Travel People: Living Authentic Lives, Finding Kindred Spirits, Fulfilling Dreams Host Cindy McCain

We continue our tour of unique luxury accommodations in the Marrakesh Medina that provide beauty breaks for the soul. I love Morocco's rich colors, but my serene stay last month at Palais Blanc Riad, a cloud-colored haven, felt like living in a dream. The owner, Mr. Luigi Bleve, is a big fan of Marrakesh. By blending Moroccan authenticity with Italian style, he has created a blank canvas for whatever you need — rest, rejuvenation, or new adventures. We take a look at two nearby attractions: Bahia Palace in the Old City and Jardin Majorelle in Gueliz, Marrakesh's New City.
More photos on Southern Girl Gone Global at

YOUTUBE version of the podcast at https://youtu.be/DpVpkXFip28
Palais Blanc Riad at https://www.palaisblancriad.com
Bahia Palace at https://bahia-palace.com/
Jardin Majorelle at https://www.jardinmajorelle.com/en/

Jazz in Paris, Media Right ProductionsNo.9, Esther’s Waltz by Esther Abrami, YouTube Audio Library
Desert Caravan, Aaron Kenny, YouTube Library
Arabian Nightfall by Doug Maxwell & Media Right Productions, YouTube Audio Library 
Swinging With The Sultan by Doug Maxwell, YouTube Library

Season 3 begins with a return to Morocco, my go-to country for epic adventure, exquisite beauty, and exotic stays. The Marrakesh Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the perfect home base for exploring the Kingdom. Staying in a riad — a guest house once owned by wealthy families — is a signature Moroccan experience. But with over 1K riads within The Red City's walls, how does one choose? Find out why guests love Riad Luciano and meet global traveler and Moroccan-born Laila Krattiger who is living the expat life in Switzerland. Using the alchemy of Moroccan warmth, Swiss perfection, and Italian style, Laila created a haven. It wasn't easy. Just after opening the doors, the pandemic slammed them shut. With optimism, tenacity, a dream staff, and a premium location she has created a luxurious haven in the Old City.

See this podcast on YouTube. here.  See blog with more info here.  
Contact Laila and Riad Luciano at https://riadluciano.com/




*See Season 1 Episode 2, for more travel experiences across Morocco. Also see Southern Girl Gone Global where I've featured my favorite resorts, boutiques, and riads since 2014.
Music:
Jazz in Paris, Media Right Productions
Pink Flamenco, Doug Maxwell
Casablanca Caravan, Chris Haugen
Desert City by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Welcome to Part 2 of my conversation with Angela Correll, author of the May Hollow Trilogy. This episode is for readers, writers, creatives of all kinds. She’ll share her writing journey,  process, and a new project. She’ll also talk about opportunities she can provide for solo writing retreats and creative community.  
Be sure to hear her story in Part 1 and read the blogpost on how she wanted a simpler life and found it in Stanford, KY with her husband, Jess. There they live on a sustainable farm and have revitalized the downtown area of the village dating back to the 1700s that inspired her books. She takes us on a tour through the first historic guest cottage they saved and renovated, restaurant and event spaces, and her soap factory where it all began as a way to save her goats. You’ll see Whitley Cottage, Esther’s Wellhouse, and farm-to-table Bluebird Restaurant where I spent a one-of-a-kind weekend. 
Angela continues to design spaces so readers can experience small town living in the two worlds of her novels–one in Kentucky and soon Tuscany, Italy where she and Jess are remodeling rental properties. 

Welcome to a special edition of Travel People: Living Authentic Lives, Finding Kindred Spirits, Fulfilling Dreams. Today Best-selling author Angela Correll, takes us to 3 little villages with big hearts.  Her story inspires us to see problems as possibilities, to create something that satisfies the soul and benefits others, to embrace who and what matters most, to remember our roots and spread our wings.

I talked with  Angela  in Stanford, Kentucky where she lives on a farm with her husband, Jess. The novels of her May Hollow trilogy –  Grounded, Guarded, and Granted– are based largely on life in the small town. She and Jess are the creators of the Wilderness Road Hospitality Group. You’ll hear how they went from milking goats to saving and renovating historic homes. How they built two restaurants, an Inn, and are building another. Angela will tell you about living in a close community in Ky and their latest project in a village in Italy. See more here: https://southerngirlgoneglobal.com/2022/01/03/best-retreats-2022-wilderness-road-experience-with-author-angela-correll/

If you missed last year’s holiday edition, follow the link to a another small village, this one Greek in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Every Jan 6 this close community hosts the largest  (and probably most unusual) Epiphany celebration in the Northern Hemisphere.

Kentucky Soaps and Such
Wilderness Road Accommodations and More
Liborio Conti -- Mandolin music https://no-copyright-music.com

00:01 Series Intro

00:32 Meet Toni Thompson, traveler to 70 countries including volunteering in five. She served in the Peace Corps in Ecuador, lived 4 years in Venezuela. As an occupational therapist, she teaches cultural competency.  July 5-17 she attended the 2021 (74th) Cannes Film Festival in France and shares stories from the Red Carpet, film screenings, parties, and a Master Class with Matt Damon. Find out how to get there or enjoy your local film festivals. 

1:26 How she got an invitation to the industry event
Gasparilla International Film Fest--Tampa
Sunscreen Film Festival--St. Petersburg, Florida (where she reviewed entries as a programmer)

3:40 How Covid changed the Festival

4:25 Workshops

4:57 Parties
Dave DeBorde, Nashville, hosted The Cannes Pajama Party
Producers' Party
Chilean Cinema https://cinemachile.cl/en/espanol-que-paso-en-cannes-2021-conoce-todo-sobre-la-presencia-chilena/
(Cindy was cast by Alberto Fuguet in the Chilean film based on Nashville, Musica Campesina, which screened at the 2011 Nashville Film Festival, Vanderbilt University, and in 2014 on Cinemax.  https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/alberto-fuguets-i-musica-campesina-i-the-best-nashville-shot-movie-youve-never-seen-airs/article_cf943712-db2f-55f2-be09-105beacb3dd7.html)

http://www.hispanicnashville.com/2010/03/chilean-authordirector-alberto-fuguet.html

5:51 Red Carpet events, guidelines, surprises

7:20 Getting into the film screenings--She went to 19.

7:39 Stargazing

10:06 Toni's favorite moment (with Matt Damon)

Stillwater is "loosely based" on the story of Amanda Knox, an American college student accused of murdering her roommate in Italy

14:15 The Power of Film for Cultural Connections

Red Sea Film Festival

Cindy was so excited to see a Moroccan film there--Cassablanca Beats--the story of a former rapper who takes a job at a cultural center  inspiring students to fulfill passions and find freedom in hip hop culture.   

Highlights from France 24 News

17:46 Toni's travels

18:24 Classes on Cultural Competency/ Humility

21:00 InterNations and the Gifts of Diversity

*See S2 Episode 1 for more on Oman

24:36 Cannes and the French Riviera
More on Nice, Monaco, surrounding area
https://www.francetraveltips.com/itinerary-12-days-menton-nice/

26:53 Festival Packages

30:07 How to Get Started in Film Festivals--Volunteer locally.

Nashville Film Fest
Belcourt Theater

Film Festival Travel

 Elaine and Scott Harris--Journalists, Sommeliers, and TV Hosts--discuss Switzerland, Ireland, New Orleans, Central Coast of  California, and advice on a happy life.

Cuisineist.com https://cuisineist.com/ 

*YouTube version w/ photos &videos by Scott and Elaine Harris, Canva: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5etq3B6gBIE

https://www.arnaudsrestaurant.com
https://www.galatoires.com
http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com...
https://antoines.com
https://www.commanderspalace.com
https://www.brennansneworleans.com
https://cuisineist.com/2019/06/the-monterey-peninsula-provides-a-dreamy-destination-any-time-of-year
https://www.staritahills.com/wine-and...

https://southerngirlgoneglobal.com/travel-writing-course
https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1999787/new-orleans-travel-with-kids