you meat
• Ask the restaurant if they have a menu you can take home.
• Remember to write down the names of the dishes
• Ask how things are prepared and the origin of it.
• When available purchase those favorites and take them home with you so you can enjoy them again
• See if they have a cook book, if you're into cooking as well.

Remember to just have fun eating your way through the destination

Ja'Vonne

Our Culinary City Picks

Bonnie and I are foodies and we love to eat our way through a destination!  We find that food is a huge part of a culture and it's a great way to discover a country, city and it's people.  We also find that it's one topic people love to talk about especially when you ask about childhood favorites and tradition.  When you start a conversation with who has the best ..... there is a robust competition to share experiences and make a proclamation.

When looking at the US and answering the question "What are the best culinary cities in the US"? We picked Chicago, New Orleans and San Fransisco because of their diversity in cuisine and their creations or style offers many options.

Chicago:

• Home of the Deep Dish Pizza or the Pizza Pie.  Of course you can find pizza anywhere in the US but this is a Chicago Style Pizza.  It's thick, cooked in a cast iron skillet and then filled with toppings.  Gino's East is one of the iconic places and they make sure each bite has the same ingredients.  Take their sausage pizza, they take ground sausage and roll it out in the shape and size of the pie. Of course, you can't mention Deep Dish Pizza and not mention Pizzeria Uno.  At Pizzeria Uno, you order the pizza when you arrive and when your pizza is ready your table is ready.
• Hot Dogs and the Vienna Sausage.  There are many favorites of the city and often the subject of a great debate.  Here in Chicago, it's all about the toppings.  Shredded lettuce, sliced or diced tomato, raw onions, in some cases a slice of pickle, hot peppers and a bright green relish.  If you want to make enemies put ketchup on your hot dog.  This just isn't done in Chicago!
• Italian Beef Sandwich.  Little Italy is a must visit while you're in Chicago and getting an Italian Beef Sandwich is a must.  Thinly sliced beef, sauteed, the sandwich is topped with sauteed onions and then the entire sandwich including the bread is dipped in a beef aus jus.
• The Chop House.  Great steaks are a staple in Chicago and so is the Chop House.  Gene and Giorgetti's is the oldest steak house in Chicago.  A premium cut of beef cooked to perfection.
• Don't forget the visit the neighborhoods in Chicago, by doing so you can take a trip around the world!

New Orleans:

• New Orleans has too many delights to list in one blog. And this is why it tops the list for a culinary tour.
• Anything Cajun! These spices are heavenly and the concoctions from New Orleans Cajun country are phenomenal.  Blackened Catfish or Red fish, Crayfish Boil, Etoufee, Jambalaya, etc.
• Beignets and Cafe Dumond are synonymous! Make it your fist stop to get that Hello to New Orleans.  Fried dough covered in powered sugar and a cup of chicory coffee.
• Po'Boys - A sandwich filled with fried seafood. They're traditionally made with catfish, shrimp or oysters. Add lettuce, tomatoes and remoulade and voila a Po' Boy!

San Fransisco:

• Why we picked it:
• The Fisherman's Wharf has to be on your culinary tour.  Spend an afternoon walking through exploring and tasting the seafood from he pacific coast.  Crab legs, shrimp, fish, etc. You can have it many ways, at a sit down restaurant, to go, in a sandwich or just out of the steamer.
• Sourdough bread.  Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside and oh so good when it's fresh out of the over!
• Chowder, of course made with seafood. Anything from fish to shellfish and to make a real San Francisco treat have it in a sourdough bread bowl!
• China Town is one of the best and biggest in the US from the traditional to the fusion San Francisco's China Town is a culinary tour of its own.

When trying to come up with destinations for a culinary tour outside of the US we wanted to stay away from the obvious.  Once again we have many favorite destinations so this does not mean any other destination is slighted.

Tokyo:

• I watched an episode of Andre Zimmer's Bizarre Foods on his culinary journey through Japan.  While I have some experience with Japanese cuisine neither of us have been to Japan.  I plan on going in January and wanted to get a head start.
• Tokyo has the most restaurants that any other country with Michelin stars
• Tokyo's Fish Market Tsukiji is on the list of Top things to do in Tokyo! There are 1600 vendors, 60,000 workers and 2000 tons of seafood.  The auction for tuna is a must see.
• If you want to most bizarre or extreme visit one of Japan's Extreme Bars.  Not only can the food be bizarre like everything made with Mayonnaise but also a strange theme like a toilet decor and design.

Bangkok, Thailand

• I absolutely love Thai food. The spices and sauces are the best because of their layers of flavors and the heat. I love the heat!
• These are some of my picks for must tries:
• Tom Yom Soup - a brothy soup made with pork or chicken and spice with tiny little potent peppers
• Thai Papaya Salad - made with the freshest of ingredients, green papaya, tomatoes, chili's, shrimp, peanuts
• Chicken or Beef Sa-Tay with peanut sauce - Skewered and grilled meat with a peanut sauce that made with peanut butter, soy and other spices.
• Curry - I favor the shrimp or chicken and it's sometimes with the green curry.  Be careful some curry sauces are very spicy.
• Crispy catfish is one of my favorites.  This fish is fried so crispy ad is not greasy and the spicy green mango sauce will have you going back for more.

Ja'Vonne