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WHereTraveler Podcast’s Traveling Teresa - All of us here at the Break It Down Show have wanderlust. We're constantly called to the road and visiting new/old places. Today we re-connect with Teresa Rodriguez who was a guest, gosh, about 500 episodes ago.
To listen to the WhereTraveler Podcast on YouTube click here You NEED to be on the WhereTraveler email list. Teresa is the Editor and Chief for WhereTraveler San Francisco. As the regional editor, Teresa curates experiences for travelers. Essentially, she and her peers all over the US are our friends who know the best places, the hidden gems...and how to best enjoy the must-see sites. |
Transcription
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Whether it's theatre, dining, walking the High Line in NYC, SXSW or the best wineries in Sonoma, WhereTraveler Podcast is your best audio guide for travel.
#travel #dining #vacation #localtravel #whattodo Haiku Teresa says “GO” WhereTraveler is your guide Choose Your Adventure Similar episodes: Teresa Rodriguez Jeanette C Espinoza Scott Eddy |
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Jon Leon Guerrero 0:00
Hey, this is john Leon Guerrero. Our guest today is Teresa Rodriguez. She's been a travel writer since long before there were bloggers about travel or anything else. She's got an innate curiosity about cultures and places and scenery and what makes them all special, a keen sense of how to capture all the details, and an inherently relatable way about translating back the parts of an experience that feed our humanity. She's the San Francisco editor in chief of where traveler magazine, where her words and talents inspire and entertain a lot of people.
Hey, this is john Leon Guerrero. Our guest today is Teresa Rodriguez. She's been a travel writer since long before there were bloggers about travel or anything else. She's got an innate curiosity about cultures and places and scenery and what makes them all special, a keen sense of how to capture all the details, and an inherently relatable way about translating back the parts of an experience that feed our humanity. She's the San Francisco editor in chief of where traveler magazine, where her words and talents inspire and entertain a lot of people.
Jon Leon Guerrero 0:00
Hey, this is john Leon Guerrero. Our guest today is Teresa Rodriguez. She's been a travel writer since long before there were bloggers about travel or anything else. She's got an innate curiosity about cultures and places and scenery and what makes them all special, a keen sense of how to capture all the details, and an inherently relatable way about translating back the parts of an experience that feed our humanity. She's the San Francisco editor in chief of where traveler magazine, where her words and talents inspire and entertain a lot of people. And now she's the host and executive producer of the were traveler podcast. So in addition to a written words, we can actually hear her voice. Pete and I co produced that podcast and I do some narrative segments and guest introductions. That means that in addition to being friends with Theresa for many years, she is now also our boss. I think we're in for a lot of trouble. Anyway, we love her. We love her whole vibe. She just can't seem to stop connecting people and helping them their missions, their careers and their whole experience. You should pick up where traveler magazine if you're not reading it already, and you should listen to her on the weird traveler podcast available wherever you get good podcasts. Clearly, you know where to get good podcast because you're listening to this one. So I compliment you. As always, if you like what we're doing, please take just a minute, give us that five star rating on iTunes or Stitcher or wherever you're listening. Write us a little review and give us some feedback and some love. I'm going to ask that you do the same for the where traveler podcast as well. Just a little review and a little click on that five star rating. That's all not too much to ask. And you're about to hear how much she deserves your five star rating and your review. Here's our guest today and our very dear friend from where traveler magazine and the world traveler podcast. The lovely and talented Teresa Rodriguez. Millions rock productions
Jay Mohr 1:57
This is Jay Mohr
Jordan Harbinger 1:58
this is Jordan Harbinger
sebastian junger 1:59
This is Sebastian youngsters
Rick Marotta 2:02
This is Rick Marotta,
stewart copeland 2:02
This is Stewart Copeland.
Skunk Baxter 2:05
Skunk Baxter,
Gabby Reese 2:06
This is Gabby Reese,
Rob Bell 2:07
This is Rob Bell
Jon Leon Guerrero 2:07
this is Jon Leon Guerrero
Pete Turner 2:09
this is Pete a Turner.
Teresa Rodriguez 2:12
Hi, this is Theresa Rodriguez, the host of were traveler podcast. And we're here at the break it down show.
Niko Leon Guerrero 2:21
And now the breakdown show with john Leon Guerrero and Pete a Turner.
Pete Turner 2:28
Yeah, so your second visit many, many moons ago you were on the show. So it's crazy that it's been basically 500 episodes since we last talked, at least on the air. I know. Right?
Teresa Rodriguez 2:42
That's that's that's a big, that's huge.
Pete Turner 2:44
It is it is enormous. It really has made a big difference in the show's credibility and reach and everything. It's a lot of hard work. And as you know, is you publish not just one magazine, but several. your content constantly moving forward. And it's important every now and then to slow down and look back and appreciate what you've done.
Teresa Rodriguez 3:06
Yeah, that's so true.
Pete Turner 3:08
So, okay, let's first cover this. I've known Theresa for ever we go back as far as people can go back. So it's always great to have people that I know on the show. But also now we've partnered up on the world traveler podcast, which I am, I'm encouraging everybody to go listen to because I just get a kick out of it. You know, I, I get to hear a lot of content. So I know good content when I hear it. And the one the show that's going to drop later today is just fantastic about Alcatraz. And I love what you're creating.
Teresa Rodriguez 3:39
Thanks. Well couldn't have done it without you, my dear. So
your idea to do a podcast for word traveler, which makes absolutely perfect sense. Since you know we're traveler is been creating content for travelers since 1936. So it was time for us to move to the new century, the digital space.
Pete Turner 4:03
Yes. What have you discovered? Because there's so many things and podcasts are so spherical in what they are? What have you figured out so far?
Teresa Rodriguez 4:13
I figured out that I need to talk less and slow down. But I think that's just a really great lesson in life in general, just to talk less and slow down. I think that's my new mantra now. And what I've learned is that people have this incredible ability to share if you let them open up, and how do you do that? You talk less, right? And ask questions, I think, stay curious.
Pete Turner 4:41
Yeah, you're exactly right. I asked the silent question there. When you finished, you said, right. And then I let it go. And you continued on, like just that whole, that recognition as a host to smash your ego back, let the person shine. And then just I like to say listen, for things not to the person, of course, you're listening to the person, but you're listening for a moment where you can really get somewhere special.
Teresa Rodriguez 5:07
Yeah, totally. So I think that's been my biggest lesson, I think, to just trying to figure out what listeners would be interested in curious. And I think that, as an editor in chief, I do live in a world where I get bombarded. Every day I get around 300 pitches, from people wanting coverage of their restaurant or their attraction, or, you know, something that's happening in San Francisco or the Bay Area, Napa Valley wine country, Carmel, you know, the whole Northern California scene. And so you know, my job, and I take it very seriously is to curate the content, knowing who our readers are, and who our listeners are, and what they want and what they need when they come to San Francisco. What's really cool about the podcast, though, its national. So, you know, we're on a platform, you know, where traveler itself is a platform of a quarter million people who've subscribed to receive our newsletters and our content. And so when you look at that, it's awesome to be able to branch out and talk not only to people in San Francisco, about San Francisco in Northern California, but also you know, go to the Statue of Liberty and, and talk to them about, you know, Lady Liberty and all that all her secrets, you know, so that's really fascinating to me.
Pete Turner 6:33
Yeah, we do have chef Michelle, on she was talking not only about her work, you know, on coyote shows in Little Havana in Miami, but also her experiences and coming to your town. Yeah, what she sees in terms of the interesting things for her as a world renowned chef, I love that aspect of the show where you get a little bit of their world, and then also get to hear them be tourist, I hope we can continue to do more of that.
Teresa Rodriguez 7:03
Yeah, it was fantastic. And I love everybody's perspective, right? Like, you know, you talk to an historian and their, their perspective of life is through the lens of history. You talk to a chef and her life is through the eyes of, you know, cuisine, and I really love that being able to experience other people's perspective through, you know, podcasts in this medium. It's it's fascinating.
Pete Turner 7:25
So as you look at the brand in general, there's there's, you know, where traveler in New York where you've been already, but there's also again, Miami, New Orleans, Orange County, San Diego, you know, all of the big places, where are you interested? Like, there's never enough time and money to go to all of them. And you travel so much. So like, you know, a lot of that part isn't super exciting for you. But in terms of the people you want to get to where are you excited to take us to next?
Teresa Rodriguez 7:54
Oh, I would love to take us to New Orleans. I just think New Orleans is such a fascinating city and where traveler has such a great brand in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. So I would love to speak with the editor in chief there. I'd love to, you know, just go behind the scenes of some of the really crazy tours, they've got great swap tours is, you know, midnight cemetery tours and Voodoo tours. And, you know, it's just to me, that's just such a fascinating part of the United States. That Gosh, with such a deep roots. Yeah, you know, it's so many different parts, you know, you've got the, the roots of the Creole and the cuisine and beautiful architecture. So yeah, I would love I, it The truth is I never get tired of traveling. If somebody handed me a ticket somewhere today, I would. I would go like I was just looking at Nantucket. I've never been to Nantucket. I'm like, Oh, that was just like so awesome. So I think one of the things for me is just staying curious. Yeah, every destination, you know, not just ones that are on were travelers radar, you know, where were travelers go. But also places that are just a little off the beaten path.
Pete Turner 9:07
Yeah, for sure that stuff like, you know, you can say go to Anton's in New Orleans, but but a lot of us know that already. You know, when you had Francis Lewis on the guy that does your job in New York City, and they talked about the Highline and all those other places. They're not necessarily secrets. But just to say that to curate that whole experience, like this is how you can spend a day in New York City.
Teresa Rodriguez 9:31
Yeah, that's fantastic. And it's so fascinating to hear what others in my position, really are trying to promote as well and curate because our job is to give the best you know, we have to remember that we've got travelers who come to our city, you know, I look at San Francisco, we've got 25 million people who come to San Francisco every year, they spend $10 billion. That's a million dollars every hour that they're spending in the city of San Francisco. And they're relying on where traveler to where to spend this money, right? Are they going to go spend it at this restaurant who's that's got really awful service and the crab sucks, or they're going to go spend it at this restaurant, where the service is fantastic. And the crowd is phenomenal. That's my job because they're here for only a few days, the average traveler to San Francisco is here for four days, spending 30 $500.
Pete Turner 10:20
In those four days, people have a lot of work to do, right. And it's
Teresa Rodriguez 10:24
you know, and they want to they want to go down Lombard Street, and they want to have one of this and they want to go across the Golden Gate Bridge, and they want to eat crab and Fisherman's Wharf. I want them to do all of that, but I want them to do it the best they can, you know, better than experience not just go to eat crabs, Fisherman's Wharf, these are the best places to eat crab, you know, or if you want to take some, you know, go off the beaten track. These are some of the best crab places that are in San Francisco that are not necessarily in Fisherman's Wharf, I, I worked at Pier 39. As a concierge. One of my favorite things to do is I one of the guys that I worked with, we would go and eat crab once a week, like, let's find the best crab in San Francisco. And we just went out last last Saturday and went to a place on Clement street down in the Richmond district to have crab and it was fantastic. So it's like you know, those are the things I love to find out you know, it's really stay curious.
Pete Turner 11:21
Yes, that curiosity like knowing to go to the mall and Ari's for a deli. That place right it's not a secret. But if you don't know to go there, you're missing out because it's so so top notch so good. When it comes to these you know these kind of these hidden gems I suppose. Or the big names what's your preference? Like what personally do you like to do more?
Teresa Rodriguez 11:44
I you know, I'm I'll be honest, I love food. So I'm always looking for that little place that little hidden gem somewhere that is that serves the best of there is and there's places that I like specific food you know, Burmese there's, you know, they do this fermented tea leaf salad over at Burma superstar which you'll never get a salad is fantastic as the salad for a superstar. This is specific tea leaf 14 you know, 14 spice tea leaf salad. And you know, you can go and get crabs at Woodhouse fish co on Fillmore Street and have fantastic Belgian food and muscles over on Union Street at build. So for me, there's specific places I like to go for specific foods. And if I'm craving something I know, like Okay, it's time for me to go to fog harbor to get a bowl of clam chowder. Yeah.
Pete Turner 12:42
Yeah. For reals when you travel. Like if you go to New Orleans or a town that you don't have wired tight, and you've been everywhere? Would you actually grab world traveler magazines? I know that Francis talked to you, like, put one in your back pocket and take it all over the place? It's a great reference. But is that really what you would do?
Teresa Rodriguez 12:59
So I still I do it before I even worked for. I mean, I've got where travelers in my, on my coffee table from St. Petersburg from Moscow from Venice. Yeah, when I've traveled to those destinations. And what I love about them is they're also a souvenir, and a reminder of what was happening that month that I went. So I always recommend that people pick up a world traveler, as a souvenir. And as a reminder of all the things that were happening that month, that they were in that destination. So it's really cool, because I have the one from St. Petersburg from last year when I went for World Cup with my my parents, and it's you know, it's all about summer and St. Petersburg, and I have that fantastic memory. And then when I was in Venice, for my birthday, you know, I picked up a, you know, a were traveler Venice and have all the cool things that were happening in Venice during the month I was there.
Pete Turner 13:51
Yeah. Wow. So many questions, because those Yeah, those memories just took me away to my own memories. And you're right, it's fantastic. Okay, so you've got a podcast now, and and you're getting your host legs underneath you and you are doing very, very well. You already have an editorial mind. Where, where specifically besides New Orleans, are you going to try to take us? is there other any other things on the horizon? I mean, is it seasonal? You've done some stuff at festivals, what's what's ahead of us?
Teresa Rodriguez 14:21
Well, we have more festivals coming up. So we have the Mill Valley Film Festival happening. And we have you know, San Francisco gets really, really busy. In September, there's so much going on. I think that's September is like our summer, or summer month or one month of summer here where we've got so many things going on. Yeah, the opening of the chase center as well, which is a really big deal. So definitely want to get that that happening. I really want to interview all the different editors in all the different markets from Seattle to Philadelphia, down to Miami, Chicago, we've got some really interesting things that are happening is in each market place. And to be able to get each of the editors online and find out what's what's happening in their city. I mean, I love it.
Pete Turner 15:11
Yeah, there's really not enough time to do it all. You know, like, I live in Orange County, I'm in San Diego all the time. I'm in LA all the time, I would love to just know, everything that those like you say, you talked about the curated experience that you editors create, just to know those people to say, Hey, this is the year because it's LA, there are 5 million things going on every day. I can't tell you how many musical venues there are. How many of you know one person plays it just it's an enormous amount of stuff. And you and your peers just have access to so many things. I mean, you think San Francisco, but but really, it's the Sonoma wine Valley, the Napa wine Valley, Santa Cruz, you know, all these different? Oh my gosh,
Teresa Rodriguez 15:55
there. It's, then we've got you know, Livermore and 20. You know, we've got 20 vineyards that are doing this incredible, you know, concert series, and, you know, it's, there's it's endless, like if I literally did everything that I was invited to do, I wouldn't have a job.
Pete Turner 16:13
Right? I would be so busy. Having fun and drinking wine and seeing concerts and eating fantastic food. All of these experiences are wonderful. Where does Teresa that I want to go do everything person stop and Teresa, the editor take over and say I've been to venti five times, I have to go do something else. Let me go do this other thing, or is it hard? I mean, do you just trust your sense, maybe, and what the readers will get from and the listeners will get from your experiences?
Teresa Rodriguez 16:42
Well, we're really, really lucky because we have I have a cadre of fantastic writers. So I there, they're my eyes and ears and feet and you know, boots on the ground when I am not doing all of this stuff. So I send people up to wine country, I'm sending people on these two. And, you know, to experience it and write about it for us. I mean, I think that's one of the great things about being an editor is that you have the opportunity to really empower others to share their experience. The truth is, is that you know, I'm a single mom of an eight year old so I when I am not being curious for we're traveler and being curious with an eight year old and where to go and what to do. And, you know, we have our memberships, you know, we have our memberships to all of the different museums. And one of our favorites is the Exploratorium, where, you know, we're I can bring a bunch of kids. So we'll have playdates to the Exploratorium. I'm a member of the battery, which is a private club in San Francisco that does events for children on the weekends, and puppet shows and storytelling. So we'll go to the battery, you know, to have brunch and play with Legos and run around with all the other kids and San Francisco is a really great city for children. You know, people are like, oh, let's move out of San Francisco. You know, if you could afford to raise a child in this Metropolitan environment, I highly recommend it. You know, I took her to see Carmen, the opera, and she was just mesmerized with the music and the movement and the drama of it all. And I you know, she's I took her to see Hamilton for Valentine's Day. And we're super excited because Harry Potter, the music of the theater performance is coming to San Francisco in October. So we're already set to, to go see that. That the two you know, for people who don't know Harry Potter has been playing, and it was in London and New York, it's in New York right now. It's coming to San Francisco. It's a it's two place. So you watch the first play, which is the first part of the book and then you watch the second play. And so it's literally a full day of theater. Oh my gosh, a break in between? Yeah, it's fun and stuff like that. But you know, how could you not want to be a kid in this city?
Pete Turner 18:58
Yeah, it's incredible. Well, just in general, like just not even in this city. But the travel things. We've already talked about the incredible food that's out there, festivals, theater, all these things and theatre sounds really pretentious. But what I love about what you get to do is show us how how, what a blast it is. You know, like I've been to a lot of theater and there are many things that blow me away one the venues are gorgeous the architecture so the when you come down to Orange County will have to go to the seniors jump together. That's just like, mouth the gate looking at like, Oh my God, look at this beautiful building. And then you go in, you have a drink or whatever. And the live musicianship I saw something at the Hollywood Bowl the other day, and basically, it was the 30th anniversary of the Little Mermaid which blows me away. That's 30 years old. I love it. But the symphony played the numbers live and then they played the movie on screens and it's the Hollywood Bowl so there's no better live opener venue in the world like it is
Teresa Rodriguez 19:59
no yeah the weather so great down there
Pete Turner 20:01
will get this it rained just enough to add the you know the ocean he kind of feel so everybody got wet, but no one got soaked if that. And then they would press pause in the movie and st now seeing in the part of Little Mermaid is Leah Michelle. Oh, wow. Cuz it's Yeah, it's fantastic. La, you know, so you get to hear a live performance live music in just a man. So yeah, people that are missing out on the wonder of theater and you want to take care of your relationship. Go see theater of some kind once a quarter.
Teresa Rodriguez 20:35
Oh, yeah, I totally agree. I just saw hairspray which is playing at the Victorian theater in San Francisco. It's in the mission. It's the oldest theater in San Francisco. And it was just this awesome, you know, performance of, of hairspray. And afterwards, we walked down to Valencia and 16th and got a bite at a new restaurant called El de that's open until 2am. It serves food until one and it's a a combination of Mexican Japanese fusion. Like only you know, only in San Francisco right? Can you Well, not only in San Francisco but San Francisco is a great city to be able to go see hairspray and then hang out at a Asian fusion bar until 1am. eating chicken Japanese sandwiches and Carney the tacos.
Pete Turner 21:26
I love a sushi burrito First of all, I yes. I love them. And then also, you're right sushi with like some cilantro in it or like a pico de guy oh kind of thing. And they're like God just it works. And you're right. That's not a cultural appropriation. That's delicious. Is what that is.
Teresa Rodriguez 21:44
Right. And I think San Francisco we really love, you know, pushing the envelope and merging boundaries and grafting food together. Yeah. And some of the food trucks. One of my favorite things to do is we've got off the grid that's happening. Well, it's now called Presidio picnic on Sunday at the Presidio, where the Walt Disney museum is, and it's you know, 50 food trucks that wrap around the park and we they've got a live DJ and a bar in the middle and a guy that wearing a tux that is pulling up a Bloody Bloody Mary maker carts around and it's just a fantastic afternoon with the you know, with your family, your friends, bring your blankets, bring your own roads, a frisbees. kites, yeah, Sundays up until October. So
Pete Turner 22:36
you're an author, you've written several books. You're a traveler, you know, which is a separate thing. But that's like your muse. You You're a magazine editor, and you are mastering lots of different forms of media. how good of a grip do you have on podcasting? Now that you've got your you know, you've got a taste of it.
Teresa Rodriguez 22:55
I have no grip on podcasting. I just, I trust you, I just fall face forward and hope that it all works out. So, you know, I'm passionate about interviewing people, I love meeting new people. I'm forever curious about what others perspectives are and their experience of life. So that in itself just gets me excited. So I'm always like, wow, this would be a great podcast. Yeah, this will be great podcast. But at the end of the day, I have to like, Okay, what do I really have time for? What do our listeners really want to hear? And what's realistic, right?
Pete Turner 23:27
Yeah, no, that's 100%. For sure. I mean, I take my gear with me everywhere I go, but I can't record every conversation that I have. And I think what you're going to find is that more and more, you're going to just be doing. I wouldn't call them mock interviews, but you'll be doing like practice. You're like, Oh, my God, this would be a great show. You know, so you're going to find even more things that you're passionate about the the interview you did with with? The Albright that's going up today, where they lived on Alcatraz and you find out that they have the wardens furniture in their house, they got to keep it as they turned the lifestyle.
Teresa Rodriguez 24:03
so crazy, right? Like a boat came to Alcatraz furniture on the boat, took it to the dock loaded into a truck. And then they drove it all the way across country. Yeah. And now it's got you know, the Alcatraz on it. And it's going to end up in the Smithsonian. Yeah, that's so fascinating. And then
Pete Turner 24:20
by the way, this is the inside stuff you get from podcast by the way. The the curtains that that Catherine sewed are still on Alcatraz still in building six or wherever it was, you know?
Teresa Rodriguez 24:31
Yeah. So crazy, right?
Pete Turner 24:33
Yeah, yeah, those are those are wonderful things where you not getting to enough like what's next for you. You're like, I really need to get down to San Antonio or whatever it is.
Teresa Rodriguez 24:42
I need to get back down to Mexico. I have not touched the Caribbean ocean. My favorite part of the world is that area to loom. Welcome all that area south of Cancun and sidecar. And man, it's, you know, there's a bunch of little little seaport villages, really. And I don't want to tell any of your listeners this because I don't want them to go down there. There's just these gorgeous little villages that have not been populated yet where the fishermen live. And the turtle swim in the bay and waters blue is blue can be and I really love Mexico because I love food. I'm not a big fan of Caribbean food. But I'm a big fan of Mexican food. So it's the best of both worlds. I've got the Caribbean ocean right there. You know, Cortana rue the state of Cortana. Room. Right. And I've got the food. I absolutely adore it. So I need to get my feet back in that blue, blue blue blue water.
Pete Turner 25:42
Yeah, so so not not so much curry but more carne asada for you.
Teresa Rodriguez 25:46
Yeah, I'm not I I'll be honest, I'm not a curry fan. Which is really interesting as being a foodie that I am I yet Indian food, I have not found the exact my my food. And I know that what's happening, and we're going to be covering it in our November, November issue of where traveler is the micro culture, food that's actually popping up. So it's not just Indian food itself. East Indian food is northern Indian food. It's Indian food from the city of Mumbai. It's Indian food, you know. So what's so fascinating is that there's actually we're getting micro cultural food in San Francisco. And so we're going to be exploring that in our November issue with our writer, Virginia Miller, who is a fantastic writer.
Pete Turner 26:36
Oh, that's super cool. I love that. Yeah. And then how, how the heck does curry get to Trinidad and Tobago? Like, how did how did that happen? You know, because it's for sure. Indian inspired, but it is not their style. It's just Yeah, that's great. So the Caribbean is on the list. What about somewhere in the US? Where do you want to get yet? We don't forget that question. Let me ask you this. In California, we're so close to Hawaii is so accessible. People sort of just default there because let's be honest, it's perfect. But if I want to do something else, what else can you do if you're if you're on the West Coast?
Teresa Rodriguez 27:12
Oh, God. I mean, it depends on what you want to experience. I and how far you want to go and how you want to get there. You know, if you're living in Northern California, we have access to Santa Cruz and Carmel The weather's a lot nicer than it is in San Francisco. But if you want some rugged coastline going up to Mendocino for a romantic weekend is just superb. We've got great wineries now that are in that whole area this Alexander Valley we've got Stromberg champion, you know, they make champagne method wa UNE keep going north and you've got this incredible coastline that's just gorgeous. I mean, it's out of movies. Or if you want to go east and head to the Gold Country and you've got these beautiful rolling hills and you know, Columbia that that whole area with was found you got great little bed and breakfast is you can go up to Shasta. So I think that it depends on what you want to experience. Me I would love to go down to Santa Cruz and take my daughter there for a long weekend because the weather's great. I mean, you know, Santa Cruz beach boardwalk, there's nothing better. Yeah. You know, one of the things that I do with my daughters we do do staycation. We just spent the night at the Sir Francis Drake hotel last weekend, where we were just I ordered room service and we ate you know, we ordered a movie and ate hamburgers in bed. And
Jon Leon Guerrero 28:35
this episode of the breakdown show is brought to you by lions rock productions. That's us. We publish, evaluate and develop podcasts just like this one, consult others to build their own and create associated content and content marketing strategies. So if you're launching or expanding your social media presence, your business or your personal brand, or if you just want to take your media presence to the next level, reach out to us on Twitter at Pete a Turner. JOHN LG 69 I had to break it down show there's 1000 ways to get ahold of us
Pete Turner 29:05
now enjoy the show
Teresa Rodriguez 29:07
eight hamburgers in bed and didn't have to worry about cleaning it up in the bed you know so i think that you don't have to go far to have a great time with your family or with your friends or your loved one or whatever and you know getting away doesn't have to be super far. You know it's just a change you know a change something simple as if you're living in land go to go stay a little beach, you know, a little beach la that's doesn't cost a fortune and the Coney dogs or whatever. You know, Pacifica has like the best Taco Bell in the United States. It's got serves beer now.
Unknown Speaker 29:45
Oh, yeah. One of the beer. Yeah, yeah.
Teresa Rodriguez 29:49
Go to Pacifica for the day, right. Oh, my gosh,
Pete Turner 29:51
I was in San Diego the other day. And we were there for part of some interviews, but also for Comic Con, because one of our guests was at Comic marcom as a as a display, and we just went to the next Mexican place in in the right part of San Diego. You know, and my God. So the next thing you know, I'm in Missoula, having, quote unquote, Mexican food. And there's nothing wrong with the food that I had in Missoula, but it was not San Diego Mexican food. So delicious. But yeah, like so for. If you were to think six hours to fly from California to Hawaii, you could be in St. George, Utah. Right. You could
Teresa Rodriguez 30:32
stick and if you're into hiking and nature, St. George's fantastic. You know, you've got Red Mountain spa there, which is wonderful. And you do those things. George, you can go south, you can end up in San Diego, which I absolutely love San Diego, the weather's fantastic. I mean, you can actually even take the train from San Francisco to San Diego, you can go take the train to Santa Barbara, you can take the train up north to go to Sacramento, Sacramento is got some really cool hotels that are opening up downtown and their whole downtown area is really, you know, growing up. Yeah. So you know, especially if you just want to go to a place that's got a pool because the truth is, is San Francisco is not warm. You're it's not a pool city. It's a Food City, and understanding what you want to experience. And you know, in my first book, fly solo, the 50 best places on earth for a girl to travel alone. I broke up destinations based on culture, yeah, activity, weather and social. So you know, how much culture Do you want to experience? How important how, how active Do you want to be? How important is the weather? And how social, you know how much how much do you want to interact with other people? Now that I've done all this, you know, more than because that was what 10 years ago, I would add food, food. And I would also ask add cost, you know, how? How much money do you want to spend? So Seattle, I think that
Jon Leon Guerrero 31:59
is a fantastic city never stops,
Teresa Rodriguez 32:01
right? It really it never does stop. Like I was looking at flights to Nantucket, like how long would it take me to get to Nantucket with Cassandra my daughter? And where could we stay in? It was like seven and a half hour flight, you know? and hang out. And yeah, I have a completely different experience of the United States. Or Montana go horse riding in Montana. Gosh, it
Pete Turner 32:22
was so gorgeous up there. It's just it's my God. It's gorgeous up there. So so this is what we should do. We should have you fly down to San Diego, I'll meet you down there. And we'll take the surf land or north. even all the way to San Luis Obispo if we want. And we'll just grab four or five podcasts along the way. You're just things that are within a short Uber ride of the train track and then just pop pop, pop pop pop up and do and do Southern California.
Teresa Rodriguez 32:49
Yeah, definitely. I'm in.
Pete Turner 32:50
Ok. So the show is called the world traveler podcast. That's part of the world traveler brand. It sort of accompanies all of the guides that are out there in general. We've hit New you're we've hit San Francisco done some festivals. I think episode eight will drop today. There's a whole bunch of new stuff coming up, Teresa's got the bug to get out there that maybe Nantucket or wherever it's going to be? What else do we need to know Theresa about the show?
Teresa Rodriguez 33:15
Well, where to find it, which you You're the one that set up all that stuff. So you can download it on your iPhone or your smartphone, you can find it on Apple podcast, make sure to subscribe, and like and write a great review. Now I sound like a one of those influencers
Pete Turner 33:37
for following followers, well, let me let me say, let me say the second way though, because
if you want to, if you're going to go to New York, for work, or for pleasure, whatever, if you listen to the Francis Lewis episode, you're going to instantly be inspired. That's why you want to subscribe because this is going to be a source of information for you. And so when you send your email that you're reading, sad to say, please go to whatever Cincinnati and tell us all about it. Because I'm going next year for my family reunion, then boom, you're going to have Teresa able to respond to these things and put you in that place. Whether it's New York City, Miami, Boston, whatever that's that's what we're trying to do is, is to give you guys that that curated experience. I mean that, you know, everybody always wants travel tips from their friends that have been to Paris. But how about someone who lives and works there and curious for a living? I'm
Teresa Rodriguez 34:31
really excited about the East Village interview with our with our gentleman, Neil, who has such an understanding of the area. It's so fascinating. That's where that's where the Hari Krishna tree is. Yeah, it's like one of the oldest Ukrainian villages in the United States. We go and visit it and enchantments shop where you can get by spells. It's just so fascinating. And this was all in an area of five blocks in New York City. Fascinating.
Pete Turner 35:01
Yeah, no, it is fascinating. And oh, the other thing I guess I should say, too, is if you are going to come to the Bay, realize that 5700 people that day go to Alcatraz. I know it's busy. I don't realize it was packed, it's packed. And they need to buy their tickets beforehand, of course that they can.
Teresa Rodriguez 35:24
They can find tickets many times but they're always packaged up with bus, the bus tours and other types of tours. You know, it's one of the things that the concierge is called the impossible. Yeah. And getting reservations at restaurants like state bird provision, and quince and French Laundry and tickets to Alcatraz those are like the foreign possibles so make sure that if you're coming to San Francisco and those are the some of the things that you want to do book them before a book them ahead of time. And with all of those you can book them 90 days in advance.
Pete Turner 35:56
And they have this was the about the Alcatraz tour. There's the standard tour. There's a nighttime spooky kind of tour. And then this behind the scenes totally new tour. It's like a five and a half hour. Yeah. Oh man.
Teresa Rodriguez 36:09
I've been a half hour tour of and they get gritty. There's no children allowed, which I understand. I took my daughter and her friends on a on an Alcatraz boat cruise. It was just a cruise that went around the island of Alcatraz. And they had way too many sound effects for children. It was you know, gunshots and you know, cussing and things like that. So I do not recommend the bow cruiser route Alcatraz for children under the age of 14.
Pete Turner 36:34
Yes. And also recommend for adults the point of VISTA before and after because Irish coffees are great.
Teresa Rodriguez 36:42
Yeah, especially have to get off the bay which is can always be a little bit chilly. can be chilly. They're coming to California. It's nice and sunny and warm. But the Bay Area is its own beast. Yeah. has its own micro climates here. So you know our motto should be bring a sweater. Where layers.
Pete Turner 36:59
Yeah, for sure. Even in the summertime. Well listen, especially in the summer.
That's when you don't expect it and it creeps up on you. You end up in snowy Valley. Wondering what the heck happened? Um, well listen, I appreciate you coming on and talking about where I live podcast with me because I'm passionate about it. Everybody, you got to support the show because I'm telling you when you do travel, this company will put you in a good spot. The curated experience thing is fantastic. I have I have become addicted to the newsletter and to the magazines. You know, and Theresa, I've got one to less so bad. Like I want to go to 15 more places the summer and the summer it's almost over you know,
Teresa Rodriguez 37:40
we're doing our job, you know, inspiring people to travel. That's what it's about, you know, you you increase your perspective of the world as the world becomes smaller and you know, we all start getting along better. We know that there's no walls and there's no boundaries.
Unknown Speaker 37:53
I love it.
Hey, this is john Leon Guerrero. Our guest today is Teresa Rodriguez. She's been a travel writer since long before there were bloggers about travel or anything else. She's got an innate curiosity about cultures and places and scenery and what makes them all special, a keen sense of how to capture all the details, and an inherently relatable way about translating back the parts of an experience that feed our humanity. She's the San Francisco editor in chief of where traveler magazine, where her words and talents inspire and entertain a lot of people. And now she's the host and executive producer of the were traveler podcast. So in addition to a written words, we can actually hear her voice. Pete and I co produced that podcast and I do some narrative segments and guest introductions. That means that in addition to being friends with Theresa for many years, she is now also our boss. I think we're in for a lot of trouble. Anyway, we love her. We love her whole vibe. She just can't seem to stop connecting people and helping them their missions, their careers and their whole experience. You should pick up where traveler magazine if you're not reading it already, and you should listen to her on the weird traveler podcast available wherever you get good podcasts. Clearly, you know where to get good podcast because you're listening to this one. So I compliment you. As always, if you like what we're doing, please take just a minute, give us that five star rating on iTunes or Stitcher or wherever you're listening. Write us a little review and give us some feedback and some love. I'm going to ask that you do the same for the where traveler podcast as well. Just a little review and a little click on that five star rating. That's all not too much to ask. And you're about to hear how much she deserves your five star rating and your review. Here's our guest today and our very dear friend from where traveler magazine and the world traveler podcast. The lovely and talented Teresa Rodriguez. Millions rock productions
Jay Mohr 1:57
This is Jay Mohr
Jordan Harbinger 1:58
this is Jordan Harbinger
sebastian junger 1:59
This is Sebastian youngsters
Rick Marotta 2:02
This is Rick Marotta,
stewart copeland 2:02
This is Stewart Copeland.
Skunk Baxter 2:05
Skunk Baxter,
Gabby Reese 2:06
This is Gabby Reese,
Rob Bell 2:07
This is Rob Bell
Jon Leon Guerrero 2:07
this is Jon Leon Guerrero
Pete Turner 2:09
this is Pete a Turner.
Teresa Rodriguez 2:12
Hi, this is Theresa Rodriguez, the host of were traveler podcast. And we're here at the break it down show.
Niko Leon Guerrero 2:21
And now the breakdown show with john Leon Guerrero and Pete a Turner.
Pete Turner 2:28
Yeah, so your second visit many, many moons ago you were on the show. So it's crazy that it's been basically 500 episodes since we last talked, at least on the air. I know. Right?
Teresa Rodriguez 2:42
That's that's that's a big, that's huge.
Pete Turner 2:44
It is it is enormous. It really has made a big difference in the show's credibility and reach and everything. It's a lot of hard work. And as you know, is you publish not just one magazine, but several. your content constantly moving forward. And it's important every now and then to slow down and look back and appreciate what you've done.
Teresa Rodriguez 3:06
Yeah, that's so true.
Pete Turner 3:08
So, okay, let's first cover this. I've known Theresa for ever we go back as far as people can go back. So it's always great to have people that I know on the show. But also now we've partnered up on the world traveler podcast, which I am, I'm encouraging everybody to go listen to because I just get a kick out of it. You know, I, I get to hear a lot of content. So I know good content when I hear it. And the one the show that's going to drop later today is just fantastic about Alcatraz. And I love what you're creating.
Teresa Rodriguez 3:39
Thanks. Well couldn't have done it without you, my dear. So
your idea to do a podcast for word traveler, which makes absolutely perfect sense. Since you know we're traveler is been creating content for travelers since 1936. So it was time for us to move to the new century, the digital space.
Pete Turner 4:03
Yes. What have you discovered? Because there's so many things and podcasts are so spherical in what they are? What have you figured out so far?
Teresa Rodriguez 4:13
I figured out that I need to talk less and slow down. But I think that's just a really great lesson in life in general, just to talk less and slow down. I think that's my new mantra now. And what I've learned is that people have this incredible ability to share if you let them open up, and how do you do that? You talk less, right? And ask questions, I think, stay curious.
Pete Turner 4:41
Yeah, you're exactly right. I asked the silent question there. When you finished, you said, right. And then I let it go. And you continued on, like just that whole, that recognition as a host to smash your ego back, let the person shine. And then just I like to say listen, for things not to the person, of course, you're listening to the person, but you're listening for a moment where you can really get somewhere special.
Teresa Rodriguez 5:07
Yeah, totally. So I think that's been my biggest lesson, I think, to just trying to figure out what listeners would be interested in curious. And I think that, as an editor in chief, I do live in a world where I get bombarded. Every day I get around 300 pitches, from people wanting coverage of their restaurant or their attraction, or, you know, something that's happening in San Francisco or the Bay Area, Napa Valley wine country, Carmel, you know, the whole Northern California scene. And so you know, my job, and I take it very seriously is to curate the content, knowing who our readers are, and who our listeners are, and what they want and what they need when they come to San Francisco. What's really cool about the podcast, though, its national. So, you know, we're on a platform, you know, where traveler itself is a platform of a quarter million people who've subscribed to receive our newsletters and our content. And so when you look at that, it's awesome to be able to branch out and talk not only to people in San Francisco, about San Francisco in Northern California, but also you know, go to the Statue of Liberty and, and talk to them about, you know, Lady Liberty and all that all her secrets, you know, so that's really fascinating to me.
Pete Turner 6:33
Yeah, we do have chef Michelle, on she was talking not only about her work, you know, on coyote shows in Little Havana in Miami, but also her experiences and coming to your town. Yeah, what she sees in terms of the interesting things for her as a world renowned chef, I love that aspect of the show where you get a little bit of their world, and then also get to hear them be tourist, I hope we can continue to do more of that.
Teresa Rodriguez 7:03
Yeah, it was fantastic. And I love everybody's perspective, right? Like, you know, you talk to an historian and their, their perspective of life is through the lens of history. You talk to a chef and her life is through the eyes of, you know, cuisine, and I really love that being able to experience other people's perspective through, you know, podcasts in this medium. It's it's fascinating.
Pete Turner 7:25
So as you look at the brand in general, there's there's, you know, where traveler in New York where you've been already, but there's also again, Miami, New Orleans, Orange County, San Diego, you know, all of the big places, where are you interested? Like, there's never enough time and money to go to all of them. And you travel so much. So like, you know, a lot of that part isn't super exciting for you. But in terms of the people you want to get to where are you excited to take us to next?
Teresa Rodriguez 7:54
Oh, I would love to take us to New Orleans. I just think New Orleans is such a fascinating city and where traveler has such a great brand in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. So I would love to speak with the editor in chief there. I'd love to, you know, just go behind the scenes of some of the really crazy tours, they've got great swap tours is, you know, midnight cemetery tours and Voodoo tours. And, you know, it's just to me, that's just such a fascinating part of the United States. That Gosh, with such a deep roots. Yeah, you know, it's so many different parts, you know, you've got the, the roots of the Creole and the cuisine and beautiful architecture. So yeah, I would love I, it The truth is I never get tired of traveling. If somebody handed me a ticket somewhere today, I would. I would go like I was just looking at Nantucket. I've never been to Nantucket. I'm like, Oh, that was just like so awesome. So I think one of the things for me is just staying curious. Yeah, every destination, you know, not just ones that are on were travelers radar, you know, where were travelers go. But also places that are just a little off the beaten path.
Pete Turner 9:07
Yeah, for sure that stuff like, you know, you can say go to Anton's in New Orleans, but but a lot of us know that already. You know, when you had Francis Lewis on the guy that does your job in New York City, and they talked about the Highline and all those other places. They're not necessarily secrets. But just to say that to curate that whole experience, like this is how you can spend a day in New York City.
Teresa Rodriguez 9:31
Yeah, that's fantastic. And it's so fascinating to hear what others in my position, really are trying to promote as well and curate because our job is to give the best you know, we have to remember that we've got travelers who come to our city, you know, I look at San Francisco, we've got 25 million people who come to San Francisco every year, they spend $10 billion. That's a million dollars every hour that they're spending in the city of San Francisco. And they're relying on where traveler to where to spend this money, right? Are they going to go spend it at this restaurant who's that's got really awful service and the crab sucks, or they're going to go spend it at this restaurant, where the service is fantastic. And the crowd is phenomenal. That's my job because they're here for only a few days, the average traveler to San Francisco is here for four days, spending 30 $500.
Pete Turner 10:20
In those four days, people have a lot of work to do, right. And it's
Teresa Rodriguez 10:24
you know, and they want to they want to go down Lombard Street, and they want to have one of this and they want to go across the Golden Gate Bridge, and they want to eat crab and Fisherman's Wharf. I want them to do all of that, but I want them to do it the best they can, you know, better than experience not just go to eat crabs, Fisherman's Wharf, these are the best places to eat crab, you know, or if you want to take some, you know, go off the beaten track. These are some of the best crab places that are in San Francisco that are not necessarily in Fisherman's Wharf, I, I worked at Pier 39. As a concierge. One of my favorite things to do is I one of the guys that I worked with, we would go and eat crab once a week, like, let's find the best crab in San Francisco. And we just went out last last Saturday and went to a place on Clement street down in the Richmond district to have crab and it was fantastic. So it's like you know, those are the things I love to find out you know, it's really stay curious.
Pete Turner 11:21
Yes, that curiosity like knowing to go to the mall and Ari's for a deli. That place right it's not a secret. But if you don't know to go there, you're missing out because it's so so top notch so good. When it comes to these you know these kind of these hidden gems I suppose. Or the big names what's your preference? Like what personally do you like to do more?
Teresa Rodriguez 11:44
I you know, I'm I'll be honest, I love food. So I'm always looking for that little place that little hidden gem somewhere that is that serves the best of there is and there's places that I like specific food you know, Burmese there's, you know, they do this fermented tea leaf salad over at Burma superstar which you'll never get a salad is fantastic as the salad for a superstar. This is specific tea leaf 14 you know, 14 spice tea leaf salad. And you know, you can go and get crabs at Woodhouse fish co on Fillmore Street and have fantastic Belgian food and muscles over on Union Street at build. So for me, there's specific places I like to go for specific foods. And if I'm craving something I know, like Okay, it's time for me to go to fog harbor to get a bowl of clam chowder. Yeah.
Pete Turner 12:42
Yeah. For reals when you travel. Like if you go to New Orleans or a town that you don't have wired tight, and you've been everywhere? Would you actually grab world traveler magazines? I know that Francis talked to you, like, put one in your back pocket and take it all over the place? It's a great reference. But is that really what you would do?
Teresa Rodriguez 12:59
So I still I do it before I even worked for. I mean, I've got where travelers in my, on my coffee table from St. Petersburg from Moscow from Venice. Yeah, when I've traveled to those destinations. And what I love about them is they're also a souvenir, and a reminder of what was happening that month that I went. So I always recommend that people pick up a world traveler, as a souvenir. And as a reminder of all the things that were happening that month, that they were in that destination. So it's really cool, because I have the one from St. Petersburg from last year when I went for World Cup with my my parents, and it's you know, it's all about summer and St. Petersburg, and I have that fantastic memory. And then when I was in Venice, for my birthday, you know, I picked up a, you know, a were traveler Venice and have all the cool things that were happening in Venice during the month I was there.
Pete Turner 13:51
Yeah. Wow. So many questions, because those Yeah, those memories just took me away to my own memories. And you're right, it's fantastic. Okay, so you've got a podcast now, and and you're getting your host legs underneath you and you are doing very, very well. You already have an editorial mind. Where, where specifically besides New Orleans, are you going to try to take us? is there other any other things on the horizon? I mean, is it seasonal? You've done some stuff at festivals, what's what's ahead of us?
Teresa Rodriguez 14:21
Well, we have more festivals coming up. So we have the Mill Valley Film Festival happening. And we have you know, San Francisco gets really, really busy. In September, there's so much going on. I think that's September is like our summer, or summer month or one month of summer here where we've got so many things going on. Yeah, the opening of the chase center as well, which is a really big deal. So definitely want to get that that happening. I really want to interview all the different editors in all the different markets from Seattle to Philadelphia, down to Miami, Chicago, we've got some really interesting things that are happening is in each market place. And to be able to get each of the editors online and find out what's what's happening in their city. I mean, I love it.
Pete Turner 15:11
Yeah, there's really not enough time to do it all. You know, like, I live in Orange County, I'm in San Diego all the time. I'm in LA all the time, I would love to just know, everything that those like you say, you talked about the curated experience that you editors create, just to know those people to say, Hey, this is the year because it's LA, there are 5 million things going on every day. I can't tell you how many musical venues there are. How many of you know one person plays it just it's an enormous amount of stuff. And you and your peers just have access to so many things. I mean, you think San Francisco, but but really, it's the Sonoma wine Valley, the Napa wine Valley, Santa Cruz, you know, all these different? Oh my gosh,
Teresa Rodriguez 15:55
there. It's, then we've got you know, Livermore and 20. You know, we've got 20 vineyards that are doing this incredible, you know, concert series, and, you know, it's, there's it's endless, like if I literally did everything that I was invited to do, I wouldn't have a job.
Pete Turner 16:13
Right? I would be so busy. Having fun and drinking wine and seeing concerts and eating fantastic food. All of these experiences are wonderful. Where does Teresa that I want to go do everything person stop and Teresa, the editor take over and say I've been to venti five times, I have to go do something else. Let me go do this other thing, or is it hard? I mean, do you just trust your sense, maybe, and what the readers will get from and the listeners will get from your experiences?
Teresa Rodriguez 16:42
Well, we're really, really lucky because we have I have a cadre of fantastic writers. So I there, they're my eyes and ears and feet and you know, boots on the ground when I am not doing all of this stuff. So I send people up to wine country, I'm sending people on these two. And, you know, to experience it and write about it for us. I mean, I think that's one of the great things about being an editor is that you have the opportunity to really empower others to share their experience. The truth is, is that you know, I'm a single mom of an eight year old so I when I am not being curious for we're traveler and being curious with an eight year old and where to go and what to do. And, you know, we have our memberships, you know, we have our memberships to all of the different museums. And one of our favorites is the Exploratorium, where, you know, we're I can bring a bunch of kids. So we'll have playdates to the Exploratorium. I'm a member of the battery, which is a private club in San Francisco that does events for children on the weekends, and puppet shows and storytelling. So we'll go to the battery, you know, to have brunch and play with Legos and run around with all the other kids and San Francisco is a really great city for children. You know, people are like, oh, let's move out of San Francisco. You know, if you could afford to raise a child in this Metropolitan environment, I highly recommend it. You know, I took her to see Carmen, the opera, and she was just mesmerized with the music and the movement and the drama of it all. And I you know, she's I took her to see Hamilton for Valentine's Day. And we're super excited because Harry Potter, the music of the theater performance is coming to San Francisco in October. So we're already set to, to go see that. That the two you know, for people who don't know Harry Potter has been playing, and it was in London and New York, it's in New York right now. It's coming to San Francisco. It's a it's two place. So you watch the first play, which is the first part of the book and then you watch the second play. And so it's literally a full day of theater. Oh my gosh, a break in between? Yeah, it's fun and stuff like that. But you know, how could you not want to be a kid in this city?
Pete Turner 18:58
Yeah, it's incredible. Well, just in general, like just not even in this city. But the travel things. We've already talked about the incredible food that's out there, festivals, theater, all these things and theatre sounds really pretentious. But what I love about what you get to do is show us how how, what a blast it is. You know, like I've been to a lot of theater and there are many things that blow me away one the venues are gorgeous the architecture so the when you come down to Orange County will have to go to the seniors jump together. That's just like, mouth the gate looking at like, Oh my God, look at this beautiful building. And then you go in, you have a drink or whatever. And the live musicianship I saw something at the Hollywood Bowl the other day, and basically, it was the 30th anniversary of the Little Mermaid which blows me away. That's 30 years old. I love it. But the symphony played the numbers live and then they played the movie on screens and it's the Hollywood Bowl so there's no better live opener venue in the world like it is
Teresa Rodriguez 19:59
no yeah the weather so great down there
Pete Turner 20:01
will get this it rained just enough to add the you know the ocean he kind of feel so everybody got wet, but no one got soaked if that. And then they would press pause in the movie and st now seeing in the part of Little Mermaid is Leah Michelle. Oh, wow. Cuz it's Yeah, it's fantastic. La, you know, so you get to hear a live performance live music in just a man. So yeah, people that are missing out on the wonder of theater and you want to take care of your relationship. Go see theater of some kind once a quarter.
Teresa Rodriguez 20:35
Oh, yeah, I totally agree. I just saw hairspray which is playing at the Victorian theater in San Francisco. It's in the mission. It's the oldest theater in San Francisco. And it was just this awesome, you know, performance of, of hairspray. And afterwards, we walked down to Valencia and 16th and got a bite at a new restaurant called El de that's open until 2am. It serves food until one and it's a a combination of Mexican Japanese fusion. Like only you know, only in San Francisco right? Can you Well, not only in San Francisco but San Francisco is a great city to be able to go see hairspray and then hang out at a Asian fusion bar until 1am. eating chicken Japanese sandwiches and Carney the tacos.
Pete Turner 21:26
I love a sushi burrito First of all, I yes. I love them. And then also, you're right sushi with like some cilantro in it or like a pico de guy oh kind of thing. And they're like God just it works. And you're right. That's not a cultural appropriation. That's delicious. Is what that is.
Teresa Rodriguez 21:44
Right. And I think San Francisco we really love, you know, pushing the envelope and merging boundaries and grafting food together. Yeah. And some of the food trucks. One of my favorite things to do is we've got off the grid that's happening. Well, it's now called Presidio picnic on Sunday at the Presidio, where the Walt Disney museum is, and it's you know, 50 food trucks that wrap around the park and we they've got a live DJ and a bar in the middle and a guy that wearing a tux that is pulling up a Bloody Bloody Mary maker carts around and it's just a fantastic afternoon with the you know, with your family, your friends, bring your blankets, bring your own roads, a frisbees. kites, yeah, Sundays up until October. So
Pete Turner 22:36
you're an author, you've written several books. You're a traveler, you know, which is a separate thing. But that's like your muse. You You're a magazine editor, and you are mastering lots of different forms of media. how good of a grip do you have on podcasting? Now that you've got your you know, you've got a taste of it.
Teresa Rodriguez 22:55
I have no grip on podcasting. I just, I trust you, I just fall face forward and hope that it all works out. So, you know, I'm passionate about interviewing people, I love meeting new people. I'm forever curious about what others perspectives are and their experience of life. So that in itself just gets me excited. So I'm always like, wow, this would be a great podcast. Yeah, this will be great podcast. But at the end of the day, I have to like, Okay, what do I really have time for? What do our listeners really want to hear? And what's realistic, right?
Pete Turner 23:27
Yeah, no, that's 100%. For sure. I mean, I take my gear with me everywhere I go, but I can't record every conversation that I have. And I think what you're going to find is that more and more, you're going to just be doing. I wouldn't call them mock interviews, but you'll be doing like practice. You're like, Oh, my God, this would be a great show. You know, so you're going to find even more things that you're passionate about the the interview you did with with? The Albright that's going up today, where they lived on Alcatraz and you find out that they have the wardens furniture in their house, they got to keep it as they turned the lifestyle.
Teresa Rodriguez 24:03
so crazy, right? Like a boat came to Alcatraz furniture on the boat, took it to the dock loaded into a truck. And then they drove it all the way across country. Yeah. And now it's got you know, the Alcatraz on it. And it's going to end up in the Smithsonian. Yeah, that's so fascinating. And then
Pete Turner 24:20
by the way, this is the inside stuff you get from podcast by the way. The the curtains that that Catherine sewed are still on Alcatraz still in building six or wherever it was, you know?
Teresa Rodriguez 24:31
Yeah. So crazy, right?
Pete Turner 24:33
Yeah, yeah, those are those are wonderful things where you not getting to enough like what's next for you. You're like, I really need to get down to San Antonio or whatever it is.
Teresa Rodriguez 24:42
I need to get back down to Mexico. I have not touched the Caribbean ocean. My favorite part of the world is that area to loom. Welcome all that area south of Cancun and sidecar. And man, it's, you know, there's a bunch of little little seaport villages, really. And I don't want to tell any of your listeners this because I don't want them to go down there. There's just these gorgeous little villages that have not been populated yet where the fishermen live. And the turtle swim in the bay and waters blue is blue can be and I really love Mexico because I love food. I'm not a big fan of Caribbean food. But I'm a big fan of Mexican food. So it's the best of both worlds. I've got the Caribbean ocean right there. You know, Cortana rue the state of Cortana. Room. Right. And I've got the food. I absolutely adore it. So I need to get my feet back in that blue, blue blue blue water.
Pete Turner 25:42
Yeah, so so not not so much curry but more carne asada for you.
Teresa Rodriguez 25:46
Yeah, I'm not I I'll be honest, I'm not a curry fan. Which is really interesting as being a foodie that I am I yet Indian food, I have not found the exact my my food. And I know that what's happening, and we're going to be covering it in our November, November issue of where traveler is the micro culture, food that's actually popping up. So it's not just Indian food itself. East Indian food is northern Indian food. It's Indian food from the city of Mumbai. It's Indian food, you know. So what's so fascinating is that there's actually we're getting micro cultural food in San Francisco. And so we're going to be exploring that in our November issue with our writer, Virginia Miller, who is a fantastic writer.
Pete Turner 26:36
Oh, that's super cool. I love that. Yeah. And then how, how the heck does curry get to Trinidad and Tobago? Like, how did how did that happen? You know, because it's for sure. Indian inspired, but it is not their style. It's just Yeah, that's great. So the Caribbean is on the list. What about somewhere in the US? Where do you want to get yet? We don't forget that question. Let me ask you this. In California, we're so close to Hawaii is so accessible. People sort of just default there because let's be honest, it's perfect. But if I want to do something else, what else can you do if you're if you're on the West Coast?
Teresa Rodriguez 27:12
Oh, God. I mean, it depends on what you want to experience. I and how far you want to go and how you want to get there. You know, if you're living in Northern California, we have access to Santa Cruz and Carmel The weather's a lot nicer than it is in San Francisco. But if you want some rugged coastline going up to Mendocino for a romantic weekend is just superb. We've got great wineries now that are in that whole area this Alexander Valley we've got Stromberg champion, you know, they make champagne method wa UNE keep going north and you've got this incredible coastline that's just gorgeous. I mean, it's out of movies. Or if you want to go east and head to the Gold Country and you've got these beautiful rolling hills and you know, Columbia that that whole area with was found you got great little bed and breakfast is you can go up to Shasta. So I think that it depends on what you want to experience. Me I would love to go down to Santa Cruz and take my daughter there for a long weekend because the weather's great. I mean, you know, Santa Cruz beach boardwalk, there's nothing better. Yeah. You know, one of the things that I do with my daughters we do do staycation. We just spent the night at the Sir Francis Drake hotel last weekend, where we were just I ordered room service and we ate you know, we ordered a movie and ate hamburgers in bed. And
Jon Leon Guerrero 28:35
this episode of the breakdown show is brought to you by lions rock productions. That's us. We publish, evaluate and develop podcasts just like this one, consult others to build their own and create associated content and content marketing strategies. So if you're launching or expanding your social media presence, your business or your personal brand, or if you just want to take your media presence to the next level, reach out to us on Twitter at Pete a Turner. JOHN LG 69 I had to break it down show there's 1000 ways to get ahold of us
Pete Turner 29:05
now enjoy the show
Teresa Rodriguez 29:07
eight hamburgers in bed and didn't have to worry about cleaning it up in the bed you know so i think that you don't have to go far to have a great time with your family or with your friends or your loved one or whatever and you know getting away doesn't have to be super far. You know it's just a change you know a change something simple as if you're living in land go to go stay a little beach, you know, a little beach la that's doesn't cost a fortune and the Coney dogs or whatever. You know, Pacifica has like the best Taco Bell in the United States. It's got serves beer now.
Unknown Speaker 29:45
Oh, yeah. One of the beer. Yeah, yeah.
Teresa Rodriguez 29:49
Go to Pacifica for the day, right. Oh, my gosh,
Pete Turner 29:51
I was in San Diego the other day. And we were there for part of some interviews, but also for Comic Con, because one of our guests was at Comic marcom as a as a display, and we just went to the next Mexican place in in the right part of San Diego. You know, and my God. So the next thing you know, I'm in Missoula, having, quote unquote, Mexican food. And there's nothing wrong with the food that I had in Missoula, but it was not San Diego Mexican food. So delicious. But yeah, like so for. If you were to think six hours to fly from California to Hawaii, you could be in St. George, Utah. Right. You could
Teresa Rodriguez 30:32
stick and if you're into hiking and nature, St. George's fantastic. You know, you've got Red Mountain spa there, which is wonderful. And you do those things. George, you can go south, you can end up in San Diego, which I absolutely love San Diego, the weather's fantastic. I mean, you can actually even take the train from San Francisco to San Diego, you can go take the train to Santa Barbara, you can take the train up north to go to Sacramento, Sacramento is got some really cool hotels that are opening up downtown and their whole downtown area is really, you know, growing up. Yeah. So you know, especially if you just want to go to a place that's got a pool because the truth is, is San Francisco is not warm. You're it's not a pool city. It's a Food City, and understanding what you want to experience. And you know, in my first book, fly solo, the 50 best places on earth for a girl to travel alone. I broke up destinations based on culture, yeah, activity, weather and social. So you know, how much culture Do you want to experience? How important how, how active Do you want to be? How important is the weather? And how social, you know how much how much do you want to interact with other people? Now that I've done all this, you know, more than because that was what 10 years ago, I would add food, food. And I would also ask add cost, you know, how? How much money do you want to spend? So Seattle, I think that
Jon Leon Guerrero 31:59
is a fantastic city never stops,
Teresa Rodriguez 32:01
right? It really it never does stop. Like I was looking at flights to Nantucket, like how long would it take me to get to Nantucket with Cassandra my daughter? And where could we stay in? It was like seven and a half hour flight, you know? and hang out. And yeah, I have a completely different experience of the United States. Or Montana go horse riding in Montana. Gosh, it
Pete Turner 32:22
was so gorgeous up there. It's just it's my God. It's gorgeous up there. So so this is what we should do. We should have you fly down to San Diego, I'll meet you down there. And we'll take the surf land or north. even all the way to San Luis Obispo if we want. And we'll just grab four or five podcasts along the way. You're just things that are within a short Uber ride of the train track and then just pop pop, pop pop pop up and do and do Southern California.
Teresa Rodriguez 32:49
Yeah, definitely. I'm in.
Pete Turner 32:50
Ok. So the show is called the world traveler podcast. That's part of the world traveler brand. It sort of accompanies all of the guides that are out there in general. We've hit New you're we've hit San Francisco done some festivals. I think episode eight will drop today. There's a whole bunch of new stuff coming up, Teresa's got the bug to get out there that maybe Nantucket or wherever it's going to be? What else do we need to know Theresa about the show?
Teresa Rodriguez 33:15
Well, where to find it, which you You're the one that set up all that stuff. So you can download it on your iPhone or your smartphone, you can find it on Apple podcast, make sure to subscribe, and like and write a great review. Now I sound like a one of those influencers
Pete Turner 33:37
for following followers, well, let me let me say, let me say the second way though, because
if you want to, if you're going to go to New York, for work, or for pleasure, whatever, if you listen to the Francis Lewis episode, you're going to instantly be inspired. That's why you want to subscribe because this is going to be a source of information for you. And so when you send your email that you're reading, sad to say, please go to whatever Cincinnati and tell us all about it. Because I'm going next year for my family reunion, then boom, you're going to have Teresa able to respond to these things and put you in that place. Whether it's New York City, Miami, Boston, whatever that's that's what we're trying to do is, is to give you guys that that curated experience. I mean that, you know, everybody always wants travel tips from their friends that have been to Paris. But how about someone who lives and works there and curious for a living? I'm
Teresa Rodriguez 34:31
really excited about the East Village interview with our with our gentleman, Neil, who has such an understanding of the area. It's so fascinating. That's where that's where the Hari Krishna tree is. Yeah, it's like one of the oldest Ukrainian villages in the United States. We go and visit it and enchantments shop where you can get by spells. It's just so fascinating. And this was all in an area of five blocks in New York City. Fascinating.
Pete Turner 35:01
Yeah, no, it is fascinating. And oh, the other thing I guess I should say, too, is if you are going to come to the Bay, realize that 5700 people that day go to Alcatraz. I know it's busy. I don't realize it was packed, it's packed. And they need to buy their tickets beforehand, of course that they can.
Teresa Rodriguez 35:24
They can find tickets many times but they're always packaged up with bus, the bus tours and other types of tours. You know, it's one of the things that the concierge is called the impossible. Yeah. And getting reservations at restaurants like state bird provision, and quince and French Laundry and tickets to Alcatraz those are like the foreign possibles so make sure that if you're coming to San Francisco and those are the some of the things that you want to do book them before a book them ahead of time. And with all of those you can book them 90 days in advance.
Pete Turner 35:56
And they have this was the about the Alcatraz tour. There's the standard tour. There's a nighttime spooky kind of tour. And then this behind the scenes totally new tour. It's like a five and a half hour. Yeah. Oh man.
Teresa Rodriguez 36:09
I've been a half hour tour of and they get gritty. There's no children allowed, which I understand. I took my daughter and her friends on a on an Alcatraz boat cruise. It was just a cruise that went around the island of Alcatraz. And they had way too many sound effects for children. It was you know, gunshots and you know, cussing and things like that. So I do not recommend the bow cruiser route Alcatraz for children under the age of 14.
Pete Turner 36:34
Yes. And also recommend for adults the point of VISTA before and after because Irish coffees are great.
Teresa Rodriguez 36:42
Yeah, especially have to get off the bay which is can always be a little bit chilly. can be chilly. They're coming to California. It's nice and sunny and warm. But the Bay Area is its own beast. Yeah. has its own micro climates here. So you know our motto should be bring a sweater. Where layers.
Pete Turner 36:59
Yeah, for sure. Even in the summertime. Well listen, especially in the summer.
That's when you don't expect it and it creeps up on you. You end up in snowy Valley. Wondering what the heck happened? Um, well listen, I appreciate you coming on and talking about where I live podcast with me because I'm passionate about it. Everybody, you got to support the show because I'm telling you when you do travel, this company will put you in a good spot. The curated experience thing is fantastic. I have I have become addicted to the newsletter and to the magazines. You know, and Theresa, I've got one to less so bad. Like I want to go to 15 more places the summer and the summer it's almost over you know,
Teresa Rodriguez 37:40
we're doing our job, you know, inspiring people to travel. That's what it's about, you know, you you increase your perspective of the world as the world becomes smaller and you know, we all start getting along better. We know that there's no walls and there's no boundaries.
Unknown Speaker 37:53
I love it.
