Interview: Chef Sai Pituk talks about her new Cooking Channel show, molecular gastronomy and more

This interview features a discussion with entrepreneur and cook Chef Sai Pituk. Sai is the owner of Tara Thai in El Paso, and most recently opened The Kitchen with plans to open a brew pub in the near future. Chef Sai discusses these food endeavors and her new travel and food show airing Fall 2011 on the Cooking Channel about street food around the world. Each episode will take viewers around the world eating and learning to prepare street food.

4.30.11: "On the Road with Lisa D." Radio Show

Today's radio show features interviews with Chris Colin on urban vacations in Downtown Los Angeles, Zach Paul on today's Neon Desert Music Festival and Chef Sai on her new travel/food show.

"On the Road with Lisa D." airs every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 11 a.m. - noon, MST. If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Click here for more information on the Neon Desert Music Festival.

***

"On the Road with Lisa D." airs every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 11 a.m. - noon, MST.

If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Show Archives

If you've missed any of the previous shows, click on the Audio Archives feature on the homepage here to your right and you can stream all the previous interviews. Click here for the show archives.

Social Media

Find the show on Facebook at the fan page "On the Road with Lisa D., Rediscovering America".

Follow the show on Twitter @OTRwLisaD.

Email

Send your travel photos, comments and interview requests to otrwld@gmail.com

***

The image in today's post is of a giant oak on my friend's property outside of Tularosa where I will spend my Mother's Day weekend this year.

OTRwLD Interview: Karen Squire from Durango Rivertrippers

In this interview we talk to Karen Squire from Durango Rivertrippers about the best time of year to raft the Animas River through Durango, CO. We also discuss the John Squire Rafting Academy where in May you can take a white water training trip for several days on the Dolores River in Colorado. For more information on today's show and Durango Rivertrippers, visit www.durangorivertrippers.com.

***

"On the Road with Lisa D." airs every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 5-6 p.m. MST.

If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Show Archives

If you've missed any of the previous shows, click on the Audio Archives feature on the homepage here to your right and you can stream all the previous interviews. Click here for the show archives.

Social Media

Find the show on Facebook at the fan page "On the Road with Lisa D., Rediscovering America". Click here to visit Facebook.com.

Follow the show on Twitter @OTRwLisaD. Click here to visit Twitter.com.

Email

Send your travel photos, comments and interview requests to otrwld@gmail.com

Celebrate National Parks Week

Looking for a National Park near you? Visit www.nps.gov and search for a park near you, all park entrance fees are FREE until Sunday at midnight!

4.23.11: "On the Road with Lisa D." Radio Show

Tune into Saturday's radio show, "On the Road with Lisa D", at our new time slot, 11 a.m. - noon, MST - the show focuses on rail travel and white water rafting.

We'll talk to Karen Squire from Durango Rivertrippers about May's rafting academy on the Dolores River. Then we'll talk to our friend at AAA, travel professional Trey Carr about some very cool vintage rail trips in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.

Also, this Sunday is the Railroad Revival Tour in Marfa, and the train is stopping in El Paso Sunday at 10:30 a.m. - go say"hi" to the boys in the bands. Click here for concert info.

Thanks for tuning in and if you miss any of the show, the archives will be up on the website by Monday at www.ontheroadwithlisad.com.

Have an awesome weekend and thank you for being a fan!

The Railroad Revival Tour is coming to Marfa Easter Sunday 2011

More than 1,800 music fans will be in Marfa this weekend to hear several amazing bands. The coolest part is the bands are touring from Oakland, CA, to New Orleans, LA, on steam trains! (And not all the guys in all the bands have beards.) Join in the fun and attend the Railroad Revival Tour this Sunday.

From the website:

The Trip

This April, Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show will embark on a tour unlike any in recent memory. Traveling exclusively in vintage rail cars, the three bands will journey across the American Southwest over the course of a week. The aptly titled Railroad Revival Tour will feature the three bands playing concerts at six unique outdoor locations along the route, beginning April 21st in Oakland, California.

The Railroad

Today’s mass transit is built for speed and volume, which suits our modern lifestyle. But sometimes the notion of landscape and discovery is left behind. The RRT is an effort to re-imagine that landscape, the experience of the journey, and to re-discover what happens in between destinations. The inaugural Railroad Revival Tour train is more than 1,500 feet long. It features 15 vintage railcars pulled by 2 locomotives, and is set to travel more than 2,000 miles over tracks that stretch across five states.

Visit www.railroadrevivaltour.com for more info.

Resources:

Click here for more information on Marfa, TX
Click here for more information on the Chinati Foundation
Click here for info on Marfa events

Interview with Ranger Michael Haynie from the Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Ranger Hainey from Guadalupe National Park talks about the Junior Paleontologist program this summer at Guadalupe National Park and how to bring history to life for your children. This interview was broadcast live on April 16, 2011.

Click here for a full schedule of the summer programs.

Blog: Children and Nature Network

The Children & Nature Network is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to help children fall in love with nature. Visit www.childrenandnature.org for more information.

About Us

The vision and mission of the Children & Nature Network is to give every child in every community a wide range of opportunities to experience nature directly, reconnecting our children with nature's joys and lessons, its profound physical and mental bounty.

The Children & Nature Network (C&NN) was created to encourage and support the people and organizations working nationally and internationally to reconnect children with nature. The network provides a critical link between researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-being. C&NN also promotes fundamental institutional change and provides resources for sharing information, strategic initiatives and success stories.

The C&NN news service and portal, childrenandnature.org, offers parents, youth, civic leaders, educators and health-care providers access to the latest news and research in this field as well as practical advice, including ways to apply new-found knowledge at home, at school, in work environments, and in the community. The network also engages a diverse community of institutes, organizations and industries by providing a forum for publishing and presenting research, reports and case studies on children's health and nature, and related program-development strategies and support.

For additional information contact C&NN's executive assistant Robyn Bjornsson.

4.18.11-4.24.11: National Parks Week

A young birdwatcher scans the skies at North Cascades National Park Complex, Washington. Photo courtesy of NPS.

From the National Park Service Website:

Get out and discover something new about your 394 national parks. This year's focus, Healthy Parks, Healthy People, highlights the connection between human and environmental health and the vital role America's national parks play in both.

Whether your prefer a 20-mile backcountry hike in Yosemite or a leisurely stroll around Philadelphia's Independence Hall, moving outside is good for you and offers a chance to explore these places you own. Search the events calendar to find your National Park Week "must-dos," and share your national park experience on Facebook or Twitter.

Visit www.nps.gov/npweek for a list of parks you can enter for free this week only!

4.16.11: Live Radio Show

Today 's show features two interviews; Ranger Hainey from Guadalupe National Park and Justin Powell from www.outboundfamily.com. Find out about the Junior Paleontologist program this summer at Guadalupe National Park and how to bring history to life for your children. Also, we'll talk about the upcoming Weapons of Mass Creation Fest coming this June. For more information on these guests and other show topics visit http://ontheroadwithlisad.com/.

Live on KHRO 1150 AM, Streaming at http://www.khro1650.com/

Saturday, April 16 · 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Travel Photos: El Paso to Albuquerque

My friend Annelies took this photo driving from El Paso to Albuquerque. Send your travel photos to otrwld@gmail.com so we can share them!

Travel Photos: Seattle, Washington

My friend Molly recently went to Seattle on a business trip and managed to take some amazing photos of Seattle. Send your travel photos to otrwld@gmail.com so that we can share them one another.

Summer Activities: Guadalupe Mountains National Park Announces Summer Interpretive Program Schedule

Guadalupe Mountains National Park Announces Summer Interpretive Program

Schedule

(Pine Springs, TX) Guadalupe Mountains National Park Superintendent John
Lujan announced the park’s schedule of interpretation programs for Summer
2011. The park will offer a wide variety of patio, ranger-led hikes and
evening program from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. These
programs will provide excellent opportunities for visitors to learn about
the plant life, wildflowers and wildlife, geology, ecology, human history,
and night skies of the Guadalupe Mountains as well as learn outdoor skills
to have a safe visit to the Guadalupe Mountains. Whether coming for a day
hike on the 86 miles of trails, a visit to historic Frijole Ranch, Williams
Ranch, Pratt Cabin or Ship on the Desert, a foray into the second largest
gypsum dunes in North America, a weekend stay in the Pine Springs or Dog
Canyon campgrounds or the Frijole Ranch Group Campground or a backpacking
experience in the backcountry or wilderness area, the Guadalupe Mountains
offers wonderful opportunities for solitude, recreation, family fun and
learning and exercise, including ranger-led programs.

Every Wednesday and Thursday, from June 1 through September 1, and Monday,
July 4 (Independence Day Holiday), there will be Patio Talks at 10:00 AM
and 2:00 PM at the Pine Springs Visitor Center. These short (15-20 minute)
talks may encompass any topic relating to the park, so stop by, chat with a
ranger and learn about the Guadalupe Mountains.

On Sundays, May 29, June 19, July 3, July 17, August 7 and August 21, there
will be open houses at Ship on the Desert from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Take a
tour of this historic home with a park ranger or explore on your own.

On Sundays, June 5, July 24, and September 3, Pratt Cabin will be open in
McKittrick Canyon. Tour the historic cabin with a park ranger. Please
make sure to bring sun block, a hat or cap, and plenty of water and snacks.

On Sundays, June 26, July 31 and August 28 and Mondays, May 30 (Memorial
Day Holiday) and July 4 (Independence Day Holiday), put on your hiking
boots and join a ranger on a longer hike to such places as Guadalupe Peak
(the highest peak in Texas), the Permian Reef, The Bowl, Pratt Cabin or the
Notch. Please contact the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251
x2124 to find out where the hike will go, the time and location where it
will meet, the duration, difficulty level (Easy, Moderate or Strenuous) and
any other details, and accompany a ranger on an adventure in the
Guadalupes. Please make sure to bring sun block, a hat or cap, and plenty
of water and snacks. Please call ahead, as some of these hikes may not be
appropriate for small children.

On Sundays May 29 (7:00 PM), June 12 (7:00 PM), July 10 (7:00 PM) and
August 14 (6:30 PM), there will be ranger-led Evening Bird Walks at
historic Frijole Ranch.

On Friday, June 17 and Saturdays, July 16 and August 13, the Gypsum Dunes
Salt Flat Visitor Contact Station in Dell City will be open from 3:00 PM –
5:00 PM, then join a park ranger and explore North America’s second largest
gypsum dunes, on the west side of the park, by the light of the full moon.
Meet the park ranger at the Gypsum Dune Salt Flat Visitor Contact Station
at 5:00 PM and bring a flashlight, drinking water, snacks, walking shoes
and a sweater.

Beginning Friday, May 27, the park will offer evening programs at the Pine
Springs Campground on Fridays and Saturdays (except June 17, July 16 and
August 13). Evening programs presented will include Exotic Species:
Strangers in your Backyard, Signs of Wildlife: What you may be Missing,
Islands in the Sky, A Very Dry Reef: A Look at the Permian Reef, Across the
Cosmos: Appreciating the Night Sky, Elk in the Desert, Star Party Astronomy
Program, The Bizarre and the Beautiful: Invertebrates of the Guadalupes,
Overloked and Underfoot: Reptiles of the Guadalupes, History of the Peoples
of the Guadalupes, The Burning Issue: Wildfire and our National Parks,
Birds of Prey, From High Tide to High Desert: Water in the Guadalupes, 23
Days Eating Dust: the Butterfield Overland Stage and Migratory Birds.

Families will want to ask about our Junior Ranger, Junior Paleontologist
and Senior Ranger activity booklets at the Pine Springs Visitor Center.
Children of all ages who complete the activities will receive a certificate
and badge and are eligible to purchase a Junior Ranger or Senior Ranger
patch.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are eligible to earn awards made available
through partnerships with the National Park Service. Please inquire at the
Pine Springs Visitor Center (915) 828-3251 ext. 2124 for more information.

A park slide presentation is available in the Pine Springs Visitor Center
Auditorium. Ask the park ranger at the information desk to start the film
for you. A push-button operated film about McKittrick Canyon, narrated by
Petroleum Engineer Wallace E. Pratt who was instrumental in the creation of
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is available on the patio of the
McKittrick Canyon Visitor Contact Station. The Pine Springs Visitor Center
and bookstore, which is operated by the park’s non-profit cooperating
association partner Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association (
www.ccgma.org) are open daily from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM (closed Christmas
Day). Be sure to stop by to get a map, site bulletin, brochure, post card,
books or film about Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The McKittrick
Canyon, the Frijole Ranch Ranch House, Dog Canyon or Gypsum Dunes Salt Flat
(Dell City, TX) Visitor Contact Stations are open irregularly. Please call
the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251 ext. 2124 to find out
whether they are open.

For additional information about Guadalupe Mountains National Park, please
contact the Pine Springs Visitor Center at 915-828-3251 ext. 2124 or visit
the park’s website at www.nps.gov/gumo/.

Interview: Beth Nobles, Texas Mountain Trails in West Texas

Listen to an interview with Beth Nobles from Texas Mountain Trails in West Texas. In addition to talking about all the hiking there is to do in West Texas, Beth will also focus on how bike friendly hotels in West Texas have become as interest in cycling adventures grow. West Texas isn't known for much car traffic, which is just one of the reasons cycling is getting so popular in the region.

Click here to learn more about Texas Mountain Trails in West Texas.


"On the Road with Lisa D." airs live every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 5-6 p.m. MST.

If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Show Archives

If you've missed any of the previous shows, click on the Audio Archives feature on the homepage here to your right and you can stream all the previous interviews. Click here for the show archives.

Social Media

Find the show on Facebook at the fan page "On the Road with Lisa D., Rediscovering America". Click here to visit Facebook.com.

Follow the show on Twitter @OTRwLisaD. Click here to visit Twitter.com.

Interview: Scott McMahon, Artist in Residence at the Border Art Residency

In this interview we speak with Scott McMahon, artist in residence at the Border Arts Residency (BAR) in La Union, New Mexico. Collaborating with Willie Ray Parish, the founding director of the Border Art Residency, McMahon created a camera obscura on wheels that will be on display Saturday, April 16 at the BAR.

McMahon received his MFA in photography from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, MA and his BFA in Photography from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. For more information on his work and background visit http://scottmcmahonphoto.com.

Click here to listen to the interview with Willie Ray Parish.

For more information on the Border Art Residency, visit http://www.borderartresidency.com

"On the Road with Lisa D." airs live every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 5-6 p.m. MST.

If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Show Archives

If you've missed any of the previous shows, click on the Audio Archives feature on the homepage here to your right and you can stream all the previous interviews. Click here for the show archives.

Social Media

Find the show on Facebook at the fan page "On the Road with Lisa D., Rediscovering America". Click here to visit Facebook.com.

Follow the show on Twitter @OTRwLisaD. Click here to visit Twitter.com.

4.9.11: On the Road with Lisa D. Radio Show

Tune into today's radio show, "On the Road with Lisa D" for an interview with Debi Huang from http://goexplorenature.blogspot.com/. Debi is a mother, writer, wife and (my favorite title of all) adventure guide for her two children. She's dedicated to helping her children spend at least one Green Hour a day out in nature and she's got a blog to help you do the same! Even if you don't have children, the benefits to adopting a Green Hour program in your life are numerous. Also on today's show we'll talk about a food festival that makes my mouth water, Baconfest Chicago, but don't get too excited, it's sold out. Thanks for tuning in and if you miss any of today's show, the archives will be up on the website by Monday at www.ontheroadwithlisad.com. Have an awesome Saturday and thank you for being a fan!

***

"On the Road with Lisa D." airs every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 5-6 p.m. MST.

If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Show Archives

If you've missed any of the previous shows, click on the Audio Archives feature on the homepage here to your right and you can stream all the previous interviews. Click here for the show archives.

Social Media

Find the show on Facebook at the fan page "On the Road with Lisa D., Rediscovering America". Click here to visit Facebook.com.

Follow the show on Twitter @OTRwLisaD. Click here to visit Twitter.com.

Email

Send your travel photos, comments and interview requests to otrwld@gmail.com

Event News: Baconfest Chicago 2011 is Sold Out!

On today's radio show, I will be discussing one of the most exciting food events happening today in America, Baconfest! Unfortunately for those of you willing to attend (it's in Chicago, of course) the event is totally sold out!

I apologize for any pain and suffering I caused by promoting this event that you cannot attend and will keep you posted of all future bacon-related food festivals.

For more info on this great festival visit http://baconfestchicago.com/

***

Tune into today's radio show, 5-6 p.m. MST, on KHRO 1150 AM or stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/.

Hueco Tanks Junior Ranger Program

Hueco Tanks State Park is best known for attracting climbers who love bouldering and they come to the park from all over the world; Australia, Germany, California and beyond. Recently, a very short and young set visited the park, mostly from the El Paso region, expressly on a mission to become Junior Rangers and do their own version of bouldering.

More than 25 people (predominantly 5-13 years old) signed up for the Junior Ranger program offered, the first of its kind and totally free. The Junior Ranger program demanded that attendees follow Ranger Jane around Hueco Tanks for two hours, periodically stopping to fill out a field guide describing plants, trail etiquette and how to spot and respect rock art. At the end of the two hours, if the field guides are filled out completely and correctly, the young visitors become official stewards of Hueco Tanks as graduates of the Junior Ranger program. (Luckily for the chaperones, everyone passed the test during our program!)

As a mother of two young boys full of energy and the drive to run to the top of any mountain trail, this program was perfect for my family. And by the general mood after the two hours, everyone was very pleased with the program.

The visit began in the field center with a video introduction to Hueco Tanks. From Wikipedia; Hueco is a Spanish word meaning hollows and refers to the many water-holding depressions in the boulders and rock faces throughout the region. In centuries past, the region was inhabited by various peoples, from the Paleo-Indians who used Folsom points to hunt the Megafauna of North America, to the people of the 'Jornada Mogollon' (pronounced mo-goi-YONE). This site was once a Jornada Mogollon village, according to an archaeological dig of the ground between North Mountain and West Mountain. By about 700 years ago, the population of the village could no longer be sustained by the small agricultural area surrounding Hueco Tanks. At this point, a population shift occurred and settlements were formed on the nearby playas to the south, west, and northwest. There, they flourished until about 1450 A.D. when the area suffered from a series of severe droughts.[8] Although it took time, by about 1600 A.D. the region was inhabited by the Apache people, who moved in from Canada (see the Athabascans).

The rocks hold a yearbook of pictographs with ceremonial faces and masks. Although vandalism as old as signatures from 1864, the park is kept incredibly pristine with a daily limit of 75 visitors, which allows for solitary hiking but tricky reservations in that you sometimes wait for months to gain access to the park.

When visiting the park, check the ranger station for the availability of a private guide ($1 per person) as the rock art can be hard to find on your own. The best time of year to visit is late fall or early spring to avoid the extreme heat or cold. To make a reservation visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/hueco_tanks/

The Junior Ranger program is an ideal way to see the park and fantastic training for young hikers who will gain a sense of ownership and respect for the park. This Junior Ranger program will be offered periodically throughout the year and if you can secure Ranger Jane as your guide, you’ll be thrilled with her ability to captivate your child’s mind while you soak in the beauty and awe of this spectacular West Texas park.

Events: Vegetarian Voyager! Bouldering & Hiking at Hueco Tanks State Park

Vegetarian Voyager! Bouldering & Hiking at Hueco Tanks State Park
Depart from Mission Hills Park in El Paso at 9am.
Return at approximately 7pm.
$5 entry fee into state park.
Bring plenty of water. Wear a hat, sunglasses, jeans or similar material, and hiking or sturdy walking shoes.
...
VEGETARIAN VOYAGER!

Vegetarians! Our Youthful Activities Group Encourages Reciprocity!
Voyager! invites You to (re)discover the gems of the desert southwest! Yes, this means You!
myspace.com/Voyager49
myspace.com/VSoEP

In collaboration with VSEP, we participate as Voyager!s. Some activities are physically demanding, so please keep in mind your
comfortable level of participation. Also, Vegetarians under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

All Vegetarian Voyager! events feature a vegan picnic. Please bring one vegan dish enough for 3 people (for yourself and 2 other Voyager!s.)
Also bring utensils, a cup, plate, and a bowl. (Portability is a plus.)

Contact, Comment, Question :
Anastacio - 915.440.4901or email @ voyager749@gmail.com

4.2.11: On the Road with Lisa D.

Tune into today's show at 5 p.m. MST on KHRO 1150 AM or stream the show at www.khro1650.com.

We'll start the show with an interview with Joel McConvey, he's one of the writers and producers for The National Parks Project in Canada. Next we'll talk to Ranger Jane from Hueco Tanks State Park about a very cool program for children, Junior Rangers! For more information on today's show visit www.ontheroadwithlisad.com.

The photo above was taken by me at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, TX. It has nothing to do with today's show, I just wanted to share with you the beauty of our big skies in West Texas.


"On the Road with Lisa D." airs live every Saturday in El Paso, TX, 5-6 p.m. MST.

If you can't listen to the show live on KHRO 1150 AM, you can stream the show at http://www.khro1650.com/. Click on "Listen Live" on the homepage and stream the show from your computer. Click here to stream the show.

Show Archives

If you've missed any of the previous shows, click on the Audio Archives feature on the homepage here to your right and you can stream all the previous interviews. Click here for the show archives.

Social Media

Find the show on Facebook at the fan page "On the Road with Lisa D., Rediscovering America". Click here to visit Facebook.com.

Follow the show on Twitter @OTRwLisaD. Click here to visit Twitter.com.

Email

Send your travel photos, comments and interview requests to otrwld@gmail.com